|
HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
1805 - 1875
|
 |
|
Danish writer, famous for his fairy tales,
which were not meant merely for children
but for adults as well.
Andersen used frequently colloquial style
that disguises the sophisticated
moral teachings of his tales.
Before achieving success
as a playwright and novelist,
Andersen was trained as singer and actor.
Many of Andersen's fairy tales depict characters
who gain happiness in life
after suffering and conflicts.
'The Ugly Duckling'
is Andersen's most confessional work.
|
Hans Christian Andersen was born in Odense,
Denmark in 1805. At the age of 14, he traveled to
Copenhagen to see a career. He met Jonas Collin who helped
him get a royal scholarship to continue his education.
Hans wrote several things which were all
turned down. Finally, in 1835, he published the first of
his 168 fairy tales and continued writing them until he died in
1875. Among his most cherished works are The Ugly
Duckling, The Tinder Box, The Emperor's New Clothes, The Little
Mermaid, and Thumbelina.
The bust of Hans Christian Andersen shown here is on
the grounds at the Danish Windmill. It is a virtual
geocache. To learn more about geocaching, go to
http://www.geocaching.com/.
Some trivia facts about Hans Christian
Andersen:
1. He was over 6 feet tall and very,
very thin.
2. His shoe size was 47-50 in Denmark
(size 13-16 in the United States)
3. He like to travel, especially to
Italy, Germany, France, Switzerland, and Sweden, and was one of
the first to travel by train.
4. He liked to read and was fond of the
opera.
5. He never rode a bicycle but did ride
horses.
6. He was good with his hands and could
make exquisite paper cutouts.
7. He spoke several different languages
including Danish, German, Italian, French, and English.
8. He was afraid of fire.
9. He loved children and they loved to
hear him read stories to them.
10. He never married.
|
|
Search our catalog
for Hans Christian Andersen merchandise! |
|
|
A Ship In Church
 The Danish custom of hanging the replica of a sailing vessel in the church sanctuary is widespread in Denmark and in churches of Danish origin in America. It has two sources of origin.
It must first of all be said that the custom of giving the replica of a ship to the sanctuary is very ancient. It can be traced back to times long preceding Christianity. The ancients believed that the offering of a miniature ship would assure a safe voyage for ship and its crew. Such a gift is called a votive offering. In the Christian era the magic character of this act faded away, but the tradition of carving and rigging a replica of the ship in which a retired seamen had spent his life remained as a hobby of many an old salt, and what better place could it be hung than in the parish church.
This folk custom coincided with an ancient Christian metaphor of comparing the church itself to a ship. Even to this day we call the main sanctuary of our churches the “nave”, and this name is obviously derived fro the Latin word navis, which means ship and which is the origin of words such as “navy” and “naval”. The metaphor of the church as a ship has many symbolic connections. We speak of the Christian life as a journey over the sea and we talk about a pilot that guides us. A well-known hymn reads: “Jesus, Savior, pilot me over life’s tempestuous sea.” The World of Council of Churches uses the ship with a cross as its mast as a symbol of ecumenism. The ship is probably not a major Christian symbol but it is an appropriate one.
|
Woven
Danish Heart |
 |
Instructions
This woven heart is easily made by cutting two patterns,
one from red and one from white. The pattern is folded in half and cut
up the center in three places.
Hold one pattern in each hand. Carefully weave the first loop of the
piece in your right hand, under and over the piece in your left hand.
Weave each of the loops in the same way.
It will look like a checkerboard. (See the woven heart below.) Staple
a handle to the top of the woven heart and fill with goodies.
You can make the pattern smaller or
larger depending on the size of heart you want. This is an old Danish
custom.
|
|
The
Legend of Queen Dagmar |
|
The beloved Queen Dagmar (softly
pronounced as Dow-mer with the accent on the first syllable) was
born a princess in Bohemia. She was the wife of
thirteenth-century ruler Valdemar the Victorious. Much loved by
the people of Denmark, she died prematurely in 1212. She is
still revered in Danish folk ballads by the people of Denmark
even today. When her gravesite was removed in 1690 to make way
for the tomb of Erik VI (Menved) and his Queen Ingeborg, a small
gold cross with detailed enamel work was found on the breast of
Queen Dagmar. It became known as the Dagmar Cross. It's believed
to date from A.D. 1000. |
Sterling Silver
1" charm
$25.00
|
|
The Dagmar
Cross is of Byzantine design and workmanship. You will find
several holy images on the cross. On one side of the cross is
the Crucifixion. On the other side the half figure of Jesus
Christ is in the center, with the Virgin to the left and St John
the Evangelist on the right , and St Chrysostom is above and St
Basil is below.
Our very fine sterling silver
Dagmar Cross pendant is made in Denmark. It is available in 3
sizes: 1/2 inch, 3/4 inch, and one inch. We now have
the Dagmar Cross available in the above-mentioned sized in gold.
Use the "Search Our Catalog" feature or the navigation bar on
the left-hand side and select "Jewelry". The Dagmar Cross has
become a traditional symbol given as a gift on special occasions
such as christenings and weddings.
|
|
|
