Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 18, 1907.djvu/238

 202 Collectanea.

food having been eaten, eventually died of hunger. Many years later an old man is passing the spot by night, when a white lady, sitting on a stump, begs him to follow her, and conducts him into the castle vault. There she opens a box with a key, and displays large treasure of gold and silver. " Don't forget the best ! " says she. The man is too frightened to utter a word ; the lady gazing at him sadly, exclaims, with a loud cry, that now there is no help for her, and she must wander till the judgment day. Instantly everything vanishes, and the man is standing in the open field. In the opinion of the folk, the man should have replied in such a way as to have released the white lady ; then she could have gone to heaven, and he could have got the treasure.

P. Save's MS. Collections, III. University Library, Upsala, Sweden. Sagor, No. 13.

" Den nedgravede Prinsesse " (The buried Princess).

(i) King has an only daughter betrothed to a prince. King and prince go to the wars, king having prepared an underground chamber for heroine, her maid and dog. (2) King is killed ; heroine in vain awaits deliver- ance. (3) Prince has handkerchief with his name worked in gold letters by heroine ; drop of blood from her pricked finger has stained it, and no one can wash it out. Prince in vain seeks heroine ; promises to marry girl who can wash kerchief clean. (4) Maid dies in underground chamber; dog scratches his way out, heroine follows ; reaches prince's kingdom, and is engaged as chamber-maid. (5) Prince is to be married next day to girl exactly resembling heroine, except in voice, who bids her wash out blood-spot. Heroine does so ; is forbidden to speak. (6) Bride falls ill, heroine goes to church in her place. She says to the horses : " There you are! my father. King Falk's steeds. Now you are mine." Prince asks what she says; heroine whispers: "Nothing." Crossing bridge she says : " There you swim my duck and drake. When I go back I lose my mate." Same question from prince and whispered reply. During wedding ceremony heroine receives a ring which must be given up to none but prince. (7) On returning heroine gives up dress to false bride, who, at table, cannot repeat what was said going to church, and must ask chamber- maid. Prince is suspicious ; discovers true bride. Happy marriage.

IMd. B " KrAk-Pelsen " (The Crow-cloak).

(l) King wants to marry daughter. (2) Heroine is allowed three wishes: dress like sun, another like moon, a third like stars. Three faithful servants shoot crows, and a cloak is made of the flayed skins. (3) Heroine escapes in cloak, with dresses hidden in box, and passes night in hut of an ugly old hag, who next morning shows castle where heroine can get employment. Leaving box of dresses with hag, heroine is engaged as ' lamb-girl.' (4) One