AN OLD DANISH TOWN 3 



and-white variety, were all tethered by ropes long 

 enough to allow them just sufficient to eat, no more ; 

 as, it being Sunday, were the farm horses. Such is 

 the general rule in Denmark, partly on account of the 

 complete absence of fences and still more because 

 the thrifty farmer does not believe in wasting green 

 fodder by allowing his beasts to soil and trample what 

 they do not eat. 



This plan, which, by the way, may be seen in 

 practice in the Channel Islands, has considerable 

 advantages. Thus the clover, or whatever it may be 

 that the cattle are feeding on, looks almost as though 

 it had been mown behind them, and in front remains 

 quite fresh and tempting. Also an even manuring of 

 the field is secured. On the other hand the continual 

 driving in and pulling out of pegs involves a good 

 deal of labour. The beasts, too, cannot seek shade 

 from the heat, or water themselves at a neighbour- 

 ing pond, and, as their space for exercise is so limited, 

 must be rugged in canvas coats when the weather 

 grows at all cold. 



Lastly, these cattle have been accustomed to 

 tethering from generation to generation, and bear 

 its inconveniences with dignified calm, never becom- 

 ing entangled in the ropes or otherwise misbehaving 

 themselves. What would happen if an attempt were 

 made to peg down an uneducated herd of English 

 cows I am sure I do not know. I should not care 

 to be the one to make the experiment, to which in 

 Denmark even the sheep consent, though these, it 

 should be added, are few in number. 



Ribe itself has, I think, a more old-world ap- 

 pearance than any other city that I visited in 

 Denmark. Once it was a very important place and 



