Tales Of Treasure

: Folk-lore And Legends Scandinavian

There are still to be seen near Flensborg the ruins of a very ancient

building. Two soldiers once stood on guard there together, but when one

of them was gone to the town, it chanced that a tall white woman came to

the other, and spoke to him, and said--



"I am an unhappy spirit, who has wandered here these many hundred years,

but never shall I find rest in the grave."



She then informed him t
at under the walls of the castle a great

treasure was concealed, which only three men in the whole world could

take up, and that he was one of the three. The man, who now saw that his

fortune was made, promised to follow her directions in every particular,

whereupon she desired him to come to the same place at twelve o'clock

the following night.



The other soldier meanwhile had come back from the town just as the

appointment was made with his comrade. He said nothing about what,

unseen, he had seen and heard, but went early the next evening and

concealed himself amongst some bushes. When his fellow-soldier came with

his spade and shovel he found the white woman at the appointed place,

but when she perceived they were watched she put off the appointed

business until the next evening. The man who had lain on the watch to no

purpose went home, and suddenly fell ill; and as he thought he should

die of that sickness, he sent for his comrade, and told him how he knew

all, and conjured him not to have anything to do with witches or with

spirits, but rather to seek counsel of the priest, who was a prudent

man. The other thought it would be the wisest plan to follow the advice

of his comrade, so he went and discovered the whole affair to the

priest, who, however, desired him to do as the spirit had bidden him,

only he was to make her lay the first hand to the work herself.



The appointed time was now arrived, and the man was at the place. When

the white woman had pointed out to him the spot, and they were just

beginning the work, she said to him that when the treasure was taken up

one-half of it should be his, but that he must divide the other half

equally between the church and the poor. Then the devil entered into the

man, and awakened his covetousness, so that he cried out--



"What! shall I not have the whole?"



Scarcely had he spoken when the figure, with a most mournful wail,

passed in a blue flame over the moat of the castle, and the man fell

sick, and died within three days.



The story soon spread through the country, and a poor scholar who heard

it thought he had now an opportunity of making his fortune. He therefore

went at midnight to the place, and there he met with the wandering white

woman, and he told her why he was come, and offered his services to

raise the treasure. She, however, answered that he was not one of the

three, one of whom alone could free her, and that the wall in which was

the money would still remain so firm that no human being should be able

to break it. She also told him that at some future time he should be

rewarded for his good inclination; and, it is said, when a long time

after he passed by that place, and thought with compassion on the

sufferings of the unblest woman, he fell on his face over a great heap

of money, which soon put him again on his feet. The wall still remains

undisturbed, and as often as any one has attempted to throw it down,

whatever is thrown down in the day is replaced again in the night.



* * * * *



Three men went once in the night-time to Klumhoei to try their luck, for

a dragon watches there over a great treasure. They dug into the ground,

giving each other a strict charge not to utter a word whatever might

happen, otherwise all their labour would be in vain. When they had dug

pretty deep, their spades struck against a copper chest. They then made

signs to one another, and all, with both hands, laid hold of a great

copper ring that was on the top of the chest, and pulled up the

treasure. When they had just got it into their possession, one of them

forgot the necessity of silence, and shouted out--



"One pull more, and we have it!"



That very instant the chest flew away out of their hands to the lake

Stoeierup, but as they all held hard on the ring it remained in their

grasp. They went and fastened the ring on the door of St. Olaf's church,

and there it remains to this very day.



* * * * *



Near Dangstrup there is a hill which is called Dangbjerg Dons. Of this

hill it is related that it is at all times covered with a blue mist, and

that under it there lies a large copper kettle full of money. One night

two men went there to dig after this treasure, and they had got so far

as to lay hold of the handle of the kettle. All sorts of wonderful

things began then to appear to disturb them at their work. One time a

coach, drawn by four black horses, drove by them. Then they saw a black

dog with a fiery tongue. Then there came a cock drawing a load of hay.

Still the men persisted in not letting themselves speak, and still dug

on without stopping. At last a fellow came limping up to them and said--



"See, Dangstrup is on fire!"



When the men looked towards the town, it appeared exactly as if the

whole place were in a bright flame. Then at length one of the men forgot

to keep silence, and the moment he uttered an exclamation the treasure

sank deeper and deeper, and as often since as any attempt has been made

to get it up, the trolls have, by their spells and artifices, prevented

its success.



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