Page:Storys (sic) of The wild huntsman.pdf/5

5 with their blood-red tongues hanging out of heir mouths; then Waldemar appears galloping on his snow white horse, and not unfrequently he seems to hold his head under his left arm. If he meets any person, particularly old people, he commands them to keep his dogs, and leaves them standing with them, till at a signal made by a shot, the dogs burst their leashes and rush off snorting wildly. When the Wild huntsman goes off in this style, he is hard clashing the gates violently behind him; and in those places where there is any thorough fare, he gallops in at one gate, and out at the other, in spite of the strongest bolts, and bars.—At Christmas time he generally rides through Ibshof in Hœiby; and behind Roesklide there is a court where at night-time they always leave the gate open, as he has repeatedly broken the locks.—Sometimes he rides over the roofs of the houses. Thus in the neighbourhood of Herlufsholm is a house the roof of which is considerably sunk, as it is said, by his riding over it:— in the northern part of Zeeland are some ruins which are called Waldemar's castle. Here the old women go out regularly at night during midsummer, to open the gates for him.—Half-a-mile from Gurre lies Valdemar's hill, which is surrounded by water. On this island, tradition says, six