"Anno post natum Christum 939. Ottoni comiti Oldenburgico in venatione
vehementer sitibundo virgo elegantissima ex monte Osen prodiens cornu
argenteum deauratum plenum liquore ut biberet obtulit. Inspecto is
liquore adhorruit, ac eundum bibere recusavit. Quo facto, subito Comes
a virgine discedens liquorem retro super equum quem mox depilavit
effudit, cornuque hic depictum secum Oldenburgum in perpetuam illius
memoriam reportavit. Lucretio de Sainct Simon pinxit."

The painting is apparently of the first part of the seventeenth century.
The ordinary books of reference do not contain the painter's name.

The same legend as that contained in this inscription, though with fuller
details, is given by the brothers Grimm, in their collection of _Deutsche
Sagen_, No. 541. vol. ii. p. 317., from two Oldenburg chronicles. According
to this version Otto was Count of Oldenburg in the year 990 or 967. [The
chronicles appear to differ as to his date: the inscription of the Combe
Abbey picture furnishes a third date.] Being a good hunter, and fond of
hunting, he went, on the 20th of July, in this year, attended by his nobles
and servants, to hunt in the forest of Bernefeuer. Here he found a deer,
and chased it alone from this wood to Mount Osen: but in the pursuit he
left his companions and even his dogs behind; and he stood alone, on his
white horse, in the middle of the mountain. Being now exhausted by the
great heat, he exclaimed: "Would to God that some one had a draught of cold
water!" As soon as the count had uttered these words, the mountain opened,
and from the {418} chasm there came a beautiful damsel, dressed in fine
clothes, with her hair divided over her shoulders, and a wreath of flowers
on her head. In her hand she held a precious silver-gilt hunting-horn,
filled with some liquid; which she offered to the count, in order that he
might drink. The count took the horn, and examined the liquid, but declined