=formation the cabalist had gained by the invocation of the Spirit of Intelligence; who, after some magic rites and ceremonials to enforce her compliance, had given the following oracular answer to the question propounded to her: "Treasures of the rarest worth, Where the mould warp will not creep. Where are gems of sparkling hue? Where the mould warp will not creep " "Amazement !” cried Ratibor, "if that fearful strain delude not my doubting senses, surely my Stella mourns within some fearful region of our sphere, hidden from human sight." "Aye," replied the wizard, "even in the centre of the globe. The gnome spirit there holds her captive-nay, do not wonder, young Sir, at the words I breathe for know that every element is thronged with beings which none but cabalists, practised like myself in wisdom, can command."-" Command this infernal being, then, to give her back," quickly replied the prince. "I could compel him," answered the wizard, "were he not enamourned. But love so maddens, that his votaries break every chain that clashes with his own.""Then she is lost for ever," said the despairing prince."Not so," replied the wizard," who fails by force, may win by stratagem. Then courage, prince and courage may indeed be needed, if you adventure as I shall give direction. Put me to the proof," eagerly interrupted the prince." Teach me to follow her, and were she placed below the base of Etna, while its fire shot through the summit, I would leap the gulf to pluck her from her bondage." "Then mark me; there is a spot near to the Giant Mountains,-a bleak and rugged wild, where nothing thrives, but désolation in its sternest mood appears on all around. Whatever there accost you be it man, or brute, or animal, that cleaves the air,-then hail it as a harbinger of bliss, sent from your love follow where it leads the way, and happiness may yet be yours."With a bounding heart did Ratibor hasten on his (to him) welcome task. Leaving him at the desolate spot, we will now return to the princess Stella, who had been exhaling her sorrow in sighs, drawn from the bottom of her heart. She, however, kept her grief so carefully concealed, that the gnome was a perfect stranger to the cause of it. After revolving in her mind many schemes and plans to elude the vigilance of her groler, she hit upon the following one. The spring was now returning; the sprite had suffered his subterraneous fires to go out; and the vegetables not having been checked by the winter's frosts, were ripening apace. The crafty princess gathered a few every day; and, by way of experiment, transformed them into a variety of forms. One day, she metamorphosed one into a dove."Thou emblem of constancy and meekeyed peace," said she, "sweet bird of love, fly hence-fly to my Ratibor; find out where he mourns. Spread thy soft pinions circling over him, and guide him to this spot to rescue me from this hated thraldom." The gentle bird obeyed, and flew upwards through the winding mazes of the dreary caves where the anxious prince was gazing with intense anxiety for aught that should cross his longing sight.-This spot was indeed a lonely one-bleak, dreary, and desolate here and there a bent and blasted pine-tree, on which the thunderbolt had hurled its vengeance, gave a still more gloomy appearance to the scene; and, on one side, rocks which appeared to have been rent by some strong convulsive effort of expiring nature, displayed a dark and fearful chasm,-the very look of which sickened the soul of the ardent Ratibor. The bird having arrested the attention of the prince by its fluttering round him, flew gently towards the yawning cavern, Ratibor following, his every nerve strengthened with the idea of again beholding his all that could be obtained was some in adored Stella. The bird hovered over • Tho' dangers threat no ills betide "Hark!" murmured the enraptured prince, "viewless spirits breathe encouragement to my soul-again the feathered tempter hover round my head and seems to murmur at my indecision. Yes! yes! I will onward."Saying this he rushed forward, the dove leading the way, flapping its wings as if delighted at its errand, Meanwhile Stella had arranged every thing for her purpose. She had ceased to mortify her elfin lover with killing coyness; her eye beamed hope, and her inflexibility seemed to be yielding apace. sprite soon perceived the alteration, and renewed his suit with redoubled ardour. After a little while, she consented to be his; but expressed her apprehension, that, as an aerial being, which never underwent any change, he might abate his affection, when time had destroyed the beauties of her person. To convince her that his passion was as lasting as sincere, he desired her to command his patience to the utmost, and judge by his performance how unalterable his affection was. She embraced the offer, and addressed him as follows:-" Go immediately, and number all the vegetables in the field. I will animate them all, and they shall be witnesses of my marriage. But avoid deceiving me; miss not a single one; for on thy exactness will I judge of thy constancy." Without hesitation, he immediately set about it. What will not he that loves descend to? Even this degrading task he eagerly undertook, and, through his agility, soon finished the numbering; but, to be quite certain, he went over it a second time, when he had the mortification to find a variation in the number, which obliged him to have a third muster; when, alas! there was still another error; however at last he succeeded to reckon, without the least mistake, every vegetable in the field, both great and small, While the gnome was thus labouring to convince his mistress of his sincere attachment, she was preparing every thing necessary to facilitate her escape. The dove had led her lover into her bower, and the transports of the happy pair may be more easily conceived than described. Fearful, however, of the return of the sprite from the grovelling task she had imposed on him, the prince was under the necessity of concealing himself; therefore, snatching a hasty embrace, he retired into a shady part of the bower, where, without being seen, he could advantageously observe all that was going forward. At this instant the sprite returned, elated with joy at having accomplished his task; and consequently being able to give the idol of his waking thoughts and sleeping dreams this undeniable proof of the sincerity and inviolability of his attachment. Kneeling at her feet, he poured forth in animated strains the unabated profession of his love. See," said he, "thou adored daughter of the race of man-see bending at thy feet in lowly supplication-a monarch suing where he might command. Here I throw off my coronal state and bend in awe before thy beauteous self. Oh! suffer me to be crowned with the garland of thy love, and reigning over my heart partake my throne and boundless realm!" The princess averted her eyes from his ardent gaze." Nay, fascinating fair," continued the enamoured monarch, "turn not from meeven now there wants but one thing to prove the ardency of my affection. So true I love, that willingly be mine and here I throw the sceptre of my power at thy feet-'twill give thee influence equal with mine own. Judge, then, how I doat by what I offer!-Listen! if any hand should wield it saving mine, it could, as fancy willed, subvert my domination change my kingdomnay, swift as thought itself, strike me to the abyss where demons hold their fiery way, and crumble (for a time) my power to nothing. At this instant the prince darted from his concealment, and seizing the sceptre, exclaimed, "Thus then I grasp it, and hurl thee hence to expiate the wrongs levelled at innocence and virtue !" Horror sat upon the face of the Gnome, who endeavoured to resist, but the power of the sceptre, controlled his every action. The princess rushed into the arms of her lover, who waving the magic talisman thrice, the earth rocked to its foundation, elfs, spirits, goblins, and gnomes of every description, with horror depicted upon their distorted faces. rushed in from every spot, but a mighty power struck them dumb and motionless. A loud crash succeeding, the earth beneath their monarch opened and displayed a gulph, from which volcanic fire and liquid lava boiled with unceasing fury. With curses and horrible imprecations he threw himself violently into the fiery abyss, which opened widely its rapacious jaws to receive him. Loud thunder rolled through the vaulted labyrinths—while the prince and his lovely charge ascended to the regions of light on the very spot where he had descended after the dove, the magic sceptre aiding them in their flight. Having again put the power of the talisman to the test, he plunged it down the abyss they had ascended: immediately the scene changed to the palace of Stella's father; who welcomed her with all the overflowings of a parent's heart, and shortly after the princess and her daring lover were indissolubly united. The prince shared with his bride his hereditary throne: he built a city, to which he gave his own name, and which it still retains to this day. The strange and extraordinary adventures of the princess-her constancy, her spirit, and her miraculous escape became the theme of the whole country round; and has been handed down, from father to son, to the present generation. The inhabitants of the neighbouring places, and more particularly the miners who work in the Giant Mountains for the gems and rich treasures which they fancy are still concealed there, not knowing the proper name of the sprite, have nick-named him NUMBER-TURNIP, or, for shortness, NUMBER NIP: and this is the name by which he is almost always distinguished in the legendary tales with which the country of Silesia abounds. THE CHASE OF KING WALDEMAR, THE DANE. The following traditional relic has been forwarded to us by a gentleman by whose obser vations and communications we have considerably benefitted. In his accompanying letter he states that it is taken from the popular traditions and superstitions of the Danes; and that he conceives it to be the true foundation of the German Legend of the Wild Huntsman, given at page 97.—At_all_events it appears to be connected in some way with that singular superstition; and, having never appeared in an English dress, he has been induced to translate it for the amusement of our readers.-With the above remark we are induced to coincide, as we are well acquainted with many traditions and romantic legends, which are now (or have been) highly popular in Germany, the foundations of which are to be found in the superstitious relics and oral traditions of the Danes, Norwegians, and other northern nations. KING Waldemar loved Tovehill, a lady of Ryggen; and he was so strongly afflicted when she died, that he would not forsake her body, but caused it to be carried along with him wherever he went. This became very disagreeable to those who were about the king, and on that account, a courtier, profiting by a favourable opportunity, examined the body, in order to discover what it was that bound the king to it with so powerful an attachment. He at last perceived a magic ring on her finger, which her mother had given her in order to secure the king's love. The courtier took the ring, and immediately the king's infatuation towards the body disappeared, and he allowed it to be interred. But mark the consequence: all the king's love was transferred to the courtier, who was now in possession of the ring; so that he granted him every thing he asked for, and would scarcely trust him from his sight; which constraint at last became irksome to the youth, and, as he knew what was the cause of it, he dropped the ring into a pond, as he one day rode through the grove of Gurra. From that moment the king began to find himself better in that particular grove than in any other place; he caused the castle of Gurra to be built, and hunted night and day in the wood. He was frequently heard to say, that God might keep heaven to himself, if he were only permitted to hunt in Gurra; and, after his death, God punished him by fulfilling his wish. He now rides every night from Burra to Gurra, and is, through the whole district, known by the name of the Flying Huntsman. When he approaches, one hears, first, a horrid howling, bellowing, and whip-cracking, in the air, and then every person ought to turn out of the path, and conceal himself behind the trees. Then comes the whole rout. Foremost of all run the coal-black dogs, snuffing the ground, and with long glowing tongues lolling from their throats. Then appears" Wolmar," seated upon his white horse, and generally carrying his head under his left arm. When he meets any body, especially if it happens to be an old man, he commands him to hold his dogs, and sometimes leaves him standing with the hounds for many hours, or, at other times, he will presently afterwards fire a shot, and, when the hounds hear that, they burst their bands, and scamper off. When he goes away in this manner, the gates are heard slamming to after him; and in many places, where there is a straight passage through a house, he gallops in at the one and out of the other door, and no bolts are so heavy that they do not spring back at his approach. He frequently rides through Ibsgaard, in Oddsherred; and there is in Roskilda a house where the doors are now always left standing open during the night; for, previous to that, he frequently broke the locks to pieces. In certain places, it frequently happens that he takes his course over the house; and in the neigh bourhood of Herlufsholm there is a cottage, the roof of which in the middle is considerable sunk, because he has passed over it. In North Zetland he has another Gurra, in which stand some ruins, which are called Waldemar's castle. It is here customary for the old women, on the eve of St. John's day, to station themselves in the paths, and open the gates for him. Half a mile from Gurra lies Wolmar's height, surrounded by water According to tradition, six black monks, mumbling psalms, pass slowly every midnight across the island. Between Sollerood and Norum, he hunts with his hounds and horses along a road which takes its name from him. When he has thus made a circuit he reposes himself by turns in all the princely residences scattered through the country. He takes particular pleasure in stopping at Valloe-burgh, where there is a chamber appropriated to him, in which stand two beds: in the same apartment are likewise two strong chests, which, being once opened, were found to be filled with small round pieces of leather," for better money there was not in king Waldemar's days." A subterranean passage connects Valloe-burgh with Tallosegaard, in the bailliwick of Holbeck here he likewise has a sleeping room, and the maidens and people, dressed in fashion of the times when he lived, are frequently seen making the beds. A countryman, who would not : believe that the king came by night to this place, had the audacity to keep watch there; but, about midnight, the spectre-monarch entered, saluted him in a friendly manner, and said, I will reward you for this kind visit," and at the same time threw him a gold coin; but, when the fellow caught at it, it burnt a round hole through his hand, and fell to the ground a fiery coal. We may easily judge what he suffered from this fiendish gift. But it frequently happens, that when old men and women have for many hours held the phantom's hounds, he casts something to them, which looks like a coal, and is therefore generally disregarded; but if it be picked up and examined, it is found to consist of pure gold. The following is one of this remarkable personages adventures: Late at eve they were toiling on Harribee bank, Then off went King Waldemar bounding; Then back came he, laughing in horrible tone, Athwart his proud barb's dappled shoulder. |