heretherewasbittercoldandsnow-storms,whileinspaintherewasburningsunshineandoppressiveheat.yet,whenaclearfrostydaycame,andjurgensawtheswansflyinginnumbersfromtheseatowardstheland,acrosstonorre-vosborg,itseemedtohimthatpeoplecouldbreathemorefreelyhere;thesummeralsointhispartoftheworldwassplendid.inimaginationhesawtheheathblossomandbecomepurplewithrichjuicyberries,andtheelder-bushesandlime-treesatnorrevosborginflower.hemadeuphismindtogothereagain.

springcame,andthefishingbegan.jurgenwasnowanactivehelperinthis,forhehadgrownduringthelastyear,andwasquickatwork.hewasfulloflife,andknewhowtoswim,totreadwater,andtoturnoverandtumbleinthestrongtide.theyoftenwarnedhimtobewareofthesharks,whichseizethebestswimmer,drawhimdown,anddevourhim;butsuchwasnottobejurgen'sfate.

ataneighbour'shouseinthedunestherewasaboynamedmartin,withwhomjurgenwasonveryfriendlyterms,andtheybothtookserviceinthesameshiptonorway,andalsowenttogethertoholland.theyneverhadaquarrel,butapersoncanbeeasilyexcitedtoquarrelwhenheisnaturallyhottempered,forheoftenshowsitinmanyways;andthisisjustwhatjurgendidonedaywhentheyfelloutaboutthemeresttrifle.theyweresittingbehindthecabindoor,eatingfromadelftplate,whichtheyhadplacedbetweenthem.jurgenheldhispocket-knifeinhishandandraisedittowardsmartin,andatthesametimebecameashypale,andhiseyeshadanuglylook.martinonlysaid,"ah!ah!youareoneofthatsort,areyou?fondofusingtheknife!"

thewordswerescarcelyspoken,whenjurgen'shandsankdown.hedidnotanswerasyllable,butwentoneating,andafterwardsreturnedtohiswork.whentheywererestingagainhewalkeduptomartinandsaid:

"hitmeintheface!ideserveit.butsometimesifeelasifihadapotinmethatboilsover."

"there,letthethingrest,"repliedmartin.

andafterthattheywerealmostbetterfriendsthanever;whenafterwardstheyreturnedtothedunesandbegantellingtheiradventures,thiswastoldamongtherest.martinsaidthatjurgenwascertainlypassionate,butagoodfellowafterall.

theywerebothyoungandhealthy,well-grownandstrong;butjurgenwastheclevererofthetwo.

innorwaythepeasantsgointothemountainsandtakethecattletheretofindpasture.onthewestcoastofjutlandhutshavebeenerectedamongthesand-hills;theyarebuiltofpiecesofwreck,andthatchedwithturfandheather;therearesleepingplacesroundthewalls,andherethefishermenliveandsleepduringtheearlyspring.everyfishermanhasafemalehelper,ormanagerassheiscalled,whobaitshishooks,prepareswarmbeerforhimwhenhecomesashore,andgetsthedinnercookedandreadyforhimbythetimehecomesbacktothehuttiredandhungry.besidesthisthemanagersbringupthefishfromtheboats,cutthemopen,preparethem,andhavegenerallyagreatdealtodo.

jurgen,hisfather,andseveralotherfishermenandtheirmanagersinhabitedthesamehut;martinlivedinthenextone.

oneofthegirls,whosenamewaselse,hadknownjurgenfromchildhood;theyweregladtoseeeachother,andwereofthesameopiniononmanypoints,butinappearancetheywereentirelyopposite;forhewasdark,andshewaspale,andfair,andhadflaxenhair,andeyesasblueastheseainsunshine.

astheywerewalkingtogetheroneday,jurgenheldherhandveryfirmlyinhis,andshesaidtohim:"jurgen,ihavesomethingiwanttosaytoyou;letmebeyourmanager,foryouarelikeabrothertome;butmartin,whosehousekeeperiam-heismylover-butyouneednottellthistotheothers."

itseemedtojurgenasiftheloosesandwasgivingwayunderhisfeet.hedidnotspeakaword,butnoddedhishead,andthatmeant"yes."itwasallthatwasnecessary;buthesuddenlyfeltinhisheartthathehatedmartin,andthemorehethoughtthemorehefeltconvincedthatmartinhadstolenawayfromhimtheonlybeingheeverloved,andthatthiswaselse:hehadneverthoughtofelseinthiswaybefore,butnowitallbecameplaintohim.

whentheseaisratherrough,andthefishermenarecominghomeintheirgreatboats,itiswonderfultoseehowtheycrosstheofthemstandsuprightinthebowoftheboat,andtheotherswatchhimsittingwiththeoarsintheirhands.outsidethereefitlooksasiftheboatwasnotapproachinglandbutgoingbacktosea;thenthemanwhoisstandingupgivesthemthesignalthatthegreatwaveiscomingwhichistofloatthemacrossthereef.theboatisliftedhighintotheair,sothatthekeelisseenfromtheshore;thenextmomentnothingcanbeseen,mast,keel,andpeopleareallhidden-itseemsasthoughtheseahaddevouredthem;butinafewmomentstheyemergelikeagreatseaanimalclimbingupthewaves,andtheoarsmoveasifthecreaturehadlegs.thesecondandthirdreefarepassedinthesamemanner;thenthefishermenjumpintothewaterandpushtheboattowardstheshore-everywavehelpsthem-andatlengththeyhaveitdrawnup,beyondthereachofthebreakers.

awrongordergiveninfrontofthereef-theslightesthesitation-andtheboatwouldbelost,

"thenitwouldbealloverwithmeandmartintoo!"