The Serpent’s Way

In rural Sweden of the 19th century, it was customary for poor families’ debts to landowners or shopkeepers to be repaid through sexual reciprocity of women or daughters. According to well-established moral and ethical views and rather dubious interpretation of the Bible, they have the undeniable right to levy such a kind of “rent” from any woman who owes them. Tea is surrendered to such a creditor despite the suicide of her husband. His son later takes over the role of father, but when Tea’s sixteen-year-old daughter has to take her place to pay the debt, the man is neutered by one of Tea’s sons.