Northern mythology

:
NETHERLANDISH TRADITIONS. 249
God or devil; it is the same to me;^^ and she hehl her
hands before her face^ and dried her humid eyes with her
apron. While so doing, she was startled by suddenly seeing
an elegant personage stand before her, who in a friendly
voice said to her :
" Tell me, pretty damsel, why you are
so afflicted/-'
Mariken was not a little terrified at hearing
herself addressed by one, of whom the instant before she
had not seen a trace -, but the stranger continued "
: You
must not be terrified, my fair maiden ; for I love you most
heartily, and if you are content, I will make you a lady of
ladies/'' This somewhat tranquillized Mariken, who said
" But tell me then, dear friend, truly who you are t'^ The
stranger answered :
^^
A master of all arts am I, and if
you will love me, I will teach you instantly the seven
liberal arts, to wit. Music, Khetoric, Logic, Grammar,
Geometry, Arithmetic and Alchymy." Mariken stared on
hearing all these erudite names repeated, and felt quite
pleased at the idea of learning so much ;
but she insisted
beforehand on knowing the stranger^s name. ^^That I
can tell you,^^ said he ;
" I am called Monen with one eye ;
but that is not all that you have to expect from me : of
gold and jewels, for instance,
and money, you shall never
be in want, if you only grant me your love.^^ " Is that
true?" said Mariken with astonishment, ^Hhen I really
have nothing to object ; there is, however, another thing
besides, that I would gladly learn, and that is the art of
necromancy. My uncle has a beautiful book about it,
with which he could do wonders, and drive the devil
through a pinhole.
That art I must also learn."
This was a hard blow for the stranger, for at no price
would he willingly have taught that art; and therefore
said "
: Desist from that wish, my love, the art of necromancy
is a very dangerous one, and many a one has lost
his life by it. Think only that in the conjuring of spirits,
if you fail but in one word, or even in
a single syllable, it
M 5