his sword, and it died of the wound thus given. The
poisonous nature of the blood that flowed from the Lindorm, however,
caused the glazier's death."

"That is certainly a striking legend," said Hardy.

"There is also a legend of a Lindorm that encircled a church and
devoured the people as they came out, as it appeared only after their
being in it. It had its head at one entrance and its tail at the
other, and destroyed the people with both. The people then made a hole
in the church wall, through which they escaped. Another legend is that
a Lindorm bathes once a year in a lake, which after has a green film
on it. This, however, you may have observed in the lakes at Silkeborg
this summer, arising from the quantity of weed growth during the
hotter weather."

"I have observed what you mention," said Hardy, "and I should expect
it is not the first time that an ordinary natural occurrence has been
attributed to supernatural causes."

"That applies," said the Pastor, "also to what you call in England
will-o-the-wisp. We call this in Danish, Lygtemaend, or men with
lanterns. The tradition is that they are spirits of wicked people,
particularly of men who have measured land falsely, and so acquired an
advantage over their neighbours. They are supposed to desire to
mislead the traveller, and entice him into bogs and swamps. It is said
that the best means to prevent being thus deceived is to turn one's
hat, so that the back part should come to the front; care, however,
must be taken not to point at a Lygtemaend, as he is then dangerous.
Such is the tradition."

"Your legends, this evening, have been more than usually interesting,
Herr Pastor," said Hardy. "It would appear as if, with such a mass of
legendary lore, you would have men growing up and becoming authors of
the richest fancy."

"Hans Christian Andersen is an instance," said the Pastor, "so is
Ingemann, and, of late, Carl Andersen, the curator of Rosenborg
palace. There are others also. It is no doubt that the human fancy,
when led into extraordinary lines of thought, is influenced to produce
them."

CHAPTER XII.

"Who hunts, doth oft in danger ride;
Who hawks, lures oft both far and wide;
Who uses games, shall often prove
A loser; but he who falls in love
Is fettered in fond Cupid's snare.
My Angle breeds me no such care."
_The Complete Angler._

An idea had occurred to Godseier Jensen which had filled the mind of
t