"The carriage!" said Anna in surprise. "Are we going to Vosborg in a carriage, Greta?"
"Yes. Mr. Christianson is sending his carriage for us. He doesn't like automobiles, so he still keeps the old coach that has belonged to the castle for a hundred years."
"There it is now, Greta," said Hans, who was just as eager to visit the castle as Greta and Anna were.
Soon they were all on their way to Vosborg. Although it stood on a hill, you could hardly see the castle itself, because of the trees all around it. After a short ride they reached the castle's outer wall and drove through the wide entrance, with its high tower that formed an archway. There was a long stretch of level ground inside the wall, before one came to the stone bridge over the moat. The moat was a wide, deep ditch filled with water, which ran all the way around the castle. In the olden days it was an important protection, for enemies could not cross it and thus could not reach the castle buildings. Inside the moat there was a rampart, or a high ridge of earth, which was also a protection to the castle. Then there was still another wall before one finally reached the castle itself.
"There has been a castle on this spot for hundreds of years," Greta's mother told the children as they rode along in the old coach. "This building is only four hundred years old, so you see that it is rather new! The castle that stood here before was destroyed in 1532."
"Mother, tell Anna about the Englishman who built the tower of Vosborg Castle," urged Hans.
"All right, Hans," said his mother. "A long, long time ago, when the first castle was being built, the owner decided that he wanted a tower on his castle that would be finer than that of any other castle in Denmark. He hunted the country over, but he couldn't find anyone who could build such a grand tower. Finally he heard of a man in England who could do this. So he sent for this man and told him to build a tower on Vosborg that would be the finest in the land. The Englishman solemnly promised that he would do so.
"It took him three full years to build the tower, for he was determined to make it the finest in all Denmark. And it was. When it was done he went to the owner of Vosborg and asked if he were satisfied. The owner was well pleased, and he paid the builder a large sum of money. Long before this, however, he had decided that he would test the builder and the honesty of his work. So after the Englishman had left the castle and was walking down the road, a servant from Vosborg came running after him, shouting, 'The tower is leaning.'
"This was to be the test of his work. If he turned around to look at the tower, the owner of the castle would know that the builder was not sure of his own work. If there were even the smallest doubt in his mind, he would be certain to look around at once. But the English builder was very sure that his work was well done. Not once did he look back. Not for a minute did he pause in his journey. But as he walked on, he said to the servant from Vosborg, 'The tower does not lean. Tell your master that I have done my work well; he did not spend his money in vain. He has the finest tower in all Denmark. But also tell him that one day Vosborg will be destroyed by a man in a blue coat.'