German grammar with the natural gender of what is described. However, since the diminutive forms ending in "-chen" or "-lein" are grammatically neuter, there exist several notable counterexamples such as "das Mädchen" ("girl") and "das Fräulein" ("miss"). Thus these are not illogical, whereas "das Weib" (old, regional or anthropological: woman; a cognate of the English "wife") is really an exception. Furthermore, in German, the gender of nouns without natural gender is not predictable. For example, the three common pieces of cutlery all have different genders: "das Messer" ("knife") is neuter, "die Gabel" ("fork") is feminine, and "der Löffel" ("spoon") is masculine. Students
Christoffer Gabel III of Denmark, Gabel followed him to Copenhagen as his private secretary and man of business, holding great influence over the irresolute king. During the brief interval of peace between King Charles X's first and second attack upon Denmark, Gabel was employed in several secret missions to Sweden; and he took part in the intrigues which resulted in the autocratic revolution of 1660. While not the originator of the revolution, he was certainly the chief intermediary between Frederick III and the Conjoined Estates in the mysterious conspiracy which established absolutism in Denmark. His activities won the king's lifelong gratitude. He