Denmark Part 3

From Silkeborg we start to see the Himmelbjerget, the mountain of this flat country. It rises to a height of five hundred feet, being the highest point in Denmark.

'Tis the joy and pride of the Danes, who select this mountain and lake district before all others for their honeymoons!

A curious paddle-boat, worked by hand, or a small motor-boat will take us over the lake to the foot of Himmelbjerget. Our motor-boat, with fussy throb, carries us away down the narrow river which opens into the lake. The life on the banks of the river is very interesting. As we sail past the pretty villas, with background of cool, green beech-woods, we notice that a Danish garden must always have a summer-house to make it complete. In these garden-rooms the Danes take all their meals in summer-time. The drooping branches of the beech-trees dip, swish, and bend to the swirl of water created by our boat, which makes miniature waves leap and run along the bank in a playful way. How delightfully peaceful the surrounding landscape is as we skim over the silvery lake and then land! The climbing of this mountain does not take long. There is a splendid view from the top of Himmelbjerget, for the country lies spread out like a map before us. This lake district is very beautiful, and when the ling is in full bloom, the heather and forest-clad hills encircling the lakes blaze with colour.

At Silkeborg the River Gudenaa flows through the lakes Kundso and Julso, becoming navigable, but it is only used by small boats and barges for transporting wood from the forests. The termination "So" means lake, while "Aa" means stream. Steen Steensen Blicher, the poet of Jutland, has described this scenery, which he loved so much, quite charmingly in some of his lyrical poems. He sings:

"The Danes have their homes where the fair beeches grow, By sh.o.r.es where forget-me-nots cl.u.s.ter."

This poet did much to encourage the home industries of the moor-dwellers, being in sympathy with them, as well as with their lonely moorlands.

The old-time moor-dwellers' habitations have become an interesting museum in Herning. This little mid-Jutland town is in the centre of the moors, so its museum contains a unique collection from the homes of these st.u.r.dy peasants. The amount of delicate needlework these lonely, thrifty folks accomplished in the long winter days is surprising. This "Hedebo" needlework is the finest st.i.tchery you can well imagine, wrought on home-spun linen with flaxen thread. Such marvellous patterns and intricate designs! Little wonder that the best examples are treasured by the nation. The men of the family wore a white linen smock for weddings and great occasions. So thickly are these overwrought with needlework that they will stand alone, and seem to have a woman's lifetime spent upon them. Needless to say, these family garments were handed down as heirlooms from father to son.

Knitting, weaving, the making of Jyde pottery and wooden shoes (which all wear), are among the other industries of these people.

As we journey through Skjern and down the west coast to Esbjerg, the end of our journey, we notice the picturesque attire of the field-workers.

An old shepherd, with vivid blue shirt and sleeveless brown coat, with white straggling locks streaming over his shoulders, tends his few sheep. This clever old man is doing three things at once--minding his sheep, smoking his pipe, and knitting a stocking. The Danes are great knitters, men and women being equally good at it. Many girls are working in the fields, their various coloured garments making bright specks on the landscape. Occasionally a bullock-cart slowly drags its way across the field-road, laden with clattering milk-cans. We pa.s.s flourishing farmsteads, with storks' nests on the roofs. The father-stork, standing on one leg, keeping guard over his young, looks pensively out over the moors, thinking, no doubt, that soon it will not be worth his while to come all the way from Egypt to find frogs in the marshes! For the indefatigable Dalgas has roused the dilatory Danes to such good purpose that soon the marshes and waste lands of Jutland will be no more.

CHAPTER IX

THE PEOPLE'S AMUs.e.m.e.nTS

"Have you been in Tivoli?" is the first question a Copenhagener would ask you on your arrival in the gay capital. If not, your Danish friend will carry you off to see these beautiful pleasure-gardens. Tivoli is for all cla.s.ses, and is the most popular place of amus.e.m.e.nt in Denmark.

This delightful summer resort is the place of all others in which to study the jovial side of the Danish character. Even the King and his royal visitors occasionally pay visits, incognito, to these fascinating gardens, taking their "sixpenn'orth of fun" with the people, whose good manners would never allow them to take the slightest notice of their monarch when he is enjoying himself in this way. To children Tivoli is the ideal Sunday treat. Every taste is catered for at Tivoli, and the Sat.u.r.day cla.s.sical concerts have become famous, for one of the Danes'

chief pleasures is good music. Tivoli becomes fairyland when illuminated with its myriad lights outlining the buildings and gleaming through the trees. The light-hearted gaiety of the Dane is very infectious, and the stranger is irresistibly caught by it. The atmosphere of unalloyed merriment which pervades when tables are spread under the trees for the alfresco supper is distinctly exhilarating. These gardens have amus.e.m.e.nts for the frivolous also, such as switchbacks, pantomimes of the "Punch and Judy" kind, and frequently firework displays, which last entertainment generally concludes the evening.

The Royal Theatre in Copenhagen is a national school of patriotism, and the healthy spirit of its plays has an enn.o.bling effect on the people.

Everything is Danish here, and Denmark is the only small nation in Europe which has successfully founded a national dramatic art. The "Moliere of the North," Ludwig Holberg, was the father of the Danish drama, and the first to make the people realize the beauty of their own language. This gifted Dane was a great comedy-writer, and had the faculty of making his fellows see the comic side of their follies.

The "Royal Ballet" played at this theatre is quite distinctive.

Bournonville, its creator, was a poet who expressed himself in motion instead of words, and these "dumb poems" appeal strongly to the Scandinavian character. This poet aimed at something more than spectacular effects upon the people: his art consisted in presenting instructive tableaux, which, while holding the attention of his audience, taught them their traditional history. The delicate daintiness of the Danish ballet everyone must appreciate. The exquisite and intricate dances, together with the magnificent tableaux, are accompanied by wild and magical music of Danish composition.

Bournonville ballets represent scenes from cla.s.sical mythology, as well as from ancient Scandinavian history, and the Danish people are much attached to this Northern composer of ballet. "Ei blot til Lyst"--Not only for pleasure--is the motto over this National Theatre door, and it is in the Ballet School here that the young Danes begin their training.

These young folk take great pleasure in learning the beautiful dances, as well as in the operatic and dramatic work which they have to study, for they must serve a certain period in this, as in any other profession.

Another place of amus.e.m.e.nt which gives pleasure to many of the poorer people is the Working Men's Theatre. Actors, musicians, as well as the entire management, are all of the working cla.s.ses, who are trained in the evenings by professionals. The result is quite wonderful, and proves the pleasure and interest these working people take in their tuition, and how their artistic abilities are developed by it. On Sundays, and occasionally in the week, a performance is given, when the working cla.s.ses crowd into the theatre to see their fellows perform. This entertainment only costs sixpence for good seats, drama and farce being the representations most appreciated. Notwithstanding that smoking is prohibited during the performances--a rule which you would think no Dane could tolerate, being seldom seen without pipe or cigarette--it is a great success, and denotes that their love of the play is greater than their pleasure in the weed.

CHAPTER X

FARM LIFE--b.u.t.tER-MAKING--"HEDESELSKABET"

Farming in Denmark is the most important industry of the kingdom, and gives employment to half the nation. The peasant is very enlightened and advanced in his methods; agricultural and farm products form the princ.i.p.al exports of the country. England takes the greater part of this produce. Three or four times a week the ships leave Esbjerg--this port being the only Danish one not blocked by ice during some part of the winter--for the English ports, laden with b.u.t.ter, bacon and eggs for the London market. Now, why can the Danish farmer, whose land is poorer and his climate more severe than ours, produce so much? Education, co-operation and the help given by the State to small farmers lay the foundation, so the Danes will tell you, of the farmer's prosperity. The thrift and industry of the peasant farmer is quite astonishing. He is able to bring up a large, well-educated family and live comfortably on seven or eight acres of land; whereas in England we are told that three acres will not keep a cow! The Danish farmer makes six acres keep two cows, many chickens, some pigs, himself, wife and family, and there is never any evidence of poverty on these small farms--quite the reverse.

The farmer is strong and wiry, his wife fine and buxom, and his children st.u.r.dy, well-cared-for little urchins. All, however, must work--and work very hard--both with head and hands to produce this splendid result. The Danish farmer grows a rapid rotation of crops for his animals, manuring heavily after each crop, and never allowing his land to lie fallow as we do. On these small farms there is practically no gra.s.s-land; hedges and fences are unnecessary as the animals are always tethered when grazing.

Omission of hedges is more economical also, making it possible to cultivate every inch of land. There is nothing wasted on a Danish farm.

Many large flourishing farms also exist in Denmark, with acres of both meadow and arable land, just as in England; but the peasant farmer is the interesting example of the Danish system of legislation. The Government helps this small holder by every means in its power to become a freehold farmer should he be willing and thrifty enough to try.

The typical Danish farmstead is built in the form of a square, three sides of which are occupied by the sheds for the animals, the fourth side being the dwelling-house, which is generally connected with the sheds by a covered pa.s.sage--a cosy arrangement for all, as in bad weather the farmer need not go outside to attend to the animals, while the latter benefit by the warmth from the farmhouse.

The Danes would never speak crossly to a cow or call her by other than her own name, which is generally printed on a board over her stall. The cow, in fact, is the domestic pet of the Danish farm. In the winter these animals are taken for a daily walk wearing their winter coats of jute!

These small farmers realize that "Union is Strength," and have built up for themselves a marvellous system of co-operation. This brings the market literally to the door of the peasant farmer. Carts collect the farm produce daily and transport it to the nearest factories belonging to this co-operation of farmers. At these factories the milk is turned into delicious b.u.t.ter, the eggs are examined by electric light, and "Mr.

Pig" quickly changes his name to Bacon! These three commodities form the most remunerative products of the farm.

The Danish farmer is a strong believer in education, thanks to the Grundtvig High-schools. Bishop Grundtvig started these schools for the benefit of the sons and daughters of yeomen. When winter comes, and outside farm-work is at a standstill, the farmer and his family attend these schools to learn new methods of farming and dairy-work. The farmer's children are early taught to take a hand and interest themselves in the farm-work. The son, when school is over for the day, must help to feed the live-stock, do a bit of spade-work or carpentering, and perhaps a little book-keeping before bedtime. These practical lessons develop in the lad a love of farm-work and a pride in helping on the family resources.

[Ill.u.s.tration: VAGT-PARADEN. LIFEGUARDS DRAWING UP OUTSIDE THE PALACE.]

b.u.t.ter-making is an interesting sight at the splendidly equipped steam-factories, and we all know that Danish b.u.t.ter is renowned for its excellence. When the milk is weighed and tested it runs into a large receiver, thence to the separator; from there the cream flows into the scalder, and pours over the ice frame in a rich cool stream into a wooden vat.

Meanwhile the separated milk has returned through a pipe to the waiting milk-cans and is given back to the farmer, who utilizes it to feed his calves and pigs. The cream leaves the vat for the churn through a wooden channel, and when full the churn is set in motion. This combined churn and b.u.t.ter-worker completes the process of b.u.t.ter-making, and when the golden ma.s.s is taken out it is ready to be packed for the English market. The milk, on being received at the factory, is weighed and paid for according to weight. It takes 25 lbs. of milk to make 1 lb. of b.u.t.ter.

"Hedeselskabet" (Heath Company) is a wonderful society started by Captain Dalgas and other patriotic Danes, in 1866, for the purpose of reclaiming the moors and bogs. The cultivation of these lands seemed impossible to most people, but these few enthusiasts with great energy and perseverance set to work to overcome Nature's obstacles. These pioneers have been so successful in their efforts that in less than half a century three thousand square miles of useless land in Jutland have been made fertile. Trees have been planted and carefully nursed into good plantations, besides many other improvements made for the benefit of the agriculturalist and the country generally. All along the sandy wastes of the west coast of Jutland esparto gra.s.s has been sown to bind the shifting sand, which is a danger to the crops when the terrible "Skaj"[8] blows across the land with unbroken force. Thanks to the untiring energies of this society for reclaiming the moors, Denmark has gained land almost equal to that she lost in her beautiful province of Schleswig, annexed by Prussia in the unequal war of 1864.

In the town of Aarhus, the capital of Jutland, a handsome monument has been raised to the memory of Captain Dalgas, the father of the movement for reclaiming the moors, by his grateful countrymen.

CHAPTER XI

SOLDIERS AND SAILORS

Every Danish boy knows he must undergo a period of training as a soldier or sailor when he reaches his twentieth year. This is because Denmark is small and poor, and could not maintain a standing army, so her citizens must be able to defend her when called upon. This service is required from all, n.o.ble and peasant alike, physical weakness alone bringing exemption. This six or twelve months' training means a hard rough time for young men accustomed to a refined home, but it has a pleasant side in the sympathy and friendship of comrades. The generality of conscripts do not love their soldiering days, and look upon them as something to be got over, like the measles! "Jens" is the Danish equivalent for "Tommy Atkins," and "Hans" is the "Jack Tar" of Denmark.

To see the daily parade of Life Guards before the royal palace is to see a splendid military display. This parade the King and young Princes often watch from the palace windows. The crowd gathers to enjoy the spectacle of "Vagt-Paraden" (changing the guard) in the palace square, when the standard is taken from the Guard House and borne, to the stirring strains of the "Fane-Marsch," in front of the palace. As the standard-bearer marches he throws forward his legs from the hips in the most curious stiff way. This old elaborate German step is a striking feature of the daily parade. When the guard is changed and the band has played a selection of music, the same ceremony is repeated, and the standard deposited again in its resting-place. Then the released guard, headed by the band playing merry tunes, march back to their barracks followed by an enthusiastic crowd. The fresh guard take their place beside the sentry-boxes, which stand around the palace square. These are tall red pillar-boxes curiously like giant letter-boxes!

In the Schleswig-Holstein War of 1864, the last war Denmark was engaged in, many Danish soldiers proved their valour and heroism in the unequal encounter. These gallant men were buried in Schleswig, and as the Danish colours were forbidden by the tyrannical Prussian conquerors, the loyal Schleswigers. .h.i.t upon a pretty way of keeping the memory of their heroes green. The "Danebrog" was designed by a cross of white flowers on a ground of red geraniums over each grave. In this way the kinsmen of these patriots covered their last resting-place with the colours of their glorious national flag, under which they fell in Denmark's defence. In Holmens Kirke, Copenhagen, many heroes lie buried. This building, originally an iron foundry, was converted into a church by the royal builder, Christian IV., for the dockyard men to worship in, and it is still used by them. This King's motto, "Piety strengthens the realm," stands boldly over the entrance of this mortuary chapel for famous Danes.

As Denmark is a kingdom composed mainly of islands and peninsula, she has a long line of sea-board to defend, and a good navy is essential for her safety. The Danes being descendants of Vikings and sea-rovers, you may be sure that their navy is well maintained.

A boy who chooses the navy as his profession must leave school at the age of fourteen years, and go for nine months' training on a warship as a voluntary apprentice. At the end of this time he knows whether he likes the profession well enough to join it--if so, two years' coaching is given to enable him to pa.s.s the necessary examinations for entering the Naval Academy. Here he is trained for four years, spending the four summer months of each year in cruising. This Naval Academy, where officers are trained, is a fine old inst.i.tution, and prides itself on the record of the famous men it has turned out. The present King of Greece, and many other members of the Danish Royal Family, have also been trained at this Academy. The Academy course is expensive, and as promotion is slow, and pay small in the navy, the Lieutenants are sometimes permitted to captain a ship in the merchant service for three years. This they are glad to do, as it increases their pay and knowledge of navigation. Denmark being too small to maintain a large cruising fleet, these officers would have little opportunity of proving their sailing powers without this arrangement.

When cruising, the high spirits of the young cadets sometimes lead them into mischief, thereby bringing trouble upon their heads. I knew a naval captain who hit upon a very original and effective form of punishment for wrong-doers. The cadet cap is a blue "tam-o'-shanter" with the usual woolly bob of the same colour on the top. "The naughty boys shall have a red bob," said the "Kaptejn," "and thus be branded for misdemeanour!"

The culprits disliked this badge intensely, I imagine mostly because their comrades derisively admired the colour which made them conspicuous. One day royalties were being shown over the ship, and a young Princess asked "why some of the boys had those pretty red tufts on their caps?" You may imagine the chagrin and confusion of the culprits; scarlet faces and crimson tufts told their own tale! The boys, you may be sure, thought twice in future before risking another penitential week of branding and ridicule for breach of discipline.

In Copenhagen one of the discarded warships is used as public restaurant and training-school for ships' cooks. Here the sailor-men are taught every branch of cooking and kitchen-work. When trained, these cooks are employed on the merchant-ships, as well as on the men-of-war.

Some interesting stories are told of the naval heroes of Denmark which you will like to hear. Peder Tordenskjold is the Nelson of Denmark. This man, besides being a great Admiral, was a most genial character, and had a striking and original personality. Many true tales are told about this hero which the young Danish lads never tire of hearing. There is a favourite one which tells of the ingenious way by which he discovered the weak points in his enemy's stronghold. Dressing himself as a fisherman, he accompanied two other fishers in a little rowing-boat laden with fish to the enemy's sh.o.r.es. Taking a basket of fish, he mounted the hill to the fort, saying he had brought the fish for the commandant. He was allowed to pa.s.s in to the fort with his fish, and, pretending stupidity, kept losing his way--gaining knowledge thereby--till he reached the commandant's residence. Gaining permission from the latter to supply the garrison with fish, he inquired for how many men he should provide. "Let me see," said the commandant, half to himself, "a hundred guns--two hundred men; you may bring fish for a hundred men." Tordenskjold then left the fort, having obtained all the information he required, and returned to his boat. At this moment the captain of one of the ships lying in the bay arrived on sh.o.r.e, and the pretended fisherman at once accosted him, asking permission to serve his men with fish. This being granted, he at once rowed to the ship, where he soon disposed of his fish, and conversing with the sailors, he gained the information that in two days' time there would be a great festivity held on sh.o.r.e, at which most of them would be present. With this valuable knowledge he returned to his own sh.o.r.e from the Swedish coast, and laid plans which gave Denmark a victory and proved fatal to the Swedes. In Holmens Kirke, where this hero lies buried, a splendid black marble tomb has been erected to his memory by King Frederik IV.

Near by lies another naval hero, Niels Juel, whose gilt and copper coffin is surmounted by a tablet which tells of his brave deeds.

Captain Hvitfeldt, the hero of Kjoge Bay, blew up his ship with three hundred men to save the Danish fleet from destruction. In the war of 1710, between Denmark and Sweden, this captain's ship, the _Danebrog_, took fire. To save the ships which were being driven by the wind towards his burning vessel, he and his gallant crew sacrificed their lives.