Section 1
In Denmark, there is a very old castle called Kronenburg. It’s located near the Sound of Elsinore, where big ships from England, Russia, and Prussia sail every day, sometimes hundreds of them! When these ships pass the castle, they greet it by firing their cannons, making a loud “Boom, boom” sound. It’s like they are saying, “Hello, castle!” The cannons of the old castle then respond with a “Boom” sound, which means they are saying, “Thank you very much!” During winter, something magical happens! The Sound, the water where the ships usually sail, turns into a frozen road all the way to Sweden. No ships can sail through it then. But that doesn’t stop the people from saying hello and being friendly to each other! The Danish and Swedish flags flutter in the cold wind, and the Danes and Swedes greet each other by shaking hands and saying, “Good day” and “Thank you.” They also share delicious treats like white bread and biscuits because they believe that things from other countries taste extra special. Even without cannons, they find ways to show kindness and make each other happy during this icy time.
The most amazing thing to see is the old castle of Kronenburg! Inside, there is a special person named Holger Danske. He sits in a deep and dark cellar that nobody ever goes into. Holger Danske is dressed in strong armor made of iron and steel. He rests his head on his strong arm and has a long beard that hangs down onto a marble table. His beard has grown so long that it’s stuck on the table! Holger Danske sleeps and dreams, but in his dreams, he can see everything that is happening in Denmark. It’s like he has special powers to know what’s going on in the country even when he’s asleep. Every Christmas Eve, a special angel visits Holger Danske in his cellar. The angel tells him that everything he has dreamed about is true and that he can go back to sleep peacefully because Denmark is safe for now. But if a real danger ever threatens Denmark, Holger Danske will wake up and take action. When that happens, something extraordinary will occur. The table where he rests his head will break apart as he pulls out his long beard. Then, he will emerge with all his strength and deliver a powerful blow that will be heard in every country around the world. Holger Danske is like a mighty protector, ready to defend Denmark whenever it’s in need.
One day, an old grandfather sat with his little grandson and shared a special story about Holger Danske. The boy trusted his grandfather and believed that everything he heard was true. While the grandfather told the tale, he was also busy carving a wooden figure of Holger Danske. This figure was going to be attached to the front of a ship, called the prow. You see, the grandfather was skilled in carving wood and he made these figures to decorate the ships. Each ship had a unique name, and the grandfather would create a figurehead to match that name. It was a wonderful way for him to bring stories to life through his amazing wooden carvings. And now the grandfather had finished carving Holger Danske, who looked strong and proud. Holger Danske stood tall with his long beard and held a big battle-axe in one hand. He leaned on the Danish coat of arms with his other hand. As the old grandfather continued telling stories, he shared many exciting things about brave Danish men and women from long ago. The little boy felt like he knew as much as Holger Danske himself, even though Holger Danske could only dream. When it was time for the little boy to go to bed, he couldn’t stop thinking about the stories. He pressed his chin against the blanket and imagined that he had a long beard just like Holger Danske, and it felt like his imaginary beard was rooted to the bed. But the old grandfather stayed seated and continued working on the final part of his carving, which was the Danish coat of arms. After he finished, he looked at the whole figure and remembered everything he had heard and read, including the stories he shared with his little grandson that evening. Then he nodded his head, wiped his spectacles, put them back on, and said, “Oh, yeah! Holger Danske won’t show up during my lifetime, but the boy who is in bed there might actually live long enough to witness the event when it truly happens.” And the old grandfather nodded once more. The longer he looked at Holger Danske, the happier he felt about the figure he had carved. It looked so lifelike as if it were filled with real colors. The armor shone brightly, just like real iron and steel. The hearts in the Danish coat of arms became even redder and seemed to glow. And the lions with golden crowns on their heads looked like they were jumping up and down. “This is the most awesome coat of arms in the whole world,” exclaimed the old man. “The lions symbolize power, and the hearts of kindness and love.” As the old man looked at the top lion, he thought about King Canute, who connected England to Denmark’s throne.
