Since the days of Leif and Biarne, Denmark and the United States have been allied, and therefore I feel sure that the children of America will be interested in the story of their little Danish Cousin. I wish to express grateful acknowledgment to Hr. Georg Beck, Consul for Denmark in Chicago; also to Mr. Haakon Arntz, and to Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Andersen, for generous information given in regard to the manners and customs of the Danish people. LUNA MAY INNES. CHICAGO, _February, 1912_. Contents CHAPTER PAGE PREFACE vii I. THE DISTINGUISHED VISITOR 1 II. COPENHAGEN 22 III. "HURRAH FOR KING FREDERIK!" 48 IV. UP THE SOUND TO HAMLET'S CASTLE 59 V. "FAIRY-TALE" CASTLES AND PALACES 73 VI. THE LEGEND OF THE SACRED "DANNEBROG" 82 VII. THE STORY OF THE DANISH "AHLHEDE" 100 VIII. SKAGEN 117 IX. A DANISH PEASANT WEDDING 134 X. JUL-TIDE AT GRANDMOTHER INGEMANN'S 144 List of Illustrations PAGE "LITTLE CHILDREN WERE PLAYING ABOUT THE STATUED FORM OF THEIR BELOVED STORY-TELLER, HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN" (_see page 52_) _Frontispiece_ "VALDEMAR BURST INTO THE ROOM" 13 "WHERE JOLLY-LOOKING WOMEN WITH QUAINT HEADDRESSES WERE SELLING THEIR WARES" 35 "THEY SPREAD THEM ON THE GRASS IN THE SHADOW OF THE GREAT BRICK TOWER" 90 "IN THE CENTRE OF THE STUDIO STOOD THE UNFINISHED STATUE OF THE LITTLE CROWN PRINCE" 119 "'WELCOME! AND _GLAEDELIG JUL!_' CALLED OUT BOTH GRANDFATHER AND GRANDMOTHER INGEMANN" 145 [Illustration: Map of DENMARK] Our Little Danish Cousin CHAPTER I THE DISTINGUISHED VISITOR "HURTIG! _kaere Karen, mit lommetørklæde!_" Fru Oberstinde Ingemann and her little flaxen-haired daughter, Karen, were sitting at their embroidery work in the deep window-seat that made one whole side of the cozy Ingemann living-room overlooking the Botanical Gardens. Between stitches, Karen was watching the rain patter on the little diamond window-panes, now and then pausing to take a quick look at some favorite newly-blossomed flower in the brilliant, long line of window-boxes which bordered the windows "like a long bright ribbon," as Karen said. The bell rang. "_Hurtig! kaere Karen, mit lommetorklaede!_" sounds like something terrible, but Fru Ingemann was only saying in Danish: "Quick, dear Karen, my handkerchief!"