Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1855-02-14
MISC L LII A N Y.
A wild Legend.

Oberlansitz is the name Of a small noun
tain district bordering on Bohemia; and to
the rough part OF it, situated round about
the town OF Qittau, the widest legends be-
long. The original inhabitants are an old
race of Czechs, and form the native poPu-
lation OF the highlands; but it is Servlan
race that occupies the plains below. The
OberlanSitzer is lumpish fellow, phIeS-
matte and tacturn; who, when he does o.
pen his mouth heaps together vowelS' SO as
to form the very coarSeSt OF the German dl-
alects-worSe even than the SIleSlan. lie
would call what, waoiout When excited
in the beerhouse OF on any holiday occasion
he breaks cut into exceeding wlldneSS; and,
in that condition, he is quick at wrath but,
slow at forgiveness, he treasures up ideas
of vengeance. OF strangers he is very dis
truStiul; unwilling to guide them over his
native ground. he hides from them what he
knows. tells them none of his thoughts, and
recouuts to them none of his legends. E.
ven at home, when he begins one OF the
stories in which he delights, he blurtS 1t out
piccemeal from the corner by the oven,
stops TO smoke. or breaks off altogether ii
offended BY any diStastelul kind of inter
ruption. Thus it happens that the legends
current in the Oberlansltz have escaped the
notice of collectors.
Some years ago, an educated O5erlan
stzer Herr Willkomm published small
collection of the legends of his country
men. propose to relate two or three OF
them-not telling them as formal tales but
setting down enough to show that what l.
their nature, and suggest, perhaps, too, a
profitable thought or two to those who, IN
reading them, remember what the nature
is Of those poor highlanderS by whom they
were invented.
Once upon time there was maiden
named Swanhilda, who was the only child
of proud father, aud he was dead. Her
mother had died at her birth, and she lived.
therefore, alone in her castle. TO thlS lady
many suitorS came, all of whom she scorn-
fully ard repeatedly rejected. Her delight
was in manly sports; she VAS perpetually
laundering through the forest on great
black Barbary courSer, spear IN hand, IN
search of game. Nevertheless she was
very beautiful, and her many sultorS, div
en- to distraction at last met together and
agreed to summon her to yield herself TO
one Of them, or else submit to be bcsleged
BY them all for they would combine and
march against her castle. She sent back
their messenger with scornful words, and
went to bed.
In the night little ball Of light came up
out Of her bedroom floor, and jumped about
with slight cracking noise that awakened
her and worried her. ''Be quiet she
cried out at it. "What fools trick is this.
want to go to sleep" The little ball in-
stantly vanished; but directly afterwards
the boards Of the floor were broken through,
anu table rose into the room covered with
WINE aud dainty food. Then Swanhilda
ielt alarmed. But the fear gave way to-
curiosity, when she saw sitting around the
table the hgures OF all her suitors, eating
ana drinking merriIy. One lady was sit
tins with them who had nothing to eat, and
that was the image of herself. Little ser.
wants took TO each OF the young knights as
many plates ol food as he had received re.
jectlonS at her hands; and whenever =
knight was served in this way, there was
laid down before the image of herself an
empty sack, so that as many sacks 1.-THE
Oberansitzers say baskets, as she had civ.
en- she received back for her supper. be-
leve that an old custom of asking lady's
hand by making her a present in a bag
(sack) or basket, aud taking it as an accep-
tance Of the implied offer if she kept what
ever contained the present, and rejection
If she sent the sack or basket back, gave
rise to oar vul 5ar Elsish expression, 6 We.