Part 4

Then the farmer threw his clothes up, garment after garment, and when Johan had clothed himself in them he received power enough that he was able to crawl down the cliff. His master took him by the hand, and without looking back they hastened home, the farmer repeating:

“Pshaw! you cunning black Trolls! As a stone, I’ll quiet your wicked tongues that they may neither evil think nor speak or do ought against me.”

They arrived home, the one dressed the other naked. The traveler was obliged to procure another horse, for in the house of the farmer the joy was so great that none there had a thought of driving him. Johan was never again the same man as before, but remained gloomy and rarely spoke.

His master asked him many times what his occupation was in the mountain, but upon this subject he was silent. It happened that Johan was taken sick and called for a confessor, to whom, when he confessed his sins, he related also his experience in the mountain. His chief employment, he said, had been to steal food for the Trolls. For this purpose the Trolls put a red hat upon him, when he could, in a very short time, fly to Jönköping through locked doors and into the merchants’ stores, where he took corn, salt, fish and whatever he wished. From the Troll cap he received such power that he could take a sack of rye under each arm and a barrel of fish upon his back, and fly as lightly through the air as with no burden whatever.

“It was wrong of me and hard on the merchants,” said Johan, “but it was the fault of the Trolls. If there were no Trolls in the world the merchants would become rich, but now they must pay tribute, and so are kept on the verge of bankruptcy.” And Johan was done.

THE LOST TREASURE.

Many hundreds of years ago, at a time when Sweden was invaded by enemies, the people of Stenbrohult gathered their money and jewelry together and concealed them in a large copper kettle, which they sunk to the bottom of Lake Möckeln.

There it lies to-day and will lie for all time, though many have touched it with poles when driving fish into their nets. Meantime, at each touch, it has moved further away until it now lies near the outlet of the lake, where it is so deep that it can not be reached.

When the other residents of the place hid their treasures in the lake there was a rich farmer who buried his silver at Kalfhagsberg in two cans. Shortly after he died so suddenly that no opportunity was given to dig them up. Immediately following his death, two lights were seen every evening over the place where the treasures lay hidden, a sure sign that an evil spirit or dragon had appropriated the treasure.

A poor cottager heard of it, and knowing that man may acquire undisputed possession of the treasures of the earth, if dug upon a Thursday evening and carried away without looking back or uttering a word to any one, he already regarded himself as good as the owner of the wealth. Betaking himself to the place, he succeeded in getting the cans out of the mountain, but on the way home he met one after another of his neighbors who asked where he had been. The old man knew well that the evil spirits had a hand in this, and that what appeared to be his neighbors was nothing less than the spirits transformed, and he was, therefore, stubbornly quiet. But finally he met the priest, who stood by the wayside and greeted him as he was passing with a “good evening, neighbor.” Hereupon the old man dared keep quiet no longer, but took his hat off and saluted, “good evening, father,” in return, at the same instant he tripped against a root and dropped the cans. When he stopped to pick them up there lay in their stead only a pair of little old birch-bark boxes, and the old man was compelled to go home, his mission fruitless.

THE TEN FAIRY SERVANTS. [13]

Many years ago there lived in Gullbjers a family of peasants, who had a daughter, Elsa. As she was the only child she was much adored, and her parents sought in every way to anticipate her slightest wish. As soon as she had been confirmed she was sent to the city to learn how to sew, and also city manners and customs. But in the city she acquired little other knowledge than how to adorn herself, and to scorn housework and manual labor.

When she was twenty years old she won the love of an industrious and honorable young farmer, named Gunner, and before many months had gone by they were man and wife.

In the beginning all was pleasure, but she soon began to weary with her many household duties. Early one morning, shortly before Christmas, there was life and activity in Gunner’s yard. Elsa had hardly risen from bed when the servant, Olle, sprang in and said:

“Dear mistress, get ready our haversacks, for we are going to the woods, and we must be off if we are to get back before evening.”

“Dear mother, the leaven is working,” called one of the servant girls, “and if you will come out now we will have more than usually good bread.”

The butcher, Zarkis, who had already stuck a large hog and several small pigs, had just stepped in to get the accustomed dram, when old Brita came rushing after material for candle wicks. Lastly came Gunner, out of patience because the servant had not yet started for the woods.

“My departed mother,” said he, with kindly earnestness, “always prepared everything the night before when people were expected to go to work early in the morning, and I have requested you to do likewise, Elsa. But do not forget the loom, my dear; there are now only a few yards of cloth remaining to be woven, and it will not do to allow it to lie in the way over the holidays.”

Now, wholly out of patience, Elsa rushed in a rage out of the kitchen to the house in which the loom stood, slammed the door furiously behind her and cast herself weeping upon a sofa.

“No!” shrieked she. “I will no longer endure this drudgery. Who could have thought that Gunner would make a common housewife of me, to wear my life out thus? Oh, unhappy me! Is there no one who can help and comfort a poor creature?”

“I can,” replied a solemn voice, and before her stood a white-haired man with a broad-brimmed hat upon his head. “Do not be alarmed,” continued he, “I came to proffer you the help for which you have just wished. I am called Old Man Hoberg. I know your family to the tenth and eleventh generations. Your first ancestor bade me stand godfather to his first born. I could not be present at the christening, but I gave a suitable godfather’s present, for I would by no means be the meanest. The silver I then gave was unfortunately a blessing for no one, for it begot only pride and laziness. Your family long ago lost the riches, but the pride and laziness remain; nevertheless I will help you, for you are at heart good and honest.

“You complain at the life of drudgery you are compelled to lead,” continued he, after a short silence; “this comes from your being unaccustomed to work, but I shall give you ten obedient servants, who shall be at your bidding and faithfully serve you in all your undertakings.” Whereupon he shook his cloak, and ten comical little creatures hopped out and began to put the room in order.

“Reach here your fingers,” commanded the old man.

Tremblingly, Elsa extended her hand; whereupon the old man said:

“Hop O’ My Thumb, “Lick the Pot, “Long Pole, “Heart in Hand, “Little Peter Funny Man—

“Away, all of you, to your places.”

In an instant the little servants had vanished into Elsa’s fingers, and even the old man had disappeared.

The young wife sat a long time staring at her hands, but soon she experienced a wonderful desire to work.

“Here I sit and dream,” she burst forth with unusual cheerfulness and courage, “and it is already seven o’clock while outside all are waiting for me.” And Elsa hastened out to superintend the occupations of her servants.

Not for that day alone, but for all time thereafter Elsa entered into her duties with as much pleasure as she would formerly have found in a dance. No one knew what had happened, but all marveled at the sudden change. None was, however, more pleased and satisfied than the young wife herself, for whom work was now a necessity, and under whose hands everything thereafter flourished, bringing wealth and happiness to the young couple.

THE SEA NYMPH.

One night a number of fishermen quartered themselves in a hut by a fishing village on the northwest shores of an island. After they had gone to bed, and while they were yet awake, they saw a white, dew-besprinkled woman’s hand reaching in through the door. They well understood that their visitor was a sea nymph, who sought their destruction, and feigned unconsciousness of her presence.

The following day their number was added to by the coming of a young, courageous and newly married man from Kinnar, in Lummelund. When they related to him their adventure of the night before, he made fun of their being afraid to take a beautiful woman by the hand, and boasted that if he had been present he would not have neglected to grasp the proffered hand.

That evening when they laid themselves down in the same room, the late arrival with them, the door opened again, and a plump, white woman’s arm, with a most beautiful hand, reached in over the sleepers.

The young man arose from his bed, approached the door and seized the outstretched hand, impelled, perhaps, more by the fear of his comrades scoffing at his boasted bravery, than by any desire for a closer acquaintance with the strange visitor. Immediately his comrades witnessed him drawn noiselessly out through the door, which closed softly after him. They thought he would return soon, but when morning approached and he did not appear, they set out in search of him. Far and near the search was pursued, but without success. His disappearance was complete.

Three years passed and nothing had been heard of the missing man. His young wife, who had mourned him all this time as dead, was finally persuaded to marry another. On the evening of the wedding day, while the mirth was at its highest, a stranger entered the cottage. Upon closer observation some of the guests thought they recognized the bride’s former husband.

The utmost surprise and commotion followed.

In answer to the inquiries of those present as to where he came from and where he had been, he related that it was a sea nymph whose hand he had taken that night when he left the fisherman’s hut; and that he was dragged by her down into the sea. In her pearly halls he forgot his wife, parents, and all that was loved by him until the morning of that day, when the sea nymph exclaimed: “There will be a dusting out in Kinnar this evening.” Then his senses immediately returned, and, with anxiety, he asked: “Then it is my wife who is to be the bride?” The sea nymph replied in the affirmative. At his urgent request, she allowed him to come up to see his wife as a bride, stipulating that when he arrived at the house he should not enter. When he came and saw her adorned with garland and crown he could, nevertheless, not resist the desire to enter. Then came a tempest and took away half the roof of the house, whereupon the man fell sick and three days later died.

THE BYSE. [14]

A peasant of Svalings, in the parish of Gothem, by the name of Hans, was, one spring day, employed in mending a fence which divided two meadows. It chanced he required a few more willow twigs for bands, whereupon he sprang over the fence to cut them in a neighbor’s grove. Entering the thicket, what was his surprise at seeing an old man sitting upon a stump, bowed forward, his face buried in his hands. His astonishment uncontrollable, Hans broke out:

“Who are you?”

“A wanderer,” replied the old man without lifting his head.

“How long have you been a wanderer?” inquired the peasant.

“Three hundred years!” answered the old man.

Still more astonished, the peasant again asked:

“Is it not hard to travel thus?”

“It has never been so hard to me,” replied the old man, “for I love the woods.”

“Very well, go on then,” said Hans.

Hardly were the words uttered than the peasant heard a sound like that from a wild bird startled to wing, and the old man had vanished so suddenly that Hans could not say whether he had sunk into the earth or gone into the air.

THE BRIDGE OVER KALMARSOUND.

North of the village of Wi, in the parish of Källa, lies a large stone called Sekiel’s Stone, after a giantess, Sekiel, who is said to have lived in Borgehaga, in the parish of Högo.

The same giantess had a sister, who was married to a giant named Beard, and lived in the parish of Ryssby on the Småland side of the sound.

That they might visit each other oftener it was agreed between the sisters that they should build a stone bridge over Kalmarsound, the one to build from Ryssby shore, the other from Öland.

The giantess of Småland began first upon her work. Every day she came with a great load of stones which she cast into the sea, until, finally, she had completed that point of land now called Skägganäs, reaching a quarter of a mile out into the sea. The giantess on the Öland side also began to build, but when she came with her first load of stones in her apron she was shot through the body with an arrow from a peasant’s bow. Overcome by the pain, she sat herself to rest upon the before mentioned Sekiel Stone, which has a shallow depression in the top, marking the resting spot of the giantess.

When she had recovered she again took up her journey, but had proceeded no further than to Persnäs when it began to storm, and she was struck dead by a bolt of lightning. With her fall the stones slipped from her apron, and there they lie to-day, forming the large grave-mound on Persnäs hills.

THE YOUNG LADY OF HELLERUP.

Upon the estate of Hellerup, in the parish of Ljungby, there lived, many years ago, a gentleman of rank, who had a daughter renowned for her gentleness as well as for her beauty and intelligence.

One night, while lying awake in her bed, watching the moonbeams dancing upon her chamber floor, her door was opened and a little fairy, clad in a gray jacket and red cap, tripped lightly in and toward her bed.

“Do not be afraid, gracious lady!” said he, and looked her in the eye in a friendly manner. “I have come to ask a favor from you.”

“Willingly, if I can,” answered the young lady, who began to recover from her fear.

“Oh! it will not be difficult,” said the fairy. “I and mine have, for many years, lived under the floor in the kitchen, just where the water tank stands, which has become old and leaky, so that we are continually annoyed by the dripping of water, and the maids spill water upon the floor, which drips through, so that it is never dry in our home.”

“That shall be seen to in the morning,” promised the lady, and the fairy, making an elegant bow, disappeared as noiselessly as he came.

The next day, at the girl’s request, the cask was moved, and the gratitude of the fairies was soon manifested. Never thereafter was a glass or plate broken, and if the servants had work to do that required early rising, they were always awake at the appointed hour.

Some time later the fairy again stood at the young lady’s bedside.

“Now I have another request which, in your generosity, you will certainly not refuse to grant.”

“What is it, then?” asked the young lady.

“That you will honor me and my house, and to-night stand at the christening of my newly-born daughter.”

The young lady arose and clad herself, and followed her unknown conductor through many passages and rooms which she had never before been aware existed, until she finally came to the kitchen. Here she found a host of small folk and priest and father, whereupon the little child was baptized in the usual Christian manner.

When the young lady was about to go the fairy begged permission to put a memento in her apron.

Though what she received looked like a stick and some shavings, she appeared very thankful, and was conducted again through the winding passages back to her room.

Just as the fairy stood ready to leave her, he said: “If we should meet again, and that is probable, bear well in mind not to laugh at me or any of mine. We esteem you for your modesty and goodness, but if you laugh at us, we shall never see each other again.” With these words he left the room.

When he had gone the young woman threw her present into the stove and laid herself down to sleep, and the following morning, when the maid went to build the fire, she found in the ashes jewelry of the purest gold and finest workmanship, such as had never before been seen.

Some years later the young woman was about to marry, and preparations were made for a day of pomp and splendor.

For many weeks there was great bustle in the kitchen and bridal chamber. During the day all was quiet under the floor in the kitchen, but through the night one who slept lightly could hear the sounds of work as through the day.

At length the wedding hour arrived.

Decked with laurels and crown, the bride was conducted to the hall where the guests were gathered. During the ceremonies she chanced to cast a glance toward the fireplace in the corner of the hall, where she saw the fairies gathered for a like feast. The bridegroom was a little fairy and the bride her goddaughter, and everything was conducted in the same manner as in the hall.

None of the guests saw what was going on in their vicinity, but it was observed that the bride could not take her eyes from the fireplace. Later in the evening, when she again saw the strange bridal feast, she saw one of the fairies who was acting as waiter stumble and fall over a twig. Unmindful of the caution she had received, she burst out into a hearty laugh. Instantly the scene vanished, and from that time no fairies have been seen at Hellerup.

ELSTORPS WOODS.

During the war between Queen Margarita and Albrecht of Mecklenburg the two armies had an encounter in Southern Halland. The Queen’s people had encamped upon the plains of Tjarby, a half mile north of Laholm, while the Prince’s adherents were camped in the vicinity of Weinge Church.

One morning the Queen went, as was her custom to morning prayers in Tjarby Church, but took the precaution to set a guard upon the so-called Queen’s Mountain to warn her of danger.

While she was buried in her devotions there came a message, informing her that a few unattended knights had been seen in the vicinity.

“There is yet no danger,” said the courageous Queen, and continued her prayers at the altar.

In a short time another message was brought, informing her that as many as a hundred knights had made their appearance, but the Queen commanded her people to keep still, that yet there was no occasion for alarm. Finally a message came that all Elstorps Woods seemed to be alive and moving against Tjarby.

“Now, my children, for a hard battle, but God will give us the victory,” said the Queen, and springing upon her horse, she marched at the head of her warriors against the enemy.

The enemy had, as is related in the story of Macbeth, made use of stratagem, for each man carried before him a green bush, thinking to come upon the queen’s attendants by surprise. But the queen outwitted him and gained a brilliant victory.

In gratitude to God, she rebuilt the old church of Tjarby, and since that day no birches higher than a man’s head have grown in Elstorps Woods.

THE PIGMY OF FOLKARED’S CLIFF.

It is probable that there are few places more gloomy and uninviting than certain parts of the parish of Sibbarp, in the Province of Halland. Dark heaths cover a good portion of the parish, and from their dull brown surface rises, here and there, a lonely, cheerless mountain. One of these is Folkared’s Cliff, in the southern part of the parish, noted of old as the abiding-place of little Trolls and Pigmies.

One chilly autumn day a peasant, going from Hogared, in Ljungby, to Folkared, in Sibbarp, in order to shorten his journey took a short cut by way of the cliff, upon reaching which he perceived a Pigmy about the size of a child seven or eight years old, sitting upon a stone crying.

“Where is your home?” asked the peasant, moved by the seeming distress of the little fellow.

“Here,” sobbed the Pigmy, pointing to the mountain.

“How long have you lived here?” questioned the peasant in surprise.

“Six hundred years.”

“Six hundred years! You lie, you rascal, and you deserve to be whipped for it.”

“Oh! do not strike me,” pleaded the Pigmy, continuing to cry. “I have had enough of blows already to-day.”

“Who have you received them from?” asked the peasant.

“From my father.”

“What capers did you cut up that you were thus punished?”

“Oh, I was set to watch my old grandfather and when I chanced to turn my back he fell and hurt himself upon the floor.”

The peasant then understood what character of person he had met, and grasping his dirk he prepared to defend himself. But instantly he heard an awful crash in the mountain, and the pigmy had vanished.

THE FREEBOOTER’S GRAVE. [15]

During the bloody war under Charles XII. with Denmark, a number of freebooters had gone from Skåne into Halland, and marked their way, as usual, with plundering and murder. A number, after the parsonage and other houses in Hishult had been ransacked, went back to Skåne; the rest continued their course to the north.

At Böghult, in the parish of Tönnersjö, a number of peasants had gathered to oppose them. They possessed, for the most part, no other weapons than axes, scythes and sticks; only two, brothers from Böghult, were better armed. Each of these had his gun, which, as residents in the woods and hunters, they knew well how to handle. In stationing the forces, the two brothers were placed far out on the road, in the direction from which the freebooters were expected to make their appearance, while the others remained in a body some distance in their rear.

After many hours’ waiting a ragged, sorry-looking horseman, mounted on a rough-coated and saddleless horse, came into view. From his rear came the sounds of laughter and merry-making of the approaching horde.