“Before we begin, it is important for you to know that Swedish men like to argue and that they always like to get that “zing” into a conversation.” With that said the story goes like this.

Ole and his wife were going to go over to Sven’s house to visit with he and his wife and have dinner. As they were getting ready, Ole’s wife said to him, “Now Ole, ven ve go over to Sven’s house you have to promise not to say anything about Sven’s son, you know dat da boy has no ears and Sven is very sensitive about dat.” Well the conversation went on this way until they were just about ready to leave and finally Ole threw up his hands and said “O.K.O.K., I promise I von’t say da vord ear all night, O.K?

Well being a man of his word Ole’s wife said O.K. and they were on their way. As was always the case they had a delicious dinner and great couples conversation and after dinner the ladies got up and started taking things to the kitchen while the men began making their way to the den.

After about an hour or more of arguing about one thing or another, Ole looked up on a shelf and saw a picture of Sven’s son and he said, “Hey Sven, dats a good looking boy you got dere” and Sven being very suspicious of where this conversation might lead said, “Yeah, he’s a good looking boy, takes after his mudder you know.

Then Ole said “Dat boy, he’s got nice eyes, yeah? To which Sven said “Oh yeah, he’s got nice eyes” Sven got this look of pride and said “Tventy tventy vision you know.

Then Ole said, “Vell it’s a damn good ting Sven cause he sure as hell can’t vere glasses can he?”

Rene, my stepfather, comes from Swedish descent. He cannot recall when exactly he first heard this joke. This joke is only one of about 15 jokes that Rene knows starring Sven and Ole. Rene also told me that these jokes are so popular that a book has been written to compile them, however this joke is not found in the book.

Personally I have heard Sven and Ole jokes told many times growing up with Rene around the house. We would tell them at dinner, around friends and family or even to people we just met as a way to break the ice. Rene does not have a specific time when he tells the jokes but “tells them to all sorts of people, any time its appropriate.” My mother has also become a teller of the Sven and Ole jokes, however personally I don’t think she tells them as well as Rene.

Rene did make it a point however to note that he does not tell jokes about any other nationalities because he risks offending them but says that all people, including Swedes love the Sven and Ole jokes because they are witty and goofy and do not particularly offend the Swedes or imply negative stereotypes.