The Lady Of Pintorp

: The Swedish Fairy Book

Where to-day a castellate building towers between spreading parks and

gardens on the noble estate of Eriksberg, there lay in ancient times a

holding known as Pintorp; with which legend has associated the

gruesome tale of the lady of Pintorp.



In Pintorp--so the legend says--there dwelt a nobleman who, dying in

his youth, left all his goods and gear to his widow. Yet instead of

being a kind mistress to her
any dependents, she exploited them in

every way, and ill-treated them shamefully. Beneath her castle she had

deep subterranean dungeons, in which languished many innocent people.

She set vicious dogs at children and beggars, and if any one did not

come to work at the right time, he was sure to go home in the evening

with weals on his back.



Once, early in the morning, when the men came to work, the Lady of

Pintorp was standing on the castle steps, and saw a poor farm-hand

belonging to the estate come too late. Foaming with rage, she

overwhelmed him with abuse and reproaches, and ordered him to chop

down the largest oak on the whole estate, and bring it, crown

foremost, to the castle court before evening. And if he did not carry

out her command to the very letter--so she said--she would drive him

from his hut without mercy, and all that he had should fall to the

estate.



With heavy thoughts of the severe judgment passed upon him, the

farm-hand went to the wood; and there he met an old man who asked him

why he was so unhappy.



"Because it is all up with me, if our Lord in His mercy do not help

me," sighed the unfortunate man, and told of the task his mistress had

imposed on him.



"Do not worry," said the unknown, "Chop down this oak, seat yourself

on the trunk, and Erik Gyllenstjerna and Svante Baner will take it to

the castle."



The farm hand did as the old man told him, began to hew to the line,

and sure enough, at the third stroke the tree fell with a tremendous

crash. Then he seated himself on the trunk, facing the crown, and at

once the tree began to move, as though drawn by horses. Soon it rushed

along so swiftly that posts and garden-palings flew out of the way

like splinters, and soon they had reached the castle. At the moment

the tree-top struck the castle-gate, one of the invisible bearers

stumbled, and a voice was heard saying: "What, are you falling on your

knees, Svante?"



The Lady of Pintorp, who was standing on the steps, knew well who was

helping the man; yet instead of feeling regret, she began to curse and

scold, and finally threatened to imprison the farm-hand.



Then the earth quaked so that the walls of the castle shook, and a

black coach, drawn by two black horses, stopped before the castle. A

fine gentleman, clad in black, descended from the coach, bowed to the

lady and bade her make ready and follow him. Trembling--for she knew

well who the stranger must be--she begged for a three years' respite;

but the black gentleman would not grant her request. Then she asked

for three months, and that he refused as well. Finally she begged for

three weeks, and then for three days; but only three minutes were

allowed her to put her house in order.



When she saw there was no help for it, she begged that at least her

chaplain, her chamber-maid, and her valet be allowed to accompany her.

This request was granted, and they entered the carriage. The horses at

once started off, and the carriage drove away so swiftly, that the

people at the castle saw no more than a black streak.



When the woman and her companions had thus driven a while, they came

to a splendid castle, and the gentleman in black led them up the

steps. Above, in the great hall, the woman laid off her costly

garments and put on a coarse coat and wooden shoes. Then he combed her

hair three times, till she could no longer bear it, and danced with

her three times until she was exhausted.



After the first dance the Lady begged to be allowed to give her golden

ring to her valet, and it burned his finger like fire. After the

second dance she gave her chamber-maid her bunch of keys, and that

seared the girl's hand like red-hot iron. But after the third dance, a

trap-door opened in the floor, and the Lady disappeared in a cloud of

smoke and flame.



The chaplain, who was standing nearest her, looked down curiously into

the opening into which his mistress had sunk; and a spark shot up from

the depths, and flew into his eye, so that he was blind in one eye for

the rest of his life.



When it was all over, the black gentleman allowed the servitors to

drive home again; but expressly forbade them to look around. They

hastily entered the coach, the road was broad and even, and the horses

ran rapidly. But when they had gone a while, the chamber-maid could no

longer control her curiosity, and looked around. That very minute

horses, coach and the road itself were gone, the travellers found

themselves in a wild forest, and it cost them three years to get out

again, and make their way back to Pintorp.





NOTE



In "The Lady of Pintorp" (Hofberg, p. 157) the devil appears in

all his grewsome Satanic majesty. It has been claimed that the

evil woman was a historical figure, the wife of the royal

counselor Erik Gyllenstjerna.



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