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diff --git a/37193-h/37193-h.htm b/37193-h/37193-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..72f9d2f --- /dev/null +++ b/37193-h/37193-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,7239 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/strict.dtd"> + +<html> + +<head> + + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> + + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Swedish Fairy Book, by Clara Stroebe. + </title> + + <style type="text/css"> + + blockquote { + text-align:justify; + } + + body { + margin-left:10%; + margin-right:10%; + } + + #booktitle { + letter-spacing:3px; + } + + .center, + .centered { + text-align:center; + font-weight:bold; + } + + div.centered { + text-align:center; + } + + div.centered table { + margin-left:auto; + margin-right:auto; + text-align:left; + } + + .figcenter { + padding:1em; + text-align:center; + font-size:0.8em; + border:none; + margin:0; + text-indent:1em; + } + + .figcenter img { + border:none; + } + + .figcenter p { + margin:0; + text-indent:1em; + } + + .figcenter { + margin:auto; + } + + .h1 { + font-size:2em; + margin:.67em 0; + } + + .h1, + .h2, + .h3, + .h4 { + font-weight:bolder; + text-align:center; + text-indent:0; + } + + h1, + h2, + h3, + h4, + hr { + text-align:center; + } + + .h2 { + font-size:1.5em; + margin:.75em 0; + } + + .h3 { + font-size:1.17em; + margin:.83em 0; + } + + .h4 { + margin:1.12em 0 ; + } + + hr.chapter { + margin-top:6em; + margin-bottom:4em; + } + + hr.thin { + margin-right:47%; + margin-left:47%; + margin-top:0%; + margin-bottom:0%; + width:6%; + } + + p { + text-align:justify; + margin-top:.3em; + margin-bottom:.3em; + text-indent:0; + } + + p.author { + text-align:right; + margin-right:10%; + } + + p.caption { + text-indent:0; + text-align:center; + font-weight:bold; + margin-bottom:2em; + } + + p.spacer { + margin-top:2em; + margin-bottom:3em; + } + + .pagenum { +/* visibility:hidden; remove comment out to hide page numbers */ + position:absolute; + right:2%; + font-size:75%; + color:gray; + background-color:inherit; + text-align:right; + text-indent:0; + font-style:normal; + font-weight:normal; + font-variant:normal; + } + + .poem { + margin-left:10%; + margin-right:10%; + margin-bottom:1em; + text-align:left; + } + + .poem .stanza { + margin:1em 0em 1em 0em; + } + + .poem br { + display:none; + } + + .poem p { + margin:0; + padding-left:3em; + text-indent:-3em; + } + + .poem span.i0 { + display:block; + margin-left:0em; + padding-left:3em; + text-indent:-3em; + } + + .sc, + .smcap { + font-variant:small-caps; + } + + .tdc { + text-align:center; + } + + .tdl { + text-align:left; + } + + .tdr { + text-align:right; + padding-right:1em; + } + + .tdrfirst { + text-align:right; + padding-right:1em; + font-size:80%; + } + + .tdlfirst { + text-align:left; + font-size:80%; + } + + </style> + +</head> + +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Swedish Fairy Book, by Various + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Swedish Fairy Book + +Author: Various + +Editor: Clara Stroebe + +Illustrator: George W. Hood + +Translator: Frederick H. Martens + +Release Date: August 24, 2011 [EBook #37193] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SWEDISH FAIRY BOOK *** + + + + +Produced by David Edwards, Matthew Wheaton and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive) + + + + + + +</pre> + +<div> + +<br> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 383px;"> +<img src="images/cover.jpg" width="383" height="600" alt="Cover" title="Cover"> +</div> + +<h1 id="booktitle">THE SWEDISH FAIRY BOOK</h1> + +<p class="spacer"> </p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 425px;"> +<a name="i1" id="i1"></a> +<img src="images/i001.jpg" width="425" height="600" alt=""NO SOONER HAD HE SPOKEN THE WORDS THAN HE WAS +LYING IN THE MOST MAGNIFICENT ROOM HE HAD EVER +SEEN."" title="frontispiece"> +</div> + +<p class="caption">"NO SOONER HAD HE SPOKEN THE WORDS THAN HE WAS +LYING IN THE MOST MAGNIFICENT ROOM HE HAD EVER SEEN.—<a href="#P_14">Page 14</a>"</p> + +<p class="spacer"> </p> + +<p class="h1">THE SWEDISH FAIRY BOOK</p> + +<p class="h3">EDITED BY +<br> +CLARA STROEBE +<br><br> +TRANSLATED BY +<br> +FREDERICK H. MARTENS +</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 100px;"> +<img src="images/i002.jpg" width="100" height="126" alt="" title=""> +</div> + +<p class="h4">WITH EIGHT ILLUSTRATIONS IN COLOR BY</p> + +<p class="h4">GEORGE W. HOOD</p> + +<p class="spacer"> </p> + +<p class="h3">NEW YORK<br> +FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY<br> +PUBLISHERS</p> + +<p class="spacer"> </p> + +<p class="h4"><i>Copyright, 1921, by</i> +<br> +<span class="smcap">Frederick A. Stokes Company</span></p> + +<hr class="thin"> + +<p class="h4"><i>All Rights Reserved</i></p> + +<p class="spacer"> </p> + +<p class="h4"><i>Printed in the United States of America</i></p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<h2>PREFACE</h2> + +<p>The following volume of Swedish fairy-tales represents +a careful choice, after the best original sources, +of those examples of their kind which not only appeared +most colorful and entertaining, but also most +racially Swedish in their flavor. For the fairy-tales of +each of the three Scandinavian countries, Sweden, Denmark +and Norway, have a distinct local color of their +own. The wealth of material available has made it +possible to give due representation to most types of +fairy-tales, from the stories of older origin, the tales +of giant, troll, and werewolf, to such delightful tales +as "Lasse, My Thrall", and "The Princess and the +Glass Mountain," colored with the rich and ornate stylistic +garb of medieval chivalric poesy. There has been +no attempt to "rewrite" these charming folk-and +fairy-tales in the translation. They have been faithfully +narrated in the simple, naive manner which their +traditional rendering demands. And this is one reason, +perhaps, why they should appeal to young American +readers—for young America by instinct takes +kindly to that which is straightforward and sincere, in +the realm of fairy-tale as in life itself.</p> + +<p class="author"> +<span class="smcap">Frederick H. Martens</span><br> +</p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> + +<div class="centered"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="table of contents"> + <tr> + <td class="tdr"> </td> + <td class="tdlfirst">CHAPTER</td> + <td class="tdrfirst">PAGE</td></tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#I">I</a></td> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Knös</span></td> + <td class="tdr">1</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#II">II</a></td> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Lasse, My Thrall!</span></td> + <td class="tdr">11</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#III">III</a></td> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Finn, the Giant, and the Minster of Lund</span></td> + <td class="tdr">32</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#IV">IV</a></td> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">The Skalunda Giant</span></td> + <td class="tdr">35</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#V">V</a></td> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Yuletide Specters</span></td> + <td class="tdr">37</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#VI">VI</a></td> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Silverwhite and Lillwacker</span></td> + <td class="tdr">40</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#VII">VII</a></td> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Stompe Pilt</span></td> + <td class="tdr">57</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#VIII">VIII</a></td> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">The Girl and the Snake</span></td> + <td class="tdr">60</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#IX">IX</a></td> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Faithful and Unfaithful</span></td> + <td class="tdr">62</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#X">X</a></td> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Starkad and Bale</span></td> + <td class="tdr">74</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#XI">XI</a></td> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">The Werewolf</span></td> + <td class="tdr">76</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#XII">XII</a></td> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">First Born, First Wed</span></td> + <td class="tdr">93</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#XIII">XIII</a></td> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">The Lame Dog</span></td> + <td class="tdr">112</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#XIV">XIV</a></td> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">The Mount of the Golden Queen</span></td> + <td class="tdr">124</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#XV">XV</a></td> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Old Hopgiant</span></td> + <td class="tdr">129</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#XVI">XVI</a></td> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">The Princess and the Glass Mountain</span></td> + <td class="tdr">132</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#XVII">XVII</a></td> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Queen Crane</span></td> + <td class="tdr">150</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#XVIII">XVIII</a></td> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Tales of the Trolls</span></td> + <td class="tdr">159</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#XIX">XIX</a></td> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Charcoal Nils and the Troll-Woman</span></td> + <td class="tdr">162</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#XX">XX</a></td> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">The Three Dogs</span></td> + <td class="tdr">167</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#XXI">XXI</a></td> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">The Poor Devil</span></td> + <td class="tdr">187</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#XXII">XXII</a></td> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">How Smaland and Schonen Came To Be</span></td> + <td class="tdr">188</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#XXIII">XXIII</a></td> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">The Evil One and Kitta Grau</span></td> + <td class="tdr">190</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#XXIV">XXIV</a></td> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">The Lady of Pintorp</span></td> + <td class="tdr">194</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#XXV">XXV</a></td> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">The Specter in Fjelkinge</span></td> + <td class="tdr">199</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#XXVI">XXVI</a></td> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">The Rooster, the Hand-Mill and the Swarm of Hornets</span></td> + <td class="tdr">202</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#XXVII">XXVII</a></td> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">Torre Jeppe</span></td> + <td class="tdr">207</td> + </tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdr"><a href="#XXVIII">XXVIII</a></td> + <td class="tdl"><span class="smcap">The Man Who Died on Holy Innocents' Day</span></td> + <td class="tdr">210</td></tr> +</table></div> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<h2>LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS</h2> + +<div class="centered"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="List of Illustrations"> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><a href="#i1">"No sooner had he spoken the words than he + was lying in the most magnificent room he + had ever seen"</a></td> + <td class="tdr"><i>Frontispiece</i></td></tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"> </td><td class="tdrfirst">FACING PAGE</td></tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><a href="#i2">"Then Silverwhite drew his sword with a great sweep, + and rushed upon the sea-troll"</a></td> + <td class="tdc">44</td></tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><a href="#i3">"The pike rose to the surface with the golden keys in + his mouth"</a></td> + <td class="tdc">70</td></tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><a href="#i4">"So heartfelt was her happiness that she forgot everything + else in the world"</a></td> + <td class="tdc">84</td></tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><a href="#i5">"A shrine adorned with gold and precious stones appeared"</a></td> + <td class="tdc">110</td></tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><a href="#i6">"The lion turned into a handsome young prince"</a></td> + <td class="tdc">122</td></tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><a href="#i7">"The rich man had to go along hanging to him like a + hawser"</a></td> + <td class="tdc">130</td></tr> + <tr> + <td class="tdl"><a href="#i8">"He saw a girl sitting in the mountain hall, weaving a + web of gold"</a></td> + <td class="tdc">178</td></tr> +</table> +</div> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<p class="h2">THE SWEDISH FAIRY BOOK</p> +<p><span class="pagenum">[3]</span></p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="I" id="I"></a>I</h2> + +<p class="h3">KNÖS</p> + +<p>Once upon a time there was a poor widow, who +found an egg under a pile of brush as she was +gathering kindlings in the forest. She took it and +placed it under a goose, and when the goose had +hatched it, a little boy slipped out of the shell. The +widow had him baptized Knös, and such a lad was +a rarity; for when no more than five years old he +was grown, and taller than the tallest man. And +he ate in proportion, for he would swallow a whole +batch of bread at a single sitting, and at last the +poor widow had to go to the commissioners for the +relief of the poor in order to get food for him. But +the town authorities said she must apprentice the +boy at a trade, for he was big enough and strong +enough to earn his own keep.</p> + +<p>So Knös was apprenticed to a smith for three +years. For his pay he asked a suit of clothes and a +sword each year: a sword of five hundredweights +the first year, one of ten hundredweights the second<span class="pagenum">[4]</span> +year, and one of fifteen hundredweights the third +year. But after he had been in the smithy only a +few days, the smith was glad to give him all three +suits and all three swords at once; for he smashed +all his iron and steel to bits.</p> + +<p>Knös received his suits and swords, went to a +knight's estate, and hired himself out as a serving-man. +Once he was told to go to the forest to gather +firewood with the rest of the men, but sat at the +table eating long after the others had driven off +and when he had at last satisfied his hunger and +was ready to start, he saw the two young oxen he +was to drive waiting for him. But he let them stand +and went into the forest, seized the two largest trees +growing there, tore them out by the roots, took one +tree under each arm, and carried them back to the +estate. And he got there long before the rest, for +they had to chop down the trees, saw them up and +load them on the carts.</p> + +<p>On the following day Knös had to thresh. First +he hunted up the largest stone he could find, and +rolled it around on the grain, so that all the corn +was loosened from the ears. Then he had to +separate the grain from the chaff. So he made a +hole in each side of the roof of the barn, and stood +outside the barn and blew, and the chaff and straw +flew out into the yard, and the corn remained lying +in a heap on the floor. His master happened to +come along, laid a ladder against the barn, climbed<span class="pagenum">[5]</span> +up and looked down into one of the holes. But +Knös was still blowing, and the wind caught his +master, and he fell down and was nearly killed on +the stone pavement of the court.</p> + +<p>"He's a dangerous fellow," thought his master. +It would be a good thing to be rid of him, otherwise +he might do away with all of them; and besides, +he ate so that it was all one could do to keep him +fed. So he called Knös in, and paid him his wages +for the full year, on condition that he leave. Knös +agreed, but said he must first be decently provisioned +for his journey.</p> + +<p>So he was allowed to go into the store-house himself, +and there he hoisted a flitch of bacon on each +shoulder, slid a batch of bread under each arm, and +took leave. But his master loosed the vicious bull +on him. Knös, however, grasped him by the horns, +and flung him over his shoulder, and thus he went +off. Then he came to a thicket where he slaughtered +the bull, roasted him and ate him together with a +batch of bread. And when he had done this he had +about taken the edge off his hunger.</p> + +<p>Then he came to the king's court, where great +sorrow reigned because, once upon a time, when the +king was sailing out at sea, a sea troll had called +up a terrible tempest, so that the ship was about to +sink. In order to escape with his life, the king had +to promise the sea troll to give him whatever first +came his way when he reached shore. The king<span class="pagenum">[6]</span> +thought his hunting dog would be the first to come +running to meet him, as usual; but instead his three +young daughters came rowing out to meet him in a +boat. This filled the king with grief, and he vowed +that whoever delivered his daughters should have +one of them for a bride, whichever one he might +choose. But the only man who seemed to want to +earn the reward was a tailor, named Red Peter.</p> + +<p>Knös was given a place at the king's court, and +his duty was to help the cook. But he asked to be let +off on the day the troll was to come and carry away +the oldest princess, and they were glad to let him go; +for when he had to rinse the dishes he broke the +king's vessels of gold and silver; and when he was +told to bring firewood, he brought in a whole wagon-load +at once, so that the doors flew from their hinges.</p> + +<p>The princess stood on the sea-shore and wept and +wrung her hands; for she could see what she had to +expect. Nor did she have much confidence in Red +Peter, who sat on a willow-stump, with a rusty old +sabre in his hand. Then Knös came and tried to +comfort the princess as well as he knew how, and +asked her whether she would comb his hair. Yes, +he might lay his head in her lap, and she combed his +hair. Suddenly there was a dreadful roaring out at +sea. It was the troll who was coming along, and he +had five heads. Red Peter was so frightened that +he rolled off his willow-stump. "Knös, is that +you?" cried the troll. "Yes," said Knös. "Haul<span class="pagenum">[7]</span> +me up on the shore!" said the troll. "Pay out the +cable!" said Knös. Then he hauled the troll +ashore; but he had his sword of five hundredweights +at his side, and with it he chopped off all five of the +troll's heads, and the princess was free. But when +Knös had gone off, Red Peter put his sabre to the +breast of the princess, and told her he would kill +her unless she said he was her deliverer.</p> + +<p>Then came the turn of the second princess. Once +more Red Peter sat on the willow-stump with his +rusty sabre, and Knös asking to be let off for the +day, went to the sea-shore and begged the princess +to comb his hair, which she did. Then along came +the troll, and this time he had ten heads. "Knös, +is that you?" asked the troll. "Yes," said Knös. +"Haul me ashore!" said the troll. "Pay out the +cable!" said Knös. And this time Knös had his +sword of ten hundredweights at his side, and he +cut off all ten of the troll's heads. And so the second +princess was freed. But Red Peter held his sabre +at the princess' breast, and forced her to say that +he had delivered her.</p> + +<p>Now it was the turn of the youngest princess. +When it was time for the troll to come, Red Peter +was sitting on his willow-stump, and Knös came +and begged the princess to comb his hair, and she +did so. This time the troll had fifteen heads.</p> + +<p>"Knös, is that you?" asked the troll. "Yes," +said Knös. "Haul me ashore!" said the troll.<span class="pagenum">[8]</span> +"Pay out the cable," said Knös. Knös had his +sword of fifteen hundredweights at his side, and +with it he cut off all the troll's heads. But the +fifteen hundredweights were half-an-ounce short, +and the heads grew on again, and the troll took the +princess, and carried her off with him.</p> + +<p>One day as Knös was going along, he met a man +carrying a church on his back. "You are a strong +man, you are!" said Knös. "No, I am not strong," +said he, "but Knös at the king's court, he is strong; +for he can take steel and iron, and weld them together +with his hands as though they were clay." "Well, +I'm the man of whom you are speaking," said Knös, +"come, let us travel together." And so they +wandered on.</p> + +<p>Then they met a man who carried a mountain of +stone on his back. "You are strong, you are!" +said Knös. "No, I'm not strong," said the man +with the mountain of stone, "but Knös at the king's +court, he is strong; for he can weld together steel +and iron with his hands as though they were clay."</p> + +<p>"Well, I am that Knös, come let us travel together," +said Knös. So all three of them traveled +along together. Knös took them for a sea-trip; +but I think they had to leave the church and the hill +of stone ashore. While they were sailing they grew +thirsty, and lay alongside an island, and there on +the island stood a castle, to which they decided to go<span class="pagenum">[9]</span> +and ask for a drink. Now this was the very castle in +which the troll lived.</p> + +<p>First the man with the church went, and when he +entered the castle, there sat the troll with the +princess on his lap, and she was very sad. He asked +for something to drink. "Help yourself, the goblet +is on the table!" said the troll. But he got nothing +to drink, for though he could move the goblet from +its place, he could not raise it.</p> + +<p>Then the man with the hill of stone went into the +castle and asked for a drink. "Help yourself, the +goblet is on the table!" said the troll. And he got +nothing to drink either, for though he could move +the goblet from its place, he could not raise it.</p> + +<p>Then Knös himself went into the castle, and the +princess was full of joy and leaped down from the +troll's lap when she saw it was he. Knös asked +for a drink. "Help yourself," said the troll, "the +goblet is on the table!" And Knös took the goblet +and emptied it at a single draught. Then he hit +the troll across the head with the goblet, so that he +rolled from the chair and died.</p> + +<p>Knös took the princess back to the royal palace, +and O, how happy every one was! The other princesses +recognized Knös again, for they had woven +silk ribbons into his hair when they had combed it; +but he could only marry one of the princesses, whichever +one he preferred, so he chose the youngest.<span class="pagenum">[10]</span> +And when the king died, Knös inherited the kingdom.</p> + +<p>As for Red Peter, he had to go into the nail-barrel.</p> + +<p>And now you know all that I know.</p> + +<p class="h3">NOTE</p> + +<blockquote><p>The leading personage of our first story, Knös (<i>Tecknigar og Toner +ur skanska allmogenslif</i>, Lund, 1889, p. 14. From Gudmundstorp, +Froste Harad) is one of those heroes of gigantic build, beloved of +the North, who even when he eats, accomplishes deeds such as the +old Norsemen told of their god Thor: the motive of the goblet with +which the hero slays the giant, has been used in the <i>Hymiskvida</i>. +(Comp. with v. d. Leyen, <i>Märchen in den Göttsagen der Edda</i>, p. 40.)</p></blockquote><p><span class="pagenum">[11]</span></p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="II" id="II"></a>II</h2> + +<p class="h3">LASSE, MY THRALL!</p> + +<p>Once upon a time there was a prince or a duke +or whatever you choose to call him, but at any +rate a noble tremendously high-born, who did not +want to stay at home. And so he traveled about +the world, and wherever he went he was well received, +and hobnobbed with the very finest people; +for he had an unheard of amount of money. He at +once found friends and acquaintances, no matter +where he came; for whoever has a full trough can +always find pigs to thrust their snouts into it. +But since he handled his money as he did, it grew +less and less, and at last he was left high and dry, +without a red cent. And there was an end to all his +many friends; for they did just as the pigs do. +When he had been well fleeced, they began to snivel +and grunt, and soon scattered, each about his own +business. And there he stood, after having been +led about by the nose, abandoned by all. All had +been glad to help him get rid of his money; but none +were willing to help him regain it, so there was +nothing left for him to do but to wander back home<span class="pagenum">[12]</span> +again like a journeyman apprentice, and beg his +way as he went.</p> + +<p>Late one evening he found himself in a big forest, +without any idea as to where he might spend the +night. And as he was looking around, his glance +happened to fall on an old hut, peeping out from +among the bushes. Of course an old hut was no +lodging for such a fine gentleman; but when we cannot +have what we want, we must take what we can +get, and since there was no help for it, he went into +the hut. There was not even a cat in it, not even +a stool to sit on. But against one wall there was a +great chest. What might there be in the chest? +Suppose there were a few moldy crusts of bread +in it? They would taste good to him, for he had not +been given a single thing all day long, and he was +so hungry that his inwards stuck to his ribs. He +opened the chest. But within the chest was another +chest, and in that chest still another chest, and +so it went, one always smaller than the other, until +they were nothing but little boxes. And the more +there were of them the more trouble he took to open +them; for whatever was hidden away so carefully +must be something exceptionally beautiful, thought +he.</p> + +<p>At last he came to a tiny box, and in the tiny box +was a slip of paper—and that was all he had for his +pains! At first he was much depressed. But all +at once, he saw that something was written on the<span class="pagenum">[13]</span> +piece of paper, and on closer examination he was +even able to spell out the words, though they had +a strange appearance. And he read:</p> + +<p>"Lasse, my thrall!"</p> + +<p>No sooner had he spoken these words than something +answered, close to his ear:</p> + +<p>"What does my master command?"</p> + +<p>He looked around, but saw no one. That's +strange, thought he, and once more read aloud:</p> + +<p>"Lasse, my thrall!"</p> + +<p>And just as before came the answer:</p> + +<p>"What does my master command?"</p> + +<p>"If there be some one about who hears what I say, +he might be kind enough to get me a little something +to eat," said he; and at that very moment a table, +covered with all the good things to eat that one could +imagine, was standing in the hut. He at once began +to eat and drink and did well by himself. I have +never had a better meal in my life, thought he. And +when his hunger was completely satisfied, he grew +sleepy and took up his scrap of paper again.</p> + +<p>"Lasse, my thrall!"</p> + +<p>"What does my master command?"</p> + +<p>"Now that you have brought me food and drink, +you must also bring me a bed in which to sleep. But +it must be a very fine bed," said he; for as you may +well imagine, his ideas were more top-lofty now that +he had eaten well. His command was at once +obeyed; and a bed so fine and handsome stood in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="P_14" id="P_14">[14]</a></span> +hut, that a king might have been glad to have found +such sleeping accommodations. Now this was all very +well and good; but the good can always be bettered, +and when he had lain down, he decided that, after +all, the hut was far too wretched for such a fine bed. +He took up the scrap of paper:</p> + +<p>"Lasse, my thrall!"</p> + +<p>"What does my master command?"</p> + +<p>"If you can produce such a meal, and such a bed +here in the wild wood, you must surely be able to +give me a better room; for you know I am one of +those who are used to sleeping in a castle, with +golden mirrors and rugs of gold brocade and luxuries +and conveniences of every kind," said he. +And no sooner had he spoken the words, than he was +lying in the most magnificent room he had ever seen.</p> + +<p>Now matters were arranged to suit him, and he +was quite content as he turned his face to the wall +and closed his eyes.</p> + +<p>But the room he had slept in was not the end of +his magnificence. When he woke the following +morning and looked around, he saw that he had been +sleeping in a great castle. There was one room +after another, and wherever he went walls and ceilings +were covered with ornaments and decorations +of every kind, all glittering so splendidly when the +rays of the sun fell on them that he had to put his +hand to his eyes; for wherever he looked everything +sparkled with gold and silver. Then he glanced out<span class="pagenum">[15]</span> +of the window and first began to realize how really +beautiful everything was. Gone were the fir-trees +and juniper bushes, and in their place showed the +loveliest garden one might wish to see, filled with +beautiful trees and roses of every variety, in bush +and tree form. But there was not a human being in +sight, not even a cat. Yet he found it quite natural +that everything should be so fine, and that he should +once more have become a great lord.</p> + +<p>He took up the scrap of paper:</p> + +<p>"Lasse, my thrall!"</p> + +<p>"What does my master command?"</p> + +<p>"Now that you have provided me with food and a +castle in which to dwell, I am going to stay here, because +it suits me," said he, "but I cannot live here +all alone in this fashion. I must have serving-men +and serving-maids, at my command." And so it +was. Servants and lackeys and maids and serving-women +of every description arrived, and some of +them bowed and others courtseyed, and now the duke +really began to feel content.</p> + +<p>Now it happened that another great castle lay on +the opposite side of the forest, in which dwelt a king +who owned the forest, and many broad acres of field +and meadow round about. And when the king came +and happened to look out of his window, he saw the +new castle, on whose roof the golden weathercocks +were swinging to and fro, from time to time, +shining in his eyes.<span class="pagenum">[16]</span></p> + +<p>"This is very strange," thought he, and sent for +his courtiers. They came without delay, bowing and +scraping.</p> + +<p>"Do you see the castle yonder?" said the king.</p> + +<p>Their eyes grew as large as saucers and they +looked.</p> + +<p>Yes, indeed, they saw the castle.</p> + +<p>"Who has dared to build such a castle on my +ground?"</p> + +<p>The courtiers bowed and scraped, but did not +know. So the king sent for his soldiers. They +came tramping in and presented arms.</p> + +<p>"Send out all my soldiers and horsemen," said +the king, "tear down the castle instantly, hang whoever +built it, and see to this at once."</p> + +<p>The soldiers assembled in the greatest haste and +set forth. The drummers beat their drums and the +trumpeters blew their trumpets, and the other musicians +practiced their art, each in his own way; so +that the duke heard them long before they came in +sight. But this was not the first time he had heard +music of this sort, and he knew what it meant, so +once more he took up the scrap of paper:</p> + +<p>"Lasse, my thrall!"</p> + +<p>"What does my master command?"</p> + +<p>"There are soldiers coming," said he, "and now +you must provide me with soldiers and horsemen +until I have twice as many as the folk on the other +side of the forest. And sabers and pistols and<span class="pagenum">[17]</span> +muskets and cannon, and all that goes with them—but +you must be quick about it!"</p> + +<p>Quick it was, and when the duke looked out there +was a countless host of soldiers drawn up around the +castle.</p> + +<p>When the king's people arrived, they stopped and +did not dare advance. But the duke was by no +means shy. He went at once to the king's captain +and asked him what he wanted.</p> + +<p>The captain repeated his instructions.</p> + +<p>"They will not gain you anything," said the +duke. "You can see how many soldiers I have, and +if the king chooses to listen to me, we can agree to +become friends, I will aid him against all his enemies, +and what we undertake will succeed." The +captain was pleased with this proposal, so the duke +invited him to the castle, together with all his +officers, and his soldiers were given a swallow or +two of something wet and plenty to eat along with +it. But while the duke and the officers were eating +and drinking, there was more or less talk, and the +duke learned that the king had a daughter, as yet +unmarried and so lovely that her like had never been +seen. And the more they brought the king's officers +to eat, the stronger they inclined to the opinion +that the king's daughter would make a good wife +for the duke. And as they talked about it, the duke +himself began to think it over. The worst of it was, +said the officers, that she was very haughty, and<span class="pagenum">[18]</span> +never even deigned to look at a man. But the +duke only laughed. "If it be no worse than that," +he said, "it is a trouble that may be cured."</p> + +<p>When at last the soldiers had stowed away as much +as they could hold, they shouted hurrah until they +woke the echoes in the hills, and marched away. +One may imagine what a fine parade march it was, +for some of them had grown a little loose-jointed +in the knees. The duke charged them to carry his +greetings to the king, and say that he would soon +pay him a visit.</p> + +<p>When the duke was alone once more, he began to +think of the princess again, and whether she were +really as beautiful as the soldiers had said. He +decided he would like to find out for himself. Since +so many strange things had happened that day, it +was quite possible, thought he.</p> + +<p>"Lasse, my thrall!"</p> + +<p>"What does my master command?"</p> + +<p>"Only that you bring the king's daughter here, as +soon as she has fallen asleep," said he. "But mind +that she does not wake up, either on her way here, or +on her way back." And before long there lay the +princess on the bed. She was sleeping soundly, and +looked charming as she lay there asleep. One had +to admit that she was as sweet as sugar. The duke +walked all around her; but she appeared just as +beautiful from one side as from the other, and the<span class="pagenum">[19]</span> +more the duke looked at her, the better she pleased +him.</p> + +<p>"Lasse, my thrall!"</p> + +<p>"What does my master command?"</p> + +<p>"Now you must take the princess home again," +said he, "because now I know what she looks like +and to-morrow I shall sue for her hand."</p> + +<p>The following morning the king stepped to the +window. "Now I shall not have to see that castle +across the way," he thought to himself. But the +evil one must have had a hand in the matter—there +stood the castle just as before, and the sun was +shining brightly on its roof, and the weather-vanes +were sending beams into his eyes.</p> + +<p>The king once more fell into a rage, and shouted +for all his people, who hurried to him with more +than usual rapidity. The courtiers bowed and +scraped and the soldiers marched in parade step +and presented arms.</p> + +<p>"Do you see that castle there?" roared the king.</p> + +<p>They stretched their necks, their eyes grew large +as saucers and they looked.</p> + +<p>Yes, indeed, they saw it.</p> + +<p>"Did I not order you to tear down that castle and +hang its builder?" he said.</p> + +<p>This they could not deny; but now the captain +himself stepped forward and told what had +occurred, and what an alarming number of soldiers<span class="pagenum">[20]</span> +the duke had, and how magnificent his castle was.</p> + +<p>Then he also repeated what the duke had said, and +that he had sent his greetings to the king.</p> + +<p>All this made the king somewhat dizzy, and he +had to set his crown on the table and scratch his +head. It was beyond his comprehension—for all +that he was a king; since he could have sworn that +it had all come to pass in the course of a single +night, and if the duke were not the devil himself, +he was at least a magician.</p> + +<p>And as he sat there and thought, the princess +came in.</p> + +<p>"God greet you, father," she said, "I had a most +strange and lovely dream last night."</p> + +<p>"And what did you dream, my girl?" said the +king.</p> + +<p>"O, I dreamt that I was in the new castle over +yonder, and there was a duke, handsome and so +splendid beyond anything I could have imagined, +and now I want a husband."</p> + +<p>"What, you want a husband, and you have never +even deigned to look at a man; that is very +strange!" said the king.</p> + +<p>"Be that as it may," said the princess, "but that +is how I feel now; and I want a husband, and the +duke is the husband I want," she concluded.</p> + +<p>The king simply could not get over the astonishment +the duke had caused him.</p> + +<p>Suddenly he heard an extraordinary beating of<span class="pagenum">[21]</span> +drums, and sounding of trumpets and other +instruments of every kind. And a message came +that the duke had arrived with a great retinue, all +so magnificently attired that every seam of their +dresses was sparkling with gold and silver. The +king, in his crown and finest robe of state, stood +looking down the stairway, and the princess was +all the more in favor of carrying out her idea as +quickly as possible.</p> + +<p>The duke greeted the king pleasantly, and the +king returned his greeting in the same way, and +discussing their affairs together they became good +friends. There was a great banquet, and the duke +sat beside the princess at the table. What they +said to each other I do not know, but the duke knew +so well how to talk that, no matter what he said, the +princess could not say no, and so he went to the king +and begged for her hand. The king could not +exactly refuse it, for the duke was the kind of a man +whom it was better to have for a friend than for +an enemy; but he could not give his answer out of +hand, either. First he wished to see the duke's +castle, and know how matters stood with regard to +this, that and the other—which was natural.</p> + +<p>So it was agreed that they should pay the duke a +visit and bring the princess with them, in order +that she might examine his possessions, and with +that they parted.</p> + +<p>When the duke reached home, Lasse had a lively<span class="pagenum">[22]</span> +time of it, for he was given any number of commissions. +But he rushed about, carrying them +out, and everything was arranged so satisfactorily +that when the king arrived with his daughter, a +thousand pens could not have described it. They +went through all the rooms and looked around, and +everything was as it should be, and even better +thought the king, who was very happy. Then the +wedding was celebrated and when it was over, and +the duke returned home with his young wife, he, too, +gave a splendid banquet, and that is how it went.</p> + +<p>After some time had passed, the duke one evening +heard the words:</p> + +<p>"Is my master content now?" It was Lasse, +though the duke could not see him.</p> + +<p>"I am well content," answered the duke, "for +you have brought me all that I have."</p> + +<p>"But what did I get for it?" said Lasse.</p> + +<p>"Nothing," replied the duke, "but, heaven above, +what was I to give you, who are not flesh and blood, +and whom I cannot even see," said he. "Yet if +there be anything I can do for you, why let me know +what it is, and I will do it."</p> + +<p>"I would very much like to have the little scrap of +paper that you keep in the box," said Lasse.</p> + +<p>"If that is all you want, and if such a trifle is of +any service to you, your wish shall be granted, for +I believe I know the words by heart now," said the +duke.<span class="pagenum">[23]</span></p> + +<p>Lasse thanked him, and said all the duke need do, +would be to lay the paper on the chair beside his +bed, when he went to sleep, and that he would fetch +it during the night.</p> + +<p>This the duke did, and then he went to bed and fell +asleep.</p> + +<p>But toward morning the duke woke up, freezing +so that his teeth chattered, and when he had fully +opened his eyes, he saw that he had been stripped of +everything, and had scarcely a shirt to his name. +And instead of lying in the handsome bed in the +handsome bed-room in the magnificent castle, he lay +on the big chest in the old hut. He at once called +out:</p> + +<p>"Lasse, my thrall!" But there was no answer.</p> + +<p>Then he cried again:</p> + +<p>"Lasse, my thrall!" Again there was no answer. +So he called out as loudly as he could:</p> + +<p>"Lasse, my thrall!" But this third call was also +in vain.</p> + +<p>Now he began to realize what had happened, and +that Lasse, when he obtained the scrap of paper, no +longer had to serve him, and that he himself had +made this possible. But now things were as they +were, and there stood the duke in the old hut, with +scarcely a shirt to his name. The princess herself +was not much better off, though she had kept her +clothes; for they had been given her by her father, +and Lasse had no power over them.<span class="pagenum">[24]</span></p> + +<p>Now the duke had to explain everything to the +princess, and beg her to leave him, since it would +be best if he tried to get along as well as he could +himself, said he. But this the princess would not +do. She had a better memory for what the pastor +had said when he married them, she told him, and +that she was never, never to leave him.</p> + +<p>At length the king awoke in his castle, and when he +looked out of the window, he saw not a single stone +of the other castle in which his son-in-law and his +daughter lived. He grew uneasy and sent for his +courtiers.</p> + +<p>They came in, bowing and scraping.</p> + +<p>"Do you see the castle there, on the other side of +the forest?" he asked. They stretched their necks +and opened their eyes. But they could see nothing.</p> + +<p>"What has become of it?" said the king. But +this question they were unable to answer.</p> + +<p>In a short time the king and his entire court set +out, passed through the forest, and when they came +to the place where the castle, with its great gardens, +should have been standing, they saw nothing but +juniper-bushes and scrub-pines. And then they +happened to see the little hut amid the brush. He +went in and—O the poor king!—what did he see?</p> + +<p>There stood his son-in-law, with scarcely a shirt +to his name, and his daughter, and she had none too +much to wear, and was crying and sniveling at a +fearful rate. "For heaven's sake, what is the<span class="pagenum">[25]</span> +trouble here?" said the king. But he received no +answer; for the duke would rather have died than +have told him the whole story.</p> + +<p>The king urged and pressed him, first amiably, +then in anger; but the duke remained obstinate and +would have nothing to say. Then the king fell into +a rage, which is not very surprising, for now he +realized that this fine duke was not what he purported +to be, and he therefore ordered him to be +hung, and hung on the spot. It is true that the +princess pleaded earnestly for him, but tears and +prayers were useless now, for he was a rascal and +should die a rascal's death—thus spake the king.</p> + +<p>And so it was. The king's people set up a gallows +and put a rope around the duke's neck. But as they +were leading him to the gallows, the princess got +hold of the hangman and gave him a gratuity, for +which they were to arrange matters in such wise +that the duke need not die. And toward evening +they were to cut him down, and he and the princess +would disappear. So the bargain was made. In +the meantime they strung him up and then the king, +together with his court and all the people, went +away.</p> + +<p>Now the duke was at the end of his rope. Yet he +had time enough to reflect about his mistake in not +contenting himself with an inch instead of reaching +out at once for an ell; and that he had so foolishly +given back the scrap of paper to Lasse annoyed him<span class="pagenum">[26]</span> +most of all. If I only had it again, I would show +every one that adversity has made me wise, he +thought to himself. But when the horse is stolen we +close the stable door. And that is the way of the +world.</p> + +<p>And then he dangled his legs, since for the time +being there was nothing else for him to do.</p> + +<p>It had been a long, hard day for him, and he was +not sorry when he saw the sun sinking behind the +forest. But just as the sun was setting he suddenly +heard a most tremendous Yo ho! and when he looked +down there were seven carts of worn-out shoes +coming along the road, and a-top the last cart was +a little old man in gray, with a night-cap on his +head. He had the face of some horrible specter, +and was not much better to look at in other +respects.</p> + +<p>He drove straight up to the gallows, and stopped +when he was directly beneath them, looked up at the +duke and laughed—the horrible old creature!</p> + +<p>"And is this the measure of your stupidity?" +he said, "but then what is a fellow of your sort to +do with his stupidity, if he does not put it to some +use?"—and then he laughed again. "Yes, there +you hang, and here I am carting off all the shoes +I wore out going about on your silly errands. I +wonder, sometimes, whether you can actually read +what is written on that scrap of paper, and whether +you recognize it," said he, laughing again, indulging<span class="pagenum">[27]</span> +in all sorts of horse-play, and waving the scrap +of paper under the duke's nose.</p> + +<p>But all who are hanging on the gallows are not +dead, and this time Lasse was the greater fool of +the two.</p> + +<p>The duke snatched—and tore the scrap of paper +from his hand!</p> + +<p>"Lasse, my thrall!"</p> + +<p>"What does my master command?"</p> + +<p>"Cut me down from the gallows at once, and +restore the castle and everything else just as it was +before, then when it is dark, bring the princess +back to it."</p> + +<p>Everything was attended to with alarming +rapidity, and soon all was exactly as it had been +before Lasse had decamped.</p> + +<p>When the king awoke the following morning, he +looked out of the window as usual, and there the +castle was standing as before, with its weathercocks +gleaming handsomely in the sunlight. He +sent for his courtiers, and they came in bowing and +scraping.</p> + +<p>"Do you see the castle over yonder?" asked the +king.</p> + +<p>They stretched their necks, and gazed and +stared. Yes, indeed, they could see the castle.</p> + +<p>Then the king sent for the princess; but she was +not there. Thereupon the king set off to see +whether his son-in-law was hanging in the appointed<span class="pagenum">[28]</span> +spot; but no, there was not a sign of either son-in-law +or gallows.</p> + +<p>Then he had to take off his crown and scratch his +head. Yet that did not change matters, and he +could not for the life of him understand why things +should be as they were. Finally he set out with his +entire court, and when they reached the spot where +the castle should have been standing, there it stood.</p> + +<p>The gardens and the roses were just as they had +been, and the duke's servitors were to be seen in +swarms beneath the trees. His son-in-law in person, +together with his daughter, dressed in the finest +clothes, came down the stairs to meet him.</p> + +<p>The devil has a hand in it, thought the king; and +so strange did all seem to him that he did not trust +the evidence of his own eyes.</p> + +<p>"God greet you and welcome, father!" said the +duke. The king could only stare at him. "Are you, +are you my son-in-law?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Why, of course," said the duke, "who else am I +supposed to be?"</p> + +<p>"Did I not have you strung up yesterday as a +thief and a vagabond?" inquired the king.</p> + +<p>"I really believe father has gone out of his mind +on the way over to us," said the duke and laughed.</p> + +<p>"Does father think that I would allow myself to +be hanged so easily? Or is there any one present +who dare suppose such a thing?" he said, and +looked them straight in the eye, so that they knew<span class="pagenum">[29]</span> +he was looking at them. They bent their backs and +bowed and scraped.</p> + +<p>"And who can imagine any such thing? How +could it be possible? Or should there be any one +present who dare say that the king wishes me ill, +let him speak out," said the duke, and gazed at +them with even greater keenness than before. All +bent their backs and bowed and scraped.</p> + +<p>How should any of them come to any such +conclusion? No, none of them were foolish to such +a degree, they said.</p> + +<p>Now the king was really at a loss to know what +to think. When he looked at the duke he felt sure +that he could never have wished to harm him, and +yet—he was not quite sure.</p> + +<p>"Was I not here yesterday, and was not the whole +castle gone, and had not an old hut taken its place, +and did I not enter the hut and see you standing +there with scarcely a shirt to your name?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"How father talks," said the duke. "I am +afraid, very much afraid, that trolls have blinded +you, and led you astray in the forest. What do +you think?" he said and turned to the courtiers.</p> + +<p>They at once bowed and cringed fifty times in +succession, and took the duke's side, as stands to +reason.</p> + +<p>The king rubbed his eyes and looked around.</p> + +<p>"It must be as you say," he told the duke, "and I +believe that I have recovered my reason, and have<span class="pagenum">[30]</span> +found my eyes again. And it would have been a +sin and shame had I had you hung," said he. Then +he grew joyful and no one gave the matter further +thought.</p> + +<p>But adversity teaches one to be wise, so people +say, and the duke now began to attend to most things +himself, and to see to it that Lasse did not have to +wear out so many pairs of shoes. The king at once +bestowed half the kingdom upon him, which gave +him plenty to do, and people said that one would +have to look far in order to find a better ruler.</p> + +<p>Then Lasse came to the duke one day, and though +he did not look much better than before, he was +more civil and did not venture to grin and carry on.</p> + +<p>"You no longer need my help," said he, "for +though formerly I used to wear out all my shoes, I +now cannot even wear out a single pair, and I +almost believe my legs are moss-grown. Will you +not discharge me?"</p> + +<p>The duke thought he could. "I have taken great +pains to spare you, and I really believe that I can +get along without you," he replied. "But the castle +here and all the other things I could not well dispense +with, since I never again could find an architect +like yourself, and you may take for granted that I +have no wish to ornament the gallows-tree a second +time. Therefore I will not, of my own free will, +give you back the scrap of paper," said he.<span class="pagenum">[31]</span></p> + +<p>"While it is in your possession I have nothing +to fear," answered Lasse.</p> + +<p>"But should the paper fall into other hands, then +I should have to begin to run and work all over again +and that, just that, is what I would like to prevent. +When a fellow has been working a thousand years, +as I have, he is bound to grow weary at last."</p> + +<p>So they came to the conclusion that the duke +should put the scrap of paper in its little box and +bury it seven ells underground, beneath a stone +that had grown there and would remain there as +well. Then they thanked each other for pleasant +comradeship and separated. The duke did as he +had agreed to do, and no one saw him hide the box. +He lived happily with his princess, and was blessed +with sons and daughters. When the king died, he +inherited the whole kingdom and, as you may +imagine, he was none the worse off thereby, and no +doubt he is still living and ruling there, unless he has +died.</p> + +<p>As to the little box containing the scrap of paper, +many are still digging and searching for it.</p> + +<p class="h3">NOTE</p> + +<blockquote><p>Extremely popular in Sweden, and delightfully told is "Lasse, +my thrall." (Djurklau, <i>Sagor och Aefventyr pa Svenska Landsmal</i>. +Stockholm, 1883. Set down in the dialect of Nerike). It is the old +story of Aladdin and the wonderful lamp, but recounted in quite +an original form.</p></blockquote><p><span class="pagenum">[32]</span></p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="III" id="III"></a>III</h2> + +<p class="h3">FINN, THE GIANT, AND THE MINSTER OF LUND</p> + +<p>There stands in the university town of +Schonen, the town of Lund, the seat of the +first archbishopric in all Scandinavia, a stately +Romanic minster, with a large, handsome crypt beneath +the choir. The opinion is universal that the +minster will never be altogether finished, but that +something will always be lacking about the structure. +The reason is said to be as follows:</p> + +<p>When St. Lawrence came to Lund to preach +the Gospel, he wanted to build a church; but did not +know how he was to obtain the means to do so.</p> + +<p>While he was cudgelling his brains about it, a +giant came to him and offered to build the church +on condition that St. Lawrence tell him his name +before the church was completed. But should St. +Lawrence be unable to do so, the giant was to receive +either the sun, the moon or St. Lawrence's eyes. +The saint agreed to his proposal.</p> + +<p>The building of the church made rapid progress, +and ere long it was nearly finished. St. Lawrence +thought ruefully about his prospects, for he did not +know the giant's name; yet at the same time he did<span class="pagenum">[33]</span> +not relish losing his eyes. And it happened that +while he was walking without the town, much concerned +about the outcome of the affair, he grew +weary, and sat down on a hill to rest. As he sat +there he heard a child crying within the hill, and a +woman's voice began to sing:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Sleep, sleep, my baby dear,<br></span> +<span class="i0">To-morrow your father, Finn, will be here;<br></span> +<span class="i0">Then sun and moon you shall have from the skies<br></span> +<span class="i0">To play with, or else St. Lawrence's eyes."<br></span> +</div></div> + +<p>When St. Lawrence heard that he was happy; for +now he knew the giant's name. He ran back quickly +to town, and went to the church. There sat the +giant on the roof, just about to set the last stone in +place, when at that very moment the saint called +out:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Finn, Finn,<br></span> +<span class="i0">Take care how you put the stone in!"<br></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Then the giant flung the stone from him, full of rage, +said that the church should never be finished, and +with that he disappeared. Since then something +has always been missing from the church.</p> + +<p>Others say that the giant and his wife rushed +down into the crypt in their rage, and each seizing +a column were about to tear down the church, when +they were turned into stone, and may be seen to +this day standing beside the columns they had +grasped.<span class="pagenum">[34]</span></p> + +<p class="h3">NOTE</p> + +<blockquote><p>"Finn, the Giant, and the Minster of Lund" (retold by Dr. v. +Sydow-Lund, after variants in his collection), is the world-famous +tale of the giant master-builder, which appears here as a legend, +and is connected with various celebrated churches, as for instance +the Minster of Drontheim. Its close is an inversion of the motive +of guessing a name, which we have already encountered in the Danish +fairy-tale "Trillevip."</p></blockquote><p><span class="pagenum">[35]</span></p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="IV" id="IV"></a>IV</h2> + +<p class="h3">THE SKALUNDA GIANT</p> + +<p>In the Skalunda mountain, near the church, there +once lived a giant in the early days, who no +longer felt comfortable after the church had been +built there. At length he decided that he could no +longer stand the ringing of the church bells; so he +emigrated and settled down on an island far out in +the North Sea. Once upon a time a ship was +wrecked on this island, and among those saved were +several people from Skalunda.</p> + +<p>"Whence do you hail?" asked the giant, who +by now had grown old and blind, and sat warming +himself before a log fire.</p> + +<p>"We are from Skalunda, if you wish to know," +said one of the men saved.</p> + +<p>"Give me your hand, so that I may feel whether +there is still warm blood to be found in the Swedish +land," said the giant.</p> + +<p>The man, who feared to shake hands with the +giant, drew a red-hot bar of iron from the fire +and handed it to him. He seized it firmly, and +pressed it so hard that the molten iron ran down +between his fingers.<span class="pagenum">[36]</span></p> + +<p>"Yes, there is still warm blood to be found in +Sweden," said he. "And tell me," he continued, +"is Skalunda mountain still standing?"</p> + +<p>"No, the hens have scratched it away," the man +answered.</p> + +<p>"How could it last?" said the giant. "My wife +and daughter piled it up in the course of a single +Sunday morning. But surely the Hallenberg and +the Hunneberg are still standing, for those I built +myself."</p> + +<p>When the man had confirmed this, the giant +wanted to know whether Karin was still living in +Stommen. And when they told him that she was, +he gave them a girdle, and with it the message that +Karin was to wear it in remembrance of him.</p> + +<p>The men took the girdle and gave it to Karin upon +their return home; but before Karin put it on, she +clasped it around the oak-tree that grew in the +court. No sooner had she done so than the oak tore +itself out of the ground, and flew to the North, +borne away by the storm-wind. In the place +where it had stood was a deep pit, and the roots of +the tree were so enormous that one of the best +springs in Stommen flows from one of the root-holes +to this very day.</p> + +<p class="h3">NOTE</p> + +<blockquote><p>"The Skalunda Giant" (Hofberg, <i>Svenska Folksagner</i>, Stockholm, +1882, p. 98) has a near relative in the Norwegian mountain giant +of Mesingeberg, of whom Asbjörnsen tells.</p></blockquote><p><span class="pagenum">[37]</span></p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="V" id="V"></a>V</h2> + +<p class="h3">YULETIDE SPECTERS</p> + +<p>Once upon a time there lived two peasants on a +homestead called Vaderas, just as there are +two peasants living on it now. In those days the +roads were good, and the women were in the habit of +riding when they wanted to go to church.</p> + +<p>One Christmas the two women agreed that they +would ride to Christmas night mass, and whichever +one of them woke up at the right time was to call +the other, for in those days there was no such thing +as a watch. It was about midnight when one of the +women thought she heard a voice from the window, +calling: "I am going to set out now." She got up +hurriedly and dressed herself, so that she might be +able to ride with the other woman; but since there +was no time to eat, she took a piece of bread from +the table along with her. In those times it was +customary to bake the bread in the shape of a cross. +It was a piece of this kind that the woman took and +put in her pocket, in order to eat it underway. She +rode as fast as she could, to catch up with her friend, +but could not overtake her. The way led over a +little stream which flows into Vidostern Lake, and<span class="pagenum">[38]</span> +across the stream was a bridge, known as the Earth +Bridge, and on the bridge stood two witch trolls, +busy washing. As the woman came riding across +the bridge, one of the witch trolls called out to the +other, "Hurry, and tear her head from her +shoulders!"</p> + +<p>"That I cannot do" returned the other, "because +she has a bit of bread in the form of a cross in her +pocket."</p> + +<p>The woman, who had been unable to catch up with +her neighbor, reached the church at Hanger alone.</p> + +<p>The church was full of lights, as was always the +case when the Christmas mass was said. As quickly +as ever she could the woman tied up her horse, and +hurriedly entered the church. It seemed to her that +the church was crowded with people; but all of them +were headless, and at the altar stood the priest, +in full canonicals but without a head. In her haste +she did not at once see how things were; but sat +down in her accustomed place. As she sat down +it seemed to her that some one said: "If I had +not stood godfather to you when you were christened, +I would do away with you as you sit there, +and now hurry and make yourself scarce, or it will +be the worse for you!" Then she realized that +things were not as they should be, and ran out hastily.</p> + +<p>When she came into the church-yard, it seemed +to her as though she were surrounded by a great<span class="pagenum">[39]</span> +crowd of people. In those days people wore broad +mantles of unbleached wool, woven at home, and +white in color. She was wearing one of these mantles +and the specters seized it. But she flung it +away from her and managed to escape from the +church-yard, and run to the poor-house and wake +the people there. It is said it was then one o'clock +at night.</p> + +<p>So she sat and waited for the early mass at four +o'clock in the morning. And when day finally +dawned, they found a little piece of her mantle on +every grave in the church-yard.</p> + +<p>A similar experience befell a man and his wife +who lived in a hut known as Ingas, below Mosled.</p> + +<p>They were no more than an hour ahead of time; +but when they reached the church at Hanger, they +thought the service had already begun, and wanted +to enter at once; but the church was barred and +bolted, and the phantom service of the dead was +nearing its end. And when the actual mass began, +there was found lying at every place some of the +earth from the graves of those who shortly before +had been worshiping. The man and his wife +thereupon fell grievously ill, because they had disturbed +the dead.</p> + +<p class="h3">NOTE</p> + +<blockquote><p>"Yuletide Spectres." The tale of the weird service of the dead +on Christmas night is common throughout Scandinavia. (From an +mss. communicated by Dr. v. Sydow-Lund).</p></blockquote><p><span class="pagenum">[40]</span></p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="VI" id="VI"></a>VI</h2> + +<p class="h3">SILVERWHITE AND LILLWACKER</p> + +<p>Once upon a time there was a king, who had a +queen whom he loved with a great love. But +after a time the queen died, and all he had left was +an only daughter. And now that the king was a +widower, his whole heart went out to the little +princess, whom he cherished as the apple of his +eye. And the king's young daughter grew up into +the most lovely maiden ever known.</p> + +<p>When the princess had seen the snows of fifteen +winters, it happened that a great war broke out, +and that her father had to march against the foe.</p> + +<p>But there was no one to whom the king could +entrust his daughter while he was away at war; +so he had a great tower built out in the forest, +provided it with a plenteous store of supplies, and +in it shut up his daughter and a maid. And he +had it proclaimed that every man, no matter who +he might be, was forbidden to approach the +tower in which he had placed his daughter and the +maid, under pain of death.</p> + +<p>Now the king thought he had taken every +precaution to protect his daughter, and went off to<span class="pagenum">[41]</span> +war. In the meantime the princess and her maid +sat in the tower. But in the city there were a +number of brave young sons of kings, as well as +other young men, who would have liked to have +talked to the beautiful maiden. And when they +found that this was forbidden them, they conceived +a great hatred for the king. At length they took +counsel with an old woman who was wiser than most +folk, and told her to arrange matters in such wise +that the king's daughter and her maid might come +into disrepute, without their having anything to +do with it. The old hag promised to help them, +enchanted some apples, laid them in a basket, and +went to the lonely tower in which the maidens +lived.</p> + +<p>When the king's daughter and her maid saw the +old woman, who was sitting beneath the window, +they felt a great longing to try the beautiful apples.</p> + +<p>So they called out and asked how much she wanted +for her precious apples; but the old woman said they +were not for sale. Yet as the girls kept on pleading +with her, the old woman said she would make each +of them a present of an apple; they only need let +down a little basket from the tower. The princess +and her maid, in all innocence, did as the troll-woman +told them, and each received an apple. But +the enchanted fruit had a strange effect, for in due +course of time heaven sent them each a child. The +king's daughter called her son Silverwhite, and the<span class="pagenum">[42]</span> +son of her maid received the name of Lillwacker.</p> + +<p>The two boys grew up larger and stronger than +other children, and were very handsome as well. +They looked as much alike as one cherry-pit does +to another, and one could easily see that they were +related.</p> + +<p>Seven years had passed, and the king was +expected home from the war. Then both girls were +terrified, and they took counsel together as to how +they might hide their children. When at length +they could find no other way out of the difficulty, +they very sorrowfully bade their children farewell, +and let them down from the tower at night, to seek +their fortune in the wide, wide world. At parting +the king's daughter gave Silverwhite a costly knife; +but the maid had nothing to give her son.</p> + +<p>The two foster-brethren now wandered out into +the world. After they had gone a while, they came +to a dark forest. And in this forest they met a +man, strange-looking and very tall. He wore two +swords at his side, and was accompanied by six +great dogs. He gave them a friendly greeting:</p> + +<p>"Good-day, little fellows, whence do you come +and whither do you go?" The boys told him they +came from a high tower, and were going out into +the world to seek their fortune. The man replied:</p> + +<p>"If such be the case, I know more about your +origin than any one else. And that you may have +something by which to remember your father, I will<span class="pagenum">[43]</span> +give each of you a sword and three dogs. But you +must promise me one thing, that you will never part +from your dogs; but take them with you wherever +you go." The boys thanked the man for his kind +gifts, and promised to do as he had told them. Then +they bade him farewell and went their way.</p> + +<p>When they had traveled for some time they +reached a cross-road. Then Silverwhite said:</p> + +<p>"It seems to me that it would be the best for us +to try our luck singly, so let us part." Lillwacker +answered: "Your advice is good; but how am I to +know whether or not you are doing well out in the +world?"</p> + +<p>"I will give you a token by which you may +tell," said Silverwhite, "so long as the water runs +clear in this spring you will know that I am alive; +but if it turns red and roiled, it will mean that I am +dead." Silverwhite then drew runes in the water +of the spring, said farewell to his brother, and each +of them went on alone. Lillwacker soon came to a +king's court, and took service there; but every +morning he would go to the spring to see how his +brother fared.</p> + +<p>Silverwhite continued to wander over hill and +dale, until he reached a great city. But the whole +city was in mourning, the houses were hung in black, +and all the inhabitants went about full of grief and +care, as though some great misfortune had occurred.</p> + +<p>Silverwhite went though the city and inquired<span class="pagenum">[44]</span> +as to the cause of all the unhappiness he saw. They +answered: "You must have come from far away, +since you do not know that the king and queen were +in danger of being drowned at sea, and he had to +promise to give up their three daughters in order to +escape. To-morrow morning the sea-troll is +coming to carry off the oldest princess." This +news pleased Silverwhite; for he saw a fine +opportunity to wealth and fame, should fortune +favor him.</p> + +<p>The next morning Silverwhite hung his sword at +his side, called his dogs to him, and wandered down +to the sea-shore alone. And as he sat on the +strand he saw the king's daughter led out of the city, +and with her went a courtier, who had promised to +rescue her. But the princess was very sad and +cried bitterly. Then Silverwhite stepped up to her +with a polite greeting. When the king's daughter +and her escort saw the fearless youth, they were +much frightened, because they thought he was the +sea-troll. The courtier was so alarmed that he +ran away and took refuge in a tree. When +Silverwhite saw how frightened the princess was, +he said: "Lovely maiden, do not fear me, for I will +do you no harm." The king's daughter answered:</p> + +<p>"Are you the troll who is coming to carry me +away?" "No," said Silverwhite, "I have come +to rescue you." Then the princess was glad to +think that such a brave hero was going to defend +<span class="pagenum"><a name="P_45" id="P_45">[45]</a></span>her, and they had a long, friendly talk. At the +same time Silverwhite begged the king's daughter +to comb his hair. She complied with his request, +and Silverwhite laid his head in her lap; but when +he did so the princess drew a golden ring from her +finger and, unbeknown to him, wound it into his +locks.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 419px;"> +<a name="i2" id="i2"></a> +<img src="images/i003.jpg" width="419" height="600" alt=""THEN SILVERWHITE DREW HIS SWORD WITH A GREAT +SWEEP AND RUSHED UPON THE SEA-TROLL."" title=""> +</div> + +<p class="caption">"THEN SILVERWHITE DREW HIS SWORD WITH A GREAT +SWEEP AND RUSHED UPON THE SEA-TROLL." +—<a href="#P_45">Page 45</a></p> + +<p>Suddenly the sea-troll rose from the deeps, +setting the waves whirling and foaming far and +near. When the troll saw Silverwhite, he grew +angry and said: "Why do you sit there beside +my princess?" The youth replied: "It seems +to me that she is my princess, not yours." The +sea-troll answered: "Time enough to see which +of us is right; but first our dogs shall fight." +Silverwhite was nothing loath, and set his dogs +at the dogs of the troll, and there was a fierce +struggle. But at last the youth's dogs got the +upper hand and bit the dogs of the sea-troll to +death. Then Silverwhite drew his sword with a +great sweep, rushed upon the sea-troll, and gave +him such a tremendous blow that the monster's +head rolled on the sand. The troll gave a fearsome +cry, and flung himself back into the sea, so that the +water spurted to the very skies. Thereupon the +youth drew out his silver-mounted knife, cut out the +troll's eyes and put them in his pocket. Then he +saluted the lovely princess and went away.</p> + +<p>Now when the battle was over and the youth had<span class="pagenum">[46]</span> +disappeared, the courtier crawled down from his +tree, and threatened to kill the princess if she did +not say before all the people that he, and none +other, had rescued her. The king's daughter did +not dare refuse, since she feared for her life. So +she returned to her father's castle with the courtier, +where they were received with great distinction.</p> + +<p>And joy reigned throughout the land when the +news spread that the oldest princess had been +rescued from the troll.</p> + +<p>On the following day everything repeated +itself. Silverwhite went down to the strand and met +the second princess, just as she was to be delivered +to the troll.</p> + +<p>And when the king's daughter and her escort saw +him, they were very much frightened, thinking he +was the sea-troll. And the courtier climbed a tree, +just as he had before; but the princess granted +the youth's petition, combed his hair as her sister +had done, and also wound her gold ring into his long +curls.</p> + +<p>After a time there was a great tumult out at sea, +and a sea-troll rose from the waves. He had three +heads and three dogs. But Silverwhite's dogs +overcame those of the troll, and the youth killed +the troll himself with his sword. Thereupon he +took out his silver-mounted knife, cut out the +troll's eyes, and went his way. But the courtier +lost no time. He climbed down from his tree and<span class="pagenum">[47]</span> +forced the princess to promise to say that he, and +none other, had rescued her. Then they returned +to the castle, where the courtier was acclaimed as the +greatest of heroes.</p> + +<p>On the third day Silverwhite hung his sword at +his side, called his three dogs to him, and again +wandered down to the sea-shore. As he was +sitting by the strand, he saw the youngest princess +led out of the city, and with her the daring courtier +who claimed to have rescued her sisters. But the +princess was very sad and cried bitterly. Then +Silverwhite stepped up and greeted the lovely +maiden politely. Now when the king's daughter +and her escort saw the handsome youth, they were +very much frightened, for they believed him to be +the sea-troll, and the courtier ran away and hid +in a high tree that grew near the strand. When +Silverwhite noticed the maiden's terror, he said:</p> + +<p>"Lovely maiden, do not fear me, for I will do you +no harm." The king's daughter answered: "Are +you the troll who is coming to carry me away?" +"No," said Silverwhite, "I have come to rescue +you." Then the princess was very glad to have +such a brave hero fight for her, and they had a +long, friendly talk with each other. At the same +time Silverwhite begged the lovely maiden to do +him a favor and comb his hair. This the king's +daughter was most willing to do, and Silverwhite +laid his head in her lap. But when the princess saw<span class="pagenum">[48]</span> +the gold rings her sisters had wound in his locks, she +was much surprised, and added her own to the others.</p> + +<p>Suddenly the sea-troll came shooting up out of +the deep with a terrific noise, so that waves and +foam spurted to the very skies. This time the +monster had six heads and nine dogs. When the +troll saw Silverwhite sitting with the king's +daughter, he fell into a rage and cried: "What +are you doing with my princess?" The youth +answered: "It seems to me that she is my princess +rather than yours." Thereupon the troll said: +"Time enough to see which of us is right; but first +our dogs shall fight each other." Silverwhite did +not delay, but set his dogs at the sea-dogs, and +they had a battle royal. But in the end the youth's +dogs got the upper hand and bit all nine of the +sea-dogs to death. Finally Silverwhite drew out +his bare sword, flung himself upon the sea-troll, +and stretched all six of his heads on the sand with a +single blow. The monster uttered a terrible cry, +and rushed back into the sea so that the water +spurted to the heavens. Then the youth drew his +silver-mounted knife, cut out all twelve of the +troll's eyes, saluted the king's young daughter, +and hastily went away.</p> + +<p>Now that the battle was over, and the youth had +disappeared, the courtier climbed down from his +tree, drew his sword and threatened to kill the +princess unless she promised to say that he had<span class="pagenum">[49]</span> +rescued her from the troll, as he had her sisters.</p> + +<p>The king's daughter did not dare refuse, since she +feared for her life. So they went back to the castle +together, and when the king saw that they had +returned in safety, without so much as a scratch, +he and the whole court were full of joy, and they +were accorded great honors. And at court the +courtier was quite another fellow from the one who +had hid away in the tree. The king had a splendid +banquet prepared, with amusements and games, and +the sound of string music and dancing, and bestowed +the hand of his youngest daughter on the courtier +in reward for his bravey.</p> + +<p>In the midst of the wedding festivities, when the +king and his whole court were seated at table, the +door opened, and in came Silverwhite with his dogs.</p> + +<p>The youth stepped boldly into the hall of state +and greeted the king. And when the three princesses +saw who it was, they were full of joy, leaped +up from their places, and ran over to him, much to +the king's surprise, who asked what it all meant. +Then the youngest princess told him all that had +happened, from beginning to end, and that Silverwhite +had rescued them, while the courtier sat in a tree. +To prove it beyond any chance of doubt, each of the +king's daughters showed her father the ring she had +wound in Silverwhite's locks. But the king still +did not know quite what to think of it all, until +Silverwhite said: "My lord king! In order that<span class="pagenum">[50]</span> +you need not doubt what your daughters have told +you, I will show you the eyes of the sea-trolls whom +I slew." Then the king and all the rest saw that +the princesses had told the truth. The traitorous +courtier received his just punishment; but Silverwhite +was paid every honor, and was given the +youngest daughter and half of the kingdom with +her.</p> + +<p>After the wedding Silverwhite established himself +with his young bride in a large castle belonging +to the king, and there they lived quietly and happily.</p> + +<p>One night, when all were sleeping, it chanced +that he heard a knocking at the window, and a voice +which said: "Come, Silverwhite, I have to talk +to you!" The king, who did not want to wake his +young wife, rose hastily, girded on his sword, called +his dogs and went out. When he reached the open +air, there stood a huge and savage-looking troll. +The troll said: "Silverwhite, you have slain my +three brothers, and I have come to bid you go down +to the sea-shore with me, that we may fight with +one another." This proposal suited the youth, and +he followed the troll without protest. When they +reached the sea-shore, there lay three great dogs +belonging to the troll. Silverwhite at once set his +dogs at the troll-dogs, and after a hard struggle +the latter had to give in. The young king drew +his sword, bravely attacked the troll and dealt him +many a mighty blow. It was a tremendous<span class="pagenum">[51]</span> +battle. But when the troll noticed he was getting +the worst of it, he grew frightened, quickly ran to a +high tree, and clambered into it. Silverwhite and +the dogs ran after him, the dogs barking as loudly +as they could. Then the troll begged for his life +and said: "Dear Silverwhite, I will take wergild +for my brothers, only bid your dogs be still, so that +we may talk." The king bade his dogs be still, +but in vain, they only barked the more loudly. Then +the troll tore three hairs from his head, handed them +to Silverwhite and said: "Lay a hair on each of +the dogs, and then they will be as quiet as can +be." The king did so and at once the dogs fell +silent, and lay motionless as though they had +grown fast to the ground. Now Silverwhite realized +that he had been deceived; but it was too late. The +troll was already descending from the tree, and +he drew his sword and again began to fight. But +they had exchanged no more than a few blows, before +Silverwhite received a mortal wound, and lay +on the earth in a pool of blood.</p> + +<p>But now we must tell about Lillwacker. The +next morning he went to the spring by the cross-road +and found it red with blood. Then he knew +that Silverwhite was dead. He called his dogs, +hung his sword at his side, and went on until he +came to a great city. And the city was in festal +array, the streets were crowded with people, and +the houses were hung with scarlet cloths and<span class="pagenum">[52]</span> +splendid rugs. Lillwacker asked why everybody +was so happy, and they said: "You must hail from +distant parts, since you do not know that a famous +hero has come here by the name of Silverwhite, who +has rescued our three princesses, and is now the +king's son-in-law." Lillwacker then inquired how +it had all come about, and then went his way, reaching +the royal castle in which Silverwhite dwelt +with his beautiful queen in the evening.</p> + +<p>When Lillwacker entered the castle gate, all +greeted him as though he had been the king. For he +resembled his foster-brother so closely that none +could tell one from the other. When the youth +came to the queen's room, she also took him for +Silverwhite. She went up to him and said: "My +lord king, where have you been so long? I have +been awaiting you with great anxiety." Lillwacker +said little, and was very taciturn. Then he +lay down on a couch in a corner of the queen's +room.</p> + +<p>The young woman did not know what to think of +his actions; for her husband did not act queerly at +other times. But she thought: "One should not +try to discover the secrets of others," and said +nothing.</p> + +<p>In the night, when all were sleeping, there was a +knocking at the window, and a voice cried: "Come, +Lillwacker, I have to talk to you!" The youth +rose hastily, took his good sword, called his dogs<span class="pagenum">[53]</span> +and went. When he reached the open air, there +stood the same troll who had slain Silverwhite. +He said: "Come with me, Lillwacker, and then +you shall see your foster-brother!" To this +Lillwacker at once agreed, and the troll led the +way. When they came to the sea-shore, there lay +the three great dogs whom the troll had brought +with him. Somewhat further away, where they had +fought, lay Silverwhite in a pool of blood, and beside +him his dogs were stretched out on the ground as +though they had taken root in it. Then Lillwacker +saw how everything had happened, and thought that +he would gladly venture his life, if he might in +some way call his brother back from the dead. He +at once set his dogs at the troll-dogs, and they had +a hard struggle, in which Lillwacker's dogs won the +victory. Then the youth drew his sword, and +attacked the troll with mighty blows. But when the +troll saw that he was getting the worst of it, he took +refuge in a lofty tree. Lillwacker and his dogs ran +after him and the dogs barked loudly.</p> + +<p>Then the troll humbly begged for his life, and +said: "Dear Lillwacker, I will give you wergild +for your brother, only bid your dogs be still, so that +we may talk." At the same time the troll handed +him three hairs from his head and added: "Lay +one of these hairs on each of your dogs, and then +they will soon be quiet." But Lillwacker saw +through his cunning scheme, took the three hairs<span class="pagenum">[54]</span> +and laid them on the troll-dogs, which at once fell +on the ground and lay like dead.</p> + +<p>When the troll saw that his attempt had failed, he +was much alarmed and said: "Dearest Lillwacker, +I will give you wergild for your brother, if you will +only leave me alone." But the youth answered:</p> + +<p>"What is there you can give me that will compensate +for my brother's life?" The troll replied: +"Here are two flasks. In one is a liquid which, if +you anoint a dead man with it, it will restore him +to life; but as to the liquid in the other flask, if you +moisten anything with it, and some one touches the +place you have moistened, he will be unable to move +from the spot. I think it would be hard to find +anything more precious than the liquid in these +flasks." Lillwacker said: "Your proposal suits me, +and I will accept it. But there is something else +you must promise to do: that you will release my +brother's dogs." The troll agreed, climbed down +from the tree, breathed on the dogs and thus freed +them. Then Lillwacker took the two flasks and went +away from the sea-shore with the troll. After they +had gone a while they came to a great flat stone, lying +near the highway. Lillwacker hastened on in +advance and moistened it with liquid from the second +flask. Then, as he was going by, Lillwacker suddenly +set all six of his dogs at the troll, who stepped +back and touched the stone. There he stuck, and +could move neither forward nor backward. After<span class="pagenum">[55]</span> +a time the sun rose and shone on the stone. And +when the troll saw the sun he burst—and was as +dead as a doornail!</p> + +<p>Lillwacker now ran back to his brother and sprinkled +him with the liquid in the other flask, so that he +came to life again, and they were both very happy, +as may well be imagined. The two foster-brothers +then returned to the castle, recounting the story of +their experiences and adventures on the way. Lillwacker +told how he had been taken for his brother. +He even mentioned that he had lain down on a couch +in a corner of the queen's room, and that she had +never suspected that he was not her rightful husband. +But when Silverwhite heard that, he thought that +Lillwacker had offended against the queen's dignity, +and he grew angry and fell into such a rage that he +drew his sword, and thrust it into his brother's +breast. Lillwacker fell to earth dead, and Silverwhite +went home to the castle alone. But Lillwacker's +dogs would not leave their master, and lay +around him, whining and licking his wound.</p> + +<p>In the evening, when the young king and his wife +retired, the queen asked him why he had been so taciturn +and serious the evening before. Then the +queen said: "I am very curious to know what has +befallen you during the last few days, but what I +would like to know most of all, is why you lay down +on a couch in a corner of my room the other night?"<span class="pagenum">[56]</span> +Now it was clear to Silverwhite that the brother he +had slain was innocent of all offense, and he felt +bitter regret at having repaid his faithfulness so +badly. So King Silverwhite at once rose and went +to the place where his brother was lying. He poured +the water of life from his flask and anointed his +brother's wound, and in a moment Lillwacker was +alive again, and the two brother's went joyfully +back to the castle.</p> + +<p>When they got there, Silverwhite told his queen +how Lillwacker had rescued him from death, and all +the rest of their adventures, and all were happy at +the royal court, and they paid the youth the greatest +honors and compliments. After he had stayed there +a time he sued for the hand of the second princess +and obtained it. Thereupon the wedding was celebrated +with great pomp, and Silverwhite divided his +half of the kingdom with his foster-brother. The +two brothers continued to live together in peace and +unity, and if they have not died, they are living still.</p> + +<p class="h3">NOTE</p> + +<blockquote><p>From a venerable Indo-Germanic source comes the widely circulated +story of "Silverwhite and Lillwacker," the faithful brothers (Hyltén-Cavallius +and Stephens, <i>Svenska Folkasagor och Aefventyr</i>, Stockholm, +1848, p. 58. From Vermland).</p></blockquote><p><span class="pagenum">[57]</span></p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="VII" id="VII"></a>VII</h2> + +<p class="h3">STOMPE PILT</p> + +<p>Not far from Baalsberg, near Filkestad in the +Willandsharad, there is a hill in which a giant +named Stompe Pilt once used to live.</p> + +<p>It happened one day that a goat-herd was driving +his flock up the hill in which Stompe Pilt dwelt.</p> + +<p>"Who is there?" cried the giant, and rushed out +of his hill with a hunk of flint-rock in his fist.</p> + +<p>"I am, if that's what you want to know!" shouted +the shepherd-lad and continued driving his goats up +the hill.</p> + +<p>"If you come here, I will squash you as I squash +this stone!" cried the giant and he crushed it into +fine sand between his fingers.</p> + +<p>"And I will squash you till the water runs out, +just as I squash this stone!" answered the shepherd-lad, +drawing a fresh cheese from his pocket, and +pressing it hard, so that the water ran from his +fingers.</p> + +<p>"Are you not frightened?" asked the giant.</p> + +<p>"Of you? Certainly not!" was the youth's reply.</p> + +<p>"Then we will fight with one another!" proposed +the giant.<span class="pagenum">[58]</span></p> + +<p>"As you choose," replied the shepherd, "but first +we must abuse each other so that we can get into +a proper rage, because as we abuse each other we +will grow angry, and when we are angry we will +fight!"</p> + +<p>"But I shall begin by abusing you," said the giant.</p> + +<p>"As you choose," said the youth, "but then it will +be my turn."</p> + +<p>"May a troll with a crooked nose take you!" yelled +the giant.</p> + +<p>"May a flying devil carry you off!" answered the +shepherd and he shot a sharp arrow against the +giant's body with his bow.</p> + +<p>"What was that?" asked the giant, and tried to +pull the arrow out of his body.</p> + +<p>"That was a word of abuse," said the shepherd.</p> + +<p>"How does it come to have feathers?" asked the +giant.</p> + +<p>"The better to fly with," answered the shepherd.</p> + +<p>"Why does it stick so tight?" the giant continued.</p> + +<p>"Because it has taken root in your body," was the +shepherd's answer.</p> + +<p>"Have you any other abusive words of the same +sort?" asked the giant. "Here is another one," +replied the youth, and shot another arrow into the +giant.</p> + +<p>"Ouch, ouch!" cried Stompe Pilt, "are you still +not angry enough for us to come to blows?"<span class="pagenum">[59]</span></p> + +<p>"No, I have not abused you enough as yet," said +the shepherd and aimed another arrow.</p> + +<p>"Lead your goats wherever you choose! If I +cannot stand your abusive words, I surely will not +be able to bear up against your blows," cried Stompe +Pilt, and jumped back into his hill.</p> + +<p>And that is how the shepherd gained the victory, +because he was brave and did not let the stupid giant +frighten him.</p> + +<p class="h3">NOTE</p> + +<blockquote><p>An entertaining parody of the serious tale of David and Goliath +is the story of the little shepherd boy's fight with the giant Stompe +Pilt. (Hofberg, p. 10).</p></blockquote><p><span class="pagenum">[60]</span></p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="VIII" id="VIII"></a>VIII</h2> + +<p class="h3">THE GIRL AND THE SNAKE</p> + +<p>Once upon a time there was a girl who was to +go to the wood and drive the cattle home; but +she did not find the herd, and losing her way instead, +came to a great hill. It had gates and doors and she +went in. There stood a table covered with all sorts +of good things to eat. And there stood a bed as well, +and in the bed lay a great snake. The snake said to +the girl: "Sit down, if you choose! Eat, if you +choose! Come and lie down in the bed, if you +choose! But if you do not choose, then do not do +so." So the girl did nothing at all. At last the +snake said: "Some people are coming now who +want you to dance with them. But do not go along +with them." Straightway people arrived who +wanted to dance with the girl; but she would hear +nothing of it. Then they began to eat and drink; +but the girl left the hill and went home. The following +day she again went to the wood to look for the +cattle, did not find them, lost her way again, and +came to the same hill. This time she also entered, +and found everything as it had been the first time, +the well-spread table and the bed with the snake in it.<span class="pagenum">[61]</span> +And the snake said to her, as before: "Sit down, +if you choose! Eat, if you choose! Come, and lie +down in the bed if you choose! But if you do not +choose, then do not do so! Now a great many more +people are coming who will want to dance with you, +but do not go with them." The snake had scarcely +concluded before a great many people arrived, who +began to dance, eat and drink; but the girl did not +keep them company, instead she left the hill and +went home.</p> + +<p>On the third day when she once more went to the +wood, everything happened exactly as on the first +and second day. The snake invited her to eat and +drink, and this time she did so, with a hearty +appetite. Then the snake told her to lie down beside +him and the girl obeyed. Then the snake said: "Put +your arm about me!" She did so. "And now kiss +me," said the snake, "but if you are afraid, put +your apron between us." The girl did so, and in +a moment the snake was turned into a marvellously +handsome youth, who was really a prince, bewitched +in the form of a snake by magic spells, and now delivered +by the girl's courage. Then both of them +went away and there was nothing further heard of +them.</p> + +<p class="h3">NOTE</p> + +<blockquote><p>"The Girl and the Snake" (From Södermanland. From the mss. +collection of the metallurgist Gustav Erikson, communicated to +Dr. v. Sydow-Lund) shows distinctive Scandinavian features; though +it falls short of the richness and depth of the celebrated Danish +fairy-tale "King Dragon," whose germ idea is the same.</p></blockquote><p><span class="pagenum">[62]</span></p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="IX" id="IX"></a>IX</h2> + +<p class="h3">FAITHFUL AND UNFAITHFUL</p> + +<p>Once upon a time there was a couple of humble +cottagers who had no children until, at last, the +man's wife was blessed with a boy, which made +both of them very happy. They named him Faithful +and when he was christened a <i>huldra</i> came to the +hut, seated herself beside the child's cradle, and +foretold that he would meet with good fortune. +"What is more," she said, "when he is fifteen years +of age, I will make him a present of a horse with +many rare qualities, a horse that has the gift of +speech!" And with that the <i>huldra</i> turned and +went away.</p> + +<p>The boy grew up and became strong and powerful. +And when he had passed his fifteenth year, a +strange old man came up to their hut one day, knocked, +and said that the horse he was leading had been +sent by his queen, and that henceforward it was to +belong to Faithful, as she had promised. Then the +ancient man departed; but the beautiful horse was +admired by all, and Faithful learned to love it more +with every passing day.<span class="pagenum">[63]</span></p> + +<p>At length he grew weary of home. "I must away +and try my fortune in the world," said he, and his +parents did not like to object; for there was not much +to wish for at home. So he led his dear horse from +the stable, swung himself into the saddle, and rode +hurriedly into the wood. He rode on and on, and +had already covered a good bit of ground, when he +saw two lions engaged in a struggle with a tiger, +and they were well-nigh overcome. "Make haste +to take your bow," said the horse, "shoot the tiger +and deliver the two lions!" "Yes, that's what I +will do," said the youth, fitted an arrow to the bow-string, +and in a moment the tiger lay prone on the +ground. The two lions drew nearer, nuzzled their +preserver in a friendly and grateful manner, and +then hastened back to their cave.</p> + +<p>Faithful now rode along for a long time among +the great trees until he suddenly spied two terrified +white doves fleeing from a hawk who was on the +point of catching them. "Make haste to take your +bow," said the horse, "shoot the hawk and save the +two doves!" "Yes, that's what I'll do," said the +youth. He fitted an arrow to the bow-string, and in +a moment the hawk lay prone on the ground. But +the two doves flew nearer, fluttered about their deliverer +in a tame and grateful manner, and then hurried +back to their nest.</p> + +<p>The youth pressed on through the wood and by<span class="pagenum">[64]</span> +now was far, far from home. But his horse did not +tire easily, and ran on with him until they came to a +great lake. There he saw a gull rise up from the +water, holding a pike in its claws. "Make haste to +take your bow," said the horse, "shoot the gull and +save the pike!" "Yes, that's what I'll do," answered +the youth, fitted an arrow to his bow-string, +and in a moment the gull was threshing the ground +with its wings, mortally wounded. But the pike who +had been saved swam nearer, gave his deliverer a +friendly, grateful glance, and then dove down to +join his fellows beneath the waves.</p> + +<p>Faithful rode on again, and before evening came +to a great castle. He at once had himself announced +to the king, and begged that the latter would take him +into his service. "What kind of a place do you +want?" asked the king, who was inclined to look with +favor on the bold horseman.</p> + +<p>"I should like to be a groom," was Faithful's +answer, "but first of all I must have stable-room +and fodder for my horse." "That you shall +have," said the king, and the youth was taken on +as a groom, and served so long and so well, that +every one in the castle liked him, and the king in +particular praised him highly.</p> + +<p>But among the other servitors was one named Unfaithful +who was jealous of Faithful, and did what +he could to harm him; for he thought to himself:<span class="pagenum">[65]</span></p> + +<p>"Then I would be rid of him, and need not see him +continue to rise in my lord's favor." Now it happened +that the king was very sad, for he had lost +his queen, whom a troll had stolen from the castle. +It is true that the queen had not taken pleasure in the +king's society, and that she did not love him. Still +the king longed for her greatly, and often spoke of +it to Unfaithful his servant. So one day Unfaithful +said: "My lord need distress himself no longer, for +Faithful has been boasting to me that he could rescue +your beautiful queen from the hands of the +troll." "If he has done so," replied the king, +"then he must keep his word."</p> + +<p>He straightway ordered Faithful to be brought +before him, and threatened him with death if he did +not at once hurry into the hill and bring back the +wife of whom he had been robbed. If he were +successful great honor should be his reward. In +vain Faithful denied what Unfaithful had said of +him, the king stuck to his demand, and the youth +withdrew, convinced that he had not long to live. +Then he went to the stable to bid farewell to his +beautiful horse, and stood beside him and wept. +"What grieves you so?" asked the horse. Then +the youth told him of all that had happened, and +said that this was probably the last time he would +be able to visit him. "If it be no more than that," +said the horse, "there is a way to help you. Up in<span class="pagenum">[66]</span> +the garret of the castle there is an old fiddle, take +it with you and play it when you come to the place +where the queen is kept. And fashion for yourself +armor of steel wire, and set knives into it everywhere, +and then, when you see the troll open his +jaws, descend into his maw, and thus slay him. +But you must have no fear, and must trust me to +show you the way." These words filled the youth +with fresh courage, he went to the king and received +permission to leave, secretly fashioned his steel +armor, took the old fiddle from the garret of the +castle, led his dear horse out of the stable, and without +delay set forth for the troll's hill.</p> + +<p>Before long he saw it, and rode directly to the +troll's abode. When he came near, he saw the troll, +who had crept out of his castle, lying stretched out +at the entrance to his cave, fast asleep, and snoring +so powerfully that the whole hill shook. But his +mouth was wide open, and his maw was so tremendous +that it was easy for the youth to crawl into it. +He did so, for he was not afraid, and made his way +into the troll's inwards where he was so active that +the troll was soon killed. Then Faithful crept out +again, laid aside his armor, and entered the troll's +castle. Within the great golden hall sat the captive +queen, fettered with seven strong chains of gold. +Faithful could not break the strong chains; but he +took up his fiddle and played such tender music on<span class="pagenum">[67]</span> +it, that the golden chains were moved, and one after +another, fell from the queen, until she was able to +rise and was free once more. She looked at the +courageous youth with joy and gratitude, and felt +very kindly toward him, because he was so handsome +and courteous. And the queen was perfectly +willing to return with him to the king's +castle.</p> + +<p>The return of the queen gave rise to great joy, +and Faithful received the promised reward from +the king. But now the queen treated her husband +with even less consideration than before. She +would not exchange a word with him, she did not +laugh, and locked herself up in her room with her +gloomy thoughts. This greatly vexed the king, +and one day he asked the queen why she was so +sad: "Well," said she, "I cannot be happy unless +I have the beautiful golden hall which I had in the +hill at the troll's; for a hall like that is to be found +nowhere else."</p> + +<p>"It will be no easy matter to obtain it for you," +said the king, "and I cannot promise you that anyone +will be able to do it." But when he complained +of his difficulty to his servant Unfaithful, the latter +answered: "The chances of success are not so bad, +for Faithful said he could easily bring the troll's +golden hall to the castle." Faithful was at once +sent for, and the king commanded him, as he loved<span class="pagenum">[68]</span> +his life, to make good his word and bring the golden +hall from the troll's hill. It was in vain that Faithful +denied Unfaithful's assertions: go he must, and +bring back the golden hall.</p> + +<p>Inconsolable, he went to his beautiful horse, wept +and wanted to say farewell to him forever. "What +troubles you?" asked the horse. And the youth replied: +"Unfaithful has again been telling lies about +me, and if I do not bring the troll's golden hall to +the queen, my life will be forfeited." "Is it nothing +more serious than that?" said the horse. "See +that you obtain a great ship, take your fiddle with +you and play the golden hall out of the hill, then +hitch the troll's horses before it, and you will be +able to bring the glistening hall here without +trouble."</p> + +<p>Then Faithful felt somewhat better, did as the +horse had told him, and was successful in reaching +the great hill. And as he stood there playing the +fiddle, the golden hall heard him, and was drawn to +the sounding music, and it moved slowly, slowly, +until it stood outside the hill. It was built of virgin +gold, like a house by itself, and under it were many +wheels. Then the youth took the troll's horses, put +them to the golden hall, and thus brought it aboard +his ship. Soon he had crossed the lake, and brought +it along safely so that it reached the castle without +damage, to the great joy of the queen. Yet despite<span class="pagenum">[69]</span> +the fact, she was as weary of everything as +she had been before, never spoke to her husband, +the king, and no one ever saw her laugh.</p> + +<p>Now the king grew even more vexed than he had +been, and again asked her why she seemed so sad. +"Ah, how can I be happy unless I have the two +colts that used to belong to me, when I stayed at the +troll's! Such handsome steeds are to be seen +nowhere else!" "It will be anything but easy to +obtain for you what you want," declared the king, +"for they were untamed, and long ago must have +run far away into the wild-wood." Then he left +her, sadly, and did not know what to do. But Unfaithful +said: "Let my lord give himself no concern, +for Faithful has declared he could easily secure +both of the troll's colts." Faithful was at once +sent for, and the king threatened him with death, +if he did not show his powers in the matter of the +colts. But should he succeed in catching them, +then he would be rewarded.</p> + +<p>Now Faithful knew quite well that he could not +hope to catch the troll's wild colts, and he once more +turned to the stable in order to bid farewell to the +<i>huldra's</i> gift. "Why do you weep over such a trifle?" +said the horse. "Hurry to the wood, play +your fiddle, and all will be well!" Faithful did as +he was told, and after a while the two lions whom he +had rescued came leaping toward him, listened to<span class="pagenum">[70]</span> +his playing and asked him whether he was in distress. +"Yes, indeed," said Faithful, and told them +what he had to do. They at once ran back into the +wood, one to one side and the other to the other, +and returned quickly, driving the two colts before +them. Then Faithful played his fiddle and the +colts followed him, so that he soon reached the +king's castle in safety, and could deliver the steeds +to the queen.</p> + +<p>The king now expected that his wife would be gay +and happy. But she did not change, never addressed +a word to him, and only seemed a little less sad +when she happened to speak to the daring youth.</p> + +<p>Then the king asked her to tell him what she +lacked, and why she was so discontented. She answered: +"I have secured the colts of the troll, and +I often sit in the glittering hall of gold; but I can +open none of the handsome chests that are filled to +the brim with my valuables, because I have no keys. +And if I do not get the keys again, how can I be +happy?" "And where may the keys be?" asked the +king. "In the lake by the troll's hill," said the +queen, "for that is where I threw them when Faithful +brought me here." "This is a ticklish affair, +this business of those keys you want!" said the king. +"And I can scarcely promise that you will ever see +them again." In spite of this, however, he was +willing to make an attempt, and talked it over with +<span class="pagenum"><a name="P_71" id="P_71">[71]</a></span>his servant Unfaithful. "Why, that is easily done," +said the latter, "for Faithful boasted to me that he +could get the queen's keys without any difficulty if he +wished." "Then I shall compel him to keep his +word," said the king. And he at once ordered Faithful, +on pain of death, to get the queen's keys out of +the lake by the troll's hill without delay.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 424px;"> +<a name="i3" id="i3"></a> +<img src="images/i004.jpg" width="424" height="600" alt=""The pike rose to the surface with the golden keys +in his mouth."" title=""> +</div> + +<p class="caption">"The pike rose to the surface with the golden keys +in his mouth." +—<a href="#P_71">Page 71</a></p> + +<p>This time the youth was not so depressed, for he +thought to himself: "My wise horse will be able to +help me." And so he was, for he advised him to go +along playing his fiddle, and to wait for what might +happen. After the youth had played for a while, +the pike he had saved thrust his head out of the +water, recognized him, and asked whether he could +be of any service to him. "Yes, indeed!" said the +youth, and told him what it was he wanted. The +pike at once dived, quickly rose to the surface of the +water with the golden keys in his mouth, and gave +them to his deliverer. The latter hastened back with +them, and now the queen could open the great chests +in the golden hall to her heart's content.</p> + +<p>Notwithstanding, the king's wife was as sorrowful +as ever, and when the king complained about it to +Unfaithful, the latter said: "No doubt it is because +she loves Faithful. I would therefore advise that +my lord have him beheaded. Then there will be a +change." This advice suited the king well, and he +determined to carry it out shortly. But one day<span class="pagenum">[72]</span> +Faithful's horse said to him: "The king is going to +have your head chopped off. So hurry to the wood, +play your fiddle, and beg the two doves to bring you +a bottle of the water of life. Then go to the queen +and ask her to set your head on your body and to +sprinkle you with the water when you have been beheaded." +Faithful did so. He went to the wood +that very day with his fiddle, and before long the +two doves were fluttering around him, and shortly +after brought back the bottle filled with the water of +life. He took it back home with him and gave it to +the queen, so that she might sprinkle him with it +after he had been beheaded. She did so, and at +once Faithful rose again, as full of life as ever; but +far better looking. The king was astonished at +what he had seen, and told the queen to cut off his +own head and then sprinkle him with the water. +She at once seized the sword, and in a moment the +king's head rolled to the ground. But she +sprinkled none of the water of life upon it, and the +king's body was quickly carried out and buried. +Then the queen and Faithful celebrated their wedding +with great pomp; but Unfaithful was banished +from the land and went away in disgrace. The +wise horse dwelt contentedly in a wonderful chamber, +and the king and queen kept the magic fiddle, +the golden hall, and the troll's other valuables, and +lived in peace and happiness day after day.<span class="pagenum">[73]</span></p> + +<p class="h3">NOTE</p> + +<blockquote><p>"Faithful and Unfaithful" (From the Hyìtén-Cavallius mss. collection), +is a distant offshoot, and one complicated with other motives, +of a cycle in which even the Tristan legend is represented, the fairy-tale +of the golden-haired maiden and the water of life and death. +(Reinhold Köhler, <i>Kleinere Schriften</i>, II, p. 328).</p></blockquote><p><span class="pagenum">[74]</span></p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="X" id="X"></a>X</h2> + +<p class="h3">STARKAD AND BALE</p> + +<p>Starkad, the hero of the legends, the bravest +warrior in the army of the North, had fallen +into disgrace with the king because of a certain +princess, so he wandered up into Norland, and +settled down at Rude in Tuna, where he was known +as the Thrall of the Alders or the Red Fellow.</p> + +<p>In Balbo, nine miles from Rude, dwelt another +hero, Bale, a good friend and companion-at-arms of +Starkad.</p> + +<p>One morning Starkad climbed the Klefberg in +Tuna, and called over to Bale: "Bale in Balbo, are +you awake?"</p> + +<p>"Red Fellow!" answered Bale, nine miles away, +"the sun and I wake together! But how goes it with +you?"</p> + +<p>"None too well. I eat salmon morning, noon and +night. Come over with a bit of meat!"</p> + +<p>"I'll come!" Bale called back, and in a few hours +time he was down in Tuna with an elk under each +arm.</p> + +<p>The following morning Bale in Balbo stood on a<span class="pagenum">[75]</span> +hill in Borgsjo and called: "Red Fellow! Are you +awake?"</p> + +<p>"The sun and I wake together!" answered Starkad. +"And how goes it with you?"</p> + +<p>"Alas, I have nothing to eat but meat! Elk in the +morning, elk at noon and elk at night. Come over +and bring a fish-tail along with you!"</p> + +<p>"I'm coming!" called out Starkad, and in a short +time he had joined his friend with a barrel of salmon +under each arm.</p> + +<p>In this fashion the two friends provided themselves +with all the game to be found in the woods and in +the water, and spread terror and destruction +throughout the countryside. But one evening, when +they were just returning to the sea from an excursion, +a black cloud came up, and a tempest broke. +They hurried along as fast as they could; but got no +further than Vattjom, where a flash of lightning +struck Starkad and flung him to the ground. His +friend and companion-at-arms buried him beneath a +stone cairn, about which he set five rocks: two at his +feet, two at his shoulders, and one at his head; and +that grave, measuring twenty ells in length, may +still be seen near the river.</p> + +<p class="h3">NOTE</p> + +<blockquote><p>In "Starkad and Bale" (Hofberg, p. 181. From Medelpad, after +ancient traditional sources) humorous feats of gigantic strength +are ascribed to the most famous hero of Northern legend, Starkad, +who was brought up by Odin himself.</p></blockquote><p><span class="pagenum">[76]</span></p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="XI" id="XI"></a>XI</h2> + +<p class="h3">THE WEREWOLF</p> + +<p>Once upon a time there was a king, who reigned +over a great kingdom. He had a queen, but +only a single daughter, a girl. In consequence the +little girl was the apple of her parents' eyes; they +loved her above everything else in the world, and +their dearest thought was the pleasure they would +take in her when she was older. But the unexpected +often happens; for before the king's daughter began +to grow up, the queen her mother fell ill and died. +It is not hard to imagine the grief that reigned, not +alone in the royal castle, but throughout the land; +for the queen had been beloved of all. The king +grieved so that he would not marry again, and his +one joy was the little princess.</p> + +<p>A long time passed, and with each succeeding day +the king's daughter grew taller and more beautiful, +and her father granted her every wish. Now there +were a number of women who had nothing to do but +wait on the princess and carry out her commands. +Among them was a woman who had formerly married +and had two daughters. She had an engaging<span class="pagenum">[77]</span> +appearance, a smooth tongue and a winning way of +talking, and she was as soft and pliable as silk; but +at heart she was full of machinations and falseness. +Now when the queen died, she at once began to plan +how she might marry the king, so that her daughters +might be kept like royal princesses. With this end +in view, she drew the young princess to her, paid her +the most fulsome compliments on everything she +said and did, and was forever bringing the conversation +around to how happy she would be were the king +to take another wife. There was much said on this +head, early and late, and before very long the princess +came to believe that the woman knew all there +was to know about everything. So she asked her +what sort of a woman the king ought to choose for +a wife. The woman answered as sweet as honey: +"It is not my affair to give advice in this matter; yet +he should choose for queen some one who is kind to +the little princess. For one thing I know, and that +is, were I fortunate enough to be chosen, my one +thought would be to do all I could for the little princess, +and if she wished to wash her hands, one of my +daughters would have to hold the wash-bowl and the +other hand her the towel." This and much more she +told the king's daughter, and the princess believed +it, as children will.</p> + +<p>From that day forward the princess gave her father +no peace, and begged him again and again to<span class="pagenum">[78]</span> +marry the good court lady. Yet he did not want to +marry her. But the king's daughter gave him no +rest; but urged him again and again, as the false +court lady had persuaded her to do. Finally, one +day, when she again brought up the matter, the king +cried: "I can see you will end by having your own +way about this, even though it be entirely against +my will. But I will do so only on one condition." +"What is the condition?" asked the princess. "If +I marry again," said the king, "it is only because +of your ceaseless pleading. Therefore you must +promise that, if in the future you are not satisfied +with your step-mother or your step-sisters, not a +single lament or complaint on your part reaches my +ears." This she promised the king, and it was agreed +that he should marry the court lady and make +her queen of the whole country.</p> + +<p>As time passed on, the king's daughter had grown +to be the most beautiful maiden to be found far and +wide; the queen's daughters, on the other hand, were +homely, evil of disposition, and no one knew any +good of them. Hence it was not surprising that +many youths came from East and West to sue for +the princess's hand; but that none of them took +any interest in the queen's daughters. This made +the step-mother very angry; but she concealed her +rage, and was as sweet and friendly as ever. Among +the wooers was a king's son from another country.<span class="pagenum">[79]</span> +He was young and brave, and since he loved the +princess dearly, she accepted his proposal and they +plighted their troth. The queen observed this with +an angry eye, for it would have pleased her had the +prince chosen one of her own daughters. She therefor +made up her mind that the young pair should +never be happy together, and from that time on +thought only of how she might part them from each +other.</p> + +<p>An opportunity soon offered itself. News came +that the enemy had entered the land, and the king +was compelled to go to war. Now the princess began +to find out the kind of step-mother she had. For no +sooner had the king departed than the queen showed +her true nature, and was just as harsh and unkind +as she formerly had pretended to be friendly and +obliging. Not a day went by without her scolding +and threatening the princess; and the queen's +daughters were every bit as malicious as their +mother. But the king's son, the lover of the princess, +found himself in even worse position. He had +gone hunting one day, had lost his way, and could +not find his people. Then the queen used her black +arts and turned him into a werewolf, to wander +through the forest for the remainder of his life in +that shape. When evening came and there was no +sign of the prince, his people returned home, and one +can imagine what sorrow they caused when the princess<span class="pagenum">[80]</span> +learned how the hunt had ended. She grieved, +wept day and night, and was not to be consoled. But +the queen laughed at her grief, and her heart was +filled with joy to think that all had turned out exactly +as she wished.</p> + +<p>Now it chanced one day, as the king's daughter +was sitting alone in her room, that she thought she +would go herself into the forest where the prince had +disappeared. She went to her step-mother and begged +permission to go out into the forest, in order to +forget her surpassing grief. The queen did not +want to grant her request, for she always preferred +saying no to yes. But the princess begged her so +winningly that at last she was unable to say no, and +she ordered one of her daughters to go along with +her and watch her. That caused a great deal of +discussion, for neither of the step-daughters wanted +to go with her; each made all sorts of excuses, +and asked what pleasures were there in going with +the king's daughter, who did nothing but cry. But +the queen had the last word in the end, and ordered +that one of her daughters must accompany the princess, +even though it be against her will. So the girls +wandered out of the castle into the forest. The +king's daughter walked among the trees, and listened +to the song of the birds, and thought of her lover, for +whom she longed, and who was now no longer there. +And the queen's daughter followed her, vexed, in her<span class="pagenum">[81]</span> +malice, with the king's daughter and her sorrow.</p> + +<p>After they had walked a while, they came to a little +hut, lying deep in the dark forest. By then the +king's daughter was very thirsty, and wanted to go +into the little hut with her step-sister, in order to get +a drink of water. But the queen's daughter was +much annoyed and said: "Is it not enough for me to +be running around here in the wilderness with you? +Now you even want me, who am a princess, to enter +that wretched little hut. No, I will not step a foot +over the threshold! If you want to go in, why go +in alone!" The king's daughter lost no time; but +did as her step-sister advised, and stepped into the +little hut. When she entered she saw an old woman +sitting there on a bench, so enfeebled by age that +her head shook. The princess spoke to her in her +usual friendly way: "Good evening, motherkin. +May I ask you for a drink of water?" "You are +heartily welcome to it," said the old woman. "Who +may you be, that step beneath my lowly roof and +greet me in so winning a way?" The king's daughter +told her who she was, and that she had gone out to +relieve her heart, in order to forget her great grief. +"And what may your great grief be?" asked the +old woman. "No doubt it is my fate to grieve," +said the princess, "and I can never be happy again. +I have lost my only love, and God alone knows +whether I shall ever see him again." And she also<span class="pagenum">[82]</span> +told her why it was, and the tears ran down her +cheeks in streams, so that any one would have felt +sorry for her. When she had ended the old woman +said: "You did well in confiding your sorrow to me. +I have lived long and may be able to give you a bit +of good advice. When you leave here you will see +a lily growing from the ground. This lily is not +like other lilies, however, but has many strange virtues. +Run quickly over to it, and pick it. If you can +do that then you need not worry, for then one will appear +who will tell you what to do." Then they +parted and the king's daughter thanked her and +went her way; while the old woman sat on the bench +and wagged her head. But the queen's daughter +had been standing without the hut the entire time, +vexing herself, and grumbling because the king's +daughter had taken so long.</p> + +<p>So when the latter stepped out, she had to listen +to all sorts of abuse from her step-sister, as was to +be expected. Yet she paid no attention to her, and +thought only of how she might find the flower of +which the old woman had spoken. They went +through the forest, and suddenly she saw a beautiful +white lily growing in their very path. She was much +pleased and ran up at once to pick it; but that very +moment it disappeared and reappeared somewhat +further away.</p> + +<p>The king's daughter was now filled with eagerness,<span class="pagenum"><a name="P_83" id="P_83">[83]</a></span> +no longer listened to her step-sister's calls, and +kept right on running; yet each time when she +stooped to pick the lily, it suddenly disappeared and +reappeared somewhat further away. Thus it went +for some time, and the princess was drawn further +and further into the deep forest. But the lily continued +to stand, and disappear and move further +away, and each time the flower seemed larger and +more beautiful than before. At length the princess +came to a high hill, and as she looked toward its +summit, there stood the lily high on the naked rock, +glittering as white and radiant as the brightest star. +The king's daughter now began to climb the hill, +and in her eagerness she paid no attention to stones +nor steepness. And when at last she reached the +summit of the hill, lo and behold! the lily no longer +evaded her grasp; but remained where it was, and +the princess stooped and picked it and hid it in her +bosom, and so heartfelt was her happiness that she +forgot her step-sisters and everything else in the +world.</p> + +<p>For a long time she did not tire of looking at the +beautiful flower. Then she suddenly began to wonder +what her step-mother would say when she came +home after having remained out so long. And she +looked around, in order to find the way back to the +castle. But as she looked around, behold, the sun +had set and no more than a little strip of daylight<span class="pagenum">[84]</span> +rested on the summit of the hill. Below her lay the +forest, so dark and shadowed that she had no faith +in her ability to find the homeward path. And now +she grew very sad, for she could think of nothing +better to do than to spend the night on the hill-top. +She seated herself on the rock, put her hand to her +cheek, cried, and thought of her unkind step-mother +and step-sisters, and of all the harsh words she +would have to endure when she returned. And she +thought of her father, the king, who was away at +war, and of the love of her heart, whom she would +never see again; and she grieved so bitterly that she +did not even know she wept. Night came and darkness, +and the stars rose, and still the princess sat +in the same spot and wept. And while she sat +there, lost in her thoughts, she heard a voice say: +"Good evening, lovely maiden! Why do you sit +here so sad and lonely?" She stood up hastily, +and felt much embarrassed, which was not surprising. +When she looked around there was nothing +to be seen but a tiny old man, who nodded to her +and seemed to be very humble. She answered: +"Yes, it is no doubt my fate to grieve, and never +be happy again. I have lost my dearest love, and +now I have lost my way in the forest, and +am afraid of being devoured by wild beasts." +"As to that," said the old man, "you need have no +fear. If you will do exactly as I say, I will help +<span class="pagenum">[85]</span>you." This made the princess happy; for she felt +that all the rest of the world had abandoned her. +Then the old man drew out flint and steel and said: +"Lovely maiden, you must first build a fire." She +did as he told her, gathered moss, brush and dry +sticks, struck sparks and lit such a fire on the hill-top +that the flame blazed up to the skies. That +done the old man said: "Go on a bit and you will +find a kettle of tar, and bring the kettle to me." +This the king's daughter did. The old man continued: +"Now put the kettle on the fire." And +the princess did that as well. When the tar began +to boil, the old man said: "Now throw your white +lily into the kettle." The princess thought this a +harsh command, and earnestly begged to be allowed +to keep the lily. But the old man said: "Did you +not promise to obey my every command? Do as +I tell you or you will regret it." The king's daughter +turned away her eyes, and threw the lily into +the boiling tar; but it was altogether against her +will, so fond had she grown of the beautiful flower.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 419px;"> +<a name="i4" id="i4"></a> +<img src="images/i005.jpg" width="419" height="600" alt=""SO HEARTFELT WAS HER HAPPINESS THAT SHE FORGOT +EVERYTHING ELSE IN THE WORLD."" title=""> +</div> + +<p class="caption">"SO HEARTFELT WAS HER HAPPINESS THAT SHE FORGOT +EVERYTHING ELSE IN THE WORLD." +—<a href="#P_83">Page 83</a></p> + +<p>The moment she did so a hollow roar, like that of +some wild beast, sounded from the forest. It came +nearer, and turned into such a terrible howling that +all the surrounding hills reëchoed it. Finally there +was a cracking and breaking among the trees, the +bushes were thrust aside, and the princess saw a +great grey wolf come running out of the forest and<span class="pagenum">[86]</span> +straight up the hill. She was much frightened and +would gladly have run away, had she been able. +But the old man said: "Make haste, run to the +edge of the hill and the moment the wolf comes +along, upset the kettle on him!" The princess was +terrified, and hardly knew what she was about; yet +she did as the old man said, took the kettle, ran to +the edge of the hill, and poured its contents over +the wolf just as he was about to run up. And then +a strange thing happened: no sooner had she done +so, than the wolf was transformed, cast off his thick +grey pelt, and in place of the horrible wild beast, +there stood a handsome young man, looking up to +the hill. And when the king's daughter collected +herself and looked at him, she saw that it was really +and truly her lover, who had been turned into a +werewolf.</p> + +<p>It is easy to imagine how the princess felt. She +opened her arms, and could neither ask questions +nor reply to them, so moved and delighted was she. +But the prince ran hastily up the hill, embraced her +tenderly, and thanked her for delivering him. Nor +did he forget the little old man, but thanked him +with many civil expressions for his powerful aid. +Then they sat down together on the hill-top, and +had a pleasant talk. The prince told how he had +been turned into a wolf, and of all he had suffered +while running about in the forest; and the princess<span class="pagenum">[87]</span> +told of her grief, and the many tears she had shed +while he had been gone. So they sat the whole +night through, and never noticed it until the stars +grew pale and it was light enough to see. When +the sun rose, they saw that a broad path led from +the hill-top straight to the royal castle; for they +had a view of the whole surrounding country from +the hill-top. Then the old man said: "Lovely +maiden, turn around! Do you see anything out +yonder?" "Yes," said the princess, "I see a +horseman on a foaming horse, riding as fast as he +can." Then the old man said: "He is a messenger +sent on ahead by the king your father. And your +father with all his army is following him." That +pleased the princess above all things, and she wanted +to descend the hill at once to meet her father. +But the old man detained her and said: "Wait a +while, it is too early yet. Let us wait and see how +everything turns out."</p> + +<p>Time passed and the sun was shining brightly, +and its rays fell straight on the royal castle down +below. Then the old man said: "Lovely maiden, +turn around! Do you see anything down below?" +"Yes," replied the princess, "I see a number of +people coming out of my father's castle, and some +are going along the road, and others into the forest." +The old man said: "Those are your step-mother's +servants. She has sent some to meet the<span class="pagenum">[88]</span> +king and welcome him; but she has sent others to +the forest to look for you." At these words the +princess grew uneasy, and wished to go down to +the queen's servants. But the old man withheld +her and said: "Wait a while, and let us first see +how everything turns out."</p> + +<p>More time passed, and the king's daughter was +still looking down the road from which the king +would appear, when the old man said: "Lovely +maiden, turn around! Do you see anything down +below?" "Yes," answered the princess, "there is +a great commotion in my father's castle, and they +are hanging it with black." The old man said: +"That is your step-mother and her people. They +will assure your father that you are dead." Then +the king's daughter felt bitter anguish, and she implored +from the depths of her heart: "Let me go, +let me go, so that I may spare my father this +anguish!" But the old man detained her and said: +"No, wait, it is still too early. Let us first see how +everything turns out."</p> + +<p>Again time passed, the sun lay high above the +fields, and the warm air blew over meadow and +forest. The royal maid and youth still sat on the +hill-top with the old man, where we had left them. +Then they saw a little cloud rise against the horizon, +far away in the distance, and the little cloud grew +larger and larger, and came nearer and nearer<span class="pagenum">[89]</span> +along the road, and as it moved one could see it was +agleam with weapons, and nodding helmets, and +waving flags, one could hear the rattle of swords, +and the neighing of horses, and finally recognize +the banner of the king. It is not hard to imagine +how pleased the king's daughter was, and how she +insisted on going down and greeting her father. +But the old man held her back and said: "Lovely +maiden, turn around! Do you see anything happening +at the castle?" "Yes," answered the +princess, "I can see my step-mother and step-sisters +coming out, dressed in mourning, holding white +kerchiefs to their faces, and weeping bitterly." +The old man answered: "Now they are pretending +to weep because of your death. Wait just a little +while longer. We have not yet seen how everything +will turn out."</p> + +<p>After a time the old man said again: "Lovely +maiden, turn around! Do you see anything down below?" +"Yes," said the princess, "I see people bringing +a black coffin—now my father is having it opened. +Look, the queen and her daughters are down +on their knees, and my father is threatening them +with his sword!" Then the old man said: "Your +father wished to see your body, and so your evil +step-mother had to confess the truth." When the +princess heard that she said earnestly: "Let me +go, let me go, so that I may comfort my father in<span class="pagenum">[90]</span> +his great sorrow!" But the old man held her back +and said: "Take my advice and stay here a little +while longer. We have not yet seen how everything +will turn out."</p> + +<p>Again time went by, and the king's daughter and +the prince and the old man were still sitting on the +hill-top. Then the old man said: "Lovely maiden, +turn around! Do you see anything down below?" +"Yes," answered the princess, "I see my father +and my step-sisters and my step-mother with all +their following moving this way." The old man +said: "Now they have started out to look for you. +Go down and bring up the wolf's pelt in the gorge." +The king's daughter did as he told her. The old +man continued: "Now stand at the edge of the +hill." And the princess did that, too. Now one +could see the queen and her daughters coming along +the way, and stopping just below the hill. Then the +old man said: "Now throw down the wolf's pelt!" +The princess obeyed him, and threw down the wolf's +pelt according to his command. It fell directly on +the evil queen and her daughters. And then a most +wonderful thing happened: no sooner had the pelt +touched the three evil women than they immediately +changed shape, and turning into three horrible +werewolves, they ran away as fast as they could into +the forest, howling dreadfully.</p> + +<p>No more had this happened than the king himself<span class="pagenum">[91]</span> +arrived at the foot of the hill with his whole +retinue. When he looked up and recognized the +princess, he could not at first believe his eyes; but +stood motionless, thinking her a vision. Then the +old man cried: "Lovely maiden, now hasten, run +down and make your father happy!" There was no +need to tell the princess twice. She took her lover +by the hand and they ran down the hill. When they +came to the king, the princess ran on ahead, fell on +her father's neck, and wept with joy. And the +young prince wept as well, and the king himself +wept; and their meeting was a pleasant sight for +every one. There was great joy and many embraces, +and the princess told of her evil step-mother +and step-sisters and of her lover, and all that she had +suffered, and of the old man who had helped them in +such a wonderful way. But when the king turned +around to thank the old man he had completely +vanished, and from that day on no one could say +who he had been or what had become of him.</p> + +<p>The king and his whole retinue now returned to +the castle, where the king had a splendid banquet +prepared, to which he invited all the able and distinguished +people throughout the kingdom, and bestowed +his daughter on the young prince. And the +wedding was celebrated with gladness and music +and amusements of every kind for many days. I +was there, too, and when I rode through the forest<span class="pagenum">[92]</span> +I met a wolf with two young wolves, and they +showed me their teeth and seemed very angry. And +I was told they were none other than the evil step-mother +and her two daughters.</p> + +<p class="h3">NOTE</p> + +<blockquote><p>In "The Werewolf," the basic idea is the deliverance from animal +form through a maiden's self-sacrificing love (Hyìtén-Cavallius and +Stephens, p. 312. From Upland), and the Teutonic belief in human +beings who could change themselves into wolves is clearly marked.</p></blockquote><p><span class="pagenum">[93]</span></p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="XII" id="XII"></a>XII</h2> + +<p class="h3">FIRST BORN, FIRST WED</p> + +<p>Once upon a time there was a king who had a +three-year old son, and was obliged to go to +war against another king. Then, when his ships +sailed home again after he had gained a splendid victory, +a storm broke out and his whole fleet was near +sinking. But the king vowed he would sacrifice to +the sea-queen the first male creature that came to +meet him when he reached land and entered his capital. +Thereby the whole fleet reached the harbor in +safety. But the five-year old prince, who had not +seen his father for the past two years, and who was +delighted with the thunder of the cannon as the ships +came in, secretly slipped away from his attendants, +and ran to the landing; and when the king came +ashore he was the first to cast himself into his arms, +weeping with joy. The king was frightened when +he thought of the sea-queen; but he thought that, +after all, the prince was only a child, and at any rate +he could sacrifice the next person to step up to him +after the prince. But from that time on no one +could make a successful sea-trip, and the people began +to murmur because the king had not kept the<span class="pagenum">[94]</span> +promise he had made the sea-queen. But the king +and queen never allowed the prince out without a +great escort, and he was never permitted to enter +a ship, for all his desire to do so. After a few years +they gradually forgot the sea-queen, and when the +prince was ten years old, a little brother came to +join him. Not long after the older of the princes +was out walking with his tutor and several other +gentlemen. And when they reached the end of the +royal gardens by the sea-shore—it was a summer's +day, unusually clear—they were suddenly enveloped +by a thick cloud, which disappeared as swiftly as it +had come. And when it vanished, the prince was no +longer there; nor did he return, to the great sorrow +of the king, the queen and the whole country. In +the meantime the young prince who was now the +sole heir to the crown and kingdom grew up; and +when he was sixteen, they began to think of finding +a wife for him. For the old king and queen wished +to see him marry the daughter of some powerful +monarch to whom they were allied, before they died. +With this in view, letters were written and embassies +sent out to the most distant countries.</p> + +<p>While these negotiations were being conducted, +it began to be said that the sea-shore was haunted; +various people had heard cries, and several who +had walked by the sea-shore late in the evening had +fallen ill. At length no one ventured to go there<span class="pagenum">[95]</span> +after eleven at night, because a voice kept crying +from out at sea: "First born, first wed!" And +when some one did venture nearer he did so at the +risk of his life. At last these complaints came to +the king's ear; he called together his council, and +it was decided to question a wise woman, who had +already foretold many mysterious happenings, which +had all taken place exactly as she had said they +would. When the wise woman was brought before +the king she said it was the prince who had been +taken into the sea who was calling, and that they +would have to find him a bride, young, beautiful, +and belonging to one of the noblest families of the +land, and she must be no less than fifteen and no +more than seventeen years old. That seemed a +serious difficulty; for no one wished to give their +daughter to a sea-king.</p> + +<p>Yet, when there was no end to the cries and the +commotion, the wise woman said, that first it might +be well to build a little house by the sea, perhaps +then the turmoil might die away. At any rate, she +said, no phantoms would haunt the place while the +building was in progress. Hence no more than four +workmen need be employed, and they might first +prepare a site, then lay the stone foundation, and +finally erect the small house, comprising no more +than two pleasant, handsome rooms, one behind the +other, and a good floor. The house was carefully<span class="pagenum">[96]</span> +erected, and the royal architect himself had to +superintend the work, so that everything might be +done as well as possible. And while the building +was going on, there were no mysterious noises, and +every one could travel peacefully along the sea-shore. +For that reason the four workmen did not +hurry with their work; yet not one of them could +stay away for a day, because when they did the +tumult along the shore would begin again, and one +could hear the cries: "First born, first wed!" +When the little house was finally completed, the best +carpenters came and worked in it, then painters and +other craftsmen, and at last it was furnished, because +when the work stopped for no more than a +single day the cries were heard again by night. +The rooms were fitted out as sumptuously as possible, +and a great mirror was hung in the drawing-room. +According to the instructions of the wise +woman, it was hung in such wise that from the bed +in the bed-room, even though one's face were turned +to the wall, one could still see who stepped over the +threshold into the drawing-room; for the door between +each room was always to stand open.</p> + +<p>When all was finished, and the little house had +been arranged with regal splendor, the cries of +"First born, first wed!" again began to sound from +the shore. And it was found necessary, though all +were unwilling, to follow the wise woman's counsel,<span class="pagenum">[97]</span> +and choose three of the loveliest maidens between +the ages of fifteen and seventeen, belonging to the +first families of the land. They were to be taken +to the castle, said the wise woman, and to be treated +like ladies of the blood royal, and one after another +they were to be sent to the little house by the sea-shore; +for should one of them find favor in the eyes +of the sea-prince, then the commotion and turmoil +would surely cease. In the meantime the negotiations +for the marriage of the younger prince were +continued, and the bride selected for him was soon +expected to arrive. So the girls were also chosen +for the sea-prince. The three chosen, as well as +their parents, were quite inconsolable over their +fate; even the fact that they were to be treated like +princesses did not console them; yet had they not +yielded it would have been all the worse for them +and for the whole land. The first girl destined to +sleep in the sea-palace was the oldest, and when she +sought out the wise woman, and asked her advice, +the latter said she should lie down in the handsome +bed; but should turn her face to the wall, and under +no circumstances turn around curiously, and try +and see what was going on. She had only the right +to behold what she saw reflected in the mirror in the +drawing-room as she lay with her face to the wall. +At ten o'clock that night the royal sea-bride was +led with great pomp to the little house.<span class="pagenum">[98]</span></p> + +<p>Her relatives and the court said farewell to her +with many tears, left her before eleven, locked the +door on the outside, and took the keys with them to +the castle. The wise woman was also there, consoled +the people, and assured them that if the +maiden only forbore to speak, and did not turn +around, she would come out in the morning fresh +and blooming. The poor girl prayed and wept until +she grew sleepy; but toward twelve o'clock the +outer door suddenly opened, and then the door of +the drawing-room. She was startled and filled with +fear when, her face turned toward the wall, she saw +in the great mirror, how a tall, well-built youth entered, +from whose garments the water ran in streams +to the floor. He shook himself as though freezing, +and said "Uh hu!" Then he went to the window, +and there laid down an unusually large and handsome +apple, and hung a bottle in the casement. +Next he stepped to the bed, bent over the sleeping +girl and looked at her, strode up and down a few +times, shaking the water from his clothes and saying +"Uh hu!" Then he went back to the bed, undressed +hurriedly, lay down and fell asleep. The +poor girl, had not been sleeping; but had only closed +her eyes when the prince bent over her. Now she +was glad to think he was fast asleep, and forgot the +wise woman's warning not to turn around. Her +curiosity got the better of her, and she wanted to<span class="pagenum">[99]</span> +find out if this were a real human being. She turned +around softly, lest she wake him; but just as she +sat up quietly in bed, in order to take a good look at +her neighbor, he swiftly seized her right hand, +hewed it off, and flung it under the bed. Then he at +once lay down and fell asleep again. As soon as it +was day, he rose, dressed without casting even a +glance at the bed, took the bottle and the apple from +the window, went hastily out and locked the door +after him. One can imagine how the poor girl suffered +in the meantime, and when her friends and +relatives came to fetch her they found her weeping +and robbed of her hand. She was brought to the +castle and the wise woman sent for, and overwhelmed +with bitter reproaches. But she said that if the +maiden had not turned around, and had overcome her +curiosity, she would not have lost her hand. They +were to treat her as though she were really and truly +a princess; but that it would be as much as her life +were worth to allow her to return to the neighborhood +of the little house.</p> + +<p>The two girls were all the more discouraged by +this mishap, and thought themselves condemned to +death, though the wise woman consoled them as well +as she knew how. The second promised her faithfully +not to turn around; yet it happened with her +as it had with the first. The prince came in at twelve +o'clock dripping, shook himself so that the water<span class="pagenum">[100]</span> +flew about, said "Uh hu!" went to the window, laid +down the beautiful apple, hung up the bottle, came +into the bed-room, bent over the bed, strode up and +down a few times, said "Uh hu!" hastily undressed, +and at once fell asleep. Her curiosity gained the +upper hand, and when she made sure that he was +sleeping soundly, she carefully turned around in +order to look at him. But he seized her right hand, +hewed it off and cast it under the bed, and then laid +down again and slept on. At dawn he rose, dressed +without casting a glance at the bed, took the apple +and the bottle, went out and locked the door after +him. When her friends and relatives came to +fetch the girl in the morning, they found her weeping +and without a right hand. She was taken to +the castle, where she found herself just as little +welcome as her predecessor, and the wise woman +insisted that the girl must have turned around, +though at first she denied it absolutely.</p> + +<p>Then the youngest, sweetest and loveliest of the +three maidens had to go to the sea-castle amid the +mourning of the entire court. The wise woman +accompanied her, and implored her not to turn +around; since there was no other means of protection +against the spell.</p> + +<p>The maiden promised to heed her warning, and +said that she would pray God to help her if she +were plagued with curiosity. All happened as before:<span class="pagenum">[101]</span> +the prince came on the stroke of twelve, dripping +wet, said "Uh hu!" shook himself, laid the +apple on the window, hung up the bottle, went into +the bed-room, bent over the bed, strode up and +down for a few times, said "Uh hu!" undressed, +and at once fell asleep. The poor girl was half-dead +with fear and terror, and prayed and struggled +against her curiosity till at length she fell asleep, +and did not awake until the prince rose and +dressed. He stepped up to the bed, bent over it +for a moment, went out, turned at the door and +took the bottle and the apple, and then locked the +door after him. In the morning the entire court, +the girl's parents and the wise woman came to +fetch her. She came to meet them weeping with +joy, and was conducted to the castle in triumph +and with joy indescribable. The king and queen +embraced her, and she was paid the same honors +destined for the princess who was to arrive in the +course of the next few days to marry the heir to +the throne. Now the maiden had to sleep every +night in the little house by the strand, and every +evening the prince came in with his apple and his +bottle, and every morning went away at dawn. But +it seemed to her that each succeeding evening and +morning he looked at her a little longer; though she, +always silent, timid, and turned toward the wall, did +not dare see more than her mirror showed her of<span class="pagenum">[102]</span> +his coming and going. But the two other girls, who +had lost their hands, and who now no longer lived +in the castle, were jealous of the honor shown the +youngest, and threatened to have her done away +with if she did not restore their hands. The maiden +went weeping to the wise woman; and the latter +said that when the prince had lain down as usual +she should say—keeping her face turned toward +the wall:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"The maidens twain will see me slain,<br></span> +<span class="i0">Or else have back their hands again!"<br></span> +</div></div> + +<p>But she was to offer no further information nor +say another word. With a beating heart the poor +girl waited until the prince came, and when he had +bent over the bed longer than usual, sighed, then +hastily undressed and lain down, the maiden said, +quivering and trembling:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"The maidens twain will see me slain,<br></span> +<span class="i0">Or else have back their hands again!"<br></span> +</div></div> + +<p>The prince at once replied: "Take the hands—they +are lying under the bed—and the bottle hanging +in the window, and pour some of the contents +of the bottle on their arms and hands, join them together, +bind them up, take away the bandages in +three days' time and the hands will have been healed!" +The maiden made no reply and fell asleep.<span class="pagenum">[103]</span> +In the morning the prince rose as usual, stepped +over to the bed several times and looked at her +from its foot; but she did not dare look up, and +closed her eyes. He sighed, took his apple; but +left the bottle, and went. When the maiden rose +she did as he had told her, and in three days' time +removed the bandages, and the girls' hands were +well and whole.</p> + +<p>Now the foreign princess arrived and the wedding +was to be celebrated as soon as possible. Yet +she was not fitted out with any more magnificence +than the bride of the sea-prince, and both were +equally honored by the king and court. This annoyed +the two other girls, and they again threatened +to have the youngest done away with if she +did not let them taste the apple which the prince +always brought with him. Again the maiden sought +the advice of the wise woman, in whom she had confidence. +And that night, when the prince had lain +down, she said:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"The maidens twain will see me slain,<br></span> +<span class="i0">Or else your apple they would gain!"<br></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Then the prince said: "Take the apple lying in +the window, and when you go out, lay it on the +ground and follow wherever it may roll. And +when it stops, pick as many apples as you wish, +and return the same way you came." The maiden<span class="pagenum">[104]</span> +made no reply, and fell asleep. On the following +morning it seemed harder than ever for the prince +to resolve to go away. He appeared excited and +restless, sighed often, bent over the maiden several +times, went into the living room, then turned around +and looked at her once more. Finally, when the +sun rose, he hurried out and locked the door after +him. When the maiden rose, she could not help +weeping, for she had really begun to love the prince.</p> + +<p>Then she took the apple, and when she was outside +the door, laid it on the ground, and it rolled and +rolled, and she followed it, a long, long way, to a region +unknown to her. There she came to a high garden +wall, over which hung the branches of trees, +loaded with beautiful fruit. Finally she reached a +great portal, adorned with gold and splendid ornaments, +which opened of its own accord as the apple +rolled up to it. And the apple rolled through the +portal and the maiden followed it into the garden, +which was the most beautiful she ever had seen. +The apple rolled over to a low-growing tree weighed +with the most magnificent apples, and there it +stopped. The maiden picked all that her silken +apron would hold, and turned to see from which +direction she had come, and where the portal stood +through which she would have to pass on her way +back. But the garden was so lovely that she felt +like enjoying its charms a while longer, and without<span class="pagenum">[105]</span> +thinking of the prince's words, she touched +the apple with her foot, and it began to roll again. +Suddenly the portal closed with a great crash. +Then the maiden was much frightened, and regretted +having done what had been forbidden her; yet +now she could not get out, and was compelled to +follow the apple once more. It rolled far into the +beautiful garden and stopped at a little fire-place, +where stood two kettles of water, one small, the +other large. There was a great fire burning under +the large kettle; but only a weak fire beneath +the smaller one. Now when the apple stopped +there the maiden did not know what to do. Then +it occurred to her to scrape away the fire beneath +the large kettle and thrust it under the little one; +and soon the kettle over the small fire began to +boil and the kettle over the large one simmered +down. But she could not stay there. And since +she had already disobeyed the order given her, +she expected to die, nothing less, and was quite +resigned to do so, because she had lost all hope of +winning the prince.</p> + +<p>So she gave the apple another push, and it rolled +into a meadow in the middle of the garden, and +there lay two little children, asleep, with the hot +sun beating straight down upon them. The maiden +felt sorry for the children, and she took her +apron and laid it over them to protect them from<span class="pagenum">[106]</span> +the sun, and only kept the apples she could put in +her little basket. But she could not stay here either, +so again she touched the apple, and it rolled +on and before she knew it the girl found herself by +the sea-shore. There, under a shady tree lay the +prince asleep; while beside him sat the sea-queen. +Both rose when the maiden drew near, and the +prince looked at her with alarm and tenderness in +his flashing eyes. Then he leaped into the sea, +and the white foam closed over him. But the sea-queen +was enraged and seized the girl, who thought +that her last moment had struck, and begged for +a merciful death. The sea-queen looked at her, +and asked her who had given her permission to +pass beyond the apple-tree. The maiden confessed +her disobedience, and said that she had done so without +meaning any harm, whereupon the sea-queen +said she would see how she had conducted herself +and punish her accordingly. Thereupon the sea-queen +gave the apple a push, and it rolled back +through the portal to the apple-tree. The sea-queen +saw that the apple-tree was uninjured, again +pushed the apple and it rolled on to the little fire-place. +But when the sea-queen saw the small kettle +boiling furiously, while the large one was growing +cold, she became very angry, seized the girl's +arm savagely and rising to her full height, asked: +"What have you dared do here? How dared<span class="pagenum">[107]</span> +you take the fire from under my kettle and put it +under your own?" The maiden did not know that +she had done anything wrong, and said that she +did not know why. Then the sea-queen replied: +"The large kettle signified the love between the +prince and myself; the small one the love between +the prince and you. Since you have taken the fire +from under my kettle and laid it under your own, +the prince is now violently in love with you, while +his love for me is well-nigh extinguished. "Look," +she cried, angrily, "now my kettle has stopped +boiling altogether, and yours is boiling over! But +I will see what other harm you have done and punish +you accordingly." And the sea-queen again +pushed the apple with her foot, and it rolled to the +sleeping children, who had been covered with the +apron. Then the sea-queen said: "Did you do +that?" "Yes," replied the maiden, weeping, "but +I meant no harm. I covered the little ones with +my apron so that the sun might not burn down on +them so fiercely, and I left with them the apples I +could not put in my basket." The sea-queen said: +"This deed and your truthfulness are your salvation. +I see that you have a kind heart. These +children belong to me and to the prince; but since +he now loves you more than he does me, I will resign +him to you. Go back to the castle and there say +what I tell you: that your wedding with my prince<span class="pagenum">[108]</span> +is to be celebrated at the same time as that of his +younger brother. And all your jewels, your ornaments, +your wedding-dress and your bridal chair, +are to be exactly like those of the other princess. +From the moment on that the priest blesses the +prince and yourself I have no further power over +him. But since I have seen to it that he has all the +qualities which adorn a ruler, I demand that he be +made the heir to his father's kingdom; for he is the +oldest son. The younger prince may rule over the +kingdom which his bride brings him. All this you +must tell them, for only under these conditions will +I release the prince. And when you are arrayed in +your bridal finery, come to me here, without anyone's +knowledge, so that I may see how they have +adorned you. Here is the apple which will show +you the way without any one being able to tell where +you go." With that the sea-queen parted from her, +and gave the apple a push. It rolled out of the +garden and to the castle, where the maiden, with +mingled joy and terror, delivered the sea-queen's +message to the king, and told him what she demanded +for the prince. The king gladly promised +all that was desired, and great preparations were at +once made for the double wedding. Two bridal +chairs were set up side by side, two wedding +gowns, and two sets of jewels exactly similar were +made ready. When the maiden had been dressed +<span class="pagenum"><a name="P_109" id="P_109">[109]</a></span>in her bridal finery she pretended to have forgotten +something, which she had to fetch from a lower +floor, went downstairs with her apple, and laid it +on the ground. It at once rolled to the spot by +the sea-shore where she had found the sea-queen +and the prince, and where the sea-queen was now +awaiting her. "It is well that you have come," +said the sea-queen, "for the slightest disobedience +would have meant misfortune for you! But how +do you look? Are you dressed just as the princess +is? And has the princess no better clothes or +jewels?" The maiden answered timidly, that they +were dressed exactly alike. Then the sea-queen +tore her gown from her body, unclasped the jewels +from her hair and flinging them on the ground +cried: "Is that the way the bride of my prince +should look! Since I have given him to you I will +give you my bridal outfit as well." And with that +she raised up a sod beneath the great tree, and a +shrine adorned with gold and precious stones appeared, +from which she drew out her bridal outfit, +which fitted the maiden as though made for her. +And it was so costly and so covered with gems +that the maiden was almost blinded by its radiance. +The crown, too, glowed with light, and was set +with the most wonderful emeralds, and all was +magnificent beyond what any princess had ever +worn. "Now," said the sea-queen, when she had<span class="pagenum">[110]</span> +finished adorning the maiden, "now go back to the +castle, and show them how I was dressed when I +wedded the prince. All this I give as a free gift +to you and your descendants; but you must always +conduct yourself so that the prince will be content +with you, and you must make his happiness your +first thought all your life long."</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 419px;"> +<a name="i5" id="i5"></a> +<img src="images/i006.jpg" width="419" height="600" alt=""A SHRINE ADORNED WITH GOLD AND PRECIOUS STONES +APPEARED."" title=""> +</div> + +<p class="caption">"A SHRINE ADORNED WITH GOLD AND PRECIOUS STONES +APPEARED." +—<a href="#P_109">Page 109</a></p> + +<p>This the maiden promised, with honest tears, and +the sea-queen bade her go. When she was again +in the castle, all were astonished at the beauty +and costliness of her dress and jewels, in comparison +to which those of the other princess were as +nothing. The treasures of the whole kingdom +would not have sufficed to pay for such a bridal +outfit. And none any longer dared envy the lovely +maiden, for never had a princess brought a +richer bridal dower into the country. Now all +went in solemn procession to the church, and the +priests stood before the bridal chairs with their +books open, and waited for the prince who, according +to the sea-queen's word, would not come until +the blessing was to be spoken. They waited +impatiently, and the king finally told one of the +greatest nobles to seat himself in the bridal chair +in the prince's place, which he did. But the very +moment the priest began to pray, the two wings +of the church portal quickly flew open, and a tall, +strong, handsome man with flashing eyes, royally<span class="pagenum">[111]</span> +clad, came in, stepped up to the bridal chair, thrust +his proxy out so hastily that he nearly fell, and +cried: "This is my place! Now, priest, speak the +blessing!" While the blessing was spoken the +prince became quiet again, and then greeted his parents +and the whole court with joy, and before all +embraced his wife, who now for the first time ventured +to take a good look at him. Thenceforward +the prince was like any other human being, and in +the end he inherited his father's kingdom, and became +a great and world-renowned ruler, beloved +by his subjects, and adored by his wife. They +lived long and happily, and their descendants are +still the rulers of the land over which he reigned.</p> + +<p class="h3">NOTE</p> + +<blockquote><p>"First Born, First Wed" is a purely Swedish, and decidedly characteristic +treatment of a similar motive of redemption. (From the +mss. collection of Hyltén-Cavallius and Stephens, communicated by +Dr. v. Sydow-Lund).</p></blockquote><p><span class="pagenum">[112]</span></p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="XIII" id="XIII"></a>XIII</h2> + +<p class="h3">THE LAME DOG</p> + +<p>Once upon a time there lived a king, like many +others. He had three daughters, who were +young and beautiful to such a degree that it would +have been difficult to have found handsomer maidens. +Yet there was a great difference among them; for +the two older sisters were haughty in their thoughts +and manners; while the youngest was sweet and +friendly, and everyone liked her. Besides, she was +fair as the day and delicate as the snow, and far more +beautiful than either of her sisters.</p> + +<p>One day the king's daughters were sitting together +in their room, and their talk happened to turn on +their husbands-to-be. The oldest said: "If I ever +marry, my husband must have golden hair and a +a golden beard!" And the second exclaimed: "And +mine must have silver hair and a silver beard!" But +the youngest princess held her tongue and said nothing. +Then her sisters asked her whether she did +not want to wish for a husband. "No," she answered, +"but if fate should give me a husband, I +will be content to take him as he is, and were he no<span class="pagenum">[113]</span> +more than a lame dog." Then the two other princesses +laughed and joked about it, and told her the +day might easily come when she would change her +mind.</p> + +<p>But many speak truth and do not know it! Thus it +chanced with the king's daughters; since before the +year had come to an end, each had the suitor for +whom she had wished. A man with golden hair and +golden beard sued for the oldest princess and won +her consent to his suit. And a man with silver hair +and a silver beard sued for the second and she became +his bride; but the youngest princess had no +other suitor than a lame dog. Then she recalled +her talk with her sisters in their room, and thought +to herself: "May God aid me in the marriage into +which I must enter!" Yet she would not break the +word she had once passed; but followed her sisters' +example and accepted the dog. The wedding lasted +a number of days and was celebrated with great +pomp and splendor. But while the guests danced +and amused themselves, the youngest princess sat +apart and wept, and when the others were laughing, +her tears flowed till it made one sad to see them.</p> + +<p>After the wedding the newly married pairs were +each to drive off to their castle. And the two older +princesses each drove off in a splendidly decorated +coach, with a large retinue, and all sorts of honors. +But the youngest had to go afoot, since her husband, +the dog, had neither coach nor driver. When they<span class="pagenum">[114]</span> +had wandered long and far, they came to a great +forest, so great that it seemed endless; but the dog +limped along in advance, and the king's daughter +followed after, weeping. And as they went along +she suddenly saw a magnificent castle lying before +them, and round about it were beautiful meadows +and green woods, all of them most enjoyable to see. +The princess stopped and asked to whom the great +mansion might belong. "That," said the dog, "is +our home. We will live here, and you shall rule it +as you see fit." Then the maiden laughed amid her +tears, and could not overcome her surprise at all she +saw. The dog added: "I have but a single request +to make to you, and that you must not refuse to +grant." "What is your request?" asked the princess. +"You must promise me," said the dog, "that +you will never look at me while I am asleep: otherwise +you are free to do whatever you wish." The +princess gladly promised to grant his request, and +so they went to the great castle. And if the castle +was magnificent from without, it was still more +magnificent within. It was so full of gold and silver +that the precious metals gleamed from every corner; +and there was such abundance of supplies of every +kind, and of so many other things, that everything +in the world one might have wished to have was +already there. The princess spent the live-long day +running from one room to another, and each was<span class="pagenum">[115]</span> +handsomer than the one she had just entered. But +when evening came and she went to bed, the dog +crept into his own, and then she noticed that he was +not a dog; but a human being. Yet she said not a +word, because she remembered her promise, and did +not wish to cross her husband's will.</p> + +<p>Thus some time passed. The princess dwelt in +the beautiful castle, and had everything her heart +might desire. But every day the dog ran off, and +did not reappear until it was evening and the sun had +set. Then he returned home, and was always so +kind and friendly that it would have been a fine thing +had other men done half as well. The princess now +began to feel a great affection for him, and quite +forgot he was only a lame dog; for the proverb says: +"Love is blind." Yet time passed slowly because +she was so much alone, and she often thought of visiting +her sisters and seeing how they were. She spoke +of it to her husband, and begged his permission to +make the journey. No sooner had the dog heard her +wish than he at once granted it, and even accompanied +her some distance, in order to show her the way +out of the wood.</p> + +<p>When the king's daughters were once reunited, +they were naturally very happy, and there were a +great many questions asked about matters old and +new. And marriage was also discussed. The oldest +princess said: "It was silly of me to wish for a<span class="pagenum">[116]</span> +husband with golden hair and golden beard; for +mine is worse than the veriest troll, and I have not +known a happy day since we married." And the +second went on: "Yes, and I am no better off; +for although I have a husband with silver hair and a +silver beard, he dislikes me so heartily that he begrudges +me a single hour of happiness." Then +her sisters turned to the youngest princess and +asked how she fared. "Well," was her answer, "I +really cannot complain; for though I only got a lame +dog, he is such a dear good fellow and so kind to me +that it would be hard to find a better husband." +The other princesses were much surprised to hear +this, and did not stop prying and questioning, and +their sister answered all their questions faithfully. +When they heard how splendidly she lived in the +great castle, they grew jealous because she was so +much better off than they were. And they insisted +on knowing whether there was not some one little +thing of which she could complain. "No," said the +king's daughter, "I can only praise my husband for +his kindness and amiability, and there is but one +thing lacking to make me perfectly happy." +"What is it?" "What is it?" cried both sisters +with a single voice. "Every night, when he comes +home," said the princess, "he turns into a human +being, and I am sorry that I can never see what he +really looks like." Then both sisters again with +one voice, began to scold the dog loudly; because he<span class="pagenum">[117]</span> +had a secret which he kept from his wife. And +since her sisters now continually spoke about it, her +own curiosity awoke once more, she forgot her husband's +command, and asked how she might manage +to see him without his knowing it. "O," said the +oldest princess, "nothing easier! Here is a little +lamp, which you must hide carefully. Then you +need only get up at night when he is asleep, and light +the lamp in order to see him in his true shape." +This advice seemed good to the king's daughter; she +took the lamp, hid it in her breast, and promised to +do all that her sisters had counseled.</p> + +<p>When the time came for them to part, the youngest +princess went back to her beautiful castle. The day +passed like every other day. When evening came +at last and the dog had gone to bed, the princess +was so driven by curiosity that she could hardly +wait until he had fallen asleep. Then she rose, +softly, lit her lamp, and drew near the bed to look +at him while he slept. But no one can describe her +astonishment when throwing the light on the bed, +she saw no lame dog lying there; but the handsomest +youth her eyes had ever beheld. She could not +stop looking at him; but sat up all night bending +over his pillow, and the more she looked at him the +handsomer he seemed to grow, until she forgot +everything else in the world. At last the morning +came. And as the first star began to pale in the +dawn, the youth began to grow restless and awaken.<span class="pagenum">[118]</span> +The princess much frightened, blew out her lamp +and lay down in her bed. The youth thought she +was sleeping and did not wish to wake her, so he +rose quietly, assumed his other shape, went away +and did not appear again all day long.</p> + +<p>And when evening came and it grew late, everything +happened as before. The dog came home +from the forest and was very tired. But no sooner +had he fallen asleep than the princess rose carefully, +lit her lamp and came over to look at him. And +when she cast the light on his bed it seemed to her +as though the youth had grown even handsomer +than the day before, and the longer she looked the +more handsome he became; until she had to laugh +and weep from sheer love and longing. She could +not take her eyes from him, and sat all night long +bent over his pillow, forgetful of her promise and +all else, only to be able to look at him. With the +first ray of dawn the youth began to stir and awake. +Then the princess was again frightened, quickly +blew out her lamp and lay down in her bed. The +youth thought she was sleeping, and not wishing to +waken her, rose softly, assumed his other shape, +went away and was gone for the entire day.</p> + +<p>At length it grew late again, evening came and the +dog returned home from the forest as usual. But +again the princess could not control her curiosity; +no sooner was her husband sleeping than she rose<span class="pagenum">[119]</span> +quietly, lit her lamp, and drew near carefully in order +to look at him while he slept. And when the +light fell on the youth, he appeared to be handsomer +than ever before, and the longer she looked the more +handsome he grew, until her heart burned in her +breast, and she forgot all else in the world looking +at him. She could not take her eyes from him, and +sat up all night bending over his pillow. And when +morning came and the sun rose, the youth began +to move and awaken. Then the princess was much +frightened, because she had paid no heed to the passing +of time, and she tried to put out her lamp quickly. +But her hand trembled, and a warm drop of oil +fell on the youth and he awoke. When he saw what +she had done, he leaped up, terrified, instantly turned +into a lame dog, and limped out into the forest. +But the princess felt so remorseful that she nearly +lost her senses, and she ran after him, wringing her +hands and weeping bitterly, and begging him to +return. But he did not come back.</p> + +<p>The king's daughter now wandered over hill and +dale, along many a road new to her, in order to find +her husband, and her tears flowed the while till it +would have moved a stone. But the dog was gone +and stayed gone, though she looked for him North +and South. When she saw that she could not find +him, she thought she would return to her handsome +castle. But there she was just as unfortunate.<span class="pagenum">[120]</span> +The castle was nowhere to be seen, and wherever she +went she was surrounded by a forest black as coal. +Then she came to the conclusion that the whole world +had abandoned her, sat down on a stone, wept bitterly, +and thought how much rather she would die +than live without her husband. At that a little toad +hopped out from under the stone, and said: +"Lovely maiden, why do you sit here and weep?" +And the princess answered: "It is my hard fate +to weep and never be happy again. First of all I +have lost the love of my heart, and now I can no +longer find my way back to the castle. So I must +perish of hunger here, or else be devoured by wild +beasts." "O," said the toad, "if that is all that +troubles you, I can help you! If you will promise +to be my dearest friend, I will show you the way." +But that the princess did not want to do. She replied: +"Ask of me what you will, save that alone. +I have never loved any one more than my lame dog, +and so long as I live will never love any one else better." +With that she rose, wept bitterly, and continued +her way. But the toad looked after her in a +friendly manner, laughed to himself, and once more +crept under his stone.</p> + +<p>After the king's daughter had wandered on for a +long, long way, and still saw nothing but forest +and wilderness, she grew very tired. She once +more sat down on a stone, rested her chin on her<span class="pagenum">[121]</span> +hand, and prayed for death, since it was no longer +possible for her to live with her husband. Suddenly +there was a rustling in the bushes, and she saw +a big gray wolf coming directly toward her. She +was much frightened, since her one thought was +that the wolf intended to devour her. But the wolf +stopped, wagged his tail, and said: "Proud maiden, +why do you sit here and weep so bitterly?" The +princess answered: "It is my hard fate to weep and +never be happy again. First of all I have lost my +heart's dearest, and now I cannot find my way back +to the castle and must perish of hunger, or be devoured +by wild beasts." "O," said the wolf, "if +that is all that troubles you, I can help you! Let me +be your best friend and I will show you the way." +But that did not suit the princess, and she replied: +"Ask of me what you will, save that alone. I have +never loved any one more than my lame dog, and so +long as I live I will never love any one else better." +With that she rose, weeping bitterly, and continued +on her way. But the wolf looked after her in a +friendly manner, laughed to himself and ran off +hastily.</p> + +<p>After the princess had once more wandered for +a long time in the wilderness, she was again so wearied +and exhausted that she could not go on. She +sat down on a stone, wrung her hands, and wished +for death, since she could no longer live with her husband.<span class="pagenum">[122]</span> +At that moment she heard a hollow roaring +that made the earth tremble, and a monstrous big +lion appeared and came directly toward her. Now +she was much frightened; for what else could she +think but that the lion would tear her to pieces? But +the beast was so weighed down with heavy iron +chains that he could scarcely drag himself along, +and the chains clashed at either side when he moved. +When the lion finally reached the princess he +stopped, wagged his tail, and asked: "Beautiful +maiden, why do you sit here and weep so bitterly?" +The princess answered: "It is my hard fate to weep +and never be happy again. First of all I have lost +my heart's dearest, and now I cannot find my way to +the castle, and must perish of hunger, or be devoured +by wild beasts." "O," said the lion, "if that is all +that troubles you, I can help you! If you will loose +my chains and make me your best friend, I will show +you the way." But the princess was so terrified +that she could not answer the lion, far less venture +to draw near him. Then she heard a clear voice +sounding from the forest: it was a little nightingale, +who sat among the branches and sang:</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Maiden, maiden, loose his chains!"<br></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Then she felt sorry for the lion, grew braver, went +up to him, unloosed his chains and said: "Your +chains I can loose for you; but I can never be your +<span class="pagenum"><a name="P_123" id="P_123">[123]</a></span>best friend. For I have never loved any one more +than my lame dog and will never love any one else +better." And then a wondrous thing took place: +at the very moment the last chain fell from him, the +lion turned into a handsome young prince, and when +the princess looked at him more closely, it was none +other than her heart's dearest, who before had been +a dog. She sank to the ground, clasped his knees, +and begged him not to leave her again. But the +prince raised her with deep affection, took her in +his arms and said: "No, now we shall never more be +parted, for I am released from my enchantment, +and have proved your faith toward me in every +way."</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 421px;"> +<a name="i6" id="i6"></a> +<img src="images/i007.jpg" width="421" height="600" alt=""THE LION TURNED INTO A HANDSOME YOUNG PRINCE."" title=""> +</div> + +<p class="caption">"THE LION TURNED INTO A HANDSOME YOUNG PRINCE." +—<a href="#P_123">Page 123</a></p> + +<p>Then there was joy indescribable. And the prince +took his young wife home to the beautiful castle, +and there he became king and she was his queen. +And if they have not died they are living there to +this very day.</p> + +<p class="h3">NOTE</p> + +<blockquote><p>The story of "The Lame Dog," the bride of the dog, has long +been popular in Scandinavia (Hyltén-Cavallius and Stephens, p. 381. +From South Smaland). Saxo, to whom it was familiar, calls its +heroes Otherus and Syritha, and even in the <i>Edda</i> there is an echo +of it in the tale of Freya and Odr. In Denmark the same story +is told under the title of "The Dearest Friend."</p></blockquote><p><span class="pagenum">[124]</span></p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="XIV" id="XIV"></a>XIV</h2> + +<p class="h3">THE MOUNT OF THE GOLDEN QUEEN</p> + +<p>Once upon a time a lad who tended the cattle in +the wood was eating his noon-tide meal in a +clearing in the forest. As he was sitting there he +saw a rat run into a juniper-bush. His curiosity +led him to look for it; but as he bent over, down he +went, head over heels, and fell asleep. And he +dreamed that he was going to find the princess on +the Mount of the Golden Queen; but that he did not +know the way.</p> + +<p>The following day he once more pastured his cattle +in the wood, when he came to the same clearing, +and again ate his dinner there. And again he saw +the rat and went to look for it, and again when he +bent down he went head over heels, and fell fast +asleep. And again he dreamed of the princess on +the Mount of the Golden Queen, and that in order +to get her he would need seventy pounds of iron +and a pair of iron shoes. He awoke and it was all +a dream; but by now he had made up his mind to +find the Mount of the Golden Queen, and he went +home with his herd. On the third day, when he led<span class="pagenum">[125]</span> +out his cattle, he could not reach the clearing of his +happy dream too soon. Again the rat showed itself +and when he went to look for it, he fell asleep as he +had done each preceding day. And again he +dreamed of the princess on the Mount of the Golden +Queen, and that she came to him, and laid a letter +and a band of gold in his pocket. Then he awoke +and to his indescribable surprise, he found in his +pocket both of the things of which he had dreamed, +the letter and the band. Now he had no time to attend +to the cattle any longer, but drove them straight +home. Then he went into the stable, led out a +horse, sold it, and bought seventy pounds of iron +and a pair of iron shoes with the money. He made +the thole-pins out of the iron, put on his iron shoes, +and set forth. For a time he traveled by land; but +at last he came to the lake which he had to cross. +He saw naught but water before and behind him, +and rowing so long and steadily that he wore out +one thole-pin after another, he at length reached +land, and a green meadow, where no trees grew. +He walked all around the meadow, and at last found +a mound of earth from which smoke was rising. +When he looked more closely, out came a woman +who was nine yards long. He asked her to tell him +the way to the Mount of the Golden Queen. But +she replied: "That I do not know. Go ask my sister, +who is nine yards taller than I am, and who lives<span class="pagenum">[126]</span> +in an earth-mound which you can find without any +trouble." So he left her and came to a mound of +earth that looked just like the first, and from which +smoke was also rising. A woman at once came out +who was tremendously tall, and of her he asked the +way to the Mount of the Golden Queen. "That I +do not know," said she. "Go ask my brother, who +is nine yards taller than I am, and who lives in a +hill a little further away." So he came to the hill, +from which smoke was also rising, and knocked. +A man at once came out who was a veritable giant, +for he was twenty-seven yards in length, and of +him he asked the way to the Mount of the Golden +Queen. Then the giant took a whistle and whistled +in every direction, to call together all the animals +to be found on the earth. And all the animals came +from the woods, foremost among them a bear. The +giant asked him about the Mount of the Golden +Queen, but he knew nothing of it. Again the giant +blew his whistle in every direction to call together +all the fishes to be found in the waters. They came +at once, and he asked them about the Mount of the +Golden Queen; but they knew nothing of it. Once +more the giant blew his whistle in every direction, +and called together all the birds of the air. They +came, and he asked the eagle about the Mount of the +Golden Queen, and whether he knew where it might +be. The eagle said: "Yes!" "Well then, take this<span class="pagenum">[127]</span> +lad there," said the giant "but do not treat him unkindly!" +This the eagle promised, allowed the youth +to seat himself on his back, and then off they were +through the air, over fields and forests, hill and +dale, and before long they were above the ocean, +and could see nothing but sky and water. Then +the eagle dipped the youth in the ocean up to his +ankles and asked: "Are you afraid?" "No," said +the youth. Then the eagle flew on a while, and +again dipped the youth into the water, up to his +knees and said: "Are you afraid?" "Yes," answered +the youth, "but the giant said you were not +to treat me unkindly." "Are you really afraid?" +asked the eagle once more. "Yes," answered the +youth. Then the eagle said: "The fear you now +feel is the very same fear I felt when the princess +thrust the letter and the golden band into your +pocket." And with that they had reached a large, +high mountain in one side of which was a great iron +door. They knocked, and a serving-maid appeared +to open the door and admit them. The youth remained +and was well received; but the eagle said +farewell and flew back to his native land. The youth +asked for a drink, and he was at once handed a +beaker containing a refreshing draught. When he +had emptied it and returned the beaker, he let the +golden band drop into it. And when the maid +brought back the beaker to her mistress—who was<span class="pagenum">[128]</span> +the princess of the Mount of the Golden Queen—the +latter looked into the beaker, and behold, there +lay a golden band which she recognized as her own. +So she asked: "Is there some one here?" and when +the maid answered in the affirmative, the princess +said: "Bid him come in!" And as soon as the +youth entered she asked him if he chanced to have a +letter. The youth drew out the letter he had received +in so strange a manner, and gave it to the +princess. And when she had read it she cried, full +of joy: "Now I am delivered!" And at that very +moment the mountain turned into a most handsome +castle, with all sorts of precious things, servants, +and every sort of convenience, each for its own purpose. +(Whether the princess and the youth married +the story does not say; yet we must take for +granted that a wedding is the proper end for the +fairy-tale).</p> + +<p class="h3">NOTE</p> + +<blockquote><p>A distinctly visionary story is the fairy-tale of "The Mount of the +Golden Queen." (From Södermanland, from the collection of the metallurgic +Gustav Erikson, communicated by Dr. v. Sydow-Lund) whose +hero sets out on a laborious, world-wide quest that finally brings +him to the destined goal.</p></blockquote><p><span class="pagenum">[129]</span></p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="XV" id="XV"></a>XV</h2> + +<p class="h3">OLD HOPGIANT</p> + +<p>Once upon a time there were two neighbors: one +of them rich and the other poor. They owned +a great meadow in common, which they were supposed +to mow together and then divide the hay.</p> + +<p>But the rich neighbor wanted the meadow for himself +alone, and told the poor one that he would drive +him out of house and home if he did not come to an +agreement with him that whichever one of them mowed +the largest stretch of the meadowland in a single +day, should receive the entire meadow.</p> + +<p>Now the rich neighbor got together as many mowers +as ever he could; but the poor one could not hire +a single man. At last he despaired altogether and +wept, because he did not know how he could manage +to get so much as a bit of hay for the cow.</p> + +<p>Then it was that a large man stepped up to him +and said: "Do not grieve so. I can tell you what +you ought to do. When the mowing begins, just call +out 'Old Hopgiant!' three times in succession, and +you'll not be at a loss, as you shall see for yourself." +And with that he disappeared.<span class="pagenum">[130]</span></p> + +<p>Then the poor man's heart grew less heavy, and +he gave over worrying. So one fine day his rich +neighbor came along with no fewer than twenty +farmhands, and they mowed down one swath after +another. But the poor neighbor did not even take +the trouble to begin when he saw how the others +took hold, and that he himself would not be able to +do anything alone.</p> + +<p>Then the big man occurred to him, and he called +out: "Old Hopgiant!" But no one came, and the +mowers all laughed at him and mocked him, thinking +he had gone out of his mind. Then he called again: +"Old Hopgiant!" And, just as before, there was no +hopgiant to be seen. And the mowers could scarcely +swing their scythes; for they were laughing fit to +split.</p> + +<p>And then he cried for the third time: "Old Hopgiant!" +And there appeared a fellow of truly horrible +size, with a scythe as large as a ship's mast.</p> + +<p>And now the merriment of the rich peasant's mowers +came to an end. For when the giant began to +mow and fling about his scythe, they were frightened +at the strength he put into his work. And before +they knew it he had mown half the meadow.</p> + +<p>Then the rich neighbor fell into a rage, rushed up +and gave the giant a good kick. But that did not +help him, for his foot stuck to the giant, while the +<span class="pagenum"><a name="P_131" id="P_131">[131]</a></span>latter no more felt the kick than if it had been a flea-bite, +and kept right on working.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 419px;"> +<a name="i7" id="i7"></a> +<img src="images/i008.jpg" width="419" height="600" alt=""THE RICH MAN HAD TO GO ALONG HANGING TO HIM LIKE +A HAWSER."" title=""> +</div> + +<p class="caption">"THE RICH MAN HAD TO GO ALONG HANGING TO HIM LIKE +A HAWSER." +—<a href="#P_131">Page 131</a></p> + +<p>Then the rich neighbor thought of a scheme to get +free, and gave the giant a kick with his other foot; +but this foot also stuck fast, and there he hung like +a tick. Old Hopgiant mowed the whole meadow, +and then flew up into the air, and the rich man had +to go along hanging to him like a hawser. And thus +the poor neighbor was left sole master of the place.</p> + +<p class="h3">NOTE</p> + +<blockquote><p>A genuine folk-tale figure is "Old Hopgiant." (Bondeson, <i>Svenska +Folksagor</i>, Stockholm, 1882, p. 41. From Dalsland) in which a +wonderful giant being comes to a poor peasant's assistance, and +rescues him from his oppressor.</p></blockquote><p><span class="pagenum">[132]</span></p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="XVI" id="XVI"></a>XVI</h2> + +<p class="h3">THE PRINCESS AND THE GLASS MOUNTAIN</p> + +<p>Once upon a time there was a king who took +such a joy in the chase, that he knew no greater +pleasure than hunting wild beasts. Early and late +he camped in the forest with hawk and hound, and +good fortune always followed his hunting. But it +chanced one day that he could rouse no game, although +he had tried in every direction since morning. +And then, when evening was coming on, and he was +about to ride home, he saw a dwarf or wild man +running through the forest before him. The king +at once spurred on his horse, rode after the dwarf, +seized him and he was surprised at his strange appearance; +for he was small and ugly, like a troll, and +his hair was as stiff as bean-straw. But no matter +what the king said to him, he would return no answer, +nor say a single word one way or another. +This angered the king, who was already out of sorts +because of his ill-success at the hunt, and he ordered +his people to seize the wild man and guard him +carefully lest he escape. Then the king rode home.</p> + +<p>Now his people said to him: "You should keep the<span class="pagenum">[133]</span> +wild man a captive here at your court, in order that +the whole country may talk of what a mighty huntsman +you are. Only you should guard him so that he +does not escape; because he is of a sly and treacherous +disposition." When the king had listened to +them he said nothing for a long time. Then he replied: +"I will do as you say, and if the wild man +escape, it shall be no fault of mine. But I vow that +whoever lets him go shall die without mercy, and +though he were my own son!"</p> + +<p>The following morning, as soon as the king awoke, +he remembered his vow.</p> + +<p>He at once sent for wood and beams, and had a +small house or cage built quite close to the castle. +The small house was built of great timbers, and +protected by strong locks and bolts, so that none +could break in; and a peephole was left in the middle +of the wall through which food might be thrust.</p> + +<p>When everything was completed the king had the +wild man led up, placed in the small house, and he +himself took and kept the key. There the dwarf had +to sit a prisoner, day and night, and the people came +afoot and a-horseback to gaze at him. Yet no one +ever heard him complain, or so much as utter a single +word.</p> + +<p>Thus matters went for some time. Then a war +broke out in the land, and the king had to take the +field. At parting he said to the queen: "You must<span class="pagenum">[134]</span> +rule the kingdom now in my stead, and I leave land +and people in your care. But there is one thing you +must promise me you will do: that you will guard the +wild man securely so that he does not escape while I +am away." The queen promised to do her best in +all respects, and the king gave her the key to the cage. +Thereupon he had his long galleys, his "sea-wolves," +push out from the shore, hoisted sail, and took his +course far, far away to the other country.</p> + +<p>The king and queen had only one child, a prince +who was still small; yet great in promise. Now +when the king had gone, it chanced one day that the +little fellow was wandering about the royal courtyard, +and came to the wild man's cage. And he began +to play with an apple of gold he had. And while +he was playing with it, it happened that suddenly the +apple fell through the window in the wall of the cage. +The wild man at once appeared and threw back the +apple. This seemed a merry game to the little fellow: +he threw the apple in again, and the wild man +threw it out again, and thus they played for a long +time. Yet for all the game had been so pleasant, it +turned to sorrow in the end: for the wild man kept +the apple of gold, and would not give it back again. +And when all was of no avail, neither threats nor +prayers, the little fellow at last began to weep. +Then the wild man said: "Your father did ill to capture +me, and you will never get your apple of gold<span class="pagenum">[135]</span> +again, unless you let me out." The little fellow answered: +"And how can I let you out? Just you +give me back my apple again, my apple of gold!" +Then the wild man said: "You must do what I now +tell you. Go up to your mother, the queen, and beg +her to comb your hair. Then see to it that you take +the key from her girdle, and come down and unlock +the door. After that you can return the key in the +same way, without any one knowing anything about +it."</p> + +<p>After the wild man had talked to the boy in this +way, he finally did as he said, went up to his mother, +begged her to comb his hair, and took the key from +her girdle. Then he ran down to the cage and +opened the door. And when they parted, the dwarf +said: "Here is your apple of gold, that I promised +to give back to you, and I thank you for setting me +free. And another time when you have need of me, +I will help you in turn." And with that he ran off +on his own way. But the prince went back to his +mother, and returned the key in the same way he had +taken it.</p> + +<p>When they learned at the king's court that the wild +man had broken out, there was great commotion, and +the queen sent people over hill and dale to look for +him. But he was gone and he stayed gone. Thus +matters went for a while and the queen grew more +and more unhappy; for she expected her husband +to return every day. And when he did reach shore<span class="pagenum">[136]</span> +his first question was whether the wild man had been +well guarded. Then the queen had to confess how +matters stood, and told him how everything had happened. +But the king was enraged beyond measure, +and said he would punish the malefactor, no matter +who he might be. And he ordered a great investigation +at his court, and every human being in it had +to testify. But no one knew anything. At last the +little prince also had to come forward. And as he +stood before the king he said: "I know that I have +deserved my father's anger; yet I cannot hide the +truth; for I let out the wild man." Then the queen +turned white, and the others as well, for there was +not one who was not fond of the prince. At last +the king spoke: "Never shall it be said of me that I +was false to my vow, even for the sake of my own +flesh and blood! No, you must die the death you +have deserved." And with that he gave the order to +take the prince to the forest and kill him. And +they were to bring back the boy's heart as a sign +that his command had been obeyed.</p> + +<p>Now sorrow unheard of reigned among the people, +and all pleaded for the little prince. But the king's +word could not be recalled. His serving-men did not +dare disobey, took the boy in their midst, and set +forth. And when they had gone a long way into the +forest, they saw a swine-herd tending his pigs. +Then one said to another: "It does not seem right<span class="pagenum">[137]</span> +to me to lay hand on the king's son; let us buy a pig +instead and take its heart, then all will believe it is +the heart of the prince." The other serving-men +thought that he spoke wisely, so they bought a pig +from the swine-herd, led it into the wood, butchered +it and took its heart. Then they told the prince to +go his way and never return. They themselves went +back to the king's castle, and it is easy to imagine +what grief they caused when they told of the prince's +death.</p> + +<p>The king's son did what the serving-men had told +him. He kept on wandering as far as he could, and +never had any other food than the nuts and wild +berries that grow in the forest. And when he had +wandered far and long, he came to a mountain upon +whose very top stood a fir-tree. Said he to himself: +"After all, I might as well climb the fir-tree and see +whether I can find a path anywhere." No sooner +said than done: he climbed the tree. And as he sat +in the very top of its crown, and looked about on +every side, he saw a large and splendid royal castle +rising in the distance, and gleaming in the sun. +Then he grew very happy and at once set forth in +that direction. On the way he met a farm-hand who +was ploughing, and begged him to change clothes +with him, which he did. Thus fitted out he at last +reached the king's castle, went in, asked for a place, +and was taken on as a herdsman, to tend the king's<span class="pagenum">[138]</span> +cattle. Now he went to the forest early and late, +and in the course of time forgot his grief, grew up, +and became so tall and brave that his equal could +not be found.</p> + +<p>And now our story turns to the king who was +reigning at the splendid castle. He had been married, +and he had an only daughter. She was lovelier +by far than other maidens, and had so kind and +cheerful a disposition that whoever could some day +take her to his home might well consider himself +fortunate. Now when the princess had completed +her fifteenth year, a quite unheard of swarm of suitors +made their appearance, as may well be imagined; +and for all that she said no to all of them, they only +increased in number. At last the princess said: +"None other shall win me save he who can ride up +the high Glass Mountain in full armor!" The king +thought this a good suggestion. He approved of his +daughter's wish, and had proclaimed throughout the +kingdom that none other should have the princess +save he who could ride up the Glass Mountain.</p> + +<p>And when the day set by the king had arrived, the +princess was led up the Glass Mountain. There she +sat on its highest peak, with a golden crown on her +head, and a golden apple in her hand, and she looked +so immeasurably lovely that there was no one who +would not have liked to risk his life for her. Just +below the foot of the hill all the suitors assembled<span class="pagenum">[139]</span> +with splendid horses and glittering armor, that shone +like fire in the sun, and from round about the people +flocked together in great crowds to watch their tilting. +And when everything was ready, the signal +was given by horns and trumpets, and then the suitors, +one after another, raced up the mountain with +all their might. But the mountain was high, as slippery +as ice, and besides it was steep beyond all measure. +Not one of the suitors rode up more than a +little way, before he tumbled down again, head over +heels, and it might well happen that arms and legs +were broken in the process. This made so great a +noise, together with the neighing of the horses, the +shouting of the people, and the clash of arms, that +the tumult and the shouting could be heard far away.</p> + +<p>And while all this was going on, the king's son was +rambling about with his oxen, deep in the wood. But +when he heard the tumult and the clashing of arms, +he sat down on a stone, leaned his cheek on his hand, +and became lost in thought. For it had occurred to +him how gladly he would have fared forth with the +rest. Suddenly he heard footsteps and when he +looked up, the wild man was standing before him. +"Thank you for the last time!" said he, "and why +do you sit here so lonely and full of sorrow?" +"Well," said the prince, "I have no choice but to be +sad and joyless. Because of you I am a fugitive +from the land of my father, and now I have not even<span class="pagenum">[140]</span> +a horse and armor to ride up the Glass Mountain +and fight for the princess." "Ah," said the wild +man, "if that be all you want, then I can help you! +You helped me once before and now I will help you +in turn." Then he took the prince by the hand, led +him deep down into the earth into his cave, and behold, +there hung a suit of armor forged out of the +hardest steel, and so bright that a blue gleam played +all around it. Right beside it stood a splendid steed, +saddled and bridled, pawing the earth with his steel +hoofs, and champing his bit till the white foam dropped +to the ground. The wild man said: "Now get +quickly into your armor, ride out and try your luck! +In the meantime I will tend your oxen." The prince +did not wait to be told a second time; but put on +helmet and armor, buckled on his spurs, hung his +sword at his side, and felt as light in his steel armor +as a bird in the air. Then he leaped into the saddle +so that every clasp and buckle rang, laid his reins on +the neck of his steed, and rode hastily toward the +mountain.</p> + +<p>The princess's suitors were about to give up the +contest, for none of them had won the prize, though +each had done his best. And while they stood there +thinking it over, and saying that perhaps fortune +would favor them another time, they suddenly saw a +youth ride out of the wood straight toward the mountain. +He was clad in steel from head to foot, with<span class="pagenum">[141]</span> +helmet on head, sword in belt and shield on arm, and +he sat his horse with such knightly grace that it was +a pleasure to look at him. At once all eyes were +turned to the strange knight, and all asked who he +might be; for none had ever seen him before. Yet +they had had but little time to talk and question, for +no sooner had he cleared the wood, than he rose in +his stirrups, gave his horse the spurs, and shot forward +like an arrow straight up the Glass Mountain. +Yet he did not ride up all the way; but when he had +reached the middle of the steep ascent, he suddenly +flung around his steed and rode down again, so +that the sparks flew from his horse's hoofs. Then +he disappeared in the wood like a bird in flight. One +may imagine the excitement which now seized upon +all the people, and there was not one who did not +admire the strange knight. All agreed they had +never seen a braver knight.</p> + +<p>Time passed, and the princess's suitors decided +to try their luck a second time. The king's daughter +was once more led up the Glass Mountain, with +great pomp and richly gowned, and was seated on +its topmost peak, with the golden crown on her head, +and a golden apple in her hand. At the foot of the +hill gathered all the suitors with handsome horses +and splendid armor, and round about stood all the +people to watch the contest. When all was ready +the signal was given by horns and trumpets, and at<span class="pagenum">[142]</span> +the same moment the suitors, one after another, darted +up the mountain with all their might. But all +took place as at the first time. The mountain was +high, and as slippery as ice, and besides, it was steep +beyond all measure; not one rode up more than a +little way before tumbling down again head over +heels. Meanwhile there was much noise, and the +horses neighed, and the people shouted, and the +armor clashed, so that the tumult and the shouting +sounded far into the deep wood.</p> + +<p>And while all this was going on, the young prince +was tending his oxen, which was his duty. But +when he heard the tumult and the clashing of arms, +he sat down on a stone, leaned his cheek on his hand, +and wept; for he thought of the king's beautiful +daughter, and it occurred to him how much he would +like to take part and ride with the rest. That very +moment he heard footsteps and when he looked up, +the wild man was standing before him. "Good-day!" +said the wild man, "and why do you sit here +so lonely and full of sorrow?" Thereupon the +prince replied: "I have no choice but to be sad and +joyless. Because of you I am a fugitive from the +land of my father, and now I have not even a horse +and armor to ride up the mountain and fight for the +princess!" "Ah," said the wild man, "if that be +all you want, then I can help you! You helped me +once before, and now I will help you in turn." Then<span class="pagenum">[143]</span> +he took the prince by the hand, led him deep down +in the earth into his cave, and there on the wall hung +a suit of armor altogether forged of the clearest silver, +and so bright that it shone afar. Right beside +it stood a snow-white steed, saddled and bridled, +pawing the earth with his silver hoofs, and champing +his bit till the foam dropped to the ground. The +wild man said: "Now get quickly into your armor, +ride out and try your luck! In the meantime I will +tend your oxen." The prince did not wait to be told +a second time; but put on his helmet and armor in +all haste, securely buckled on his spurs, hung his +sword at his side, and felt as light in his silver armor +as a bird in the air. Then he leaped into the saddle +so that every clasp and buckle rang, laid his reins +on the neck of his steed, and rode hastily toward the +Glass Mountain.</p> + +<p>The princess's suitors were about to give over the +contest, for none of them had won the prize, though +each had played a man's part. And while they stood +there thinking it over, and saying that perhaps fortune +would favor them the next time, they suddenly +saw a youth ride out of the wood, straight toward +the mountain. He was clad in silver from head to +foot, with helmet on head, shield on arm, and sword +at side, and he sat his horse with such knightly +grace that a braver-looking youth had probably never +been seen. At once all eyes were turned toward him,<span class="pagenum">[144]</span> +and the people noticed that he was the same knight +who had appeared before. But the prince did not +leave them much time for wonderment; for no sooner +had he reached the plain, than he rose in his stirrups, +spurred on his horse, and rode like fire straight up +the steep mountain. Yet he did not ride quite up to +the top; but when he had come to its crest, he greeted +the princess with great courtesy, flung about his +steed, and rode down the mountain again till the +sparks flew about his horse's hoofs. Then he disappeared +into the wood as the storm flies. As one +may imagine, the people's excitement was even +greater than the first time, and there was not one +who did not admire the strange knight. And all +were agreed that a more splendid steed or a handsomer +youth were nowhere to be found.</p> + +<p>Time passed, and the king set a day when his +daughter's suitors were to make a third trial. +The princess was now once more led to the Glass +Mountain, and seated herself on its highest peak, +with the golden crown and the golden apple, as +she had before. At the foot of the mountain gathered +the whole swarm of suitors, with splendid +horses and polished armor, handsome beyond +anything seen thus far, and round about the people +flocked together to watch the contest. When all +was ready the suitors, one after another, darted +up the mountain with all their might. The mountain<span class="pagenum">[145]</span> +was as smooth as ice, and besides, it was steep +beyond all measure; so that not one rode up more +than a little way, before tumbling down again, +head over heels. This made a great noise, the horses +neighed, the people shouted, and the armor +clashed, till the tumult and the shouting echoed far +into the wood.</p> + +<p>While this was all taking place the king's son +was busy tending his oxen as usual. And when +he once more heard the noise and the clash of +arms, he sat down on a stone, leaned his cheek on +his hand, and wept bitterly. Then he thought of +the lovely princess, and would gladly have ventured +his life to win her. That very moment the +wild man was standing before him: "Good-day!" +said the wild man, "And why do you sit here so +lonely and full of sorrow?" "I have no choice but +to be sad and joyless," said the prince. "Because +of you I am a fugitive from the land of my father, +and now I have not even a sword and armor to ride +up the mountain and fight for the princess!" +"Ah," said the wild man, "if that be all that +troubles you I can help you! You helped me once +before, and now I will help you in turn." With +that he took the prince by the hand, led him into his +cave deep down under the earth, and showed him a +suit of armor all forged of the purest gold, and +gleaming so brightly that its golden glow shone far<span class="pagenum">[146]</span> +and wide. Beside it stood a magnificent steed, saddled +and bridled, pawing the earth with its golden +hoofs, and champing its bit until the foam fell to the +ground. The wild man said: "Now get quickly +into your armor, ride out and try your luck! In +the meantime I will tend your oxen." And to tell +the truth, the prince was not lazy; but put on his +helmet and armor, buckled on his golden spurs, +hung his sword at his side, and felt as light in his +golden armor as a bird in the air. Then he leaped +into the saddle, so that every clasp and buckle rang, +laid his reins on the neck of his steed, and rode +hastily toward the mountain.</p> + +<p>The princess's suitors were about to give up the +contest; for none of them had won the prize, though +each had done his best. And while they stood there +thinking over what was to be done, they suddenly +saw a youth come riding out of the wood, straight +toward the mountain. He was clad in gold from +head to foot, with the golden helmet on his head, the +golden shield on his arm, and the golden sword at his +side, and so knightly was his bearing that a bolder +warrior could not have been met with in all the wide +world. At once all eyes were turned toward him, +and one could see that he was the same youth who +had already appeared at different times. But the +prince gave them but little time to question and +wonder; for no sooner had he reached the plain<span class="pagenum">[147]</span> +than he gave his horse the spurs, and shot up the +steep mountain like a flash of lightning. When he +had reached its highest peak, he greeted the beautiful +princess with great courtesy, kneeled before her, +and received the golden apple from her hand. +Then he flung about his steed, and rode down the +Glass Mountain again, so that the sparks flew about +the golden hoofs of his horse, and a long ribbon of +golden light gleamed behind him. At last he disappeared +in the wood like a star. What a commotion +now reigned about the mountain! The people +broke forth into cheers that could be heard far +away, horns sounded, trumpets called, horses +neighed, arms clashed, and the king had proclaimed +far and near that the unknown golden knight had +won the prize.</p> + +<p>Now all that was wanting was some information +about the golden knight; for no one knew him; and +all the people expected that he would at once make +his appearance at the castle. But he did not come. +This caused great surprise, and the princess grew +pale and ill. But the king was put out, and the +suitors murmured and found fault day by day. +And at length, when they were all at their wits' +end, the king had a great meeting announced at his +castle, which every man, high and low, was to attend; +so that the princess might choose among them +herself. There was no one who was not glad to go<span class="pagenum">[148]</span> +for the princess's sake, and also because it was a +royal command, and a countless number of people +gathered together. And when they had all assembled, +the princess came out of the castle with +great pomp, and followed by her maids, passed +through the entire multitude. But no matter how +much she looked about her on every side, she did +not find the one for whom she was looking. When +she reached the last row she saw a man who stood +quite hidden by the crowd. He had a flat cap and +a wide gray mantle such as shepherds wear; but its +hood was drawn up so that his face could not be +seen. At once the princess ran up to him, drew +down his hood, fell upon his neck and cried: "Here +he is! Here he is!" Then all the people laughed; +for they saw that it was the king's herdsman, and +the king himself called out: "May God console +me for the son-in-law who is to be my portion!" +The man, however, was not at all abashed, but replied: +"O, you need not worry about that at all! +I am just as much a king's son as you are a +king!"</p> + +<p>With that he flung aside his wide mantle. And +there were none left to laugh; for instead of the grey +herdsman, there stood a handsome prince, clad in +gold from head to foot, and holding the princess's +golden apple in his hand. And all could see that<span class="pagenum">[149]</span> +it was the same youth who had ridden up the Glass +Mountain.</p> + +<p>Then they prepared a feast whose like had never +before been seen, and the prince received the king's +daughter, and with her half of the kingdom. +Thenceforward they lived happily in their kingdom, +and if they have not died they are living there still. +But nothing more was ever heard of the wild man. +And that is the end.</p> + +<p class="h3">NOTE</p> + +<blockquote><p>Very popular throughout the North is "The Princess on the Glass +Mountain." (Hyltén-Cavallius and Stephens, p. 390, somewhat +abridged) who may be looked upon as a relative of the Brunhilde +of heroic legend, who may be brought down from her inaccessible +height only by the bravest of the brave. The "wild man" who appears +in the part of a magician to aid the hero, is a familiar figure +in Northern legend. King Harald Harfagr, according to the "Book +of Flateyar," released a "wild man" of this kind from captivity at +his father's court, when a boy of five.</p></blockquote><p><span class="pagenum">[150]</span></p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="XVII" id="XVII"></a>XVII</h2> + +<p class="h3">QUEEN CRANE</p> + +<p>Once upon a time there was a poor, poor boy. +He went to the king and begged to be taken +into service as a shepherd, and all called him "Sheep-Peter." +While he was herding his sheep, he used to +amuse himself with his crossbow. One day he saw a +crane sitting in an oak-tree, and wanted to shoot +her. The crane, however, hopped down further and +further, and at last settled in the lowest branches. +Then she said: "If you promise not to shoot me, +I will help you whenever you are in trouble. You +need only to call out: 'God aid me, and Queen +Crane stay by me, and I will succeed!'" With that +the bird flew away.</p> + +<p>At length war broke out and the king had to take +the field. Then Sheep-Peter came to the king and +asked whether he might not be allowed to go along +to war. They gave him an old nag to ride, and he +rode into a swamp along the highway, and there +the horse died. So he sat down and clicked with +his tongue; but the horse would not move. And the<span class="pagenum">[151]</span> +people who rode by had their sport with him; while +the youth pretended to feel sad.</p> + +<p>When the people had all passed by, the youth +went to the oak in which the Queen Crane dwelt. +Here he was given a black steed, a suit of brazen +armor, and a silver sword. Thus he rode to battle +and got there as quickly as he could wish. Then he +said: "God aid me, and Queen Crane stay by me, +and I will succeed!" With that he killed all the +enemy and rode away again. But the king thought +that an angel had come to help him, and wanted to +hold him back. The youth, however, rode quickly +back to the oak, took off his armor, went down to +the swamp, and once more began to click to his +horse. When the people rode by they laughed and +said: "You were not along to-day, so you missed +seeing how an angel came and killed all the enemy." +And the youth pretended to feel sad, so sad.</p> + +<p>The following day the king once more had to take +the field. And Sheep-Peter came to him and said +he wanted to go along. So they gave him an old +nag to ride, and he rode into a swamp beside the +highway. Then he sat down and clicked with his +tongue; but the horse would not move. When the +people rode by they had their sport with him; but +the youth pretended to feel sad, so sad. When the +people had gone by, he went to the oak in which the<span class="pagenum">[152]</span> +Queen Crane dwelt, and was given a white steed, a +suit of silver armor, and a golden sword. Thus +equipped he rode to battle. When he arrived he +said: "God aid me, and Queen Crane ... and I +will succeed!" But he had forgotten to say "stay +by me," and so he was shot in the leg. But the king +took out his handkerchief, and tied up his leg. Then +the youth said once more: "God aid me, and Queen +Crane stay by me, and I will succeed!" And he +slew all of the enemy. Then the king thought he +was an angel from heaven, and wanted to hold him. +But the youth rode quickly to the oak, took off his +armor, and then went down to his nag in the swamp +and tried to get it to move, while the soldiers were +passing. They laughed and said: "You were not +along to-day, and did not see how an angel came +from heaven and killed all of the enemy." The +youth pretended to be very sad.</p> + +<p>On the third day all happened as before. The +king took the field. The youth was given a wretched +nag and rode it into a swamp beside the highway. +Then he began to click with his tongue but the nag +would not go on, and the people who rode past +laughed at him. He pretended to feel very sad; but +when the people had passed, he went to the oak in +which Queen Crane dwelt, and she gave him a red +steed, a golden sword, and a golden suit of armor.<span class="pagenum">[153]</span> +Thus equipped he rode to war, and all happened as +before. He said: "God aid me, and Queen Crane +stay by me, and I will succeed!" and slew all the +enemy. The king thought he was an angel from +heaven and wanted to hold him back by all means; +but the youth rode quickly to the oak, took off his +armor, and rode down to the swamp where he had +his three nags. He hid the king's handkerchief, +and when the people passed by he was clicking with +his tongue as usual.</p> + +<p>Now the king had three princesses, and they were +to be carried off by three meer-women. So the king +had it proclaimed that whoever could rescue them +should receive one of them for a wife. When the +day came on which the oldest princess was to be +carried away, Sheep-Peter received a steed, a suit +of armor and a sword from Queen Crane. With +them he rode to the castle, fetched the princess, took +her before him on his steed, and then lay down on +the sea-shore to sleep. He had a dog with him as +well. And while he slept the princess wove her +hair-ribbon into his hair. Suddenly the meer-woman +appeared, and she awakened him and bade him +mount his steed. Many people had been standing +there; but when the meer-woman appeared they +all took fright, and climbed into tall trees. But the +youth said: "God aid me, and Queen Crane stay +by me, and I will succeed!" And then he slew the<span class="pagenum">[154]</span> +meer-woman. Thereupon he rode quickly back to +Queen Crane, took off his armor, and herded his +sheep again. But among the on-lookers had been +a nobleman, who threatened the princess, and forced +her to say that he had rescued her. And from +Sheep-Peter no one heard a word.</p> + +<p>On the following day the second princess was to +be carried off. So Sheep-Peter went to Queen +Crane, who gave him a steed, a suit of armor and a +sword, and with them he rode to the castle, and +fetched the second princess. When they reached +the sea-shore the meer-woman had not yet appeared. +So the youth lay down to sleep and said to the +princess: "Wake me when the meer-woman comes, +and if you cannot wake me, then tell my horse." +With that he fell asleep, and meanwhile the princess +wove a string of pearls into his hair. When the +meer-woman came, the princess tried to wake him; +but he would not wake up at all, and so she told the +horse to waken him. And the horse did wake him. +The great lords, however, who were standing about, +climbed into the trees out of pure fright when the +meer-woman appeared. The youth took the princess +on his steed, cried: "God aid me, and Queen +Crane stay by me, and I will succeed!" and with +that he slew the meer-woman. Then he rode quickly +back to Queen Crane, took off his armor, and led his +flock out to pasture. But among the on-lookers had<span class="pagenum">[155]</span> +been a count, who threatened the princess, and said +he would thrust her through with his sword if she +did not swear he had rescued her. The princess did +so out of fear; but from Sheep-Peter no one heard +a word.</p> + +<p>On the third day the same thing happened. +Sheep-Peter was given a suit of armor, a sword and +a steed by Queen Crane, and fetched the youngest +princess. When he lay down on the sea-shore to +sleep, he said to her: "When the meer-woman +comes, wake me, and if you cannot wake me, then +tell the horse to wake me, and if the horse cannot +wake me, then ask the dog to wake me." When the +meer-woman came, neither the princess nor the horse +was able to wake him, and they had to call the dog +to help them. At last he woke up, took the princess +on his horse, cried: "God aid me, and Queen Crane +stay by me, and I will succeed!" and slew the meer-woman. +Then he rode back again to Queen Crane, +took off his armor and let his flock out to pasture.</p> + +<p>Not long after, the deliverers of the princesses +were to come to the castle and be married. But +first the king asked his daughters which of the three +each wanted to have. So the oldest said: "The +gentleman from court," and the second said: "the +count," but the third said "Sheep-Peter." Then +the king was very angry with his youngest daughter; +for he did not believe for a moment that Sheep-Peter<span class="pagenum">[156]</span> +had delivered her. But she insisted and said +she would take no one else. The king then presented +an apple of pure gold to the count and the court +gentleman; but Sheep-Peter got nothing.</p> + +<p>Now all three of them were to hold a three-days' +shooting-match, in order to see which was the best +shot; for the king hoped that Sheep-Peter would +make a proper laughing-stock of himself, and drop +far behind the others without any effort on their +part. But Sheep-Peter was so good a marksman +that he hit everything at which he aimed. And the +very first day he shot a great deal, while the others +shot but little. Then they bought the game he had +shot from him, and gave him a golden apple for it. +The same thing happened the second day, and thus +he got the other gold apple. But when Peter came +home on the evening of the first and second day, he +had only a crow dangling from his blunderbuss. +And when he met the king, he threw the crow to the +ground and cried: "There is my whole bag!"</p> + +<p>On the third day all went as before. Sheep-Peter +hit everything at which he aimed; but the others +scored no hits. Then Sheep-Peter promised them +all he had bagged, if they would let him write what +he chose on their necks. They agreed to the bargain, +and he wrote on the neck of each: "A thief +and a rascal." Then all three went home, and again +Peter had no more than a crow to show.<span class="pagenum">[157]</span></p> + +<p>At night all three of them slept together in one +room. When they woke in the morning, the king +came in to them, said good-morning, and asked how +they were. But he was much surprised to see that +Sheep-Peter was keeping them company. Then the +youth said: "I was in the war, and slew all of the +enemy!" "Ah!" said the king, "you did not do +that, it was an angel from heaven; for you were sitting +in the swamp." Then Sheep-Peter drew out +the king's handkerchief, and then the king recognized +him. Then the herdsman said: "I also delivered +the princesses!" But the king would not believe +that, and laughed at him. And then the youngest +princess came along and told how it all had happened.</p> + +<p>And the youth took out the ribands of the other +princesses, and the king had to believe that this, too, +was true. Then, Peter continued: "I also shot +all the game!" And again the king would not believe +him and said: "Nonsense, why you never +brought home anything of an evening but a wretched +crow!" Then Peter produced the golden apples: +"I was given this one for the first day, and the +other for the second." "And what did you get for +the third?" asked the king. Then the shepherd +showed him what he had written on the necks of the +other suitors. And when the king saw that, he had +to believe him. And so he really got the youngest<span class="pagenum">[158]</span> +princess, and with her half of the kingdom, and +after the king's death, all of it. But the two sham +heroes got nothing at all, and had only their trouble +for their pains.</p> + +<p class="h3">NOTE</p> + +<blockquote><p>"Queen Crane" is also a very popular Northern fairy-tale. (From +the collection of Hyltén-Cavallius and Stephens, communicated by +Dr. v. Sydow-Lund). It is another of those tales with a presumably +witless hero, but with a motive generally unknown: a bird bestows +weapons and armor on the poor boy; while ordinarily this is done +by a troll, a horse, or the spirit of one departed.</p></blockquote><p><span class="pagenum">[159]</span></p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="XVIII" id="XVIII"></a>XVIII</h2> + +<p class="h3">TALES OF THE TROLLS</p> + +<p class="h4">I</p> + +<p>A peasant from Jursagard in the parish of +Hanger had gone to the forest the day before +Christmas, and started out for home late in the evening. +He had just about reached the Klintaberg +when he heard some one call out: "Tell the malt-swine +to come home, for her child has fallen into the +fire!" When the peasant reached home, there stood +his wife, who had been brewing the Yuletide ale, +and she was complaining that though she brewed and +brewed, it did not have the right flavor. Then he +told her what had been shouted at him from the hill, +and that very moment a troll-witch, whom they had +not noticed before, darted down from the stove and +made off in a great hurry. And when they looked +closer, they found that she had left behind a great +kettle full of the best malt, which she had gathered +during the brewing. And that was the reason the +poor woman had not been able to give her brew the +right flavor. The kettle was large, made of ornamented +metal, and was long preserved in Hanger.<span class="pagenum">[160]</span> +It was at length sold at auction in 1838, and melted +down.</p> + +<p class="h4">II</p> + +<p>In former days, when a child came into the world, +his mother was known as a "heathen," until she +could take him to church to be christened. And it +was not safe for her to leave the house unless she +carried steel about her in some shape or form. +Now once there was one of these "heathen" women +in Norra Ryd, in the parish of Hanger, who prepared +lunch for the mowers, and went out and +called them in to eat. Then one of the mowers said +to her: "I cannot come, for my sheaf is not yet +bound." "I will bind it for you," said the woman. +The mowers went in and ate, but saw no more of +her. They went back into the field, and were about +to take up their work again, but still neither saw +nor heard her. They began to search, and hunted +for a number of days; but all in vain. Time passed, +till it was late in the fall. One day the weather was +clear and sunny. To this very day there is a cotter's hut, +called Kusabo, that stands on a hill +named Kusas, and the cotter who lived there went +to look for a horse. And there on the hillside he +saw the woman sitting who had disappeared, and +she was sewing. It was not far from Kusabo to +Norra Ryd, so he recognized her at once. He said<span class="pagenum">[161]</span> +"O, you poor thing, and here you sit!" "Yes," +said she, "but you must never mention it to Lars"—that +was her husband—"for I shall never return +from this place. Even now I am only allowed to sit +outside for a little while."</p> + +<p>III</p> + +<p>Once upon a time a girl was hunting for berries +on Kusabo mountain, and was taken into the hill. +But she wept, night and day, which disgruntled the +trolls, and they let her out again. But just as they +were letting her out, one of the trolls hit her such +a blow on the back that she was hump-backed for +the rest of her life. She herself used to tell how +she had been kept in the hill.</p> + +<p class="h3">NOTE</p> + +<blockquote><p>Primitive faith and superstition are reflected in these three "Tales +of the Trolls" (communicated from mss. belonging to Dr. v. Sydow-Lund). +The first is also current in Norway; the others tell of women +who have been <i>bergtagen</i>, "taken into the mountain." It is not so +long since that every humped back, every weak mind, in short, +every ill that had no visible explanation, was ascribed to the +troll folk.</p></blockquote><p><span class="pagenum">[162]</span></p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="XIX" id="XIX"></a>XIX</h2> + +<p class="h3">CHARCOAL NILS AND THE TROLL-WOMAN</p> + +<p>In the old days there lived on a headland that +juts out into the northwestern corner of Lake +Rasval, in the neighborhood of the Linde mining-district, +a charcoal-burner named Nils, generally +known as Charcoal Nils. He let a farm-hand attend +to his little plot of land, and he himself made his +home in the forest, where he chopped wood in the +summer and burned it to charcoal in the winter. +Yet no matter how hard he struggled, his work was +unblessed with reward, and no one ever spoke of him +save as poor Charcoal Nils.</p> + +<p>One day, when he was on the opposite shore of +the lake, near the gloomy Harsberg, a strange woman +came up to him, and asked whether he needed +some one to help him with his charcoal burning.</p> + +<p>"Yes, indeed," said he, "help would be welcome." +So she began to gather blocks of wood and tree-trunks, +more than Charcoal Nils could have dragged +together with his horse, and by noon there was +enough wood for a new kiln. When evening came, +she asked the charcoal-burner whether he were<span class="pagenum">[163]</span> +satisfied with the day's work she had done, and if +she were to come back the next day.</p> + +<p>That suited the charcoal-burner perfectly, and +she came back the next day and all the following +ones. And when the kiln had been burned out she +helped Nils clear it, and never before had he had +such a quantity of charcoal, nor charcoal of so fine +a quality.</p> + +<p>So she became his wife and lived with him in the +wood for three years. They had three children, +yet this worried Nils but little, seeing that she +looked after them, and they gave him no trouble.</p> + +<p>But when the fourth year came, she grew more +exacting, and insisted on going back to his home with +him, and living with him there. Nils wished to hear +nothing about this; yet since she was so useful to +him in his charcoal-burning, he did not betray his +feelings, and said he would think it over.</p> + +<p>It happened one Sunday that he went to church—where +he had not been for many years, and what +he heard there brought up thoughts he had not known +since the innocent days of his childhood. He began +to wonder whether there were not some hocus-pocus +about the charcoal-burning, and whether it +were not due to the forest woman, who aided him so +willingly.</p> + +<p>Preoccupied with this and other thoughts, he forgot +while returning to his kiln, that he had promised<span class="pagenum">[164]</span> +the strange woman at the very beginning, when she +had first helped him, that, whenever he had been +home and was returning to the kiln, he would rap +three times with his ax against an old pine-tree +not far from it. On this occasion, as we have said, +he forgot the sign, and as a result he saw something +that nearly robbed him of his wits.</p> + +<p>As he drew near the kiln, he saw it all aflame, and +around it stood the three children and their mother, +and they were clearing out the kiln. They were +pulling down and putting out so that flames, smoke +and ashes whirled sky-high, but instead of the +spruce-branches that were generally used to put +out the fire, <i>they had bushy tails which they dipped +in the snow</i>!</p> + +<p>When Charcoal Nils had looked on for a while, he +slunk back to the old pine-tree, and made its trunk +echo to the sound of his three ax-strokes till one +could hear them on the Harsberg. Then he went to +the kiln, as though he had seen nothing, and all +went on as before. The kiln was glowing with a +handsome, even glow, and the tall woman was about +and working as usual.</p> + +<p>As soon as she saw Charcoal Nils, she came back +with her pressing demand that he take her home to +his little house, and that they live there.</p> + +<p>"Yes, that shall come about," said Nils to console +her, and turned back home to fetch a horse. But<span class="pagenum">[165]</span> +instead he went out on the headline of Kallernäs, +on the eastern shore of Lake Rasval, where a wise +man lived, and asked the latter what he should do.</p> + +<p>The old man advised him to go home and hitch +his horse to his charcoal-wagon, but to hitch the +horse in such wise that there would be not a single +loop either in the harness or traces. Then he was +to mount the horse and ride back to the kiln without +stopping, have the troll-woman and her children +get into the wagon, and at once drive out on the ice +with them.</p> + +<p>The charcoal-burner did as the old man told him, +saddled his horse, paying strict attention that there +were no loops in saddle or bridle, rode across the ice +through the wood to his kiln, and told the troll-woman +and her children to get in. Then he quickly +turned back through the wood, out on the ice, and +there let his horse run as fast as he could. When +he reached the middle of the lake, he saw a pack +of wolves running along in the direction of Aboda-land, +at the northern end of the lake, and heading +for the ice. Then he tore the saddle-harness from +the traces, so that the wagon with the troll-folk was +left standing on the bare ice, and rode as fast as his +horse could carry him for the opposite shore. +When the trolls saw the wolves they began to +scream.</p> + +<p>"Turn back, turn back!" cried the mother. "And<span class="pagenum">[166]</span> +if you will not for my sake, then at least do so for +the sake of Vipa (Peewee), your youngest daughter!" +But Charcoal Nils rode for the shore without +looking back. Then he heard the troll-woman +calling on others for aid.</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Brother in the Harsberg,<br></span> +<span class="i0">Sister in Stripa,<br></span> +<span class="i0">Cousin in Ringfels;<br></span> +<span class="i0">Take the loop and pull!"<br></span> +</div></div> + +<p>"There is no loop to pull!" came the answer from +deep within the Harsberg. "Then catch him at +Harkallarn." "He is not riding in that direction." +The reply came from Ringfels.</p> + +<p>And indeed Charcoal Nils did not ride in that +direction; but over stick and stone straight to his +own home. Yet when he reached his own courtyard, +the horse fell, and a shot from the trolls tore +away a corner of the stable. Nils shortly after fell +sick, and had to lie a-bed for a number of weeks. +When he was well again he sold his forest land, +and worked the little farm by the cottage until his +death. So that was one occasion when the troll-folk +came off second best.</p> + +<p class="h3">NOTE</p> + +<blockquote><p>In "Charcoal Nils and the Troll-Woman" (Hofberg, p. 148. From +Vestmanland) we have the story of a strange union. Malicious as +the troll-folk are, when a marriage takes place between a troll-woman +and a human being, the woman is beyond reproach, good +and kind, the only reproach that can be made her is that she is +not a Christian.</p></blockquote><p><span class="pagenum">[167]</span></p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="XX" id="XX"></a>XX</h2> + +<p class="h3">THE THREE DOGS</p> + +<p>Once upon a time there was a king who went +forth into the world and fetched back a beautiful +queen. And after they had been married a +while God gave them a little daughter. Then there +was great rejoicing in the city and throughout the +country, for the people wished their king all that +was good, since he was kind and just. While the +child lay in its cradle, a strange-looking old woman +entered the room, and no one knew who she was nor +whence she came. The old woman spoke a verse +over the child, and said that she must not be allowed +out under the open sky until she were full fifteen +years of age, since otherwise the mountain troll +would fetch her. When the king heard this he took +her words to heart, and posted guards to watch +over the little princess so that she would not get +out under the open sky.</p> + +<p>Some time afterward God gave the royal pair +another little daughter, and again the whole kingdom +rejoiced. But the wise old woman once more +put in an appearance, and warned the king not to +let the princess out under the open sky until she<span class="pagenum">[168]</span> +were full fifteen years of age. And then, after a +time, God gave the royal pair a third daughter. +This time, too, the old woman appeared, and repeated +what she had already twice said. Then the +king was much grieved; for he loved his children +above everything in the world. Therefore he gave +strict orders that the three princesses were always +to be kept beneath the roof of the castle, and that +none were to dare transgress against this command.</p> + +<p>Now a long time passed, and the king's daughters +grew up and became the most beautiful maidens of +whom one has ever heard tell. Then war broke +out and the king, their father, had to leave them. +One day, while he was away at war, the three princesses +were sitting in the window and looking out, +watching the sun shine on the little flowers in the +garden. And they felt a great desire to play with +the lovely flowers, and begged their guards to let +them go into the garden for a little while. But +this their guards would not allow, for they feared +the king's anger. Yet the king's daughters pleaded +so very sweetly that they could not deny their +pleas and they let them have their way. But the +princesses did not have long to walk about, for no +sooner were they beneath the open sky, than a +cloud came suddenly down, and bore them off, and +all attempts to regain possession of them were fruitless; +though search was made in every direction.<span class="pagenum">[169]</span></p> + +<p>Then the whole kingdom mourned and grieved, +and one may imagine that the king was anything but +happy when he returned home and learned all that +had happened. Yet what is done cannot be undone, +and in the end they had to resign themselves to it. +And since the king knew of no other way to help +himself, he had proclaimed throughout the kingdom +that whoever would deliver his three daughters out +of the power of the mountain troll should have one +of them for his bride, and with her half of the kingdom. +When this became known in foreign lands, +many youths set forth with horses and followers to +seek the princesses. At the king's court were two +princes who also went forth to see whether fortune +would be kind to them. They armed themselves in +the best possible way with coats of mail and costly +weapons, and bragged and boasted that they would +not return without having done what they set out +to do.</p> + +<p>And now we will let the king's sons ride out over +the world on their quest, while we turn to other +people. Far, far out in the wild wood there lived a +poor widow, who had an only son who drove his +mother's pigs to pasture every day. And as he +crossed the fields, he whittled himself a flute, and +amused himself playing it. And he played so +sweetly that he warmed the cockles of the hearts of +all those who heard him.<span class="pagenum">[170]</span></p> + +<p>Now it chanced that the young swine-herd once +sat in the wood blowing his flute, while his three +pigs were digging under the pine-roots. And an +old, old man came along, with a beard so long and +so broad that it hung far below his girdle. The +old man had a large, powerful dog with him. When +the youth saw the great dog, he thought to himself: +"If a fellow had a dog like that to keep him company +here in the wilderness, he might consider himself +lucky." And when the old man noticed this, +he began: "That is why I have come, for I want +to exchange my dog for one of your pigs." The +youth was at once willing, and closed the bargain. +He received the great dog, and gave up the gray +pig in place of it. Then the old man went his way. +But as he left he said: "You have reason to be +satisfied with our exchange, for that dog is not like +other dogs. His name is 'Take Hold!' and whatever +you tell him to take hold of he will seize, even +though it were the grimmest of trolls." Thereupon +they parted, and the youth thought that fortune +had indeed favored him.</p> + +<p>In the evening he called his dog and drove his +pigs home. But when his old mother heard that he +had given away the gray pig for a dog, she was +angry beyond measure, and gave her son a good +drubbing. The youth told her to calm herself; but +all in vain, the longer it lasted the more furious she<span class="pagenum">[171]</span> +became. Then, since he did not know what else to +do, he called out to his dog: "Take hold!" At +once the dog ran up, seized the old mother and held +her so tightly that she could not move. But otherwise +he did her no harm. And now she had to +promise her son to make the best of the matter, +and then they were friends once more.</p> + +<p>The following day the youth went to the wood +again, with his dog and the two pigs. After a time +he sat down and played his flute as usual, and the +dog danced to his playing with such skill, that it +was nothing short of a miracle. And as he was +sitting there, the old man with the gray beard came +out of the wood again, and with him another dog, no +smaller than the first. When the youth saw the +handsome beast he thought to himself: "If a fellow +had that dog to keep him company here where +it is so lonely, he need have no fear." When the +old man noticed this, he began: "That is why I +have come, for I want to exchange my dog for one +of your pigs." The youth did not lose any time, +but agreed to close the bargain. He received the +great dog, and gave up one of his pigs in place of it. +Then the old man went his way. Yet before he +left he added: "You have reason to be well satisfied +with your purchase, for this dog is not like the +other dogs. His name is 'Tear!' and if you give +him something to tear, he will tear it to pieces, even<span class="pagenum">[172]</span> +though it were the grimmest of trolls." Then they +parted. But the youth was happy in the idea that +he had made a capital exchange; although he knew +that his old mother would not be content with it. +And when evening came, and the youth went home, +his old mother was no less angry than she had been +before. But this time she did not venture to beat +her son, because she was afraid of the great dogs. +Yet, as is usual, when women have scolded long +enough, they stop of their own accord—and that is +what happened in this case. The youth and his +mother made peace with each other; though the +mother thought to herself that the damage done +could not well be repaired.</p> + +<p>On the third day the youth went into the wood +again with his pig and two dogs. He felt very +happy, seated himself on a tree-stump and played his +flute as usual. And the dogs danced to his playing +with such skill that it was a pleasure to watch them. +As the youth was sitting there in peace and quiet, +the old gray-beard once more came out of the wood. +This time he had a third dog with him, who was as +large as both the others together. When the youth +saw the handsome animal he could not help but +think: "If a fellow had this dog to keep him company +in the wilderness, he would have no cause for +complaint." The old man at once began: "That +is why I have come, in order to sell my dog, for I<span class="pagenum">[173]</span> +can see you would like to have him." The youth +was at once willing and agreed to close the bargain. +So he received the great dog and gave up his last +pig in place of it. Then the old man went his way. +Yet before he went he said: "You will be satisfied +with your exchange, for this dog is not like other +dogs. His name is 'Hark!' and his hearing is so +keen that he hears everything that happens, though +it be happening many miles away. He even hears +the grass and the trees grow." Then they parted +in the friendliest spirit. But the youth was happy +in the thought that now he need fear nothing in the +world. And then, when evening came on, and the +swine-herd went home, his mother was very sad to +think that her son had sold all they possessed. But +the youth told her to be of good courage, since he +would see to it that they did not suffer want. And +when he spoke to her in such a cheerful manner, +she grew content again, and decided that he had +spoken in wise and manly fashion. Then when day +dawned the youth went hunting with his dogs, and +came back at evening with as much game as he +could possibly carry. And he continued to go hunting +in this way for a time until his old mother's +store-room was well provided with meat and all +sorts of good things. Then he bade his mother a +fond farewell, called his dogs, and said he was going +to wander out into the world and try his fortune.<span class="pagenum">[174]</span></p> + +<p>And he fared forth over mountains and tangled +ways, and came into the heart of a sombre forest. +There he met the gray-beard of whom I have already +told you. And when he met him the youth +was much pleased, and said: "Good-day, grandfather, +and thanks for the last time!" And the +old man replied: "Good-day to you, and whither +away?" The youth answered: "I am wandering +out into the world to see what fortune has in store +for me." Then the old man said: "Keep right +on going till you come to the royal castle, and there +your fortune will take a turn." And with that they +parted. The youth followed the old man's advice +and for a time wandered on straight ahead. When +he came to a tavern he played his flute and let his +dogs dance, and was never at a lack for bed and +board, and whatever else he might want.</p> + +<p>After he had wandered long and far, he at length +came to a great city, whose streets were filled with +people. The youth wondered what it all meant, +and at last reached the spot where, to the sound of +bell, the king's proclamation was being cried—that +whoever should deliver the three princesses out of +the power of the troll, would receive one of them, +and half the kingdom as well. Now he understood +what the old man had meant. He called his dogs, +and went to the king's castle. But there all had +been grief and mourning since the day the king's<span class="pagenum">[175]</span> +daughters had disappeared. And of them all the +king and queen were the most sorrowful. Then the +youth went to the keeper of the door, and asked him +whether he might play and show his dogs before +the king. The courtiers were willing, for they +hoped it might make him feel more cheerful. So +he was admitted and allowed to show his tricks. +And when the king had heard him play, and had seen +the skillful dancing of his dogs, he grew quite merry, +and none had seen him as happy during all the +seven long years that had passed since he had lost +his daughters.</p> + +<p>When the dance was over, the king asked the +youth what he asked as a reward for having given +him such a pleasure. The youth answered: "My +lord king, I did not come to you to win gold and +gear. But I have another request to make: that you +allow me to set out and search for your three daughters, +carried away by a mountain troll." When +the king heard this his thoughts once more grew +gloomy, and he replied: "You need not even think +of delivering my daughters. It is no child's play, +and your betters have already attempted it in vain. +Yet should it really come to pass that you deliver +one of the princesses, you may be sure that I will not +break my word." So he took leave of the king and +set forth. And he decided to take no rest until he +had found what he sought.<span class="pagenum">[176]</span></p> + +<p>Now he passed through many broad kingdoms +without meeting with any special adventures. And +wherever he went his dogs followed him. "Hark!" +ran along and listened for anything worth hearing +to be heard around them; "Take Hold!" carried +his master's knapsack and "Tear!" who was the +strongest, carried his master when the latter was +weary. One day "Hark!" came running up hastily, +and told his master that he had gone to a high +mountain, and had heard the king's daughter, who +sat within it and span, and that the troll was not +at home. This greatly pleased the youth, and he +hurried toward the mountain together with his three +dogs. When they got there "Hark!" said: "There +is no time to lose. The troll is only ten miles +away, and I can already hear the golden horse-shoes +of his steed ringing on the stones." The youth +now ordered his dogs to break down the door into +the mountain, and they did. And as he stepped into +the mountain he saw a lovely maiden, sitting in +the mountain-hall, winding a golden thread on a +golden spindle. The youth went up and greeted the +lovely girl. Then the king's daughter was much +surprised and said: "Who are you that dare to +venture into the giant's hall? During all the seven +long years I have been sitting here in the mountain +I have never yet seen a human being." And she +added: "For heaven's sake hasten away before<span class="pagenum">[177]</span> +the troll returns home, or else your life will be forfeit!" +But the youth was unafraid, and said that +he would await the giant's return without fear.</p> + +<p>While they were talking together, the giant came +riding along on his colt shod with gold. When he +saw the gate standing open he grew furiously angry +and shouted till the whole mountain shook: "Who +has broken my mountain door?" The youth boldly +answered: "I did, and now I shall break you as +well! 'Take Hold!' seize him! 'Tear!' and 'Hark!' +tear him into a thousand pieces." No sooner had +he spoken than the dogs rushed up, fell upon the +giant and tore him into countless pieces. Then the +princess was happy beyond measure and said: +"God be praised, now I am freed!" And she fell +upon the youth's neck and gave him a kiss. But +he did not wish to stay there any longer, saddled +the giant's colt, loaded it with all the gold and gear +he found in the mountain, and hastily went away +with the king's beautiful daughter.</p> + +<p>They passed on together a long distance. Then, +one day, "Hark!" who always ran ahead scouting, +came quickly back to his master, and told him he had +been near a high mountain, and had heard the king's +second daughter sitting within it winding golden +yarn, and that the troll himself was not at home. +This was very welcome news for the youth, and he +hurried toward the mountain with his faithful dogs.<span class="pagenum">[178]</span> +Now when they drew near "Hark!" said: "There +is no time to lose. The giant is only eight miles +away, and I can already hear the golden horse-shoes +of his steed ringing on the stones." The youth at +once ordered his dogs to break down the door into +the mountain, no matter which way. And when he +stepped into the interior of the mountain he saw +a lovely maiden sitting in the mountain hall, winding +golden yarn on a golden windle. The youth +went up and greeted the lovely girl. The king's +daughter was much surprised and said: "Who are +you that dare to venture into the giant's hall? During +all the seven years I have been sitting here in +the mountain I have never yet seen a human being." +And she added: "For heaven's sake, hasten away, +for if the troll comes your life will be forfeit!" +But the youth told her why he had come, and said +that he would await the troll's return quite undisturbed.</p> + +<p>While they were still talking together, the giant +came riding on his steed shod with gold, and drew +up outside the mountain. When he noticed that +the great door was open, he grew furiously angry, +and shouted till the mountain trembled to its very +roots. He said: "Who has broken my mountain +door?" The youth boldly answered: "I have, +and now I shall break you as well! 'Take Hold,' +seize him! 'Tear!' and 'Hark!' tear him into a +<span class="pagenum"><a name="P_179" id="P_179">[179]</a></span>thousand pieces!" The dogs at once rushed up, +threw themselves upon the giant, and tore him into +as many pieces as leaves fall in the autumn. Then +the king's daughter was happy beyond measure and +cried: "God be praised, now I am freed!" and she +fell upon the youth's neck and gave him a kiss. +But he led the princess to her sister, and one can +imagine-how glad they were to see each other again. +Then the youth packed up all the treasures he found +in the mountain hall, loaded them on the giant's +steed, and went his way with the king's two daughters. +And they wandered along for a long time. +Then, one day, "Hark!" who always ran ahead +scouting, came hastily to his master and told him +that he had been near a high mountain, and had +heard the king's third daughter sitting within and +weaving a web of gold, and that the troll was +not at home. This was very welcome news for the +youth, and he hastened toward the mountain, followed +by his three dogs. When he drew near +"Hark!" said: "There is no time to lose, for the +giant is only five miles away. I can already hear +the golden horse-shoes of his steed ringing on the +stones." Then the youth at once ordered his dogs +to break down the door into the mountain, by hook +or by crook. And when he stepped into the mountain, +he saw a girl sitting in the mountain hall, +weaving a web of gold. But this maiden was lovely<span class="pagenum">[180]</span> +beyond all measure, with a loveliness exceeding all +the youth had ever thought to find on earth. He +now went up and greeted the lovely maiden. Then +the king's daughter was much surprised and said: +"Who are you that dare to venture into the giant's +hall? During all the seven long years I have been +sitting here in the mountain I have never yet seen +a human being." And she added: "For heaven's +sake, hasten away before the troll comes, or else +your life will be forfeit!" But the youth was full +of confidence, and said he would gladly venture his +life for the king's lovely daughter.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 423px;"> +<a name="i8" id="i8"></a> +<img src="images/i009.jpg" width="423" height="600" alt=""HE SAW A GIRL SITTING IN THE MOUNTAIN HALL, WEAVING +A WEB OF GOLD."" title=""> +</div> + +<p class="caption">"HE SAW A GIRL SITTING IN THE MOUNTAIN HALL, WEAVING +A WEB OF GOLD." +—<a href="#P_179">Page 179</a></p> + +<p>While they were still talking the giant came riding +along on his colt shod with gold, and drew up at the +foot of the mountain. When he went in he saw +that uninvited guests had arrived, and was much +frightened; for well he knew of the fate that had +befallen his brothers. He therefore thought it advisable +to fall back upon cunning and treachery, for +he had not dared to venture on open battle. For that +reason he made many fine speeches, and was very +friendly and smooth with the youth. Then he told +the king's daughter to prepare a meal in order to +show his guest all hospitality.</p> + +<p>And since the troll knew so well how to talk, the +youth allowed himself to be beguiled by his smooth +words, and forgot to be on his guard. He sat down +to the table with the giant; but the king's daughter<span class="pagenum">[181]</span> +wept secretly, and the dogs were very restless; +though no one paid them any attention.</p> + +<p>When the giant and his guest had finished their +meal, the youth said: "Now that I have satisfied +my hunger, give me something to quench my thirst!" +The giant replied: "On the mountain-top is a +spring in which bubbles the clearest wine; but I +have no one to fetch it." The youth answered: +"If that be all that is lacking, one of my dogs can +go up." Then the giant laughed in his false heart, +for nothing suited him better than to have the youth +send away his dogs. The youth ordered "Take +Hold!" to go to the spring, and the giant handed +him a great tankard. The dog went; yet it was +easy to see that he did not go willingly; and the +time passed and passed and he did not return.</p> + +<p>After a while the giant said: "I wonder why +your dog stays away so long? Perhaps you would +let another of your dogs go and help him; for the +way is long and the tankard is heavy." The youth +did not suspect any trickery and agreed. He told +"Tear!" to go and see why "Take Hold!" had not +yet come. The dog wagged his tail, and did not +want to leave his master. But the youth did not +notice it and drove him off himself. Then the giant +laughed heartily, and the king's daughter wept, yet +the youth paid no attention; but was merry and at +his ease, played with his sword, and dreamed of no +danger.<span class="pagenum">[182]</span></p> + +<p>Thus a long time passed; but nothing was heard +of the wine nor of the dogs. Then the giant said: +"I can see that your dogs do not do as you bid them, +otherwise we should not have to sit here and thirst. +I think it would be well if you let 'Hark!' go up and +see why they do not come back." The youth +agreed, and told his third dog to hurry to the spring. +But "Hark!" did not want to, and instead crept +whining to his master's feet. Then the youth grew +angry and drove him off by force. And when he +reached the top of the mountain he shared the fate +of the others, a high wall rose round about him, +and he was made a prisoner by the giant's magic +power.</p> + +<p>Now that all three dogs were gone, the giant rose, +and suddenly looked altogether different. He took +down a long sword from the wall, and said: "Now +I will do what my brothers did not do, and you must +die at once, for you are in my power!" Then the +youth was frightened, and he regretted he had allowed +his dogs to leave him. He said: "I do not +ask for my life, since in any event the time will come +when I must die. But I would like to repeat the +Lord's prayer, and play a psalm on my flute, for +such is the custom in my country." The giant +granted his prayer, but said that he would not wait +long. So the youth kneeled and began to blow his +flute till it sounded over hill and dale. And that +very moment the magic wall was broken and the<span class="pagenum">[183]</span> +dogs were freed. They came rushing on like the +storm-wind, and fell upon the mountain troll. The +youth at once rose and said: "'Take Hold!', seize +him! 'Tear!' and 'Hark!' tear him into a thousand +pieces!" Then the dogs flung themselves on the +giant and tore him into countless pieces. Then the +youth took all the treasures that lay in the mountain, +hitched the giant's horses to a gilded wagon, and +drove off as fast as he could.</p> + +<p>Now when the king's daughters met again there +was great joy, as may well be imagined, and all +thanked the youth for delivering them out of the +power of the mountain trolls. But the youth fell +deeply in love with the youngest princess, and they +promised to be true to each other. So the king's +daughters passed on their way with music and +merriment of every kind, and the youth served them +with all the honor and courtesy due maidens of gentle +birth. And while they were underway the princesses +toyed with the youth's hair, and each tied her +golden ring in his locks for remembrance.</p> + +<p>One day while they were still underway, they met +two wanderers, who were traveling the same road. +The clothes of the two strangers were torn and their +feet were sore, and their whole appearance showed +that they had a long journey behind them. The +youth stopped his wagon, and asked them who they +were and whence they came. The strangers answered<span class="pagenum">[184]</span> +that they were two princes, and had gone +forth to search for the three maidens in the mountain. +But fortune had not favored them; and now +they had to return home more like journeymen than +kings' sons. When the youth heard this he felt +sorry for the two wanderers, and asked whether +they would like to ride with him in his handsome +wagon. The princes thanked him profusely for his +offer. They drove on together, and came to the +kingdom over which the father of the princesses +reigned.</p> + +<p>Now when the princes learned that the youth +had delivered the king's three daughters, a great +jealousy took possession of them, and they thought +of how badly they had fared in their own venture. +And they took counsel together as to how they might +get the better of the youth, and win power and glory +for themselves. But they hid their evil plot till +a favorable opportunity offered for carrying it out. +Then they suddenly threw themselves on their comrade, +seized him by the throat and strangled him. +And then they threatened to kill the princesses if +they did not swear to keep silence. And since the +king's daughters were in the power of the princes, +they did not dare say no. But they felt very sorry +for the youth who had given up his life for them, +and the youngest princess mourned with all her +heart, and all her happiness was at an end.<span class="pagenum">[185]</span></p> + +<p>After this great wrong the princes drove to the +royal castle, and one may well imagine how happy +the king was to get back his three daughters. In +the meantime the poor youth lay like dead off in a +gorge in the forest. Yet he was not quite dead, +and his faithful dogs lay about him, kept him warm, +and licked his wounds. And they did not stop until +their master came back to life again. When he +was once more well and strong he set out, and after +many difficulties came to the royal castle in which +the princesses dwelt.</p> + +<p>When he came in the whole court was full of joy +and merriment, and from the king's hall came the +sound of dancing and string music. That surprised +him greatly, and he asked what it all meant. The +serving-man answered: "You must come from far +away, since you do not know that the king has regained +his daughters who were in the power of the +mountain troll. This is the oldest princess's wedding-day."</p> + +<p>The youth then asked after the youngest princess, +and when she was to marry. But the serving-man +said that she did not want a husband, and wept the +live-long day, though no one knew why. Then the +youth felt happy once more; for now he knew that +she loved him, and had kept faith with him.</p> + +<p>The youth now went to the keeper of the door, +and bade him tell the king that a guest had arrived<span class="pagenum">[186]</span> +who would add to the merriment of the wedding +festivities by showing his dogs. This was to the +king's liking, and he ordered that the stranger receive +the best possible treatment. And when the +youth stepped into the hall, the whole wedding company +were astounded by his skill and his manly bearing, +and all agreed that so handsome a youth was +rarely seen. But no sooner had the king's three +daughters recognized him, than they jumped up +from the table, and flung themselves on his neck. +And then the princes thought it best to make themselves +scarce. But the king's daughters told how +the youth had freed them, and the rest of their adventures; +and to make quite certain they looked for +their rings among his locks.</p> + +<p>Now when the king heard of the trickery and +treachery the two strange princes had used, he grew +very angry and had them driven ignominously forth +from the castle. But he received the brave youth +with great honor, as he had deserved, and he was +married to the king's youngest daughter that selfsame +day. After the king's death the youth was +chosen king of all the land, and a gallant king he +was. And there he lives with his beautiful queen, +and is reigning there happily to this very day. And +that is all I have to do with it.</p> + +<p class="h3">NOTE</p> + +<blockquote><p>"The Three Dogs" (Hyltén-Cavallius and Stephens, p. 195. From +West Gotland). Fairy tales have a high opinion of the power of +music, for the magic of the flute-playing breaks the evil spell of +the troll, just as in the story of "Faithful and Unfaithful," the sound +of the fiddle makes the troll's golden hall come out of the mountain.</p></blockquote><p><span class="pagenum">[187]</span></p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="XXI" id="XXI"></a>XXI</h2> + +<p class="h3">THE POOR DEVIL</p> + +<p>Once upon a time there was a peasant, who led +his cow to pasture in the spring, and prayed +God to have her in His care.</p> + +<p>The evil one was sitting in a bush, heard him, and +said to himself: "When things turn out well, they +thank God for it; but if anything goes wrong, then +I am always to blame!"</p> + +<p>A few days later the cow strayed into a swamp. +And when the peasant came and saw her he said: +"Look at that! The devil has had his finger in the +pie again!"</p> + +<p>"Just what I might have expected," thought the +devil in his bush. Then the peasant went off to +fetch people to help drag the cow out. But in the +meantime the devil slipped from his bush and helped +out the cow, for he thought:</p> + +<p>"Now he will have something to thank me for, +too."</p> + +<p>But when the peasant came back and saw the +cow on dry land, he said: "Thank God, she's out +again!"</p> + +<p class="h3">NOTE</p> + +<blockquote><p>The little story of "The Poor Devil." (Bondeson, p. 212. From +Smaland) which shows him attempting to rival God, is at once +humorous and philosophical.</p></blockquote><p><span class="pagenum">[188]</span></p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="XXII" id="XXII"></a>XXII</h2> + +<p class="h3">HOW SMALAND AND SCHONEN CAME TO BE</p> + +<p>The Smalanders declare:</p> + +<p>At the time when our Lord created the earth, he +made a level and fruitful stretch of land, and that +was Schonen. But the devil had been busy in the +meantime, and had created Smaland, a barren region +consisting mainly of hills and swamps. When +our Lord saw it, it looked very hopeless to him, and +he strewed the bits of earth that remained in his +apron out over it, and created the Smalanders. +They turned out to be a fine race of men, handsome +and strong and able to take care of themselves in +any situation. It is said to this very day, that if you +take a Smalander and set him down on a rock in +the sea, he will still manage to save himself. But +in the meantime the devil had been down in Schonen, +and had created the people who live there, and that +is why they are so slow, boastful and servile. But +the people of Schonen say:</p> + +<p>Once as our Lord and St. Peter were walking +together, they heard a terrible commotion in a +forest. "Go see what is happening there," said<span class="pagenum">[189]</span> +our Lord. St. Peter went. And there was the devil +and a Smalander, who were pummeling each other +with might and main. St. Peter tried to separate +them; but they paid no attention to him. So he +took his sword and chopped off both their heads. +And he told our Lord what he had seen and done: +"No, that was not well done," the latter replied, +"go and put back their heads where they were, and +touch the wounds with your sword, and both will +come to life again." St. Peter did so, but he exchanged +heads. Since that time the Smalanders all +have a bit of the devil about them, and those who +know the devil, will tell you that he is more or less +like the Smalanders.</p> + +<p class="h3">NOTE</p> + +<blockquote><p>The unfruitful district of Smaland and the lazy and servile people +of Schonen (as retold and communicated by Dr. v. Sydow-Lund), +are supposed to be creative efforts of the devil, at least so the Danes +and Swedes were wont to say, and Selma Lagerlöf has repeated it +after them with variants. But the people of Schonen lost no time +in inventing a close relationship between the Smalanders and the +devil.</p></blockquote><p><span class="pagenum">[190]</span></p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="XXIII" id="XXIII"></a>XXIII</h2> + +<p class="h3">THE EVIL ONE AND KITTA GRAU</p> + +<p>One day the devil met Kitta Grau:</p> + +<p>"Where have you been, old man?" asked +Kitta Grau, for she recognized him.</p> + +<p>"Well," said the evil one, "I have been out on the +farmstead where the newly wedded couple live. +This is the third time I have tried to sow dissension +between them; but they think so much of each other +that it is a sheer impossibility."</p> + +<p>"You talk like a real stupid. That is something +I could bring about the very first time I went there," +said Kitta Grau.</p> + +<p>"If you can do that, you shall have a splendid +pair of shoes," was the evil one's reply.</p> + +<p>"Mind you keep your word!" said Kitta, and +turned toward the farmstead.</p> + +<p>There the woman was home alone; for her husband +had gone to the forest. Kitta said to the young +wife:</p> + +<p>"You really have a splendid husband."</p> + +<p>"And that is the truth," the woman replied, "for +he grants my every wish before it is spoken."</p> + +<p>"But take my word for it," said Kitta, "there is<span class="pagenum">[191]</span> +still a bit of deceit in him. He has a pair of long +hairs under his chin—if you could get at them with +a razor, and cut them off while he is asleep, then he +would be altogether without malice."</p> + +<p>"Well," said the woman, "if that will help, I +will be sure to keep an eye open after dinner and +attend to it, for then he always takes a little noon-day +nap."</p> + +<p>Then Kitta Grau went out into the forest to the +husband and bade him good-day.</p> + +<p>"You really have a very good wife," said Kitta.</p> + +<p>"She could not be bettered," replied the husband.</p> + +<p>"Well you might be mistaken for all that," said +Kitta. "When you come home, be on your guard, +for when you go to take your noon-day nap, she has +in mind to cut your throat. So be sure not to go to +sleep."</p> + +<p>The husband did not think much of the matter; +but still he thanked Kitta Grau for her trouble.</p> + +<p>Then he went home and ate his dinner, laid down +and pretended to fall asleep at once.</p> + +<p>Thereupon his wife went to his shaving-kit, took +out his razor, went softly up to him and took hold +of his chin with her hand.</p> + +<p>Up flew the man.</p> + +<p>"Do you want to murder me?" he cried, and gave +his wife such a thump that she measured her full +length on the floor.<span class="pagenum">[192]</span></p> + +<p>And from that day forward there was no peace +in the house. Now Kitta Grau was to receive her +reward from the evil one. But he was so afraid of +her that he did not venture to give her the shoes until +he stood on one side of a stream, while she stood +on the other, and then he passed them over to her +on a long pole.</p> + +<p>"You are ever so much worse than I am," he told +Kitta Grau.</p> + +<p>The black man had made a bargain with a merchant. +He had promised him that all goods which +he might buy he should sell again within three +weeks' time at a handsome profit. But, if he had +prospered, after seven years had passed he was to +be the devil's own. And he did prosper; for no +matter what manner of old trash the merchant +bought, and if it were no more than an old worn-out +fur coat, he was always able to sell it again, and +always at a profit.</p> + +<p>Kitta Grau came into his shop and showed him +the handsome shoes the evil one had given her.</p> + +<p>So the merchant said:</p> + +<p>"May heaven keep me from him! He will surely +fetch me when the time comes; for I have made a +pact with him; and I have been unable to buy anything +without selling it again in three weeks' time."</p> + +<p>Then Kitta Grau said: "Buy me, for I am sure +no one will buy me from you!" And that is what<span class="pagenum">[193]</span> +the merchant did. He bought Kitta, had her disrobe +and cover herself with tar, and roll in a pile of +feathers. Then he put her in a glass cage as though +she were a bird.</p> + +<p>Now the first week went by, and the second week +went by, and the third week went by, and no one +appeared who wanted to buy the curious bird. And +then, in due time, came the evil one, and wanted to +fetch his merchant.</p> + +<p>"Have patience," said the merchant, "I still have +something I have bought, but have not been able to +sell again in three weeks' time."</p> + +<p>"That is something I'd like to see," said the +black man. Then the merchant showed him Kitta +Grau, sitting in her glass cage. But no sooner had +the evil one seen the handsome bird than he cried:</p> + +<p>"Oh, I see! It is you Kitta Grau! No one who +knows you would buy you!"</p> + +<p>And with that he hurried on his way.</p> + +<p>Thus Kitta Grau could help do evil, and help do +good.</p> + +<p class="h3">NOTE</p> + +<blockquote><p>The story of "The Evil One and Kitta Grau." (Bondeson, p. 206. +From Halland) shows that it is child's play for an evil woman to +accomplish what the devil himself cannot do. Yet some one has made +an addition which redounds to Kitta's credit, and which makes her +one of the heroines of fairy-tale who know how to take advantage +of the evil one.</p></blockquote><p><span class="pagenum">[194]</span></p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="XXIV" id="XXIV"></a>XXIV</h2> + +<p class="h3">THE LADY OF PINTORP</p> + +<p>Where to-day a castellate building towers +between spreading parks and gardens on +the noble estate of Eriksberg, there lay in ancient +times a holding known as Pintorp; with which +legend has associated the gruesome tale of the lady +of Pintorp.</p> + +<p>In Pintorp—so the legend says—there dwelt a +nobleman who, dying in his youth, left all his goods +and gear to his widow. Yet instead of being a kind +mistress to her many dependents, she exploited +them in every way, and ill-treated them shamefully. +Beneath her castle she had deep subterranean dungeons, +in which languished many innocent people. +She set vicious dogs at children and beggars, and +if any one did not come to work at the right time, he +was sure to go home in the evening with weals on +his back.</p> + +<p>Once, early in the morning, when the men came +to work, the Lady of Pintorp was standing on the +castle steps, and saw a poor farm-hand belonging to +the estate come too late. Foaming with rage, she<span class="pagenum">[195]</span> +overwhelmed him with abuse and reproaches, and +ordered him to chop down the largest oak on the +whole estate, and bring it, crown foremost, to the +castle court before evening. And if he did not carry +out her command to the very letter—so she said—she +would drive him from his hut without mercy, +and all that he had should fall to the estate.</p> + +<p>With heavy thoughts of the severe judgment +passed upon him, the farm-hand went to the wood; +and there he met an old man who asked him why +he was so unhappy.</p> + +<p>"Because it is all up with me, if our Lord in His +mercy do not help me," sighed the unfortunate +man, and told of the task his mistress had imposed +on him.</p> + +<p>"Do not worry," said the unknown, "Chop down +this oak, seat yourself on the trunk, and Erik +Gyllenstjerna and Svante Banér will take it to the +castle."</p> + +<p>The farm hand did as the old man told him, began +to hew to the line, and sure enough, at the third +stroke the tree fell with a tremendous crash. Then +he seated himself on the trunk, facing the crown, +and at once the tree began to move, as though drawn +by horses. Soon it rushed along so swiftly that +posts and garden-palings flew out of the way like +splinters, and soon they had reached the castle. At +the moment the tree-top struck the castle-gate, one<span class="pagenum">[196]</span> +of the invisible bearers stumbled, and a voice was +heard saying: "What, are you falling on your +knees, Svante?"</p> + +<p>The Lady of Pintorp, who was standing on the +steps, knew well who was helping the man; yet instead +of feeling regret, she began to curse and scold, +and finally threatened to imprison the farm-hand.</p> + +<p>Then the earth quaked so that the walls of the +castle shook, and a black coach, drawn by two black +horses, stopped before the castle. A fine gentleman, +clad in black, descended from the coach, bowed to +the lady and bade her make ready and follow him. +Trembling—for she knew well who the stranger +must be—she begged for a three years' respite; but +the black gentleman would not grant her request. +Then she asked for three months, and that he refused +as well. Finally she begged for three weeks, +and then for three days; but only three minutes +were allowed her to put her house in order.</p> + +<p>When she saw there was no help for it, she begged +that at least her chaplain, her chamber-maid, and +her valet be allowed to accompany her. This request +was granted, and they entered the carriage. +The horses at once started off, and the carriage +drove away so swiftly, that the people at the castle +saw no more than a black streak.</p> + +<p>When the woman and her companions had thus +driven a while, they came to a splendid castle, and<span class="pagenum">[197]</span> +the gentleman in black led them up the steps. +Above, in the great hall, the woman laid off her +costly garments and put on a coarse coat and wooden +shoes. Then he combed her hair three times, till +she could no longer bear it, and danced with her +three times until she was exhausted.</p> + +<p>After the first dance the Lady begged to be allowed +to give her golden ring to her valet, and it +burned his finger like fire. After the second dance +she gave her chamber-maid her bunch of keys, and +that seared the girl's hand like red-hot iron. But +after the third dance, a trap-door opened in the +floor, and the Lady disappeared in a cloud of smoke +and flame.</p> + +<p>The chaplain, who was standing nearest her, +looked down curiously into the opening into which +his mistress had sunk; and a spark shot up from the +depths, and flew into his eye, so that he was blind in +one eye for the rest of his life.</p> + +<p>When it was all over, the black gentleman allowed +the servitors to drive home again; but expressly +forbade them to look around. They hastily entered +the coach, the road was broad and even, and the +horses ran rapidly. But when they had gone a +while, the chamber-maid could no longer control her +curiosity, and looked around. That very minute +horses, coach and the road itself were gone, the +travellers found themselves in a wild forest, and<span class="pagenum">[198]</span> +it cost them three years to get out again, and make +their way back to Pintorp.</p> + +<p class="h3">NOTE</p> + +<blockquote><p>In "The Lady of Pintorp" (Hofberg, p. 157) the devil appears in +all his grewsome Satanic majesty. It has been claimed that the +evil woman was a historical figure, the wife of the royal counselor +Erik Gyllenstjerna.</p></blockquote><p><span class="pagenum">[199]</span></p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="XXV" id="XXV"></a>XXV</h2> + +<p class="h3">THE SPECTRE IN FJELKINGE</p> + +<p>During the first half of the eighteenth century, +several large estates in Schonen were the +property of the family of Barnekow, or rather, of its +most distinguished representative at that time, +Margaret Barnekow, daughter of the famous captain +and governor-general Count Rutger of Aschenberg, +and the wife of Colonel Kjell Kristofer +Barnekow. A widow at twenty-nine, she herself +took over the management of her large properties, +and gave therein evidence of invincible courage, an +inexhaustible capacity for work, and a tireless +solicitude for all her many dependents and servitors.</p> + +<p>While traveling about her estates, Madame +Margaret one evening came to the tavern in Fjelkinge, +and was quartered for the night in a room +that had the name of being haunted. Some years +before a traveler had lain in the same room and +presumably had been murdered: at any rate the +man himself and all his belongings had disappeared +without leaving a trace, and the mystery had never +been explained. Since that time the room had been<span class="pagenum">[200]</span> +haunted, and those who knew about it preferred to +travel a post-station further in the dark, rather than +pass the night in the room in question. But Margaret +Barnekow did not do so. She had already +shown greater courage in greater contingencies, +and chose this particular room to sleep in without +any fear.</p> + +<p>She let the lamp burn and fell asleep, after she +had said her evening prayer. On the stroke of +twelve she awoke, just as some planks were raised +in the floor; and up rose a bleeding phantom whose +head, split wide open, hung down on his shoulder.</p> + +<p>"Noble lady," whispered the specter, "prepare +a grave in consecrated earth for a murdered man, +and deliver his murderer to the judgment which is +his due!"</p> + +<p>God-fearing and unafraid, Madame Margaret +beckoned the phantom nearer, and he told her he had +already addressed the same prayer to various other +people; but that none had had the courage to grant +it. Then Madame Margaret drew a gold ring from +her finger, laid it on the gaping wound, and tied up +the head of the murdered man with her kerchief. +With a glance of unspeakable gratitude he told her +the murderer's name, and disappeared beneath the +floor without a sound.</p> + +<p>The following morning Madame Margaret sent for +the sheriff of the district to come to the tavern with<span class="pagenum">[201]</span> +some of his people, informed him of what had happened +to her during the night, and ordered those +present to tear up the floor. And there they found, +buried in the earth, the remains of a body and, in a +wound in its head, the Countess's ring, and tied about +its head, her kerchief. One of the bystanders grew +pale at the sight, and fell senseless to the ground. +When he came to his senses, he confessed that he had +murdered the traveler and robbed him of his belongings. +He was condemned to death for his crime, and +the body of the murdered man was buried in the village +church-yard.</p> + +<p>The ring, of peculiar shape, and its setting bearing +a large gray stone, is still preserved in the Barnekow +family, and magic virtues in cases of sickness, fire +and other misfortunes are ascribed to it. And when +one of the Barnekows dies, it is said that a red spot, +like a drop of blood, appears on the stone.</p> + +<p class="h3">NOTE</p> + +<blockquote><p>"The Spectre in Fjelkinge" (Hofberg, p. 21) is founded on the +ancient belief that innocent blood which has been shed calls for +atonement, and the one who has been unjustly murdered cannot rest +until the deed has been brought to light.</p></blockquote><p><span class="pagenum">[202]</span></p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="XXVI" id="XXVI"></a>XXVI</h2> + +<p class="h3">THE ROOSTER, THE HAND-MILL AND THE SWARM +OF HORNETS</p> + +<p>Once upon a time there was a peasant who +wanted to go to sell a pig. After he had gone +a while, he met a man who asked him where he was +going with his pig. "I want to sell it," answered +the peasant, "but I do not know what to do to get +rid of it." "Go to the devil," said the man, "he +will be the first to rid you of it." So the peasant +kept on along the broad highway.</p> + +<p>When he came to the devil's place, there stood a +man out by the wood-pile making wood. The +peasant went to him and asked whether he could +tell him if they wanted to buy a pig in the devil's +place. "I'll go in and ask," said the man, "if you +will make wood in my stead while I am gone." +"Yes, I will do that gladly," said the peasant, took +the ax, stood at the wood-pile and began to make +wood. And he worked and worked until evening +came; but the man did not return to tell him whether +they would or would not buy a pig in the devil's +place.<span class="pagenum">[203]</span></p> + +<p>At length another man came that way, and the +peasant asked him whether he would make wood +in his stead, for it was impossible to lay down the +ax unless another took it up and went on working. +So the man took the ax and stood there making +wood, and the peasant went into the devil's place +himself, and asked whether any one wanted to buy +a pig.</p> + +<p>A crowd as large as that at a fair at once gathered, +and all wanted to buy the pig. Then the peasant +thought: "Whoever pays the most, gets it." And +one would overbid another, offering far more than +a whole herd of pigs were worth. But at last a +gentleman came along who whispered something to +the peasant, and told him to come along with him; +and he could have all the money he wanted.</p> + +<p>So when they had reached the gentleman's house, +and the peasant had given him the pig, he received +in payment a rooster who would lay silver coins as +often as he was told to do so. Then the peasant +went his way, well content with his bargain. But +on the way home he stayed overnight at a tavern +kept by an old woman. And he was so exceedingly +happy about his splendid rooster, that he had to +boast about him to the old woman, and show her +how he went about laying silver coins. And at +night, when the peasant was fast asleep, the old +woman came and took away his rooster, and put<span class="pagenum">[204]</span> +another in its place. No sooner did the peasant +awake in the morning than he wanted to set his +rooster to work. "Lay quickly, rooster of mine! +Lay big silver coins, my rooster!" But the rooster +could lay no silver coins at all, and only answered +"Kikeriki! Kikeriki! Kikeriki!" Then the peasant +fell into a rage, wandered back to the devil's place, +complained about the rooster, and told how absolutely +worthless he was. He was kindly received, +and the same gentleman gave him a hand-mill. +When he called out "Mill grind!" to it, it would +grind as much meal as he wanted it to, and would +not stop until he said: "Mill, stop grinding!" +And the mill would grind out every kind of meal for +which he asked.</p> + +<p>When the peasant set out for home, he reached +the same tavern at which he had already put up +in the evening, so he turned in and decided to stay +over night. He was so pleased with the mill that +it was impossible for him to hold his tongue; so he +told the old woman what a valuable mill he had, and +showed her how it worked. But during the night, +while he was asleep, the old woman came and stole +his mill and put another in its place.</p> + +<p>When the peasant awoke in the morning, he was +in a great hurry to test his mill; but he could not +make it obey. "Mill grind!" he cried. But the mill +stood still. Then he said: "Dear mill, grind<span class="pagenum">[205]</span> +wheat meal!" but it had no effect. "Then grind +rye meal!" he shouted; but that did not help, either. +"Well, then, grind peas!" But the mill did not +seem to hear; but stood as still as though it had +never turned a single time in all its life. Then the +peasant took the road back to the devil's place again, +and at once hunted up the gentleman who had purchased +his pig, and told him the mill would grind no +more meal.</p> + +<p>"Do not grieve about that," said the gentleman, +and gave him a large, large hornets' nest, full of +hornets, who flew out in swarms and stung any one +whom they were told to sting, until one said "stop!" +to them. Now when the peasant again came to the +old woman, he told her he had a swarm of hornets +who obeyed his commands. "Heavens above!" +cried the woman, "that's something worth while +seeing!" "You may see it without any trouble," +replied the peasant, and at once called: "Out, out, +my hornets and sting the old woman!" And at +once the entire swarm fell upon the old woman, who +began to scream pitifully. She begged the peasant +to please call back his hornets, and said she was only +too willing to give back the rooster and the mill she +had taken.</p> + +<p>The peasant did not object to this; but ordered +his hornets to leave the old woman alone, and fly +back into their house. Then he went home with his<span class="pagenum">[206]</span> +rooster, his mill and his hornets, became a rich man +and lived happily until he died. And he was in the +habit of saying: "They have a big fair in the +devil's place, and you find real decent people there, +and above all, a liberal gentleman, with whom it is a +pleasure to do business."</p> + +<p class="h3">NOTE</p> + +<blockquote><p>In "The Rooster, the Hand-Mill and the Swarm of Hornets" (Mss. record +by Stephens, from Wermland, communicated by Dr. v. Sydow-Lund) +a poor peasant received three splendid gifts in the devil's +place. The rooster who lays gold coins is a widely known magic +bird, and the magic mill is also met with in the North.</p></blockquote><p><span class="pagenum">[207]</span></p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="XXVII" id="XXVII"></a>XXVII</h2> + +<p class="h3">TORRE JEPPE</p> + +<p>In a church-nave a specter sat night by night, and +the specter's name was Torre Jeppe. He was +a dried-up corpse that could not decay. One night +three tailors were working at a farmstead in the +neighborhood. They were laughing and joking, and +among other things they asked the girl in the house, +who was known to be brave, what they would have +to give her to go to church and fetch back Torre +Jeppe. She could trust herself to do it, was her +answer; but they must give her a dress of home-spun +wool for her trouble. That she should surely +have, said the tailors, for they did not believe the +girl would dare such a venture. Yet she took the +tailors at their word and really went.</p> + +<p>When she reached the church, she took Torre +Jeppe on her back, carried him home and sat him +down on the bench beside the tailors. They timidly +moved away; but Torre Jeppe moved after them, +and looked at them with his big eyes until they nearly +lost their reason. In their terror they begged +the girl in the name of God to deliver them from the<span class="pagenum">[208]</span> +specter. They would gladly give her another dress +if she would only carry the dead man away again. +They had no need to tell her twice, for she took +Torre Jeppe on her back, and dragged him away +again.</p> + +<p>But when she tried to set him down in the place +where she had found him, he did not want to let her +go; but clasped his arms firmly about her neck. In +vain she said to him several times: "Torre Jeppe, +let me go!" At last he said: "I will not let you +go until you promise me that you will go this very +night to the brook and ask three times: 'Anna +Perstochter, do you forgive Torre Jeppe?'" The +girl promised to do as he said, and he at once released +her. The brook was a good mile off; but she +went there and asked three times in a loud voice, +as she had promised: "Anna Perstochter, do you +forgive Torre Jeppe?" And when she had called +the third time a woman's voice replied from out of +the water: "If God has forgiven him, then I, too, +forgive him!"</p> + +<p>When the girl came back to the church Torre +Jeppe asked eagerly: "What did she say?" +"Well, if God has forgiven you, then she, too, will +forgive you!" Then Torre Jeppe thanked her and +said: "Come back again before sunrise, and you +shall receive your reward for the service you have +done me." The girl went back at sunrise, and in the<span class="pagenum">[209]</span> +place where the phantom had been sitting she found +a bushel of silver coin. In addition she received the +two dresses promised her by the tailors. But Torre +Jeppe was never seen again.</p> + +<p class="h3">NOTE</p> + +<blockquote><p>"Torre Jeppe" (retold and communicated by Dr. v. Sydow-Lund, +after mss. version of Hyltén-Cavallius and Stephens) is a ghost-story +founded on the old belief that a wrong done torments the doer even +after death, that he tried to atone for it, and that then only can he +enter on his eternal rest.</p></blockquote><p><span class="pagenum">[210]</span></p> + +<hr class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="XXVIII" id="XXVIII"></a>XXVIII</h2> + +<p class="h3">THE MAN WHO DIED ON HOLY INNOCENTS' DAY</p> + +<p>Once upon a time there was a man named Kalle +Kula. He was a wild fellow, and had committed +many a grievous crime during his life. When +he came to die, and his wife took up the Bible to pray +for him as he was lying there, he said, "No, this is +Holy Innocents' Day, and it is not worth while reading +from the Bible for me. You had better go into +the kitchen instead, and bake waffles. I shall die +this very day, and then you must lay a bundle of +waffles in my coffin." The woman went into the +kitchen and baked the waffles; but when she came +back to him again he was dead. So Kalle Kula was +laid in the coffin with a bundle of waffles beside him.</p> + +<p>Then he came to the gates of Paradise with his +little bundle of waffles under his arm and knocked. +But St. Peter said to him: "You have no business +here, with all the crimes you have committed." +"Yes, that may well be so, but I died on Holy Innocents' Day," +said Kalle Kula, "so at least I may +look in and see the innocent children?" St. Peter +could not refuse him, and opened the door a little +way. Kalle Kula took advantage of the moment<span class="pagenum">[211]</span> +and cried: "Come, you little holy innocents, you +shall have waffles!" And as they had not been +given any waffles in Paradise, they all came rushing +up, so that the door flew wide open, and then Kalle +Kula crept in.</p> + +<p>But St. Peter went to our Lord, told him what +had happened, and asked what was to be done. +"The best thing is to let your lawyer attend to it," +said our Lord, "because lawyers usually know all +about evicting people." St. Peter searched everywhere, +but could not find a lawyer. Then he went +back to our Lord and reported to him that it was +impossible to find a single lawyer in all Paradise, +and Kalle Kula was allowed to remain where he was.</p> + +<p>If you tie a thief and a miller and a lawyer together +and roll the whole bundle down a hill—no +matter how you roll it—you can always be sure that +whoever is on top is a thief.</p> + +<p class="h3">NOTE</p> + +<blockquote><p>This story, part fairy-tale, part legend, "The Man Who Died on +Holy Innocents' Day" (communicated by Dr. v. Sydow-Lund) has a +Danish variant. Its innocently malicious humor is worthy of +Gottfried Keller.</p></blockquote> + +<p class="h3">THE END</p> + +</div> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Swedish Fairy Book, by Various + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SWEDISH FAIRY BOOK *** + +***** This file should be named 37193-h.htm or 37193-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/7/1/9/37193/ + +Produced by David Edwards, Matthew Wheaton and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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