Northern mythology

260 DANISH TRADITIONS.
Valdemar, in consequence of which the king promised
add to the land belonging to Slagelse as much as St.
Anders could ride round on a colt a day old, during the
time the king was in the bath. He took the king at his
word, and rode with such speed that the courtiers were
obliged, from time to time, to run to the king in the bath,
saying that if he did not make haste, St. Anders would
ride round the whole country. To this act the town of
Slagelse is indebted for its extensive town fields.
On the Hvilehoi there stands a cross with the inscription
:
" In memoriam divi Andrese, quiescentis Joppse et
heic loci expergefacti."
to
When this cross was once suffered
to fall into decay, a general murrain among the cattle
ensued, but which ceased the instant
up.
MASTER LAURIDS.
a new cross was set
In Hadsherred in Jutland there was once a priest by
name Master Laurids. He could lay the dead and call
them from their graves, and, consequently, it hardly need
be said, had many contests with the devil, in all which,
however, his Satanic Majesty invariably came off second
best.
It once happened to Master Laurids, when returning
from a short journey, that on passing
Skandrup church,
his horses stopt, and were unable to draw the carriage
from the spot ; but Master Laurids, who well understood
how matters were, shook his head and ordered his man to
take off the right hind-wheel and lay it in the basket
behind ; for he knew that it was the devil who had placed
himself on it for the purpose of making the carriage heavy.
This was more than the devil had bargained for, for he
had now to get down, take his station under the carriage,
and hold it up. In this fashion Master Laurids made
him follow during the whole night. When at length he