These are the footnotes referred too in Epitome of German Mythology, Part 1. and Part 2.
1.Of Gefion, and the obligation under which the Danes lie to her, there is the following tradition. A king named Gylfi once reigned over the lands now called Sweden. Of him it is related that he gave a wandering woman, who had diverted him by her song, as much land as four oxen could plough in a day and a night. This woman was of the race of the AEsir, and named Gefiun. She took four oxen from the north, from Jotunheim, who were her own sons by a Jotun, and set them before the plough, which penetrated so deeply that it loosened a part of the land, which the oxen drew out to sea westwards, until they stopt in a certain sound, where Gefum fixed the land, and gave it the name of Saelund.Where the land was ploughed up a lake formed itself, called in Sweden Laugr, now the Malar lake. And the bays and creeks in the lake correspond to the promontories of Seeland. King Gylfi was a wise man and of great knowledge. He wondered much that the AEsir folk were so wise that everything went as they willed. He considered whether it might proceed from their nature, or be caused by the divine powers whom they worshiped. He undertook a journey to Asgard, and travelled in disguise, having assumed the likeness of an aged man ; and was thus concealed. But the AEsir were too wise in possessing fore-knowledge, and knew of his journey ere he came, and received him with illusions. So when he came into the city he perceived a hall so lofty that he could hardly see over it. Its roof was covered with gilded shields, like a shingle roof. Gylfi saw a man at the hall gates playing with small swords, of which he had seven at a time in the air. This man inquired his name. His name, he said, was Gangleri, that he had come a tedious way, and requested a nights lodging. He then asked to whom the hall belonged. The man answered that it was their king’s: but I will attend you to see him, you can then yourself ask him his name. Thereupon the man turned into the hall followed by Gangleri, and instantly the gate was closed at their heels. He there saw many apartments and many people; some at games, some drinking, some fighting with weapons. He then looked about, and saw many things that seemed to him incredible: whereupon he said to himself:
Every gate, for tis hard to know
ere thou goest forward, where foes sit
shalt thou inspect ; in the dwelling. (Havamal, Str. 1.)
Here he saw three thrones, one above another, and a man sitting on each. He then asked what the name of each chieftain might be. His conductor answered, that he who sat on the lowest throne was a king and named Har (High); that the next was named Jafnhar (Equally high) ; and that the highest of all was called Thrithi (Third). Har then asked the comer what further business he had ; adding, that he was entitled to meat and drink, like all in Hava-hall. He answered, that he would first inquire whether any sagacious man were there? Har told him that he would not come off whole, unless he proved himself the wiser: but stand forth while thou makst inquiry: tis for him to sit who answers. Gangleri then began his speech. The questions and answers that follow constitute what is called Snorri's, or the Prose, or the Younger Edda. In the Gylfaginning they are called Har, the High; Jafnhar, the Equally High; and pri$i, the Third. The first and last of these are also surnames of Odin it might otherwise seem probable, that here, where they are opposed to King Gylfi, and the scene lies in Sweden, the three chief gods worshiped at Upsala, Odin, Thor, and Frey, were intended.
2. A short poem, in Old High German, of the ninth or tenth century, discovered a few years since at Merseburg by Dr. Waitz, and published by Dr. J. Grimm, has for subject the horse of Phol, whom Grimm, with great probability, takes to be identical with Baldur. As the anecdote it contains does not appear in either Edda, though the tradition, as will presently be seen, has been, and probably still is, current not only in the North and the Netherlands, but also in this island, I do not hesitate in giving the entire poem together with its more modern paraphrases.
Phol endi Wodan, Phol and Woden
vuorun zi holza: went to the wood;
du wart demo Balderes volon, then was of Balder s colt
sin vuoz birenkit; his foot wrenched;
thu biguolen Sinthgunt, then Sinthgunt charmed it,
Sunna era suister: and Sunna her sister;
thu biguolen Frua, then Frua charmed it,
Volla era suister; and Volla her sister;
thu biguolen Wodan, then Woden charmed it,
so he wola conda, as he well could,
sose benrenki, as well the bone-wrench,
sose bluotrenki, as the blood-wrench,
sose lidirenki; as the joint-wrench ;
ben zi bena, bone to bone,
bluot zi bluoda, blood to blood,
lid zi geliden, joint to joint,
sose gelimida sin. as if they were glued together.
Under the following christianized form it appears in Norway:
Jesus reed sig til Heede, Jesus rode to the heath,
der reed han syndt (sender Folebeen. ) There he rode the leg of his colt in two.
Jesus stigede af og tegte det; Jesus dismounted and healed it ;
Jesus lagde Marv i Marv, Jesus laid marrow to marrow,
Ben i Ben, Kjod i Kjod; Bone to bone, flesh to flesh ;
Jesus lagde derpaa et Blad, Jesus laid thereon a leaf,
At det skulde blive i samme stad. That it might remain in the same place.
In Asbjornsen s Norske Huldreeventyr (i. 45) an old Norwegian Crone inapplies the veterinary remedy to a young man's sprained ankle, in the following formula muttered over a glass of brandy:
Jeg red mig engang igjennem et Led, I once was riding through a gate,
Saa fik min sorte Fole Vred; When my black colt got a sprain ;
Saa satte jeg Kjbd mod Kjod og So, I set flesh to flesh and blood to blood,
Blod mod Blod, Saa blev min sorte Fole god. So my black colt got well.
From Norway the horse-remedy most probably found its way to Shetland, where; when a person has received a sprain, it is customary to apply to an individual practised in casting the wresting thread. This is a thread spun from black wool, on which are cast nine knots, and tied round a sprained leg or arm. During the time the operator is putting the thread round the affected limb, he says, but in such a tone of voice as not to be heard by the bystanders, nor even by the person operated upon :
The Lord rade, Set joint to joint,
And the foal slade ; Bone to bone,
He lighted, And sinew to sinew.
And he righted ; Heal in the Holy Ghost's name !
In Sweden against the horse distemper, flog, we find:
Oden star pa borget, Odin stands on the mountain,
han sporger efter sin fole, He inquires after his colt,
floget har han fatt. He has got the flog.
Spotta i din hand och i hans raun, Spit in thy hand and eke in his mouth,
han skall fa hot i samma stund. He shall be cured in the same hour.
See Jacob Grimm, Ueber zwei entdeckte Gedichte aus der Zeit des Deutschen Heidenthums, Berlin, 1812, 4to ; and
Deutsche Mythologie, p. 1181 ; also Popular Rhymes, &c. of Scotland, by Robert Chambers, p. 37, Edinb. 1842. A similar formula is known in the Netherlands, but which Grimm was unable to give. An attempt by the present editor to procure it from Belgium has, he regrets to say, also proved unsuccessful.
3. FORSETI, a son of Baldur and Nanna , Nefs (Nep’s) daughter, dwells in the heavenly mansion called Glitnir, which is supported on gold, and roofed with silver. He settles all quarrels, and neither gods nor men know any better judgements than his. The inhabitants of Heligoland were especially devoted to the worship of Forseti, from whom the isle itself bore the name of Fosetisland, i. e. Forseti’s land. It was held so sacred by the natives, and by mariners and pirates, that no one dared to touch any animal that grazed on it, nor even to draw water from the well unless in silence. Hence no doubt its appellation of Heilig (holy) land.
4. At Siseby on the Slei there dwelt a woman who was a sorceress and could change the wind. The Sleswig herringfishers used frequently to land there. Once when they would return to Sleswig, the wind being west, they requested the woman to change it. She agreed to do so for a dish of fish. She then gave them a cloth with three knots, telling them they might undo the first and the second, but not the third until they had reached land. The men spread their sails, although the wind was west ; but no sooner had the oldest of the party undone the first knot, than there came a beautiful fair wind from the east. On undoing the second knot they had storm, and arrived at the city with the utmost speed. They were now curious to know what would follow if they undid the third knot; but no sooner had they done so than a violent hurricane assailed them from the west, so that they were obliged to leap into the water, in order to draw their vessel on shore.
5. The subterranean folk have not yellow hair. Those alluded to above must be the moss-folk and woodwives, who resemble children of three years; and are friendly to mankind.
6. In the neighbourhood of Ostrel a man served at a farm, the mistress of which unknown to him was a witch. Although she gave him good and wholesome food, he never thrived, but became thinner every day. At this being much troubled, he went to a wise man, to whom he communicated his case. From this man he learned that his mistress was a witch, and that at night, while he slept, she transformed him into a horse, and rode upon him to Troms church in Norway ; so that it was not to be wondered at that his strength decreased. The wise man at the same time gave him an ointment with which to rub his head at night ; then when he fell asleep he would have a violent itching on his head, when he would wake and see that he was standing outside of Troms church. The man did as he had been directed, and on waking the followingnight, he was standing by Troms church holding a bridle in his hand, which he had torn off in scratching his head ; and behind him he saw many horses bound together by each other's tail. When he had for some time stood thus without the church door, his mistress came out and cast a friendly look at him; but he nodded for her to come nearer, and when she came he cast the bridle over her head, when instantly she was transformed into a handsome mare. He then mounted the mare and rode homewards. On his way he called at a farries and caused him to put four new shoes on the mare. On reaching home, he told his master that he had been out to buy a capital mare, which would go well with the one he already had. The master bought her of him for a good round sum ; but when he took the bridle off, the mare disappeared and the mistress stood in her place with new horseshoes on her hands and feet. Then the man related all that had taken place; the wife was in consequence turned out of doors and never got the horseshoes off her hands and feet.
7. There was a miller whose mill was burnt down on two successive Whitsun-eves. In the third year, just before Whitsuntide, he had a tailor in his house to make holyday clothes.
"I wonder how it will go with the mill this time; whether it will be burnt again to-night," said the miller.
"You need not fear that,'' said the tailor, " give me the key, and I will keep watch in it."
This seemed to the miller both good and highly acceptable; and when it drew towards evening the tailor got the key and went to the mill, which was still empty, having but just been rebuilt. So placing himself in the middle of the floor, he chalked round him a large circle, on the outside of which he wrote the Paternoster; and thus fortified, would not have feared if the arch-enemy himself had made his appearance. In the dead of the night the door suddenly flew open, and there came in such a multitude of black cats, that the place literally swarmed. But a short time had elapsed when they set a large earthen a lire under it, so that it began frying and hissing in the pot as if it were full of boiling pitch and tar.
"Oho” thought the tailor, "is that what you are after."
And scarcely had he given utterance to the thought when one of the cats put its paw behind the pot and tried to upset it.
"Whisht cat, you burn yourself ! " cried the tailor.
"Whisht cat, you burn yourself! the tailor says,'” said the cat to the other cats, and all ran from the chimney, and began hopping and dancing round the circle; but in the meanwhile the cat again sneaked to the chimney and endeavoured to upset the pot.
"Whisht cat, you burn yourself !'' cried the tailor, and drove it from the chimney.
"Whisht cat, you burn yourself, the tailor says," said the cat to the other cats, and all began dancing and hopping again, but in a moment the same cat was away trying a third time to overturn the pot.
"Whisht cat, you burn yourself !" cried the tailor in a rage, and so terrified them that they tumbled one over another, and then began to jump and dance as before. They then formed a circle without the tailor's circle, and began dancing round it with an ever-increasing velocity, till at length it seemed to the tailor that everything was whirling round before him. All this while the cats were staring at him with their large, fierce eyes, as if they would swallow him. While they were in the thick of it, the cat that had tried to upset the pot, put her paw within the circle, as if she felt inclined to seize hold of the tailor, but who seeing her design, drew out his knife and stood on his guard. After a few moments the cat again put her paw within the ring, when the tailor in one instant chopped it off; and all the cats took to their heels, screaming and howling, as speedily as they could, and left the tailor in quiet possession of the field. The tailor then lay down in the circle till long after the sun had been shining in upon him. He then rose, locked the mill-door and proceeded to the miller’s house. When he entered the room the miller and his wife were still in bed, it being Whit-sunday.
"Good morning," said the tailor, giving the miller his hand.
"Good morning,'' said the miller in return, and was both glad and surprised to see the tailor again.
"Good morning, mother,'' said he, holding out his hand to the miller's wife.
"Good morning," said she, but appeared pale and sorrowful, and kept her hand under the bed-clothes, but at last offered him her left hand. The tailor now saw how matters stood; but what afterwards took place is not said.
The North-German story, Die Katzenmuhle, closely resembles the above, but is much simpler. The Norwegian one is probably embellished by the author, from whose work it is extracted.
8. THE SEVERED HAND.
In Eiderstedt there was a miller who had the misfortune to have his mill burnt every Christmas eve. He had, however, a courageous servant who undertook to keep watch in the mill on that portentous night. He kindled a blazing tire and made himself a good kettleful of porridge, which he stirred about with a large ladle. He had an old sabre lying by him. Ere long there came a whole regiment of cats into the mill, and he heard one say in a low tone to another :” Mousekin ! go and sit by Hanskin ! “ and a beautiful milk-white cat came creeping softly to him and would place herself by his side. At this, taking a ladleful of the scalding porridge, he dashed it in her face, then seizing the sabre, he cut off one of her paws. The cats now all disappeared. On looking at the paw more attentively, he found, instead of a paw, that it was a woman’s delicate hand, with a gold ring on one of the fingers, whereon was his master’ s cypher. Next morning the miller's wife lay in bed and would not rise.
“ Give me thy hand, wife !” said the miller. At first she refused, but was obliged at length to hold out her mutilated limb. When the authorities got intelligence of this event, the woman was burnt for a witch.
9. In the pines branches are often found quite curled together, having almost the appearance of nests.
When it rains, persons should be careful not to pass under such branches ; for whoever is touched with a rain-drop from one of these nests will in the night be oppressed with the Murraue. Of persons whose eyebrows grow together they say he (or she) is a Murraue. Murraues are both male and female, and are always Sunday's children. If a Murraue presses any one, he must say he will give it something; it will then come on the following day and fetch the present. The Murraue creeps up the body of the sleeper. Its weight is first felt on the feet, then on the belly, and lastly on the breast, when the sufferer can no longer move a limb. If the patient by chance surmises who it is, he must instantly address it by name; it must then make its retreat. If the sufferer supposes it to be an acquaintance, he needs only to call it by name, and it will appear bodily. It is good against the nightmare, when going to bed, to turn one’s shoes with the toes outward from the bed. When there are seven boys or seven girls in a family, one is a nightmare, unknown to him- (or her-)self
10. THE SPECTRE AT GRAMM.
The countess Anna Sophia Schack became a widow at an early age. At Gramm she passed a life of dissipation and licentiousness,, and finally sold her soul to the devil. After a certain number of years the fiend was to fetch her away on an appointed evening, as soon as the wax light on the table should be burnt out. At Gramm things now went on more madly than ever. The appointed evening at length came, and the wax light was standing before the countess, who was now seized with unutterable anguish. She sent for the clergyman and to him communicated her secret. He advised her to extinguish the light and cause the little piece remaining to be enclosed within the east wall of the church. This was done, and the evil one had no power over her. Shortly after a fire broke out in the church. It was early in the morning, and the countess was still in bed when the intelligence reached her. On hearing it she instantly sprang up, and in her light morning attire and without shoes hurried to the church, which stood about a mile and a quarter distant from her dwelling. By her earnest entreaties and promises she encouraged the people to extinguish the fire, so that at least the east wall might be preserved. From that time the countess became an altered person; her cheerfulness and good humour had fied and given place to a gnawing sorrow which brought her to the grave. But at midnight a beautiful female form in snow-white attire is seen in the castle, wringing her hands, with downcast, anxious countenance, pacing incessantly from one apartment to another, and at last stopping in the upper saloon of the centre building, where, standing for some minutes before the fire-place, she gazes motionless on some bloodspots, and then vanishes. A young countess, who in later times was on a visit to Gramm, was, while sitting at the harpsichord, so terrified by the apparition that she shortly after died. No one enters the old mansion without
shuddering.
11. THE DEVIL OF NEDERBRAEKEL.
The servant of a rich farmer having spent all his money, came towards home one evening reeling with drunkenness. Dark thoughts passed through the brain of the miserable being, who dreaded both the cudgel of his master and the consequences of an empty pocket. In his weak but excited state of mind he resolved to sell his soul to the devil, in the hope of escape from so dreary a prospect; and on reaching a cross-way, he summoned all the devils, and swore that his soul was for sale. A devil came, but told him that he could not attain his object unless he previously offered a black hen to the prince of the infernal realms, which he promised to do. For this purpose, when the clock struck twelve at night was the time appointed. When the awful hour approached the man stood ready with the black
hen, which he had stolen from his master, under his frock, and hardly had the clock struck the first stroke, before all the devils made their appearance. Their chief stepping forwards, took the hen, which the man drew forth trembling. The bargain was now concluded, and as an acknowledgement of the agreement, the man was required to set his signature in blood in a little book that the devil had brought with him. The man on his return was not reprimanded by his master, and his pockets were never empty. Whenever he put his hand in he drew forth a piece of seventy-five cents, with which he paid his reckoning, when he had been drinking in an alehouse. Once when he was watching his masters sheep, they, through his heedlessness, ran into a neighbours field, where they did serious injury to the corn. This the peasant, to whom the land belonged, had witnessed, and came running with the intention of inflicting chastisement on the shepherd for the damage done. The latter was too well aware of the bodily strength of the peasant not to feel terrified; but the craft of the devil came to help him out of his peril. Both shepherd and sheep were transformed into dung-heaps before the peasant could reach the spot, where he stood staring about him in the utmost astonishment. Thus did he continue to live; but the five years, at the expiration of which the devil was to become possessor of his soul, were nearly ended, and the seller dreaded nothing more than that moment. What does he do? He goes to the priest of Nederbraekel, to whom he makes a full confession. The priest, naturally welldisposed to rescue an erring Christian soul from the fire of hell, causes him first to perform an act of penitence, and then tells him to come to him on the following day, being the dreaded day of settlement. The man had hardly been an hour in the house of the holy pastor, before a great noise of chains and devilry was heard in the chimney. The man, who was sitting close beneath, was seized with unutterable terror, and not without cause ; for he was lifted on high, and seemed for ever lost ; but the priest, who had founded his hope on the efficacy of his prayers, cast himself promptly on his knees and repeated the gospel of St. John. The man in the mean while being incessantly cast up and down, fell at length, half dead with fright, miserably bruised and bloody, to the ground, with the little book by his side; and the devil was away and continued away.
12.: WOUNDS, DISEASES, ETC.
If a person has wounded himself, let him cut in an upward direction a piece off from a branch of a fruit-tree, and apply it to the recent wound, so that the blood may adhere to it, and then lay it in some part of the house where it is quite dark, when the bleeding will cease. (Mellin.) A charm against pain from a wound (Swinemunde):
Christus lag und schlief, Christ lay and slept,
seine Wunden waren tief, his wounds were deep,
sie kellten nicht, they pained not,
sie schwellten nicht, they swelled not
also sollen diese Wunden auch sein., so shall these wounds also be.
I. N. G. d. V. u. s. w., In the name, etc.
Another:
Heil sind die Wunden, Whole are the wounds,
heil sind die Stunden, whole are the hours,
heilig ist der Tag, holy is the day,
da Wunden und Wehtag schach. when the wounds and illness befell.
I. N. G. u. s. w., In the name, etc.
When a limb has been amputated, the charmer takes a twig from a broom, presses the wound together with it, wraps it in the bloody linen, and lays it in a dry place, saying:
Unserm Herrn Christus seine Wunden, The wounds of our Lord Christ,
die werden nicht verbunden, they are not bound,
aber diese Wunden, die werden verbunden. but these wounds, they are bound
I. N. G. u. s. w. In the name, etc.
(Swinemunde.)
(Swinemunde.)
If any one has a cut-wound, let it be bound with adhesive plaster, cooled with vinegar and water, and the followingwords be uttered :
Du Blut des Lebens halte an, Thou blood of life, stop !
wie Christus stand am Kreuzesstamm, as Christ stood at the cross’s stem,
halt an clu Blut die Ader dein, stop, thou blood, thy vein,
weil Christus stand am Kreuzesstamm. because Christ stood at the cross’s stem.
I. N. G. u. s. w. In the name, etc.
(Swinemunde.)
(Swinemunde.)
To stanch blood (Swinemunde).
Ich ging iiber cine Briicke, I went over a bridge under which
worunter drei Strome liefen, three streams ran,
der erste hiess Gut, the first was called Gut,
der zweite hiess Blut, the second was called Blut (blood),
der dritte hiess Eipipperjahn; the third was called Eipipperjahn;
Blut du sollst stille stahn. blood, thou shalt stand still.
I. N. G. u. s. \v. (Dreimal.) In the name, etc. (thrice.)
Another (Melliri):
Es gingen drei Jungfern hohlen Weg, There went three maidens the hollow way,
die erste nahm das runde, the first took the round,
die zweite nahm das trull, the second took the trull,
die dritte driickt es nieder, the third pressed it down,
dass es nicht komme wieder. that it may not come again.
I. N. G. u. s. w. In the name, etc.
When a person has an ague, he must go to the churchyard, and there take a bone from a grave. This, between eleven and twelve o clock at night, when all is quiet, he must burn in silence, and drink the coal in water: he will then get rid of the fever. (Nahmitz.)
When a person has an ague, he must go into the forest, walk round an oak, and say:
Goden abend du gode olle, Good evening, thou good one old,
Ick brenge di dat warme un dat kolle. I bring thee the warm and the cold.
The fever will then depart. (Mittelmark.)
Or he may go to a river, dip the right foot in, and say:
In dies Wasser tret ich, In this water step I,
Christi Blut anbet ich, Christ s blood adore I,
dies Wasser und Christi, Blut this water and Christ's blood
ist fur das sieben und sieben-zigsterlei fieber gut. is for the seventy-seventh fever good.
This must be spoken thrice in the name of God, and water at the same time taken from the river and drunk: the fever will then go away. (Swinemunde.)
To write away an ague. Write the following on a leaf:
Der Fuchs ohne Lungen, The fox without lungs,
der Storch ohne Zungen, the stork without tongue,
die Taube ohne Gall, the dove without gall
hilft fiir das sieben und sieben- zigsterlei fieber all. help for the seven and seventieth fever all
If this leaf be worn round the neck, the fever will keep away.
For the Zahnrose (Erysipelas in the teeth). (Raueri).
Es kam eine Jungfer aus Engelland, There came a maiden from Engelland
eine Rose trug sie in ihrer Hand, a rose she carried in her hand,
bis die Sonne untergang, when the sun went down,
die sieben und siebsigsterlei Zahnrose verschwand. the seven and seventieth zahnrose disappeared.
(A fever probably that was to be allowed to continue for seventy-seven days before it was checked by the spell.)
For the Ililge (eruption) and the Rose (erysipelas) it is good to stroke them downwards, blow thrice on the cross, and say:
Es gingen drei Jungfern auf grunen Wegen, There went three maidens on the green ways,
die eine pfliickt die Blimien ab, the first gathered flowers,
die zweite pfliickt die Liljen ab, the second gathered lilies,
die dritte trieb das Ililge unde die Rose ab the third drove away the hilge and the rose. (Swinemunde.)
To cure the Hose. Silently, and as well if after sunset, the wise man enters and examines the Rose, whether it is a running, brand or white Rose, and says accordingly:
Rose Brand (lanfende, weisse), Rose Brand (running, white),
ick bote di, I expel thee,
Im namen Gottes verstrikst du di, in God s name betake thee hence.
I. N. G. u. s. w. In the name, etc.
At the same time making the sign of the cross three times over the diseased part. This he must repeat on three several days. It is particularly good to do it on Fridays. Camern.
To allay the Hilg; (MS. from Swinemiinde).
Es gingen drei Jungfern an einen Berg, There went three maidens to a hill,
Der eine hat es schmal, the one had it narrow,
der audre hat es platt. the other had it flat.
I. N. G. u. s. w. In the name, etc.
To allay the tooth-ache (MS. from Swinemiinde).
Du sollst nicht weh thun, Thou shalt not ache,
du sollst nicht schellen, thou shalt not break (scale, shell off),
du sollst nicht schwellen, thou shalt not swell,
du sollst nicht ritten, thou shalt not torture (tear, rend),
du sollst nicht splitten, thou shalt not split,
du sollst nicht weh thun. thou shalt not ache.
I. N. G. u. s. w. In the name, etc.
When a person has tooth-ache, let him go and complain to a tree, by preference to a peartree. This is to be done by taking hold of the tree, going thrice round it, and saying:
Birnbaum, ich klage dir, Peartree, I complain to thee,
drei Wiirmer die stechen mir; three worms sting me ;
der einer ist grau, the one is grey,
der andre ist blaue, the second is blue,
der dritte ist roth, the third is red,
ich wollte wiinschen sie waren alle drei todt. I would wish they were all three dead.
I. N. G. u. s. w. In the name, etc.
For the ringworm or tetter (Paretz). Go to a yellow willow, stroke the tetter thrice with one of its branches, and say:
Die Zeter und die Weide, The tetter and the willow,
die wollten beide streiten, they would both contend,
die Weide, die gewann, the willow, it won,
die Zeter, die verschwand. the tetter it vanished.
I. N. G. u s, w . In the name, etc.
Or (Swinemunde),
Die Flechte und die Weide, The ringworm and the willow
gingen beid im Streite, both entered into strife,
die Weide, die verging, the willow it decayed,
die Flechte, die verschwindt. the tetter disappeared.
Or,
Der Mond und die Flecht, The moon and the ringworm,
die liegen beid im Recht, they were both at strife,
die Flechte und der Mond, the ringworm and the moon
fingen beide an zu gehn, began both to go,
der Mond, der gewann, the moon he won
die Flechte, die verschwand. the ringworm disappeared.
For a fire (MS. from Swinemunde).
Es gingen drei Heiligen wohl iiber das Land, There went three holy men over the land,
da begegnet ihnen der hollische Feuerbrand. there they met with a hellish fire.
Er spracli : Du sollst weichen, He said, Thou shalt withdraw,
und der Schaden soil schleichen. and the harm shall slink away.
I. N. G. n. s. w. (Dreimal.) In the name, etc. (thrice.)
To allay the pain of a burn (MS. from Swinemunde).
Es gingen drei heiligen Wehtag There went three holy men
auf einen schmalen Weg, upon a narrow way,
der eine pfliickt das Laub vom Baum, the one pluck d the leaves from the tree,
der andre pfluckt das Gras vom Weg, the second pluckd the grass from the way,
der dritte nahm die Wehtag weg. the third took the malady away.
I. N. G. u. s. w. In the name, etc.
When a person has burnt himself, he must stroke the part upwards thrice, and say: (Swinemiinde.)
Wie hoch ist der Haben, As the heaven is high,
wie roth ist der Krebs, as the crayfish is red,
wie kalt is die Todtenhand, as the dead hand is cold,
darnit stille ich den Brand. therewith still I the burn.
I. N. G. u. s. w In the name, etc.
For the Stot (disorder of the eye, sty ?).
Take in silence a little stone from the field, press it on the eye, and lay it afterwards in the place whence it was taken. During the operation say thrice:
Take in silence a little stone from the field, press it on the eye, and lay it afterwards in the place whence it was taken. During the operation say thrice:
Es gingen drei Jungfern auf grunen Wegen, There went three maidens on the green ways,
die eine hob die Steine aus den Wegen, one lifted the stones out of the ways,
die zweite hob das Laub vom Baum, the second gather d the leaves from the tree,
die dritte hob das Stot aus dem Auge. the third removed the stot from the eye.
I. N. G. u.s.w. In the name, etc.
(Swinemiinde.)
(Swinemiinde.)
To charm away the gout. Let the patient completely strip himself before sunrise or after sunset, and say :
Die reissende, laufende Gicht, Thou tearing, running (flying) gout,
ich bescliwbre dich bei dem hoch Gericht, I conjure thee by the highest tribunal
ich beschwore dich bei dem hochsten Mann, I conjure thee by the highest man,
der dir die reissende, laufende Gicht stillen kann. who the tearing, running gout can allay.
For dizziness (MS. from Swinemunde).
Der Himmel ist hoch, The heaven is high,
die Wolken sind hell, the clouds are clear,
so wie sich der Himmel tzertheilt, so as the heaven dissolves,
zertheilt sich der Schwindel im augenblick und schnell. shall the dizziness dissolve in moment and quickly.
I. N. G.U.S.W. In the name, etc.
To stanch blood
.
.
Auf unserm Herrn Gott sein Haupt, On the head of our Lord God
da blühen drei Rosen, there bloom three roses,
die erste ist seine Tugend, the first is his virtue,
die zweite ist seine Jugend, the second is his youth,
die dritte ist sein Will. the third is his will.
Blut, steh du in der Wunde still, Blood, stand thou in the wound still,
dass du weder geschwiire noch eiterbeulen gebest. so that thou neither sore nor abscess givest.
I. N. G. u. s. w. In the name, etc.
Or,
Bloet sta still! Blood, stand still!
na uns Herr Christus syn Will. after our Lord Christus will.
Im namen Gottes des Vaters und Sohn: In the name of God the Father and Son :
nu steit dat Bloet schon. now the blood already stops.
Or,
Ich sage dir, Blut, stehe still, I say to thee, blood, stand still,
es ist Maria ihr Will, it is Mary's will,
es ist Maria ihr Begehr, it is Mary's desire,
steh du mir nun und immermehr. stand thou now and evermore.
I. N. G. u. s. w. In the name, etc.
For (Mord) apoplexy.
Mord, du best haer daelschlaen : Apoplexy, thou hast struck her down:
unse Herr Christus segt, our Lord Christ sayeth,
du schast wedder upstaen. thou again shalt rise.
Or,
Uns Herr Christus un de Moert, Our Lord Christ and the apoplexy
de giingen tosamen doer en enge Poert. went together through a narrow gate.
Uns Herr Christus der gewann, Our Lord Christ won,
de Schlag und de Moert verschwand. the stroke and apoplexy disappeared.
For the gout. Take hold of an oak, or a young shoot of one already felled (Ekenhessen), and say:
Ekenhessen, ik klag dy, Oak-shoot, I to thee complain,
all de ryten Gicht de plagt my. all the torturing gout plagues me.
Ik kann dar nich far gaen, I cannot for it go,
du kannst damit bestaen. thou canst stand it.
Den eersten Vagel, de sewer dy nugt, The first bird that flies above thee,
den gif dat mit in de Flucht, to him give it in his flight,
de naem dafc mit in de Lucht. let him take it with him in the air.
I. N. G. u. s. w. In the name, etc.
For the rickets.
Engelsche Krankheit verswinn, English malady disappear,
wie de Dau an de Sunn, like the dew in the sun,
wie de Kukuk vbr den Saevenstern. like the cuckoo before the seven stars (The ursa major).
For tetters.
De Hechel un de Flechel, The hatchel and the ringworm,
de gingen all beid sewer enStechel. they both wrent over a stile.
De Hechel de gewunn, The hatchel won,
un de Flechel verswunn. and the ringworm disappeared.
I. N. G. u. s. w., In the name, etc.
For the tinea or scald head (Barmgrund). Fetch water in silence, wash the head with it lukewarm, saying,
So standen drei Madchen wohl vor dem Brunn, So stood three maidens before the well,
de ene de wusch, de ander de wrung. the one, she washed, the second, she wrung.
Darin ist verdrunken en Katt un en Hunt, Therein were drowned a cat and a dog,
damit verdryw ik dy den Barmgrunt. therewith I drive away thee, the barmgrund.
Or, more intelligibly. To eradicate this eruption, let a person wash himself in a puddle, in which it is usual to drown dogs and cats, and repeat the formula: In this water, in which many a cat and dog has been drowned, do I mitigate the barmgrund.
For the erysipelas (Helldink).
Ik segg : Helldink, Helldink, I say : Helldink, Helldink,
du schast ni staken, thou shalt not prick,
du schast ni braken. thou shalt not break.
Helldink, Helldink, Helldink, Helldink,
du schast ni kellen, thou shalt not torment,
du schast ni schwellen. thou shalt not swell.
Dat schast du ny doen, That shalt thou never do,
Dat schast du ny doen. That shalt thou never do.
Or,
Peter un Paul gingen sewert Moer. Peter and Paul went over a moor.
Wat begegen aer daer? What met them there ?
Helldink, Helldink Helldink, Helldink.
Helldink, wo wullt du hin? Helldink, whither wilt thou?
Na n Dorp. To the village.;
Wat wullt du daer? What wilt thou there?
Kellen un schwellen un wee doen. Torment and swell and cause pain.
Dat schast du ny doen. That thou shalt not do.
Dat befael ik dy in Gottes Namen. That I command thee in God’s name.
Or,
Hildink, ik ra dy. Helldink, I counsel thee.
Ra ik dy nicli seer, If I counsel thee not much,
so jag ik dy noch vael meer. yet I drive thee away much more.
I. N. G. u. s. w. In the name, etc.
This is to be said thrice, after a pause thrice again, and after a second pause thrice again. At each time the diseased part is to be blown on crosswise.
Or:
instead of blowing crosswise, fire may be struck with flint and steel in a cross direction:
Ilier schrief ik enen Rink, Here mark I a ring,
Ilier schrief ik enen Rink, Here mark I a ring,
mit en stalern Messer. with a steel knife.
De Rink is sunt, The ring is whole,
dat hildink verschwund. the helldink has disappeared.
Or,
Rode Ros un witte Ros, Red rose and white rose,
dunkle Ros un helle Ros, dark rose and light rose,
verswinn, vanish,
wie de Dau vor de Sunn. like the dew before the sun.
For the Bellrose.
Petrus und Paulus, Peter and Paul,
gingen net Kruet te soken; went out plants to seek;
daer wollen se de Ros mit verteen, there they would take the rose,
de Kelleros, de Schwelleros , the paining-rose, the swellingrose,
de Stakeros, de Brakeros, the pricking-rose, the breakingrose,
de Blatteros; the leafy rose ;
awer aliens wollen se damit verteen. but they would take away all with them.
I. N. G. u. s. w. In the name, etc.
For an excrescence. Lay the finger on it but without looking at it, and say:
Was ich seh, das wachst, What I see, that waxes,
was ich [nicht] seh, das vergeht. what I see not, that decays.
I. N. G. u. s. w. In the name, etc.
For warts there is but one remedy ; they are to be got rid of only in moonshine. During the moon’s increase go into the open air, look steadfastly at the moon, and stroke with the hand over the warts, saying these words:
Was ich ansehe, nimmt zu, What I look on increases,
was ich iiberstreiche, nimmt ab. what I stroke over decreases.
For a whitlow. Not to be uttered too rapidly, and only once each time.
De Adel un de Stoel, The whitlow and the stool,
de gungen beid an enen Poel. they went both to a pool.
De Adel de verswunn, The whitlow it disappeared,
de Stoel de gewunn. the stool it won.
I. N. G. u. s. w. In the name, etc.
For a pain in the finger.
Ik rad en Baten, I advise a cure
mit Heisterknaken, with magpies bones,
mit Kreienfoten, with feet of crows,
schal dy de Weedag uten Finger staken. that shall drive the pain out of thy finger.
For a sprained foot.
Ik hoi myn Foet in n Kattengang I hold my foot in the cat’s way,
so stil ik wol den Gnirrband. and so I still the sprain.
For a speck on the eye.
Daer seten dre Jungfern an den Weg, There sat three maidens in the way,
de een de puest dat Sant uten Weg, one blew the sand out of the way,
de ander de puest dat Lov vannen Boem, the second blew the leaves from the tree,
de driirr de puest dat Mael von Oeg. the third blew the speck from the eye.
I. N. G. u. s. w. In the name, etc.
For a sprained wrist. At sunrise lay the arm, from themelbow to the point of the finger, flat on the threshold, and remain within the house. Let the charmer then take an axe, and place himself before the door, saying: I chop, I chop, I chop ! The patient is then to ask : What dost thou chop ? The operator will answer : The sprain. Let the patient then take the axe, and stroke the arm with it crosswise thrice, in the name of God. The axe is then to be restored to its place in silence, and the affliction will subside. (Swinemilnde.)
At Rauen, near Fiirstenwalde, it is said, when a person has a violent headache, he has the perverse, or black elves. The remedy is, to bind a cloth round his head at night, with which he is to sleep, and on the following morning to go with it to a wise man, who will charm the cloth; the elves will then depart. Besides the black elves, which are the worst, there are also red elves and white elves; but whatever their colour may be, the malady shows itself chiefly in causing a loss of memory.
If a child by much crying has got a rupture, take it to a young oak, which split in two lengthwise, and draw the child through the split. Then bind the parts thus rent asunder together, and plaster the rent over with loam. If the oak continues growing and the wound heals up, the rupture will also be healed. (Rauen. Delmenhorst.) This method of curing a ruptured child was also known in England. White, in his History of Selborne, informs us that, in a farm-yard, near the middle of the village, stands at this day (an. 1789) a row of pollard ashes, which, by the seams and long cicatrices down their sides, manifestly show that, in former times, they have been cleft asunder. These trees, when young and flexible, were severed and held open by wedges, while ruptured children, stripped naked, were pushed through the apertures, under a persuasion that, by such a process, the poor babes would be cured of their infirmity. As soon as the operation was over, the tree, in the suffering part, was plastered with loam, and carefully swathed up. If the part coalesced and soldered together, as usually fell out, where the feat was performed with any adroitness at all, the party was cured; but where the cleft continued to gape, the operation, it was supposed, would prove ineffectual. We have several persons now living in the village, who, in their childhood, were supposed to be healed by this superstitious ceremony, derived down, perhaps, from our Saxon ancestors, who practised it before their conversion to Christianity.
Tetters and warts disappear if touched with the hand of a corpse.
When you have eaten eggs the shells are to be broken, else you will get the ague. Mark.
This is also done in England, and for the sound reason, that the witches may not use them as boats. The same injunction is current likewise in Belgium, but whether from the same prudential motive is not stated.
To fix a thief (MS. from Swinemunde) .
Unser Heiland Christus Jesus, der ging in den Garten, der heiligenEngel und der Jungfrau Maria zu warten, da kamen die Diebe und wollten das Kindlein stehlen, das konnten vierundzwanzig Legionen Engel nicht verhehlen. Binde, Petrus, binde, eilend und geschwinde, dass der Dieb uns stehe stille wie ein Stock, und schreie wie ein Bock. Binde, Petrus, binde, dass der Dieb uns stehe stille Bind, und alle Sterne zahle, die an dem Himmel stehen. Binde, Petrus, binde, dass der Dieb uns stehe stille, dass meine leiblichen Augen ihn sehen, und meine leibliche Zunge ihn spreche..Das gebiet ich dir Dieb im Namen des heiligen Bartus, Der aller Kornlein Meister ist.-
Our Saviour Christ Jesus, he went into the garden; to await the holy angels and the Virgin Mary; there came the thieves and would steal the little child whom fourandtwenty legions of angels could not hide. Bind, Peter, bind, hastily and quick, that the thief may stand still as a stock, and cry like a goat. Peter, bind, that the thief may stand still, and count all the stars, that stand in heaven. Bind, Peter, bind, that the thief may stand still that my bodily eyes may see him, and my bodily tongue speak to him That I command for thee, thief, in the name of St. Bart who is of every grain the master. This spell is to be uttered after sunset, the utterer, at the same time, going three times round the place to which he supposes the thief will come. While so doing he must not look about, and must stop exactly at the point from which he started, and then say thrice:
In the name of; etc. On the following morning the thief will be found fast bound to the spot. He must then loose him with these words : Hear, thief, I hereby release thee. In the name of etc. But this must be done before sunrise, else the thief will turn black, and die within a year.
To fix a thief (oral from Swinemunde) .
Unsre Mutter Gottes, die ging wohl liber Land, sie nahm ihr liebes Kind bei der Hand ; da kamen drei, drei, drei Diebe, die wollten ihr das Kind stehlen, sie schrie: Sanct Peter bind, Sanct Peter bind, Sanct Peter binde; Ich habe gebunden mit Gottes Hand, mit meinen eignen Handen, mit Todeshandeu, mit eisernen Banden, dass Dieb und Diebin sollen stehn, und nicht von der Stelle gehn. Sie sollen stehen wie ein Stock, und sehen wie ein Bock, zahlen alle Sterne, die am Himmel stehn, und alle Tropfen, die in das frunde Meer gehn. Stehst du hier in Teufelsband, so gehe hin in Gottes Hand ; ich stosse dich von mir mit meiner linken Hand. I. N. G. u. s. w.-
Our mother of God was going over the land, she took her dear child by the hand ; then came three thieves , who would steal the child from her, she cried: Saint Peter bind, Saint Peter bind, Saint Peter bind, I have bound with God s hand. with my own hands, with death’s hands, with iron bands, that male and female thief shall stand, and not go from the place. They shall stand as a stock, and look like a goat, count all the stars that stand on heaven, and all the drops which go into the deep sea. The release is in the following words: As thou standest here in the devils band, so go hence into the hand of God ; I thrust thee from me with my left hand. In the name, etc.
Another form:
Mutter Maria reiste wohl uber das Land, sie hat ihr liebes Kind bei der Hand. Da kamen die Diebe und wollten stehlen. Da sprach sie zu St. Peter: Binde ! St. Peter sprach: Ich habe gebimden mit eisernen Banden, mit Gottes Handen. Du, Dieb (und Diebin), sollst gebunden sein. Wiederum sollst du stille stehen und nirgends hingehen. Du sollt stehen als ein Stock und starr sehen als ein Bock, und zahlen all das Gras, das auf der Erde wachst. Wiederum sollt du stille stehen und nirgends hingehen, sollt stehen als ein Stock und starr sehen als ein Bock, und zahlen die Sterne, die am Himmel stehen. Wiederum sollt du stille stehen und nirgends hingehen ; du sollt stehen als ein Stock und starr sehen als ein Bock, und zahlen den Sand, der liegt am Meeresgrund. Wiederum sollt du stille stehen und
nirgends hingehen ; du sollt stehen als ein Stock und starr sehen als ein Bock, bis ich dir mit meiner Zunge Urlaub gebe. Den Himmel gebe ich dir zu deiner Hiitte, und die Erde zu Schuhen deiner Fiisse. Amen! In des Teufels Namen.-
Mother Mary was journeying over the land, she had her beloved child by the hand. Then came the thieves and would steal. Then spake she to St. Peter: bind! St. Peter said : I have bound with iron bands, with God s hands. Thou, thief (and thiefess), shalt be bound. Again thou shalt stand still and nowhere go hence. Thou shalt stand as a stock, and look staring as a goat, and count all the grass that grows on the earth. Again thou shalt stand still and nowhere go hence, shalt stand as a stock, and look staring as a goat, and count the stars which stand in heaven. Again thou shalt stand still and nowhere go hence ; thou shalt stand as a stock, and look staring as a goat, and count the sand that lies on the sea s ground. Again thou shalt stand still and nowhere go hence ; Thou shalt stand as a stock, and look staring as a goat, until I with my tongue give thee leave. The heaven I give thee for thy hut, and the earth for shoes to thy feet. Amen in the devil s name.
Mother Mary was journeying over the land, she had her beloved child by the hand. Then came the thieves and would steal. Then spake she to St. Peter: bind! St. Peter said : I have bound with iron bands, with God s hands. Thou, thief (and thiefess), shalt be bound. Again thou shalt stand still and nowhere go hence. Thou shalt stand as a stock, and look staring as a goat, and count all the grass that grows on the earth. Again thou shalt stand still and nowhere go hence, shalt stand as a stock, and look staring as a goat, and count the stars which stand in heaven. Again thou shalt stand still and nowhere go hence ; thou shalt stand as a stock, and look staring as a goat, and count the sand that lies on the sea s ground. Again thou shalt stand still and nowhere go hence ; Thou shalt stand as a stock, and look staring as a goat, until I with my tongue give thee leave. The heaven I give thee for thy hut, and the earth for shoes to thy feet. Amen in the devil s name.
Against fire
Brant,Brant, du geist sewer Moor im Lant. - Fire, fire, thou goest over moor and land.
Mit myn gesegnete Hant rade ik dussen Brant.- With my hallowed hand I control this fire.
I. N. G. u. s. w. - In the name, etc.
Or:
Petrus und Johannes giengen beide wandeln, Peter and John went both wandering.
Petrus nahm den Stab in die Hand, Peter took the staff in his hand
damit still ik dy den Brand. therewith quench I thee, the lire.
Or:
Hoch is de Hawen, roet is de Krawen, High is the heaven, red is the crayfish,
koelt is de Dodenhant, damit still ik diissen Brant, cold is the dead-hand, wherewith I quench this fire.
I. N. G. u. s. w, In the name, etc.
Or:
Gott und Petrus gehen ubers Land, God and Peter go over the land,
sie sehen brennen einen Brand. they see a fire burning.
Brand, du sollst nicht brennen, Fire, thou shalt not burn,
Brand, du sollst nicht sengen, Fire, thou shalt not singe,
Brand, du sollst nicht hitzen, Fire, thou shalt not heat,
Brand, du sollst nicht schwitzen, Fire, thou shalt not cause to sweat,
bis die liebe Mutter Gottes, until the dear mother of God
ihren andern Sohn sollte gebaren. shall have borne her second son.;
I. N. G. u. s. w, In the name, etc.
13. ST. JOHN'S, OR MIDSUMMER, DAY.
In the South Harz and in Thuringia the so-called St. John's fires are common. In Edersleben, near Sangerhausen, the proceeding is as follows: A high pole is set up, on which a tar-barrel is placed, having a chain drawn through it that reaches to the ground. When it is on fire they swing the barrel round the pole amid great rejoicing. In the neighbourhood of Baruth, down to recent times, St. John's fires were lighted, as well as in the Catholic parts of Westphalia.
14. HULDRA OR HULLA.
Over the whole of Norway the tradition is current of a supernatural being that dwells in the forests and mountains, called Huldra or Hulla. She appears like a beautiful woman, and is usually clad in a blue petticoat and a white snood ; but unfortunately has a long tail, like a cow's, which she anxiously strives to conceal, when she is among people. She is fond of cattle, particularly brindled of which she possesses a beautiful and thriving stock. They are without horns. She was once at a merry-making, where every one was desirous of dancing with the handsome, strange damsel; but in the midst of the mirth, a young man, who had just begun a dance with her, hapened to cast his eye on her tail. Immediately guessing whom he had got for a partner, he was not a little terrified; but collecting himself, and unwilling to betray her, he merely said to her, when the dance was over, ''Fair maid, you will lose your garter." She instantly vanished, but afterwards rewarded the silent and considerate youth with beautiful presents and a good breed of cattle.
The idea entertained of this being is not everywhere the same, but varies considerably in different parts of Norway. In some places she is described as a handsome female, when seen in front, but is hollow behind, or else blue; while in others she is known by the name of Skogsnerte, and is said to be blue, but clad in a green petticoat, and probably corresponds to the Swedish Skugsnufvor. Her song —a sound often heard among the mountains—is said to be hollow and mournful , differing therein from the music of the subterranean beings,which is described by ear-witnesses as cheerful and fascinating.
But she is not everywhere regarded as a solitary wood-nymph: Huldre-men and Huldre-folk are also spoken of, who live together in the mountains, and are almost identical with the subterranean people. In Hardanger the Huldre-people are always clad in green, but their cattle are blue, and may be taken when a grown-up person casts his belt over them. They give abundance of milk. The Huldi-es take possession of the forsaken pasture-spots in the mountains, and invite people into their mounds, where delightful music is to be heard.
The belief in Huldra is very ancient. We read that as far back as the year 1205, the queen of Magnus Lagabaeter, when detained by an adverse wind at Bergen, having heard that the Icelander Sturli Thordsen was an excellent story-teller, desired him to relate to her the Saga of the giantess Huldra. Her name appears to be derived from the Old Norsk hollr, fidus, prqpitius. "Huldre dwells in the mountains and in the valley ; hers are all the riches, splendour and beauty of the North; but hers is also its deep melancholy; to this her music and her song bear witness, which cannot be heard without a feehng of sadness and tears." (Norske Huldreeventyr, i. p, iv. p.10): It is not long beyond the memory of man since a young man in Nummedal when passing by a forsaken sreterhut, saw in it a gay Huldre-wedding party. Through a window he was witness to all that passed among the mountainfolk; but his attention was chiefly directed to the bride, by her beauty and elegant attire, especially by a massive, glittering silver crown that she wore. The young man continued gazing on her till he contracted a violent passion for her, and soon resolved on depriving the wedding party of their mirth, and the bridegroom of his rich and lovely bride. Quickly he drew forth his knife, and as quickly flew the shining steel through the window and over the head of the bride. The company vanished in the twinkling of an eye, the maiden alone remaining spellbound by the steel. The pair came soon to an understanding; the Huldre bride accompanied him to the village and then to the altar, after having been baptized. But her magniflcent bridal attire was insufficient to withdraw attention from an ugly cow’s tail, which, however, after a time, gradually disappeared. They lived long and happy together, and of her rich wedding ornaments, the fame of which is yet preserved, there is still to be seen at Mserabru the costly silver crown.
15.Wanne Thekla is the queen of the elves and witches, as well as of the spirits in general that fly through the air. When the weather is dark and stormy, she plays her part, at night she descends on earth followed by a long train of her companions, and dances, and springs, and drinks on the Pottelberg, where a gibbet formerly stood. On the river , which flows through the city, she has a beautiful ship, which, after the revels of the night, she and her companions sail away at the command of “Wind met vieren” (Lit. Wind with four; probably an allusion to the expression fahren mit vieren (Pferden), to go or drive with four (horses); in other words: ail away with all speed; thus comparing their course by water to a land journey with horses.)
16. HYLDEMOER—ELDER.
There dwells in the elder-tree a being called Hyldemoer (Elder-mother) or Hyldeqvinde (Elder-wife). She avenges all injuries done to the tree. Of an elder standing in a small court in the Nyboder, it is related, that at dusk it often moves up and down the court, and sometimes peeps through the window at the children, when they are alone. It is not advisable to have moveables of elder. A child having been laid in a cradle made of elderwood, the Hyldemoer came and pulled it by the legs, nor would she let it have any rest until it was taken out of the cradle. A peasant once heard his children crying in the night, and on inquiring the cause, was told that some one had been there and sucked them; and their breasts were found to be swollen. The cause of the annoyance was, it is said, that the room was boarded with elder. This wonderful medicinal tree derives its name, it is supposed, from a healing deity named Hildi, who together with her spirits or subordinate deities, has her abode under its roots. From early times the Danes have loved and honoured the elder, and planted it by walls and fences. The elder may not be cut without permission previously asked in these words:"Hyldemoer, Hyldemoer, allow me to cut thy branches." The peasants, when about to cut the tree, spit thrice, in order to drive away the Vaetts and other evil beings.
17. TRADITIONS OF THE KYFFHAUSER.
In the Kyffhauser the emperor Frederic Barbarossa exists in a state of enchantment. There he sits, with all his knights and squires, at a large table, through which his beard has grown. Beneath the mountain all is splendid and radiant with gold and precious stones; and although it is a subterranean cavern, it is as light as in the sunniest day. There are the most magnificent trees and shrubs, and through the middle of this paradise there flows a brook, from which if a handful of mud be taken, it will instantly become pure gold. Here a horseman constantly rides up and down; but others say he sits on a cock, and is very probably the evil one himself, who has effected all this enchantment. A shepherd one St. John's day entered the mountain when it was standing open, and beheld all its splendour with amazement. The horseman before-mentioned then made a sign to him to take some of the horsemeal, which he did, and which proved to be all gold.
18. THE LILY.
There was once in days of yore a conjurer who cut people's heads off and set them on again. One day, when he was practising his art, a travelling journeyman entered the room as a spectator. On the table before the conjurer there stood a large glass filled with distilled water, out of which grew a white lily every time the conjurer cut a head off, which he called the lily of life. When the conjurer had cut a head off, the traveller quickly stept up to the table, and with a sharp knife severed the stalk of the lily, without being observed by any one; so that when the conjurer would replace the head, the operation failed, whereupon he was seized and burnt for a murderer. This took place, as I have often heard my father relate, in the year 1528, and that anterior to the French Revolution the judicial acts concerning it were still to be seen.
19. AXEL THORDSEN AND FAIR VALDBORG.
In the land of Norway there lived in former days a maiden so fair, that she was universally denominated the Fair Valdborg. Her father. Sir Immer, died in her tender infancy, and her mother, the Lady Julli, rested also in the dark earth before her daughter was grown up. Being of noble race she had powerful relatives all over the country, but the choicest of them all was Axel Thordsen, who chose her for his bride, while she was yet a child, and was betrothed to her, previous to his departure from the country to visit foreign courts, among which he took service under the emperor Henry. His young bride was, in the meanwhile, placed in a cloister, that she might learn to sew, and there she remained for eleven years, when Queen Malfred received the fair maiden into her court, where she was held in high honour; for Malfred and the Lady Julli had been intimate acquaintances and often played at tables together. Axel was, in the mean time, beginning to feel a longing after his betrothed, and having been informed by a pilgrim of Valdborg’s race, that she was the most beauteous maiden in the whole land, and that her powerful kindred had destined her for the king’s son, Hagen, he obtained leave of absence from the emperor, and hastened back to his native country. Thirty attendants followed him, but when he reached his mother's mansion, he rode alone. At the gate he was met by his fair sister, the Lady Helfred, who advised him to disguise himself as a messenger, at the same time giving him a letter to Valdborg, whom he found, attending the queen, just coming from vespers. In the letter, which was filled with expressions of love, lay five gold rings, on which roses and lilies were embossed. On reading the letter, she plighted to him her faith anew, and adhered to her oath, although eleven knights made love to her, besides Hagen, the king's son, who was the twelfth. The young prince was sunk in despair and weary in spirit, when fair Valdborg would not be moved, and his mother, Queen Malfred, answered his complaint with: "By force thou canst not gain her.'' He nevertheless recovered hope, when he by chance met his confessor, the black friar Knud, who gave him the unexpected consolation, that Axel could not be united to Valdborg, because they were cousins, and one woman had held them both over the font. Hagen now addressed himself to Valdborg's three maternal uncles, who were jarls of high degree, and of them demanded her in marriage. Joyfully they gave their consent, but Valdborg said: "Axel is my dearest friend, I will never deceive him." Hagen then caused letters to be written and the archbishop summoned, together with seventy ecclesiastics, and declared that the two lovers should be cited before the archbishop. With beating hearts the loving pair attended before the archbishop in St. Mary's church, where the black friar Knud stept forth, and with the pedigree in hand, showed that they could not be joined in wedlock, as they were cousins on the mother's side, and were besides godchildren of the same sponsor. They then went up to the altar, where a handkerchief was delivered to them, which was then cut in two between them, and a part retained by each. Thus were they parted for ever. The gold ring was then taken off Valdborg's finger and the bracelet from her arm, both of which were returned to Axel, who casting them on the altar, made a present of them to St. Olaf, at the same time swearing, that for the remainder of his life he would be the friend of Valdborg. At this oath Hagen waxed wroth, and stepping forth swore, that Axel should on the following day make oath on sword and holy writ, that Valdborg was a virgin for him. Not only did the two lovers swear on the massbook, but eleven jarls of the same race, with gilded swords and yellow locks, attended to swear with the fair maiden, with whom Hagen offered to share his throne whenever he became king; but she declared to the sorrowful Axel that she would never forget him, but would pass her days in solitude. Thus stood matters for a considerable time. Axel and his beloved never entered into any amusements and never were seen to laugh. At length a war broke out, and Hagen, who had now become king, summoned all his men to the field. He made Axel his general, and the bold knight, in whose shield of white and azure stood two red hearts, was ever at hand wherever his country’s honour or his own required him. The conflict was obstinate. Axel slew King Amund's sons and many of the nobles of Upland. But King Hagen fell, mortally wounded, from his horse, requesting, at his last moments. Axel to avenge his death, to receive the kingdom of Norway, and take to wife the beloved of them both. Axel now again rushed into the thickest of the fight, slaughtering the enemy until his sword brake, and he had received seven mortal wounds. His last words were of his betrothed. Valdborg divided all she possessed of value among her relations, and retired to the convent of St. Mary, where she was consecrated a nun by Archbishop Aage.
The foregoing notice of the story of Axel and Valdborg is abridged from the beautiful old Danish ballad of 'Axel Thordsen og Skjon Valdborg,' of which we know neither the name of its author nor the time of its composition. It is printed in the Udvalgte Danske Viser (Bd. iii. pp. 257 sqq.), and a German translation by C. Grimm is given in his ' Altdknische Heldenlieder,' pp. 357 sqq. It has been dramatized by Oehlenschlaeger. If the ballad has any historic worth beyond the circumstance that it affords an accurate picture of Norwegian costume in the middle age, and that in it may be seen, as in a mirror, the spirit and manners of the time, it seems most probable that its scene was in Romsdal aifd the neighbouring Sondmor. At the mansion of Houe in Sondmor, tradition tells of a battle fought there, in which both Axel Thordsen and the king's son, Hagen, were slain; and on the little isle of Gidske, by the church, there is a marble slab, shaped like a coffin hd, about six feet long and in the widest part scarcely an ell broad, on which are some illegible runic characters, which has always been known as Fair Valdborg's grave. On the other side of the quire, tradition further says: Axel Thordsen hes buried, but without a memorial. By each grave an ash was planted, both of which grew to an equal height, and when they had risen above the roof of the church, they inclined towards each other, and entwined their boughs together. Axel's tree yet stands flourishing, but Valdborg's is dead.
Northen Mythology, comprising the principal traditions and superstitions of Scandinavia, North Germany, and The Netherlands. Compiled from original and other sources, in three volumes. Vol I, II and III, By Benjamin Thorpe, 1870
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