Afamiliar tradition in norway involves putting a bowl of rice pudding out for the barn elf. why is this done

Barn Elf is often called as a short man who is placed outside of the house in the fields or between the animals, to take care of them from other animals or birds.

In Norway, A bowl of rice pudding is placed outside for the Short Man, so that he would not turn roguish and would take care of the fields and the animals. Because other animals or birds can come and destroy the fields of can harm the animals. So when this short man is placed, the animals and birds think him to be the real man and don't come near the fields and animals by getting frightened by him.  

the investment was $14,174.196

explanation:

a lump sum means that the father of the example made one deposit and leave it be.

we need to know the value of a capital that generated at 4.05% per year during 28 years the sum of $48,613.24

now clearing the formula to solve for capital we got:

and we reach the answer investment = $14,174.20