Elfin-child, thou wouldst me see,
To stone turn at his ray."

La Motte-Fouque.

The Legend of Kallundborg

Helva, daughter of the Lord of Nesvek, was loved by Esbern Snare,
whose suit, however, was rejected by the proud father with the scornful
words: "When thou shalt build at Kallundborg a stately church, then
will I give thee Helva to wife."

Now Esbern, although of low estate, was proud of heart, even as
the lord, and he determined, come what might, to find a way to win
his coveted bride. So off he strode to a troll in Ullshoi Hill,
and effected a bargain whereby the troll undertook to build a fine
church, on completion of which Esbern was to tell the builder's name
or forfeit his eyes and heart.

Night and day the troll wrought on, and as the building took shape,
sadder grew Esbern Snare. He listened at the crevices of the hill
by night; he watched during the day; he wore himself to a shadow
by anxious thought; he besought the elves to aid him. All to no
purpose. Not a sound did he hear, not a thing did he see, to suggest
the name of the builder.

Meantime, rumour was busy, and the fair Helva, hearing of the evil
compact, prayed for the soul of the unhappy man.

Time passed until one day the church lacked only one pillar,
and worn out by black despair, Esbern sank exhausted upon a bank,
whence he heard the troll hammering the last stone in the quarry
underground. "Fool that I am," he said bitterly, "I have builded
my tomb."

Just then he heard a light footstep, and looking up, he beheld his
beloved. "Would that I might die in thy stead," said she, through
her tears, and with that Esbern confessed how that for love of her
he had imperilled eyes and heart and soul.

Then fast as the troll hammered underground, Helva prayed beside her
lover, and the prayers of the maiden prevailed over the spell of the
troll, for suddenly Esbern caught the sound of a troll-wife singing
to her infant, bidding it be comforted, for that, on the morrow,
Father Fine would return bringing a mortal's eyes and heart.

Sure of his victim, the troll hurried to Kallundborg with the last
stone. "Too late, Fine!" quoth Esbern, and at the word, the troll
vanished with his stone, and it is said that the peasants heard at
night the sobbing of a woman underground, and the voice of the troll
loud with blame.

"Of the Troll of the Church they sing the rune
By the Northern Sea in the harvest moon;
And t