Page:The Enchanted Knights; or The Chronicle of the Three Sisters.djvu/110

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.

30

our days; but by this revolution of the elements, it was torn from the continent, partly inundated and reduced to its present dimensions, less than the third part of its original extent. At that time (before 1309) it was inhabited by the Obotrites, one of the Vandalic tribes, who dwelled all along the northern shore of Germany. They are already mentioned by several of the Roman writers; and their name did not disappear from history until the fourteenth century, when they were completely amalgamated with the rest of the Germans. Cruco was one of the kings of the Obotrites, and seems to have lived in the seventh century. Bruzzia was the ancient name of Prussia. It is well known that Amber is found only in Prussia, principally near the shores of the Baltic; its coasts, therefore, were formerly called the Amber Shore.

NOTE 2.

  See the Scriptures.

NOTE 3.

  Geden was the ancient name for Dantzic, which is called in Latin, Gedanum; it is now called Gansk in the Polish language.

Waidewuth was the name of an ancient king of the Prussian Venedians, (Wenden) called in the language of the country, Wittewulf. According to tradition, he was a great sorcerer and magician, and his twelve sons are said to have given their names to the Prussian provinces.