ed that summer. Snowstorms swept over land and
sea, and there was a difficulty in getting about. How variously things
were distributed in the world! here biting cold and snowstorms, while
in the Spanish land there was burning sunshine and oppressive heat.
And yet, when here at home there came a clear frosty day, and Juergen
saw the swans flying in numbers from the sea towards the land, and
across to Vosborg, it appeared to him that people could breathe most
freely here; and here too was a splendid summer! In imagination he saw
the heath bloom and grow purple with rich juicy berries, and saw the
elder trees and the lime trees at Vosborg in blossom. He determined to
go there once more.

Spring came on, and the fishery began. Juergen was an active assistant
in this; he had grown in the last year, and was quick at work. He was
full of life, he understood how to swim, to tread water, to turn over
and tumble in the flood. They often warned him to beware of the troops
of dogfish, which could seize the best swimmer, and draw him down, and
devour him; but such was not Juergen's fate.

At the neighbour's on the dune was a boy named Martin, with whom
Juergen was very friendly, and the two took service in the same ship to
Norway, and also went together to Holland; and they had never had any
quarrel; but a quarrel can easily come, for when a person is hot by
nature, he often uses strong gestures, and that is what Juergen did one
day on board when they had a quarrel about nothing at all. They were
sitting behind the cabin door, eating out of a delf plate which they
had placed between them. Juergen held his pocket-knife in his hand, and
lifted it against Martin, and at the same time became ashy pale in the
face, and his eyes had an ugly look. Martin only said,

"Ah! ha! you 're one of that sort, who are fond of using the knife!"

Hardly were the words spoken, when Juergen's hand sank down. He
answered not a syllable, but went on eating, and afterwards walked
away to his work. When they were resting again, he stepped up to
Martin, and said,

"You may hit me in the face! I have deserved it. But I feel as if I
had a pot in me that boiled over."

"There let the thing rest," replied Martin; and after that they were
almost doubly as good friends as before; and when afterwards they got
back to the dunes and began telling their adventures, this was told
among the rest; and Martin said that Juergen was certainly passionate,
but a good f