nd and
threw a hook at the cattle on the sand hills, whither they frequently
wandered from the farms, and dragged them into the sea. Close to the
sea lived a Bonde, who had two red yearlings, which he did not wish to
lose; so he coupled them together with twigs of the mountain ash, over
which the Havmand had no power. However, he threw his hook at them,
but could not drag the yearlings down to the sea, as they were
protected by the virtue in the mountain ash. His hook stuck in its
twigs, and the yearlings came home with it, and the Bonde hung it up
in his house by the chimney. One day, when his wife was at home alone,
the Havmand came and took away the hook, and said, 'The first calves
of red cows, with a mountain ash couple, the Havmand could not drag to
the sea, and for want of my hook I have missed many a good catch.' So
the Havmand returned to the sea, and since then has never taken any
cattle from that part of the coast."

"It is very possible that the cattle were stolen by people landing
from the sea," said Hardy.

"Probably," said the Pastor. "There is another story of a Havmand's
body being washed up by the sea, close to the church, and it was
buried in the churchyard. But the sea every year washed away so much
of the sandy coast that the people were afraid the church would be
washed away; so they dug up the Havmand, and found him sitting at the
bottom of the grave, sucking one of his toes. They carried him down to
the sea, for which he thanked them, and said that now the sea should
ever cast up as much sand as it washed away, and both the church and
churchyard should never suffer from the encroachments of the sea."

"A story with more apparent improbability than usual. But the
impression appears to exist that these supernatural beings could never
really die. Is it not so?" inquired Hardy.

"It would appear so," replied the Pastor; "but in the case of Trolds
or Underjordiske, their deaths are occasionally referred to in the
traditions about them."

"But are there no legends of mermaids?" said Hardy.

"Many," replied the Pastor. "The Danish word is 'Havfru,' or
sea-woman. On the Jutland coast a mermaid or Havfru was accustomed to
drive her cattle up from the sea, so that they could graze in the
fields ashore. This the Bonder did not like. They, therefore, one
night, surrounded the cattle, and secured both them and the Havfru in
an enclosure, and refused to let them go until they had been paid for
the gras