Northern mythology

290 NETHERLANDISH TRADITIONS.
;
and grew bigger and bigger. At length, \^^th the sweat
pouring from him through fear and running, he succeeded
in climbing up a tall tree, where he hoped to be in safety
but the black ball came rolling on to the tree, and was
now become so great that it darkened all before the eyes
of the poacher. Deadly terror now seized him ;
" this
monster," thought he, " can be no other than a warning
from heaven, because I have transgressed the laws of my
superiors." Then falling on his knees, he made a vow
never to poach again, when the black ball instantly disappeared.
THE BLOODY COACH AT ANTWERP.
This is a wonderfully beautiful carriage with four horses.
In it sits a lady richly clad, who carries with her many
sweetmeats and dainties, for the purpose of enticing
such children as are out playing late in the streets; to
whom she also promises that she will give them at her
castle her little daughter for a playmate. If her artifice
fails, she will drag them into the carriage by force, and
stop their mouths, to prevent their crying out.
She then
conveys the poor little creatures far away to a great castle,
where their great toes are cut
bleed to death.
off and they are suffered to
Their blood is used as a bath for a great
king, who is suffering from a grievous malady. It is observed
that the children, whose blood can cure him, must
all be under seven years of age.
THE SAND-GATE AT MECHLIN.
In the sixteenth century the Sand-gate at Mechlin was
used as a powder-magazine. In the night of the 7th
August, 1546, a terrific storm burst over the city, and the
Hghtning struck the Sand-gate. A tremendous stroke
shook the whole earth around, the tower fiew in a thousand
fragments in all directions, a sliower of hot stones