Brewer's: Elsie

The daughter of Gottlieb, a farm tenant of Prince Henry of Hoheneck. The prince was suffering severely from some malady, and was told that he would be cured if any maiden would give her life as a substitute. Elsie vowed to do so, and accompanied the prince from Germany to Salerno. Here Elsie surrendered herself to Lucifer, but was rescued by the prince, who married her. His health was perfectly re-established by the pilgrimage. (Longfellow: The Golden Legend. )

Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894
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