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Chap. XLIX.
THORØ.
287
ISLAND OF THORØ.
The small island of Thorø we did not explore, for the
weather was still hot, and it would scarcely have repaid
the trouble.
Like Lyø and others of the same calibre, it formed
a natural deer-garden for the early Danish kings; and
in Valdemar’s Jorde-Bog is mentioned as good for the
hunting of 11 hart, doe, and roe.” In earlier times still,
on a site close by the bay, lay a stone called Balderssten,
under which they say was buried the giant who is sung
in the kæmpevisen:—
“ Balder, his wife, and Bune,
They had a great fight upon Fune,
Or some say on Thorø ;
And Balder he beat Paine.”
The name of Balder has been handed down to
posterity by the song which at Christmas-time is still sung
in chorus by the children in many parts of Denmark
during the application of the nine blows inflicted on the
culprit in the game of forfeits.
“ Blows we now beat three,
One after the other in time,
Nor will the sinner to free
Until he’s got his nine.”
After the ninth blow he is released. Balder and Rune
came to grief about Balder’s wife ; Rune endeavoured
to escape in a boat, but when he was driven into the
bay, near where the stone stood, Balder caught him
and crushed him with the big flat stone, on which the
prints of his ten fingers were distinctly to be seen.
The stone was surrounded by trees, and was in all
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