Northern mythology

54 NORTH GERMAN TRADITIONS.
found a golden spindle, a golden beaker, and something
besides. The last-mentioned fell to a younger branch,
who lost it, and is now without property; but the spindle
is still at Breitenbui'g, and the beaker at Kastorf.
At Breitenljurg fifty golden pennings are carefully preserved in a silver
box, on which are the arms of John Ranzau and Dame Anna Walstorf,lus
wife. The inscription on these pennings is engraved and fiUed ni with
l)lack.
JOSIAS RANZAU'S MAGIC SWORD.
As Anna Walstorf was one night in pious prayer
making mention of her absent husband, she was humbly
besought by a subterranean mount-man to give aid to
his wife who was in the pains of child-birth. She followed
the little man through many cellars and vaults of
her castle of Breitenburg that were quite unknown to her,
On a touch from
until she came to a bright crystal rock.
her companion it flew open, and in a spacious hall she
saw an innumerable multitude of similarly
little men collected
round an elevated spot. She advanced and found
the queen in the pangs of labour and at the point of death.
Dame Anna, who was well skilled in the preparation of medicines,
mixed a potion for the patient, through the virtue
of which she was soon delivered of a son. Their joy was
beyond expression, and the grateful husband presented thenbenefactress
with some gold, which appeared like shavings,
enjoining her to preserve it as the greatest treasure; that
the fortunes of her house depended on it. At a subsequent
period she caused to be made from it
three things,
viz. some small pieces of money, a distaff and a herring,
which were afterwards divided among the several branches
of the family.
The herring at a later period fell to the share ot Josias
llanzau, who, full of militaiy ardour, caused it to be made
into a sword-hilt. He entered the French service, in
which he shared in many battles, and at length attained