Northern mythology

1
See pp. 39, 101.
M 5
DANISH TRADITIONS. 249
the work at first did not succeed^, but there came a Troll
to him offering his service, and with him Esbern Snare
made an agreement, that when the chm-ch was finished,
he should either say what the Troll's name was, or should
give him his heart and his eyes. The work now went on
well, and was supported by stone pUlars. But when it
was nearly complete, one half-pillar only being wanting,
Esbern Snare began to feel alarmed, because he was still
ignorant how the Troll was called. He went wandering
about the fields sorrowing, and one day, being weary and
sad, he lay down on Ulshoi Banke to rest. He there heard
a Troll-wife within the mound saying :
" Be still, my
child, to-morrow Fin thy father will come and give thee
Esbern Snare's eyes and heart to play with.^^ On hearing
these words, Esbern became himself again
to the church.
and returned
At this moment the Troll entered, bringing
the half-pillar that was wanting, when Esbern, on
seeing him, saluted him by his name of Ein. Hearing
this, the Troll was so angry, that he flew off through the
air with the half-pillar ;
three pillars and a half ^
and therefore the church h;is only
Kallundborg church has five spires, built by Esbern
Snare. The highest, which stands in the middle, iis for
his mother, and the four standing about it for his four
daughters, one of whom was lame, and therefore one of
the spires is less than the others.
RACHLOV CHURCH.
To the north-east of Kallundborg lies the village of
Bachlov ; but the church is a considerable chstance from
it in the open field. This circumstance is thus accounted
(1559), after a confinement of twenty-seven years, viz. seventeen at Sonderborg
and ten at Kallundborg. King Albert of Sweden was also imprisoned
in the castle of Kallundborg by Queen Margaret.