Long ago, on the Shetland island of Unst, the people lived in fear of a ruthless Danish pirate known as the Denschman. He sailed aboard a swift and deadly ship called The Erne—named after the Old Norse word for “eagle.” Whenever the dark silhouette of the Erne appeared on the horizon, villagers would flee to the hills, abandoning their homes to avoid his raids.
One summer, a fierce storm rolled in. As the villagers took shelter, a boy ran through the streets shouting, “The Erne has been seen near Yell!” Panic erupted. Despite the storm, people grabbed their valuables and ran to the hills.
From a lookout, they saw the Erne struggling in the waves—too low in the water, clearly sinking. The villagers began to pray for the pirate’s demise. Soon, word came from a farmer: the ship had crashed into the rocks at Flubersgerdie and shattered. Everyone believed the Denschman was dead.
But he wasn’t. The Denschman had survived and was hiding in a cave near the shore. Some villagers found him and debated whether to kill him. But three daughters of a kind-hearted farmer secretly brought him food, drink, and warm clothes. One of them said, “No man is entirely heartless.”
They helped him escape, and he vanished.
Months later, the Denschman returned—not with weapons, but with gifts. He gave the farmer a boat filled with treasures and thanked the daughters for their compassion. He swore never to raid Unst again—and true to his word, he never did.
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