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One day another ship was wrecked on the coast； and among otherthings a chest filled with valuable flower bulbs was washed ashore。Some were put into saucepans and cooked； for they were thought to befit to eat； and others lay and shrivelled in the sand… they did notacplish their purpose； or unfold their magnificent colours。 WouldJurgen fare better？ The flower bulbs had soon played their part； buthe had years of apprenticeship before him。 Neither he nor hisfriends noticed in what a monotonous； uniform way one day followedanother； for there was always plenty to do and see。 The ocean itselfwas a great lesson…book； and it unfolded a new leaf each day of calmor storm… the crested wave or the smooth surface。
The visits to the church were festive occasions； but among thefisherman's house one was especially looked forward to； this was； infact； the visit of the brother of Jurgen's foster…mother； theeel…breeder from Fjaltring； near Bovbjerg。 He came twice a year in acart； painted red with blue and white tulips upon it； and full ofeels； it was covered and locked like a box； two dun oxen drew it；and Jurgen was allowed to guide them。
The eel…breeder was a witty fellow； a merry guest； and brought ameasure of brandy with him。 They all received a small glassful or acupful if there were not enough glasses； even Jurgen had about athimbleful； that he might digest the fat eel； as the eel…breeder said；he always told one story over and over again； and if his hearerslaughed he would immediately repeat it to them。 Jurgen while still aboy； and also when he was older； used phrases from the eel…breeder'sstory on various occasions； so it will be as well for us to listento it。 It runs thus：
〃The eels went into the bay； and the young ones begged leave to goa little farther out。 'Don't go too far；' said their mother； 'the uglyeel…spearer might e and snap you all up。' But they went too far；and of eight daughters only three came back to the mother； and thesewept and said； 'We only went a little way out； and the uglyeel…spearer came immediately and stabbed five of our sisters todeath。' 'They'll e back again；' said the mother eel。 'Oh； no；'exclaimed the daughters； 'for he skinned them； cut them in two； andfried them。' 'Oh； they'll e back again；' the mother eelpersisted。 'No；' replied the daughters； 'for he ate them up。' 'They'lle back again；' repeated the mother eel。 'But he drank brandyafter them；' said the daughters。 'Ah； then they'll never e back；'said the mother； and she burst out crying； 'it's the brandy thatburies the eels。'〃
〃And therefore；〃 said the eel…breeder in conclusion； 〃it is alwaysthe proper thing to drink brandy after eating eels。〃
This story was the tinsel thread； the most humorous recollectionof Jurgen's life。 He also wanted to go a little way farther out and upthe bay… that is to say； out into the world in a ship… but hismother said； like the eel…breeder； 〃There are so many bad people…eel spearers！〃 He wished to go a little way past the sand…hills； outinto the dunes； and at last he did： four happy days； the brightestof his childhood； fell to his lot； and the whole beauty andsplendour of Jutland； all the happiness and sunshine of his home； wereconcentrated in these。 He went to a festival； but it was a burialfeast。
A rich relation of the fisherman's family had died； the farm wassituated far eastward in the country and a little towards the north。Jurgen's foster parents went there； and he also went with them fromthe dunes； over heath and moor； where the Skjaerumaa takes itscourse through green meadows and contains many eels； mother eelslive there with their daughters； who are caught and eaten up by wickedpeople。 But do not men sometimes act quite as cruelly towards theirown fellow…men？ Was not the knight Sir Bugge murdered by wickedpeople？ And though he was well spoken of； did he not also wish to killthe architect who built the castle for him； with its thick walls andtower； at the point where the Skjaerumaa falls into the bay？ Jurgenand his parents now stood there； the wall and the ramparts stillremained； and red crumbling fragments lay scattered around。 Here itwas that Sir Bugge； after the architect had left him； said to one ofhis men； 〃Go after him and say； 'Master； the tower shakes。' If heturns round； kill him and take away the money I paid him； but if hedoes not turn round let him go in peace。〃 The man did as he wastold； the architect did not turn round； but called back 〃The towerdoes not shake in the least； but one day a man will e from the westin a blue cloak… he will cause it to shake！〃 And so indeed it happeneda hundred years later； for the North Sea broke in and cast down thetower； but Predbjorn Gyldenstjerne； the man who then possessed thecastle； built a new castle higher up at the end of the meadow； andthat one is standing to this day； and is called Norre…Vosborg。
Jurgen and his foster parents went past this castle。 They had toldhim its story during the long winter evenings； and now he saw thestately edifice； with its double moat； and trees and bushes； the wall；covered with ferns； rose within the moat； but the lofty lime…treeswere the most beautiful of all； they grew up to the highest windows；and the air was full of their sweet fragrance。 In a north…westcorner of the garden stood a great bush full of blossom； like wintersnow amid the summer's green； it was a juniper bush； the first thatJurgen had ever seen in bloom。 He never forgot it； nor the lime…trees；the child's soul treasured up these memories of beauty and fragranceto gladden the old man。
From Norre…Vosborg； where the juniper blossomed； the journeybecame more pleasant； for they met some other people who were alsogoing to the funeral and were riding in waggons。 Our travellers had tosit all together on a little box at the back of the waggon； but eventhis； they thought； was better than walking。 So they continued theirjourney across the rugged heath。 The oxen which drew the waggonstopped every now and then； where a patch of fresh grass appeared amidthe heather。 The sun shone with considerable heat； and it waswonderful to behold how in the far distance something like smokeseemed to be rising； yet this smoke was clearer than the air； it wastransparent； and looked like rays of light rolling and dancing afarover the heath。
〃That is Lokeman driving his sheep；〃 said some one。
And this was enough to excite Jurgen's imagination。 He felt asif they were now about to enter fairyland； though everything was stillreal。 How quiet it was！ The heath stretched far and wide around themlike a beautiful carpet。 The heather was in blossom； and thejuniper…bushes and fresh oak saplings rose like bouquets from theearth。 An inviting place for a frolic； if it had not been for thenumber of poisonous adders of which the travellers spoke； they alsomentioned that the place had formerly been infested with wolves； andthat the district was still called Wolfsborg for this reason。 Theold man who was driving the oxen told them that in the lifetime of hisfather the horses had many a hard battle with the wild beasts thatwere now exterminated。 One morning； when he himself had gone out tobring in the horses； he found one of them standing with its forefeeton a wolf it had killed； but the savage animal had torn andlacerated the brave horse's legs。
The journey over the heath and the deep sand was only tooquickly at an end。 They stopped before the house of mourning； wherethey found plenty of guests within and without。 Waggon after waggonstood side by side； while the horses and oxen had been turned out tograze on the scanty pasture。 Great sand…hills like those at home bythe North Sea rose behind the house and extended far and wide。 How hadthey e here； so many miles inland？ They were as large and high asthose on the coast； and the wind had carried them there； there wasalso a legend attached to them。
Psalms were sung； and a few of the old people shed tears； withthis exception； the guests were cheerful enough； it seemed toJurgen； and there was plenty to eat and drink。 There were eels ofthe 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 feltas much at home as he did