The Dragon Of Oldenburg

In the great ducal palace of the Oldenburgs there hang an old drinkiog horn, guarded as a most precious relie by that ancient family. It ia a stag's horn, curiously earved over the surface into dragons and fuiiies, tipped at the bóttuin with jicarl, and lined with pure gold. And that it came loto tlu-ir possessioo n this wise is firtuly believed by ever1, good ldenburger : It seeins that many centuries ago, wben things were differeut from what they are now, and men wen1 tempted by Satan in iho -hape of goblius and elfs, as they are now by hitn in tlie shape of men and women, there lived a pious and brave Baron of Oldenburg, Ililderick by name, who was kind to his vassals and ?aid his praycrH, in spite of all the' devil eould do. Hilderick had gone out One day to huilt, and, excited by the olíase, had ridden away froui his companionsand lost hiuisolt'in the forest. For hours he rodo on, not knowing which way he wasgoing. At length, when he was nearly eihtutted by fatigue and thirt, he espied through an opening in the trees a tal! hill. He spurred his jaded horse toward the eminence, thinking that possibly he inight see ('rom the top either the UUMtji of his castle or some Hign of his eomrades. But he was doomed to be disippointed. He coul'l ne from the top loithor turrct nor horseoian, and heard only the wind rusltiog through the openings of the forest, or the howl of a bear from Kome dark tbioket. The Biron was noar falling from his hor-e, exhausted by hard riding and a ragin; ihir-t. wtien s-nidenly there appeared behind hiuj, as if she had come up the other side of ihe mountain. a beauiiful dimsel in whito, bearing a Hrinking horn full of sparkling liquor. Soltiy she approached the Baron and put tlit! hom iu his hand. Hirderick murmured a word of thanks- his fatigue would allow him to do no more- and put the rini of the horn to his lips, when suddenly he remembered that he had been warned in adream against a strange lady, who should eome to him with a goblet of wiue. ilis thirst was raging, but he implored the aid of his patrón saint, and daslied the liquor behind him. His horse roared and plunged, for where so muoh as a drop had touched his flank the skin was raw and bloody. The eyes of the si range lady shot out glances of fire. She demaoded the horn of the Baron, but he refused to give it her. Hüderick's eyes starled in ftight and his fnioie shook, for the eyes of the wouian changed to the red eyes of a dragon, and her hair grew coarse and s-tin. and her fair bosom becatue coaied with ugly scales, and her arms became sharp claws. The horse of Hilderick bounded down the mountain, the Baron cjutchine bis trant uuu neanh Wifh üréad Uie bosfies crackling behind bim undor the tread of the great she dragon. On and on, straight as an arrow, flew the norse of HilJerick, his flan ka all bloody, bis nostrils panting with rage. And on as fast, through the terrible forest came the roaring paces of the uiuddened dragon. The Baron saw at Icnitth that he wa9approaehing the bounds of his kingdom, but his foe was near upon him, and he felt her hot breath like the blast of a furnace. At length the horse of Hilderick fell exhausted. The knight uttered a prayer, and looking around saw that he was wit hin the bounds of his own kingdom, and that the dragon had vanished. When the horse of Illlderick had recovered himself, the Baron rode home to his castle and ordered prayers to he said for hi.s deliveraneo. His people rojoiced as much as he, for he was kind to his vassals. It was without doubt, they said, an atternpt on the part of Satan to buy the allegiance of the Baron. And it was a boast with them in years aftcr- the good knight Hilderiek, who, though dying with thirst, would not tako a diink trom the Evil One. The proof of the story is that there isstill a race of horses in the neighborhood with white spots on their flank, called the breed of the dragon. And what is still stronger, indeed irrefragable, ij the fact that the drinking-horn is still hanging in an old eabinef of the palace of Olddnburg.