ken and
where new customs prevailed. Farther and farther she journeyed, to
where green hills rise into mountains, and the vine clothes their
sides. Strange merchants drive by her, and they look anxiously after
their waggons laden with merchandise. They fear an attack from the
armed followers of the robber-knights. The two poor women, in their
humble vehicle drawn by two black oxen, travel fearlessly through the
dangerous sunken road and through the darksome forest. And now they
were in Franconia. And there met them a stalwart knight, with a train
of twelve armed followers. He paused, gazed at the strange vehicle,
and questioned the women as to the goal of their journey and the
place whence they came. Then one of them mentioned Thyland, in
Denmark, and spoke of her sorrows--of her woes--which were soon to
cease; for so Divine Providence had willed it. For the stranger knight
is the widow's son. He seized her hand, he embraced her, and the
mother wept. For years she had not been able to weep, but had only
bitten her lips till the blood started.

It is the time of falling leaves and of stranded ships, and soon will
icy winter come.

The sea rolled wine-tubs to the shore for the bishop's cellar. In the
kitchen the deer roasted on the spit before the fire. At Boerglum it
was warm and cheerful in the heated rooms, while cold winter raged
without, when a piece of news was brought to the bishop: "Jens Glob,
of Thyland, has come back, and his mother with him." Jens Glob laid a
complaint against the bishop, and summoned him before the temporal and
the spiritual court.

"That will avail him little," said the bishop. "Best leave off thy
efforts, knight Jens."

Again it is the time of falling leaves, of stranded ships--icy winter
comes again, and the "white bees" are swarming, and sting the
traveller's face till they melt.

"Keen weather to-day," say the people, as they step in.

Jens Glob stands so deeply wrapped in thought that he singes the skirt
of his wide garment.

"Thou Boerglum bishop," he exclaims, "I shall subdue thee after all!
Under the shield of the Pope, the law cannot reach thee; but Jens Glob
shall reach thee!"

Then he writes a letter to his brother-in-law, Olaf Hase, in
Sallingland, and prays that knight to meet him on Christmas Eve, at
mass, in the church at Widberg. The bishop himself is to read the
mass, and consequently will journey from Boerglum to Thyland; and this
is known to Jens Glob.

Moorla