Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates (THE GREAT CLASSICS LIBRARY)

Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates (full title: Hans Brinker; or, the Silver Skates: A Story of Life in Holland) was first published in 1865. Taking place in the Netherlands, it is a colorful fictional portrait of early nineteenth-century Dutch life, as well as a tale of youthful honor.
The novel introduced the sport of Dutch speed skating to Americans, and in U.S. media Hans Brinker is still considered the prototypical speed skater.
The book is also notable for popularizing the story of the little Dutch boy who plugs a dike with his finger.