Part 10 (2/2)
[Ill.u.s.tration: A SIDE VIEW OF THE GEFION FOUNTAIN]
”I'm not sure, Greta, whether there is or not. But if there really is a Nisse, then maybe there are mermaids, too. This Little Mermaid is the most beautiful statue in Copenhagen. Some people think it is the loveliest one in all Europe.”
”How large is Copenhagen, Anna?”
[Ill.u.s.tration: THE GEFION FOUNTAIN]
”It has about a million people. That's a third of the whole population of Denmark.”
After a short walk the girls came to a large fountain, the largest that Greta had ever seen. At the top of the fountain there was a statue of four oxen, hitched to a plow and driven by a woman.
”This is called the Gefion Fountain, and it shows how the island of Zealand was made,” explained Anna. ”There is an old, old story that says that Denmark was given permission to take as much of Sweden as one could plow around in a day. So the ruler of Denmark changed her four sons into oxen and with them she plowed out the island on which Copenhagen stands.
This statue shows how she had to whip them and urge them on in order to plow out this large island before night came.”
”Oh, I wish we had brought Chouse along,” said Greta. ”He would love to play in this fountain.”
”Chouse likes to play in lots of places where he shouldn't. I think it's a good thing that we left him home. He was very naughty at Tivoli the other night.”
”He didn't mean to be naughty, Anna. Don't you think we can take him with us sometime?”
”Maybe; sometime,” said Anna.
As the girls walked along they stopped now and then to look in the shop windows. Whenever Greta saw a window full of beautiful silverware or china she wanted to stop and buy a gift for her mother. This china, decorated with figures in a soft blue color, was called Royal Copenhagen Porcelain, and it was famous all over the world. The silverware was designed by a Danish artist named Georg Jensen, and it was also very famous.
”You will have lots of time to buy a gift for your mother, Greta. Don't stop now. I hope you aren't tired, for we have a hard climb ahead of us.”
”A climb? Why, there isn't a hill in all Copenhagen.”
”Do you see that church with the dome-shaped roof that's all green and s.h.i.+ny? Well, that's what we are going to climb.”
”Oh, Anna, how can we? Why, it's taller than any of the other buildings in Copenhagen.” Greta looked around her at the four- and five-story buildings. The s.h.i.+ny green dome of the church rose far above them.
”It is usually called the Marble Church,” explained Anna, ”because it is built of marble. Its real name is Frederick's Church, because it was built by King Frederick the Fifth.”
”That s.h.i.+ny green dome isn't made of marble, is it?” asked Greta.
”Oh, no,” laughed Anna. ”The church cost a great deal to build, and when they had gotten as far as the dome, there was no money left. So all the housewives in Copenhagen gave their copper kettles to be melted up and used to make the dome of the church.”
Inside the church it was cool and quiet. The girls started up the stairs and climbed for quite a while without saying a word. Greta began to think that they would never reach the top.
[Ill.u.s.tration: A COUNTRY SCENE]
”Is it much farther, Anna?”
”This is the easy part of the climb, Greta. Don't give up yet.”
<script>