tothishomeheclungwithdeep-rootedaffection;hewastoexperiencecoldandhunger,andthemisfortunesandhardshipsthatsurroundthepoor;buthealsotastedoftheirjoys.

childhoodhasbrightdaysforeveryone,andthememoryofthemshinesthroughthewholeafter-life.theboyhadmanysourcesofpleasureandenjoyment;thecoastformilesandmileswasfullofplaythings,foritwasamosaicofpebbles,someredascoraloryellowasamber,andothersagainwhiteandroundedlikebirds'eggsandsmoothedandpreparedbythesea.eventhebleachedfishes'skeletons,thewaterplantsdriedbythewind,andseaweed,whiteandshininglonglinen-likebandswavingbetweenthestones-alltheseseemedmadetogivepleasureandoccupationfortheboy'sthoughts,andhehadanintelligentmind;manygreattalentslaydormantinreadilyherememberedstoriesandsongsthatheheard,andhowdexteroushewaswithhisfingers!withstonesandmussel-shellshecouldputtogetherpicturesandshipswithwhichonecoulddecoratetheroom;andhecouldmakewonderfulthingsfromastick,hisfoster-mothersaid,althoughhewasstillsoyoungandlittle.hehadasweetvoice,andeverymelodyseemedtoflownaturallyfromhislips.andinhisheartwerehiddenchords,whichmighthavesoundedfaroutintotheworldifhehadbeenplacedanywhereelsethaninthefisherman'shutbythenorthsea.

onedayanothershipwaswreckedonthecoast,andamongotherthingsachestfilledwithvaluableflowerbulbswaswashedashore.somewereputintosaucepansandcooked,fortheywerethoughttobefittoeat,andotherslayandshrivelledinthesand-theydidnotaccomplishtheirpurpose,orunfoldtheirmagnificentcolours.wouldjurgenfarebetter?theflowerbulbshadsoonplayedtheirpart,buthehadyearsofapprenticeshipbeforehim.neitherhenorhisfriendsnoticedinwhatamonotonous,uniformwayonedayfollowedanother,fortherewasalwaysplentytodoandsee.theoceanitselfwasagreatlesson-book,anditunfoldedanewleafeachdayofcalmorstorm-thecrestedwaveorthesmoothsurface.

thevisitstothechurchwerefestiveoccasions,butamongthefisherman'shouseonewasespeciallylookedforwardto;thiswas,infact,thevisitofthebrotherofjurgen'sfoster-mother,theeel-breederfromfjaltring,nearbovbjerg.hecametwiceayearinacart,paintedredwithblueandwhitetulipsuponit,andfullofeels;itwascoveredandlockedlikeabox,twodunoxendrewit,andjurgenwasallowedtoguidethem.

theeel-breederwasawittyfellow,amerryguest,andbroughtameasureofbrandywithhim.theyallreceivedasmallglassfuloracupfuliftherewerenotenoughglasses;evenjurgenhadaboutathimbleful,thathemightdigestthefateel,astheeel-breedersaid;healwaystoldonestoryoverandoveragain,andifhishearerslaughedhewouldimmediatelyrepeatittothem.jurgenwhilestillaboy,andalsowhenhewasolder,usedphrasesfromtheeel-breeder'sstoryonvariousoccasions,soitwillbeaswellforustolistentoit.itrunsthus:

"theeelswentintothebay,andtheyoungonesbeggedleavetogoalittlefartherout.'don'tgotoofar,'saidtheirmother;'theuglyeel-spearermightcomeandsnapyouallup.'buttheywenttoofar,andofeightdaughtersonlythreecamebacktothemother,andtheseweptandsaid,'weonlywentalittlewayout,andtheuglyeel-spearercameimmediatelyandstabbedfiveofoursisterstodeath.''they'llcomebackagain,'saidthemothereel.'oh,no,'exclaimedthedaughters,'forheskinnedthem,cutthemintwo,andfriedthem.''oh,they'llcomebackagain,'themothereelpersisted.'no,'repliedthedaughters,'forheatethemup.''they'llcomebackagain,'repeatedthemothereel.'buthedrankbrandyafterthem,'saidthedaughters.'ah,thenthey'llnevercomeback,'saidthemother,andsheburstoutcrying,'it'sthebrandythatburiestheeels.'"

"andtherefore,"saidtheeel-breederinconclusion,"itisalwaystheproperthingtodrinkbrandyaftereatingeels."

thisstorywasthetinselthread,themosthumorousrecollectionofjurgen'slife.healsowantedtogoalittlewayfartheroutandupthebay-thatistosay,outintotheworldinaship-buthismothersaid,liketheeel-breeder,"therearesomanybadpeople-eelspearers!"