s the sea cattle had consumed from their fields. As she had no
money, they demanded that she should give them the belt that she wore
round her waist, which appeared to be covered with precious stones. To
ransom herself and cattle, she at length consented, and the Bonder
received the belt; but as she went to the sea-shore she said to the
biggest bull of her herd, 'Root up,' and the bull rooted the earth up
that was over the sand in their meadows, and the consequence was the
wind blew the sand so that it buried the church. The Bonder,
therefore, had small joy of the belt, particularly when they found it
was only common rushes."

"There is a ballad," said Hardy, "that I met with in Norway of Count
Magnus and the Havfru. She promised him a sword, a horse, and a ship
of miraculous powers; but he was true to his earthly love."

"The people often sing it here," said the Pastor, "and a good ballad
it is. It is, however, well known in England. There was a common
belief that there were cattle in the sea, and it is related that a man
once saw a red cow constantly in the evening feeding on his standing
corn. He asked his neighbours' assistance, and they secured it. It had
five calves whilst in the man's possession, and each of them cow
calves; but they gave him so much trouble from their unruly nature
that he beat them frequently. One day he did so by the seaside, when a
voice from the sea called the cattle, who all rushed into the sea.

"There is a very common story of a fisherman, on the west coast of
Jutland, seeing a Havmand riding on a billow of the sea, but shivering
with the cold, as he had only one stocking on. The fisherman took off
one of his stockings and gave it to the Havmand. Some time after, he
was on the sea fishing, when the Havmand appeared, and sang--

'Hor du Mand som Hosen gav.
Tag dit Skib og drag til Land,
Det dundrer under Norge.'

'Listen, you man, who gave the stocking.
Take your ship and make for land,
It thunders under Norway.'

The fisherman obeyed, and a great storm ensued, and many people
perished at sea."

"It is common to observe that where the natural disposition of the
people is a kindly one, there exists in their legends instances of a
similar character, where a kindness is recollected and rewarded," said
Hardy.

"It occurs often," said Pastor Lindal, "in the legends of the
Underjordiske."

"Hans Christian Andersen has a story about the elder tree, but it