GERMAN LEGENDS. 387 



Church doors appear to have been rather favourite depots 

 for horse-shoes. On that of the church at Halcombe, 

 Devonshire, were formerly four shoes, said to be those 

 taken from a horse ridden some distance into the sea by 

 one of the Carews, for a wager. 



The odd custom even appears to have extended itself 

 from the church to the precincts of the grave ; for Lin- 

 denschmidt found horse-shoes in the tombs of Gaufel- 

 fingen, and could not account for their presence there. 



At Schwarzenstein, about half-a-league from Rasten- 

 burg, Prussia, two large horse-shoes, says tradition, were 

 to be seen hanging to the church walls, and this is their 

 antiquated history : ' Not far from the church dwelt a 

 tavern-keeper, who, in selling beer to the people, did not 

 give them just measure. The devil came upon him un- 

 awares one night, and, before mine host could give the 

 alarm, he was carried off to the village forge. His Satanic 

 Majesty with difficulty wakened up the smith, and said 

 to him, " Master, shoe my horse ! " The astonished Vul- 

 can, who was justly suspected of being in partnership 

 with the publican in his fraudulent transactions, knew not 

 what to do ; but as soon as he drew near the beer-seller 

 whispered in his ear, " Partner, don't be in a hurry, but 

 work slowly." The smith, who had taken him for a horse, 

 was greatly terrified when he heard the familiar voice, 

 and the fright caused him to tremble in every limb ; 

 consequently the operation of shoeing was greatly retarded, 

 and in the interval the cock crew. The devil was then 

 obliged to take to flight ; but the inn-keeper was very ill, 

 and did not recover for a long time after.' If the devil 

 were to shoe all the inn-keepers who give short measure, 



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