Part 5 (1/2)

Meantime an infectious disorder spread fast amongst them, and several of the bondsmen died one after the other. Strange portents were seen within doors, the meal was displaced and mingled, and the dried fish flung about in a most alarming manner, without any visible agent. At length, while the servants were forming their evening circle around the fire, a spectre resembling the head of a seal-fish was seen to emerge out of the pavement of the room, bending its round black eyes full on the tapestried bed-curtains of Thorgunna (the deceased lady). Some of the domestics ventured to strike at the figure; but, far from giving way, it rather erected itself further from the floor, until Kiartan, who seemed to have a natural predominance over these supernatural prodigies, seizing a huge forge-hammer, struck the seal repeatedly on the head, and compelled it to disappear, forcing it down into the floor, as if he had driven a stake into the earth. This prodigy was found to intimate a new calamity. Thorodd, the master of the family, had some time before set forth on a voyage to bring home a cargo of dried fish; but, in crossing the river Enna, the skiff was lost, and he perished with the servants who attended him. A solemn funeral feast was held at Froda, in memory of the deceased, when, to the astonishment of the guests, the apparition of Thorodd and his followers seemed to enter the apartment dripping with water. Yet this vision excited less horror than might have been expected; for the islanders, though nominally Christians, retained, among other superst.i.tions, a belief that the spectres of such drowned persons as had been favourably received by the G.o.ddess Rana were wont to show themselves at their funeral feast. They saw, therefore, with some composure, Thorodd and his dripping attendants plant themselves by the fire, from which all mortal guests retreated to make room for them. It was supposed this apparition would not be renewed after the conclusion of the festival. But so far were their hopes disappointed, that, so soon as the mourning guests had departed, the fires being lighted, Thorodd and his comrades marched in on one side, drenched as before with water; on the other entered Th.o.r.er, heading all those who had died in the pestilence, and who appeared covered with dust. Both parties seized the seats by the fire, while the half-frozen and terrified domestics spent the night without either light or warmth. The same phenomenon took place the next night, though the fires had been lighted in a separate house, and at length Kiartan was obliged to compound matters with the spectres by kindling a large fire for them in the princ.i.p.al apartment, and one for the family and domestics in a separate hut. This prodigy continued during the whole feast of Jol. Other portents also happened to appal this devoted family; the contagious disease again broke forth, and when any one fell a sacrifice to it, his spectre was sure to join the troop of persecutors, who had now almost full possession of the mansion of Froda. Thorgrima Galldrakinna, wife of Th.o.r.er, was one of these victims; and, in short, of thirty servants belonging to the household, eighteen died, and five fled for fear of the apparitions, so that only seven remained in the service of Kiartan.”

The trouble and annoyance from the spectres had now reached so serious a pitch that, by the advice of a maternal uncle, Kiartan inst.i.tuted judicial measures against the spectres.

”A tribunal being then const.i.tuted, with the usual legal solemnities, a charge was preferred by Kiartan against Th.o.r.er with the wooden leg, by Thordo Kausa against Thorodd, and by others chosen as accusers against the individual spectres present, accusing them of molesting the mansion, and introducing death and disease among its inhabitants. All the solemn rites of judicial procedure were observed on this singular occasion; evidence was adduced, charges given, and the cause formally decided. It does not appear that the ghosts put themselves on their defence, so that sentence of ejectment was p.r.o.nounced against them individually in due and legal form. When Th.o.r.er heard the judgment, he arose, and saying, 'I have sat while it was lawful for me to do so,' left the apartment by the door opposite to that at which the judicial a.s.sembly was const.i.tuted. Each of the spectres, as they heard their individual sentence, left the place, saying something which indicated their unwillingness to depart, until Thorodd himself was solemnly appointed to depart. 'We have here no longer,' said he, 'a peaceful dwelling, therefore will we remove.' Kiartan then entered the hall with his followers, and the priest, with holy water, and celebration of a solemn ma.s.s, completed the conquest over the goblins, which had been commenced by the power and authority of the Icelandic law.”

The spectral phenomena of the ancient Swedish folk-lore differs in no respect from the current histories of recent date. An interesting example of this is found in the beautiful ballad of Sir Ulf and Lady Solfverlind.

Sir Ulf was a n.o.bleman who had married a wife from a foreign country.

After they had lived together eight years, and had had a family of three children, the Lady Solfverlind died. In a short time he married again, and by his second wife, the Lady Stineborg, he had also several children. This lady, however, proved a cruel step-mother; for, as the ballad reads:--

”Lady Stineborg's children went out to play, Lady Solfverlind's children sate weeping all day.

This know we of Ulf.

The youngest child it wept so loud, That it woke its mother beneath the sod.

This know we of Ulf.

Lady Solfverlind spoke to the angel-band: 'Is it granted to visit the earthly land?'

This know we of Ulf.

'It is granted from heaven to earth to go, But thou must return ere the first c.o.c.k crow.'

This know we of Ulf.

She came to the door, she tirled at the pin; 'Rise up, my children, and let me in.'

This know we of Ulf.

'On sticks and stones why lie you thus?'

'Nothing besides is given to us.'

This know we of Ulf.

'Why look ye, my children, so grim and so grey?'

'We have not been washed since thou went away.'

This know we of Ulf.

'Rise up, Lady Stineborg, hearken to me, For I have a few words to speak unto thee!'

This know we of Ulf.

'I left behind me both upland and low, Yet now my children must supperless go.'

This know we of Ulf.

'I left behind me both oxen and kine, Yet now they go barefoot, these children of mine.'

This know we of Ulf.

'I left soft down pillows, full many a one, Now hard sticks and stones are the bed they lie on!'

This know we of Ulf.

'Hadst thou to my children shown tenderness sweet, G.o.d the Father in heaven had found thee a seat!'