Denmark   By: M. Pearson Thomson

NORWAY BY LIEUT. COL. A. F. MOCKLER FERRYMAN, F.R.G.S., F.Z.S.

and

DENMARK BY M. PEARSON THOMSON

With Sixteen Full Page Illustrations in Colour

The MacMillan Company 64 & 66 Fifth Avenue, New York 1921

DENMARK

[Illustration: SKETCH MAP OF DENMARK.]

CONTENTS

DENMARK

By M. Pearson Thomson

I. MERRY COPENHAGEN I 1

II. MERRY COPENHAGEN II 6

III. HANS ANDERSEN THE "FAIRY TALE" OF HIS LIFE 12

IV. FAMOUS DANES 18

V. LEGENDARY LORE AND FOLK DANCES 25

VI. MANNERS AND CUSTOMS 32

VII. A JAUNT THROUGH JUTLAND I 39

VIII. A JAUNT THROUGH JUTLAND II 45

IX. THE PEOPLE'S AMUSEMENTS 51

X. FARM LIFE BUTTER MAKING "HEDESELSKABET" 54

XI. SOLDIERS AND SAILORS 59

XII. THE PEOPLE OF THE ISLES 66

XIII. FISHERMEN AT HOME AND AFLOAT 72

XIV. YOUTHFUL DANES AT WORK AND PLAY 78

XV. INGEBORG'S JOURNEY THROUGH SEELAND 83

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

DENMARK

By F. J. Hyldahl

FACING PAGE

FLOWER MARKET IN COPENHAGEN 9

DRAGÖR PEASANT 16

CHILDREN'S DAY 33

HARVEST TIME 40

VAGT PARADEN 57

SUNDAY IN THE ISLAND OF LÆSÖ 64

SKAGEN FISHERMAN NEAR THE TOWER OF BURIED CHURCH 73

WINTER IN THE FOREST 80

Sketch Map, page ii, Denmark Section.

DENMARK

CHAPTER I

MERRY COPENHAGEN I

Copenhagen, the metropolis of Denmark, is a large and flourishing city, with all the modern improvements of a commercial capital. It has an atmosphere of its own, an atmosphere of friendliness and gaiety, particularly appreciated by English people, who in "Merry Copenhagen" always feel themselves at home.

The approach to this fine city from the North by the Cattegat is very charming. Sailing through the Sound, you come upon this "Athens of the North" at its most impressive point, where the narrow stretch of water which divides Sweden and Denmark lies like a silvery blue ribbon between the two countries, joining the Cattegat to the Baltic Sea. In summer the sparkling, blue Sound, of which the Danes are so justly proud, is alive with traffic of all kinds. Hundreds of steamers pass to and from the North Sea and Baltic, carrying their passengers and freights from Russia, Germany, Finland, and Sweden, to the whole world. In olden times Denmark exacted toll from these passing ships, which the nations found irksome, but the Danes most profitable. This "Sundtold" was abolished finally at the wish of the different nations using this "King's highway," who combined to pay a large lump sum to Denmark, in order that their ships might sail through the Sound without this annoyance in future.

Kronborg Castle, whose salute demanded this toll in olden days, still rears its stately pinnacles against the blue sky, and looking towards the old fortress of Kjärnan, on the Swedish coast, seems to say, "Our glory is of a bygone day, and in the land of memories."