The Giant and Johannes Blessom. 210 castle— the giant's gate as it Is called, under which the bigglsst troll with fifteen heads can comfortably pass without bending his neck. If any one in the olden days, when there was more Intercotiise between human beings and trolls, wanted to borrow anything from the glant, or to speak with him on other business, it was customary tothrow astoneatthegate and say: "Open,Jutul!n One afternoon, a couple of years ago, I came on a vislt to the parsonage. The family had gone up to their mountain dairy and there was no one at home but an old peasant, who, on being re quested to show me the way, went with me up to the gianfs gate. Wc knocked, but no one came to open it. It was not to be won dered at that the giant would not receive us, or that he at his advanced age so seldom receives visitors, for if wc were to judge by the numerous marks of stones håving been thrown at the gate, he must have been exceedingly troubled with visits. " One of the last who saw him," said my companion, " was Johannes Blessom, the parson's neighbour. But I should think he wished he never had seen him," he added. " This Johannes Blessom was once down in Copenhagen about a lawsuit—for there was no justice to be had here in the country in those days, and if any one wished for 'fair play ' there was no help for it but to go down there. His father, who also had a lawsuit, did the same thing before him. Well, it was a Christmas eve, when Johannes had finished his business with the grand folks, and was ready to start home ; he walked along the streets in a gloomy mood, for he was longing to be at home up in the far north, and knew there was no way of getting home till long after Christmas. Suddenly a person, who by his dress appeared to be a peasant from his own parish of Vaage, passed him in a great hurry. He was a big, tall man, with large silver buttons as big as dollar pieces in his white jacket. Johannes tnought he knew him, but he walked past him so quickly that he did not get a good sight of his iace. " ' You are in a great hurry,' said Johannes. " Yes, I have to make haste,' answered the stranger ; ' I have to be at Vaage to-night ! '
