"Don't talk nonsense, John," said Mrs. Hardy, who feared that it might
not be agreeable to Pastor Lindal; and, to turn his thoughts in
another direction, asked him if there were not other legends of a
different type.
"Yes; there is one very commonly repeated," he replied. "A Bonde had
twenty pigs ranging through the wood by Moen's Klint. He lost them,
and after searching for a whole year, he met Gamle Erik (the devil;
literally, Old Erik) riding on a pig and driving nineteen before him,
and making a great noise by beating on an old copper kettle. The pigs
were all in good case, except the one Gamle Erik rode, which bore
traces of bad treatment. The Bonde shouted and called, and Gamle Erik
was frightened, and dropped the copper kettle, and let the pigs be
pigs. So the Bonde had not only his pigs, but a copper kettle to
recollect Gamle Erik by."
Mrs. Hardy was much pleased with the scenery about the cliffs, and the
contrast of the dark blue sea against the white chalk, and the varied
prospects in the woods.
The drive had been full of interest, and Mrs. Hardy thanked Pastor
Lindal for his suggesting it, and the pleasure of hearing his
narrations on the very places with which they were connected, and
added--
"I shall come again another year, Herr Pastor, on purpose to enjoy
your society, if you will act as guide."
"God willing, it will be a pleasure to me," said he; "but these few
days have had their effect on me. I appear to see things with a
clearer view, that at home have been difficult to me. Travelling
develops the mind, and gives it a broader cast of thought. You, who
have travelled so much, Mrs. Hardy, appear to have been influenced by
the process."
"Thank you for your compliment, Herr Pastor," said Mrs. Hardy. "It is
well put."
At eight the following day, the yacht was passing Moen's Klint, at
sea, bound for Copenhagen. There was a stiff breeze from the westward,
and in passing Praesto Bay the yacht was in a short rough beam sea,
that made things very lively to all on board, except possibly the
Pastor, as his ears gradually assumed a greenish tint.
John Hardy consulted the pilot, and the yacht was brought up and
anchored under Stevn's Klint, in shelter, much to Pastor Lindal's
comfort, who appeared at lunch fully recovered from his sea-sickness.
"Praesto," said he, "is so called after a priest called Anders; he was
a monk at the time of the Reformation, but adopted the reformed
religion. He had only a small copper coin, which always returned to
him when he spent it, and received no other payment for his services.
In the arms of the town of Praesto is a man in a priest's dress,
supposed to be in his memory."
"Were there any Underjordiske in the cliff at the yacht's bow?" asked
Hardy.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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