Chapter XXI - King Waldemar

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Not far from Bau there stood formerly the hunting-seat of Waldemarstoft, where King Waldemar was accustomed to pass the summer and autumn, that he might enjoy his favourite diversion of the chase. The king once, accompanied by many huntsmen and dogs, rode early in the morning to the forest. The hunt was good, but the more game they found, the stronger grew his desire to continue the chase. The day ended, the sun went down, yet still he did not give in. But when dark night set it, and it was no' longer possible to continue the sport, the king exclaimed: “Oh! that I could hunt for ever!” A voice was then heard in the air, saying: “Thy wish shall be granted, King Waldemar, from this hour thou shalt hunt for ever.” Soon after the king died, and from the day of his death he rides every night, on a snow-white horse, through the air, in furious chase, surrounded by his huntsmen and dogs. It is only on St. John’s night that he is to be heard; but in the city-ditch at Flensborg he has been also heard in the autumn. The air then resounds with the echo of the horn and the baying of dogs, with whistling and calling, as if a whole party were in motion. People then say, “There goes King Waldemar!”

The old hunting-place is now converted into an inn; but one of the rooms still remains in the same state it was in when inhabited by King Waldemar. The walls are covered with old pictures; in one corner is a canopy-bed over which is a dark red velvet coverlet, bordered with gold fringe, in very tolerable preservation. There is also an old organ, on which the king was in the habit of playing. In this room he was once shot at. The murderer fired through the door, but missed his aim, and hit the wall where the king’s picture hung. There is a hole in the picture through which the bullet passed before it entered the wall, where the mark is still visible.