The Fairy Mythology: Illustrative of the Romance and Superstition of Various CountriesKeightley, Thomas
General
The Fairy Mythology: Illustrative of the Romance and Superstition of Various Countries
Keightley, Thomas
Fairies; Fairy tales; Folk literature; Folklore
Svend Fælling was, while a little boy, at service in
Sjeller-wood-house in Framley; and it one time happened that he had to
ride of a message to Ristrup. It was evening before he got near home,
and as he came by the hill of Borum Es, he saw the Elle-maids, who
were dancing without ceasing round and round his horse. Then one of
the Elle-maids stept up to him, and reached him a drinking cup,
bidding him at the same time to drink. Svend took the cup, but as he
was dubious of the nature of the contents, he flung it out over his
shoulder, where it fell on the horse's back, and singed off all the
hair. While he had the horn fast in his hand, he gave his horse the
spurs and rode off full speed. The Elle-maid pursued him till he came
to Trigebrand's mill, and rode through the running water, over which
she could not follow him. She then earnestly conjured Svend to give
her back the horn, promising him in exchange twelve men's strength. On
this condition he gave back the horn, and got what she had promised
him; but it very frequently put him to great inconvenience, for he
found that along with it he had gotten an appetite for twelve.[140]
_The Elle-Maids._
There lived a man in Aasum, near Odense, who, as he was coming home
one night from Seden, passed by a hill that was standing on red
pillars, and underneath there was dancing and great festivity. He
hurried on past the hill as fast as he could, never venturing to cast
his eyes that way. But as he went along, two fair maidens came to meet
him, with beautiful hair floating over their shoulders, and one of
them held a cup in her hand, which she reached out to him that he
might drink of it. The other then asked him if he would come again, at
which he laughed, and answered, Yes. But when he got home he became
strangely affected in his mind, was never at ease in himself, and was
continually saying that he had promised to go back. And when they
watched him closely to prevent his doing so, he at last lost his
senses, and died shortly after.[141]
_Maid Vae._
There was once a wedding and a great entertainment at Œsterhæsinge.
The party did not break up till morning, and the guests took their
departure with a great deal of noise and bustle. While they were
putting their horses to their carriages, previous to setting out home,
they stood talking about their respective bridal-presents. And while
they were talking loudly, and with the utmost earnestness, there came
from a neighbouring moor a maiden clad in green, with plaited rushes
on her head; she went up to the man who was loudest, and bragging most
of his present, and said to him: "What wilt thou give to maid Væ?"
The man, who was elevated with all the ale and brandy he had been
drinking, snatched up a whip, and replied: "Ten cuts of my whip;" and
that very moment he dropt down dead on the ground.[142]
_The Elle-Maid near Ebeltoft._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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