Northern mythology

NETHERLANDISH TRADITIONS. 293
dreadful occurrences had thrown him, and then he resolved
on having no more intercourse with the world. He afterwards
entered into the monastery of the holy St. Bcrtin^
where he died a happy death.
The castle was then forsaken, no one being willing to
dwell in it ; for every night an awful tumult was heard
there, nor did any one return who ventured to enter it.
At length a pious Benedictine had the courage one
evening to explore the castle.
many apartments, he sat down to rest in a
After having passed through
small cabinet.
Shortly after his entrance the door flew open, and a tall
personage, on whose breast hung an escutcheon bearing
the name of Brudemer, and with a deadly pale lady on
his arm, stept in. Behind them came a brilliant train of
servants, and these were followed by eight young men,
bearing heavy chests on their shoulders. The knight
pointed to a table, on which there v*^as a chess-board, and
then to a chair standing by the table, in which the monk
immediately placed himself. The knight sat down in one
opposite, and both began to play. The monk played with
the utmost caution, and calculated every move most carefully,
and soon felt confident that he should overcome his
adversary, when the lady pointed to a pawn, which the
knight immediately moved. This changed the entire face
of the game, and placed the monk in the greatest jeopardy ;
for he well knew that his soul would belong to the evil
one, if he lost. At this move, too, the whole company gave
a loud laugh. The monk now began to repent of his
temerity, but resolved on making a virtue of
necessity, so
after a fervent prayer, pushed a pawn against that of his
opponent. The knight seeing this became thoughtful, for
the game was now again in favour of the monk, and every
move improved the position of the latter, let him do whatever
he might. When both had now made some further
moves, and the game was manifestly in the hands of the