MOTHER BERTHA^ STORIES. 128 answer, and she got so frightened that she did not know what to do. " Before long a lot of people came into the room, the one after the other, carrying food and drink on silver dishes and in silver jugs, wedding dress, with crown and brooches and such finery. They commenced laying the table and some began dressing her for the wedding. She felt, as if she could not resist them. <f This girl also had a sweetheart and he happened to be out shooting on the mountain. But suddenly such a fear came over him that he seemed as if he must go to the dairy. W hen he came in sight of the house, he saw a number of black horses with old fashioned saddlestt and harness about, and he soon guessed what was going on. He stole round to a small window and looked in, when he saw the whole company ; King Haaken was the bride groom and the bride was ready dressed. " ' I don't think there is anything else to be done now except to turn her eyes/ said one of the bridesmaids. " The lad thought it was high time to put a stop to it all, and he took a silver-button, which had come down to him, put it in his rifle and fired right at King Haaken, who fell. But the wedding guests rushed out taking the body of King Haaken with them. The food had turned into moss, and toads, which jumped away and hid themselves. The only things which were left were the wedding dress and a silver dish and they are still to be seen at the farm." Mother Bertha told me many other stories till wc heard the noise of the sledge in the snow and the horses panting outside the door. I put some coins into Bertha' s hand for her advice and attention, and in a quarter of an hour I was at home. A bandage of vinegar and cold water soon put my foot right ; but when Mother Bertha one day can^e into the kitchen and was appropriating to herself all the honour of my rapid cure by her art, the children could no longer restrain themselves. They shouted into her ears the incantation verse which I had taught them and asked her if she believed that a drop of brandy and her nonsense could cure a sprain. This made her rather suspicious and
