Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-10-20
NO. 249.
DANISH POPULAR LEGENDS.
DY HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN.

Denmark is rich in old legends of his
torical persons, churches, and manners,
Of hills, of fields, and bottomless moors;
sayings from the days of the great plague,
| from the times Of war and peace. The
sayings live in books, and on the tongues
of the people; they fly far about like q
flock of birds, but still are as different
from one another as the thrush is from
the owl, as the wood-pigeon from the
gull. Listen to me, and / will tell you
some of them. f..s'g
THE GENEROUS SOLDIER.
1t happened one evening in days of
yore, when the enemy were pillaging the
Danish country, that a battle had been
fought and won by the Danes, and many
killed and wounded lay on the field of
battle. One of these. an enemy. had lost
both legs by shot. A Danish soldier.
standing near by had Just taken out
bottle filled with beer, and was about to
put it to his mouth, when the badly-wound-
ed man asked him for drink. As he
stopped to hand him the bottle, the en-
emy discharged his pistol at him, but the
shot missed. The soldier drew his bottle
back again, drank half Of it. and gave the
remaining half to his enemy, only saying:
You rascal, now you will only get half
of it."
The king, afterward hearing of this,
granted the soldier and his dcsendents an
armorial bearing of nobility, on which was
painted half-filled bottle in memory of
his deed.
TIE AFFECTIONATE SON. -.
There is beautiful tradition, worth
telling, about church-bell of Farum
The parsonage stood close by the church.
1t was dark night late in the fall. and
the minister was sitting up at a late hour,
preparing his Sabbath sermon, when he
heard slight, strange sound from the
| large church bell. No wind was blowing,
and the sound was inexplicable to him.
He got up, took the key, and went into
the church. AS he entered the church
the sound stopped suddenly, but he heard
faint sigh from above. "Who is there
disturbing the peace of the church p' he
asked in loud voice. Footsteps were
heard from the tower, and he saw in the
passage-way little boy advancing toward
him. "Be not angry" said the child 81
slipped in here when the vesper service
was rung; my mother is very sick ~ and
now the little boy could not say more, for
the tears that choked him. The minister
patted him on the cheek, and encouraged
him to be frank, and to tell him all about
it,
They say that my mother-my sweet,
good mother-is going to die but knew
that when one is sick unto death he may
recover again and live, if in the middle of
the night one dares enter the church, and
scrape OF a little rust from the large
church bell; that is safeguard against
death. Therefore I came here and hid my
| col / rI n1no il-n
afraid! l thought of all the dead ones,
and of their coming into the church.
read my Lords Prayer. and scraped the
rust off the bell"
Come, my good child, said the minis
ter, "our Lord will forsake neither thy
mother nor thee" So they went together
to the poor cottage, where the sick woman
was lying. She slept quietly and soundly.
Our Lord granted her life, aad his bless
ing shone over her son.
TIE KIND YOUNG LADY.
There is a legend about a poor young
fellow, named Paul Vendelbo, who be-
came great and honored man. He was
studied so we'll that he got through the
examination as student, but felt a still
greater desire to become soldier and
stroll about in foreign countries. One day
he walked with two young comrades, who
were well off, along the ramparts Of Co.
penhagen, and talked to them OF his de-
sire. He stopped suddenly. and looked
up at the window of the Professors house,
where a young girl was seated, whose
beauty had astonished him and the two
others Perceiving how he blushed, they
said in joke, "Go in to her, Paul, and II
you get voluntary kiss from her at the
window SO that we can see it, we will
give you money for travelling, that you
may go abroad and see if fortune is more
favorable for you there than at home.
Paul Vendelbo entered the house, and
knocked at the parlor door.
my father is not at home," said the
young girl.
DO not be angry with me - he an
swered, and the blood rushed up into his
cheeks. lit is not your father Iwant !"
And now he told her frankly and heartily
his wish to try the world and acquire an
honorable name he told her of his two
friends who were standing in the street,
and promised him money for travelling on
the condition that she should voluntarily
give him kiss at the open window and
he looked at her with such an open, hon
est, and frank face, that her anger disap-
peared.
words to chaste maid" said she, "but
YOU look so honest, will not hinder your
fortuner' And she led him to the win
dow and gave him kiss.
His friends kept their promise, and fur
nished him with money. He went into
the service ofthe Czar fought in the bat
tie of Pultowa, and acquired name and
honor. Afterward, when Denmark need
ed him, he returned home, and became
mighty man of the army, and Of the kings
council One day he entered the Profess
sor's plain room, and it was not just the
Professor he wished to see this time either,
it was again his daughter, Ingeborg Wind
ing, who gave him the kiss-the inaugu
ration of his fortune. A fortnight after,
Paul Vendelbo Loevendern (Lyon-eagle)
celebrated his wedding. a s'Tla
THE GOOD PROMISE. sHV
The enemy once made great attack
on the Danish island Of Funen. One vii
CONCLUDED ON FOURTH PAGE.1