Northern mythology

NETHERLANDISH TRADITIONS. 247
had vanished, and he had to scramble out as well as he
could. When he again found himself safe on the ground,
he felt for his candle and for the stairs, went up, and lay
down to sleep.
On the following day he did as the ghost had directed,
gave one pot to the poor, another to the church, and found
so much in the third, that he became a very rich man,
rode every day in a coach, and went every day to the
tavern.
MARIKEN OF NYMWEGEN.
At the time when Duke Arent of Gelderland was taken
prisoner by his son, Duke Adolf and his confederates
(a.d. 1465), there dwelt about three miles from Nymwegen
a pious priest, named Gysbrecht, who had with
him a beautiful young girl, named Mariken, the daughter
of his sister, her mother being dead.
This maiden superintended
the good man^s household, and was exceedingly
active and vigilant.
Now it once happened that the priest had occasion for
various articles
that could only be got in Nymwegen, as
candles, oil, vinegar and matches; so he gave Mariken
eight stivers and sent her to the city, at the same time
enjoining her,
if her purchases were not made in time for
her to return by daylight, to go and pass the night at her
aunt^s ; for she was a lively, handsome girl, and a mischance
might but too easily befall her. Mariken promised
so to do, and went to Nymwegen. But scarcely had her
uncle lost sight of her when he repented of having suffered
her to go, and said to himself :
" Would that I had kept
her at home ; it is too dangerous to send young damsels
and women alone about the country; for the villany of the
world is very manifold.^^ Yet what was he to do ? He
must have a light when it was dark, and he must also
eat ; besides which, it was now too late ; for IMariken was
already far far away.