and Jurgen was allowed to guide them。
The eel…breeder was a witty fellow； a merry guest； and brought a
measure of brandy with him。 They all received a small glassful or a
cupful if there were not enough glasses； even Jurgen had about a
thimbleful； that he might digest the fat eel； as the eel…breeder said；
he always told one story over and over again； and if his hearers
laughed he would immediately repeat it to them。 Jurgen while still a
boy； and also when he was older； used phrases from the eel…breeder's
story on various occasions； so it will be as well for us to listen
to it。 It runs thus：
〃The eels went into the bay； and the young ones begged leave to go
a little farther out。 'Don't go too far；' said their mother； 'the ugly
eel…spearer might come and snap you all up。' But they went too far；
and of eight daughters only three came back to the mother； and these
wept and said； 'We only went a little way out； and the ugly
eel…spearer came immediately and stabbed five of our sisters to
death。' 'They'll come back again；' said the mother eel。 'Oh； no；'
exclaimed the daughters； 'for he skinned them； cut them in two； and
fried them。' 'Oh； they'll come back again；' the mother eel
persisted。 'No；' replied the daughters； 'for he ate them up。' 'They'll
come back again；' repeated the mother eel。 'But he drank brandy
after them；' said the daughters。 'Ah； then they'll never come back；'
said the mother； and she burst out crying； 'it's the brandy that
buries the eels。'〃
〃And therefore；〃 said the eel…breeder in conclusion； 〃it is always
the proper thing to drink brandy after eating eels。〃
This story was the tinsel thread； the most humorous recollection
of Jurgen's life。 He also wanted to go a little way farther out and up
the bay… that is to say； out into the world in a ship… but his
mother said； like the eel…breeder； 〃There are so many bad people…
eel spearers！〃 He wished to go a little way past the sand…hills； out
into the dunes； and at last he did： four happy days； the brightest
of his childhood； fell to his lot； and the whole beauty and
splendour of Jutland； all the happiness and sunshine of his home； were
concentrated in these。 He went to a festival； but it was a burial
feast。
A rich relation of the fisherman's family had died； the farm was
situated far eastward in the country and a little towards the north。
Jurgen's foster parents went there； and he also went with them from
the dunes； over heath and moor； where the Skjaerumaa takes its
course through green meadows and contains many eels； mother eels
live there with their daughters； who are caught and eaten up by wicked
people。 But do not men sometimes act quite as cruelly towards their
own fellow…men？ Was not the knight Sir Bugge murdered by wicked
people？ And though he was well spoken of； did he not also wish to kill
the architect who built the castle for him； with its thick walls and
tower； at the point where the Skjaerumaa falls into the bay？ Jurgen
and his parents now stood there； the wall and the ramparts still
remained； and red crumbling fragments lay scattered around。 Here it
was that Sir Bugge； after the architect had left him； said to one of
his men； 〃Go after him and say； 'Master； the tower shakes。' If he
turns round； kill him and take away the money I paid him； but if he
does not turn round let him go in peace。〃 The man did as he was
told； the architect did not turn round； but called back 〃The tower
does not shake in the least； but one day a man will come from the west
in a blue cloak… he will cause it to shake！〃 And so indeed it happened
a hundred years later； for the North Sea broke in and cast down the
tower； but Predbjorn Gyldenstjerne； the man who then possessed the
castle； built a new castle higher up at the end of the meadow； and
that one is standing to this day； and is called Norre…Vosborg。
Jurgen and his foster parents went past this castle。 They had told
him its story during the long winter evenings； and now he saw the
stately edifice； with its double moat； and trees and bushes； the wall；
covered with ferns； rose within the moat； but the lofty lime…trees
were the most beautiful of all； they grew up to the highest windows；
and the air was full of their sweet fragrance。 In a north…west
corner of the garden stood a great bush full of blossom； like winter
snow amid the summer's green； it was a juniper bush； the first that
Jurgen had ever seen in bloom。 He never forgot it； nor the lime…trees；
the child's soul treasured up these memories of beauty and fragrance
to gladden the old man。
From Norre…Vosborg； where the juniper blossomed； the journey
became more pleasant； for they met some other people who were also
going to the funeral and were riding in waggons。 Our travellers had to
sit all together on a little box at the back of the waggon； but even
this； they thought； was better than walking。 So they continued their
journey across the rugged heath。 The oxen which drew the waggon
stopped every now and then； where a patch of fresh grass appeared amid
the heather。 The sun shone with considerable heat； and it was
wonderful to behold how in the far distance something like smoke
seemed to be rising； yet this smoke was clearer than the air； it was
transparent； and looked like rays of light rolling and dancing afar
over the heath。
〃That is Lokeman driving his sheep；〃 said some one。
And this was enough to excite Jurgen's imagination。 He felt as
if they were now about to enter fairyland； though everything was still
real。 How quiet it was！ The heath stretched far and wide around them
like a beautiful carpet。 The heather was in blossom； and the
juniper…bushes and fresh oak saplings rose like bouquets from the
earth。 An inviting place for a frolic； if it had not been for the
number of poisonous adders of which the travellers spoke； they also
mentioned that the place had formerly been infested with wolves； and
that the district was still called Wolfsborg for this reason。 The
old man who was driving the oxen told them that in the lifetime of his
father the horses had many a hard battle with the wild beasts that
were now exterminated。 One morning； when he himself had gone out to
bring in the horses； he found one of them standing with its forefeet
on a wolf it had killed； but the savage animal had torn and
lacerated the brave horse's legs。
The journey over the heath and the deep sand was only too
quickly at an end。 They stopped before the house of mourning； where
they found plenty of guests within and without。 Waggon after waggon
stood side by side； while the horses and oxen had been turned out to
graze on the scanty pasture。 Great sand…hills like those at home by
the North Sea rose behind the house and extended far and wide。 How had
they come here； so many miles inland？ They were as large and high as
those on the coast； and the wind had carried them there； there was
also a legend attached to them。
Psalms were sung； and a few of the old people shed tears； with
this exception； the guests were cheerful enough； it seemed to
Jurgen； and there was plenty to eat and drink。 There were eels of
the fattest； requiring brandy to bury them； as the eel…breeder said；
and certainly they did not forget to carry out his maxim here。
Jurgen went in and out the house； and on the third day he felt
as much at home as he did in the fisherman's cottage among the
sand…hills； where he had passed his early days。 Here on the heath were
riches unknown to him until now； for flowers； blackberries； and
bilberries were to be found in profusion； so large and sweet that when
they were crushed beneath the tread of passers…by the heather was
stained with their red juice。 Here was a barrow and yonder another。
Then columns of smoke rose into the still air； it was a heath fire；
they told him… how brightly it blazed in the dark evening！
The fourth day came； and the funeral festivities were at an end；
they were to go back from the land…dunes to the sand…dunes。
〃Ours are better；〃 said the old fisherman； Jurgen's foster…father；
〃these have no strength。〃
And they spoke of the way in which the sand…dunes had come inland；
and it seemed very easy to understand。 This is how they explained it：
A dead body had been found on the coast； and the peasants buried
it in the churchyard。 From that time the sand began to fly about and
the sea broke in with violence。 A wise man in the district advised
them to open the grave and see if the buried man was not lying sucking
his thumb； for if so he must be a sailor； and the sea would not rest
until it had got him back。 The grave was opened； and he really was
found with his thumb in his mouth。 So they laid him upon a cart； and
harnessed two oxen to it； and the oxen ran off with the sailor over
heath and moor to the ocean； as if they had been stung by an adder。
Then the sand ceased to fly inland； but the hills that had been
piled up still remained。
All this Jurgen listened to and treasured up in his memory of
the happiest days of his childhood… the days of the burial feast。
How delightful it was to see fresh places and to mix with
strangers！ And he was to go still farther； for he was not yet fourteen
years old when he went out in a ship to see the world。 He
encountered bad weather； heavy seas； unkindness； and hard men… such
were his experiences； for he became ship…boy。 Cold nights； bad living；
and blows had to be endured； then he felt his noble Spanish blood boil
within him； and bitter； angry； words rose to his lips； but he gulped
them down； it was better； although he felt as the eel must feel when
it is skinned； cut up； and put into the frying…pan。
〃I shall get over it；〃 said a voice within him。
He saw the Spanish coast； the native land of his parents。 He
even saw the town where they had lived in joy and prosperity； but he
knew nothing of his home or his relations； and his relations knew just
as little about him。
The poor ship boy was not permitted to land； but on the last day
of their stay he managed to get ashore。 There were severa