Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - VII - Island of Samsø
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
92
ISLAND OF SAMSØ.
Chap. VII.
of the entombed Bërsærcks. Here we make our first
stoppage, disembark and receive in return a boat-load
of peasants, men, women, and children.
It is related of Christian IV., concerning whom there
are more anecdotes extant than of all the house of
Oldeuborg put together, how one day, driven in by
contrary winds, he landed west of Nordby, on the island of
Samsø. Having nothing particular to do, he laid hold
of a plough which was lying idle on a stubble-field, and
commenced labouring away for his own recreation.
After an hour had elapsed the parson’s servant returned
from his dinner ; so Christian, who had had enough of
it, handed over the plough to the man, and, giving him
some money, desired him to tell his master that the King
had been tilling his land for him. The man, amazed,
ran off to spread the news; when he returned,
accompanied by all the village, the King was off and away in
his ship. But united Samsø agreed with one voice they
never had before seen such ploughing.
Now the coast of Funen and later Zealand
appears faint on the horizon. The waters of the Great
Belt are somewhat troubled: floating buoys —
birchbrooms with sticks long enough to mount a leash of
Scandinavian witches high aloft in the air—mark the
dangerous rocks as we steam by on our course—a very
careless, imprudent proceeding on the part of the
mariners, placing these broomsticks far out at sea beyond
man’s reach; so say the peasants from Samsø, who
shake their heads; for, on the eve of St. John, they
collect all their broomsticks and pokers and lock them
up closely till the next day, lest the witches should ride
off on them, to I am sure I quite forget where, but
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
