LITTLE GRETA
OF
DENMARK

THE LITTLE MERMAID

LITTLE GRETA OF DENMARK BY BERNADINE BAILEY Illustrated with Photographs Taken by the Author GROSSET & DUNLAP Publishers                   New York by arrangement with the A. Flanagan Company

COPYRIGHT, 1939, BY A. FLANAGAN COMPANY

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Skarum Molle,
Vemb, Denmark

Dear Mrs. Bailey:

Thank you very much for the privilege of reading the manuscript of LITTLE GRETA OF DENMARK. You have given a very faithful and realistic picture of my country.

I am extremely happy to know that the children in America will have a chance to learn about Denmark through such a book as yours. It will help to unite America and Denmark in even stronger bonds of mutual understanding and friendship.

Sincerely yours,

Laurids Villemoes

February 1, 1939

CONTENTS

LITTLE GRETA OF DENMARK

CHAPTER I
A SEARCH BEGINS

Greta opened very sleepy eyes and stretched a long, long stretch. Every single morning, before she got out of bed, she put her arms above her head and stretched as far as she could reach. Greta wanted to grow tall, and she thought that maybe if she pulled her arms 'way up and her feet 'way down, she would grow tall more quickly. Greta had been named after the most famous queen of Denmark, and so she wanted to be tall and graceful, just as that queen had been.

In about two minutes she jumped out of bed and started to dress. If she dressed very fast, she would have time to run out to the barn and see the kittens before breakfast. The kittens were only a week old, and Greta loved them every bit as much as their own mother did. Greta lived on a very large farm, and on the farm was a very large barn. In fact, the barn was about three times as large as the house Greta lived in. The barn was built of red brick and it formed three sides of a square. The house itself made the other side of the square. It was also built of brick,