The Complete Fairy Tales & Other Stories
By Hans Christian Andersen - online book

Oxford Complete Illustrated Edition all his stories written between 1835 and 1872.

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972              GODFATHER'S PICTURE-BOOK
King Frederick V is king. And the chain is taken away from the square beside the castle ; the Danish theatre is opened again; there is laughter and pleasure and good humour. And the peasants hold their summer festival. It is a time of gaiety after the time of fast and oppression. The beautiful thrives, blossoming and bearing fruit in sound, in colour, and in creative art. Hearken to Gretry's music ! Watch the acting of Londemann I And Denmark's queen loves what is Danish. Louisa of England, beautiful and gentle; God in his Heaven, bless you ! The sunbeams sing in lively chorus about the queens in the Danish land— Philippa, Elizabeth, Louisa !
' The earthly parts have long been buried, but the souls live, and the names live. Again, England sends a royal bride, Matilda, so young, and so soon forsaken ! Poets will sing of thee in times to come, of thy youthful heart and time of trial. And song has power, an indescribable power through times and peoples. See the burning of the castle, King Christian's castle! They try to save the best they can find. See, the dockyard men are dragging away a basket with silver plate and precious things. It is a great treasure ; but suddenly they see through the open door, where the flames are bright, a bronze bust of King Christian IV. Then they cast away the treasure they are carrying ; his image is much more to them 1 that must be saved, however heavy it may be to carry. They know him from Ewald's song, from Hartmann's lovely melody.
1 There is power in the words and the song, and it shall sound even twice as strong for the poor Queen Matilda.
' Now we shall turn farther on in our picture-book.
' On Ulfeldt's Place stood the stone of shame ; where is there one on the earth like it ? By the Westgate a column was raised ; how many are there like it on the earth ?
1 The sunbeams kissed the boulder, which is the founda­tion under the " Column of Freedom ". All the church bells rang, and the flags waved; the people hurrahed for the Crown-Prince Frederick. In the hearts and on the lips of old and young were the names of Bernstorff, Reventlow, Colbjornson. With beaming eyes and thankful hearts they read the blessed inscription on the column :