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Transcriber's notes:
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Peeps at Many Lands
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."
Elsinore, the ancient town which surrounds this castle, is well known to
English and American tourists as the supposed burial-place of Hamlet,
the Prince of Denmark immortalized by Shakespeare. Kronborg Castle is
interesting to us, in addition, as being the place where Anne of Denmark
was married by proxy to James I. of England. Here, also, the "Queen of
Tears," Caroline Matilda, sister of George III., spent some unhappy
months in prison, gazing sadly over the Sound, waiting for the English
ships to come and deliver her.
We pass up the Sound viewing the luxuriant cool green beech-woods of
Denmark, and the pretty fishing villages lying in the foreground. Villas
with charming gardens--their tiny rickety landing-stages, bathing sheds,
and tethered boats, adding fascination to the homely scene--seem to
welcome us to this land of fairy tales and the home of Hans Andersen.
The many towers and pinnacles of Copenhagen, with the golden dome of the
Marble Church, flash a welcome as we steam into the magnificent harbour
of this singularly well-favoured city. Here she stands, this "Queen of
the North," as a gracious sentinel bowing acquiescence to the passing
ships as they glide in and out of the Baltic. The broad quays are
splendidly built, lined with fine warehouses, and present a busy scene
of commercial activity. The warships lying at their moorings in the
Sound denote that this is the station of the fleet; here also we see the
country's only fortress--the formidable bulwarks which surround the
harbour.
Kjöbenhavn in Danish means "merchants' harbour," and as early as the
eleventh century it was a trading centre for foreign merchants attracted
by the rich supply of herrings found by the Danish fishermen in the
Baltic. Bishop Absalon was the founder of the city. This warrior Bishop
strongly fortified the place, in 1167, on receiving the little
settlement from King Valdemar the Great, and had plenty to do to hold
it, as it was continually harassed by pirates and the Wends. These,
however, found the Bishop more than a match for them. His outposts would
cry, "The Wends are coming!" and the Bishop would leave his preaching,
his bed, or anything else he might be doing, gather his forces together,
and fight gallantly for his little stronghold. He perhaps recognized
that this might one day be the key to the Baltic, which it has since
become.
This city, therefore, is not a new one, but bombardment and
conflagrations are responsible for its modern appearance. Fortunately,
some of the handsome edifices raised during the reign of Christian IV.
(1588-1648) still remain to adorn the city. This monarch was a great
architect, sailor, warrior, and King, and is one of the most striking
figures in Danish history. He was beloved by his people, and did much
for his kingdom. The buildings planned and erected during this monarch's
reign are worthy of our admiration. The beautiful Exchange, with its
curious tower formed by four dragons standing on their heads, and
entwining their tails into a dainty spire; Rosenborg Castle, with its
delicate pinnacles; the famous "Runde Taarn" (Round Tower), up whose
celebrated spiral causeway Peter the Great is said to have driven a
carriage and pair, are amongst the most noteworthy. The originality in
design of the spires and towers of Copenhagen is quite remarkable. Vor
Frelsers Kirke, or Church of Our Saviour, has an outside staircase,
running round the outside of its spire, which leads up to a figure of
our Saviour, and from this height you get a fine view of the city. The
tower of the fire-station, in which the fire-hose hangs at full length;
the copper-sheathed clock and bell tower--the highest in Denmark--of the
Town Hall; the Eiffel-like tower of the Zoo, are among the most
singular. In all these towers there is a beautiful blending of copper
and gold, which gives a distinctive and attractive character to the
city. Other prominent features are the pretty fish-scale tiling, and the
copper and bronze roofs of many of the buildings, with their "stepped"
gables. Charming, too, are the city's many squares and public gardens,
canals with many-masted ships making an unusual spectacle in the
streets. But, after all, it is perhaps the innate gaiety of the
Copenhagener which impresses you most. You feel, indeed, that these
kindly Danes are a little too content for national development; but
their light-hearted way of viewing life makes them very pleasant
friends, and their hospitality is one of their chief characteristics.
Every lady at the head of a Danish household is an excellent cook and
manager, as well as being an agreeable and intelligent companion. The
Copenhagener is a "flat" dweller, and the dining-room is the largest and
most important room in every home. The Dane thinks much of his dinner,
and dinner-parties are the principal form of entertainment. They joke
about their appreciation of the good things of the table, and say, "a
turkey is not a good table-bird, as it is a little too much for one
Dane, but not enough for two!" A very pleasant side of Copenhagen life
has sprung up from this appreciation, for the restaurants and cafés are
numerous, and cater well for their customers. While the Dane eats he
must have music, which, like the food, must be good; he is very
critical, and a good judge of both. This gay café and restaurant life is
one of the fascinations of Denmark's "too-large heart," as this pleasant
capital is called by its people.