Den 22. december

Dansk
Det er ikke hver dag at to små nisser skabt af pap, klister og lidt fingersnilde står ansigt til ansigt med en vaskeægte sagnprins. Men det er hvad der er tilfældet i dette øjeblik, hvor Nissefar og Nissemor er stødt ind i Holger Danske, der troner bag Christian 10.s skrivebord. Bronzestatuen fra 1896 var en bryllupsgave til den senere konge og hans hustru, Prinsesse Alexandrine, og det er samtidig en af de originale statuer, der senere blev lavet i en større udgave til Kronborg Slots kasematter. 

”Er det ikke rigtigt, at han forvandler sig til et levende menneske, hvis Danmark er i fare?” hvisker Nissefar til sin kone og konkluderer, at nu hvor Juleenglen er væk, så må selve julen også være i fare. Derfor mener den hvidskæggede nisse, at Holger Danske bør vågne og komme alle til hjælp. Men selvom de prøver at vække ham, bliver han siddende, som han altid har gjort gennem hele Christian 10.s regeringsperiode – og tiden derefter for den sags skyld. Julen må altså ikke være helt i fare – endnu -, tænker Nisserne, og de beslutter sig for at kravle op på loftet og lede efter spor fra de sidste regenter i Kongerækken, og måske støder de på Juleenglen igen.

I en fjern krog på loftet finder de et miniatureskib, som nisserne mener må forestille Christopher Columbus’ skib Santa Maria. ”Skibet tilhørte Sømandskongen” kan Nissefar huske, og straks tager han plads på den tremastede skonnert. Kongen som Nissefar har fundet spor efter er nemlig Christian 10.s ældste søn Frederik 9. Han blev den første danske konge siden Christian 4., der kunne føre et skib. For da Frederik 9. var kronprins brød han med sit karrierevalg en lang tradition i Kongehuset ved at uddanne sig i Søværnet frem for i Hæren. Kronprinsens interesse for søen blev lagt, da Kronprins Frederik som barn vaskede dæk på Kongeskibet Dannebrog, og som søofficer var den senere Frederik 9. værdsat af sine kolleger. Både som en dygtig officer, der førte sit skib med sikkerhed og ledte mandskabet med respekt og tillid, men også som en afholdt person, der havde en ligefrem facon og et godt humør.

”Nu er vi næsten nået gennem hele Kongerækken,” jubler Nissefar, der selvsikkert går til køjs på det lille skib som en rigtig sømandskonge. 

English
It’s not every day that two small elves made of cardboard, paste and a little finger dexterity stand face to face with an out-and-out legendary prince. But that’s the case at this moment, when Elf Father and Elf Mother have bumped into Holger Danske – also known as Ogier the Dane – who sits enthroned behind Christian X’s desk. The bronze statue from 1896 was a wedding gift to the future king and his wife, Princess Alexandrine, and, at the same time, it’s one of the original statues later made in a larger version for Kronborg Castle’s casemates.

“Isn’t it true that he turns into a living human being if Denmark is in danger?” Elf Father whispers to his wife, and he concludes that, now that the Christmas Angel is missing, Christmas itself could also be in danger. So, the white-bearded elf thinks that Holger Danske ought to wake up and come to the aid of everyone. But even though they try to awaken him, he remains sitting there, like he always did throughout Christian X’s reign – and in the time since then, for that matter. So, Christmas must not be completely in danger – yet – the Elves think, and they decide to crawl up in the attic and hunt for clues from the most recent sovereigns in the Royal Lineage, and perhaps they’ll bump into the Christmas Angel again.

In a remote corner of the attic, they find a miniature ship, which the elves believe could be a model of Christopher Columbus’ ship, the Santa Maria. “The ship belonged to the Sailor King,” Elf Father can remember, and he immediately takes his place on the three-masted schooner. The king Elf Father has found traces of is namely Christian X’s eldest son, Frederik IX. He became the first Danish king since Christian IV who could command a ship. When Frederik IX was crown prince, he broke a long tradition in the Royal House of Denmark with his career choice to train with the Navy rather than the Army. Crown Prince Frederik’s interest in the sea began when, as a child, he washed the deck of the Royal Yacht Dannebrog. As a naval officer, the future Frederik IX was valued by his colleagues – both as a skilled officer who commanded his ship with self-assurance and led the crew with respect and confidence, but also as a popular person who had a straightforward manner and good humor.

“Now we have nearly gotten through the whole Royal Lineage,” exults Elf Father, who confidently hits the sack like a real sailor king.