Corporal Gifting

The Ore-born Corporal Gifting said the famous words Orsa Company never promises anything definitely, meaning that they didn´t want to make promises they weren´t sure to hold.

The words became famous almost as soon as they were uttered:

"The Orsa company promises nothing definite."

They were performed on 13 September 1894 near Komtillmåtta krog in Gagnef, where the commander demanded that the Orsa company should make a promise of sobriety during the overnight stay at the site. Eager to keep his word Corporal Jonas Jonsson Gifting explained his company's attitude. You do not promise something that you can not guarantee to keep. The interpretation that Orsa company would not be able to decide is thus totally wrong!

However, this most causal expression was performed by - a man from our nearby village, Ore! Corporal Gifting lived in Dalbyn in Ore. The soldiers in Ore parish belonged to Orsa company. Corporal Gifting was born in the village in 1853 and died there in 1934.

And maybe it was still an original resident who came up with the idea for the opinion. Especially in southern Orsa, tradition says that their Corporal Snickare whispered the sentence in Gifting's ear before he was sent to give the commander the companies view .