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Chap. LU.
THE TROLLES.
335
a three-legged cat. Trolles, as well as the devil, can
only transform themselves into maimed animals. His
Satanic Majesty particularly affects the form of a rat,
but always a rat without a tail; try as hard as he can,
he never can produce even the stump of one.
Whenever you come across a three-legged cat, shoot it if you
have a gun by you; it’s a Trolle in masquerade, and
after some mischief. The farmer waited till the
three-legged cat was hanging well to the cow’s udder, sucking
out the butter; then, slily approaching from behind,
made him prisoner; and how did he catch him ? that’s
the question. As much art is required in the catching of
a Trolle as in the killing of a Norwegian salmon. Well, I
will tell you how he acted; he went to the stable, and,
removing the hempen halter from the neck of a
coal-black stallion, passed it round the neck of the cat
and fastened her to the manger. The next morning,
when he came to look at his captive, what do you think
he found ? Not a three-legged cat, but an old woman.
He let her go, for he dared not injure her; so the
Trolle got off after all.
The last time the Trolles appeared in public was in
the years ’48, 9, 50, at the time of the Slesvig-Holstein
rebellion. All united Germany was down upon
Denmark, and she had lately suffered some reverses—men’s
hearts were sad—when one morning a ship arrived at
the little town of Rønne. The sailors related how, as
they passed by the cliffs of Bornholm by night, they had
seen hundreds and thousands of the Trolles busy doing
military exercise on the heights, already prepared to
rise in the defence of their native country.
“ Hurrah ! hurrah!” exclaimed the people; “ the
Trolles are out—the Trolles are up—no fear of conquest
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