Carinna, Jag tackar och bockar=I thank you and bow (in everyday Swedish) because your participation added another continent to the discussion and mostly you took it to a level which it is supposed to be reached.
Porcelainqueen, Is it possible for three brains to think and act exact the same way within a half a second of time? I think Carinna`s explanation makes more sense.
However there must be a some kind of background for this "There were no 'hillbilly' behaviour, just acknowledging the presence of a fellow human being and respecting Finnbo's presence, despite both parties' surprise in meeting in the forest." That is where we can find out some rare facts about Sweden worth knowing about.
In this particular case these people have weapon licences and hunting licence certificates. In order to be granted those you have to go through a special education and fulfill many requirements.
It is prohibited to point a firearm at someone.
There is something called "allemansrätten" freedom to roam anywhere a person like, regardless of who owns the property.
Now I had all those on my side but I didn't have any witnesses if any "accident" ever took place, or any kind of slightest little harassment that push me to be an underdog. They could follow the rules and the same time put me to "my place" if they wish to, which have made me miserable enough even to give up the enjoyment my cottage and it's lifestyle gives me. Why didn't they even think about to do something like that?
"Jantelagen" Law of Jante is a code of conduct in Scandinavia with 10 cultural codes.
1. You shall not think you are anything special.
2. You shall not think you are as good as we are.
3. You shall not think you are smarter than we are.
4. You shall not imagine yourself better than we are.
5. You shall not think you know more than we do.
6. You shall not think you are more important than we are.
7. You shall not think you are good at anything.
8. You shall not laugh at us.
9. You shall not think anyone cares about you.
10. You shall not think you can teach us anything.
Those are only cultural code of conduct which had been existed in Scandinavia since early 1900s but after a book called "A fugitive crosses his tracks" of a Norwegian author which published in 1933, this code of conduct had been inserted into Scandinavian mind and still exists to a certain level in whole Scandinavia. It all leads to one word "Equality". According to me that is the most important fact about Sweden worth knowing about.