The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1850-10-22
From Sharpe's Magazine.
The Wife of Kong Tolv.*
FAIRY TALE OF SCANDINAVIA.

UYLDEEDA KAHN stood at the door of
her cottage. and loobc cd abroad into the quiet
ness of the Sabbath morn. The village of
Skiclskor lay at a little distance down the
vale, lighted by the sunshine of a Zealand
summer, which, though brief is glowing and
lovely even as that of the south. Hyldreda
had looked for seventeen years upon this
beautiful scene, the place where she was
born. Sunday after Sunday she bad stood
thus and listened for the distant inkle of the
church bell. stranger, passing by, might
have said, how lovely were her face and
form; but the widowed mother, whose sole
say she was, and the little delicate sister,
who had been her darling from the cradle,
would have answered, that if none were so
fair, more were likewise so good as ilyldrc-
da and that al! the village knew If she
did love to beslow greater taste and care on
her Sunday garments than most young dam.
sells of her class, she had right-for was
she not as beautiful as any lady? And did
not the eyes of Esbcrn Lyngc say so, when
week after week. he came up the hlly road.
and descended again to the little chapel, sup
porting the feeble mothers slow steps, and
watching his bctrothed ns she bounded on
before, with little Resa in her hand?
Is Esbcrn coming? said the mother.
voice within.
i know not-I did not look answered
Hyldreda, with girish willfulness. | saw
on.y the sun shining on the river, and ,h'
oakwood waving in the breeze
Look down the road, child the time pas
scs Go quickly
; She has gone already, said Resa, laugh
irg merrily. 'She is standing under th
great clder-tree to wait for Esbern Lyngc
Call her back-call her back : cried tn
mother, anxiously. TO stand beneath N
cldcr-ttce, and this night will be st. john
Eve On Sunday, too, and she a Sunda
, child Call her quickly, Resa.'
: The little child lifted mp her voice, llyll-
Not her name-uiter rot her name
And the widow Kahn went on mutlerihg
herself, Perhaps the Ilyldemoert will nc
have heard. Alas the day when my chill
was born under an eldertree, and ], poe
Z desoaic mother was terrified into giving m
babe that name. Great lIyldemoer. be pro
r pitiated! Holy Virgin and the widow
j. prayer became "A curious mingline Of super
) stition and picty, Blessed Mary let not tn
elves have power over my child Have
not kept her heart from evil does not IL
holy cross lie on her pure breast day an
night? DO not lead her, every Sunda
= winter and summer, sunshine or snow, to Il
chapel in the valley And this day l w
say for her double prayer
a a The mothers counted heads had scar,
= come 10 an end when Hyldreda stood by h.
side, and, following the ightiooied damsC
> came Esbern Lynge.
y Child, why dldst thou Engcr under Il
i tree p said the widow 1t does not becon
q a young maiden TO stand Haunting outsi'
/, her door. Whom vert thou watching so c
gerlyT
!, Not thee, Esbern,' laughed the girl, sha
IT ing her head at at her berothed, who inte
d posed with happy conscious face Il W
is looking at grand train that wound aloi
the road, and thinking how pleasant it wou
be to dress on Sunday like the lady Of t
castle, and reeline idly behind four pranci
horses, instead of trudging on in these clul
sy shoes.
The mother frowned, and Esbern Lyn
v looked sorrowful.
wish could give her all she longs fc
sighed the young man, as they proceeded
y their way, bis duteous arm supporting I
ie *The idea Of this story is partly taken fr,
q Dutch Visa, or legendary ballad, entit
I'd Proud Margaret"
IN tHyldemoer elder mother, is the name q
Danish elf inhabiting the eder-tree Eia 5
nifes a grandmother or female ancestor. CT
dren born on Sundays were especially un,
the power Of the elves.