And what didst thou then see? asked the learned man.
I saw everything, and I shall tell all to you: butit is no pride on my partas a free man, and with the knowledge I have, not to speak of my position in life, my excellent circumstancesI certainly wish that you would say YOU* to me!
* It is the custom in Denmark for intimate acquaintances to use the second person singular, Du, (thou) when speaking to each other. When a friendship is formed between men, they generally affirm it, when occasion offers, either in public or private, by drinking to each other and exclaiming, thy health, at the same time striking their glasses together. This is called drinking Duus: they are then, Duus Brodre, (thou brothers) and ever afterwards use the pronoun thou, to each other, it being regarded as more familiar than De, (you)。 Father and mother, sister and brother say thou to one anotherwithout regard to age or rank. Master and mistress say thou to their servants the superior to the inferior. But servants and inferiors do not use the same term to their masters, or superiorsnor is it ever used when speaking to a stranger, or anyone with whom they are but slightly acquainted they then say as in Englishyou.
I beg your pardon, said the learned man; it is an old habit with me. YOU are perfectly right, and I shall remember it; but now you must tell me all YOU saw!
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