Godfather's Picture Book

'

"What a sunny day! Summer is in town!

"The spirits of light sang, 'The good is growing! The beautiful is growing! Soon the stone on Ulfeldt's Place shall fall, but the Column of Freedom shall stand in the sunlight, blessed by God, King, and people.'

We have an ancient highway;

It goes to the ends of the earth.

"There in the open sea - open for friend and foe - was the foe! The mighty English fleet sailed up; a great power came against a little one. The battle was hard, but the people were valiant.

Each stood firm, untiring, held his place,

Stood and fought until death's embrace.

"They won the admiration of the enemy and inspired the poets of Denmark. The day of that battle is still commemorated with unfurled banners - Denmark's glorious Second of April, the Maundy Thursday battle at Copenhagen Harbor.

"Years passed. A fleet was seen in Öresund. Was it bound for Russia or for Denmark? No one knew, not even those on board the ships.

"There is a legend in the hearts of the people which tells that on that morning in Öresund, when the sealed orders were opened and the instructions to destroy the Danish fleet were read, a young captain stepped forward, a son of Britain, noble in word and deed. 'I swore,' he said, 'that I would fight for England's flag to my death, in open and honorable battle, but not overpower the weak!' And with that he jumped overboard!

The fleet sailed toward Copenhagen just the same;

But far from the place where the battle was to be

Lay he, the captain - and unknown is his name -

An ice-cold corpse, in the dark-blue sea.

Shoreward he drifted, until Swedish men,

Fishing beneath the stars with their nets,

Found him, bore him to shore, and then

Cast dice to win his epaulets!

"The enemy made for Copenhagen. The town was soon in flames. We lost our fleet, but not our courage and faith in God; He casteth down but He raiseth again. Our wounds healed, as those of the warriors in Valhalla. The history of Copenhagen is rich in consolation.