But when, as the custom was, the people of the house came in one by one, and drank the healths of their master and mistress, he grew paler and paler and whiter and whiter, as if his blood were being sucked out of him and drained away.
"The earth draws!" he shrieked, and there was a look of horror in his eyes.
Immediately afterwards he sat there--dead!
[1] Lille Jule-aften, i.e., the day before Christmas Eve (Jule-aften).
THE CORMORANTS OF ANDVÆR
THE CORMORANTS OF ANDVÆR
Outside Andvær lies an island, the haunt of wild birds, which no man can land upon, be the sea never so quiet; the sea-swell girds it round about with sucking whirlpools and dashing breakers.