The ease with which Denmark allowed Iceland to secede from the kingdom, and the generosity of spirit which most Danes have shown towards Faroese aspirations for selfgoverning nationhood are symbolic aspects of a peculiarly Nordic peace. Outsiders looking at Scandinavia are often seduced into thinking that these are countries where diplomatic voices are simply never raised. But the case of the tiny island of Hesselø reveals that there are occasionally moments when even Scandinavian feathers are ruffled.