Northern mythology

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-00 NETHERLANDISH TRADITIONS.
they returned^ when the young men instantly hastened up
to them, requestmg them to dance. As the night was
sultry, one of them drew off her gloves, which her partner
took charge of. This time the clock struck twelve while
they were still engaged in the dance.
Terrified at the sound
the damsels started and were hastening away, when one
exclaimed :
" Where are my gloves V But the youth
would not restore them, retaining them as a pledge of love
and the damsel, with her companions, hurried away without
them. Her partner followed with equal speed ; being
but too desirous of discovering where the beauteous
maiden dwelt. They proceeded on and on, when, on
reaching the Meuse, the damsels sprang into the water
and vanished.
When on the following morning the love-sick youth revisited
the spot, the water there was blood-red. The
maidens never appeared again ^
FLERUS.
In a farm-house near Ostend everything went on satisfactorily
and prosperously, so that in a short time the
owner became one of the wealthiest persons in the neighbourhood.
This was ascribed to a domestic sprite named
Flerus, who had his abode there, and appeared sometimes
under a human form, sometimes in that of an animal.
a horse was sick, Flerus was called, who appeared at the
instant as a strong and lively horse, willingly suffered himself
to be harnessed, and performed thrice the quantity
of work of any other horse. He never flinched from a
service :
even if the maid-servants foresaw that they would
not have time to sweep the house thoroughly, Flerus would
come at their call, would draw water and carry it to them.
1 In connection with the foregoing tradition, see the epitome of German
Mythology in vol. i.
If