II. What Happened to the Councillor

Late at night, Councillor Knap, engrossed in thoughts of King Hans’ era, inadvertently steps into magical shoes that transport him back to those times. He finds himself on the muddy, unpaved streets of old Copenhagen, bewildered by the absence of modern conveniences like pavements and street lamps. The town appears unrecognizable, filled with wooden houses, thatched roofs, and dressed in time’s attire, further deepening his confusion.

As he wanders, a peculiar procession led by a figure claimed to be the Bishop of Zealand marches past, leaving the Councillor astonished and disoriented. Attempting to navigate his way to Christianshafen, he encounters men who offer to ferry him across a body of water that now stands where he expected to find familiar streets. His attempts to communicate only deepen his confusion, as his language and the very infrastructure of the city seem out of place and time.

Desperate for a sense of normalcy, he seeks a coach, yet finds none, and stumbles into what appears to be an inn or tavern, filled with locals who are equally baffling in their manner and speech. Here, he tries to engage in conversation about recent events and literature, only to find the topics and references completely out of alignment with his understanding. His comments on modern works and events are met with incomprehension or misinterpretation, highlighting the stark contrast between his era and the one he has unwittingly found himself in.

The exchanges become increasingly absurd, with the Councillor’s modern perspectives clashing with the historical context he’s been thrust into, culminating in a humorous yet poignant reminder of the vast differences in understanding and worldview across time. The episode ends with the Councillor’s distress peaking as he struggles to make sense of his surreal predicament, underscoring the story’s themes of dislocation and the clash between past and present realities.