On the island of Rügen (a German
island in the Baltic Sea) at Jasmund, near Stubbenkammer, remains can still
be seen (notably the outer wall) of Hertha Castle, that have been standing
there for many hundreds of years, since the Pagan period. In the castle the
Pagans of Rügen would worship an idol of Hertha, who the saw as the Earth-Mother.
Near Hertha Castle is a dark, deep lake, with
woodland and hillsides all around. Each year, on several occasions, the goddess
bathed in the lake. She rode to the lake in a wagon concealed by a strange
veil. The wagon was pulled by two cows. Only the goddess's sacred priest could
travel with her. Slaves were the cows who pulled the wagon, but they were
drowned in the lake once their task has been completed as any unsanctified
human who saw the goddess was doomed to die. And for that reason we know nothing
else about the cult of this goddess.
There are many strange tales about weird things
that happen near the lake. Some people think these are due to the devil, who,
they think, took the form of Hertha to lead the Pagans astray and as
he (in the form of Hertha) was worshipped there, still lays claim to the lake.
Other people believe the odd happenings are caused by an ancient queen or
princess who was exiled to the lake.
A glamorous woman in frequently seen coming out
of the woodland near the lake, especially when the moon is bright in the sky.
This being goes to the lake where she bathes. She is accompanied my numerous
female attendants. They all disappear but can still be heard splashing in
the waters of the lake. Later they reappear and return to the woods wearing
long white veils.
But it is extremely perilous to watch all this,
for any wanderer seeing these sights will feel drawn forcefully toward the
lake where the white woman bathes. As soon as he has touched the water of
the lake he will be powerless and the lake will engulf him. It is said that
the woman must lure one human into the lake each year. None are allowed to
take boats or nets into the lake. Once some people risked bringing a boat
onto the lake. It was left afloat overnight. When they came back next morning
it was gone. A lengthy search was made and it was found at the top of a beech
tree on the banks of the lake; Spirits of the lake had placed it there during
the night and as the people were removing the boat from the tree they heard
a mocking voice crying out from within the lake: "Nickel, my brother, and
I did it!"
Source:
J. D. H. Temme, "Die Volkssagen von Pommern und Rügen" (Berlin, In
der Nicolaischen Buchhandlung, 1840), no. 38, pp. 65-66. This version retold
by Shaun D. L. Brassfield-Thorpe
Notes
: Hertha may be "Nerthus" may be Nerthus, the Earth-Mother goddess described
by the Roman historian Tacitus in 98 C.E. in his work "Germania". In the Scandinavian
regions, "Nerthus" became "Njord" (the same word in a different dialect, but
in a masculine rather than feminine form) who is the ruler of the Vanir gods,
and father of the twins Frey and Freya. Oral traditions of the Hosling (as
recounted by Ivar Hafskjold, 44th Herre of Hafskjold, from Norway) suggest
that Njord was always regarded as a gender changer. Njord, and "his" son Frey
retained links to both earth and water, and also to wagons, and tales describing
these can be found in Icelandic Saga literature. In the Hafskjold tradition,
the (Scandinavian, 16 stave futhark) rune "Laug" (meaning "water", "lake"
or "bath") is the rune of Njord.