"Your legends, this evening, have been more than usually interesting, Herr Pastor," said Hardy. "It would appear as if, with such a mass of legendary lore, you would have men growing up and becoming authors of the richest fancy." "Hans Christian Andersen is an instance," said the Pastor, "so is Ingemann, and, of late, Carl Andersen, the curator of Rosenborg palace. There are others also. It is no doubt that the human fancy, when led into extraordinary lines of thought, is influenced to produce them." CHAPTER XII. "Who hunts, doth oft in danger ride; Who hawks, lures oft both far and wide; Who uses games, shall often prove A loser; but he who falls in love Is fettered in fond Cupid's snare. My Angle breeds me no such care." _The Complete Angler._ An idea had occurred to Godseier Jensen which had filled the mind of the worthy proprietor and horse breeder. He had discussed the idea with his neighbours in all its branches, and had appealed to his paternal Government to assist him. The idea was a horse race, after the English model. Tentative advertisements appeared in the Danish and Swedish papers, and the replies in the support of the idea came in from all sides. A few Swedish noblemen owned race-horses, and they gave in their adhesion and support. The local horse-breeders and dealers were eager in its support, and the Government expressed their intention of assisting, in the hope that it might encourage the breeding of better class horses. John Hardy was early consulted in the movement, and heard a great deal of good advice and well-intentioned talk on the subject of horses and horse racing in particular. A prominent feature in the idea was naturally where the races should be held, and on this point John Hardy, at one time, thought the whole affair would fall through. A field was, however, found that gave a course round it of one and a quarter English miles, the soil was light, and the field did not make the best racing ground; but there was no better to be secured for the purpose, and the consequence was it was determined on. A grand stand was erected, and the course staked out, the day fixed, and the entries for the races were anxiously waited for by Herr Jensen, who acted as honorary secretary. They at last were able to arrange several flat races, a hurdle race--the hurdles rather low--a trotting match, a steeple-chase, and a consolation race. The steeple-chase course was down a sharpish incline, with a water jump at the bottom, and some fences specially erected, and about the middle of the course a stone wall of loose stones. This course was well in view of the grand stand, as well as from the middle of the flat-race course.