The Childhood of King Erik Menved Part 76

[Footnote 42: A small peninsula on the north coast of Funen.]

[Footnote 43: Several traditions have been preserved respecting Marsk Stig's death and funeral, and the abstraction of the pall that covered his coffin. One account states that he was interred at Hintzeholm at midnight; that the priest's servant-maid, who had secretly witnessed the funeral, disclosed it to her master; that the priest ransacked the grave, and shared the velvet pall with the maid, who, shortly afterwards, was married to one of the marsk's swains; and that her husband, who saw the velvet on one of her pillows, and was informed by her how she had obtained it, fearful that his master's place of sepulchre would be discovered, killed her; although, as the tradition says, "he loved her very dearly." Another account, quoted from a ma.n.u.script (a kind of parish-register, kept by a clergyman from the year 1622,) in the royal library of Copenhagen, states, that the marsk had a granary on Hielm, strongly fortified with mounds and ditches.

Opposite Hielm, at Biornkier, he had a barn-yard, bounded on one side by the sea, and on three others by a fresh-water lake, a great mora.s.s which was impa.s.sable, and a thick wood. In this wood which he could reach in an hour and a half's ride from Hielm, he took his pleasure in hunting. It is related that on one of these journeys he became overheated and was taken ill, and, being obliged to dismount, he sat down on a stone and there died. His body was the same night carried to the church of Helgeness, and honourably interred by Our Lady's altar; "and the priest, who then lived in the parsonage-house, had a maid-servant, who, going out to bring ale from a place under the north armoury, stopped and saw how they buried him, and laid a magnificent pall over his coffin; and when she found an opportunity, she had the grave dug up, and stole it away," &c. This story, the worthy priest adds, was told him by honest Danes who were born in these parts, and had lived in the country more than a hundred years.--Tr.]

[Footnote 44: Danske Viser fra Midelalderen, 2 D. p. 215.]

[Footnote 45: Formed by the soldiers placing their shields and bucklers together in such a manner, as to present to the projectiles of a foe a compact circular wall and roof of iron.--Tr.]

[Footnote 46: The Danebrog, some readers are probably aware, is a Danish order of knighthood. The history of the Danebrog, or Dannebrog, however, may not be so well known. It is related that when King Waldemar Seier was fighting against the heathenish Laplanders, in order to convert them to the Christian faith, Archbishop Andrew of Lund stood on an eminence, as did Moses of old, and prayed to Heaven for the success of the Danish arms. As long as he was able to keep his arms raised, the Danes prevailed; but the moment he let them fall, through the feebleness of old age, the heathens gained the advantage; and the priests therefore supported his arms while the battle lasted. Then happened this miracle, that when the princ.i.p.al banner of the Danes was lost in the heat of battle, there descended from heaven a banner with a white cross in a field of red, by the influence of which the Danes gained the victory. This precious banner was long preserved. The belief was general that with it victory was certain, and therefore it was called the Dannebrog (the Danes' fort or strength). On the spot where the battle took place, was built the town of Wolmar, which takes its name from Waldemar.--Tr.]

[Footnote 47: The legend on this queen's seal was "Agnes, Dei gracia Danorum Slavorque Regina."]

[Footnote 48: The "holmgang" was a species of single combat or pitched battle. The combatants were placed on an island, and left to fight with swords, until all on one or both sides fell. He who refused the holmgang, or attempted to escape from it; was called a nidding, and subjected to every species of insult and contempt. The "berserk-gang,"

or fighting phrensy, was, it has been supposed, produced by eating of some intoxicating herb.]

[Footnote 49: The incantation of Hervor has been translated by Herbert, in the work ent.i.tled "Five Pieces of Runic Poetry."]