"Many years ago," he said, "there lived a boy named George Handel (Hăn´del). He was born in Halle (Häl´ẽ), a town not far from here. Today there is a statue of George Handel in the center of Halle. He became a famous composer. But when he was your age, Fritz, his father would not allow him to play."
Fritz looked at his mother. Mitzi looked at her father. The toy maker looked away from them all.
"You see," went on Mr. Schmitt, "George's father was a good man. But he did not love music. He wanted his son to be a doctor. Now, one day little George played for a powerful duke, who loved music. The duke decided to help young George.
"He said to Mr. Handel, 'You are a good man. But your son will be a great man. His music will fill people's hearts with beauty. Can you do that?'"
[CHAPTER XVIII]
BERLIN AND HAPPINESS
The Toymakers and Mr. Schmitt flew to Berlin in an airplane. People in Germany travel by plane as easily as we travel by train and boat. Berlin is the capital of Germany. The Berlin airport is the largest in the world.