1824] 
the subject, however, I am inclined to 
think the points of difference may in 
some situations be advantageously 
adopted: its admission will, therefore, 
greatly oblige, W. HANWELL. 
Wooltwich ; Jan. 26, 1824. 
—_—<— 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
DANISH TRADITIONS and SUPERSTITIONS. 
Balder’s Hill. 
: OT far from the village of Tune, 
in the district of Roskilde, is the 
mountain in which Balder is reported 
to have been buried. Saxo asserts, 
that once when several countrymen, 
under the guidance of a professor of 
the black art, went to this hill for the 
purpose of digging up a treasure, it 
seemed to them, when most busied at 
the work, that a foaming flood, with 
much noise, was_ precipitating itself 
down from the top of the hill; where- 
upon, in the greatest terror, they cast 
away their spades, and each sought 
for safety in flight. 
Hanebierg. 
In the parish of East Lygum, in 
Slesvig, is a height called Hancbierg, 
and not far from it is a fairy-moss, A 
young peasant once lay down upon 
this moss, and slept so long, that he 
awoke very late at night, when he 
heard around him the most enchanting 
music, and, looking up, he perceived 
two fairy maidens, who skipped and 
danced about, and asked him, in the 
mean time, several questions, in order 
to make him speak ; but he knew well 
that there would be danger in doing 
so, and was silent. Then, suddenly 
changing their manner, they sung in 
menacing tones :— 
This instant rise, and speak to us, 
Thou young and handsome swain, 
_ Or we with knives thy breast will rip, 
And cut thy heart in twain. 
He was much terrified when he heard 
this, and was just going to speak ; but 
a cock at that moment crowed from 
the top of the neighbouring hill, and 
the fairies immediately vanished; from 
which circumstance the hill is called 
Hanebierg (Cock’s hill), 
The Seals. 
It is a common belief in Ferroe, 
that the seal every ninth night casts off 
its skin, assumes a human shape, and 
dances and amuses itself after the hu- 
man fashion, until it resumes its skin, 
and becomes asealagain. It chanced 
once that a man passed by while this 
was taking place, and when he saw 
Danish Traditions and Superstitions. 
19 
the skin, he took it up, and hid it. 
When the seal, who was a female, 
could not find her skin to creep into, 
she was obliged to continue in her 
human shape; and, as she was comely 
to look at, the same man made her his 
wife, bad several children by her, and 
lived with her very comfortably. But, 
after the lapse of a long time, the wo- 
man found her concedled skin,. and 
could do then nothing less than creep 
into it, and become a seal again. 
Holy cross Church. 
Directly over against the pulpit of 
Onsbergh Church, in Samsoe,.is a. ta- 
ble, on which is fastened. a crucifix, 
with the following inscription :—*‘ This 
gilded crncifix was found tied round 
the neck of a drowned man, who came 
floating to the shore near Isle Mode, 
in the parish of Tranbiorn. When the 
people wished to convey the body to 
the church-yard, four horses could not 
stir the cart in which it was placed, 
nor could they draw the same body to 
Kolbye Church. But, when they turn- 
ed towards Onsbergh Church, two 
horses easily dragged it there. It was 
buried on the eastern side of this 
chureh, which takes its name from the 
said gilded cross, being called at this 
time Hellig-kors Kirke (Holy-cross 
Church), 1596.” 
The Shophecper of Aalborg. 
Once when a raging fire broke out in 
the town of Aalborg, and the flames 
had just seized the warehouse of a 
shopkeeper,.so that his whole property 
was on the point of being consumed, 
he snatched his weights and measures 
from the counter, and, with these in 
his hand, he hurried into the middle of 
the street, crying, “In case, O God! 
I have ever with weight and measure 
robbed and cheated any one, then let 
the fire consume my house; but, if I 
have always acted with probity and 
integrity, preserve then my goods and 
dwelling.” And no sooner had he said 
this than the fire died away, and his 
house escaped. He caused this inscrip- 
tion to be placed over his door, “I was 
on the brink of a precipice, but I did not 
fall down. Anno 1663, d.11 Augusti.” 
Tordenskiold’s Grave. 
In that part of the church-wall of 
Holm which looks towards the sea, 
close by. the grave of 'Tordenskiold, is 
a stone that will not keep fast in the 
wall, but is every now and then falling 
out. ‘That is Tordenskiold,” says 
the peasant; “ who is coming again to 
thresh the Swedes.” 
Norvig 
