Northern mythology

DANISH TRADITIONS. 121
there to receive them, so she rightfully kept them as her
own
In Thyholm there is a series of lofty mounts which
were formerly inhabited by the Mount-folk. A peasant
once passing them on his way to Vestervig market, happened
at the moment to utter complaints that he was
mounted on such a sorry jade. On his way back, he saw
lying precisely on the spot where he had sent forth his
lamentations, four horseshoes, which he took home and
shod his horse with them.
But from that time no other
horse in the neighbourhood could go with such speed as
his.
Another time, some peasants, who were passing by the
mounts, by way of joke prayed the Mount-folk to give
them some good beer. At the moment a little Troll
came out of the mount with a large silver can, which he
held out to the men, one of whom had no sooner got it
his grasp, than he set spurs to his horse, with the intention
of keeping it. But the little man of the mount being
quicker than he, soon overtook him and compelled him to
give back the can.
At length these Mount-folk grew weary of their
in
abode
in Thyland, and one day departed in a body to the feriy,
for the purpose of crossing the fiord. When the fen-yman
was to be paid, they threw something into his hat
which burned through it and sank under the floor, and
which must have been gold ; for otherwise it would be
impossible to account for the comfort which afterwards
prevailed in the ferry-house.
A little Elf-girl once came to a man in Dunkiser on the
isle of Mr'6 with a peel, the handle of which was loose,
begging him to fasten it, which he refused to do. Where-