Hans Breitmann"s ballads - 1915 - PREFACE - THE story of Hans Brinker, or of any boy born and bred in Holland, cannot be fitly told without including something of the story of Holland itself,-of its history, its oddities, and the leading characteristics of its heroic and thrifty people. All these must be borne in mind, for some of the traits peculiar to his race are ingrained in every Hollander, young or old, and Holland is as different from Elsewhere as can be imagined. Therefore, necessary and careful descriptions of Dutch life and customs have been given in the narrative, and many of the incidents are drawn directly from life. Even the wonderful experiences of Raff Brinker are founded strictly upon fact. While acknowledging my obligations to many wellknown writers on Dutch history, literature and art, I turn with especial gratitude to two kind friends, natives of Holland, who, after their marriage, had taken up their abode in this country. With generous zeal, they atiently answered questions, and took many a backward glance at their country for my sake, seeing it as it looked, years ago, when the humble home of the Brinkers crouched by the sheltering dike in sunlight and shadow. It was my tardy good fortune to visit Holland not long after this book was written, and see with my own eyes the land I had tried to picture for my readers. The Brinker cottage was empty, and many things in Holland had changed since the days when Hans and his little sister skated on the frozen Y. But, to my joy, every detail of the earlier picture of the country was verified. Holland was still wonderful,-in fact, more wonderful for time only increased the marvel of its not being washed away by the sea. Its cities have grown, and, in some of them, national costumes have given place to the conventional European dress of the day. A few of its peculiarities have been brushed away by contact with other nations but it is Holland still, and always will be full of oddity, courage and industry,-the pluckiest little country on earth. M. M. D. CONTENTS CHAPTER I. I1 . 111 . IV . v . v1 . v11 . v111 . IX . X . XI . XI1 . XI11 . XIV . xv . XVI . XVII . XVIII . XIX . XX . XXI . XXII . XXIII . XXIV . XXV . HANS A ND GRETEL . . . . . . . . . P AC 3 E HOLLAND . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 THE SILVER SKATES . . . . . . . . . 2 0 HANS A ND GRETEL F IND A FRIEND . . . . 2 7 SHADOWS IN THE HOME . 36 SUNBEAMS . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 HANS H AS HIS WAY . . . . . . . . . 51 INTRODUC JA IN CO G B POOT A ND HIS COUSIN . . 56 THE F ESTIVA O L F ST . NICHOLAS . . . . . 64 WHAT T HE BOYS SAW AND DID IN AMSTERDAM . 75 BIG MANIAS A ND LIITLE ODDITIES . . . . 87 ON THE WAY TO HAARLEM . . . . . . . 97 A CATASTROPHE . . . . . . . . . . 1 02 HANS . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 HOMES . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 HAARLEM-THE B OYS H EAR VOICES . I23 THE M AN W ITH FOUR H EADS . . . . . . 1 31 FRIEND I S N NEED . . . . . . . . . . 138 ON THE CANAL . . . . . . . . . . I47 JACOB POOT CHANGES THE PLAN . 155 MYNHEERK LEEF A ND HIS BILL OF FARE . . 165 THE R ED LION B ECOMES DANGEROU . S . . . 1 69 BEFORE THE COURT . . . . . . . . . 184 THEB ELEAGUERE C D I TIES . . . . . . . 8 9 LEYDEN . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197 ix CONTENTS CHAPTER XXVI . XXVII . XXVIII . XXIX . XXX . XXXI . XXXII . XXXIII . XXXIV . XXXV . XXXVI . XXXVII . XXXVIII . XXXIX . XL . XL1 . XL11 . XLIII . XLIV . XLV . XLVI . XLVII . PAGE 205 209 225 234 2-38 243 251 260 269 273 278 284 290 297 302 309 316 326 336 356 366 370 377 ILLUSTRATIONS Gretels new skates . . . . . . . . . . . . Frontispiece FACING PAGE There was the rich burgomasters daughter, Hilda van Gleck . 24 The door slowly opened and St. Nicholas, in full array, stood before them . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...