Marcellus: Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.

classic line from Hamlet, Act I, Scene 4 by William Shakespeare (1599)
Added by Dan Costinaş
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Gurre

Hvor Nilen vander Ægypterens Jord
I Africas brændende Lande,
Der mødtes to Fugle, de kom fra Nord,
De talte om Danmarks Strande:
„O husker du Sjølund, den deilige Ø,
Hvor de vilde Skovduer kurre,
De duftende Bøge, den stille Sø,
Husker du Gurre?"
— „Ja, der har jeg bygget en Sommerdag,"
Saa talte den lille Svale,
„Jeg havde min Rede ved Bondens Tag,
Jeg hørte ham synge og tale.
Jeg troer der er skjønnest i Danmark!"
Chor
Jeg troer der er skjønnest i Danmark!
Eccho
— skjønnest i Danmark!

Ved Gurre-Sø laae Kong Valdemars Borg,
Den saae ham med Tovelille;

[...] Read more

poem by Hans Christian Andersen
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For Danmark!

Det er en stor alvorlig Tid,
Men fast til Gud staaer al vor Lid,
Vi stride jo den gode Strid
For Danmark!

Vi vil vor Ret, og ikke meer!
Vor Herre vil, det bedste skeer,
Thi freidig fremad hver Mand seer,
For Danmark!

Paa Marken, ved det aabne Hav,
Staaer mangen gammel Kjæmpe-Grav,
Om Kraften i os Vink den gav
For Danmark!

I Landets Vaaben altid stod
Tre Løver, de betyde Mod,
Ni Hjerter, det er ærligt Blod
For Danmark!

[...] Read more

poem by Hans Christian Andersen
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My wife is Danish and we go to Denmark a couple of times a year.

quote by Ted Shackelford
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And that is called paying the Dane-geld; but we've proved it again and again, that if once you have paid him the Dane-geld you never get rid of the Dane.

quote by Rudyard Kipling
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Beer is the Danish national drink, and the Danish national weakness is another beer.

quote by Clementine Paddleford
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If a Dane first has come into the room, more Danes will probably follow.

Faroese proverbs
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Dane-Geld

A.D. 980-1016

It is always a temptation to an armed and agile nation
To call upon a neighbour and to say:--
"We invaded you last night--we are quite prepared to fight,
Unless you pay us cash to go away."

And that is called asking for Dane-geld,
And the people who ask it explain
That you've only to pay 'em the Dane-geld
And then you'll get rid of the Dane!

It is always a temptation for a reach and lazy nation,
To puff and look important and to say:--
"Though we know we should defeat you, we have not the
time to meet you.
We will therefore pay you cash to go away."

And that is called paying the Dane-geld;

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poem by Rudyard Kipling
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Fædrelandet

Ægypteren ved Nilen gaaer,
Glad ved den rige Høst, som kommer,
Stolt Vandrefuglen med Vingen slaaer,
Fortæller om den danske Sommer.
„Et Land, Ægypten ligt, i Nord jeg veed,
Med Oldtids Minder og med Frugtbarhed,
Skoven er saa grøn,
Qvinden er saa skjøn!
Og dette Land, det kaldes Danmark!"

Naar Svanen synger sin sidste Sang,
Den synger om de grønne Øer,
Om Kjæmpegrave paa Kløvervang,
Om Skovomkrandste stille Søer;
Den Strand, hvor Havfruen i Maaneskjær
Forkynder høit hvad Stort sig rører her.
Havet har fortalt
Smukt til Svanen Alt; -
Og dette Land, det kaldes Danmark!

[...] Read more

poem by Hans Christian Andersen
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Danmark, mit Fædreland

I Danmark er jeg født, der har jeg hjemme,
Der har jeg Rod, derfra min Verden gaaer.
Du danske Sprog, Du er min Moders Stemme,
Saa sødt velsignet Du mit Hjerte naaer.
Du danske friske Strand,
Hvor Oldtids Kjæmpegrave
Staae mellem Æblegaard og Humlehave,
Dig elsker jeg! — Danmark, mit Fædreland!

Hvor reder Sommeren vel Blomstersengen
Meer rigt end her, ned til den aabne Strand?
Hvor staaer Fuldmaanen over Kløver-Engen
Saa deilig, som i Bøgens Fædreland?
Du danske friske Strand,
Hvor Dannebrogen vaier, -
Gud gav os den — Gud giv den bedste Seier! -
Dig elsker jeg! — Danmark, mit Fædreland!

Engang Du Herre var i hele Norden,
Bød over England — nu Du kaldes svag,

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poem by Hans Christian Andersen
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A Brother In Need

NOW, rallying once if ne'er again,
With flag at half-mast flown,
A people in dire need and strain
Mans Tyra's bastion.

Betrayed in danger's hour, betrayed
Before the stress of strife!
Was this the meaning that it had--
That clasp of hands at Axelstad
Which gave the North new life?

The words that seemed as if they rushed
From deepest heart-springs out
Were phrases, then! -- the freshet gushed,
And now is fall'n the drought.
The tree, that promised rich in bloom
Mid festal sun and shower,
Stands wind-stript in the louring gloom,
A cross to mark young Norway's tomb,
The first dark testing-hour.

[...] Read more

poem by Henrik Johan Ibsen
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Fortrøstning

Ei Nogen veed, hvad imorgen skeer,
Alene Gud Herren det veed og seer;
Men naar det for Danmark saae mørkest ud,
Kom altid Frelse og Hjælp fra Gud.

Da Landet laae splittet og reent faldet hen,
Opmandet det blev af Niels Ebbesen;
Gud Herren ledte vor Velfærds Sag,
Og hele Danmark saae Atterdag.

Det er en Storm-Nat, høit Søen slaaer,
Vort lille Fartøi paa Dybet gaaer,
Men Gud, Vorherre ved Roret staaer,
Han raader, hvad ogsaa end Mennesket spaaer.

Ei Nogen veed, hvad imorgen skeer,
Alene Gud Herren det veed og seer;
Men naar det for Danmark saae mørkest ud,
Kom altid Frelse og Hjælp fra Gud.

poem by Hans Christian Andersen
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Hamlet: Here, thou incestuous, murderous, damned Dane, drink off this potion. Is thy union here? Follow my mother.

classic line from Hamlet, Act V, Scene 2 by William Shakespeare (1599)
Added by Dan Costinaş
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Paa Genfersøen

Hvor Alperne høit deres Snekrone bær'
Og træde den saftfulde Ranke,
Jeg føler mig dog mit Danmark saa nær;
Thi Danmark boer i min Tanke.
Og Søen, den er saa blaa, saa blaa
Som Vinterhimlen i Norden!
Nei, ingen Maler tør male den saa. -
Gid Alle dog saae det paa Jorden!

poem by Hans Christian Andersen
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Ved Juletræet

Danmark deiligst Vang og Vænge!
Du vort Fædreland!
Ærligt dine danske Drenge
Sætte skal istand
Ledet, som er bragt af Lave,
Ledet for vor rige Have;
Glædens Julekrands vi flette
Og paa Gjærdet sætte.

Juletræ er tændt derhjemme,
Tanken flyver did!
Danske Sprog, Du Hjertets Stemme,
Tryl os Julens Tid.
— Forpost ude, Stjernevrimlen
Er Dig Julelys paa Himlen,
Du staaer under Træets Grene,
Om end ude, ene.

Lad i Sang og Fryd og Skaaler
Juleaften gaae,

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poem by Hans Christian Andersen
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The Danish glee: the national version of cheerfulness.

quote by Georg Brandes
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We have had such a letter movement on two occasions in Denmark when more than a quarter of the adult Danish population participated. Such an achievement, however, demands a really great effort and also a great deal of money.

quote by Fredrik Bajer
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He who does not understand a joke, he does not understand Danish.

quote by Georg Brandes
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King Christian, A National Song Of Denmark. (From The Danish Of Johannes Evald)

King Christian stood by the lofty mast
In mist and smoke;
His sword was hammering so fast,
Through Gothic helm and brain it passed;
Then sank each hostile hulk and mast,
In mist and smoke.
'Fly!' shouted they, 'fly, he who can!
Who braves of Denmark's Christian
The stroke?'

Nils Juel gave heed to the tempest's roar,
Now is the hour!
He hoisted his blood-red flag once more,
And smote upon the foe full sore,
And shouted loud, through the tempest's roar,
'Now is the hour!'
'Fly!' shouted they, 'for shelter fly!
Of Denmark's Juel who can defy
The power?'

[...] Read more

poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
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It is easy to sit at the helm in fair weather. - Danish.

Scottish proverbs
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