In the beginning of the Sixteenth Century there lived in Skåne a
nobleman, Andres Bille, Lord of Rosendal, who was very severe toward
his dependents, and it was not unusual that a disobedient servant was
put in chains, and even into the castle dungeons.
One day Bille’s intended made a visit to Rosendal. Upon entering the
court-yard almost the first object that attracted her attention was a
peasant tethered like a horse. She inquiring as to the cause of such
treatment, Bille informed her that the servant had come late to work,
and was now suffering only well-merited punishment. The young woman
begged Bille to set the man at liberty, but this he refused to do, and
told her, emphatically, that she must not interpose in his affairs.
“When the intended wife,” said the young lady, as she returned to her
carriage, “is refused a boon so small, what will be the fate of the
wife?” and thereupon she commanded her coachman to drive her home at
once, and resolved to come no more to Rosendal.
People predicted that such a heartless man could not possibly be at
rest in his grave, and true to the prediction, Bille, after his death
and burial, came every night, in spirit, to Rosendal. Halting his white
team in the court-yard, with stealthy steps he would make his way to
his former bed-chamber where he would spend the night until cock-crow.
If the bed had been prepared all was quiet in the chamber, otherwise
such a dreadful noise followed that there was no such thing as sleep in
the castle. Always, upon going to the room in the morning, the bed
clothes were found tossed about and soiled as if a dog had occupied the
bed.
When the specter had gone on in this manner for a number of years, the
new owner of the estate applied to a pious priest in Hässlunda, Master
Steffan, and begged him to put a stop to these troublesome visits. To
this end the priest, one day, accompanied by a fellow priest, set out
for Kropp’s Church, where Bille was buried. On the stroke of 12
o’clock, midnight, the grave opened and the ghost of the dead lord
stepped forth. Father Steffan’s companion at once took to his heels,
but Father Steffan remained and began to read from a book he had with
him. During the reading the ghost became larger and larger, but the
priest would not be frightened. Finally the apparition interrupted the
reading and addressed the priest.
“Is that you, Steffan, the goose thief?”
“It is, indeed, I,” replied the priest, “and it is true that in my
boyhood I stole a goose, but with the money received for the goose I
bought a Bible, and with that Bible I will send you to hell, you evil
spirit.” Whereupon he struck the specter such a blow on the forehead
with the Bible that it sank again into purgatory.
Unfortunately, because of the truth of Bille’s accusation and that it
came from Bille, the priest’s prayers and reading lost much of potency,
and he was unable to enforce upon the ghost entire quietude.
Nevertheless, so much was accomplished that Bille now comes to Rosendal
only once a year.