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.
As the children stepped out of the plane they heard music. They saw people sitting about at tables eating and drinking. These people were watching the landings of the different airships.
“Come. We shall go to my home,” said Mr. Schmitt. “I have a large house near the music school. I want you to stay there with me until you find a home of your own.”
They drove in a taxicab through the Brandenburg Gate and into a famous street, Unter den Linden (Ōōn´tẽr dĕn Lĭn´dĕn). New York has Fifth Avenue. London has Piccadilly Circus. Chicago has Lake Shore Drive. Edinburgh has Princes Street. And Berlin has Unter den Linden.
THE BRANDENBURG GATE IN BERLIN
They drove along the wide, shady boulevard with its flower beds, lawns, and fountains. What a splendid street!
The children’s joy and excitement made them unusually quiet. It was very wonderful to be riding through this fine city and to know that their struggles and hardships were over.
UNTER DEN LINDEN IN BERLIN
Mr. Toymaker had sold his wagon. Mr. Schmitt planned to find him work in a big Berlin toy shop. Later, the kind music master intended to find a cosy home for the family. Mitz and Fritz were going to school. Fritz would study music and practice on his violin. One day he would be able to give real concerts.
Mr. Schmitt lived in an old-fashioned house, which seemed beautiful to the children. It was full of ornaments and heavy furniture. Great pictures of musicians hung upon the walls.
Mitz, Fritz, and their dog immediately explored the house from attic to cellar. In the kitchen, Mitzi found a jolly cook, who gave her cookies. Yes, Mitzi knew that she was going to like Berlin!
Fritz found musical instruments in every room. Sounds of piano and violin and flute came from all quarters of the house. No, never before in all his life had Fritz been so happy!
That evening, when the children were in bed, Mr. and Mrs. Toymaker sat talking.
“It is true,” said Mr. Toymaker to his wife. “You were right. Fritz has turned beauty into gold. People will pay for things even if they cannot touch them.”
Mrs. Toymaker replied, “But even if they cannot touch music, music can touch them.”
At last Mr. Toymaker agreed.
“It can touch their hearts,” he said.
THEY WERE GOING TO LIKE BERLIN
The End
Pronouncing Vocabulary
| Bach | bäk |
| Backfisch | bäk´fish |
| Bayreuth | bī´roit´ |
| Beethoven | bā´tō-vĕn |
| Bingen | bĭng´ĕn |
| Bonn | bōn |
| Charlemagne | shär´lē̍-mān |
| Coblenz | kō´blĕnts |
| Dachshund | däks´ho͝ont |
| Danke | dän´kẽ |
| Danube | dăn´ūb |
| Denkmal | dĕņk´mäl |
| Eisenach | ī´zĕn-äk |
| Goethe | gȗ´tẽ |
| Gretel | grĕt´ĕl |
| Gutenberg | go͞o´tĕn-bĕrk |
| Halle | häl´ẽ |
| Hamelin | hä´mĕlin |
| Hanau | hä´nou |
| Handel | hăn´dĕl |
| Hansel | hăn´sĕl |
| Harz | härts |
| Hoch | hōk´ |
| Johann | yō´hän |
| Kaiser | kī´zẽr |
| Koppelberg | kŏp´pĕl-bĕrg |
| Leipzig | līp´sĭk |
| Lorelei | lō´rĕ-lī |
| Einstein | īn´stīn |
| Ludwig | lo͞ot´vĭk |
| Mainz | mīnts |
| Mendelssohn | mĕn´dĕl-sōn |
| Moselle | mōzĕl´ |
| Mittenwald | mit´ten-väld |
| Mozart | mō´tzärt |
| Nuremberg | nū´rĕm-bûrg |
| Prague | präk |
| Siegfried | sēg´frēd |
| Seine | sān |
| Ströbeck | strö´bek |
| Thames | tĕmz |
| Unter den Linden | o͞on´tẽr dĕn lĭn´dĕn |
| Wartburg | värt´bo͝ork |
| Wagner | väg´nẽr |
| Weimar | vī´mär |