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captain； and he asked the nameof the student who wished to go with him。
〃Ludwig Holberg；〃 answered the student； and the name soundedlike any other。 But now there sounds in it one of the proudest namesof Denmark； then it was the name of a young； unknown student。
The ship glided past the castle。 It was not yet bright day when itwas in the open sea。 A light wind filled the sails； and the youngstudent sat down with his face turned towards the fresh wind； and wentto sleep； which was not exactly the most prudent thing he could havedone。
Already on the third day the ship lay by the island of Falster。
〃Do you know any one here with whom I could lodge cheaply？〃Holberg asked the captain。
〃I should think you would do well to go to the ferry…woman inBorrehaus；〃 answered the captain。 〃If you want to be very civil toher； her name is Mother Soren Sorensen Muller。 But it may happenthat she may fly into a fury if you are too polite to her。 The manis in custody for a crime； and that's why she manages the ferry…boatherself… she has fists of her own。〃
The student took his knapsack and betook himself to theferry…house。 The house door was not locked… it opened； and he wentinto a room with a brick floor； where a bench； with a great coverletof leather； formed the chief article of furniture。 A white hen； whohad a brood of chickens； was fastened to the bench； and had overturnedthe pipkin of water； so that the wet ran across the floor。 Therewere no people either here or in the adjoining room； only a cradlestood there； in which was a child。 The ferry…boat came back withonly one person in it。 Whether that person was a man or a woman wasnot an easy matter to determine。 The person in question was wrapped ina great cloak； and wore a kind of hood。 Presently the boat lay to。
It was a woman who got out of it and came into the room。 Shelooked very stately when she straightened her back； two proud eyeslooked forth from beneath her black eyebrows。 It was Mother Soren； theferry…wife。 The crows and daws might have called out another namefor her； which we know better。
She looked morose； and did not seem to care to talk； but this muchwas settled； that the student should board in her house for anindefinite time； while things looked so bad in Copenhagen。
This or that honest citizen would often e to the ferry…housefrom the neighboring little town。 There came Frank the cutler； andSivert the exciseman。 They drank a mug of beer in the ferry…house； andused to converse with the student； for he was a clever young man；who knew his 〃Practica；〃 as they called it； he could read Greek andLatin； and was well up in learned subjects。
〃The less one knows； the less it presses upon one；〃 said MotherSoren。
〃You have to work hard；〃 said Holberg one day； when she wasdipping clothes in the strong soapy water； and was obliged herselfto split the logs for the fire。
〃That's my affair；〃 she replied。
〃Have you been obliged to toil in this way from your childhood？〃
〃You can read that from my hands；〃 she replied； and held out herhands； that were small indeed； but hard and strong； with bitten nails。〃You are learned； and can read。〃
At Christmas…time it began to snow heavily。 The cold came on；the wind blue sharp； as if there were vitriol in it to wash thepeople's faces。 Mother Soren did not let that disturb her； she threwher cloak around her； and drew her hood over her head。 Early in theafternoon… it was already dark in the house… she laid wood and turf onthe hearth； and then she sat down to darn her stockings； for there wasno one to do it for her。 Towards evening she spoke more words to thestudent than it was customary with her to use； she spoke of herhusband。
〃He killed a sailor of Dragor by mischance； and for that he has towork for three years in irons。 He's only a mon sailor； andtherefore the law must take its course。〃
〃The law is there for people of high rank； too；〃 said Holberg。
〃Do you think so？〃 said Mother Soren； then she looked into thefire for a while； but after a time she began to speak again。 〃Have youheard of Kai Lykke； who caused a church to be pulled down； and whenthe clergyman； Master Martin； thundered from the pulpit about it； hehad him put in irons； and sat in judgment upon him； and condemnedhim to death？ Yes； and the clergyman was obliged to bow his head tothe stroke。 And yet Kai Lykke went scot…free。〃
〃He had a right to do as he did in those times；〃 said Holberg；〃but now we have left those times behind us。〃
〃You may get a fool to believe that；〃 cried Mother Soren； andshe got up and went into the room where the child lay。 She lifted upthe child； and laid it down more fortably。 Then she arranged thebed…place of the student。 He had the green coverlet； for he felt thecold more than she； though he was born in Norway。
On New Year's morning it was a bright sunshiny day。 The frosthad been so strong； and was still so strong； that the fallen snowhad bee a hard mass； and one could walk upon it。 The bells of thelittle town were tolling for church。 Student Holberg wrapped himselfup in his woollen cloak； and wanted to go to the town。
Over the ferry…house the crows and daws were flying with loudcries； one could hardly hear the church bells for their screaming。Mother Soren stood in front of the house； filling a brass pot withsnow； which she was going to put on the fire to get drinking water。She looked up to the crowd of birds； and thought her own thoughts。
Student Holberg went to church。 On his way there and on his returnhe passed by the house of tax…collector Sivert； by the town…gate。 Herehe was invited to take a mug of brown beer with treacle and sugar。 Thediscourse fell upon Mother Soren； but the tax collector did not knowmuch about her； and； indeed； few knew much about her。 She did notbelong to the island of Falster； he said； she had a little property ofher own at one time。 Her husband was a mon sailor； a fellow of avery hot temper； and had killed a sailor of Dragor； and he beat hiswife； and yet she defended him。
〃I should not endure such treatment；〃 said the tax…collector'swife。 〃I am e of more respectable people。 My father wasstocking…weaver to the Court。〃
〃And consequently you have married a governmental official；〃said Holberg； and made a bow to her and to the collector。
It was on Twelfth Night； the evening of the festival of theThree Kings； Mother Soren lit up for Holberg a three…king candle； thatis； a tallow candle with three wicks； which she had herself prepared。
〃A light for each man；〃 said Holberg。
〃For each man？〃 repeated the woman； looking sharply at him。
〃For each of the wise men from the East；〃 said Holberg。
〃You mean it that way；〃 said she； and then she was silent for along time。 But on this evening he learned more about her than he hadyet known。
〃You speak very affectionately of your husband；〃 observed Holberg；〃and yet the people say that he ill…uses you every day。〃
〃That's no one's business but mine；〃 she replied。 〃The blows mighthave done me good when I was a child； now； I suppose； I get them formy sins。 But I know what good he has done me；〃 and she rose up。〃When I lay sick upon the desolate heath； and no one would have pityon me； and no one would have anything to do with me； except thecrows and daws； which came to peck me to bits； he carried me in hisarms； and had to bear hard words because of the burden he brought onboard ship。 It's not in my nature to be sick； and so I got well。 Everyman has his own way； and Soren has his； but the horse must not bejudged by the halter。 Taking one thing with another； I have lived moreagreeably with him than with the man whom they called the most nobleand gallant of the King's subjects。 I have had the StadtholderGyldenlowe； the King's half…brother； for my husband； and afterwardsI took Palle Dyre。 One is as good as another； each in his own way； andI in mine。 That was a long gossip； but now you know all about me。〃
And with those words she left the room。
It was Marie Grubbe！ so strangely had fate played with her。 Shedid not live to see many anniversaries of the festival of the ThreeKings； Holberg has recorded that she died in June； 1716； but he hasnot written down； for he did not know； that a number of great blackbirds circled over the ferry…house； when