172 NOBLE-MINDED HEADSMAN. 



related that on a certain occasion he took up his quarters 

 for the night at the Monastery of Nydala, in Smaland. 

 Here the poor monks, from some cause or other, gave 

 him offence ; and on the following morning, in revenge, 

 he caused the Abbot, Arvid, together with eleven of the 

 brotherhood, to be drowned in a lake hard by which, in 

 consequence, is to this day called Munk-sjon, or the Monk- 

 lake. 



But the greatest enormity committed by this demon in 

 human form remains to be told. When at Jonkoping he 

 caused a Swedish nobleman, named Lindorm Ribbing, to 

 be decapitated. The deceased left two sons, the one eight, 

 the other only six years of age. Fearing that when grown 

 up they might avenge their father, he resolved on mur- 

 dering them both. The elder was beheaded first. The 

 younger, seeing the blood flow, and his brother's bloody 

 clothes, and not knowing what it all meant, said to the exe- 

 cutioner when brought out to suffer : " Dear man ! don't 

 make my shirt bloody as you did my brother's, for if you do 

 mamma will whip me." The executioner, who, in spite of 

 his horrid calling, had still some of the feelings of humanity 

 left, was greatly affected, and throwing his axe to the ground, 

 nobly exclaimed: "My own shirt shall be dyed in blood, 

 before thine is blooded by me !" The tiger-hearted King, 

 however, who was present, was not turned from his purpose 

 by this most moving scene ; but on the contrary, was enraged 

 almost to madness at his orders not being obeyed ; and 

 calling forward another of his people, he caused him not 

 only to strike off the head of the poor infant, but also that 

 of the merciful executioner ! 



It is said that prior to Christian crossing over into Den- 



