472 SANGUINARY ONSLAUGHTS. 



the village of Rafshytta, consisting of twelve families. A 

 boy aged nine years and a half, was leading by the hand 

 his little sister, who was only three years and a half old, 

 with the intention of paying a visit to a neighbouring 

 cottage, when all at once a wolf rushed from a by-path, 

 and seized hold of the boy. The mother hearing his cries, 

 and seeing from the window the danger her children were 

 in, called to another son, a youth of sixteen, then hewing 

 wood at the back of the house, who, axe in hand, instantly 

 rushed to the spot. On his near approach, however, the 

 beast let go his hold of the lad, and fastening his fangs 

 in the little girl instead, bore her off to the forest. Un- 

 fortunately, there were no men at the time in the village 

 to render assistance. The mother, who was far advanced 

 in pregnancy, attempted nevertheless to fly to the rescue 

 of her offspring; but she had not proceeded more than 

 a few paces from the cottage-door, when she fell to the 

 ground in a swoon. Pursuit was subsequently made 

 and after a while the child was found, or rather its remains, 

 the beast having already devoured nearly the whole of the 

 body. 



"In the month of March, 1821, a still more audacious 

 onset was made by a wolf. Daniel Dalberg, a hired servant, 

 in the village of Jelken a youth tall and strong for his 

 age whilst watering the cattle at noon, within a short 

 pistol-shot of the house, was attacked by a wolf, which 

 seized him by the breast, and threw him at once to the 

 ground. By means of his hands, however, the youth saved 

 his throat ; but he could not prevent the savage from 

 fastening his fangs into his shoulder, and thus drawing 

 him towards a neighbouring Gardesgard. The beast made 



