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G
REFSNÆS.
Chap. XXVIII.
REFSNÆS.
At some three miles distance from Kallundborg is
situated the village of Refsnæs, the barest promontory
of the island of Zealand — a scene of desolation now,
but once the hunting-grounds of the Denmark
sovereigns. It was here, while engaged in the pursuit of a
stag, that Prince Valdemar, son of Valdemar II., met
with a fate similar to that of our King William Rufus.
Four gigantic masses of granite, now no longer to be
found, once marked the spot. The event is thus
described in the ancient ballad of ‘ Dronning Leonora —
“Leonora the Queen in childbirth
Her young life lost, — and died.
Alas ! alas ! alas !
She came to Denmark from Portugal.
She travels forth to God’s joyful hall ;
She rejoices with saints, and the choir of angels,
But her body lies in St. Benedict’s earth.
Court holds her lord in Kallundborg.
He thought with time to kill his grief ;
Hardly had months gone nine
The lord was willing to console his mind.”
In fact, having grieved for nine months, he has had
enough of it, and determines to amuse himself: “ Saddle
me,” he exclaims, “Swedefux!” — and off he goes
a-hunting. So hard he rides from dawn til night, that
when he arrives at Refsnæs scarce a squire has been able
to follow him. The beaters drive the deer and hare with
shouts into the forest; a hart starts forth; Sir Eskiol
draws his bow, the stag shall be his prey; the shaft
pierces the prince’s breast — he falls to the ground from
his charger, and says to this world a long good night.
Horror-struck, the attendants rush to his aid too late ;
he is dead. The affrighted waters of the Belt recede
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