Lund's cathedral and the giant

In the crypt of the cathedral of Lund you can find a pillar with the relief of a giant embracing it. The story of how the giant got there is the following:

Once upon a time a holy man named Lawrence arrived at the coast of Sweden in Skåne to preach the gospel. For that purpose he wanted to build a house of god, a cathedral. Unfortunately, of course, he did possess neither the means nor the strength to do so on his own. But at the time there lived a family of giants in the hills of helgona nearby and one of them went to enquire about St. Lawrence, concerned of what the holy man was up to. When the giant learned what St. Lawrence desired he promised him the following: "Listen carefully, holy man, to my words. I will build the temple you desire so much for you. But when you cannot tell me my name until the time I am finished you will give me either the sun or the moon or else your eyes!" This he said because all giants keep their names hidden from the world or if anyone finds out they must cease to exist.

As holy Lawrence lacked any other possiblities he agreed upon this bargain. So the giant started to build the cathedral and it progressed rapidly and turned out to be even more impressive than St. Lawrence had ever imaged. But soon came the day that the cathedral was almost finished and St. Lawrence wandered around restlessly, pondering how he could find out the giant's name. On the last day when there was only one stone left to be set St. Lawrence came by the hills of Helgona and there he heared a woman giant sing to her child:

"Sleep sleep my baby dear,

Tonight your father Finn will be here.

Then sun and moon you shall have from the skies

Or else the holy man Lawrence's eyes."

At once St. Lawrence hurried back to the cathedral and shouted up the roof where the giant was sitting to put the last stone: "Finn, Finn, take care how you put the stone in as it is the last one!" Furious with rage the giant flung the stone towards St. Lawrence and rushed down to the ground. "Never shall this church be finished!", he roared and grabbed one of the pillars of the crypt to tear down all of the cathedral. But he was too late. With his name revealed to the world he turned into stone, bearing the weight of the cathedral he himself built over his head for ever and ever.

Since that day a giant has embraced one of the pillars in Lund's cathedral and something has always been missing from the cathedral.