ellow for all that.

They were both young and strong, well-grown and stalwart; but Juergen
was the cleverer of the two.

In Norway the peasants go into the mountains, and lead out the cattle
there to pasture. On the west coast of Jutland, huts have been erected
among the sand-hills; they are built of pieces of wreck, and roofed
with turf and heather. There are sleeping-places around the walls, and
here the fisher people live and sleep during the early spring. Every
fisherman has his female helper, his manager, as she is called, whose
business consists in baiting the hooks, preparing the warm beer for
the fishermen when they come ashore, and getting their dinners cooked
when they come back into the hut tired and hungry. Moreover, the
managers bring up the fish from the boat, cut them open, prepare them,
and have generally a great deal to do.

Juergen, his father, and several other fishermen and their managers
inhabited the same hut; Martin lived in the next one.

One of the girls, Else by name, had known Juergen from childhood: they
were glad to see each other, and in many things were of the same mind;
but in outward appearance they were entirely opposite; for he was
brown, whereas she was pale and had flaxen hair, and eyes as blue as
the sea in sunshine.

One day as they were walking together, and Juergen held her hand in his
very firmly and warmly, she said to him,

"Juergen, I have something weighing upon my heart! Let me be your
manager, for you are like a brother to me, whereas Martin, who has
engaged me--he and I are lovers----but you need not tell that to the
rest."

And it seemed to Juergen as if the loose sand were giving way under his
feet. He spoke not a word, but only nodded his head, which signified
"yes." More was not required; but suddenly he felt in his heart that
he detested Martin; and the longer he considered of this--for he had
never thought of Else in this way before--the more did it become clear
to him that Martin had stolen from him the only being he loved; and
now it was all at once plain to him, that Else was the being in
question.

When the sea is somewhat disturbed, and the fishermen come home in
their great boat, it is a sight to behold how they cross the reefs.
One of the men stands upright in the bow of the boat, and the others
watch him, sitting with the oars in their hands. Outside the reef they
appear to be rowing not towards the land, but backing out to sea, till
the man stand