umed their wonted
station by the fire. Kiartan boldly ventured to approach them, and,
snatching a brand from the fire, he commanded the tapestry belonging to
Thorgunna to be carried out of doors, set fire to it, and reduced it to
ashes with all the other ornaments of her bed, which had been so
inconsiderately preserved at the request of Thurida. A tribunal being
then constituted with the usual legal solemnities, a charge was
preferred by Kiartan against Thorer with the wooden leg, by Thordo Kausa
against Thorodd, and by others chosen as accusers against the individual
spectres present, accusing them of molesting the mansion, and
introducing death and disease among its inhabitants. All the solemn
rites of judicial procedure were observed on this singular occasion;
evidence was adduced, charges given, and the cause formally decided. It
does not appear that the ghosts put themselves on their defence, so that
sentence of ejectment was pronounced against them individually in due
and legal form. When Thorer heard the judgment, he arose, and saying--

"I have sat while it was lawful for me to do so," left the apartment by
the door opposite to that at which the judicial assembly was
constituted. Each of the spectres, as it heard its individual sentence,
left the place, saying something which indicated its unwillingness to
depart, until Thorodd himself was solemnly called on to leave.

"We have here no longer," said he, "a peaceful dwelling, therefore will
we remove."

Kiartan then entered the hall with his followers, and the priest, with
holy water, and celebration of a solemn mass, completed the conquest
over the goblins, which had been commenced by the power and authority of
the Icelandic law.

THE LITTLE GLASS SHOE.

A peasant, named John Wilde, who lived in Rodenkirchen, found, one time,
a little glass shoe on one of the hills, where the little people used to
dance. He clapped it instantly in his pocket, and ran away with it,
keeping his hand as close on his pocket as if he had a dove in it, for
he knew he had found a treasure which the underground people must redeem
at any price.

Others say that John Wilde lay in ambush one night for the underground
people, and snatched an opportunity to pull off one of their shoes by
stretching himself there with a brandy bottle beside him, and acting
like one that was dead drunk, for he was a very cunning man, not over
scrupulous in his morals, and had taken in many a one