What is now the country seat of Eriksberg, with its castle-like
buildings among parks and gardens, was once an estate called Pintorp,
upon which tradition has fixed the melancholy story of “The Lady of
Pintorp.”
At Pintorp, so goes the story, lived a nobleman who, at his death, yet
a young man, left his goods and estates to his widow. Instead of
proving a good mistress to her numerous dependents, she impoverished
them in all possible ways and treated them with the greatest cruelty.
Under the castle she had deep cells, the terrors of which, on the
slightest provocation, many a poor innocent creature was made to
experience. She would set vicious dogs on beggars and children, and he
who was not at his work at a fixed hour could be certain that he would
go home in the evening with his back well lashed.
Early one morning the Lady of Pintorp stood on the castle steps
watching the people congregate for the day’s work. Noticing an
unfortunate fellow a little behind time, she flew into a rage, pouring
upon him a flood of abuse and curses, and in punishment commanded him
to fell the largest oak to be found upon the estate, and to carry it,
before evening, uncut, top foremost, to the garden. If he failed to
execute the command fully and punctually he was to be mercilessly
driven from the estate and all his possessions confiscated.
Pondering over his sentence the man went to the woods where he met an
old man who inquired why he looked so sad.
“Because I am done for, if the Lord does not come to my aid,” sighed
the unfortunate fellow, and informed the old man what a task his
mistress had put upon him.
“Don’t be uneasy,” said the stranger, “but chop that oak, then set
yourself upon the trunk, when Erik Gyllerstierna and Svante Baner will
draw it to the castle.”
The peasant, as he was instructed, began to cut the tree, which fell
with a great crash at the third blow of his ax. Taking his seat upon
the trunk, the tree at once began to move as if drawn by horses. The
speed was soon so great that opposing fences and gates were brushed
aside like straws, and in a short time the oak had arrived at the
designated spot in the castle yard. Just as the tree top struck the
castle gate one of the invisible haulers stumbled, and a voice was
heard to say, “What, you on your knees, Svante?”
The lady who was standing upon the steps at the time understood,
without anything further, who had been the laborer’s helpers, but
instead of repenting she began to swear, scold and in the end, to
threaten the man with imprisonment. Hereupon there was an earthquake
which shook the walls of the castle, and a black carriage drawn by two
black horses stood in the castle yard. A handsome man dressed in black
stepped from the carriage, bowed to the lady and bade her prepare to
follow him. Tremblingly—for she knew well who the stranger was—she
begged him to let her remain three years yet; to this the visitor would
not consent. She begged for three months; this was also denied her, and
at last she prayed for three days, then three hours, but was allowed
only three minutes in which to dispose of her household affairs.
When she saw that prayers availed her nothing she asked him to, at
least, allow her curate, chambermaid and house servants to go with her
on the journey. This was granted, so they entered the carriage, which
was instantly under way and went off at such a speed that the people
who stood in the yard saw nothing but a black streak behind it.
When the lady and her followers had ridden some time they came to a
lighted castle, up the steps of which the black gentleman conducted
them. Arriving in the hall, he deprived the lady of her rich clothes
and gave her instead a coarse gown and wooden shoes. Next he combed her
hair three times with such a vengeance that the blood streamed from her
head, and concluded by dancing with her three times until her shoes
were filled with blood.
After the first dance she asked permission to give her gold ring to her
chamberlain, whose fingers were burned by it as with fire. After the
second dance she gave the chambermaid her key ring, which scorched her
fingers as if glowing iron. At the termination of the third dance a
trap in the floor opened and the woman vanished in a cloud of smoke and
flames.
The priest who stood nearest peeped with curiosity into the opening
where the woman had gone down, when a spark came up from below and hit
him in the eye so that thereafter he had but one eye.
When all was over the gentleman in black gave the servants permission
to return home, but with strong injunctions not to look back. Hurriedly
they sprang into the carriage. The way was broad and straight, and the
horses galloped with great speed, but the chambermaid could not control
her curiosity, and looked back. Instantly the carriage, horses, even
the road disappeared and the travelers found themselves in a wild
forest, where they wandered three years before finding their way back
to Pintorp.