Weekly Trinity journal., 1878-05-18
A DANISH LEGEND.

sci in all Denmark, and, according to the
custom Of the country, he rode about from
one house to the other personally inviting
all his guests. There was to be dance
and feast after the ceremony, and every
one he knew must be hidden.
He rode many miles that day, and after
nightfal found himself on the further
side of great wood which every one said
was haunted by elves. and where there
was indeed fairy ring, as anyone could
see who chose to look for it.
Some people would have been afrsid
to ride through the wood at night, but
Sir Olaf was brave man, so he spurred
on his white horse and rode into the
wood.
The moon was rising; her white beams
penetrated the branches and family ilu-
minated the path. They fell upon his
/ fine face and his long, fair, flowing hair;
his blue eyes sparkled, he was thinking
of the girl he loved and Of bis coming
wedding day.
Suddenly a sound fell upon his ear
that broke his reveric: it was the sound
/ of music-strange, delicate, beautiful
music.
The horse heard it and began to show
/ signs of terror, but Sir Olaf rode on,
looking about him carefully, for he could
not think that these delicate harps and
bugles were played upon by human hands,
and the tunes were all strange and elfsh
SO, ran the old legend, did the Elf
Kings daughter play to win the hearts
OF any men who rode through the Elf
wood after nightlall.
"But my heart they cannot win,
SAID Olaf, " for that belongs to my true
love. l have no fear of the Elf Kings
daughters"
But just as he spoke, he came into
clearing in the wood there was the
fairy ring a food of moonlight fell
across it and there he saw three beau
tiful maidens, all in green, playing upon
the strange and delicate instruments,
while in the midst of the ring stood one
still more lovely, who held out her arms
to him.
Welcome, welcome, Sir Olaf" she
cried, "alight from your horse and come
hither. | am the Elf Kings daughter,
and it is my will that thou shouldst
come into the ring and dance with me.
1t is an honor given 20 few mortais." :"
But Sir Olaf remained in his saddle,
only bowing low to the Elf maiden.
4 cannot dance with you" he said.
81 cannot even stay. Tomorrow is
my wedding day, and must ride home
to my bride"
" Your bride is very fair, doubtless,
Sir Olaf" said the Elf maiden, but
am | not fairor? Light down, Sir Olaf,
and dance with me, and will give thee
two golden spurs, and a robe of white
silk that the fairy queen has bleached
in the moorshine, as wedding gift for
thy lady"
MANY thanks, lovely Elf maiden" :"
said the knight, "but | mus. ride on. |
cannot stop upon my wedding-eve to
dance or talk with thee. Good night"
And he would have ridden on, but now
the Elf maiden advanced and caught the
| horse by the bride.
"Light down, Sir Olaf" said she, "and
l will give thee gold Thou shalt have
more gold than thou hast ever hoped to
have, for thou art but poor, though thou
art SO brave. Dance in the ring with me,
and thou shalt be rich"
may" replied Sir Olaf, 81 have told
thee it is my wedding-eve. / can Ghnce
with none but my bride. Let go my
bride, good Elf lfmaiden, and farewell"
But now the beautiful eyes of the fairy
woman sparkled with rage.
"If thou wilt not dance with me, Sir
Olaf" she said, "thou shalt remember
me. The man who will not take the Elf
maden's kiss shall have the Elf stroke
from her hand"
Then she rose on tiptoe and struck him
over the heart, and cried, "Get thee home
to thy BRIDE"
Away sped the horse, but Sir Olaf sat
upon him pale and without motion: his
hand no longer held the bride; his eyes
saw nothing, his lips were dumb; Il white
corpse seemed to ride upon the white
steed in the moonlight.
All night those who awaited for the
coming Of Sir Olaf watched for him in
vain; the day dawned, and he had not
come; but so brave a knight would never
fail his bride. Tho feast was spread; the
vino was poured; the bride was dressed;
the guests arrived.
Where tarred Sir Olaf? Those who
knew that he had ridden into the Elf
forest at moonlight felt their hearts grow
weary but as all eyes turned towards
the wood there came forth from it
white horse which all knew to be Sir
Olaf's.
IL was ridden by knight who seemed
| to be frozen in his saddle he was white
to the lips mis- wide open eyes stared
at nothing. The horse came on and
paused in their midst, and as though
some unseen thing had until that moment
supported him, the knight fell forward
upon his face. 1t was Sir Olaf.
4" He is dead -. shrieked the bride.
" Dead dead I" shrieked the mother.
" Dead !" chorused the guests.
And they wept over him rs he lav
in their midst, and CRIED "There will
be no wedding, but funeral-the fu-
neral of the bravest and best beloved
knight in Denmark.
Then the bride tore her hair and scat