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| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 04:35:36 -0700 |
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| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 04:35:36 -0700 |
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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/10935-0.txt b/10935-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..559cce2 --- /dev/null +++ b/10935-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,16501 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 10935 *** + +[Transcriber's note: The inconsistent orthography of the original is +retained in this etext.] + + +THE WONDERFUL ADVENTURES of NILS + +by + +SELMA LAGERLÖF + + +TRANSLATED FROM THE SWEDISH +BY VELMA SWANSTON HOWARD + + + +CONTENTS + +The Boy + +Akka from Kebnekaise + +The Wonderful Journey of Nils + +Glimminge Castle + +The Great Crane Dance on Kullaberg + +In Rainy Weather + +The Stairway with the Three Steps + +By Ronneby River + +Karlskrona + +The Trip to Öland + +Öland's Southern Point + +The Big Butterfly + +Little Karl's Island + +Two Cities + +The Legend of SmÃ¥land + +The Crows + +The Old Peasant Woman + +From Taberg to Huskvarna + +The Big Bird Lake + +UlvÃ¥sa-Lady + +The Homespun Cloth + +The Story of Karr and Grayskin + +The Wind Witch + +The Breaking Up of the Ice + +Thumbietot and the Bears + +The Flood + +Dunfin + +Stockholm + +Gorgo the Eagle + +On Over Gästrikland + +A Day in Hälsingland + +In Medelpad + +A Morning in Ã…ngermanland + +Westbottom and Lapland + +Osa, the Goose Girl, and Little Mats + +With the Laplanders + +Homeward Bound + +Legends from Härjedalen + +Vermland and Dalsland + +The Treasure on the Island + +The Journey to Vemminghög + +Home at Last + +The Parting with the Wild Geese + + +_Some of the purely geographical matter in the Swedish original of the +"Further Adventures of Nils" has been eliminated from the English +version. + +The author has rendered valuable assistance in cutting certain chapters +and abridging others. Also, with the author's approval, cuts have been +made where the descriptive matter was merely of local interest. + +But the story itself is intact. + +V.S.H_. + + + +THE BOY + + +THE ELF + +_Sunday, March twentieth_. + +Once there was a boy. He was--let us say--something like fourteen years +old; long and loose-jointed and towheaded. He wasn't good for much, that +boy. His chief delight was to eat and sleep; and after that--he liked +best to make mischief. + +It was a Sunday morning and the boy's parents were getting ready to go +to church. The boy sat on the edge of the table, in his shirt sleeves, +and thought how lucky it was that both father and mother were going +away, and the coast would be clear for a couple of hours. "Good! Now I +can take down pop's gun and fire off a shot, without anybody's meddling +interference," he said to himself. + +But it was almost as if father should have guessed the boy's thoughts, +for just as he was on the threshold--ready to start--he stopped short, +and turned toward the boy. "Since you won't come to church with mother +and me," he said, "the least you can do, is to read the service at home. +Will you promise to do so?" "Yes," said the boy, "that I can do easy +enough." And he thought, of course, that he wouldn't read any more than +he felt like reading. + +The boy thought that never had he seen his mother so persistent. In a +second she was over by the shelf near the fireplace, and took down +Luther's Commentary and laid it on the table, in front of the +window--opened at the service for the day. She also opened the New +Testament, and placed it beside the Commentary. Finally, she drew up the +big arm-chair, which was bought at the parish auction the year before, +and which, as a rule, no one but father was permitted to occupy. + +The boy sat thinking that his mother was giving herself altogether too +much trouble with this spread; for he had no intention of reading more +than a page or so. But now, for the second time, it was almost as if his +father were able to see right through him. He walked up to the boy, and +said in a severe tone: "Now, remember, that you are to read carefully! +For when we come back, I shall question you thoroughly; and if you have +skipped a single page, it will not go well with you." + +"The service is fourteen and a half pages long," said his mother, just +as if she wanted to heap up the measure of his misfortune. "You'll have +to sit down and begin the reading at once, if you expect to get through +with it." + +With that they departed. And as the boy stood in the doorway watching +them, he thought that he had been caught in a trap. "There they go +congratulating themselves, I suppose, in the belief that they've hit +upon something so good that I'll be forced to sit and hang over the +sermon the whole time that they are away," thought he. + +But his father and mother were certainly not congratulating themselves +upon anything of the sort; but, on the contrary, they were very much +distressed. They were poor farmers, and their place was not much bigger +than a garden-plot. When they first moved there, the place couldn't feed +more than one pig and a pair of chickens; but they were uncommonly +industrious and capable folk--and now they had both cows and geese. +Things had turned out very well for them; and they would have gone to +church that beautiful morning--satisfied and happy--if they hadn't had +their son to think of. Father complained that he was dull and lazy; he +had not cared to learn anything at school, and he was such an all-round +good-for-nothing, that he could barely be made to tend geese. Mother did +not deny that this was true; but she was most distressed because he was +wild and bad; cruel to animals, and ill-willed toward human beings. "May +God soften his hard heart, and give him a better disposition!" said the +mother, "or else he will be a misfortune, both to himself and to us." + +The boy stood for a long time and pondered whether he should read the +service or not. Finally, he came to the conclusion that, this time, it +was best to be obedient. He seated himself in the easy chair, and began +to read. But when he had been rattling away in an undertone for a little +while, this mumbling seemed to have a soothing effect upon him--and he +began to nod. + +It was the most beautiful weather outside! It was only the twentieth of +March; but the boy lived in West Vemminghög Township, down in Southern +Skane, where the spring was already in full swing. It was not as yet +green, but it was fresh and budding. There was water in all the +trenches, and the colt's-foot on the edge of the ditch was in bloom. All +the weeds that grew in among the stones were brown and shiny. The +beech-woods in the distance seemed to swell and grow thicker with every +second. The skies were high--and a clear blue. The cottage door stood +ajar, and the lark's trill could be heard in the room. The hens and +geese pattered about in the yard, and the cows, who felt the spring air +away in their stalls, lowed their approval every now and then. + +The boy read and nodded and fought against drowsiness. "No! I don't want +to fall asleep," thought he, "for then I'll not get through with this +thing the whole forenoon." + +But--somehow--he fell asleep. + +He did not know whether he had slept a short while, or a long while; but +he was awakened by hearing a slight noise back of him. + +On the window-sill, facing the boy, stood a small looking-glass; and +almost the entire cottage could be seen in this. As the boy raised his +head, he happened to look in the glass; and then he saw that the cover +to his mother's chest had been opened. + +His mother owned a great, heavy, iron-bound oak chest, which she +permitted no one but herself to open. Here she treasured all the things +she had inherited from her mother, and of these she was especially +careful. Here lay a couple of old-time peasant dresses, of red homespun +cloth, with short bodice and plaited shirt, and a pearl-bedecked breast +pin. There were starched white-linen head-dresses, and heavy silver +ornaments and chains. Folks don't care to go about dressed like that in +these days, and several times his mother had thought of getting rid of +the old things; but somehow, she hadn't had the heart to do it. + +Now the boy saw distinctly--in the glass--that the chest-lid was open. +He could not understand how this had happened, for his mother had closed +the chest before she went away. She never would have left that precious +chest open when he was at home, alone. + +He became low-spirited and apprehensive. He was afraid that a thief had +sneaked his way into the cottage. He didn't dare to move; but sat still +and stared into the looking-glass. + +While he sat there and waited for the thief to make his appearance, he +began to wonder what that dark shadow was which fell across the edge of +the chest. He looked and looked--and did not want to believe his eyes. +But the thing, which at first seemed shadowy, became more and more +clear to him; and soon he saw that it was something real. It was no less +a thing than an elf who sat there--astride the edge of the chest! + +To be sure, the boy had heard stories about elves, but he had never +dreamed that they were such tiny creatures. He was no taller than a +hand's breadth--this one, who sat on the edge of the chest. He had an +old, wrinkled and beardless face, and was dressed in a black frock coat, +knee-breeches and a broad-brimmed black hat. He was very trim and smart, +with his white laces about the throat and wrist-bands, his buckled +shoes, and the bows on his garters. He had taken from the chest an +embroidered piece, and sat and looked at the old-fashioned handiwork +with such an air of veneration, that he did not observe the boy had +awakened. + +The boy was somewhat surprised to see the elf, but, on the other hand, +he was not particularly frightened. It was impossible to be afraid of +one who was so little. And since the elf was so absorbed in his own +thoughts that he neither saw nor heard, the boy thought that it would be +great fun to play a trick on him; to push him over into the chest and +shut the lid on him, or something of that kind. + +But the boy was not so courageous that he dared to touch the elf with +his hands, instead he looked around the room for something to poke him +with. He let his gaze wander from the sofa to the leaf-table; from the +leaf-table to the fireplace. He looked at the kettles, then at the +coffee-urn, which stood on a shelf, near the fireplace; on the water +bucket near the door; and on the spoons and knives and forks and saucers +and plates, which could be seen through the half-open cupboard door. He +looked at his father's gun, which hung on the wall, beside the portrait +of the Danish royal family, and on the geraniums and fuchsias, which +blossomed in the window. And last, he caught sight of an old +butterfly-snare that hung on the window frame. He had hardly set eyes on +that butterfly-snare, before he reached over and snatched it and jumped +up and swung it alongside the edge of the chest. He was himself +astonished at the luck he had. He hardly knew how he had managed it--but +he had actually snared the elf. The poor little chap lay, head downward, +in the bottom of the long snare, and could not free himself. + +The first moment the boy hadn't the least idea what he should do with +his prize. He was only particular to swing the snare backward and +forward; to prevent the elf from getting a foothold and clambering up. + +The elf began to speak, and begged, oh! so pitifully, for his freedom. +He had brought them good luck--these many years--he said, and deserved +better treatment. Now, if the boy would set him free, he would give him +an old coin, a silver spoon, and a gold penny, as big as the case on his +father's silver watch. + +The boy didn't think that this was much of an offer; but it so +happened--that after he had gotten the elf in his power, he was afraid +of him. He felt that he had entered into an agreement with something +weird and uncanny; something which did not belong to his world, and he +was only too glad to get rid of the horrid thing. + +For this reason he agreed at once to the bargain, and held the snare +still, so the elf could crawl out of it. But when the elf was almost out +of the snare, the boy happened to think that he ought to have bargained +for large estates, and all sorts of good things. He should at least have +made this stipulation: that the elf must conjure the sermon into his +head. "What a fool I was to let him go!" thought he, and began to shake +the snare violently, so the elf would tumble down again. + +But the instant the boy did this, he received such a stinging box on the +ear, that he thought his head would fly in pieces. He was dashed--first +against one wall, then against the other; he sank to the floor, and lay +there--senseless. + +When he awoke, he was alone in the cottage. The chest-lid was down, and +the butterfly-snare hung in its usual place by the window. If he had not +felt how the right cheek burned, from that box on the ear, he would have +been tempted to believe the whole thing had been a dream. "At any rate, +father and mother will be sure to insist that it was nothing else," +thought he. "They are not likely to make any allowances for that old +sermon, on account of the elf. It's best for me to get at that reading +again," thought he. + +But as he walked toward the table, he noticed something remarkable. It +couldn't be possible that the cottage had grown. But why was he obliged +to take so many more steps than usual to get to the table? And what was +the matter with the chair? It looked no bigger than it did a while ago; +but now he had to step on the rung first, and then clamber up in order +to reach the seat. It was the same thing with the table. He could not +look over the top without climbing to the arm of the chair. + +"What in all the world is this?" said the boy. "I believe the elf has +bewitched both the armchair and the table--and the whole cottage." + +The Commentary lay on the table and, to all appearances, it was not +changed; but there must have been something queer about that too, for he +could not manage to read a single word of it, without actually standing +right in the book itself. + +He read a couple of lines, and then he chanced to look up. With that, +his glance fell on the looking-glass; and then he cried aloud: "Look! +There's another one!" + +For in the glass he saw plainly a little, little creature who was +dressed in a hood and leather breeches. + +"Why, that one is dressed exactly like me!" said the boy, and clasped +his hands in astonishment. But then he saw that the thing in the mirror +did the same thing. Then he began to pull his hair and pinch his arms +and swing round; and instantly he did the same thing after him; he, who +was seen in the mirror. + +The boy ran around the glass several times, to see if there wasn't a +little man hidden behind it, but he found no one there; and then he +began to shake with terror. For now he understood that the elf had +bewitched him, and that the creature whose image he saw in the +glass--was he, himself. + +THE WILD GEESE + +The boy simply could not make himself believe that he had been +transformed into an elf. "It can't be anything but a dream--a queer +fancy," thought he. "If I wait a few moments, I'll surely be turned back +into a human being again." + +He placed himself before the glass and closed his eyes. He opened them +again after a couple of minutes, and then expected to find that it had +all passed over--but it hadn't. He was--and remained--just as little. In +other respects, he was the same as before. The thin, straw-coloured +hair; the freckles across his nose; the patches on his leather breeches +and the darns on his stockings, were all like themselves, with this +exception--that they had become diminished. + +No, it would do no good for him to stand still and wait, of this he was +certain. He must try something else. And he thought the wisest thing +that he could do was to try and find the elf, and make his peace with +him. + +And while he sought, he cried and prayed and promised everything he +could think of. Nevermore would he break his word to anyone; never again +would he be naughty; and never, never would he fall asleep again over +the sermon. If he might only be a human being once more, he would be +such a good and helpful and obedient boy. But no matter how much he +promised--it did not help him the least little bit. + +Suddenly he remembered that he had heard his mother say, all the tiny +folk made their home in the cowsheds; and, at once, he concluded to go +there, and see if he couldn't find the elf. It was a lucky thing that +the cottage-door stood partly open, for he never could have reached the +bolt and opened it; but now he slipped through without any difficulty. + +When he came out in the hallway, he looked around for his wooden shoes; +for in the house, to be sure, he had gone about in his stocking-feet. He +wondered how he should manage with these big, clumsy wooden shoes; but +just then, he saw a pair of tiny shoes on the doorstep. When he observed +that the elf had been so thoughtful that he had also bewitched the +wooden shoes, he was even more troubled. It was evidently his intention +that this affliction should last a long time. + +On the wooden board-walk in front of the cottage, hopped a gray sparrow. +He had hardly set eyes on the boy before he called out: "Teetee! Teetee! +Look at Nils goosey-boy! Look at Thumbietot! Look at Nils Holgersson +Thumbietot!" + +Instantly, both the geese and the chickens turned and stared at the boy; +and then they set up a fearful cackling. "Cock-el-i-coo," crowed the +rooster, "good enough for him! Cock-el-i-coo, he has pulled my comb." +"Ka, ka, kada, serves him right!" cried the hens; and with that they +kept up a continuous cackle. The geese got together in a tight group, +stuck their heads together and asked: "Who can have done this? Who can +have done this?" + +But the strangest thing of all was, that the boy understood what they +said. He was so astonished, that he stood there as if rooted to the +doorstep, and listened. "It must be because I am changed into an elf," +said he. "This is probably why I understand bird-talk." + +He thought it was unbearable that the hens would not stop saying that it +served him right. He threw a stone at them and shouted: + +"Shut up, you pack!" + +But it hadn't occurred to him before, that he was no longer the sort of +boy the hens need fear. The whole henyard made a rush for him, and +formed a ring around him; then they all cried at once: "Ka, ka, kada, +served you right! Ka, ka, kada, served you right!" + +The boy tried to get away, but the chickens ran after him and screamed, +until he thought he'd lose his hearing. It is more than likely that he +never could have gotten away from them, if the house cat hadn't come +along just then. As soon as the chickens saw the cat, they quieted down +and pretended to be thinking of nothing else than just to scratch in the +earth for worms. + +Immediately the boy ran up to the cat. "You dear pussy!" said he, "you +must know all the corners and hiding places about here? You'll be a good +little kitty and tell me where I can find the elf." + +The cat did not reply at once. He seated himself, curled his tail into +a graceful ring around his paws--and stared at the boy. It was a large +black cat with one white spot on his chest. His fur lay sleek and soft, +and shone in the sunlight. The claws were drawn in, and the eyes were a +dull gray, with just a little narrow dark streak down the centre. The +cat looked thoroughly good-natured and inoffensive. + +"I know well enough where the elf lives," he said in a soft voice, "but +that doesn't say that I'm going to tell _you_ about it." + +"Dear pussy, you must tell me where the elf lives!" said the boy. "Can't +you see how he has bewitched me?" + +The cat opened his eyes a little, so that the green wickedness began to +shine forth. He spun round and purred with satisfaction before he +replied. "Shall I perhaps help you because you have so often grabbed me +by the tail?" he said at last. + +Then the boy was furious and forgot entirely how little and helpless he +was now. "Oh! I can pull your tail again, I can," said he, and ran +toward the cat. + +The next instant the cat was so changed that the boy could scarcely +believe it was the same animal. Every separate hair on his body stood on +end. The back was bent; the legs had become elongated; the claws scraped +the ground; the tail had grown thick and short; the ears were laid back; +the mouth was frothy; and the eyes were wide open and glistened like +sparks of red fire. + +The boy didn't want to let himself be scared by a cat, and he took a +step forward. Then the cat made one spring and landed right on the boy; +knocked him down and stood over him--his forepaws on his chest, and his +jaws wide apart--over his throat. + +The boy felt how the sharp claws sank through his vest and shirt and +into his skin; and how the sharp eye-teeth tickled his throat. He +shrieked for help, as loudly as he could, but no one came. He thought +surely that his last hour had come. Then he felt that the cat drew in +his claws and let go the hold on his throat. + +"There!" he said, "that will do now. I'll let you go this time, for my +mistress's sake. I only wanted you to know which one of us two has the +power now." + +With that the cat walked away--looking as smooth and pious as he did +when he first appeared on the scene. The boy was so crestfallen that he +didn't say a word, but only hurried to the cowhouse to look for the elf. + +There were not more than three cows, all told. But when the boy came in, +there was such a bellowing and such a kick-up, that one might easily +have believed that there were at least thirty. + +"Moo, moo, moo," bellowed Mayrose. "It is well there is such a thing as +justice in this world." + +"Moo, moo, moo," sang the three of them in unison. He couldn't hear what +they said, for each one tried to out-bellow the others. + +The boy wanted to ask after the elf, but he couldn't make himself heard +because the cows were in full uproar. They carried on as they used to do +when he let a strange dog in on them. They kicked with their hind legs, +shook their necks, stretched their heads, and measured the distance with +their horns. + +"Come here, you!" said Mayrose, "and you'll get a kick that you won't +forget in a hurry!" + +"Come here," said Gold Lily, "and you shall dance on my horns!" + +"Come here, and you shall taste how it felt when you threw your wooden +shoes at me, as you did last summer!" bawled Star. + +"Come here, and you shall be repaid for that wasp you let loose in my +ear!" growled Gold Lily. + +Mayrose was the oldest and the wisest of them, and she was the very +maddest. "Come here!" said she, "that I may pay you back for the many +times that you have jerked the milk pail away from your mother; and for +all the snares you laid for her, when she came carrying the milk pails; +and for all the tears when she has stood here and wept over you!" + +The boy wanted to tell them how he regretted that he had been unkind to +them; and that never, never--from now on--should he be anything but +good, if they would only tell him where the elf was. But the cows didn't +listen to him. They made such a racket that he began to fear one of them +would succeed in breaking loose; and he thought that the best thing for +him to do was to go quietly away from the cowhouse. + +When he came out, he was thoroughly disheartened. He could understand +that no one on the place wanted to help him find the elf. And little +good would it do him, probably, if the elf were found. + +He crawled up on the broad hedge which fenced in the farm, and which was +overgrown with briers and lichen. There he sat down to think about how +it would go with him, if he never became a human being again. When +father and mother came home from church, there would be a surprise for +them. Yes, a surprise--it would be all over the land; and people would +come flocking from East Vemminghög, and from Torp, and from Skerup. The +whole Vemminghög township would come to stare at him. Perhaps father and +mother would take him with them, and show him at the market place in +Kivik. + +No, that was too horrible to think about. He would rather that no human +being should ever see him again. + +His unhappiness was simply frightful! No one in all the world was so +unhappy as he. He was no longer a human being--but a freak. + +Little by little he began to comprehend what it meant--to be no longer +human. He was separated from everything now; he could no longer play +with other boys, he could not take charge of the farm after his parents +were gone; and certainly no girl would think of marrying _him_. + +He sat and looked at his home. It was a little log house, which lay as +if it had been crushed down to earth, under the high, sloping roof. The +outhouses were also small; and the patches of ground were so narrow that +a horse could barely turn around on them. But little and poor though the +place was, it was much too good for him _now_. He couldn't ask for any +better place than a hole under the stable floor. + +It was wondrously beautiful weather! It budded, and it rippled, and it +murmured, and it twittered--all around him. But he sat there with such a +heavy sorrow. He should never be happy any more about anything. + +Never had he seen the skies as blue as they were to-day. Birds of +passage came on their travels. They came from foreign lands, and had +travelled over the East sea, by way of Smygahuk, and were now on their +way North. They were of many different kinds; but he was only familiar +with the wild geese, who came flying in two long rows, which met at an +angle. + +Several flocks of wild geese had already flown by. They flew very high, +still he could hear how they shrieked: "To the hills! Now we're off to +the hills!" + +When the wild geese saw the tame geese, who walked about the farm, they +sank nearer the earth, and called: "Come along! Come along! We're off to +the hills!" + +The tame geese could not resist the temptation to raise their heads and +listen, but they answered very sensibly: "We're pretty well off where we +are. We're pretty well off where we are." + +It was, as we have said, an uncommonly fine day, with an atmosphere that +it must have been a real delight to fly in, so light and bracing. And +with each new wild geese-flock that flew by, the tame geese became more +and more unruly. A couple of times they flapped their wings, as if they +had half a mind to fly along. But then an old mother-goose would always +say to them: "Now don't be silly. Those creatures will have to suffer +both hunger and cold." + +There was a young gander whom the wild geese had fired with a passion +for adventure. "If another flock comes this way, I'll follow them," said +he. + +Then there came a new flock, who shrieked like the others, and the young +gander answered: "Wait a minute! Wait a minute! I'm coming." + +He spread his wings and raised himself into the air; but he was so +unaccustomed to flying, that he fell to the ground again. + +At any rate, the wild geese must have heard his call, for they turned +and flew back slowly to see if he was coming. + +"Wait, wait!" he cried, and made another attempt to fly. + +All this the boy heard, where he lay on the hedge. "It would be a great +pity," thought he, "if the big goosey-gander should go away. It would be +a big loss to father and mother if he was gone when they came home from +church." + +When he thought of this, once again he entirely forgot that he was +little and helpless. He took one leap right down into the goose-flock, +and threw his arms around the neck of the goosey-gander. "Oh, no! You +don't fly away this time, sir!" cried he. + +But just about then, the gander was considering how he should go to +work to raise himself from the ground. He couldn't stop to shake the boy +off, hence he had to go along with him--up in the air. + +They bore on toward the heights so rapidly, that the boy fairly gasped. +Before he had time to think that he ought to let go his hold around the +gander's neck, he was so high up that he would have been killed +instantly, if he had fallen to the ground. + +The only thing that he could do to make himself a little more +comfortable, was to try and get upon the gander's back. And there he +wriggled himself forthwith; but not without considerable trouble. And it +was not an easy matter, either, to hold himself secure on the slippery +back, between two swaying wings. He had to dig deep into feathers and +down with both hands, to keep from tumbling to the ground. + +THE BIG CHECKED CLOTH + +The boy had grown so giddy that it was a long while before he came to +himself. The winds howled and beat against him, and the rustle of +feathers and swaying of wings sounded like a whole storm. Thirteen geese +flew around him, flapping their wings and honking. They danced before +his eyes and they buzzed in his ears. He didn't know whether they flew +high or low, or in what direction they were travelling. + +After a bit, he regained just enough sense to understand that he ought +to find out where the geese were taking him. But this was not so easy, +for he didn't know how he should ever muster up courage enough to look +down. He was sure he'd faint if he attempted it. + +The wild geese were not flying very high because the new travelling +companion could not breathe in the very thinnest air. For his sake they +also flew a little slower than usual. + +At last the boy just made himself cast one glance down to earth. Then he +thought that a great big rug lay spread beneath him, which was made up +of an incredible number of large and small checks. + +"Where in all the world am I now?" he wondered. + +He saw nothing but check upon check. Some were broad and ran crosswise, +and some were long and narrow--all over, there were angles and corners. +Nothing was round, and nothing was crooked. + +"What kind of a big, checked cloth is this that I'm looking down on?" +said the boy to himself without expecting anyone to answer him. + +But instantly the wild geese who flew about him called out: "Fields and +meadows. Fields and meadows." + +Then he understood that the big, checked cloth he was travelling over +was the flat land of southern Sweden; and he began to comprehend why it +looked so checked and multi-coloured. The bright green checks he +recognised first; they were rye fields that had been sown in the fall, +and had kept themselves green under the winter snows. The yellowish-gray +checks were stubble-fields--the remains of the oat-crop which had grown +there the summer before. The brownish ones were old clover meadows: and +the black ones, deserted grazing lands or ploughed-up fallow pastures. +The brown checks with the yellow edges were, undoubtedly, beech-tree +forests; for in these you'll find the big trees which grow in the heart +of the forest--naked in winter; while the little beech-trees, which grow +along the borders, keep their dry, yellowed leaves way into the spring. +There were also dark checks with gray centres: these were the large, +built-up estates encircled by the small cottages with their blackening +straw roofs, and their stone-divided land-plots. And then there were +checks green in the middle with brown borders: these were the orchards, +where the grass-carpets were already turning green, although the trees +and bushes around them were still in their nude, brown bark. + +The boy could not keep from laughing when he saw how checked everything +looked. + +But when the wild geese heard him laugh, they called out--kind o' +reprovingly: "Fertile and good land. Fertile and good land." + +The boy had already become serious. "To think that you can laugh; you, +who have met with the most terrible misfortune that can possibly happen +to a human being!" thought he. And for a moment he was pretty serious; +but it wasn't long before he was laughing again. + +Now that he had grown somewhat accustomed to the ride and the speed, so +that he could think of something besides holding himself on the gander's +back, he began to notice how full the air was of birds flying northward. +And there was a shouting and a calling from flock to flock. "So you came +over to-day?" shrieked some. "Yes," answered the geese. "How do you +think the spring's getting on?" "Not a leaf on the trees and ice-cold +water in the lakes," came back the answer. + +When the geese flew over a place where they saw any tame, half-naked +fowl, they shouted: "What's the name of this place? What's the name of +this place?" Then the roosters cocked their heads and answered: "Its +name's Lillgarde this year--the same as last year." + +Most of the cottages were probably named after their owners--which is +the custom in SkÃ¥ne. But instead of saying this is "Per Matssons," or +"Ola Bossons," the roosters hit upon the kind of names which, to their +way of thinking, were more appropriate. Those who lived on small farms, +and belonged to poor cottagers, cried: "This place is called +Grainscarce." And those who belonged to the poorest hut-dwellers +screamed: "The name of this place is Little-to-eat, Little-to-eat, +Little-to-eat." + +The big, well-cared-for farms got high-sounding names from the +roosters--such as Luckymeadows, Eggberga and Moneyville. + +But the roosters on the great landed estates were too high and mighty to +condescend to anything like jesting. One of them crowed and called out +with such gusto that it sounded as if he wanted to be heard clear up to +the sun: "This is Herr Dybeck's estate; the same this year as last year; +this year as last year." + +A little further on strutted one rooster who crowed: "This is Swanholm, +surely all the world knows that!" + +The boy observed that the geese did not fly straight forward; but +zigzagged hither and thither over the whole South country, just as +though they were glad to be in SkÃ¥ne again and wanted to pay their +respects to every separate place. + +They came to one place where there were a number of big, clumsy-looking +buildings with great, tall chimneys, and all around these were a lot of +smaller houses. "This is Jordberga Sugar Refinery," cried the roosters. +The boy shuddered as he sat there on the goose's back. He ought to have +recognised this place, for it was not very far from his home. + +Here he had worked the year before as a watch boy; but, to be sure, +nothing was exactly like itself when one saw it like that--from up +above. + +And think! Just think! Osa the goose girl and little Mats, who were his +comrades last year! Indeed the boy would have been glad to know if they +still were anywhere about here. Fancy what they would have said, had +they suspected that he was flying over their heads! + +Soon Jordberga was lost to sight, and they travelled towards Svedala and +Skaber Lake and back again over Görringe Cloister and Häckeberga. The +boy saw more of SkÃ¥ne in this one day than he had ever seen before--in +all the years that he had lived. + +Whenever the wild geese happened across any tame geese, they had the +best fun! They flew forward very slowly and called down: "We're off to +the hills. Are you coming along? Are you coming along?" + +But the tame geese answered: "It's still winter in this country. You're +out too soon. Fly back! Fly back!" + +The wild geese lowered themselves that they might be heard a little +better, and called: "Come along! We'll teach you how to fly and swim." + +Then the tame geese got mad and wouldn't answer them with a single honk. + +The wild geese sank themselves still lower--until they almost touched +the ground--then, quick as lightning, they raised themselves, just as if +they'd been terribly frightened. "Oh, oh, oh!" they exclaimed. "Those +things were not geese. They were only sheep, they were only sheep." + +The ones on the ground were beside themselves with rage and shrieked: +"May you be shot, the whole lot o' you! The whole lot o' you!" + +When the boy heard all this teasing he laughed. Then he remembered how +badly things had gone with him, and he cried. But the next second, he +was laughing again. + +Never before had he ridden so fast; and to ride fast and +recklessly--that he had always liked. And, of course, he had never +dreamed that it could be as fresh and bracing as it was, up in the air; +or that there rose from the earth such a fine scent of resin and soil. +Nor had he ever dreamed what it could be like--to ride so high above the +earth. It was just like flying away from sorrow and trouble and +annoyances of every kind that could be thought of. + + +AKKA FROM KEBNEKAISE + + +EVENING + +The big tame goosey-gander that had followed them up in the air, felt +very proud of being permitted to travel back and forth over the South +country with the wild geese, and crack jokes with the tame birds. But in +spite of his keen delight, he began to tire as the afternoon wore on. He +tried to take deeper breaths and quicker wing-strokes, but even so he +remained several goose-lengths behind the others. + +When the wild geese who flew last, noticed that the tame one couldn't +keep up with them, they began to call to the goose who rode in the +centre of the angle and led the procession: "Akka from Kebnekaise! Akka +from Kebnekaise!" "What do you want of me?" asked the leader. "The white +one will be left behind; the white one will be left behind." "Tell him +it's easier to fly fast than slow!" called the leader, and raced on as +before. + +The goosey-gander certainly tried to follow the advice, and increase his +speed; but then he became so exhausted that he sank away down to the +drooping willows that bordered the fields and meadows. + +"Akka, Akka, Akka from Kebnekaise!" cried those who flew last and saw +what a hard time he was having. "What do you want now?" asked the +leader--and she sounded awfully angry. "The white one sinks to the +earth; the white one sinks to the earth." "Tell him it's easier to fly +high than low!" shouted the leader, and she didn't slow up the least +little bit, but raced on as before. + +The goosey-gander tried also to follow this advice; but when he wanted +to raise himself, he became so winded that he almost burst his breast. + +"Akka, Akka!" again cried those who flew last. "Can't you let me fly in +peace?" asked the leader, and she sounded even madder than before. + +"The white one is ready to collapse." "Tell him that he who has not the +strength to fly with the flock, can go back home!" cried the leader. She +certainly had no idea of decreasing her speed--but raced on as before. + +"Oh! is that the way the wind blows," thought the goosey-gander. He +understood at once that the wild geese had never intended to take him +along up to Lapland. They had only lured him away from home in sport. + +He felt thoroughly exasperated. To think that his strength should fail +him now, so he wouldn't be able to show these tramps that even a tame +goose was good for something! But the most provoking thing of all was +that he had fallen in with Akka from Kebnekaise. Tame goose that he was, +he had heard about a leader goose, named Akka, who was more than a +hundred years old. She had such a big name that the best wild geese in +the world followed her. But no one had such a contempt for tame geese +as Akka and her flock, and gladly would he have shown them that he was +their equal. + +He flew slowly behind the rest, while he deliberated whether he should +turn back or continue. Finally, the little creature that he carried on +his back said: "Dear Morten Goosey-gander, you know well enough that it +is simply impossible for you, who have never flown, to go with the wild +geese all the way up to Lapland. Won't you turn back before you kill +yourself?" + +But the farmer's lad was about the worst thing the goosey-gander knew +anything about, and as soon as it dawned on him that this puny creature +actually believed that he couldn't make the trip, he decided to stick it +out. "If you say another word about this, I'll drop you into the first +ditch we ride over!" said he, and at the same time his fury gave him so +much strength that he began to fly almost as well as any of the others. + +It isn't likely that he could have kept this pace up very long, neither +was it necessary; for, just then, the sun sank quickly; and at sunset +the geese flew down, and before the boy and the goosey-gander knew what +had happened, they stood on the shores of Vomb Lake. + +"They probably intend that we shall spend the night here," thought the +boy, and jumped down from the goose's back. + +He stood on a narrow beach by a fair-sized lake. It was ugly to look +upon, because it was almost entirely covered with an ice-crust that was +blackened and uneven and full of cracks and holes--as spring ice +generally is. + +The ice was already breaking up. It was loose and floating and had a +broad belt of dark, shiny water all around it; but there was still +enough of it left to spread chill and winter terror over the place. + +On the other side of the lake there appeared to be an open and light +country, but where the geese had lighted there was a thick pine-growth. +It looked as if the forest of firs and pines had the power to bind the +winter to itself. Everywhere else the ground was bare; but beneath the +sharp pine-branches lay snow that had been melting and freezing, melting +and freezing, until it was hard as ice. + +The boy thought he had struck an arctic wilderness, and he was so +miserable that he wanted to scream. He was hungry too. He hadn't eaten a +bite the whole day. But where should he find any food? Nothing eatable +grew on either ground or tree in the month of March. + +Yes, where was he to find food, and who would give him shelter, and who +would fix his bed, and who would protect him from the wild beasts? + +For now the sun was away and frost came from the lake, and darkness sank +down from heaven, and terror stole forward on the twilight's trail, and +in the forest it began to patter and rustle. + +Now the good humour which the boy had felt when he was up in the air, +was gone, and in his misery he looked around for his travelling +companions. He had no one but them to cling to now. + +Then he saw that the goosey-gander was having even a worse time of it +than he. He was lying prostrate on the spot where he had alighted; and +it looked as if he were ready to die. His neck lay flat against the +ground, his eyes were closed, and his breathing sounded like a feeble +hissing. + +"Dear Morten Goosey-Gander," said the boy, "try to get a swallow of +water! It isn't two steps to the lake." + +But the goosey-gander didn't stir. + +The boy had certainly been cruel to all animals, and to the +goosey-gander in times gone by; but now he felt that the goosey-gander +was the only comfort he had left, and he was dreadfully afraid of losing +him. + +At once the boy began to push and drag him, to get him into the water, +but the goosey-gander was big and heavy, and it was mighty hard work for +the boy; but at last he succeeded. + +The goosey-gander got in head first. For an instant he lay motionless in +the slime, but soon he poked up his head, shook the water from his eyes +and sniffed. Then he swam, proudly, between reeds and seaweed. + +The wild geese were in the lake before him. They had not looked around +for either the goosey-gander or for his rider, but had made straight +for the water. They had bathed and primped, and now they lay and gulped +half-rotten pond-weed and water-clover. + +The white goosey-gander had the good fortune to spy a perch. He grabbed +it quickly, swam ashore with it, and laid it down in front of the boy. +"Here's a thank you for helping me into the water," said he. + +It was the first time the boy had heard a friendly word that day. He was +so happy that he wanted to throw his arms around the goosey-gander's +neck, but he refrained; and he was also thankful for the gift. At first +he must have thought that it would be impossible to eat raw fish, and +then he had a notion to try it. + +He felt to see if he still had his sheath-knife with him; and, sure +enough, there it hung--on the back button of his trousers, although it +was so diminished that it was hardly as long as a match. Well, at any +rate, it served to scale and cleanse fish with; and it wasn't long +before the perch was eaten. + +When the boy had satisfied his hunger, he felt a little ashamed because +he had been able to eat a raw thing. "It's evident that I'm not a human +being any longer, but a real elf," thought he. + +While the boy ate, the goosey-gander stood silently beside him. But when +he had swallowed the last bite, he said in a low voice: "It's a fact +that we have run across a stuck-up goose folk who despise all tame +birds." + +"Yes, I've observed that," said the boy. + +"What a triumph it would be for me if I could follow them clear up to +Lapland, and show them that even a tame goose can do things!" + +"Y-e-e-s," said the boy, and drawled it out because he didn't believe +the goosey-gander could ever do it; yet he didn't wish to contradict +him. "But I don't think I can get along all alone on such a journey," +said the goosey-gander. "I'd like to ask if you couldn't come along and +help me?" The boy, of course, hadn't expected anything but to return to +his home as soon as possible, and he was so surprised that he hardly +knew what he should reply. "I thought that we were enemies, you and I," +said he. But this the goosey-gander seemed to have forgotten entirely. +He only remembered that the boy had but just saved his life. + +"I suppose I really ought to go home to father and mother," said the +boy. "Oh! I'll get you back to them some time in the fall," said the +goosey-gander. "I shall not leave you until I put you down on your own +doorstep." + +The boy thought it might be just as well for him if he escaped showing +himself before his parents for a while. He was not disinclined to favour +the scheme, and was just on the point of saying that he agreed to +it--when they heard a loud rumbling behind them. It was the wild geese +who had come up from the lake--all at one time--and stood shaking the +water from their backs. After that they arranged themselves in a long +row--with the leader-goose in the centre--and came toward them. + +As the white goosey-gander sized up the wild geese, he felt ill at ease. +He had expected that they should be more like tame geese, and that he +should feel a closer kinship with them. They were much smaller than he, +and none of them were white. They were all gray with a sprinkling of +brown. He was almost afraid of their eyes. They were yellow, and shone +as if a fire had been kindled back of them. The goosey-gander had always +been taught that it was most fitting to move slowly and with a rolling +motion, but these creatures did not walk--they half ran. He grew most +alarmed, however, when he looked at their feet. These were large, and +the soles were torn and ragged-looking. It was evident that the wild +geese never questioned what they tramped upon. They took no by-paths. +They were very neat and well cared for in other respects, but one could +see by their feet that they were poor wilderness-folk. + +The goosey-gander only had time to whisper to the boy: "Speak up quickly +for yourself, but don't tell them who you are!"--before the geese were +upon them. + +When the wild geese had stopped in front of them, they curtsied with +their necks many times, and the goosey-gander did likewise many more +times. As soon as the ceremonies were over, the leader-goose said: "Now +I presume we shall hear what kind of creatures you are." + +"There isn't much to tell about me," said the goosey-gander. "I was born +in Skanor last spring. In the fall I was sold to Holger Nilsson of West +Vemminghög, and there I have lived ever since." "You don't seem to have +any pedigree to boast of," said the leader-goose. "What is it, then, +that makes you so high-minded that you wish to associate with wild +geese?" "It may be because I want to show you wild geese that we tame +ones may also be good for something," said the goosey-gander. "Yes, it +would be well if you could show us that," said the leader-goose. "We +have already observed how much you know about flying; but you are more +skilled, perhaps, in other sports. Possibly you are strong in a swimming +match?" "No, I can't boast that I am," said the goosey-gander. It seemed +to him that the leader-goose had already made up her mind to send him +home, so he didn't much care how he answered. "I never swam any farther +than across a marl-ditch," he continued. "Then I presume you're a crack +sprinter," said the goose. "I have never seen a tame goose run, nor have +I ever done it myself," said the goosey-gander; and he made things +appear much worse than they really were. + +The big white one was sure now that the leader-goose would say that +under no circumstances could they take him along. He was very much +astonished when she said: "You answer questions courageously; and he who +has courage can become a good travelling companion, even if he is +ignorant in the beginning. What do you say to stopping with us for a +couple of days, until we can see what you are good for?" "That suits +me!" said the goosey-gander--and he was thoroughly happy. + +Thereupon the leader-goose pointed with her bill and said: "But who is +that you have with you? I've never seen anything like him before." +"That's my comrade," said the goosey-gander. "He's been a goose-tender +all his life. He'll be useful all right to take with us on the trip." +"Yes, he may be all right for a tame goose," answered the wild one. +"What do you call him?" "He has several names," said the +goosey-gander--hesitantly, not knowing what he should hit upon in a +hurry, for he didn't want to reveal the fact that the boy had a human +name. "Oh! his name is Thumbietot," he said at last. "Does he belong to +the elf family?" asked the leader-goose. "At what time do you wild geese +usually retire?" said the goosey-gander quickly--trying to evade that +last question. "My eyes close of their own accord about this time." + +One could easily see that the goose who talked with the gander was very +old. Her entire feather outfit was ice-gray, without any dark streaks. +The head was larger, the legs coarser, and the feet were more worn than +any of the others. The feathers were stiff; the shoulders knotty; the +neck thin. All this was due to age. It was only upon the eyes that time +had had no effect. They shone brighter--as if they were younger--than +any of the others! + +She turned, very haughtily, toward the goosey-gander. "Understand, Mr. +Tame-goose, that I am Akka from Kebnekaise! And that the goose who flies +nearest me--to the right--is Iksi from Vassijaure, and the one to the +left, is Kaksi from Nuolja! Understand, also, that the second right-hand +goose is Kolmi from Sarjektjakko, and the second, left, is Neljä from +Svappavaara; and behind them fly Viisi from Oviksfjällen and Kuusi from +Sjangeli! And know that these, as well as the six goslings who fly +last--three to the right, and three to the left--are all high mountain +geese of the finest breed! You must not take us for land-lubbers who +strike up a chance acquaintance with any and everyone! And you must not +think that we permit anyone to share our quarters, that will not tell us +who his ancestors were." + +When Akka, the leader-goose, talked in this way, the boy stepped briskly +forward. It had distressed him that the goosey-gander, who had spoken up +so glibly for himself, should give such evasive answers when it +concerned him. "I don't care to make a secret of who I am," said he. "My +name is Nils Holgersson. I'm a farmer's son, and, until to-day, I have +been a human being; but this morning--" He got no further. As soon as he +had said that he was human the leader-goose staggered three steps +backward, and the rest of them even farther back. They all extended +their necks and hissed angrily at him. + +"I have suspected this ever since I first saw you here on these shores," +said Akka; "and now you can clear out of here at once. We tolerate no +human beings among us." + +"It isn't possible," said the goosey-gander, meditatively, "that you +wild geese can be afraid of anyone who is so tiny! By to-morrow, of +course, he'll turn back home. You can surely let him stay with us +overnight. None of us can afford to let such a poor little creature +wander off by himself in the night--among weasels and foxes!" + +The wild goose came nearer. But it was evident that it was hard for her +to master her fear. "I have been taught to fear everything in human +shape--be it big or little," said she. "But if you will answer for this +one, and swear that he will not harm us, he can stay with us to-night. +But I don't believe our night quarters are suitable either for him or +you, for we intend to roost on the broken ice out here." + +She thought, of course, that the goosey-gander would be doubtful when +he heard this, but he never let on. "She is pretty wise who knows how to +choose such a safe bed," said he. + +"You will be answerable for his return to his own to-morrow." + +"Then I, too, will have to leave you," said the goosey-gander. "I have +sworn that I would not forsake him." + +"You are free to fly whither you will," said the leader-goose. + +With this, she raised her wings and flew out over the ice and one after +another the wild geese followed her. + +The boy was very sad to think that his trip to Lapland would not come +off, and, in the bargain, he was afraid of the chilly night quarters. +"It will be worse and worse," said he. "In the first place, we'll freeze +to death on the ice." + +But the gander was in a good humour. "There's no danger," said he. "Only +make haste, I beg of you, and gather together as much grass and litter +as you can well carry." + +When the boy had his arms full of dried grass, the goosey-gander grabbed +him by the shirt-band, lifted him, and flew out on the ice, where the +wild geese were already fast asleep, with their bills tucked under their +wings. + +"Now spread out the grass on the ice, so there'll be something to stand +on, to keep me from freezing fast. You help me and I'll help you," said +the goosey-gander. + +This the boy did. And when he had finished, the goosey-gander picked +him up, once again, by the shirt-band, and tucked him under his wing. "I +think you'll lie snug and warm there," said the goosey-gander as he +covered him with his wing. + +The boy was so imbedded in down that he couldn't answer, and he was nice +and comfy. Oh, but he was tired!--And in less than two winks he was fast +asleep. + +NIGHT + +It is a fact that ice is always treacherous and not to be trusted. In +the middle of the night the loosened ice-cake on Vomb Lake moved about, +until one corner of it touched the shore. Now it happened that Mr. +Smirre Fox, who lived at this time in Övid Cloister Park--on the east +side of the lake--caught a glimpse of that one corner, while he was out +on his night chase. Smirre had seen the wild geese early in the evening, +and hadn't dared to hope that he might get at one of them, but now he +walked right out on the ice. + +When Smirre was very near to the geese, his claws scraped the ice, and +the geese awoke, flapped their wings, and prepared for flight. But +Smirre was too quick for them. He darted forward as though he'd been +shot; grabbed a goose by the wing, and ran toward land again. + +But this night the wild geese were not alone on the ice, for they had a +human being among them--little as he was. The boy had awakened when the +goosey-gander spread his wings. He had tumbled down on the ice and was +sitting there, dazed. He hadn't grasped the whys and wherefores of all +this confusion, until he caught sight of a little long-legged dog who +ran over the ice with a goose in his mouth. + +In a minute the boy was after that dog, to try and take the goose away +from him. He must have heard the goosey-gander call to him: "Have a +care, Thumbietot! Have a care!" But the boy thought that such a little +runt of a dog was nothing to be afraid of and he rushed ahead. + +The wild goose that Smirre Fox tugged after him, heard the clatter as +the boy's wooden shoes beat against the ice, and she could hardly +believe her ears. "Does that infant think he can take me away from the +fox?" she wondered. And in spite of her misery, she began to cackle +right merrily, deep down in her windpipe. It was almost as if she had +laughed. + +"The first thing he knows, he'll fall through a crack in the ice," +thought she. + +But dark as the night was, the boy saw distinctly all the cracks and +holes there were, and took daring leaps over them. This was because he +had the elf's good eyesight now, and could see in the dark. He saw both +lake and shore just as clearly as if it had been daylight. + +Smirre Fox left the ice where it touched the shore. And just as he was +working his way up to the land-edge, the boy shouted: "Drop that goose, +you sneak!" + +Smirre didn't know who was calling to him, and wasted no time in looking +around, but increased his pace. The fox made straight for the forest and +the boy followed him, with never a thought of the danger he was running. +All he thought about was the contemptuous way in which he had been +received by the wild geese; and he made up his mind to let them see that +a human being was something higher than all else created. + +He shouted, again and again, to that dog, to make him drop his game. +"What kind of a dog are you, who can steal a whole goose and not feel +ashamed of yourself? Drop her at once! or you'll see what a beating +you'll get. Drop her, I say, or I'll tell your master how you behave!" + +When Smirre Fox saw that he had been mistaken for a scary dog, he was so +amused that he came near dropping the goose. Smirre was a great +plunderer who wasn't satisfied with only hunting rats and pigeons in the +fields, but he also ventured into the farmyards to steal chickens and +geese. He knew that he was feared throughout the district; and anything +as idiotic as this he had not heard since he was a baby. + +The boy ran so fast that the thick beech-trees appeared to be running +past him--backward, but he caught up with Smirre. Finally, he was so +close to him that he got a hold on his tail. "Now I'll take the goose +from you anyway," cried he, and held on as hard as ever he could, but he +hadn't strength enough to stop Smirre. The fox dragged him along until +the dry foliage whirled around him. + +But now it began to dawn on Smirre how harmless the thing was that +pursued him. He stopped short, put the goose on the ground, and stood on +her with his forepaws, so she couldn't fly away. He was just about to +bite off her neck--but then he couldn't resist the desire to tease the +boy a little. "Hurry off and complain to the master, for now I'm going +to bite the goose to death!" said he. + +Certainly the one who was surprised when he saw what a pointed nose, and +heard what a hoarse and angry voice that dog which he was pursuing +had,--was the boy! But now he was so enraged because the fox had made +fun of him, that he never thought of being frightened. He took a firmer +hold on the tail, braced himself against a beech trunk; and just as the +fox opened his jaws over the goose's throat, he pulled as hard as he +could. Smirre was so astonished that he let himself be pulled backward a +couple of steps--and the wild goose got away. She fluttered upward +feebly and heavily. One wing was so badly wounded that she could barely +use it. In addition to this, she could not see in the night darkness of +the forest but was as helpless as the blind. Therefore she could in no +way help the boy; so she groped her way through the branches and flew +down to the lake again. + +Then Smirre made a dash for the boy. "If I don't get the one, I shall +certainly have the other," said he; and you could tell by his voice how +mad he was. "Oh, don't you believe it!" said the boy, who was in the +best of spirits because he had saved the goose. He held fast by the +fox-tail, and swung with it--to one side--when the fox tried to catch +him. + +There was such a dance in that forest that the dry beech-leaves fairly +flew! Smirre swung round and round, but the tail swung too; while the +boy kept a tight grip on it, so the fox could not grab him. + +The boy was so gay after his success that in the beginning, he laughed +and made fun of the fox. But Smirre was persevering--as old hunters +generally are--and the boy began to fear that he should be captured in +the end. Then he caught sight of a little, young beech-tree that had +shot up as slender as a rod, that it might soon reach the free air above +the canopy of branches which the old beeches spread above it. + +Quick as a flash, he let go of the fox-tail and climbed the beech tree. +Smirre Fox was so excited that he continued to dance around after his +tail. + +"Don't bother with the dance any longer!" said the boy. + +But Smirre couldn't endure the humiliation of his failure to get the +better of such a little tot, so he lay down under the tree, that he +might keep a close watch on him. + +The boy didn't have any too good a time of it where he sat, astride a +frail branch. The young beech did not, as yet, reach the high +branch-canopy, so the boy couldn't get over to another tree, and he +didn't dare to come down again. He was so cold and numb that he almost +lost his hold around the branch; and he was dreadfully sleepy; but he +didn't dare fall asleep for fear of tumbling down. + +My! but it was dismal to sit in that way the whole night through, out in +the forest! He never before understood the real meaning of "night." It +was just as if the whole world had become petrified, and never could +come to life again. + +Then it commenced to dawn. The boy was glad that everything began to +look like itself once more; although the chill was even sharper than it +had been during the night. + +Finally, when the sun got up, it wasn't yellow but red. The boy thought +it looked as though it were angry and he wondered what it was angry +about. Perhaps it was because the night had made it so cold and gloomy +on earth, while the sun was away. + +The sunbeams came down in great clusters, to see what the night had been +up to. It could be seen how everything blushed--as if they all had +guilty consciences. The clouds in the skies; the satiny beech-limbs; the +little intertwined branches of the forest-canopy; the hoar-frost that +covered the foliage on the ground--everything grew flushed and red. More +and more sunbeams came bursting through space, and soon the night's +terrors were driven away, and such a marvellous lot of living things +came forward. The black woodpecker, with the red neck, began to hammer +with its bill on the branch. The squirrel glided from his nest with a +nut, and sat down on a branch and began to shell it. The starling came +flying with a worm, and the bulfinch sang in the tree-top. + +Then the boy understood that the sun had said to all these tiny +creatures: "Wake up now, and come out of your nests! I'm here! Now you +need be afraid of nothing." + +The wild-goose call was heard from the lake, as they were preparing for +flight; and soon all fourteen geese came flying through the forest. The +boy tried to call to them, but they flew so high that his voice couldn't +reach them. They probably believed the fox had eaten him up; and they +didn't trouble themselves to look for him. + +The boy came near crying with regret; but the sun stood up +there--orange-coloured and happy--and put courage into the whole world. +"It isn't worth while, Nils Holgersson, for you to be troubled about +anything, as long as I'm here," said the sun. + +GOOSE-PLAY + +_Monday, March twenty-first_. + +Everything remained unchanged in the forest--about as long as it takes a +goose to eat her breakfast. But just as the morning was verging on +forenoon, a goose came flying, all by herself, under the thick +tree-canopy. She groped her way hesitatingly, between the stems and +branches, and flew very slowly. As soon as Smirre Fox saw her, he left +his place under the beech tree, and sneaked up toward her. The wild +goose didn't avoid the fox, but flew very close to him. Smirre made a +high jump for her but he missed her; and the goose went on her way down +to the lake. + +It was not long before another goose came flying. She took the same +route as the first one; and flew still lower and slower. She, too, flew +close to Smirre Fox, and he made such a high spring for her, that his +ears brushed her feet. But she, too, got away from him unhurt, and went +her way toward the lake, silent as a shadow. + +A little while passed and then there came another wild goose. She flew +still slower and lower; and it seemed even more difficult for her to +find her way between the beech-branches. Smirre made a powerful spring! +He was within a hair's breadth of catching her; but that goose also +managed to save herself. + +Just after she had disappeared, came a fourth. She flew so slowly, and +so badly, that Smirre Fox thought he could catch her without much +effort, but he was afraid of failure now, and concluded to let her fly +past--unmolested. She took the same direction the others had taken; and +just as she was come right above Smirre, she sank down so far that he +was tempted to jump for her. He jumped so high that he touched her with +his tail. But she flung herself quickly to one side and saved her life. + +Before Smirre got through panting, three more geese came flying in a +row. They flew just like the rest, and Smirre made high springs for them +all, but he did not succeed in catching any one of them. + +After that came five geese; but these flew better than the others. And +although it seemed as if they wanted to lure Smirre to jump, he +withstood the temptation. After quite a long time came one single goose. +It was the thirteenth. This one was so old that she was gray all over, +without a dark speck anywhere on her body. She didn't appear to use one +wing very well, but flew so wretchedly and crookedly, that she almost +touched the ground. Smirre not only made a high leap for her, but he +pursued her, running and jumping all the way down to the lake. But not +even this time did he get anything for his trouble. + +When the fourteenth goose came along, it looked very pretty because it +was white. And as its great wings swayed, it glistened like a light, in +the dark forest. When Smirre Fox saw this one, he mustered all his +resources and jumped half-way up to the tree-canopy. But the white one +flew by unhurt like the rest. + +Now it was quiet for a moment under the beeches. It looked as if the +whole wild-goose-flock had travelled past. + +Suddenly Smirre remembered his prisoner and raised his eyes toward the +young beech-tree. And just as he might have expected--the boy had +disappeared. + +But Smirre didn't have much time to think about him; for now the first +goose came back again from the lake and flew slowly under the canopy. In +spite of all his ill luck, Smirre was glad that she came back, and +darted after her with a high leap. But he had been in too much of a +hurry, and hadn't taken the time to calculate the distance, and he +landed at one side of the goose. Then there came still another goose; +then a third; a fourth; a fifth; and so on, until the angle closed in +with the old ice-gray one, and the big white one. They all flew low and +slow. Just as they swayed in the vicinity of Smirre Fox, they sank +down--kind of inviting-like--for him to take them. Smirre ran after them +and made leaps a couple of fathoms high--but he couldn't manage to get +hold of a single one of them. + +It was the most awful day that Smirre Fox had ever experienced. The wild +geese kept on travelling over his head. They came and went--came and +went. Great splendid geese who had eaten themselves fat on the German +heaths and grain fields, swayed all day through the woods, and so close +to him that he touched them many times; yet he was not permitted to +appease his hunger with a single one of them. + +The winter was hardly gone yet, and Smirre recalled nights and days when +he had been forced to tramp around in idleness, with not so much as a +hare to hunt, when the rats hid themselves under the frozen earth; and +when the chickens were all shut up. But all the winter's hunger had not +been as hard to endure as this day's miscalculations. + +Smirre was no young fox. He had had the dogs after him many a time, and +had heard the bullets whizz around his ears. He had lain in hiding, down +in the lair, while the dachshunds crept into the crevices and all but +found him. But all the anguish that Smirre Fox had been forced to suffer +under this hot chase, was not to be compared with what he suffered every +time that he missed one of the wild geese. + +In the morning, when the play began, Smirre Fox had looked so stunning +that the geese were amazed when they saw him. Smirre loved display. His +coat was a brilliant red; his breast white; his nose black; and his tail +was as bushy as a plume. But when the evening of this day was come, +Smirre's coat hung in loose folds. He was bathed in sweat; his eyes were +without lustre; his tongue hung far out from his gaping jaws; and froth +oozed from his mouth. + +In the afternoon Smirre was so exhausted that he grew delirious. He saw +nothing before his eyes but flying geese. He made leaps for sun-spots +which he saw on the ground; and for a poor little butterfly that had +come out of his chrysalis too soon. + +The wild geese flew and flew, unceasingly. All day long they continued +to torment Smirre. They were not moved to pity because Smirre was done +up, fevered, and out of his head. They continued without a let-up, +although they understood that he hardly saw them, and that he jumped +after their shadows. + +When Smirre Fox sank down on a pile of dry leaves, weak and powerless +and almost ready to give up the ghost, they stopped teasing him. + +"Now you know, Mr. Fox, what happens to the one who dares to come near +Akka of Kebnekaise!" they shouted in his ear; and with that they left +him in peace. + + +THE WONDERFUL JOURNEY OF NILS + + +ON THE FARM + +_Thursday, March twenty-fourth_. + +Just at that time a thing happened in SkÃ¥ne which created a good deal of +discussion and even got into the newspapers but which many believed to +be a fable, because they had not been able to explain it. + +It was about like this: A lady squirrel had been captured in the +hazelbrush that grew on the shores of Vomb Lake, and was carried to a +farmhouse close by. All the folks on the farm--both young and old--were +delighted with the pretty creature with the bushy tail, the wise, +inquisitive eyes, and the natty little feet. They intended to amuse +themselves all summer by watching its nimble movements; its ingenious +way of shelling nuts; and its droll play. They immediately put in order +an old squirrel cage with a little green house and a wire-cylinder +wheel. The little house, which had both doors and windows, the lady +squirrel was to use as a dining room and bedroom. For this reason they +placed therein a bed of leaves, a bowl of milk and some nuts. The +cylinder wheel, on the other hand, she was to use as a play-house, where +she could run and climb and swing round. + +The people believed that they had arranged things very comfortably for +the lady squirrel, and they were astonished because she didn't seem to +be contented; but, instead, she sat there, downcast and moody, in a +corner of her room. Every now and again, she would let out a shrill, +agonised cry. She did not touch the food; and not once did she swing +round on the wheel. "It's probably because she's frightened," said the +farmer folk. "To-morrow, when she feels more at home, she will both eat +and play." + +Meanwhile, the women folk on the farm were making preparations for a +feast; and just on that day when the lady squirrel had been captured, +they were busy with an elaborate bake. They had had bad luck with +something: either the dough wouldn't rise, or else they had been +dilatory, for they were obliged to work long after dark. + +Naturally there was a great deal of excitement and bustle in the +kitchen, and probably no one there took time to think about the +squirrel, or to wonder how she was getting on. But there was an old +grandma in the house who was too aged to take a hand in the baking; this +she herself understood, but just the same she did not relish the idea of +being left out of the game. She felt rather downhearted; and for this +reason she did not go to bed but seated herself by the sitting-room +window and looked out. + +They had opened the kitchen door on account of the heat; and through it +a clear ray of light streamed out on the yard; and it became so well +lighted out there that the old woman could see all the cracks and holes +in the plastering on the wall opposite. She also saw the squirrel cage +which hung just where the light fell clearest. And she noticed how the +squirrel ran from her room to the wheel, and from the wheel to her room, +all night long, without stopping an instant. She thought it was a +strange sort of unrest that had come over the animal; but she believed, +of course, that the strong light kept her awake. + +Between the cow-house and the stable there was a broad, handsome +carriage-gate; this too came within the light-radius. As the night wore +on, the old grandma saw a tiny creature, no bigger than a hand's +breadth, cautiously steal his way through the gate. He was dressed in +leather breeches and wooden shoes like any other working man. The old +grandma knew at once that it was the elf, and she was not the least bit +frightened. She had always heard that the elf kept himself somewhere +about the place, although she had never seen him before; and an elf, to +be sure, brought good luck wherever he appeared. + +As soon as the elf came into the stone-paved yard, he ran right up to +the squirrel cage. And since it hung so high that he could not reach it, +he went over to the store-house after a rod; placed it against the cage, +and swung himself up--in the same way that a sailor climbs a rope. When +he had reached the cage, he shook the door of the little green house as +if he wanted to open it; but the old grandma didn't move; for she knew +that the children had put a padlock on the door, as they feared that the +boys on the neighbouring farms would try to steal the squirrel. The old +woman saw that when the boy could not get the door open, the lady +squirrel came out to the wire wheel. There they held a long conference +together. And when the boy had listened to all that the imprisoned +animal had to say to him, he slid down the rod to the ground, and ran +out through the carriage-gate. + +The old woman didn't expect to see anything more of the elf that night, +nevertheless, she remained at the window. After a few moments had gone +by, he returned. He was in such a hurry that it seemed to her as though +his feet hardly touched the ground; and he rushed right up to the +squirrel cage. The old woman, with her far-sighted eyes, saw him +distinctly; and she also saw that he carried something in his hands; but +what it was she couldn't imagine. The thing he carried in his left hand +he laid down on the pavement; but that which he held in his right hand +he took with him to the cage. He kicked so hard with his wooden shoes on +the little window that the glass was broken. He poked in the thing which +he held in his hand to the lady squirrel. Then he slid down again, and +took up that which he had laid upon the ground, and climbed up to the +cage with that also. The next instant he ran off again with such haste +that the old woman could hardly follow him with her eyes. + +But now it was the old grandma who could no longer sit still in the +cottage; but who, very slowly, went out to the back yard and stationed +herself in the shadow of the pump to await the elf's return. And there +was one other who had also seen him and had become curious. This was the +house cat. He crept along slyly and stopped close to the wall, just two +steps away from the stream of light. They both stood and waited, long +and patiently, on that chilly March night, and the old woman was just +beginning to think about going in again, when she heard a clatter on the +pavement, and saw that the little mite of an elf came trotting along +once more, carrying a burden in each hand, as he had done before. That +which he bore squealed and squirmed. And now a light dawned on the old +grandma. She understood that the elf had hurried down to the hazel-grove +and brought back the lady squirrel's babies; and that he was carrying +them to her so they shouldn't starve to death. + +The old grandma stood very still, so as not to disturb them; and it did +not look as if the elf had noticed her. He was just going to lay one of +the babies on the ground so that he could swing himself up to the cage +with the other one--when he saw the house cat's green eyes glisten close +beside him. He stood there, bewildered, with a young one in each hand. + +He turned around and looked in all directions; then he became aware of +the old grandma's presence. Then he did not hesitate long; but walked +forward, stretched his arms as high as he could reach, for her to take +one of the baby squirrels. + +The old grandma did not wish to prove herself unworthy of the +confidence, so she bent down and took the baby squirrel, and stood there +and held it until the boy had swung himself up to the cage with the +other one. Then he came back for the one he had entrusted to her care. + +The next morning, when the farm folk had gathered together for +breakfast, it was impossible for the old woman to refrain from telling +them of what she had seen the night before. They all laughed at her, of +course, and said that she had been only dreaming. There were no baby +squirrels this early in the year. + +But she was sure of her ground, and begged them to take a look into the +squirrel cage and this they did. And there lay on the bed of leaves, +four tiny half-naked, half blind baby squirrels, who were at least a +couple of days old. + +When the farmer himself saw the young ones, he said: "Be it as it may +with this; but one thing is certain, we, on this farm, have behaved in +such a manner that we are shamed before both animals and human beings." +And, thereupon, he took the mother squirrel and all her young ones from +the cage, and laid them in the old grandma's lap. "Go thou out to the +hazel-grove with them," said he, "and let them have their freedom back +again!" + +It was this event that was so much talked about, and which even got into +the newspapers, but which the majority would not credit because they +were not able to explain how anything like that could have happened. + +VITTSKÖVLE + +_Saturday, March twenty-sixth_. + +Two days later, another strange thing happened. A flock of wild geese +came flying one morning, and lit on a meadow down in Eastern SkÃ¥ne not +very far from Vittskövle manor. In the flock were thirteen wild geese, +of the usual gray variety, and one white goosey-gander, who carried on +his back a tiny lad dressed in yellow leather breeches, green vest, and +a white woollen toboggan hood. + +They were now very near the Eastern sea; and on the meadow where the +geese had alighted the soil was sandy, as it usually is on the +sea-coast. It looked as if, formerly, there had been flying sand in this +vicinity which had to be held down; for in several directions large, +planted pine-woods could be seen. + +When the wild geese had been feeding a while, several children came +along, and walked on the edge of the meadow. The goose who was on guard +at once raised herself into the air with noisy wing-strokes, so the +whole flock should hear that there was danger on foot. All the wild +geese flew upward; but the white one trotted along on the ground +unconcerned. When he saw the others fly he raised his head and called +after them: "You needn't fly away from these! They are only a couple of +children!" + +The little creature who had been riding on his back, sat down upon a +knoll on the outskirts of the wood and picked a pine-cone in pieces, +that he might get at the seeds. The children were so close to him that +he did not dare to run across the meadow to the white one. He concealed +himself under a big, dry thistle-leaf, and at the same time gave a +warning-cry. But the white one had evidently made up his mind not to let +himself be scared. He walked along on the ground all the while; and not +once did he look to see in what direction they were going. + +Meanwhile, they turned from the path, walked across the field, getting +nearer and nearer to the goosey-gander. When he finally did look up, +they were right upon him. He was so dumfounded, and became so confused, +he forgot that he could fly, and tried to get out of their reach by +running. But the children followed, chasing him into a ditch, and there +they caught him. The larger of the two stuck him under his arm and +carried him off. + +When the boy, who lay under the thistle-leaf saw this, he sprang up as +if he wanted to take the goosey-gander away from them; then he must have +remembered how little and powerless he was, for he threw himself on the +knoll and beat upon the ground with his clenched fists. + +The goosey-gander cried with all his might for help: "Thumbietot, come +and help me! Oh, Thumbietot, come and help me!" The boy began to laugh +in the midst of his distress. "Oh, yes! I'm just the right one to help +anybody, I am!" said he. + +Anyway he got up and followed the goosey-gander. "I can't help him," +said he, "but I shall at least find out where they are taking him." + +The children had a good start; but the boy had no difficulty in keeping +them within sight until they came to a hollow where a brook gushed +forth. But here he was obliged to run alongside of it for some little +time, before he could find a place narrow enough for him to jump over. + +When he came up from the hollow the children had disappeared. He could +see their footprints on a narrow path which led to the woods, and these +he continued to follow. + +Soon he came to a cross-road. Here the children must have separated, for +there were footprints in two directions. The boy looked now as if all +hope had fled. Then he saw a little white down on a heather-knoll, and +he understood that the goosey-gander had dropped this by the wayside to +let him know in which direction he had been carried; and therefore he +continued his search. He followed the children through the entire wood. +The goosey-gander he did not see; but wherever he was likely to miss his +way, lay a little white down to put him right. + +The boy continued faithfully to follow the bits of down. They led him +out of the wood, across a couple of meadows, up on a road, and finally +through the entrance of a broad _allée_. At the end of the _allée_ there +were gables and towers of red tiling, decorated with bright borders and +other ornamentations that glittered and shone. When the boy saw that +this was some great manor, he thought he knew what had become of the +goosey-gander. "No doubt the children have carried the goosey-gander to +the manor and sold him there. By this time he's probably butchered," he +said to himself. But he did not seem to be satisfied with anything less +than proof positive, and with renewed courage he ran forward. He met no +one in the _allée_--and that was well, for such as he are generally +afraid of being seen by human beings. + +The mansion which he came to was a splendid, old-time structure with +four great wings which inclosed a courtyard. On the east wing, there was +a high arch leading into the courtyard. This far the boy ran without +hesitation, but when he got there he stopped. He dared not venture +farther, but stood still and pondered what he should do now. + +There he stood, with his finger on his nose, thinking, when he heard +footsteps behind him; and as he turned around he saw a whole company +march up the _allée_. In haste he stole behind a water-barrel which +stood near the arch, and hid himself. + +Those who came up were some twenty young men from a folk-high-school, +out on a walking tour. They were accompanied by one of the instructors. +When they were come as far as the arch, the teacher requested them to +wait there a moment, while he went in and asked if they might see the +old castle of Vittskövle. + +The newcomers were warm and tired; as if they had been on a long tramp. +One of them was so thirsty that he went over to the water-barrel and +stooped down to drink. He had a tin box such as botanists use hanging +about his neck. He evidently thought that this was in his way, for he +threw it down on the ground. With this, the lid flew open, and one could +see that there were a few spring flowers in it. + +The botanist's box dropped just in front of the boy; and he must have +thought that here was his opportunity to get into the castle and find +out what had become of the goosey-gander. He smuggled himself quickly +into the box and concealed himself as well as he could under the +anemones and colt's-foot. + +He was hardly hidden before the young man picked the box up, hung it +around his neck, and slammed down the cover. + +Then the teacher came back, and said that they had been given +permission to enter the castle. At first he conducted them no farther +than the courtyard. There he stopped and began to talk to them about +this ancient structure. + +He called their attention to the first human beings who had inhabited +this country, and who had been obliged to live in mountain-grottoes and +earth-caves; in the dens of wild beasts, and in the brushwood; and that +a very long period had elapsed before they learned to build themselves +huts from the trunks of trees. And afterward how long had they not been +forced to labour and struggle, before they had advanced from the log +cabin, with its single room, to the building of a castle with a hundred +rooms--like Vittskövle! + +It was about three hundred and fifty years ago that the rich and +powerful built such castles for themselves, he said. It was very evident +that Vittskövle had been erected at a time when wars and robbers made it +unsafe in SkÃ¥ne. All around the castle was a deep trench filled with +water; and across this there had been a bridge in bygone days that could +be hoisted up. Over the gate-arch there is, even to this day, a +watch-tower; and all along the sides of the castle ran sentry-galleries, +and in the corners stood towers with walls a metre thick. Yet the castle +had not been erected in the most savage war time; for Jens Brahe, who +built it, had also studied to make of it a beautiful and decorative +ornament. If they could see the big, solid stone structure at Glimminge, +which had been built only a generation earlier, they would readily see +that Jans Holgersen Ulfstand, the builder, hadn't figured upon anything +else--only to build big and strong and secure, without bestowing a +thought upon making it beautiful and comfortable. If they visited such +castles as Marsvinsholm, Snogeholm and Övid's Cloister--which were +erected a hundred years or so later--they would find that the times had +become less warlike. The gentlemen who built these places, had not +furnished them with fortifications; but had only taken pains to provide +themselves with great, splendid dwelling houses. + +The teacher talked at length--and in detail; and the boy who lay shut up +in the box was pretty impatient; but he must have lain very still, for +the owner of the box hadn't the least suspicion that he was carrying him +along. + +Finally the company went into the castle. But if the boy had hoped for +a chance to crawl out of that box, he was deceived; for the student +carried it upon him all the while, and the boy was obliged to accompany +him through all the rooms. It was a tedious tramp. The teacher stopped +every other minute to explain and instruct. + +In one room he found an old fireplace, and before this he stopped to +talk about the different kinds of fireplaces that had been used in the +course of time. The first indoors fireplace had been a big, flat stone +on the floor of the hut, with an opening in the roof which let in both +wind and rain. The next had been a big stone hearth with no opening in +the roof. This must have made the hut very warm, but it also filled it +with soot and smoke. When Vittskövle was built, the people had advanced +far enough to open the fireplace, which, at that time, had a wide +chimney for the smoke; but it also took most of the warmth up in the air +with it. + +If that boy had ever in his life been cross and impatient, he was given +a good lesson in patience that day. It must have been a whole hour now +that he had lain perfectly still. + +In the next room they came to, the teacher stopped before an old-time +bed with its high canopy and rich curtains. Immediately he began to talk +about the beds and bed places of olden days. + +The teacher didn't hurry himself; but then he did not know, of course, +that a poor little creature lay shut up in a botanist's box, and only +waited for him to get through. When they came to a room with gilded +leather hangings, he talked to them about how the people had dressed +their walls and ceilings ever since the beginning of time. And when he +came to an old family portrait, he told them all about the different +changes in dress. And in the banquet halls he described ancient customs +of celebrating weddings and funerals. + +Thereupon, the teacher talked a little about the excellent men and women +who had lived in the castle; about the old Brahes, and the old +Barnekows; of Christian Barnekow, who had given his horse to the king to +help him escape; of Margareta Ascheberg who had been married to Kjell +Barnekow and who, when a widow, had managed the estates and the whole +district for fifty-three years; of banker Hageman, a farmer's son from +Vittskövle, who had grown so rich that he had bought the entire estate; +about the Stjernsvärds, who had given the people of SkÃ¥ne better +ploughs, which enabled them to discard the ridiculous old wooden ploughs +that three oxen were hardly able to drag. During all this, the boy lay +still. If he had ever been mischievous and shut the cellar door on his +father or mother, he understood now how they had felt; for it was hours +and hours before that teacher got through. + +At last the teacher went out into the courtyard again. And there he +discoursed upon the tireless labour of mankind to procure for themselves +tools and weapons, clothes and houses and ornaments. He said that such +an old castle as Vittskövle was a mile-post on time's highway. Here one +could see how far the people had advanced three hundred and fifty years +ago; and one could judge for oneself whether things had gone forward or +backward since their time. + +But this dissertation the boy escaped hearing; for the student who +carried him was thirsty again, and stole into the kitchen to ask for a +drink of water. When the boy was carried into the kitchen, he should +have tried to look around for the goosey-gander. He had begun to move; +and as he did this, he happened to press too hard against the lid--and +it flew open. As botanists' box-lids are always flying open, the student +thought no more about the matter but pressed it down again. Then the +cook asked him if he had a snake in the box. + +"No, I have only a few plants," the student replied. "It was certainly +something that moved there," insisted the cook. The student threw back +the lid to show her that she was mistaken. "See for yourself--if--" + +But he got no further, for now the boy dared not stay in the box any +longer, but with one bound he stood on the floor, and out he rushed. +The maids hardly had time to see what it was that ran, but they hurried +after it, nevertheless. + +The teacher still stood and talked when he was interrupted by shrill +cries. "Catch him, catch him!" shrieked those who had come from the +kitchen; and all the young men raced after the boy, who glided away +faster than a rat. They tried to intercept him at the gate, but it was +not so easy to get a hold on such a little creature, so, luckily, he got +out in the open. + +The boy did not dare to run down toward the open _allée,_ but turned in +another direction. He rushed through the garden into the back yard. All +the while the people raced after him, shrieking and laughing. The poor +little thing ran as hard as ever he could to get out of their way; but +still it looked as though the people would catch up with him. + +As he rushed past a labourer's cottage, he heard a goose cackle, and saw +a white down lying on the doorstep. There, at last, was the +goosey-gander! He had been on the wrong track before. He thought no more +of housemaids and men, who were hounding him, but climbed up the +steps--and into the hallway. Farther he couldn't come, for the door was +locked. He heard how the goosey-gander cried and moaned inside, but he +couldn't get the door open. The hunters that were pursuing him came +nearer and nearer, and, in the room, the goosey-gander cried more and +more pitifully. In this direst of needs the boy finally plucked up +courage and pounded on the door with all his might. + +A child opened it, and the boy looked into the room. In the middle of +the floor sat a woman who held the goosey-gander tight to clip his +quill-feathers. It was her children who had found him, and she didn't +want to do him any harm. It was her intention to let him in among her +own geese, had she only succeeded in clipping his wings so he couldn't +fly away. But a worse fate could hardly have happened to the +goosey-gander, and he shrieked and moaned with all his might. + +And a lucky thing it was that the woman hadn't started the clipping +sooner. Now only two quills had fallen under the shears' when the door +was opened--and the boy stood on the door-sill. But a creature like +that the woman had never seen before. She couldn't believe anything else +but that it was Goa-Nisse himself; and in her terror she dropped the +shears, clasped her hands--and forgot to hold on to the goosey-gander. + +As soon as he felt himself freed, he ran toward the door. He didn't give +himself time to stop; but, as he ran past him, he grabbed the boy by the +neck-band and carried him along with him. On the stoop he spread his +wings and flew up in the air; at the same time he made a graceful sweep +with his neck and seated the boy on his smooth, downy back. + +And off they flew--while all Vittskövle stood and stared after them. + +IN ÖVID CLOISTER PARK + +All that day, when the wild geese played with the fox, the boy lay and +slept in a deserted squirrel nest. When he awoke, along toward evening, +he felt very uneasy. "Well, now I shall soon be sent home again! Then +I'll have to exhibit myself before father and mother," thought he. But +when he looked up and saw the wild geese, who lay and bathed in Vomb +Lake--not one of them said a word about his going. "They probably think +the white one is too tired to travel home with me to-night," thought the +boy. + +The next morning the geese were awake at daybreak, long before sunrise. +Now the boy felt sure that he'd have to go home; but, curiously enough, +both he and the white goosey-gander were permitted to follow the wild +ones on their morning tour. The boy couldn't comprehend the reason for +the delay, but he figured it out in this way, that the wild geese did +not care to send the goosey-gander on such a long journey until they had +both eaten their fill. Come what might, he was only glad for every +moment that should pass before he must face his parents. + +The wild geese travelled over Övid's Cloister estate which was situated +in a beautiful park east of the lake, and looked very imposing with its +great castle; its well planned court surrounded by low walls and +pavilions; its fine old-time garden with covered arbours, streams and +fountains; its wonderful trees, trimmed bushes, and its evenly mown +lawns with their beds of beautiful spring flowers. + +When the wild geese rode over the estate in the early morning hour there +was no human being about. When they had carefully assured themselves of +this, they lowered themselves toward the dog kennel, and shouted: "What +kind of a little hut is this? What kind of a little hut is this?" + +Instantly the dog came out of his kennel--furiously angry--and barked at +the air. + +"Do you call this a hut, you tramps! Can't you see that this is a great +stone castle? Can't you see what fine terraces, and what a lot of pretty +walls and windows and great doors it has, bow, wow, wow, wow? Don't you +see the grounds, can't you see the garden, can't you see the +conservatories, can't you see the marble statues? You call this a hut, +do you? Do huts have parks with beech-groves and hazel-bushes and +trailing vines and oak trees and firs and hunting-grounds filled with +game, wow, wow, wow? Do you call this a hut? Have you seen huts with so +many outhouses around them that they look like a whole village? You must +know of a lot of huts that have their own church and their own +parsonage; and that rule over the district and the peasant homes and the +neighbouring farms and barracks, wow, wow, wow? Do you call this a hut? +To this hut belong the richest possessions in SkÃ¥ne, you beggars! You +can't see a bit of land, from where you hang in the clouds, that does +not obey commands from this hut, wow, wow, wow!" + +All this the dog managed to cry out in one breath; and the wild geese +flew back and forth over the estate, and listened to him until he was +winded. But then they cried: "What are you so mad about? We didn't ask +about the castle; we only wanted to know about your kennel, stupid!" + +When the boy heard this joke, he laughed; then a thought stole in on him +which at once made him serious. "Think how many of these amusing things +you would hear, if you could go with the wild geese through the whole +country, all the way up to Lapland!" said he to himself. "And just now, +when you are in such a bad fix, a trip like that would be the best thing +you could hit upon." + +The wild geese travelled to one of the wide fields, east of the estate, +to eat grass-roots, and they kept this up for hours. In the meantime, +the boy wandered in the great park which bordered the field. He hunted +up a beech-nut grove and began to look up at the bushes, to see if a +nut from last fall still hung there. But again and again the thought of +the trip came over him, as he walked in the park. He pictured to himself +what a fine time he would have if he went with the wild geese. To freeze +and starve: that he believed he should have to do often enough; but as a +recompense, he would escape both work and study. + +As he walked there, the old gray leader-goose came up to him, and asked +if he had found anything eatable. No, that he hadn't, he replied, and +then she tried to help him. She couldn't find any nuts either, but she +discovered a couple of dried blossoms that hung on a brier-bush. These +the boy ate with a good relish. But he wondered what mother would say, +if she knew that he had lived on raw fish and old winter-dried blossoms. + +When the wild geese had finally eaten themselves full, they bore off +toward the lake again, where they amused themselves with games until +almost dinner time. + +The wild geese challenged the white goosey-gander to take part in all +kinds of sports. They had swimming races, running races, and flying +races with him. The big tame one did his level best to hold his own, but +the clever wild geese beat him every time. All the while, the boy sat on +the goosey-gander's back and encouraged him, and had as much fun as the +rest. They laughed and screamed and cackled, and it was remarkable that +the people on the estate didn't hear them. + +When the wild geese were tired of play, they flew out on the ice and +rested for a couple of hours. The afternoon they spent in pretty much +the same way as the forenoon. First, a couple of hours feeding, then +bathing and play in the water near the ice-edge until sunset, when they +immediately arranged themselves for sleep. + +"This is just the life that suits me," thought the boy when he crept in +under the gander's wing. "But to-morrow, I suppose I'll be sent home." + +Before he fell asleep, he lay and thought that if he might go along with +the wild geese, he would escape all scoldings because he was lazy. Then +he could cut loose every day, and his only worry would be to get +something to eat. But he needed so little nowadays; and there would +always be a way to get that. + +So he pictured the whole scene to himself; what he should see, and all +the adventures that he would be in on. Yes, it would be something +different from the wear and tear at home. "If I could only go with the +wild geese on their travels, I shouldn't grieve because I'd been +transformed," thought the boy. + +He wasn't afraid of anything--except being sent home; but not even on +Wednesday did the geese say anything to him about going. That day passed +in the same way as Tuesday; and the boy grew more and more contented +with the outdoor life. He thought that he had the lovely Övid Cloister +park--which was as large as a forest--all to himself; and he wasn't +anxious to go back to the stuffy cabin and the little patch of ground +there at home. + +On Wednesday he believed that the wild geese thought of keeping him with +them; but on Thursday he lost hope again. + +Thursday began just like the other days; the geese fed on the broad +meadows, and the boy hunted for food in the park. After a while Akka +came to him, and asked if he had found anything to eat. No, he had not; +and then she looked up a dry caraway herb, that had kept all its tiny +seeds intact. + +When the boy had eaten, Akka said that she thought he ran around in the +park altogether too recklessly. She wondered if he knew how many enemies +he had to guard against--he, who was so little. No, he didn't know +anything at all about that. Then Akka began to enumerate them for him. + +Whenever he walked in the park, she said, that he must look out for the +fox and the marten; when he came to the shores of the lake, he must +think of the otters; as he sat on the stone wall, he must not forget the +weasels, who could creep through the smallest holes; and if he wished to +lie down and sleep on a pile of leaves, he must first find out if the +adders were not sleeping their winter sleep in the same pile. As soon as +he came out in the open fields, he should keep an eye out for hawks and +buzzards; for eagles and falcons that soared in the air. In the +bramble-bush he could be captured by the sparrow-hawks; magpies and +crows were found everywhere and in these he mustn't place any too much +confidence. As soon as it was dusk, he must keep his ears open and +listen for the big owls, who flew along with such soundless wing-strokes +that they could come right up to him before he was aware of their +presence. + +When the boy heard that there were so many who were after his life, he +thought that it would be simply impossible for him to escape. He was not +particularly afraid to die, but he didn't like the idea of being eaten +up, so he asked Akka what he should do to protect himself from the +carnivorous animals. + +Akka answered at once that the boy should try to get on good terms with +all the small animals in the woods and fields: with the squirrel-folk, +and the hare-family; with bullfinches and the titmice and woodpeckers +and larks. If he made friends with them, they could warn him against +dangers, find hiding places for him, and protect him. + +But later in the day, when the boy tried to profit by this counsel, and +turned to Sirle Squirrel to ask for his protection, it was evident that +he did not care to help him. "You surely can't expect anything from me, +or the rest of the small animals!" said Sirle. "Don't you think we know +that you are Nils the goose boy, who tore down the swallow's nest last +year, crushed the starling's eggs, threw baby crows in the marl-ditch, +caught thrushes in snares, and put squirrels in cages? You just help +yourself as well as you can; and you may be thankful that we do not form +a league against you, and drive you back to your own kind!" + +This was just the sort of answer the boy would not have let go +unpunished, in the days when he was Nils the goose boy. But now he was +only fearful lest the wild geese, too, had found out how wicked he could +be. He had been so anxious for fear he wouldn't be permitted to stay +with the wild geese, that he hadn't dared to get into the least little +mischief since he joined their company. It was true that he didn't have +the power to do much harm now, but, little as he was, he could have +destroyed many birds' nests, and crushed many eggs, if he'd been in a +mind to. Now he had been good. He hadn't pulled a feather from a +goose-wing, or given anyone a rude answer; and every morning when he +called upon Akka he had always removed his cap and bowed. + +All day Thursday he thought it was surely on account of his wickedness +that the wild geese did not care to take him along up to Lapland. And in +the evening, when he heard that Sirle Squirrel's wife had been stolen, +and her children were starving to death, he made up his mind to help +them. And we have already been told how well he succeeded. + +When the boy came into the park on Friday, he heard the bulfinches sing +in every bush, of how Sirle Squirrel's wife had been carried away from +her children by cruel robbers, and how Nils, the goose boy, had risked +his life among human beings, and taken the little squirrel children to +her. + +"And who is so honoured in Övid Cloister park now, as Thumbietot!" sang +the bullfinch; "he, whom all feared when he was Nils the goose boy? +Sirle Squirrel will give him nuts; the poor hares are going to play with +him; the small wild animals will carry him on their backs, and fly away +with him when Smirre Fox approaches. The titmice are going to warn him +against the hawk, and the finches and larks will sing of his valour." + +The boy was absolutely certain that both Akka and the wild geese had +heard all this. But still Friday passed and not one word did they say +about his remaining with them. + +Until Saturday the wild geese fed in the fields around Övid, undisturbed +by Smirre Fox. + +But on Saturday morning, when they came out in the meadows, he lay in +wait for them, and chased them from one field to another, and they were +not allowed to eat in peace. When Akka understood that he didn't intend +to leave them in peace, she came to a decision quickly, raised herself +into the air and flew with her flock several miles away, over Färs' +plains and Linderödsosen's hills. They did not stop before they had +arrived in the district of Vittskövle. + +But at Vittskövle the goosey-gander was stolen, and how it happened has +already been related. If the boy had not used all his powers to help him +he would never again have been found. + +On Saturday evening, as the boy came back to Vomb Lake with the +goosey-gander, he thought that he had done a good day's work; and he +speculated a good deal on what Akka and the wild geese would say to him. +The wild geese were not at all sparing in their praises, but they did +not say the word he was longing to hear. + +Then Sunday came again. A whole week had gone by since the boy had been +bewitched, and he was still just as little. + +But he didn't appear to be giving himself any extra worry on account of +this thing. On Sunday afternoon he sat huddled together in a big, fluffy +osier-bush, down by the lake, and blew on a reed-pipe. All around him +there sat as many finches and bullfinches and starlings as the bush +could well hold--who sang songs which he tried to teach himself to play. +But the boy was not at home in this art. He blew so false that the +feathers raised themselves on the little music-masters and they shrieked +and fluttered in their despair. The boy laughed so heartily at their +excitement, that he dropped his pipe. + +He began once again, and that went just as badly. Then all the little +birds wailed: "To-day you play worse than usual, Thumbietot! You don't +take one true note! Where are your thoughts, Thumbietot?" + +"They are elsewhere," said the boy--and this was true. He sat there and +pondered how long he would be allowed to remain with the wild geese; or +if he should be sent home perhaps to-day. + +Finally the boy threw down his pipe and jumped from the bush. He had +seen Akka, and all the wild geese, coming toward him in a long row. They +walked so uncommonly slow and dignified-like, that the boy immediately +understood that now he should learn what they intended to do with him. + +When they stopped at last, Akka said: "You may well have reason to +wonder at me, Thumbietot, who have not said thanks to you for saving me +from Smirre Fox. But I am one of those who would rather give thanks by +deeds than words. I have sent word to the elf that bewitched you. At +first he didn't want to hear anything about curing you; but I have sent +message upon message to him, and told him how well you have conducted +yourself among us. He greets you, and says, that as soon as you turn +back home, you shall be human again." + +But think of it! Just as happy as the boy had been when the wild geese +began to speak, just that miserable was he when they had finished. He +didn't say a word, but turned away and wept. + +"What in all the world is this?" said Akka. "It looks as though you had +expected more of me than I have offered you." + +But the boy was thinking of the care-free days and the banter; and of +adventure and freedom and travel, high above the earth, that he should +miss, and he actually bawled with grief. "I don't want to be human," +said he. "I want to go with you to Lapland." "I'll tell you something," +said Akka. "That elf is very touchy, and I'm afraid that if you do not +accept his offer now, it will be difficult for you to coax him another +time." + +It was a strange thing about that boy--as long as he had lived, he had +never cared for anyone. He had not cared for his father or mother; not +for the school teacher; not for his school-mates; nor for the boys in +the neighbourhood. All that they had wished to have him do--whether it +had been work or play--he had only thought tiresome. Therefore there was +no one whom he missed or longed for. + +The only ones that he had come anywhere near agreeing with, were Osa, +the goose girl, and little Mats--a couple of children who had tended +geese in the fields, like himself. But he didn't care particularly for +them either. No, far from it! "I don't want to be human," bawled the +boy. "I want to go with you to Lapland. That's why I've been good for a +whole week!" "I don't want to forbid you to come along with us as far as +you like," said Akka, "but think first if you wouldn't rather go home +again. A day may come when you will regret this." + +"No," said the boy, "that's nothing to regret. I have never been as well +off as here with you." + +"Well then, let it be as you wish," said Akka. + +"Thanks!" said the boy, and he felt so happy that he had to cry for very +joy--just as he had cried before from sorrow. + + +GLIMMINGE CASTLE + + +BLACK RATS AND GRAY RATS + +In south-eastern SkÃ¥ne--not far from the sea there is an old castle +called Glimminge. It is a big and substantial stone house; and can be +seen over the plain for miles around. It is not more than four stories +high; but it is so ponderous that an ordinary farmhouse, which stands on +the same estate, looks like a little children's playhouse in comparison. + +The big stone house has such thick ceilings and partitions that there is +scarcely room in its interior for anything but the thick walls. The +stairs are narrow, the entrances small; and the rooms few. That the +walls might retain their strength, there are only the fewest number of +windows in the upper stories, and none at all are found in the lower +ones. In the old war times, the people were just as glad that they could +shut themselves up in a strong and massive house like this, as one is +nowadays to be able to creep into furs in a snapping cold winter. But +when the time of peace came, they did not care to live in the dark and +cold stone halls of the old castle any longer. They have long since +deserted the big Glimminge castle, and moved into dwelling places where +the light and air can penetrate. + +At the time when Nils Holgersson wandered around with the wild geese, +there were no human beings in Glimminge castle; but for all that, it was +not without inhabitants. Every summer there lived a stork couple in a +large nest on the roof. In a nest in the attic lived a pair of gray +owls; in the secret passages hung bats; in the kitchen oven lived an old +cat; and down in the cellar there were hundreds of old black rats. + +Rats are not held in very high esteem by other animals; but the black +rats at Glimminge castle were an exception. They were always mentioned +with respect, because they had shown great valour in battle with their +enemies; and much endurance under the great misfortunes which had +befallen their kind. They nominally belong to a rat-folk who, at one +time, had been very numerous and powerful, but who were now dying out. +During a long period of time, the black rats owned SkÃ¥ne and the whole +country. They were found in every cellar; in every attic; in larders and +cowhouses and barns; in breweries and flour-mills; in churches and +castles; in every man-constructed building. But now they were banished +from all this--and were almost exterminated. Only in one and another old +and secluded place could one run across a few of them; and nowhere were +they to be found in such large numbers as in Glimminge castle. + +When an animal folk die out, it is generally the human kind who are the +cause of it; but that was not the case in this instance. The people had +certainly struggled with the black rats, but they had not been able to +do them any harm worth mentioning. Those who had conquered them were an +animal folk of their own kind, who were called gray rats. + +These gray rats had not lived in the land since time immemorial, like +the black rats, but descended from a couple of poor immigrants who +landed in Malmö from a Libyan sloop about a hundred years ago. They were +homeless, starved-out wretches who stuck close to the harbour, swam +among the piles under the bridges, and ate refuse that was thrown in the +water. They never ventured into the city, which was owned by the black +rats. + +But gradually, as the gray rats increased in number they grew bolder. +At first they moved over to some waste places and condemned old houses +which the black rats had abandoned. They hunted their food in gutters +and dirt heaps, and made the most of all the rubbish that the black rats +did not deign to take care of. They were hardy, contented and fearless; +and within a few years they had become so powerful that they undertook +to drive the black rats out of Malmö. They took from them attics, +cellars and storerooms, starved them out or bit them to death for they +were not at all afraid of fighting. + +When Malmö was captured, they marched forward in small and large +companies to conquer the whole country. It is almost impossible to +comprehend why the black rats did not muster themselves into a great, +united war-expedition to exterminate the gray rats, while these were +still few in numbers. But the black rats were so certain of their power +that they could not believe it possible for them to lose it. They sat +still on their estates, and in the meantime the gray rats took from them +farm after farm, city after city. They were starved out, forced out, +rooted out. In SkÃ¥ne they had not been able to maintain themselves in a +single place except Glimminge castle. + +The old castle had such secure walls and such few rat passages led +through these, that the black rats had managed to protect themselves, +and to prevent the gray rats from crowding in. Night after night, year +after year, the struggle had continued between the aggressors and the +defenders; but the black rats had kept faithful watch, and had fought +with the utmost contempt for death, and, thanks to the fine old house, +they had always conquered. + +It will have to be acknowledged that as long as the black rats were in +power they were as much shunned by all other living creatures as the +gray rats are in our day--and for just cause; they had thrown themselves +upon poor, fettered prisoners, and tortured them; they had ravished the +dead; they had stolen the last turnip from the cellars of the poor; +bitten off the feet of sleeping geese; robbed eggs and chicks from the +hens; and committed a thousand depredations. But since they had come to +grief, all this seemed to have been forgotten; and no one could help but +marvel at the last of a race that had held out so long against its +enemies. + +The gray rats that lived in the courtyard at Glimminge and in the +vicinity, kept up a continuous warfare and tried to watch out for every +possible chance to capture the castle. One would fancy that they should +have allowed the little company of black rats to occupy Glimminge castle +in peace, since they themselves had acquired all the rest of the +country; but you may be sure this thought never occurred to them. They +were wont to say that it was a point of honour with them to conquer the +black rats at some time or other. But those who were acquainted with the +gray rats must have known that it was because the human kind used +Glimminge castle as a grain store-house that the gray ones could not +rest before they had taken possession of the place. + +THE STORK + +_Monday, March twenty-eighth_. + +Early one morning the wild geese who stood and slept on the ice in Vomb +Lake were awakened by long calls from the air. "Trirop, Trirop!" it +sounded, "Trianut, the crane, sends greetings to Akka, the wild goose, +and her flock. To-morrow will be the day of the great crane dance on +Kullaberg." + +Akka raised her head and answered at once: "Greetings and thanks! +Greetings and thanks!" + +With that, the cranes flew farther; and the wild geese heard them for a +long while--where they travelled and called out over every field, and +every wooded hill: "Trianut sends greetings. To-morrow will be the day +of the great crane dance on Kullaberg." + +The wild geese were very happy over this invitation. "You're in luck," +they said to the white goosey-gander, "to be permitted to attend the +great crane dance on Kullaberg!" "Is it then so remarkable to see cranes +dance?" asked the goosey-gander. "It is something that you have never +even dreamed about!" replied the wild geese. + +"Now we must think out what we shall do with Thumbietot to-morrow--so +that no harm can come to him, while we run over to Kullaberg," said +Akka. "Thumbietot shall not be left alone!" said the goosey-gander. "If +the cranes won't let him see their dance, then I'll stay with him." + +"No human being has ever been permitted to attend the Animal's Congress, +at Kullaberg," said Akka, "and I shouldn't dare to take Thumbietot +along. But we'll discuss this more at length later in the day. Now we +must first and foremost think about getting something to eat." + +With that Akka gave the signal to adjourn. On this day she also sought +her feeding-place a good distance away, on Smirre Fox's account, and she +didn't alight until she came to the swampy meadows a little south of +Glimminge castle. + +All that day the boy sat on the shores of a little pond, and blew on +reed-pipes. He was out of sorts because he shouldn't see the crane +dance, and he just couldn't say a word, either to the goosey-gander, or +to any of the others. + +It was pretty hard that Akka should still doubt him. When a boy had +given up being human, just to travel around with a few wild geese, they +surely ought to understand that he had no desire to betray them. Then, +too, they ought to understand that when he had renounced so much to +follow them, it was their duty to let him see all the wonders they could +show him. + +"I'll have to speak my mind right out to them," thought he. But hour +after hour passed, still he hadn't come round to it. It may sound +remarkable--but the boy had actually acquired a kind of respect for the +old leader-goose. He felt that it was not easy to pit his will against +hers. + +On one side of the swampy meadow, where the wild geese fed, there was a +broad stone hedge. Toward evening when the boy finally raised his head, +to speak to Akka, his glance happened to rest on this hedge. He uttered +a little cry of surprise, and all the wild geese instantly looked up, +and stared in the same direction. At first, both the geese and the boy +thought that all the round, gray stones in the hedge had acquired legs, +and were starting on a run; but soon they saw that it was a company of +rats who ran over it. They moved very rapidly, and ran forward, tightly +packed, line upon line, and were so numerous that, for some time, they +covered the entire stone hedge. + +The boy had been afraid of rats, even when he was a big, strong human +being. Then what must his feelings be now, when he was so tiny that two +or three of them could overpower him? One shudder after another +travelled down his spinal column as he stood and stared at them. + +But strangely enough, the wild geese seemed to feel the same aversion +toward the rats that he did. They did not speak to them; and when they +were gone, they shook themselves as if their feathers had been +mud-spattered. + +"Such a lot of gray rats abroad!" said Iksi from Vassipaure. "That's not +a good omen." + +The boy intended to take advantage of this opportunity to say to Akka +that he thought she ought to let him go with them to Kullaberg, but he +was prevented anew, for all of a sudden a big bird came down in the +midst of the geese. + +One could believe, when one looked at this bird, that he had borrowed +body, neck and head from a little white goose. But in addition to this, +he had procured for himself large black wings, long red legs, and a +thick bill, which was too large for the little head, and weighed it down +until it gave him a sad and worried look. + +Akka at once straightened out the folds of her wings, and curtsied many +times as she approached the stork. She wasn't specially surprised to see +him in SkÃ¥ne so early in the spring, because she knew that the male +storks are in the habit of coming in good season to take a look at the +nest, and see that it hasn't been damaged during the winter, before the +female storks go to the trouble of flying over the East sea. But she +wondered very much what it might signify that he sought her out, since +storks prefer to associate with members of their own family. + +"I can hardly believe that there is anything wrong with your house, Herr +Ermenrich," said Akka. + +It was apparent now that it is true what they say: a stork can seldom +open his bill without complaining. But what made the thing he said sound +even more doleful was that it was difficult for him to speak out. He +stood for a long time and only clattered with his bill; afterward he +spoke in a hoarse and feeble voice. He complained about everything: the +nest--which was situated at the very top of the roof-tree at Glimminge +castle--had been totally destroyed by winter storms; and no food could +he get any more in SkÃ¥ne. The people of SkÃ¥ne were appropriating all his +possessions. They dug out his marshes and laid waste his swamps. He +intended to move away from this country, and never return to it again. + +While the stork grumbled, Akka, the wild goose who had neither home nor +protection, could not help thinking to herself: "If I had things as +comfortable as you have, Herr Ermenrich, I should be above complaining. +You have remained a free and wild bird; and still you stand so well with +human beings that no one will fire a shot at you, or steal an egg from +your nest." But all this she kept to herself. To the stork she only +remarked, that she couldn't believe he would be willing to move from a +house where storks had resided ever since it was built. + +Then the stork suddenly asked the geese if they had seen the gray rats +who were marching toward Glimminge castle. When Akka replied that she +had seen the horrid creatures, he began to tell her about the brave +black rats who, for years, had defended the castle. "But this night +Glimminge castle will fall into the gray rats' power," sighed the stork. + +"And why just this night, Herr Ermenrich?" asked Akka. + +"Well, because nearly all the black rats went over to Kullaberg last +night," said the stork, "since they had counted on all the rest of the +animals also hurrying there. But you see that the gray rats have stayed +at home; and now they are mustering to storm the castle to-night, when +it will be defended by only a few old creatures who are too feeble to go +over to Kullaberg. They'll probably accomplish their purpose. But I have +lived here in harmony with the black rats for so many years, that it +does not please me to live in a place inhabited by their enemies." + +Akka understood now that the stork had become so enraged over the gray +rats' mode of action, that he had sought her out as an excuse to +complain about them. But after the manner of storks, he certainly had +done nothing to avert the disaster. "Have you sent word to the black +rats, Herr Ermenrich?" she asked. "No," replied the stork, "that +wouldn't be of any use. Before they can get back, the castle will be +taken." "You mustn't be so sure of that, Herr Ermenrich," said Akka. "I +know an old wild goose, I do, who will gladly prevent outrages of this +kind." + +When Akka said this, the stork raised his head and stared at her. And it +was not surprising, for Akka had neither claws nor bill that were fit +for fighting; and, in the bargain, she was a day bird, and as soon as it +grew dark she fell helplessly asleep, while the rats did their fighting +at night. + +But Akka had evidently made up her mind to help the black rats. She +called Iksi from Vassijaure, and ordered him to take the wild geese over +to Vonib Lake; and when the geese made excuses, she said +authoritatively: "I believe it will be best for us all that you obey me. +I must fly over to the big stone house, and if you follow me, the people +on the place will be sure to see us, and shoot us down. The only one +that I want to take with me on this trip is Thumbietot. He can be of +great service to me because he has good eyes, and can keep awake at +night." + +The boy was in his most contrary mood that day. And when he heard what +Akka said, he raised himself to his full height and stepped forward, his +hands behind him and his nose in the air, and he intended to say that +he, most assuredly, did not wish to take a hand in the fight with gray +rats. She might look around for assistance elsewhere. + +But the instant the boy was seen, the stork began to move. He had stood +before, as storks generally stand, with head bent downward and the bill +pressed against the neck. But now a gurgle was heard deep down in his +windpipe; as though he would have laughed. Quick as a flash, he lowered +the bill, grabbed the boy, and tossed him a couple of metres in the +air. This feat he performed seven times, while the boy shrieked and the +geese shouted: "What are you trying to do, Herr Ermenrich? That's not a +frog. That's a human being, Herr Ermenrich." + +Finally the stork put the boy down entirely unhurt. Thereupon he said to +Akka, "I'll fly back to Glimminge castle now, mother Akka. All who live +there were very much worried when I left. You may be sure they'll be +very glad when I tell them that Akka, the wild goose, and Thumbietot, +the human elf, are on their way to rescue them." With that the stork +craned his neck, raised his wings, and darted off like an arrow when it +leaves a well-drawn bow. Akka understood that he was making fun of her, +but she didn't let it bother her. She waited until the boy had found his +wooden shoes, which the stork had shaken off; then she put him on her +back and followed the stork. On his own account, the boy made no +objection, and said not a word about not wanting to go along. He had +become so furious with the stork, that he actually sat and puffed. That +long, red-legged thing believed he was of no account just because he was +little; but he would show him what kind of a man Nils Holgersson from +West Vemminghög was. + +A couple of moments later Akka stood in the storks' nest. It had a wheel +for foundation, and over this lay several grass-mats, and some twigs. +The nest was so old that many shrubs and plants had taken root up there; +and when the mother stork sat on her eggs in the round hole in the +middle of the nest, she not only had the beautiful outlook over a goodly +portion of SkÃ¥ne to enjoy, but she had also the wild brier-blossoms and +house-leeks to look upon. + +Both Akka and the boy saw immediately that something was going on here +which turned upside down the most regular order. On the edge of the +stork-nest sat two gray owls, an old, gray-streaked cat, and a dozen +old, decrepit rats with protruding teeth and watery eyes. They were not +exactly the sort of animals one usually finds living peaceably together. + +Not one of them turned around to look at Akka, or to bid her welcome. +They thought of nothing except to sit and stare at some long, gray +lines, which came into sight here and there--on the winter-naked +meadows. + +All the black rats were silent. One could see that they were in deep +despair, and probably knew that they could neither defend their own +lives nor the castle. The two owls sat and rolled their big eyes, and +twisted their great, encircling eyebrows, and talked in hollow, +ghost-like voices, about the awful cruelty of the gray rats, and that +they would have to move away from their nest, because they had heard it +said of them that they spared neither eggs nor baby birds. The old +gray-streaked cat was positive that the gray rats would bite him to +death, since they were coming into the castle in such great numbers, and +he scolded the black rats incessantly. "How could you be so idiotic as +to let your best fighters go away?" said he. "How could you trust the +gray rats? It is absolutely unpardonable!" + +The twelve black rats did not say a word. But the stork, despite his +misery, could not refrain from teasing the cat. "Don't worry so, Monsie +house-cat!" said he. "Can't you see that mother Akka and Thumbietot have +come to save the castle? You can be certain that they'll succeed. Now I +must stand up to sleep--and I do so with the utmost calm. To-morrow, +when I awaken, there won't be a single gray rat in Glimminge castle." + +The boy winked at Akka, and made a sign--as the stork stood upon the +very edge of the nest, with one leg drawn up, to sleep--that he wanted +to push him down to the ground; but Akka restrained him. She did not +seem to be the least bit angry. Instead, she said in a confident tone of +voice: "It would be pretty poor business if one who is as old as I am +could not manage to get out of worse difficulties than this. If only Mr. +and Mrs. Owl, who can stay awake all night, will fly off with a couple +of messages for me, I think that all will go well." + +Both owls were willing. Then Akka bade the gentleman owl that he should +go and seek the black rats who had gone off, and counsel them to hurry +home immediately. The lady owl she sent to Flammea, the steeple-owl, +who lived in Lund cathedral, with a commission which was so secret that +Akka only dared to confide it to her in a whisper. + +THE RAT CHARMER + +It was getting on toward midnight when the gray rats after a diligent +search succeeded in finding an open air-hole in the cellar. This was +pretty high upon the wall; but the rats got up on one another's +shoulders, and it wasn't long before the most daring among them sat in +the air-hole, ready to force its way into Glimminge castle, outside +whose walls so many of its forebears had fallen. + +The gray rat sat still for a moment in the hole, and waited for an +attack from within. The leader of the defenders was certainly away, but +she assumed that the black rats who were still in the castle wouldn't +surrender without a struggle. With thumping heart she listened for the +slightest sound, but everything remained quiet. Then the leader of the +gray rats plucked up courage and jumped down in the coal-black cellar. + +One after another of the gray rats followed the leader. They all kept +very quiet; and all expected to be ambushed by the black rats. Not until +so many of them had crowded into the cellar that the floor couldn't hold +any more, did they venture farther. + +Although they had never before been inside the building, they had no +difficulty in finding their way. They soon found the passages in the +walls which the black rats had used to get to the upper floors. Before +they began to clamber up these narrow and steep steps, they listened +again with great attention. They felt more frightened because the black +rats held themselves aloof in this way, than if they had met them in +open battle. They could hardly believe their luck when they reached the +first story without any mishaps. + +Immediately upon their entrance the gray rats caught the scent of the +grain, which was stored in great bins on the floor. But it was not as +yet time for them to begin to enjoy their conquest. They searched first, +with the utmost caution, through the sombre, empty rooms. They ran up in +the fireplace, which stood on the floor in the old castle kitchen, and +they almost tumbled into the well, in the inner room. Not one of the +narrow peep-holes did they leave uninspected, but they found no black +rats. When this floor was wholly in their possession, they began, with +the same caution, to acquire the next. Then they had to venture on a +bold and dangerous climb through the walls, while, with breathless +anxiety, they awaited an assault from the enemy. And although they were +tempted by the most delicious odour from the grain bins, they forced +themselves most systematically to inspect the old-time warriors' +pillar-propped kitchen; their stone table, and fireplace; the deep +window-niches, and the hole in the floor--which in olden time had been +opened to pour down boiling pitch on the intruding enemy. + +All this time the black rats were invisible. The gray ones groped their +way to the third story, and into the lord of the castle's great banquet +hall--which stood there cold and empty, like all the other rooms in the +old house. They even groped their way to the upper story, which had but +one big, barren room. The only place they did not think of exploring was +the big stork-nest on the roof--where, just at this time, the lady owl +awakened Akka, and informed her that Flammea, the steeple owl, had +granted her request, and had sent her the thing she wished for. + +Since the gray rats had so conscientiously inspected the entire castle, +they felt at ease. They took it for granted that the black rats had +flown, and didn't intend to offer any resistance; and, with light +hearts, they ran up into the grain bins. + +But the gray rats had hardly swallowed the first wheat-grains, before +the sound of a little shrill pipe was heard from the yard. The gray rats +raised their heads, listened anxiously, ran a few steps as if they +intended to leave the bin, then they turned back and began to eat once +more. + +Again the pipe sounded a sharp and piercing note--and now something +wonderful happened. One rat, two rats--yes, a whole lot of rats left the +grain, jumped from the bins and hurried down cellar by the shortest cut, +to get out of the house. Still there were many gray rats left. These +thought of all the toil and trouble it had cost them to win Glimminge +castle, and they did not want to leave it. But again they caught the +tones from the pipe, and had to follow them. With wild excitement they +rushed up from the bins, slid down through the narrow holes in the +walls, and tumbled over each other in their eagerness to get out. + +In the middle of the courtyard stood a tiny creature, who blew upon a +pipe. All round him he had a whole circle of rats who listened to him, +astonished and fascinated; and every moment brought more. Once he took +the pipe from his lips--only for a second--put his thumb to his nose and +wiggled his fingers at the gray rats; and then it looked as if they +wanted to throw themselves on him and bite him to death; but as soon as +he blew on his pipe they were in his power. + +When the tiny creature had played all the gray rats out of Glimminge +castle, he began to wander slowly from the courtyard out on the highway; +and all the gray rats followed him, because the tones from that pipe +sounded so sweet to their ears that they could not resist them. + +The tiny creature walked before them and charmed them along with him, +on the road to Vallby. He led them into all sorts of crooks and turns +and bends--on through hedges and down into ditches--and wherever he went +they had to follow. He blew continuously on his pipe, which appeared to +be made from an animal's horn, although the horn was so small that, in +our days, there were no animals from whose foreheads it could have been +broken. No one knew, either, who had made it. Flammea, the steeple-owl, +had found it in a niche, in Lund cathedral. She had shown it to Bataki, +the raven; and they had both figured out that this was the kind of horn +that was used in former times by those who wished to gain power over +rats and mice. But the raven was Akka's friend; and it was from him she +had learned that Flammea owned a treasure like this. And it was true +that the rats could not resist the pipe. The boy walked before them and +played as long as the starlight lasted--and all the while they followed +him. He played at daybreak; he played at sunrise; and the whole time the +entire procession of gray rats followed him, and were enticed farther +and farther away from the big grain loft at Glimminge castle. + + +THE GREAT CRANE DANCE ON KULLABERG + + +_Tuesday, March twenty-ninth_. + +Although there are many magnificent buildings in SkÃ¥ne, it must be +acknowledged that there's not one among them that has such pretty walls +as old Kullaberg. + +Kullaberg is low and rather long. It is not by any means a big or +imposing mountain. On its broad summit you'll find woods and grain +fields, and one and another heather-heath. Here and there, round +heather-knolls and barren cliffs rise up. It is not especially pretty up +there. It looks a good deal like all the other upland places in SkÃ¥ne. + +He who walks along the path which runs across the middle of the +mountain, can't help feeling a little disappointed. Then he happens, +perhaps, to turn away from the path, and wanders off toward the +mountain's sides and looks down over the bluffs; and then, all at once, +he will discover so much that is worth seeing, he hardly knows how he'll +find time to take in the whole of it. For it happens that Kullaberg +does not stand on the land, with plains and valleys around it, like +other mountains; but it has plunged into the sea, as far out as it could +get. Not even the tiniest strip of land lies below the mountain to +protect it against the breakers; but these reach all the way up to the +mountain walls, and can polish and mould them to suit themselves. This +is why the walls stand there as richly ornamented as the sea and its +helpmeet, the wind, have been able to effect. You'll find steep ravines +that are deeply chiselled in the mountain's sides; and black crags that +have become smooth and shiny under the constant lashing of the winds. +There are solitary rock-columns that spring right up out of the water, +and dark grottoes with narrow entrances. There are barren, perpendicular +precipices, and soft, leaf-clad inclines. There are small points, and +small inlets, and small rolling stones that are rattlingly washed up and +down with every dashing breaker. There are majestic cliff-arches that +project over the water. There are sharp stones that are constantly +sprayed by a white foam; and others that mirror themselves in +unchangeable dark-green still water. There are giant troll-caverns +shaped in the rock, and great crevices that lure the wanderer to venture +into the mountain's depths--all the way to Kullman's Hollow. + +And over and around all these cliffs and rocks crawl entangled tendrils +and weeds. Trees grow there also, but the wind's power is so great that +trees have to transform themselves into clinging vines, that they may +get a firm hold on the steep precipices. The oaks creep along on the +ground, while their foliage hangs over them like a low ceiling; and +long-limbed beeches stand in the ravines like great leaf-tents. + +These remarkable mountain walls, with the blue sea beneath them, and the +clear penetrating air above them, is what makes Kullaberg so dear to the +people that great crowds of them haunt the place every day as long as +the summer lasts. But it is more difficult to tell what it is that makes +it so attractive to animals, that every year they gather there for a big +play-meeting. This is a custom that has been observed since time +immemorial; and one should have been there when the first sea-wave was +dashed into foam against the shore, to be able to explain just why +Kullaberg was chosen as a rendezvous, in preference to all other places. + +When the meeting is to take place, the stags and roebucks and hares and +foxes and all the other four-footers make the journey to Kullaberg the +night before, so as not to be observed by the human beings. Just before +sunrise they all march up to the playground, which is a heather-heath on +the left side of the road, and not very far from the mountain's most +extreme point. The playground is inclosed on all sides by round knolls, +which conceal it from any and all who do not happen to come right upon +it. And in the month of March it is not at all likely that any +pedestrians will stray off up there. All the strangers who usually +stroll around on the rocks, and clamber up the mountain's sides the fall +storms have driven away these many months past. And the lighthouse +keeper out there on the point; the old fru on the mountain farm, and the +mountain peasant and his house-folk go their accustomed ways, and do not +run about on the desolate heather-fields. + +When the four-footers have arrived on the playground, they take their +places on the round knolls. Each animal family keeps to itself, although +it is understood that, on a day like this, universal peace reigns, and +no one need fear attack. On this day a little hare might wander over to +the foxes' hill, without losing as much as one of his long ears. But +still the animals arrange themselves into separate groups. This is an +old custom. + +After they have all taken their places, they begin to look around for +the birds. It is always beautiful weather on this day. The cranes are +good weather prophets, and would not call the animals together if they +expected rain. Although the air is clear, and nothing obstructs the +vision, the four-footers see no birds. This is strange. The sun stands +high in the heavens, and the birds should already be on their way. + +But what the animals, on the other hand, observe, is one and another +little dark cloud that comes slowly forward over the plain. And look! +one of these clouds comes gradually along the coast of Öresund, and up +toward Kullaberg. When the cloud has come just over the playground it +stops, and, simultaneously, the entire cloud begins to ring and chirp, +as if it was made of nothing but tone. It rises and sinks, rises and +sinks, but all the while it rings and chirps. At last the whole cloud +falls down over a knoll--all at once--and the next instant the knoll is +entirely covered with gray larks, pretty red-white-gray bulfinches, +speckled starlings and greenish-yellow titmice. + +Soon after that, another cloud comes over the plain. This stops over +every bit of land; over peasant cottage and palace; over towns and +cities; over farms and railway stations; over fishing hamlets and sugar +refineries. Every time it stops, it draws to itself a little whirling +column of gray dust-grains from the ground. In this way it grows and +grows. And at last, when it is all gathered up and heads for Kullaberg, +it is no longer a cloud but a whole mist, which is so big that it throws +a shadow on the ground all the way from Höganäs to Mölle. When it stops +over the playground it hides the sun; and for a long while it had to +rain gray sparrows on one of the knolls, before those who had been +flying in the innermost part of the mist could again catch a glimpse of +the daylight. + +But still the biggest of these bird-clouds is the one which now appears. +This has been formed of birds who have travelled from every direction to +join it. It is dark bluish-gray, and no sun-ray can penetrate it. It is +full of the ghastliest noises, the most frightful shrieks, the grimmest +laughter, and most ill-luck-boding croaking! All on the playground are +glad when it finally resolves itself into a storm of fluttering and +croaking: of crows and jackdaws and rooks and ravens. + +Thereupon not only clouds are seen in the heavens, but a variety of +stripes and figures. Then straight, dotted lines appear in the East and +Northeast. These are forest-birds from Göinge districts: black grouse +and wood grouse who come flying in long lines a couple of metres apart. +Swimming-birds that live around MÃ¥kläppen, just out of Falsterbo, now +come floating over Öresund in many extraordinary figures: in triangular +and long curves; in sharp hooks and semicircles. + +To the great reunion held the year that Nils Holgersson travelled +around with the wild geese, came Akka and her flock--later than all the +others. And that was not to be wondered at, for Akka had to fly over the +whole of SkÃ¥ne to get to Kullaberg. Beside, as soon as she awoke, she +had been obliged to go out and hunt for Thumbietot, who, for many hours, +had gone and played to the gray rats, and lured them far away from +Glimminge castle. Mr. Owl had returned with the news that the black rats +would be at home immediately after sunrise; and there was no longer any +danger in letting the steeple-owl's pipe be hushed, and to give the gray +rats the liberty to go where they pleased. + +But it was not Akka who discovered the boy where he walked with his long +following, and quickly sank down over him and caught him with the bill +and swung into the air with him, but it was Herr Ermenrich, the stork! +For Herr Ermenrich had also gone out to look for him; and after he had +borne him up to the stork-nest, he begged his forgiveness for having +treated him with disrespect the evening before. + +This pleased the boy immensely, and the stork and he became good +friends. Akka, too, showed him that she felt very kindly toward him; she +stroked her old head several times against his arms, and commended him +because he had helped those who were in trouble. + +But this one must say to the boy's credit: that he did not want to +accept praise which he had not earned. "No, mother Akka," he said, "you +mustn't think that I lured the gray rats away to help the black ones. I +only wanted to show Herr Ermenrich that I was of some consequence." + +He had hardly said this before Akka turned to the stork and asked if he +thought it was advisable to take Thumbietot along to Kullaberg. "I mean, +that we can rely on him as upon ourselves," said she. The stork at once +advised, most enthusiastically, that Thumbietot be permitted to come +along. "Certainly you shall take Thumbietot along to Kullaberg, mother +Akka," said he. "It is fortunate for us that we can repay him for all +that he has endured this night for our sakes. And since it still grieves +me to think that I did not conduct myself in a becoming manner toward +him the other evening, it is I who will carry him on my back--all the +way to the meeting place." + +There isn't much that tastes better than to receive praise from those +who are themselves wise and capable; and the boy had certainly never +felt so happy as he did when the wild goose and the stork talked about +him in this way. + +Thus the boy made the trip to Kullaberg, riding stork-back. Although he +knew that this was a great honour, it caused him much anxiety, for Herr +Ermenrich was a master flyer, and started off at a very different pace +from the wild geese. While Akka flew her straight way with even +wing-strokes, the stork amused himself by performing a lot of flying +tricks. Now he lay still in an immeasurable height, and floated in the +air without moving his wings, now he flung himself downward with such +sudden haste that it seemed as though he would fall to the ground, +helpless as a stone; now he had lots of fun flying all around Akka, in +great and small circles, like a whirlwind. The boy had never been on a +ride of this sort before; and although he sat there all the while in +terror, he had to acknowledge to himself that he had never before known +what a good flight meant. + +Only a single pause was made during the journey, and that was at Vomb +Lake when Akka joined her travelling companions, and called to them that +the gray rats had been vanquished. After that, the travellers flew +straight to Kullaberg. + +There they descended to the knoll reserved for the wild geese; and as +the boy let his glance wander from knoll to knoll, he saw on one of them +the many-pointed antlers of the stags; and on another, the gray herons' +neck-crests. One knoll was red with foxes, one was gray with rats; one +was covered with black ravens who shrieked continually, one with larks +who simply couldn't keep still, but kept on throwing themselves in the +air and singing for very joy. + +Just as it has ever been the custom on Kullaberg, it was the crows who +began the day's games and frolics with their flying-dance. They divided +themselves into two flocks, that flew toward each other, met, turned, +and began all over again. This dance had many repetitions, and appeared +to the spectators who were not familiar with the dance as altogether too +monotonous. The crows were very proud of their dance, but all the others +were glad when it was over. It appeared to the animals about as gloomy +and meaningless as the winter-storms' play with the snow-flakes. It +depressed them to watch it, and they waited eagerly for something that +should give them a little pleasure. + +They did not have to wait in vain, either; for as soon as the crows had +finished, the hares came running. They dashed forward in a long row, +without any apparent order. In some of the figures, one single hare +came; in others, they ran three and four abreast. They had all raised +themselves on two legs, and they rushed forward with such rapidity that +their long ears swayed in all directions. As they ran, they spun round, +made high leaps and beat their forepaws against their hind-paws so that +they rattled. Some performed a long succession of somersaults, others +doubled themselves up and rolled over like wheels; one stood on one leg +and swung round; one walked upon his forepaws. There was no regulation +whatever, but there was much that was droll in the hares' play; and the +many animals who stood and watched them began to breathe faster. Now it +was spring; joy and rapture were advancing. Winter was over; summer was +coming. Soon it was only play to live. + +When the hares had romped themselves out, it was the great forest birds' +turn to perform. Hundreds of wood-grouse in shining dark-brown array, +and with bright red eyebrows, flung themselves up into a great oak that +stood in the centre of the playground. The one who sat upon the topmost +branch fluffed up his feathers, lowered his wings, and lifted his tail +so that the white covert-feathers were seen. Thereupon he stretched his +neck and sent forth a couple of deep notes from his thick throat. +"Tjack, tjack, tjack," it sounded. More than this he could not utter. It +only gurgled a few times way down in the throat. Then he closed his eyes +and whispered: "Sis, sis, sis. Hear how pretty! Sis, sis, sis." At the +same time he fell into such an ecstasy that he no longer knew what was +going on around him. + +While the first wood grouse was sissing, the three nearest--under +him--began to sing; and before they had finished their song, the ten who +sat lower down joined in; and thus it continued from branch to branch, +until the entire hundred grouse sang and gurgled and sissed. They all +fell into the same ecstasy during their song, and this affected the +other animals like a contagious transport. Lately the blood had flowed +lightly and agreeably; now it began to grow heavy and hot. "Yes, this is +surely spring," thought all the animal folk. "Winter chill has vanished. +The fires of spring burn over the earth." + +When the black grouse saw that the brown grouse were having such +success, they could no longer keep quiet. As there was no tree for them +to light on, they rushed down on the playground, where the heather stood +so high that only their beautifully turned tail-feathers and their +thick bills were visible--and they began to sing: "Orr, orr, orr." + +Just as the black grouse began to compete with the brown grouse, +something unprecedented happened. While all the animals thought of +nothing but the grouse-game, a fox stole slowly over to the wild geese's +knoll. He glided very cautiously, and came way up on the knoll before +anyone noticed him. Suddenly a goose caught sight of him; and as she +could not believe that a fox had sneaked in among the geese for any good +purpose, she began to cry: "Have a care, wild geese! Have a care!" The +fox struck her across the throat--mostly, perhaps, because he wanted to +make her keep quiet--but the wild geese had already heard the cry and +they all raised themselves in the air. And when they had flown up, the +animals saw Smirre Fox standing on the wild geese's knoll, with a dead +goose in his mouth. + +But because he had in this way broken the play-day's peace, such a +punishment was meted out to Smirre Fox that, for the rest of his days, +he must regret he had not been able to control his thirst for revenge, +but had attempted to approach Akka and her flock in this manner. + +He was immediately surrounded by a crowd of foxes, and doomed in +accordance with an old custom, which demands that whosoever disturbs the +peace on the great play-day, must go into exile. Not a fox wished to +lighten the sentence, since they all knew that the instant they +attempted anything of the sort, they would be driven from the +playground, and would nevermore be permitted to enter it. Banishment was +pronounced upon Smirre without opposition. He was forbidden to remain in +SkÃ¥ne. He was banished from wife and kindred; from hunting grounds, +home, resting places and retreats, which he had hitherto owned; and he +must tempt fortune in foreign lands. So that all foxes in SkÃ¥ne should +know that Smirre was outlawed in the district, the oldest of the foxes +bit off his right earlap. As soon as this was done, all the young foxes +began to yowl from blood-thirst, and threw themselves on Smirre. For him +there was no alternative except to take flight; and with all the young +foxes in hot pursuit, he rushed away from Kullaberg. + +All this happened while black grouse and brown grouse were going on with +their games. But these birds lose themselves so completely in their +song, that they neither hear nor see. Nor had they permitted themselves +to be disturbed. + +The forest birds' contest was barely over, before the stags from +Häckeberga came forward to show their wrestling game. There were several +pairs of stags who fought at the same time. They rushed at each other +with tremendous force, struck their antlers dashingly together, so that +their points were entangled; and tried to force each other backward. The +heather-heaths were torn up beneath their hoofs; the breath came like +smoke from their nostrils; out of their throats strained hideous +bellowings, and the froth oozed down on their shoulders. + +On the knolls round about there was breathless silence while the skilled +stag-wrestlers clinched. In all the animals new emotions were awakened. +Each and all felt courageous and, strong; enlivened by returning powers; +born again with the spring; sprightly, and ready for all kinds of +adventures. They felt no enmity toward each other, although, everywhere, +wings were lifted, neck-feathers raised and claws sharpened. If the +stags from Häckeberga had continued another instant, a wild struggle +would have arisen on the knolls, for all had been gripped with a burning +desire to show that they too were full of life because the winter's +impotence was over and strength surged through their bodies. + +But the stags stopped wrestling just at the right moment, and instantly +a whisper went from knoll to knoll: "The cranes are coming!" + +And then came the gray, dusk-clad birds with plumes in their wings, and +red feather-ornaments on their necks. The big birds with their tall +legs, their slender throats, their small heads, came gliding down the +knoll with an abandon that was full of mystery. As they glided forward +they swung round--half flying, half dancing. With wings gracefully +lifted, they moved with an inconceivable rapidity. There was something +marvellous and strange about their dance. It was as though gray shadows +had played a game which the eye could scarcely follow. It was as if +they had learned it from the mists that hover over desolate morasses. +There was witchcraft in it. All those who had never before been on +Kullaberg understood why the whole meeting took its name from the +crane's dance. There was wildness in it; but yet the feeling which it +awakened was a delicious longing. No one thought any more about +struggling. Instead, both the winged and those who had no wings, all +wanted to raise themselves eternally, lift themselves above the clouds, +seek that which was hidden beyond them, leave the oppressive body that +dragged them down to earth and soar away toward the infinite. + +Such longing after the unattainable, after the hidden mysteries back of +this life, the animals felt only once a year; and this was on the day +when they beheld the great crane dance. + + +IN RAINY WEATHER + + +_Wednesday, March thirtieth_. + +It was the first rainy day of the trip. As long as the wild geese had +remained in the vicinity of Vomb Lake, they had had beautiful weather; +but on the day when they set out to travel farther north, it began to +rain, and for several hours the boy had to sit on the goose-back, +soaking wet, and shivering with the cold. + +In the morning when they started, it had been clear and mild. The wild +geese had flown high up in the air--evenly, and without haste--with Akka +at the head maintaining strict discipline, and the rest in two oblique +lines back of her. They had not taken the time to shout any witty +sarcasms to the animals on the ground; but, as it was simply impossible +for them to keep perfectly silent, they sang out continually--in rhythm +with the wing-strokes--their usual coaxing call: "Where are you? Here +am I. Where are you? Here am I." + +They all took part in this persistent calling, and only stopped, now and +then, to show the goosey-gander the landmarks they were travelling over. +The places on this route included Linderödsosen's dry hills, Ovesholm's +manor, Christianstad's church steeple, Bäckaskog's royal castle on the +narrow isthmus between Oppmann's lake and Ivö's lake, Ryss mountain's +steep precipice. + +It had been a monotonous trip, and when the rain-clouds made their +appearance the boy thought it was a real diversion. In the old days, +when he had only seen a rain-cloud from below, he had imagined that they +were gray and disagreeable; but it was a very different thing to be up +amongst them. Now he saw distinctly that the clouds were enormous carts, +which drove through the heavens with sky-high loads. Some of them were +piled up with huge, gray sacks, some with barrels; some were so large +that they could hold a whole lake; and a few were filled with big +utensils and bottles which were piled up to an immense height. And when +so many of them had driven forward that they filled the whole sky, it +appeared as though someone had given a signal, for all at once, water +commenced to pour down over the earth, from utensils, barrels, bottles +and sacks. + +Just as the first spring-showers pattered against the ground, there +arose such shouts of joy from all the small birds in groves and +pastures, that the whole air rang with them and the boy leaped high +where he sat. "Now we'll have rain. Rain gives us spring; spring gives +us flowers and green leaves; green leaves and flowers give us worms and +insects; worms and insects give us food; and plentiful and good food is +the best thing there is," sang the birds. + +The wild geese, too, were glad of the rain which came to awaken the +growing things from their long sleep, and to drive holes in the +ice-roofs on the lakes. They were not able to keep up that seriousness +any longer, but began to send merry calls over the neighbourhood. + +When they flew over the big potato patches, which are so plentiful in +the country around Christianstad--and which still lay bare and +black--they screamed: "Wake up and be useful! Here comes something that +will awaken you. You have idled long enough now." + +When they saw people who hurried to get out of the rain, they reproved +them saying: "What are you in such a hurry about? Can't you see that +it's raining rye-loaves and cookies?" + +It was a big, thick mist that moved northward briskly, and followed +close upon the geese. They seemed to think that they dragged the mist +along with them; and, just now, when they saw great orchards beneath +them, they called out proudly: "Here we come with anemones; here we come +with roses; here we come with apple blossoms and cherry buds; here we +come with peas and beans and turnips and cabbages. He who wills can take +them. He who wills can take them." + +Thus it had sounded while the first showers fell, and when all were +still glad of the rain. But when it continued to fall the whole +afternoon, the wild geese grew impatient, and cried to the thirsty +forests around Ivös lake: "Haven't you got enough yet? Haven't you got +enough yet?" + +The heavens were growing grayer and grayer and the sun hid itself so +well that one couldn't imagine where it was. The rain fell faster and +faster, and beat harder and harder against the wings, as it tried to +find its way between the oily outside feathers, into their skins. The +earth was hidden by fogs; lakes, mountains, and woods floated together +in an indistinct maze, and the landmarks could not be distinguished. The +flight became slower and slower; the joyful cries were hushed; and the +boy felt the cold more and more keenly. + +But still he had kept up his courage as long as he had ridden through +the air. And in the afternoon, when they had lighted under a little +stunted pine, in the middle of a large morass, where all was wet, and +all was cold; where some knolls were covered with snow, and others stood +up naked in a puddle of half-melted ice-water, even then, he had not +felt discouraged, but ran about in fine spirits, and hunted for +cranberries and frozen whortleberries. But then came evening, and +darkness sank down on them so close, that not even such eyes as the +boy's could see through it; and all the wilderness became so strangely +grim and awful. The boy lay tucked in under the goosey-gander's wing, +but could not sleep because he was cold and wet. He heard such a lot of +rustling and rattling and stealthy steps and menacing voices, that he +was terror-stricken and didn't know where he should go. He must go +somewhere, where there was light and heat, if he wasn't going to be +entirely scared to death. + +"If I should venture where there are human beings, just for this night?" +thought the boy. "Only so I could sit by a fire for a moment, and get a +little food. I could go back to the wild geese before sunrise." + +He crept from under the wing and slid down to the ground. He didn't +awaken either the goosey-gander or any of the other geese, but stole, +silently and unobserved, through the morass. + +He didn't know exactly where on earth he was: if he was in SkÃ¥ne, in +SmÃ¥land, or in Blekinge. But just before he had gotten down in the +morass, he had caught a glimpse of a large village, and thither he +directed his steps. It wasn't long, either, before he discovered a road; +and soon he was on the village street, which was long, and had planted +trees on both sides, and was bordered with garden after garden. + +The boy had come to one of the big cathedral towns, which are so common +on the uplands, but can hardly be seen at all down in the plain. + +The houses were of wood, and very prettily constructed. Most of them had +gables and fronts, edged with carved mouldings, and glass doors, with +here and there a coloured pane, opening on verandas. The walls were +painted in light oil-colours; the doors and window-frames shone in blues +and greens, and even in reds. While the boy walked about and viewed the +houses, he could hear, all the way out to the road, how the people who +sat in the warm cottages chattered and laughed. The words he could not +distinguish, but he thought it was just lovely to hear human voices. "I +wonder what they would say if I knocked and begged to be let in," +thought he. + +This was, of course, what he had intended to do all along, but now that +he saw the lighted windows, his fear of the darkness was gone. Instead, +he felt again that shyness which always came over him now when he was +near human beings. "I'll take a look around the town for a while +longer," thought he, "before I ask anyone to take me in." + +On one house there was a balcony. And just as the boy walked by, the +doors were thrown open, and a yellow light streamed through the fine, +sheer curtains. Then a pretty young fru came out on the balcony and +leaned over the railing. "It's raining; now we shall soon have spring," +said she. When the boy saw her he felt a strange anxiety. It was as +though he wanted to weep. For the first time he was a bit uneasy because +he had shut himself out from the human kind. + +Shortly after that he walked by a shop. Outside the shop stood a red +corn-drill. He stopped and looked at it; and finally crawled up to the +driver's place, and seated himself. When he had got there, he smacked +with his lips and pretended that he sat and drove. He thought what fun +it would be to be permitted to drive such a pretty machine over a +grainfield. For a moment he forgot what he was like now; then he +remembered it, and jumped down quickly from the machine. Then a greater +unrest came over him. After all, human beings were very wonderful and +clever. + +He walked by the post-office, and then he thought of all the newspapers +which came every day, with news from all the four corners of the earth. +He saw the apothecary's shop and the doctor's home, and he thought about +the power of human beings, which was so great that they were able to +battle with sickness and death. He came to the church. Then he thought +how human beings had built it, that they might hear about another world +than the one in which they lived, of God and the resurrection and +eternal life. And the longer he walked there, the better he liked human +beings. + +It is so with children that they never think any farther ahead than the +length of their noses. That which lies nearest them, they want +promptly, without caring what it may cost them. Nils Holgersson had not +understood what he was losing when he chose to remain an elf; but now he +began to be dreadfully afraid that, perhaps, he should never again get +back to his right form. + +How in all the world should he go to work in order to become human? This +he wanted, oh! so much, to know. + +He crawled up on a doorstep, and seated himself in the pouring rain and +meditated. He sat there one whole hour--two whole hours, and he thought +so hard that his forehead lay in furrows; but he was none the wiser. It +seemed as though the thoughts only rolled round and round in his head. +The longer he sat there, the more impossible it seemed to him to find +any solution. + +"This thing is certainly much too difficult for one who has learned as +little as I have," he thought at last. "It will probably wind up by my +having to go back among human beings after all. I must ask the minister +and the doctor and the schoolmaster and others who are learned, and may +know a cure for such things." + +This he concluded that he would do at once, and shook himself--for he +was as wet as a dog that has been in a water-pool. + +Just about then he saw that a big owl came flying along, and alighted on +one of the trees that bordered the village street. The next instant a +lady owl, who sat under the cornice of the house, began to call out: +"Kivitt, Kivitt! Are you at home again, Mr. Gray Owl? What kind of a +time did you have abroad?" + +"Thank you, Lady Brown Owl. I had a very comfortable time," said the +gray owl. "Has anything out of the ordinary happened here at home during +my absence?" + +"Not here in Blekinge, Mr. Gray Owl; but in SkÃ¥ne a marvellous thing has +happened! A boy has been transformed by an elf into a goblin no bigger +than a squirrel; and since then he has gone to Lapland with a tame +goose." + +"That's a remarkable bit of news, a remarkable bit of news. Can he never +be human again, Lady Brown Owl? Can he never be human again?" + +"That's a secret, Mr. Gray Owl; but you shall hear it just the same. +The elf has said that if the boy watches over the goosey-gander, so that +he comes home safe and sound, and--" + +"What more, Lady Brown Owl? What more? What more?" + +"Fly with me up to the church tower, Mr. Gray Owl, and you shall hear +the whole story! I fear there may be someone listening down here in the +street." With that, the owls flew their way; but the boy flung his cap +in the air, and shouted: "If I only watch over the goosey-gander, so +that he gets back safe and sound, then I shall become a human being +again. Hurrah! Hurrah! Then I shall become a human being again!" + +He shouted "hurrah" until it was strange that they did not hear him in +the houses--but they didn't, and he hurried back to the wild geese, out +in the wet morass, as fast as his legs could carry him. + + +THE STAIRWAY WITH THE THREE STEPS + + +_Thursday, March thirty-first_. + +The following day the wild geese intended to travel northward through +Allbo district, in SmÃ¥land. They sent Iksi and Kaksi to spy out the +land. But when they returned, they said that all the water was frozen, +and all the land was snow-covered. "We may as well remain where we are," +said the wild geese. "We cannot travel over a country where there is +neither water nor food." "If we remain where we are, we may have to wait +here until the next moon," said Akka. "It is better to go eastward, +through Blekinge, and see if we can't get to SmÃ¥land by way of Möre, +which lies near the coast, and has an early spring." + +Thus the boy came to ride over Blekinge the next day. Now, that it was +light again, he was in a merry mood once more, and could not comprehend +what had come over him the night before. He certainly didn't want to +give up the journey and the outdoor life now. + +There lay a thick fog over Blekinge. The boy couldn't see how it looked +out there. "I wonder if it is a good, or a poor country that I'm riding +over," thought he, and tried to search his memory for the things which +he had heard about the country at school. But at the same time he knew +well enough that this was useless, as he had never been in the habit of +studying his lessons. + +At once the boy saw the whole school before him. The children sat by the +little desks and raised their hands; the teacher sat in the lectern and +looked displeased; and he himself stood before the map and should answer +some question about Blekinge, but he hadn't a word to say. The +schoolmaster's face grew darker and darker for every second that passed, +and the boy thought the teacher was more particular that they should +know their geography, than anything else. Now he came down from the +lectern, took the pointer from the boy, and sent him back to his seat. +"This won't end well," the boy thought then. + +But the schoolmaster had gone over to a window, and had stood there for +a moment and looked out, and then he had whistled to himself once. Then +he had gone up into the lectern and said that he would tell them +something about Blekinge. And that which he then talked about had been +so amusing that the boy had listened. When he only stopped and thought +for a moment, he remembered every word. + +"SmÃ¥land is a tall house with spruce trees on the roof," said the +teacher, "and leading up to it is a broad stairway with three big steps; +and this stairway is called Blekinge. It is a stairway that is well +constructed. It stretches forty-two miles along the frontage of SmÃ¥land +house, and anyone who wishes to go all the way down to the East sea, by +way of the stairs, has twenty-four miles to wander. + +"A good long time must have elapsed since the stairway was +built. Both days and years have gone by since the steps were hewn from +gray stones and laid down--evenly and smoothly--for a convenient track +between SmÃ¥land and the East sea. + +"Since the stairway is so old, one can, of course, understand that it +doesn't look just the same now, as it did when it was new. I don't know +how much they troubled themselves about such matters at that time; but +big as it was, no broom could have kept it clean. After a couple of +years, moss and lichen began to grow on it. In the autumn dry leaves and +dry grass blew down over it; and in the spring it was piled up with +falling stones and gravel. And as all these things were left there to +mould, they finally gathered so much soil on the steps that not only +herbs and grass, but even bushes and trees could take root there. + +"But, at the same time, a great disparity has arisen between the three +steps. The topmost step, which lies nearest SmÃ¥land, is mostly covered +with poor soil and small stones, and no trees except birches and +bird-cherry and spruce--which can stand the cold on the heights, and are +satisfied with little--can thrive up there. One understands best how +poor and dry it is there, when one sees how small the field-plots are, +that are ploughed up from the forest lands; and how many little cabins +the people build for themselves; and how far it is between the churches. +But on the middle step there is better soil, and it does not lie bound +down under such severe cold, either. This one can see at a glance, since +the trees are both higher and of finer quality. There you'll find maple +and oak and linden and weeping-birch and hazel trees growing, but no +cone-trees to speak of. And it is still more noticeable because of the +amount of cultivated land that you will find there; and also because the +people have built themselves great and beautiful houses. On the middle +step, there are many churches, with large towns around them; and in +every way it makes a better and finer appearance than the top step. + +"But the very lowest step is the best of all. It is covered with good +rich soil; and, where it lies and bathes in the sea, it hasn't the +slightest feeling of the SmÃ¥land chill. Beeches and chestnut +and walnut trees thrive down here; and they grow so big that they tower +above the church-roofs. Here lie also the largest grain-fields; but the +people have not only timber and farming to live upon, but they are also +occupied with fishing and trading and seafaring. For this reason you +will find the most costly residences and the prettiest churches here; +and the parishes have developed into villages and cities. + +"But this is not all that is said of the three steps. For one must +realise that when it rains on the roof of the big SmÃ¥land house, or when +the snow melts up there, the water has to go somewhere; and then, +naturally, a lot of it is spilled over the big stairway. In the +beginning it probably oozed over the whole stairway, big as it was; then +cracks appeared in it, and, gradually, the water has accustomed itself +to flow alongside of it, in well dug-out grooves. And water is water, +whatever one does with it. It never has any rest. In one place it cuts +and files away, and in another it adds to. Those grooves it has dug into +vales, and the walls of the vales it has decked with soil; and bushes +and trees and vines have clung to them ever since--so thick, and in such +profusion, that they almost hide the stream of water that winds its way +down there in the deep. But when the streams come to the landings between +the steps, they throw themselves headlong over them; this is why the +water comes with such a seething rush, that it gathers strength with +which to move mill-wheels and machinery--these, too, have sprung up by +every waterfall. + +"But this does not tell all that is said of the land with the three +steps. It must also be told that up in the big house in SmÃ¥land there +lived once upon a time a giant, who had grown very old. And it fatigued +him in his extreme age, to be forced to walk down that long stairway in +order to catch salmon from the sea. To him it seemed much more suitable +that the salmon should come up to him, where he lived. + +"Therefore, he went up on the roof of his great house; and there he +stood and threw stones down into the East sea. He threw them with such +force that they flew over the whole of Blekinge and dropped into the +sea. And when the stones came down, the salmon got so scared that they +came up from the sea and fled toward the Blekinge streams; ran through +the rapids; flung themselves with high leaps over the waterfalls, and +stopped. + +"How true this is, one can see by the number of islands and points that +lie along the coast of Blekinge, and which are nothing in the world but +the big stones that the giant threw. + +"One can also tell because the salmon always go up in the Blekinge +streams and work their way up through rapids and still water, all the +way to SmÃ¥land. + +"That giant is worthy of great thanks and much honour from the Blekinge +people; for salmon in the streams, and stone-cutting on the island--that +means work which gives food to many of them even to this day." + + +BY RONNEBY RIVER + + +_Friday, April first_. + +Neither the wild geese nor Smirre Fox had believed that they should ever +run across each other after they had left SkÃ¥ne. But now it turned out +so that the wild geese happened to take the route over Blekinge and +thither Smirre Fox had also gone. + +So far he had kept himself in the northern parts of the province; and +since he had not as yet seen any manor parks, or hunting grounds filled +with game and dainty young deer, he was more disgruntled than he could +say. + +One afternoon, when Smirre tramped around in the desolate forest +district of Mellanbygden, not far from Ronneby River, he saw a flock of +wild geese fly through the air. Instantly he observed that one of the +geese was white and then he knew, of course, with whom he had to deal. + +Smirre began immediately to hunt the geese--just as much for the +pleasure of getting a good square meal, as for the desire to be avenged +for all the humiliation that they had heaped upon him. He saw that they +flew eastward until they came to Ronneby River. Then they changed their +course, and followed the river toward the south. He understood that they +intended to seek a sleeping-place along the river-banks, and he thought +that he should be able to get hold of a pair of them without much +trouble. But when Smirre finally discovered the place where the wild +geese had taken refuge, he observed they had chosen such a +well-protected spot, that he couldn't get near. + +Ronneby River isn't any big or important body of water; nevertheless, it +is just as much talked of, for the sake of its pretty shores. At several +points it forces its way forward between steep mountain-walls that stand +upright out of the water, and are entirely overgrown with honeysuckle +and bird-cherry, mountain-ash and osier; and there isn't much that can +be more delightful than to row out on the little dark river on a +pleasant summer day, and look upward on all the soft green that fastens +itself to the rugged mountain-sides. + +But now, when the wild geese and Smirre came to the river, it was cold +and blustery spring-winter; all the trees were nude, and there was +probably no one who thought the least little bit about whether the shore +was ugly or pretty. The wild geese thanked their good fortune that they +had found a sand-strip large enough for them to stand upon, on a steep +mountain wall. In front of them rushed the river, which was strong and +violent in the snow-melting time; behind them they had an impassable +mountain rock wall, and overhanging branches screened them. They +couldn't have it better. + +The geese were asleep instantly; but the boy couldn't get a wink of +sleep. As soon as the sun had disappeared he was seized with a fear of +the darkness, and a wilderness-terror, and he longed for human beings. +Where he lay--tucked in under the goose-wing--he could see nothing, and +only hear a little; and he thought if any harm came to the +goosey-gander, he couldn't save him. + +Noises and rustlings were heard from all directions, and he grew so +uneasy that he had to creep from under the wing and seat himself on the +ground, beside the goose. + +Long-sighted Smirre stood on the mountain's summit and looked down upon +the wild geese. "You may as well give this pursuit up first as last," he +said to himself. "You can't climb such a steep mountain; you can't swim +in such a wild torrent; and there isn't the tiniest strip of land below +the mountain which leads to the sleeping-place. Those geese are too wise +for you. Don't ever bother yourself again to hunt them!" + +But Smirre, like all foxes, had found it hard to give up an undertaking +already begun, and so he lay down on the extremest point of the mountain +edge, and did not take his eyes off the wild geese. While he lay and +watched them, he thought of all the harm they had done him. Yes, it was +their fault that he had been driven from SkÃ¥ne, and had been obliged to +move to poverty-stricken Blekinge. He worked himself up to such a pitch, +as he lay there, that he wished the wild geese were dead, even if he, +himself, should not have the satisfaction of eating them. + +When Smirre's resentment had reached this height, he heard rasping in a +large pine that grew close to him, and saw a squirrel come down from the +tree, hotly pursued by a marten. Neither of them noticed Smirre; and he +sat quietly and watched the chase, which went from tree to tree. He +looked at the squirrel, who moved among the branches as lightly as +though he'd been able to fly. He looked at the marten, who was not as +skilled at climbing as the squirrel, but who still ran up and along the +branches just as securely as if they had been even paths in the forest. +"If I could only climb half as well as either of them," thought the fox, +"those things down there wouldn't sleep in peace very long!" + +As soon as the squirrel had been captured, and the chase was ended, +Smirre walked over to the marten, but stopped two steps away from him, +to signify that he did not wish to cheat him of his prey. He greeted the +marten in a very friendly manner, and wished him good luck with his +catch. Smirre chose his words well--as foxes always do. The marten, on +the contrary, who, with his long and slender body, his fine head, his +soft skin, and his light brown neck-piece, looked like a little marvel +of beauty--but in reality was nothing but a crude forest dweller--hardly +answered him. "It surprises me," said Smirre, "that such a fine hunter +as you are should be satisfied with chasing squirrels when there is much +better game within reach." Here he paused; but when the marten only +grinned impudently at him, he continued: "Can it be possible that you +haven't seen the wild geese that stand under the mountain wall? or are +you not a good enough climber to get down to them?" + +This time he had no need to wait for an answer. The marten rushed up to +him with back bent, and every separate hair on end. "Have you seen wild +geese?" he hissed. "Where are they? Tell me instantly, or I'll bite your +neck off!" "No! you must remember that I'm twice your size--so be a +little polite. I ask nothing better than to show you the wild geese." + +The next instant the marten was on his way down the steep; and while +Smirre sat and watched how he swung his snake-like body from branch to +branch, he thought: "That pretty tree-hunter has the wickedest heart in +all the forest. I believe that the wild geese will have me to thank for +a bloody awakening." + +But just as Smirre was waiting to hear the geese's death-rattle, he saw +the marten tumble from branch to branch--and plump into the river so the +water splashed high. Soon thereafter, wings beat loudly and strongly and +all the geese went up in a hurried flight. + +Smirre intended to hurry after the geese, but he was so curious to know +how they had been saved, that he sat there until the marten came +clambering up. That poor thing was soaked in mud, and stopped every now +and then to rub his head with his forepaws. "Now wasn't that just what I +thought--that you were a booby, and would go and tumble into the river?" +said Smirre, contemptuously. + +"I haven't acted boobyishly. You don't need to scold me," said the +marten. "I sat--all ready--on one of the lowest branches and thought how +I should manage to tear a whole lot of geese to pieces, when a little +creature, no bigger than a squirrel, jumped up and threw a stone at my +head with such force, that I fell into the water; and before I had time +to pick myself up--" + +The marten didn't have to say any more. He had no audience. Smirre was +already a long way off in pursuit of the wild geese. + +In the meantime Akka had flown southward in search of a new +sleeping-place. There was still a little daylight; and, beside, the +half-moon stood high in the heavens, so that she could see a little. +Luckily, she was well acquainted in these parts, because it had +happened more than once that she had been wind-driven to Blekinge when +she travelled over the East sea in the spring. + +She followed the river as long as she saw it winding through the +moon-lit landscape like a black, shining snake. In this way she came way +down to Djupafors--where the river first hides itself in an underground +channel--and then clear and transparent, as though it were made of +glass, rushes down in a narrow cleft, and breaks into bits against its +bottom in glittering drops and flying foam. Below the white falls lay a +few stones, between which the water rushed away in a wild torrent +cataract. Here mother Akka alighted. This was another good +sleeping-place--especially this late in the evening, when no human +beings moved about. At sunset the geese would hardly have been able to +camp there, for Djupafors does not lie in any wilderness. On one side of +the falls is a paper factory; on the other--which is steep, and +tree-grown--is Djupadal's park, where people are always strolling about +on the steep and slippery paths to enjoy the wild stream's rushing +movement down in the ravine. + +It was about the same here as at the former place; none of the +travellers thought the least little bit that they had come to a pretty +and well-known place. They thought rather that it was ghastly and +dangerous to stand and sleep on slippery, wet stones, in the middle of a +rumbling waterfall. But they had to be content, if only they were +protected from carnivorous animals. + +The geese fell asleep instantly, while the boy could find no rest in +sleep, but sat beside them that he might watch over the goosey-gander. + +After a while, Smirre came running along the river-shore. He spied the +geese immediately where they stood out in the foaming whirlpools, and +understood that he couldn't get at them here, either. Still he couldn't +make up his mind to abandon them, but seated himself on the shore and +looked at them. He felt very much humbled, and thought that his entire +reputation as a hunter was at stake. + +All of a sudden, he saw an otter come creeping up from the falls with a +fish in his mouth. Smirre approached him but stopped within two steps of +him, to show him that he didn't wish to take his game from him. + +"You're a remarkable one, who can content yourself with catching a fish, +while the stones are covered with geese!" said Smirre. He was so eager, +that he hadn't taken the time to arrange his words as carefully as he +was wont to do. The otter didn't turn his head once in the direction of +the river. He was a vagabond--like all otters--and had fished many times +by Vomb Lake, and probably knew Smirre Fox. "I know very well how you +act when you want to coax away a salmon-trout, Smirre," said he. + +"Oh! is it you, Gripe?" said Smirre, and was delighted; for he knew that +this particular otter was a quick and accomplished swimmer. "I don't +wonder that you do not care to look at the wild geese, since you can't +manage to get out to them." But the otter, who had swimming-webs between +his toes, and a stiff tail--which was as good as an oar--and a skin that +was water-proof, didn't wish to have it said of him that there was a +waterfall that he wasn't able to manage. He turned toward the stream; +and as soon as he caught sight of the wild geese, he threw the fish +away, and rushed down the steep shore and into the river. + +If it had been a little later in the spring, so that the nightingales in +Djupafors had been at home, they would have sung for many a day of +Gripe's struggle with the rapid. For the otter was thrust back by the +waves many times, and carried down river; but he fought his way steadily +up again. He swam forward in still water; he crawled over stones, and +gradually came nearer the wild geese. It was a perilous trip, which +might well have earned the right to be sung by the nightingales. + +Smirre followed the otter's course with his eyes as well as he could. At +last he saw that the otter was in the act of climbing up to the wild +geese. But just then it shrieked shrill and wild. The otter tumbled +backward into the water, and dashed away as if he had been a blind +kitten. An instant later, there was a great crackling of geese's wings. +They raised themselves and flew away to find another sleeping-place. + +The otter soon came on land. He said nothing, but commenced to lick one +of his forepaws. When Smirre sneered at him because he hadn't succeeded, +he broke out: "It was not the fault of my swimming-art, Smirre. I had +raced all the way over to the geese, and was about to climb up to them, +when a tiny creature came running, and jabbed me in the foot with some +sharp iron. It hurt so, I lost my footing, and then the current took +me." + +He didn't have to say any more. Smirre was already far away on his way +to the wild geese. + +Once again Akka and her flock had to take a night fly. Fortunately, the +moon had not gone down; and with the aid of its light, she succeeded in +finding another of those sleeping-places which she knew in that +neighbourhood. Again she followed the shining river toward the south. +Over Djupadal's manor, and over Ronneby's dark roofs and white +waterfalls she swayed forward without alighting. But a little south of +the city and not far from the sea, lies Ronneby health-spring, with its +bath house and spring house; with its big hotel and summer cottages for +the spring's guests. All these stand empty and desolate in winter--which +the birds know perfectly well; and many are the bird-companies who seek +shelter on the deserted buildings' balustrades and balconies during hard +storm-times. + +Here the wild geese lit on a balcony, and, as usual, they fell asleep at +once. The boy, on the contrary, could not sleep because he hadn't cared +to creep in under the goosey-gander's wing. + +The balcony faced south, so the boy had an outlook over the sea. And +since he could not sleep, he sat there and saw how pretty it looked when +sea and land meet, here in Blekinge. + +You see that sea and land can meet in many different ways. In many +places the land comes down toward the sea with flat, tufted meadows, and +the sea meets the land with flying sand, which piles up in mounds and +drifts. It appears as though they both disliked each other so much that +they only wished to show the poorest they possessed. But it can also +happen that, when the land comes toward the sea, it raises a wall of +hills in front of it--as though the sea were something dangerous. When +the land does this, the sea comes up to it with fiery wrath, and beats +and roars and lashes against the rocks, and looks as if it would tear +the land-hill to pieces. + +But in Blekinge it is altogether different when sea and land meet. There +the land breaks itself up into points and islands and islets; and the +sea divides itself into fiords and bays and sounds; and it is, perhaps, +this which makes it look as if they must meet in happiness and harmony. + +Think now first and foremost of the sea! Far out it lies desolate and +empty and big, and has nothing else to do but to roll its gray billows. +When it comes toward the land, it happens across the first obstacle. +This it immediately overpowers; tears away everything green, and makes +it as gray as itself. Then it meets still another obstacle. With this it +does the same thing. And still another. Yes, the same thing happens to +this also. It is stripped and plundered, as if it had fallen into +robbers' hands. Then the obstacles come nearer and nearer together, and +then the sea must understand that the land sends toward it her littlest +children, in order to move it to pity. It also becomes more friendly the +farther in it comes; rolls its waves less high; moderates its storms; +lets the green things stay in cracks and crevices; separates itself into +small sounds and inlets, and becomes at last so harmless in the land, +that little boats dare venture out on it. It certainly cannot recognise +itself--so mild and friendly has it grown. + +And then think of the hillside! It lies uniform, and looks the same +almost everywhere. It consists of flat grain-fields, with one and +another birch-grove between them; or else of long stretches of forest +ranges. It appears as if it had thought about nothing but grain and +turnips and potatoes and spruce and pine. Then comes a sea-fiord that +cuts far into it. It doesn't mind that, but borders it with birch and +alder, just as if it was an ordinary fresh-water lake. Then still +another wave comes driving in. Nor does the hillside bother itself about +cringing to this, but it, too, gets the same covering as the first one. +Then the fiords begin to broaden and separate, they break up fields and +woods and then the hillside cannot help but notice them. "I believe it +is the sea itself that is coming," says the hillside, and then it begins +to adorn itself. It wreathes itself with blossoms, travels up and down +in hills and throws islands into the sea. It no longer cares about pines +and spruces, but casts them off like old every day clothes, and parades +later with big oaks and lindens and chestnuts, and with blossoming leafy +bowers, and becomes as gorgeous as a manor-park. And when it meets the +sea, it is so changed that it doesn't know itself. All this one cannot +see very well until summertime; but, at any rate, the boy observed how +mild and friendly nature was; and he began to feel calmer than he had +been before, that night. Then, suddenly, he heard a sharp and ugly yowl +from the bath-house park; and when he stood up he saw, in the white +moonlight, a fox standing on the pavement under the balcony. For Smirre +had followed the wild geese once more. But when he had found the place +where they were quartered, he had understood that it was impossible to +get at them in any way; then he had not been able to keep from yowling +with chagrin. + +When the fox yowled in this manner, old Akka, the leader-goose, was +awakened. Although she could see nothing, she thought she recognised the +voice. "Is it you who are out to-night, Smirre?" said she. "Yes," said +Smirre, "it is I; and I want to ask what you geese think of the night +that I have given you?" + +"Do you mean to say that it is you who have sent the marten and otter +against us?" asked Akka. "A good turn shouldn't be denied," said Smirre. +"You once played the goose-game with me, now I have begun to play the +fox-game with you; and I'm not inclined to let up on it so long as a +single one of you still lives even if I have to follow you the world +over!" + +"You, Smirre, ought at least to think whether it is right for you, who +are weaponed with both teeth and claws, to hound us in this way; we, who +are without defence," said Akka. + +Smirre thought that Akka sounded scared, and he said quickly: "If you, +Akka, will take that Thumbietot--who has so often opposed me--and throw +him down to me, I'll promise to make peace with you. Then I'll never +more pursue you or any of yours." "I'm not going to give you +Thumbietot," said Akka. "From the youngest of us to the oldest, we would +willingly give our lives for his sake!" "Since you're so fond of him," +said Smirre, "I'll promise you that he shall be the first among you that +I will wreak vengeance upon." + +Akka said no more, and after Smirre had sent up a few more yowls, all +was still. The boy lay all the while awake. Now it was Akka's words to +the fox that prevented him from sleeping. Never had he dreamed that he +should hear anything so great as that anyone was willing to risk life +for his sake. From that moment, it could no longer be said of Nils +Holgersson that he did not care for anyone. + + +KARLSKRONA + + +_Saturday, April second_. + +It was a moonlight evening in Karlskrona--calm and beautiful. But +earlier in the day, there had been rain and wind; and the people must +have thought that the bad weather still continued, for hardly one of +them had ventured out on the streets. + +While the city lay there so desolate, Akka, the wild goose, and her +flock, came flying toward it over Vemmön and Pantarholmen. They were out +in the late evening to seek a sleeping place on the islands. They +couldn't remain inland because they were disturbed by Smirre Fox +wherever they lighted. + +When the boy rode along high up in the air, and looked at the sea and +the islands which spread themselves before him, he thought that +everything appeared so strange and spook-like. The heavens were no +longer blue, but encased him like a globe of green glass. The sea was +milk-white, and as far as he could see rolled small white waves tipped +with silver ripples. In the midst of all this white lay numerous little +islets, absolutely coal black. Whether they were big or little, whether +they were as even as meadows, or full of cliffs, they looked just as +black. Even dwelling houses and churches and windmills, which at other +times are white or red, were outlined in black against the green sky. +The boy thought it was as if the earth had been transformed, and he was +come to another world. + +He thought that just for this one night he wanted to be brave, and not +afraid--when he saw something that really frightened him. It was a high +cliff island, which was covered with big, angular blocks; and between +the blocks shone specks of bright, shining gold. He couldn't keep from +thinking of Maglestone, by Trolle-Ljungby, which the trolls sometimes +raised upon high gold pillars; and he wondered if this was something +like that. + +But with the stones and the gold it might have gone fairly well, if such +a lot of horrid things had not been lying all around the island. It +looked like whales and sharks and other big sea-monsters. But the boy +understood that it was the sea-trolls, who had gathered around the +island and intended to crawl up on it, to fight with the land-trolls who +lived there. And those on the land were probably afraid, for he saw how +a big giant stood on the highest point of the island and raised his +arms--as if in despair over all the misfortune that should come to him +and his island. + +The boy was not a little terrified when he noticed that Akka began to +descend right over that particular island! "No, for pity's sake! We +must not light there," said he. + +But the geese continued to descend, and soon the boy was astonished that +he could have seen things so awry. In the first place, the big stone +blocks were nothing but houses. The whole island was a city; and the +shining gold specks were street lamps and lighted window-panes. The +giant, who stood highest up on the island, and raised his arms, was a +church with two cross-towers; all the sea-trolls and monsters, which he +thought he had seen, were boats and ships of every description, that lay +anchored all around the island. On the side which lay toward the land +were mostly row-boats and sailboats and small coast steamers; but on the +side that faced the sea lay armour-clad battleships; some were broad, +with very thick, slanting smokestacks; others were long and narrow, and +so constructed that they could glide through the water like fishes. + +Now what city might this be? That, the boy could figure out because he +saw all the battleships. All his life he had loved ships, although he +had had nothing to do with any, except the galleys which he had sailed +in the road ditches. He knew very well that this city--where so many +battleships lay--couldn't be any place but Karlskrona. + +The boy's grandfather had been an old marine; and as long as he had +lived, he had talked of Karlskrona every day; of the great warship dock, +and of all the other things to be seen in that city. The boy felt +perfectly at home, and he was glad that he should see all this of which +he had heard so much. + +But he only had a glimpse of the towers and fortifications which barred +the entrance to the harbour, and the many buildings, and the +shipyard--before Akka came down on one of the flat church-towers. + +This was a pretty safe place for those who wanted to get away from a +fox, and the boy began to wonder if he couldn't venture to crawl in +under the goosey-gander's wing for this one night. Yes, that he might +safely do. It would do him good to get a little sleep. He should try to +see a little more of the dock and the ships after it had grown light. + +The boy himself thought it was strange that he could keep still and wait +until the next morning to see the ships. He certainly had not slept five +minutes before he slipped out from under the wing and slid down the +lightning-rod and the waterspout all the way down to the ground. + +Soon he stood on a big square which spread itself in front of the +church. It was covered with round stones, and was just as difficult for +him to travel over, as it is for big people to walk on a tufted meadow. +Those who are accustomed to live in the open--or way out in the +country--always feel uneasy when they come into a city, where the houses +stand straight and forbidding, and the streets are open, so that +everyone can see who goes there. And it happened in the same way with +the boy. When he stood on the big Karlskrona square, and looked at the +German church, and town hall, and the cathedral from which he had just +descended, he couldn't do anything but wish that he was back on the +tower again with the geese. + +It was a lucky thing that the square was entirely deserted. There wasn't +a human being about--unless he counted a statue that stood on a high +pedestal. The boy gazed long at the statue, which represented a big, +brawny man in a three-cornered hat, long waistcoat, knee-breeches and +coarse shoes, and wondered what kind of a one he was. He held a long +stick in his hand, and he looked as if he would know how to make use of +it, too--for he had an awfully severe countenance, with a big, hooked +nose and an ugly mouth. + +"What is that long-lipped thing doing here?" said the boy at last. He +had never felt so small and insignificant as he did that night. He tried +to jolly himself up a bit by saying something audacious. Then he thought +no more about the statue, but betook himself to a wide street which led +down to the sea. + +But the boy hadn't gone far before he heard that someone was following +him. Someone was walking behind him, who stamped on the stone pavement +with heavy footsteps, and pounded on the ground with a hard stick. It +sounded as if the bronze man up in the square had gone out for a +promenade. + +The boy listened after the steps, while he ran down the street, and he +became more and more convinced that it was the bronze man. The ground +trembled, and the houses shook. It couldn't be anyone but he, who walked +so heavily, and the boy grew panic-stricken when he thought of what he +had just said to him. He did not dare to turn his head to find out if it +really was he. + +"Perhaps he is only out walking for recreation," thought the boy. +"Surely he can't be offended with me for the words I spoke. They were +not at all badly meant." + +Instead of going straight on, and trying to get down to the dock, the +boy turned into a side street which led east. First and foremost, he +wanted to get away from the one who tramped after him. + +But the next instant he heard that the bronze man had switched off to +the same street; and then the boy was so scared that he didn't know what +he would do with himself. And how hard it was to find any hiding places +in a city where all the gates were closed! Then he saw on his right an +old frame church, which lay a short distance away from the street in the +centre of a large grove. Not an instant did he pause to consider, but +rushed on toward the church. "If I can only get there, then I'll surely +be shielded from all harm," thought he. + +As he ran forward, he suddenly caught sight of a man who stood on a +gravel path and beckoned to him. "There is certainly someone who will +help me!" thought the boy; he became intensely happy, and hurried off in +that direction. He was actually so frightened that the heart of him +fairly thumped in his breast. + +But when he came up to the man who stood on the edge of the gravel path, +upon a low pedestal, he was absolutely thunderstruck. "Surely, it can't +have been that one who beckoned to me!" thought he; for he saw that the +entire man was made of wood. + +He stood there and stared at him. He was a thick-set man on short legs, +with a broad, ruddy countenance, shiny, black hair and full black beard. +On his head he wore a wooden hat; on his body, a brown wooden coat; +around his waist, a black wooden belt; on his legs he had wide wooden +knee-breeches and wooden stockings; and on his feet black wooden shoes. +He was newly painted and newly varnished, so that he glistened and shone +in the moonlight. This undoubtedly had a good deal to do with giving him +such a good-natured appearance, that the boy at once placed confidence +in him. + +In his left hand he held a wooden slate, and there the boy read: + +_Most humbly I beg you, + Though voice I may lack: +Come drop a penny, do; + But lift my hat!_ + +Oh ho! the man was only a poor-box. The boy felt that he had been done. +He had expected that this should be something really remarkable. And now +he remembered that grandpa had also spoken of the wooden man, and said +that all the children in Karlskrona were so fond of him. And that must +have been true, for he, too, found it hard to part with the wooden man. +He had something so old-timy about him, that one could well take him to +be many hundred years old; and at the same time, he looked so strong and +bold, and animated--just as one might imagine that folks looked in olden +times. + +The boy had so much fun looking at the wooden man, that he entirely +forgot the one from whom he was fleeing. But now he heard him. He turned +from the street and came into the churchyard. He followed him here too! +Where should the boy go? + +Just then he saw the wooden man bend down to him and stretch forth his +big, broad hand. It was impossible to believe anything but good of him; +and with one jump, the boy stood in his hand. The wooden man lifted him +to his hat--and stuck him under it. + +The boy was just hidden, and the wooden man had just gotten his arm in +its right place again, when the bronze man stopped in front of him and +banged the stick on the ground, so that the wooden man shook on his +pedestal. Thereupon the bronze man said in a strong and resonant voice: +"Who might this one be?" + +The wooden man's arm went up, so that it creaked in the old woodwork, +and he touched his hat brim as he replied: "Rosenbom, by Your Majesty's +leave. Once upon a time boatswain on the man-of-war, _Dristigheten_; +after completed service, sexton at the Admiral's church--and, lately, +carved in wood and exhibited in the churchyard as a poor-box." + +The boy gave a start when he heard that the wooden man said "Your +Majesty." For now, when he thought about it, he knew that the statue on +the square represented the one who had founded the city. It was probably +no less an one than Charles the Eleventh himself, whom he had +encountered. + +"He gives a good account of himself," said the bronze man. "Can he also +tell me if he has seen a little brat who runs around in the city +to-night? He's an impudent rascal, if I get hold of him, I'll teach him +manners!" With that, he again pounded on the ground with his stick, and +looked fearfully angry. + +"By Your Majesty's leave, I have seen him," said the wooden man; and the +boy was so scared that he commenced to shake where he sat under the hat +and looked at the bronze man through a crack in the wood. But he calmed +down when the wooden man continued: "Your Majesty is on the wrong track. +That youngster certainly intended to run into the shipyard, and conceal +himself there." + +"Does he say so, Rosenbom? Well then, don't stand still on the pedestal +any longer but come with me and help me find him. Four eyes are better +than two, Rosenbom." + +But the wooden man answered in a doleful voice: "I would most humbly beg +to be permitted to stay where I am. I look well and sleek because of the +paint, but I'm old and mouldy, and cannot stand moving about." + +The bronze man was not one of those who liked to be contradicted. "What +sort of notions are these? Come along, Rosenbom!" Then he raised his +stick and gave the other one a resounding whack on the shoulder. "Does +Rosenbom not see that he holds together?" + +With that they broke off and walked forward on the streets of +Karlskrona--large and mighty--until they came to a high gate, which led +to the shipyard. Just outside and on guard walked one of the navy's +jack-tars, but the bronze man strutted past him and kicked the gate open +without the jack-tar's pretending to notice it. + +As soon as they had gotten into the shipyard, they saw before them a +wide, expansive harbor separated by pile-bridges. In the different +harbour basins, lay the warships, which looked bigger, and more +awe-inspiring close to, like this, than lately, when the boy had seen +them from up above. "Then it wasn't so crazy after all, to imagine that +they were sea-trolls," thought he. + +"Where does Rosenbom think it most advisable for us to begin the +search?" said the bronze man. + +"Such an one as he could most easily conceal himself in the hall of +models," replied the wooden man. + +On a narrow land-strip which stretched to the right from the gate, all +along the harbour, lay ancient structures. The bronze man walked over to +a building with low walls, small windows, and a conspicuous roof. He +pounded on the door with his stick until it burst open; and tramped up a +pair of worn-out steps. Soon they came into a large hall, which was +filled with tackled and full-rigged little ships. The boy understood +without being told, that these were models for the ships which had been +built for the Swedish navy. + +There were ships of many different varieties. There were old men-of-war, +whose sides bristled with cannon, and which had high structures fore and +aft, and their masts weighed down with a network of sails and ropes. +There were small island-boats with rowing-benches along the sides; there +were undecked cannon sloops and richly gilded frigates, which were +models of the ones the kings had used on their travels. Finally, there +were also the heavy, broad armour-plated ships with towers and cannon +on deck--such as are in use nowadays; and narrow, shining torpedo boats +which resembled long, slender fishes. + +When the boy was carried around among all this, he was awed. "Fancy that +such big, splendid ships have been built here in Sweden!" he thought to +himself. + +He had plenty of time to see all that was to be seen in there; for when +the bronze man saw the models, he forgot everything else. He examined +them all, from the first to the last, and asked about them. And +Rosenbom, the boatswain on the _Dristigheten_, told as much as he knew +of the ships' builders, and of those who had manned them; and of the +fates they had met. He told them about Chapman and Puke and Trolle; of +Hoagland and Svensksund--all the way along until 1809--after that he had +not been there. + +Both he and the bronze man had the most to say about the fine old wooden +ships. The new battleships they didn't exactly appear to understand. + +"I can hear that Rosenbom doesn't know anything about these new-fangled +things," said the bronze man. "Therefore, let us go and look at +something else; for this amuses me, Rosenbom." + +By this time he had entirely given up his search for the boy, who felt +calm and secure where he sat in the wooden hat. + +Thereupon both men wandered through the big establishment: sail-making +shops, anchor smithy, machine and carpenter shops. They saw the mast +sheers and the docks; the large magazines, the arsenal, the rope-bridge +and the big discarded dock, which had been blasted in the rock. They +went out upon the pile-bridges, where the naval vessels lay moored, +stepped on board and examined them like two old sea-dogs; wondered; +disapproved; approved; and became indignant. + +The boy sat in safety under the wooden hat, and heard all about how they +had laboured and struggled in this place, to equip the navies which had +gone out from here. He heard how life and blood had been risked; how the +last penny had been sacrificed to build the warships; how skilled men +had strained all their powers, in order to perfect these ships which +had been their fatherland's safeguard. A couple of times the tears came +to the boy's eyes, as he heard all this. + +And the very last, they went into an open court, where the galley models +of old men-of-war were grouped; and a more remarkable sight the boy had +never beheld; for these models had inconceivably powerful and +terror-striking faces. They were big, fearless and savage: filled with +the same proud spirit that had fitted out the great ships. They were +from another time than his. He thought that he shrivelled up before +them. + +But when they came in here, the bronze man said to the wooden man: +"Take off thy hat, Rosenbom, for those that stand here! They have all +fought for the fatherland." + +And Rosenbom--like the bronze man--had forgotten why they had begun this +tramp. Without thinking, he lifted the wooden hat from his head and +shouted: + +"I take off my hat to the one who chose the harbour and founded the +shipyard and recreated the navy; to the monarch who has awakened all +this into life!" + +"Thanks, Rosenbom! That was well spoken. Rosenbom is a fine man. But +what is this, Rosenbom?" + +For there stood Nils Holgersson, right on the top of Rosenbom's bald +pate. He wasn't afraid any longer; but raised his white toboggan hood, +and shouted: "Hurrah for you, Longlip!" + +The bronze man struck the ground hard with his stick; but the boy never +learned what he had intended to do for now the sun ran up, and, at the +same time, both the bronze man and the wooden man vanished--as if they +had been made of mists. While he still stood and stared after them, the +wild geese flew up from the church tower, and swayed back and forth over +the city. Instantly they caught sight of Nils Holgersson; and then the +big white one darted down from the sky and fetched him. + + +THE TRIP TO ÖLAND + + +_Sunday, April third_. + +The wild geese went out on a wooded island to feed. There they happened +to run across a few gray geese, who were surprised to see them--since +they knew very well that their kinsmen, the wild geese, usually travel +over the interior of the country. + +They were curious and inquisitive, and wouldn't be satisfied with less +than that the wild geese should tell them all about the persecution +which they had to endure from Smirre Fox. When they had finished, a +gray goose, who appeared to be as old and as wise as Akka herself, said: +"It was a great misfortune for you that Smirre Fox was declared an +outlaw in his own land. He'll be sure to keep his word, and follow you +all the way up to Lapland. If I were in your place, I shouldn't travel +north over SmÃ¥land, but would take the outside route over Öland instead, +so that he'll be thrown off the track entirely. To really mislead him, +you must remain for a couple of days on Öland's southern point. There +you'll find lots of food and lots of company. I don't believe you'll +regret it, if you go over there." + +It was certainly very sensible advice, and the wild geese concluded to +follow it. As soon as they had eaten all they could hold, they started +on the trip to Öland. None of them had ever been there before, but the +gray goose had given them excellent directions. They only had to travel +direct south until they came to a large bird-track, which extended all +along the Blekinge coast. All the birds who had winter residences by the +West sea, and who now intended to travel to Finland and Russia, flew +forward there--and, in passing, they were always in the habit of +stopping at Öland to rest. The wild geese would have no trouble in +finding guides. + +That day it was perfectly still and warm--like a summer's day--the best +weather in the world for a sea trip. The only grave thing about it was +that it was not quite clear, for the sky was gray and veiled. Here and +there were enormous mist-clouds which hung way down to the sea's outer +edge, and obstructed the view. + +When the travellers had gotten away from the wooded island, the sea +spread itself so smooth and mirror-like, that the boy as he looked down +thought the water had disappeared. There was no longer any earth under +him. He had nothing but mist and sky around him. He grew very dizzy, and +held himself tight on the goose-back, more frightened than when he sat +there for the first time. It seemed as though he couldn't possibly hold +on; he must fall in some direction. + +It was even worse when they reached the big bird-track, of which the +gray goose had spoken. Actually, there came flock after flock flying in +exactly the same direction. They seemed to follow a fixed route. There +were ducks and gray geese, surf-scoters and guillemots, loons and +pin-tail ducks and mergansers and grebes and oyster-catchers and +sea-grouse. But now, when the boy leaned forward, and looked in the +direction where the sea ought to lie, he saw the whole bird procession +reflected in the water. But he was so dizzy that he didn't understand +how this had come about: he thought that the whole bird procession flew +with their bellies upside down. Still he didn't wonder at this so much, +for he did not himself know which was up, and which was down. + +The birds were tired out and impatient to get on. None of them shrieked +or said a funny thing, and this made everything seem peculiarly unreal. + +"Think, if we have travelled away from the earth!" he said to himself. +"Think, if we are on our way up to heaven!" + +He saw nothing but mists and birds around him, and began to look upon it +as reasonable that they were travelling heaven-ward. He was glad, and +wondered what he should see up there. The dizziness passed all at once. +He was so exceedingly happy at the thought that he was on his way to +heaven and was leaving this earth. + +Just about then he heard a couple of loud shots, and saw two white +smoke-columns ascend. + +There was a sudden awakening, and an unrest among the birds. "Hunters! +Hunters!" they cried. "Fly high! Fly away!" + +Then the boy saw, finally, that they were travelling all the while over +the sea-coast, and that they certainly were not in heaven. In a long row +lay small boats filled with hunters, who fired shot upon shot. The +nearest bird-flocks hadn't noticed them in time. They had flown too low. +Several dark bodies sank down toward the sea; and for every one that +fell, there arose cries of anguish from the living. + +It was strange for one who had but lately believed himself in heaven, to +wake up suddenly to such fear and lamentation. Akka shot toward the +heights as fast as she could, and the flock followed with the greatest +possible speed. The wild geese got safely out of the way, but the boy +couldn't get over his amazement. "To think that anyone could wish to +shoot upon such as Akka and Yksi and Kaksi and the goosey-gander and the +others! Human beings had no conception of what they did." + +So it bore on again, in the still air, and everything was as quiet as +heretofore--with the exception that some of the tired birds called out +every now and then: "Are we not there soon? Are you sure we're on the +right track?" Hereupon, those who flew in the centre answered: "We are +flying straight to Öland; straight to Öland." + +The gray geese were tired out, and the loons flew around them. "Don't be +in such a rush!" cried the ducks. "You'll eat up all the food before we +get there." "Oh! there'll be enough for both you and us," answered the +loons. + +Before they had gotten so far that they saw Öland, there came a light +wind against them. It brought with it something that resembled immense +clouds of white smoke--just as if there was a big fire somewhere. + +When the birds saw the first white spiral haze, they became uneasy and +increased their speed. But that which resembled smoke blew thicker and +thicker, and at last it enveloped them altogether. They smelled no +smoke; and the smoke was not dark and dry, but white and damp. Suddenly +the boy understood that it was nothing but a mist. + +When the mist became so thick that one couldn't see a goose-length +ahead, the birds began to carry on like real lunatics. All these, who +before had travelled forward in such perfect order, began to play in the +mist. They flew hither and thither, to entice one another astray. "Be +careful!" they cried. "You're only travelling round and round. Turn +back, for pity's sake! You'll never get to Öland in this way." + +They all knew perfectly well where the island was, but they did their +best to lead each other astray. "Look at those wagtails!" rang out in +the mist. "They are going back toward the North Sea!" "Have a care, wild +geese!" shrieked someone from another direction. "If you continue like +this, you'll get clear up to Rügen." + +There was, of course, no danger that the birds who were accustomed to +travel here would permit themselves to be lured in a wrong direction. +But the ones who had a hard time of it were the wild geese. The jesters +observed that they were uncertain as to the way, and did all they could +to confuse them. + +"Where do you intend to go, good people?" called a swan. He came right +up to Akka, and looked sympathetic and serious. + +"We shall travel to Öland; but we have never been there before," said +Akka. She thought that this was a bird to be trusted. + +"It's too bad," said the swan. "They have lured you in the wrong +direction. You're on the road to Blekinge. Now come with me, and I'll +put you right!" + +And so he flew off with them; and when he had taken them so far away +from the track that they heard no calls, he disappeared in the mist. + +They flew around for a while at random. They had barely succeeded in +finding the birds again, when a duck approached them. "It's best that +you lie down on the water until the mist clears," said the duck. "It is +evident that you are not accustomed to look out for yourselves on +journeys." + +Those rogues succeeded in making Akka's head swim. As near as the boy +could make out, the wild geese flew round and round for a long time. + +"Be careful! Can't you see that you are flying up and down?" shouted a +loon as he rushed by. The boy positively clutched the goosey-gander +around the neck. This was something which he had feared for a long time. + +No one can tell when they would have arrived, if they hadn't heard a +rolling and muffled sound in the distance. + +Then Akka craned her neck, snapped hard with her wings, and rushed on at +full speed. Now she had something to go by. The gray goose had told her +not to light on Öland's southern point, because there was a cannon +there, which the people used to shoot the mist with. Now she knew the +way, and now no one in the world should lead her astray again. + + +ÖLAND'S SOUTHERN POINT + + +_April third to sixth_. + +On the most southerly part of Öland lies a royal demesne, which is +called Ottenby. It is a rather large estate which extends from shore to +shore, straight across the island; and it is remarkable because it has +always been a haunt for large bird-companies. In the seventeenth +century, when the kings used to go over to Öland to hunt, the entire +estate was nothing but a deer park. In the eighteenth century there was +a stud there, where blooded race-horses were bred; and a sheep farm, +where several hundred sheep were maintained. In our days you'll find +neither blooded horses nor sheep at Ottenby. In place of them live +great herds of young horses, which are to be used by the cavalry. + +In all the land there is certainly no place that could be a better abode +for animals. Along the extreme eastern shore lies the old sheep meadow, +which is a mile and a half long, and the largest meadow in all Öland, +where animals can graze and play and run about, as free as if they were +in a wilderness. And there you will find the celebrated Ottenby grove +with the hundred-year-old oaks, which give shade from the sun, and +shelter from the severe Öland winds. And we must not forget the long +Ottenby wall, which stretches from shore to shore, and separates Ottenby +from the rest of the island, so that the animals may know how far the +old royal demesne extends, and be careful about getting in on other +ground, where they are not so well protected. + +You'll find plenty of tame animals at Ottenby, but that isn't all. One +could almost believe that the wild ones also felt that on an old crown +property both the wild and the tame ones can count upon shelter and +protection--since they venture there in such great numbers. + +Besides, there are still a few stags of the old descent left; and +burrow-ducks and partridges love to live there, and it offers a resting +place, in the spring and late summer, for thousands of migratory birds. +Above all, it is the swampy eastern shore below the sheep meadow, where +the migratory birds alight, to rest and feed. + +When the wild geese and Nils Holgersson had finally found their way to +Öland, they came down, like all the rest, on the shore near the sheep +meadow. The mist lay thick over the island, just as it had over the sea. +But still the boy was amazed at all the birds which he discerned, only +on the little narrow stretch of shore which he could see. + +It was a low sand-shore with stones and pools, and a lot of cast-up +sea-weed. If the boy had been permitted to choose, it isn't likely that +he would have thought of alighting there; but the birds probably looked +upon this as a veritable paradise. Ducks and geese walked about and fed +on the meadow; nearer the water, ran snipe, and other coast-birds. The +loons lay in the sea and fished, but the life and movement was upon the +long sea-weed banks along the coast. There the birds stood side by side +close together and picked grub-worms--which must have been found there +in limitless quantities for it was very evident that there was never any +complaint over a lack of food. + +The great majority were going to travel farther, and had only alighted +to take a short rest; and as soon as the leader of a flock thought that +his comrades had recovered themselves sufficiently he said, "If you are +ready now, we may as well move on." + +"No, wait, wait! We haven't had anything like enough," said the +followers. + +"You surely don't believe that I intend to let you eat so much that you +will not be able to move?" said the leader, and flapped his wings and +started off. Along the outermost sea-weed banks lay a flock of swans. +They didn't bother about going on land, but rested themselves by lying +and rocking on the water. Now and then they dived down with their necks +and brought up food from the sea-bottom. When they had gotten hold of +anything very good, they indulged in loud shouts that sounded like +trumpet calls. + +When the boy heard that there were swans on the shoals, he hurried out +to the sea-weed banks. He had never before seen wild swans at close +range. He had luck on his side, so that he got close up to them. + +The boy was not the only one who had heard the swans. Both the wild +geese and the gray geese and the loons swam out between the banks, laid +themselves in a ring around the swans and stared at them. The swans +ruffled their feathers, raised their wings like sails, and lifted their +necks high in the air. Occasionally one and another of them swam up to a +goose, or a great loon, or a diving-duck, and said a few words. And then +it appeared as though the one addressed hardly dared raise his bill to +reply. + +But then there was a little loon--a tiny mischievous baggage--who +couldn't stand all this ceremony. He dived suddenly, and disappeared +under the water's edge. Soon after that, one of the swans let out a +scream, and swam off so quickly that the water foamed. Then he stopped +and began to look majestic once more. But soon, another one shrieked in +the same way as the first one, and then a third. + +The little loon wasn't able to stay under water any longer, but appeared +on the water's edge, little and black and venomous. The swans rushed +toward him; but when they saw what a poor little thing it was, they +turned abruptly--as if they considered themselves too good to quarrel +with him. Then the little loon dived again, and pinched their feet. It +certainly must have hurt; and the worst of it was, that they could not +maintain their dignity. At once they took a decided stand. They began to +beat the air with their wings so that it thundered; came forward a +bit--as though they were running on the water--got wind under their +wings, and raised themselves. + +When the swans were gone they were greatly missed; and those who had +lately been amused by the little loon's antics scolded him for his +thoughtlessness. + +The boy walked toward land again. There he stationed himself to see how +the pool-snipe played. They resembled small storks; like these, they had +little bodies, long legs and necks, and light, swaying movements; only +they were not gray, but brown. They stood in a long row on the shore +where it was washed by waves. As soon as a wave rolled in, the whole row +ran backward; as soon as it receded, they followed it. And they kept +this up for hours. + +The showiest of all the birds were the burrow-ducks. They were +undoubtedly related to the ordinary ducks; for, like these, they too had +a thick-set body, broad bill, and webbed feet; but they were much more +elaborately gotten up. The feather dress, itself, was white; around +their necks they wore a broad gold band; the wing-mirror shone in green, +red, and black; and the wing-edges were black, and the head was dark +green and shimmered like satin. + +As soon as any of these appeared on the shore, the others said: "Now, +just look at those things! They know how to tog themselves out." "If +they were not so conspicuous, they wouldn't have to dig their nests in +the earth, but could lay above ground, like anyone else," said a brown +mallard-duck. "They may try as much as they please, still they'll never +get anywhere with such noses," said a gray goose. And this was actually +true. The burrow-ducks had a big knob on the base of the bill, which +spoiled their appearance. + +Close to the shore, sea-gulls and sea-swallows moved forward on the +water and fished. "What kind of fish are you catching?" asked a wild +goose. "It's a stickleback. It's Öland stickleback. It's the best +stickleback in the world," said a gull. "Won't you taste of it?" And he +flew up to the goose, with his mouth full of the little fishes, and +wanted to give her some. "Ugh! Do you think that I eat such filth?" said +the wild goose. + +The next morning it was just as cloudy. The wild geese walked about on +the meadow and fed; but the boy had gone to the seashore to gather +mussels. There were plenty of them; and when he thought that the next +day, perhaps, they would be in some place where they couldn't get any +food at all, he concluded that he would try to make himself a little +bag, which he could fill with mussels. He found an old sedge on the +meadow, which was strong and tough; and out of this he began to braid a +knapsack. He worked at this for several hours, but he was well satisfied +with it when it was finished. + +At dinner time all the wild geese came running and asked him if he had +seen anything of the white goosey-gander. "No, he has not been with me," +said the boy. "We had him with us all along until just lately," said +Akka, "but now we no longer know where he's to be found." + +The boy jumped up, and was terribly frightened. He asked if any fox or +eagle had put in an appearance, or if any human being had been seen in +the neighbourhood. But no one had noticed anything dangerous. The +goosey-gander had probably lost his way in the mist. + +But it was just as great a misfortune for the boy, in whatever way the +white one had been lost, and he started off immediately to hunt for him. +The mist shielded him, so that he could run wherever he wished without +being seen, but it also prevented him from seeing. He ran southward +along the shore--all the way down to the lighthouse and the mist cannon +on the island's extreme point. It was the same bird confusion +everywhere, but no goosey-gander. He ventured over to Ottenby estate, +and he searched every one of the old, hollow oaks in Ottenby grove, but +he saw no trace of the goosey-gander. + +He searched until it began to grow dark. Then he had to turn back again +to the eastern shore. He walked with heavy steps, and was fearfully +blue. He didn't know what would become of him if he couldn't find the +goosey-gander. There was no one whom he could spare less. + +But when he wandered over the sheep meadow, what was that big, white +thing that came toward him in the mist if it wasn't the goosey-gander? +He was all right, and very glad that, at last, he had been able to find +his way back to the others. The mist had made him so dizzy, he said, +that he had wandered around on the big meadow all day long. The boy +threw his arms around his neck, for very joy, and begged him to take +care of himself, and not wander away from the others. And he promised, +positively, that he never would do this again. No, never again. + +But the next morning, when the boy went down to the beach and hunted for +mussels, the geese came running and asked if he had seen the +goosey-gander. No, of course he hadn't. "Well, then the goosey-gander +was lost again. He had gone astray in the mist, just as he had done the +day before." + +The boy ran off in great terror and began to search. He found one place +where the Ottenby wall was so tumble-down that he could climb over it. +Later, he went about, first on the shore which gradually widened and +became so large that there was room for fields and meadows and +farms--then up on the flat highland, which lay in the middle of the +island, and where there were no buildings except windmills, and where +the turf was so thin that the white cement shone under it. + +Meanwhile, he could not find the goosey-gander; and as it drew on toward +evening, and the boy must return to the beach, he couldn't believe +anything but that his travelling companion was lost. He was so +depressed, he did not know what to do with himself. + +He had just climbed over the wall again when he heard a stone crash down +close beside him. As he turned to see what it was, he thought that he +could distinguish something that moved on a stone pile which lay close +to the wall. He stole nearer, and saw the goosey-gander come trudging +wearily over the stone pile, with several long fibres in his mouth. The +goosey-gander didn't see the boy, and the boy did not call to him, but +thought it advisable to find out first why the goosey-gander time and +again disappeared in this manner. + +And he soon learned the reason for it. Up in the stone pile lay a young +gray goose, who cried with joy when the goosey-gander came. The boy +crept near, so that he heard what they said; then he found out that the +gray goose had been wounded in one wing, so that she could not fly, and +that her flock had travelled away from her, and left her alone. She had +been near death's door with hunger, when the white goosey-gander had +heard her call, the other day, and had sought her out. Ever since, he +had been carrying food to her. They had both hoped that she would be +well before they left the island, but, as yet, she could neither fly nor +walk. She was very much worried over this, but he comforted her with the +thought that he shouldn't travel for a long time. At last he bade her +good-night, and promised to come the next day. + +The boy let the goosey-gander go; and as soon as he was gone, he stole, +in turn, up to the stone heap. He was angry because he had been +deceived, and now he wanted to say to that gray goose that the +goosey-gander was his property. He was going to take the boy up to +Lapland, and there would be no talk of his staying here on her account. +But now, when he saw the young gray goose close to, he understood, not +only why the goosey-gander had gone and carried food to her for two +days, but also why he had not wished to mention that he had helped her. +She had the prettiest little head; her feather-dress was like soft +satin, and the eyes were mild and pleading. + +When she saw the boy, she wanted to run away; but the left wing was out +of joint and dragged on the ground, so that it interfered with her +movements. + +"You mustn't be afraid of me," said the boy, and didn't look nearly so +angry as he had intended to appear. "I'm Thumbietot, Morten +Goosey-gander's comrade," he continued. Then he stood there, and didn't +know what he wanted to say. + +Occasionally one finds something among animals which makes one wonder +what sort of creatures they really are. One is almost afraid that they +may be transformed human beings. It was something like this with the +gray goose. As soon as Thumbietot said who he was, she lowered her neck +and head very charmingly before him, and said in a voice that was so +pretty that he couldn't believe it was a goose who spoke: "I am very +glad that you have come here to help me. The white goosey-gander has +told me that no one is as wise and as good as you." + +She said this with such dignity, that the boy grew really embarrassed. +"This surely can't be any bird," thought he. "It is certainly some +bewitched princess." + +He was filled with a desire to help her, and ran his hand under the +feathers, and felt along the wing-bone. The bone was not broken, but +there was something wrong with the joint. He got his finger down into +the empty cavity. "Be careful, now!" he said; and got a firm grip on the +bone-pipe and fitted it into the place where it ought to be. He did it +very quickly and well, considering it was the first time that he had +attempted anything of the sort. But it must have hurt very much, for the +poor young goose uttered a single shrill cry, and then sank down among +the stones without showing a sign of life. + +The boy was terribly frightened. He had only wished to help her, and now +she was dead. He made a big jump from the stone pile, and ran away. He +thought it was as though he had murdered a human being. + +The next morning it was clear and free from mist, and Akka said that now +they should continue their travels. All the others were willing to go, +but the white goosey-gander made excuses. The boy understood well enough +that he didn't care to leave the gray goose. Akka did not listen to him, +but started off. + +The boy jumped up on the goosey-gander's back, and the white one +followed the flock--albeit slowly and unwillingly. The boy was mighty +glad that they could fly away from the island. He was conscience-stricken +on account of the gray goose, and had not cared to tell the goosey-gander +how it had turned out when he had tried to cure her. It would probably be +best if Morten goosey-gander never found out about this, he thought, +though he wondered, at the same time, how the white one had the heart to +leave the gray goose. + +But suddenly the goosey-gander turned. The thought of the young gray +goose had overpowered him. It could go as it would with the Lapland +trip: he couldn't go with the others when he knew that she lay alone and +ill, and would starve to death. + +With a few wing-strokes he was over the stone pile; but then, there lay +no young gray goose between the stones. "Dunfin! Dunfin! Where art +thou?" called the goosey-gander. + +"The fox has probably been here and taken her," thought the boy. But at +that moment he heard a pretty voice answer the goosey-gander. "Here am +I, goosey-gander; here am I! I have only been taking a morning bath." +And up from the water came the little gray goose--fresh and in good +trim--and told how Thumbietot had pulled her wing into place, and that +she was entirely well, and ready to follow them on the journey. + +The drops of water lay like pearl-dew on her shimmery satin-like +feathers, and Thumbietot thought once again that she was a real little +princess. + + +THE BIG BUTTERFLY + + +_Wednesday, April sixth_. + +The geese travelled alongside the coast of the long island, which lay +distinctly visible under them. The boy felt happy and light of heart +during the trip. He was just as pleased and well satisfied as he had +been glum and depressed the day before, when he roamed around down on +the island, and hunted for the goosey-gander. + +He saw now that the interior of the island consisted of a barren high +plain, with a wreath of fertile land along the coast; and he began to +comprehend the meaning of something which he had heard the other +evening. + +He had just seated himself to rest a bit by one of the many windmills on +the highland, when a couple of shepherds came along with the dogs beside +them, and a large herd of sheep in their train. The boy had not been +afraid because he was well concealed under the windmill stairs. But as +it turned out, the shepherds came and seated themselves on the same +stairway, and then there was nothing for him to do but to keep perfectly +still. + +One of the shepherds was young, and looked about as folks do mostly; the +other was an old queer one. His body was large and knotty, but the head +was small, and the face had sensitive and delicate features. It appeared +as though the body and head didn't want to fit together at all. + +One moment he sat silent and gazed into the mist, with an unutterably +weary expression. Then he began to talk to his companion. Then the other +one took out some bread and cheese from his knapsack, to eat his evening +meal. He answered scarcely anything, but listened very patiently, just +as if he were thinking: "I might as well give you the pleasure of +letting you chatter a while." + +"Now I shall tell you something, Eric," said the old shepherd. "I have +figured out that in former days, when both human beings and animals were +much larger than they are now, that the butterflies, too, must have been +uncommonly large. And once there was a butterfly that was many miles +long, and had wings as wide as seas. Those wings were blue, and shone +like silver, and so gorgeous that, when the butterfly was out flying, +all the other animals stood still and stared at it. It had this +drawback, however, that it was too large. The wings had hard work to +carry it. But probably all would have gone very well, if the butterfly +had been wise enough to remain on the hillside. But it wasn't; it +ventured out over the East sea. And it hadn't gotten very far before the +storm came along and began to tear at its wings. Well, it's easy to +understand, Eric, how things would go when the East sea storm commenced +to wrestle with frail butterfly-wings. It wasn't long before they were +torn away and scattered; and then, of course, the poor butterfly fell +into the sea. At first it was tossed backward and forward on the +billows, and then it was stranded upon a few cliff-foundations outside +of SmÃ¥land. And there it lay--as large and long as it was. + +"Now I think, Eric, that if the butterfly had dropped on land, it would +soon have rotted and fallen apart. But since it fell into the sea, it +was soaked through and through with lime, and became as hard as a stone. +You know, of course, that we have found stones on the shore which were +nothing but petrified worms. Now I believe that it went the same way +with the big butterfly-body. I believe that it turned where it lay into +a long, narrow mountain out in the East sea. Don't you?" + +He paused for a reply, and the other one nodded to him. "Go on, so I may +hear what you are driving at," said he. + +"And mark you, Eric, that this very Öland, upon which you and I live, is +nothing else than the old butterfly-body. If one only thinks about it, +one can observe that the island is a butterfly. Toward the north, the +slender fore-body and the round head can be seen, and toward the south, +one sees the back-body--which first broadens out, and then narrows to a +sharp point." + +Here he paused once more and looked at his companion rather anxiously to +see how he would take this assertion. But the young man kept on eating +with the utmost calm, and nodded to him to continue. + +"As soon as the butterfly had been changed into a limestone rock, many +different kinds of seeds of herbs and trees came travelling with the +winds, and wanted to take root on it. It was a long time before anything +but sedge could grow there. Then came sheep sorrel, and the rock-rose +and thorn-brush. But even to-day there is not so much growth on Alvaret, +that the mountain is well covered, but it shines through here and there. +And no one can think of ploughing and sowing up here, where the +earth-crust is so thin. But if you will admit that Alvaret and the +strongholds around it, are made of the butterfly-body, then you may well +have the right to question where that land which lies beneath the +strongholds came from." + +"Yes, it is just that," said he who was eating. "That I should indeed +like to know." + +"Well, you must remember that Öland has lain in the sea for a good many +years, and in the course of time all the things which tumble around with +the waves--sea-weed and sand and clams--have gathered around it, and +remained lying there. And then, stone and gravel have fallen down from +both the eastern and western strongholds. In this way the island has +acquired broad shores, where grain and flowers and trees can grow. + +"Up here, on the hard butterfly-back, only sheep and cows and little +horses go about. Only lapwings and plover live here, and there are no +buildings except windmills and a few stone huts, where we shepherds +crawl in. But down on the coast lie big villages and churches and +parishes and fishing hamlets and a whole city." + +He looked questioningly at the other one. This one had finished his +meal, and was tying the food-sack together. "I wonder where you will end +with all this," said he. + +"It is only this that I want to know," said the shepherd, as he lowered +his voice so that he almost whispered the words, and looked into the +mist with his small eyes, which appeared to be worn out from spying +after all that which does not exist. "Only this I want to know: if the +peasants who live on the built-up farms beneath the strongholds, or the +fishermen who take the small herring from the sea, or the merchants in +Borgholm, or the bathing guests who come here every summer, or the +tourists who wander around in Borgholm's old castle ruin, or the +sportsmen who come here in the fall to hunt partridges, or the painters +who sit here on Alvaret and paint the sheep and windmills--I should like +to know if any of them understand that this island has been a butterfly +which flew about with great shimmery wings." + +"Ah!" said the young shepherd, suddenly. "It should have occurred to +some of them, as they sat on the edge of the stronghold of an evening, +and heard the nightingales trill in the groves below them, and looked +over Kalmar Sound, that this island could not have come into existence +in the same way as the others." + +"I want to ask," said the old one, "if no one has had the desire to give +wings to the windmills--so large that they could reach to heaven, so +large that they could lift the whole island out of the sea and let it +fly like a butterfly among butterflies." + +"It may be possible that there is something in what you say," said the +young one; "for on summer nights, when the heavens widen and open over +the island, I have sometimes thought that it was as if it wanted to +raise itself from the sea, and fly away." + +But when the old one had finally gotten the young one to talk, he didn't +listen to him very much. "I would like to know," the old one said in a +low tone, "if anyone can explain why one feels such a longing up here on +Alvaret. I have felt it every day of my life; and I think it preys upon +each and every one who must go about here. I want to know if no one else +has understood that all this wistfulness is caused by the fact that the +whole island is a butterfly that longs for its wings." + + +LITTLE KARL'S ISLAND + + +THE STORM + +_Friday, April eighth_. + +The wild geese had spent the night on Öland's northern point, and were +now on their way to the continent. A strong south wind blew over Kalmar +Sound, and they had been thrown northward. Still they worked their way +toward land with good speed. But when they were nearing the first +islands a powerful rumbling was heard, as if a lot of strong-winged +birds had come flying; and the water under them, all at once, became +perfectly black. Akka drew in her wings so suddenly that she almost +stood still in the air. Thereupon, she lowered herself to light on the +edge of the sea. But before the geese had reached the water, the west +storm caught up with them. Already, it drove before it fogs, salt scum +and small birds; it also snatched with it the wild geese, threw them on +end, and cast them toward the sea. + +It was a rough storm. The wild geese tried to turn back, time and again, +but they couldn't do it and were driven out toward the East sea. The +storm had already blown them past Öland, and the sea lay before +them--empty and desolate. There was nothing for them to do but to keep +out of the water. + +When Akka observed that they were unable to turn back she thought that +it was needless to let the storm drive them over the entire East sea. +Therefore she sank down to the water. Now the sea was raging, and +increased in violence with every second. The sea-green billows rolled +forward, with seething foam on their crests. Each one surged higher than +the other. It was as though they raced with each other, to see which +could foam the wildest. But the wild geese were not afraid of the +swells. On the contrary, this seemed to afford them much pleasure. They +did not strain themselves with swimming, but lay and let themselves be +washed up with the wave-crests, and down in the water-dales, and had +just as much fun as children in a swing. Their only anxiety was that the +flock should be separated. The few land-birds who drove by, up in the +storm, cried with envy: "There is no danger for you who can swim." + +But the wild geese were certainly not out of all danger. In the first +place, the rocking made them helplessly sleepy. They wished continually +to turn their heads backward, poke their bills under their wings, and go +to sleep. Nothing can be more dangerous than to fall asleep in this way; +and Akka called out all the while: "Don't go to sleep, wild geese! He +that falls asleep will get away from the flock. He that gets away from +the flock is lost." + +Despite all attempts at resistance one after another fell asleep; and +Akka herself came pretty near dozing off, when she suddenly saw +something round and dark rise on the top of a wave. "Seals! Seals! +Seals!" cried Akka in a high, shrill voice, and raised herself up in the +air with resounding wing-strokes. It was just at the crucial moment. +Before the last wild goose had time to come up from the water, the seals +were so close to her that they made a grab for her feet. + +Then the wild geese were once more up in the storm which drove them +before it out to sea. No rest did it allow either itself or the wild +geese; and no land did they see--only desolate sea. + +They lit on the water again, as soon as they dared venture. But when +they had rocked upon the waves for a while, they became sleepy again. +And when they fell asleep, the seals came swimming. If old Akka had not +been so wakeful, not one of them would have escaped. + +All day the storm raged; and it caused fearful havoc among the crowds of +little birds, which at this time of year were migrating. Some were +driven from their course to foreign lands, where they died of +starvation; others became so exhausted that they sank down in the sea +and were drowned. Many were crushed against the cliff-walls, and many +became a prey for the seals. + +The storm continued all day, and, at last, Akka began to wonder if she +and her flock would perish. They were now dead tired, and nowhere did +they see any place where they might rest. Toward evening she no longer +dared to lie down on the sea, because now it filled up all of a sudden +with large ice-cakes, which struck against each other, and she feared +they should be crushed between these. A couple of times the wild geese +tried to stand on the ice-crust; but one time the wild storm swept them +into the water; another time, the merciless seals came creeping up on +the ice. + +At sundown the wild geese were once more up in the air. They flew +on--fearful for the night. The darkness seemed to come upon them much +too quickly this night--which was so full of dangers. + +It was terrible that they, as yet, saw no land. How would it go with +them if they were forced to stay out on the sea all night? They would +either be crushed between the ice-cakes or devoured by seals or +separated by the storm. + +The heavens were cloud-bedecked, the moon hid itself, and the darkness +came quickly. At the same time all nature was filled with a horror which +caused the most courageous hearts to quail. Distressed bird-travellers' +cries had sounded over the sea all day long, without anyone having paid +the slightest attention to them; but now, when one no longer saw who it +was that uttered them, they seemed mournful and terrifying. Down on the +sea, the ice-drifts crashed against each other with a loud rumbling +noise. The seals tuned up their wild hunting songs. It was as though +heaven and earth were, about to clash. + +THE SHEEP + +The boy sat for a moment and looked down into the sea. Suddenly he +thought that it began to roar louder than ever. He looked up. Right in +front of him--only a couple of metres away--stood a rugged and bare +mountain-wall. At its base the waves dashed into a foaming spray. The +wild geese flew straight toward the cliff, and the boy did not see how +they could avoid being dashed to pieces against it. Hardly had he +wondered that Akka hadn't seen the danger in time, when they were over +by the mountain. Then he also noticed that in front of them was the +half-round entrance to a grotto. Into this the geese steered; and the +next moment they were safe. + +The first thing the wild geese thought of--before they gave themselves +time to rejoice over their safety--was to see if all their comrades were +also harboured. Yes, there were Akka, Iksi, Kolmi, Nelja, Viisi, Knusi, +all the six goslings, the goosey-gander, Dunfin and Thumbietot; but +Kaksi from Nuolja, the first left-hand goose, was missing--and no one +knew anything about her fate. + +When the wild geese discovered that no one but Kaksi had been separated +from the flock, they took the matter lightly. Kaksi was old and wise. +She knew all their byways and their habits, and she, of course, would +know how to find her way back to them. + +Then the wild geese began to look around in the cave. Enough daylight +came in through the opening, so that they could see the grotto was both +deep and wide. They were delighted to think they had found such a fine +night harbour, when one of them caught sight of some shining, green +dots, which glittered in a dark corner. "These are eyes!" cried Akka. +"There are big animals in here." They rushed toward the opening, but +Thumbietot called to them: "There is nothing to run away from! It's only +a few sheep who are lying alongside the grotto wall." + +When the wild geese had accustomed themselves to the dim daylight in the +grotto, they saw the sheep very distinctly. The grown-up ones might be +about as many as there were geese; but beside these there were a few +little lambs. An old ram with long, twisted horns appeared to be the +most lordly one of the flock. The wild geese went up to him with much +bowing and scraping. "Well met in the wilderness!" they greeted, but the +big ram lay still, and did not speak a word of welcome. + +Then the wild geese thought that the sheep were displeased because they +had taken shelter in their grotto. "It is perhaps not permissible that +we have come in here?" said Akka. "But we cannot help it, for we are +wind-driven. We have wandered about in the storm all day, and it would +be very good to be allowed to stop here to-night." After that a long +time passed before any of the sheep answered with words; but, on the +other hand, it could be heard distinctly that a pair of them heaved deep +sighs. Akka knew, to be sure, that sheep are always shy and peculiar; +but these seemed to have no idea of how they should conduct themselves. +Finally an old ewe, who had a long and pathetic face and a doleful +voice, said: "There isn't one among us that refuses to let you stay; but +this is a house of mourning, and we cannot receive guests as we did in +former days." "You needn't worry about anything of that sort," said +Akka. "If you knew what we have endured this day, you would surely +understand that we are satisfied if we only get a safe spot to sleep +on." + +When Akka said this, the old ewe raised herself. "I believe that it +would be better for you to fly about in the worst storm than to stop +here. But, at least, you shall not go from here before we have had the +privilege of offering you the best hospitality which the house affords." + +She conducted them to a hollow in the ground, which was filled with +water. Beside it lay a pile of bait and husks and chaff; and she bade +them make the most of these. "We have had a severe snow-winter this +year, on the island," she said. "The peasants who own us came out to us +with hay and oaten straw, so we shouldn't starve to death. And this +trash is all there is left of the good cheer." + +The geese rushed to the food instantly. They thought that they had fared +well, and were in their best humour. They must have observed, of course, +that the sheep were anxious; but they knew how easily scared sheep +generally are, and didn't believe there was any actual danger on foot. +As soon as they had eaten, they intended to stand up to sleep as usual. +But then the big ram got up, and walked over to them. The geese thought +that they had never seen a sheep with such big and coarse horns. In +other respects, also, he was noticeable. He had a high, rolling +forehead, intelligent eyes, and a good bearing--as though he were a +proud and courageous animal. + +"I cannot assume the responsibility of letting you geese remain, without +telling you that it is unsafe here," said he. "We cannot receive night +guests just now." At last Akka began to comprehend that this was +serious. "We shall go away, since you really wish it," said she. "But +won't you tell us first, what it is that troubles you? We know nothing +about it. We do not even know where we are." "This is Little Karl's +Island!" said the ram. "It lies outside of Gottland, and only sheep and +seabirds live here." "Perhaps you are wild sheep?" said Akka. "We're not +far removed from it," replied the ram. "We have nothing to do with human +beings. It's an old agreement between us and some peasants on a farm in +Gottland, that they shall supply us with fodder in case we have +snow-winter; and as a recompense they are permitted to take away those +of us who become superfluous. The island is small, so it cannot feed +very many of us. But otherwise we take care of ourselves all the year +round, and we do not live in houses with doors and locks, but we reside +in grottoes like these." + +"Do you stay out here in the winter as well?" asked Akka, surprised. "We +do," answered the ram. "We have good fodder up here on the mountain, all +the year around." "I think it sounds as if you might have it better than +other sheep," said Akka. "But what is the misfortune that has befallen +you?" "It was bitter cold last winter. The sea froze, and then three +foxes came over here on the ice, and here they have been ever since. +Otherwise, there are no dangerous animals here on the island." "Oh, oh! +do foxes dare to attack such as you?" "Oh, no! not during the day; then +I can protect myself and mine," said the ram, shaking his horns. "But +they sneak upon us at night when we sleep in the grottoes. We try to +keep awake, but one must sleep some of the time; and then they come upon +us. They have already killed every sheep in the other grottoes, and +there were herds that were just as large as mine." + +"It isn't pleasant to tell that we are so helpless," said the old ewe. +"We cannot help ourselves any better than if we were tame sheep." "Do +you think that they will come here to-night?" asked Akka. "There is +nothing else in store for us," answered the old ewe. "They were here +last night, and stole a lamb from us. They'll be sure to come again, as +long as there are any of us alive. This is what they have done in the +other places." "But if they are allowed to keep this up, you'll become +entirely exterminated," said Akka. "Oh! it won't be long before it is +all over with the sheep on Little Karl's Island," said the ewe. + +Akka stood there hesitatingly. It was not pleasant, by any means, to +venture out in the storm again, and it wasn't good to remain in a house +where such guests were expected. When she had pondered a while, she +turned to Thumbietot. "I wonder if you will help us, as you have done so +many times before," said she. Yes, that he would like to do, he replied. +"It is a pity for you not to get any sleep!" said the wild goose, "but I +wonder if you are able to keep awake until the foxes come, and then to +awaken us, so we may fly away." The boy was so very glad of this--for +anything was better than to go out in the storm again--so he promised +to keep awake. He went down to the grotto opening, crawled in behind a +stone, that he might be shielded from the storm, and sat down to watch. + +When the boy had been sitting there a while, the storm seemed to abate. +The sky grew clear, and the moonlight began to play on the waves. The +boy stepped to the opening to look out. The grotto was rather high up on +the mountain. A narrow path led to it. It was probably here that he must +await the foxes. + +As yet he saw no foxes; but, on the other hand, there was something +which, for the moment, terrified him much more. On the land-strip below +the mountain stood some giants, or other stone-trolls--or perhaps they +were actual human beings. At first he thought that he was dreaming, but +now he was positive that he had not fallen asleep. He saw the big men so +distinctly that it couldn't be an illusion. Some of them stood on the +land-strip, and others right on the mountain just as if they intended to +climb it. Some had big, thick heads; others had no heads at all. Some +were one-armed, and some had humps both before and behind. He had never +seen anything so extraordinary. + +The boy stood and worked himself into a state of panic because of those +trolls, so that he almost forgot to keep his eye peeled for the foxes. +But now he heard a claw scrape against a stone. He saw three foxes +coming up the steep; and as soon as he knew that he had something real +to deal with, he was calm again, and not the least bit scared. It struck +him that it was a pity to awaken only the geese, and to leave the sheep +to their fate. He thought he would like to arrange things some other +way. + +He ran quickly to the other end of the grotto, shook the big ram's horns +until he awoke, and, at the same time, swung himself upon his back. "Get +up, sheep, and well try to frighten the foxes a bit!" said the boy. + +He had tried to be as quiet as possible, but the foxes must have heard +some noise; for when they came up to the mouth of the grotto they +stopped and deliberated. "It was certainly someone in there that +moved," said one. "I wonder if they are awake." "Oh, go ahead, you!" +said another. "At all events, they can't do anything to us." + +When they came farther in, in the grotto, they stopped and sniffed. "Who +shall we take to-night?" whispered the one who went first. "To-night we +will take the big ram," said the last. "After that, we'll have easy work +with the rest." + +The boy sat on the old ram's back and saw how they sneaked along. "Now +butt straight forward!" whispered the boy. The ram butted, and the first +fox was thrust--top over tail--back to the opening. "Now butt to the +left!" said the boy, and turned the big ram's head in that direction. +The ram measured a terrific assault that caught the second fox in the +side. He rolled around several times before he got to his feet again and +made his escape. The boy had wished that the third one, too, might have +gotten a bump, but this one had already gone. + +"Now I think that they've had enough for to-night," said the boy. "I +think so too," said the big ram. "Now lie down on my back, and creep +into the wool! You deserve to have it warm and comfortable, after all +the wind and storm that you have been out in." + +HELL'S HOLE + +The next day the big ram went around with the boy on his back, and +showed him the island. It consisted of a single massive mountain. It was +like a large house with perpendicular walls and a flat roof. First the +ram walked up on the mountain-roof and showed the boy the good grazing +lands there, and he had to admit that the island seemed to be especially +created for sheep. There wasn't much else than sheep-sorrel and such +little spicy growths as sheep are fond of that grew on the mountain. + +But indeed there was something beside sheep fodder to look at, for one +who had gotten well up on the steep. To begin with, the largest part of +the sea--which now lay blue and sunlit, and rolled forward in glittering +swells--was visible. Only upon one and another point, did the foam spray +up. To the east lay Gottland, with even and long-stretched coast; and to +the southwest lay Great Karl's Island, which was built on the same plan +as the little island. When the ram walked to the very edge of the +mountain roof, so the boy could look down the mountain walls, he noticed +that they were simply filled with birds' nests; and in the blue sea +beneath him, lay surf-scoters and eider-ducks and kittiwakes and +guillemots and razor-bills--so pretty and peaceful--busying themselves +with fishing for small herring. + +"This is really a favoured land," said the boy. "You live in a pretty +place, you sheep." "Oh, yes! it's pretty enough here," said the big ram. +It was as if he wished to add something; but he did not, only sighed. +"If you go about here alone you must look out for the crevices which run +all around the mountain," he continued after a little. And this was a +good warning, for there were deep and broad crevices in several places. +The largest of them was called Hell's Hole. That crevice was many +fathoms deep and nearly one fathom wide. "If anyone fell down there, it +would certainly be the last of him," said the big ram. The boy thought +it sounded as if he had a special meaning in what he said. + +Then he conducted the boy down to the narrow strip of shore. Now he +could see those giants which had frightened him the night before, at +close range. They were nothing but tall rock-pillars. The big ram called +them "cliffs." The boy couldn't see enough of them. He thought that if +there had ever been any trolls who had turned into stone they ought to +look just like that. + +Although it was pretty down on the shore, the boy liked it still better +on the mountain height. It was ghastly down here; for everywhere they +came across dead sheep. It was here that the foxes had held their +orgies. He saw skeletons whose flesh had been eaten, and bodies that +were half-eaten, and others which they had scarcely tasted, but had +allowed to lie untouched. It was heart-rending to see how the wild +beasts had thrown themselves upon the sheep just for sport--just to +hunt them and tear them to death. + +The big ram did not pause in front of the dead, but walked by them in +silence. But the boy, meanwhile, could not help seeing all the horror. + +Then the big ram went up on the mountain height again; but when he was +there he stopped and said: "If someone who is capable and wise could see +all the misery which prevails here, he surely would not be able to rest +until these foxes had been punished." "The foxes must live, too," said +the boy. "Yes," said the big ram, "those who do not tear in pieces more +animals than they need for their sustenance, they may as well live. But +these are felons." "The peasants who own the island ought to come here +and help you," insisted the boy. "They have rowed over a number of +times," replied the ram, "but the foxes always hid themselves in the +grottoes and crevices, so they could not get near them, to shoot them." +"You surely cannot mean, father, that a poor little creature like me +should be able to get at them, when neither you nor the peasants have +succeeded in getting the better of them." "He that is little and spry +can put many things to rights," said the big ram. + +They talked no more about this, and the boy went over and seated himself +among the wild geese who fed on the highland. Although he had not cared +to show his feelings before the ram, he was very sad on the sheep's +account, and he would have been glad to help them. "I can at least talk +with Akka and Morten goosey-gander about the matter," thought he. +"Perhaps they can help me with a good suggestion." + +A little later the white goosey-gander took the boy on his back and went +over the mountain plain, and in the direction of Hell's Hole at that. + +He wandered, care-free, on the open mountain roof--apparently +unconscious of how large and white he was. He didn't seek protection +behind tufts, or any other protuberances, but went straight ahead. It +was strange that he was not more careful, for it was apparent that he +had fared badly in yesterday's storm. He limped on his right leg, and +the left wing hung and dragged as if it might be broken. + +He acted as if there were no danger, pecked at a grass-blade here and +another there, and did not look about him in any direction. The boy lay +stretched out full length on the goose-back, and looked up toward the +blue sky. He was so accustomed to riding now, that he could both stand +and lie down on the goose-back. + +When the goosey-gander and the boy were so care-free, they did not +observe, of course, that the three foxes had come up on the mountain +plain. + +And the foxes, who knew that it was well-nigh impossible to take the +life of a goose on an open plain, thought at first that they wouldn't +chase after the goosey-gander. But as they had nothing else to do, they +finally sneaked down on one of the long passes, and tried to steal up to +him. They went about it so cautiously that the goosey-gander couldn't +see a shadow of them. + +They were not far off when the goosey-gander made an attempt to raise +himself into the air. He spread his wings, but he did not succeed in +lifting himself. When the foxes seemed to grasp the fact that he +couldn't fly, they hurried forward with greater eagerness than before. +They no longer concealed themselves in the cleft, but came up on the +highland. They hurried as fast as they could, behind tufts and hollows, +and came nearer and nearer the goosey-gander--without his seeming to +notice that he was being hunted. At last the foxes were so near that +they could make the final leap. Simultaneously, all three threw +themselves with one long jump at the goosey-gander. + +But still at the last moment he must have noticed something, for he ran +out of the way, so the foxes missed him. This, at any rate, didn't mean +very much, for the goosey-gander only had a couple of metres headway, +and, in the bargain, he limped. Anyway, the poor thing ran ahead as fast +as he could. + +The boy sat upon the goose-back--backward--and shrieked and called to +the foxes. "You have eaten yourselves too fat on mutton, foxes. You +can't catch up with a goose even." He teased them so that they became +crazed with rage and thought only of rushing forward. + +The white one ran right straight to the big cleft. When he was there, he +made one stroke with his wings, and got over. Just then the foxes were +almost upon him. + +The goosey-gander hurried on with the same haste as before, even after +he had gotten across Hell's Hole. But he had hardly been running two +metres before the boy patted him on the neck, and said: "Now you can +stop, goosey-gander." + +At that instant they heard a number of wild howls behind them, and a +scraping of claws, and heavy falls. But of the foxes they saw nothing +more. + +The next morning the lighthouse keeper on Great Karl's Island found a +bit of bark poked under the entrance-door, and on it had been cut, in +slanting, angular letters: "The foxes on the little island have fallen +down into Hell's Hole. Take care of them!" + +And this the lighthouse keeper did, too. + + +TWO CITIES + + +THE CITY AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA + +_Saturday, April ninth_. + +It was a calm and clear night. The wild geese did not trouble themselves +to seek shelter in any of the grottoes, but stood and slept upon the +mountain top; and the boy had lain down in the short, dry grass beside +the geese. + +It was bright moonlight that night; so bright that it was difficult for +the boy to go to sleep. He lay there and thought about just how long he +had been away from home; and he figured out that it was three weeks +since he had started on the trip. At the same time he remembered that +this was Easter-eve. + +"It is to-night that all the witches come home from Blakulla," thought +he, and laughed to himself. For he was just a little afraid of both the +sea-nymph and the elf, but he didn't believe in witches the least little +bit. + +If there had been any witches out that night, he should have seen them, +to be sure. It was so light in the heavens that not the tiniest black +speck could move in the air without his seeing it. + +While the boy lay there with his nose in the air and thought about this, +his eye rested on something lovely! The moon's disc was whole and round, +and rather high, and over it a big bird came flying. He did not fly past +the moon, but he moved just as though he might have flown out from it. +The bird looked black against the light background, and the wings +extended from one rim of the disc to the other. He flew on, evenly, in +the same direction, and the boy thought that he was painted on the +moon's disc. The body was small, the neck long and slender, the legs +hung down, long and thin. It couldn't be anything but a stork. + +A couple of seconds later Herr Ermenrich, the stork, lit beside the boy. +He bent down and poked him with his bill to awaken him. + +Instantly the boy sat up. "I'm not asleep, Herr Ermenrich," he said. +"How does it happen that you are out in the middle of the night, and how +is everything at Glimminge castle? Do you want to speak with mother +Akka?" + +"It's too light to sleep to-night," answered Herr Ermenrich. "Therefore +I concluded to travel over here to Karl's Island and hunt you up, friend +Thumbietot. I learned from the seamew that you were spending the night +here. I have not as yet moved over to Glimminge castle, but am still +living at Pommern." + +The boy was simply overjoyed to think that Herr Ermenrich had sought him +out. They chatted about all sorts of things, like old friends. At last +the stork asked the boy if he wouldn't like to go out riding for a while +on this beautiful night. + +Oh, yes! that the boy wanted to do, if the stork would manage it so that +he got back to the wild geese before sunrise. This he promised, so off +they went. + +Again Herr Ermenrich flew straight toward the moon. They rose and rose; +the sea sank deep down, but the flight went so light and easy that it +seemed almost as if the boy lay still in the air. + +When Herr Ermenrich began to descend, the boy thought that the flight +had lasted an unreasonably short time. + +They landed on a desolate bit of seashore, which was covered with fine, +even sand. All along the coast ran a row of flying-sand drifts, with +lyme-grass on their tops. They were not very high, but they prevented +the boy from seeing any of the island. + +Herr Ermenrich stood on a sand-hill, drew up one leg and bent his head +backward, so he could stick his bill under the wing. "You can roam +around on the shore for a while," he said to Thumbietot, "while I rest +myself. But don't go so far away but what you can find your way back to +me again!" + +To start with, the boy intended to climb a sand-hill and see how the +land behind it looked. But when he had walked a couple of paces, he +stubbed the toe of his wooden shoe against something hard. He stooped +down, and saw that a small copper coin lay on the sand, and was so worn +with verdigris that it was almost transparent. It was so poor that he +didn't even bother to pick it up, but only kicked it out of the way. + +But when he straightened himself up once more he was perfectly +astounded, for two paces away from him stood a high, dark wall with a +big, turreted gate. + +The moment before, when the boy bent down, the sea lay there--shimmering +and smooth, while now it was hidden by a long wall with towers and +battlements. Directly in front of him, where before there had been only +a few sea-weed banks, the big gate of the wall opened. + +The boy probably understood that it was a spectre-play of some sort; but +this was nothing to be afraid of, thought he. It wasn't any dangerous +trolls, or any other evil--such as he always dreaded to encounter at +night. Both the wall and the gate were so beautifully constructed that +he only desired to see what there might be back of them. "I must find +out what this can be," thought he, and went in through the gate. + +In the deep archway there were guards, dressed in brocaded and purred +suits, with long-handled spears beside them, who sat and threw dice. +They thought only of the game, and took no notice of the boy who hurried +past them quickly. + +Just within the gate he found an open space, paved with large, even +stone blocks. All around this were high and magnificent buildings; and +between these opened long, narrow streets. On the square--facing the +gate--it fairly swarmed with human beings. The men wore long, +fur-trimmed capes over satin suits; plume-bedecked hats sat obliquely on +their heads; on their chests hung superb chains. They were all so +regally gotten up that the whole lot of them might have been kings. + +The women went about in high head-dresses and long robes with +tight-fitting sleeves. They, too, were beautifully dressed, but their +splendour was not to be compared with that of the men. + +This was exactly like the old story-book which mother took from the +chest--only once--and showed to him. The boy simply couldn't believe his +eyes. + +But that which was even more wonderful to look upon than either the men +or the women, was the city itself. Every house was built in such a way +that a gable faced the street. And the gables were so highly ornamented, +that one could believe they wished to compete with each other as to +which one could show the most beautiful decorations. + +When one suddenly sees so much that is new, he cannot manage to treasure +it all in his memory. But at least the boy could recall that he had seen +stairway gables on the various landings, which bore images of the Christ +and his Apostles; gables, where there were images in niche after niche +all along the wall; gables that were inlaid with multi-coloured bits of +glass, and gables that were striped and checked with white and black +marble. As the boy admired all this, a sudden sense of haste came over +him. "Anything like this my eyes have never seen before. Anything like +this, they would never see again," he said to himself. And he began to +run in toward the city--up one street, and down another. + +The streets were straight and narrow, but not empty and gloomy, as they +were in the cities with which he was familiar. There were people +everywhere. Old women sat by their open doors and spun without a +spinning-wheel--only with the help of a shuttle. The merchants' shops +were like market-stalls--opening on the street. All the hand-workers did +their work out of doors. In one place they were boiling crude oil; in +another tanning hides; in a third there was a long rope-walk. + +If only the boy had had time enough he could have learned how to make +all sorts of things. Here he saw how armourers hammered out thin +breast-plates; how turners tended their irons; how the shoemakers soled +soft, red shoes; how the gold-wire drawers twisted gold thread, and how +the weavers inserted silver and gold into their weaving. + +But the boy did not have the time to stay. He just rushed on, so that he +could manage to see as much as possible before it would all vanish +again. + +The high wall ran all around the city and shut it in, as a hedge shuts +in a field. He saw it at the end of every street--gable-ornamented and +crenelated. On the top of the wall walked warriors in shining armour; +and when he had run from one end of the city to the other, he came to +still another gate in the wall. Outside of this lay the sea and +harbour. The boy saw olden-time ships, with rowing-benches straight +across, and high structures fore and aft. Some lay and took on cargo, +others were just casting anchor. Carriers and merchants hurried around +each other. All over, it was life and bustle. + +But not even here did he seem to have the time to linger. He rushed into +the city again; and now he came up to the big square. There stood the +cathedral with its three high towers and deep vaulted arches filled with +images. The walls had been so highly decorated by sculptors that there +was not a stone without its own special ornamentation. And what a +magnificent display of gilded crosses and gold-trimmed altars and +priests in golden vestments, shimmered through the open gate! Directly +opposite the church there was a house with a notched roof and a single +slender, sky-high tower. That was probably the courthouse. And between +the courthouse and the cathedral, all around the square, stood the +beautiful gabled houses with their multiplicity of adornments. + +The boy had run himself both warm and tired. He thought that now he had +seen the most remarkable things, and therefore he began to walk more +leisurely. The street which he had turned into now was surely the one +where the inhabitants purchased their fine clothing. He saw crowds of +people standing before the little stalls where the merchants spread +brocades, stiff satins, heavy gold cloth, shimmery velvet, delicate +veiling, and laces as sheer as a spider's web. + +Before, when the boy ran so fast, no one had paid any attention to him. +The people must have thought that it was only a little gray rat that +darted by them. But now, when he walked down the street, very slowly, +one of the salesmen caught sight of him, and began to beckon to him. + +At first the boy was uneasy and wanted to hurry out of the way, but the +salesman only beckoned and smiled, and spread out on the counter a +lovely piece of satin damask as if he wanted to tempt him. + +The boy shook his head. "I will never be so rich that I can buy even a +metre of that cloth," thought he. + +But now they had caught sight of him in every stall, all along the +street. Wherever he looked stood a salesman and beckoned to him. They +left their costly wares, and thought only of him. He saw how they +hurried into the most hidden corner of the stall to fetch the best that +they had to sell, and how their hands trembled with eagerness and haste +as they laid it upon the counter. + +When the boy continued to go on, one of the merchants jumped over the +counter, caught hold of him, and spread before him silver cloth and +woven tapestries, which shone with brilliant colours. + +The boy couldn't do anything but laugh at him. The salesman certainly +must understand that a poor little creature like him couldn't buy such +things. He stood still and held out his two empty hands, so they would +understand that he had nothing and let him go in peace. + +But the merchant raised a finger and nodded and pushed the whole pile of +beautiful things over to him. + +"Can he mean that he will sell all this for a gold piece?" wondered the +boy. + +The merchant brought out a tiny worn and poor coin--the smallest that +one could see--and showed it to him. And he was so eager to sell that +he increased his pile with a pair of large, heavy, silver goblets. + +Then the boy began to dig down in his pockets. He knew, of course, that +he didn't possess a single coin, but he couldn't help feeling for it. + +All the other merchants stood still and tried to see how the sale would +come off, and when they observed that the boy began to search in his +pockets, they flung themselves over the counters, filled their hands +full of gold and silver ornaments, and offered them to him. And they all +showed him that what they asked in payment was just one little penny. + +But the boy turned both vest and breeches pockets inside out, so they +should see that he owned nothing. Then tears filled the eyes of all +these regal merchants, who were so much richer than he. At last he was +moved because they looked so distressed, and he pondered if he could not +in some way help them. And then he happened to think of the rusty coin, +which he had but lately seen on the strand. + +He started to run down the street, and luck was with him so that he came +to the self-same gate which he had happened upon first. He dashed +through it, and commenced to search for the little green copper penny +which lay on the strand a while ago. + +He found it too, very promptly; but when he had picked it up, and wanted +to run back to the city with it--he saw only the sea before him. No city +wall, no gate, no sentinels, no streets, no houses could now be +seen--only the sea. + +The boy couldn't help that the tears came to his eyes. He had believed +in the beginning, that that which he saw was nothing but an +hallucination, but this he had already forgotten. He only thought about +how pretty everything was. He felt a genuine, deep sorrow because the +city had vanished. + +That moment Herr Ermenrich awoke, and came up to him. But he didn't hear +him, and the stork had to poke the boy with his bill to attract +attention to himself. "I believe that you stand here and sleep just as I +do," said Herr Ermenrich. + +"Oh, Herr Ermenrich!" said the boy. "What was that city which stood +here just now?" + +"Have you seen a city?" said the stork. "You have slept and dreamt, as I +say." + +"No! I have not dreamt," said Thumbietot, and he told the stork all that +he had experienced. + +Then Herr Ermenrich said: "For my part, Thumbietot, I believe that you +fell asleep here on the strand and dreamed all this. + +"But I will not conceal from you that Bataki, the raven, who is the most +learned of all birds, once told me that in former times there was a city +on this shore, called Vineta. It was so rich and so fortunate, that no +city has ever been more glorious; but its inhabitants, unluckily, gave +themselves up to arrogance and love of display. As a punishment for +this, says Bataki, the city of Vineta was overtaken by a flood, and sank +into the sea. But its inhabitants cannot die, neither is their city +destroyed. And one night in every hundred years, it rises in all its +splendour up from the sea, and remains on the surface just one hour." + +"Yes, it must be so," said Thumbietot, "for this I have seen." + +"But when the hour is up, it sinks again into the sea, if, during that +time, no merchant in Vineta has sold anything to a single living +creature. If you, Thumbietot, only had had an ever so tiny coin, to pay +the merchants, Vineta might have remained up here on the shore; and its +people could have lived and died like other human beings." + +"Herr Ermenrich," said the boy, "now I understand why you came and +fetched me in the middle of the night. It was because you believed that +I should be able to save the old city. I am so sorry it didn't turn out +as you wished, Herr Ermenrich." + +He covered his face with his hands and wept. It wasn't easy to say which +one looked the more disconsolate--the boy, or Herr Ermenrich. + +THE LIVING CITY + +_Monday, April eleventh_. + +On the afternoon of Easter Monday, the wild geese and Thumbietot were on +the wing. They travelled over Gottland. + +The large island lay smooth and even beneath them. The ground was +checked just as it was in SkÃ¥ne and there were many churches and farms. +But there was this difference, however, that there were more leafy +meadows between the fields here, and then the farms were not built up +with small houses. And there were no large manors with ancient +tower-ornamented castles. + +The wild geese had taken the route over Gottland on account of +Thumbietot. He had been altogether unlike himself for two days, and +hadn't spoken a cheerful word. This was because he had thought of +nothing but that city which had appeared to him in such a strange way. +He had never seen anything so magnificent and royal, and he could not be +reconciled with himself for having failed to save it. Usually he was not +chicken-hearted, but now he actually grieved for the beautiful buildings +and the stately people. + +Both Akka and the goosey-gander tried to convince Thumbietot that he had +been the victim of a dream, or an hallucination, but the boy wouldn't +listen to anything of that sort. He was so positive that he had really +seen what he had seen, that no one could move him from this conviction. +He went about so disconsolate that his travelling companions became +uneasy for him. + +Just as the boy was the most depressed, old Kaksi came back to the +flock. She had been blown toward Gottland, and had been compelled to +travel over the whole island before she had learned through some crows +that her comrades were on Little Karl's Island. When Kaksi found out +what was wrong with Thumbietot, she said impulsively: + +"If Thumbietot is grieving over an old city, we'll soon be able to +comfort him. Just come along, and I'll take you to a place that I saw +yesterday! You will not need to be distressed very long." + +Thereupon the geese had taken farewell of the sheep, and were on their +way to the place which Kaksi wished to show Thumbietot. As blue as he +was, he couldn't keep from looking at the land over which he travelled, +as usual. + +He thought it looked as though the whole island had in the beginning +been just such a high, steep cliff as Karl's Island--though much bigger +of course. But afterward, it had in some way been flattened out. Someone +had taken a big rolling-pin and rolled over it, as if it had been a lump +of dough. Not that the island had become altogether flat and even, like +a bread-cake, for it wasn't like that. While they had travelled along +the coast, he had seen white lime walls with grottoes and crags, in +several directions; but in most of the places they were levelled, and +sank inconspicuously down toward the sea. + +In Gottland they had a pleasant and peaceful holiday afternoon. It +turned out to be mild spring weather; the trees had large buds; spring +blossoms dressed the ground in the leafy meadows; the poplars' long, +thin pendants swayed; and in the little gardens, which one finds around +every cottage, the gooseberry bushes were green. + +The warmth and the spring-budding had tempted the people out into the +gardens and roads, and wherever a number of them were gathered together +they were playing. It was not the children alone who played, but the +grown-ups also. They were throwing stones at a given point, and they +threw balls in the air with such exact aim that they almost touched the +wild geese. It looked cheerful and pleasant to see big folks at play; +and the boy certainly would have enjoyed it, if he had been able to +forget his grief because he had failed to save the city. + +Anyway, he had to admit that this was a lovely trip. There was so much +singing and sound in the air. Little children played ring games, and +sang as they played. The Salvation Army was out. He saw a lot of people +dressed in black and red--sitting upon a wooded hill, playing on guitars +and brass instruments. On one road came a great crowd of people. They +were Good Templars who had been on a pleasure trip. He recognized them +by the big banners with the gold inscriptions which waved above them. +They sang song after song as long as he could hear them. + +After that the boy could never think of Gottland without thinking of the +games and songs at the same time. + +He had been sitting and looking down for a long while; but now he +happened to raise his eyes. No one can describe his amazement. Before he +was aware of it, the wild geese had left the interior of the island and +gone westward--toward the sea-coast. Now the wide, blue sea lay before +him. However, it was not the sea that was remarkable, but a city which +appeared on the sea-shore. + +The boy came from the east, and the sun had just begun to go down in the +west. When he came nearer the city, its walls and towers and high, +gabled houses and churches stood there, perfectly black, against the +light evening sky. He couldn't see therefore what it really looked like, +and for a couple of moments he believed that this city was just as +beautiful as the one he had seen on Easter night. + +When he got right up to it, he saw that it was both like and unlike that +city from the bottom of the sea. There was the same contrast between +them, as there is between a man whom one sees arrayed in purple and +jewels one day, and on another day one sees him dressed in rags. + +Yes, this city had probably, once upon a time, been like the one which +he sat and thought about. This one, also, was enclosed by a wall with +towers and gates. But the towers in this city, which had been allowed to +remain on land, were roofless, hollow and empty. The gates were without +doors; sentinels and warriors had disappeared. All the glittering +splendour was gone. There was nothing left but the naked, gray stone +skeleton. + +When the boy came farther into the city, he saw that the larger part of +it was made up of small, low houses; but here and there were still a few +high gabled houses and a few cathedrals, which were from the olden time. +The walls of the gabled houses were whitewashed, and entirely without +ornamentation; but because the boy had so lately seen the buried city, +he seemed to understand how they had been decorated: some with statues, +and others with black and white marble. And it was the same with the old +cathedrals; the majority of them were roofless with bare interiors. The +window openings were empty, the floors were grass-grown, and ivy +clambered along the walls. But now he knew how they had looked at one +time; that they had been covered with images and paintings; that the +chancel had had trimmed altars and gilded crosses, and that their +priests had moved about, arrayed in gold vestments. + +The boy saw also the narrow streets, which were almost deserted on +holiday afternoons. He knew, he did, what a stream of stately people had +once upon a time sauntered about on them. He knew that they had been +like large workshops--filled with all sorts of workmen. + +But that which Nils Holgersson did not see was, that the city--even +to-day--was both beautiful and remarkable. He saw neither the cheery +cottages on the side streets, with their black walls, and white bows and +red pelargoniums behind the shining window-panes, nor the many pretty +gardens and avenues, nor the beauty in the weed-clad ruins. His eyes +were so filled with the preceding glory, that he could not see anything +good in the present. + +The wild geese flew back and forth over the city a couple of times, so +that Thumbietot might see everything. Finally they sank down on the +grass-grown floor of a cathedral ruin to spend the night. + +When they had arranged themselves for sleep, Thumbietot was still awake +and looked up through the open arches, to the pale pink evening sky. +When he had been sitting there a while, he thought he didn't want to +grieve any more because he couldn't save the buried city. + +No, that he didn't want to do, now that he had seen this one. If that +city, which he had seen, had not sunk into the sea again, then it would +perhaps become as dilapidated as this one in a little while. Perhaps it +could not have withstood time and decay, but would have stood there with +roofless churches and bare houses and desolate, empty streets--just like +this one. Then it was better that it should remain in all its glory down +in the deep. + +"It was best that it happened as it happened," thought he. "If I had the +power to save the city, I don't believe that I should care to do it." +Then he no longer grieved over that matter. + +And there are probably many among the young who think in the same way. +But when people are old, and have become accustomed to being satisfied +with little, then they are more happy over the Visby that exists, than +over a magnificent Vineta at the bottom of the sea. + + +THE LEGEND OF SMÃ…LAND + + +_Tuesday, April twelfth_. + +The wild geese had made a good trip over the sea, and had lighted in +Tjust Township, in northern SmÃ¥land. That township didn't seem able to +make up its mind whether it wanted to be land or sea. Fiords ran in +everywhere, and cut the land up into islands and peninsulas and points +and capes. The sea was so forceful that the only things which could hold +themselves above it were hills and mountains. All the lowlands were +hidden away under the water exterior. + +It was evening when the wild geese came in from the sea; and the land +with the little hills lay prettily between the shimmering fiords. Here +and there, on the islands, the boy saw cabins and cottages; and the +farther inland he came, the bigger and better became the dwelling +houses. Finally, they grew into large, white manors. Along the shores +there was generally a border of trees; and within this lay field-plots, +and on the tops of the little hills there were trees again. He could not +help but think of Blekinge. Here again was a place where land and sea +met, in such a pretty and peaceful sort of way, just as if they tried to +show each other the best and loveliest which they possessed. + +The wild geese alighted upon a limestone island a good way in on +Goose-fiord. With the first glance at the shore they observed that +spring had made rapid strides while they had been away on the islands. +The big, fine trees were not as yet leaf-clad, but the ground under them +was brocaded with white anemones, gagea, and blue anemones. + +When the wild geese saw the flower-carpet they feared that they had +lingered too long in the southern part of the country. Akka said +instantly that there was no time in which to hunt up any of the stopping +places in SmÃ¥land. By the next morning they must travel northward, over +Östergötland. + +The boy should then see nothing of SmÃ¥land, and this grieved him. He had +heard more about SmÃ¥land than he had about any other province, and he +had longed to see it with his own eyes. + +The summer before, when he had served as goose-boy with a farmer in the +neighbourhood of Jordberga, he had met a pair of SmÃ¥land children, +almost every day, who also tended geese. These children had irritated +him terribly with their SmÃ¥land. + +It wasn't fair to say that Osa, the goose-girl, had annoyed him. She was +much too wise for that. But the one who could be aggravating with a +vengeance was her brother, little Mats. + +"Have you heard, Nils Goose-boy, how it went when SmÃ¥land and SkÃ¥ne were +created?" he would ask, and if Nils Holgersson said no, he began +immediately to relate the old joke-legend. + +"Well, it was at that time when our Lord was creating the world. While +he was doing his best work, Saint Peter came walking by. He stopped and +looked on, and then he asked if it was hard to do. 'Well, it isn't +exactly easy,' said our Lord. Saint Peter stood there a little longer, +and when he noticed how easy it was to lay out one landscape after +another, he too wanted to try his hand at it. 'Perhaps you need to rest +yourself a little,' said Saint Peter, 'I could attend to the work in +the meantime for you.' But this our Lord did not wish. 'I do not know if +you are so much at home in this art that I can trust you to take hold +where I leave off,' he answered. Then Saint Peter was angry, and said +that he believed he could create just as fine countries as our Lord +himself. + +"It happened that our Lord was just then creating SmÃ¥land. It wasn't +even half-ready but it looked as though it would be an indescribably +pretty and fertile land. It was difficult for our Lord to say no to +Saint Peter, and aside from this, he thought very likely that a thing so +well begun no one could spoil. Therefore he said: If you like, we will +prove which one of us two understands this sort of work the better. You, +who are only a novice, shall go on with this which I have begun, and I +will create a new land.' To this Saint Peter agreed at once; and so they +went to work--each one in his place. + +"Our Lord moved southward a bit, and there he undertook to create SkÃ¥ne. +It wasn't long before he was through with it, and soon he asked if Saint +Peter had finished, and would come and look at his work. 'I had mine +ready long ago,' said Saint Peter; and from the sound of his voice it +could be heard how pleased he was with what he had accomplished. + +"When Saint Peter saw SkÃ¥ne, he had to acknowledge that there was +nothing but good to be said of that land. It was a fertile land and easy +to cultivate, with wide plains wherever one looked, and hardly a sign of +hills. It was evident that our Lord had really contemplated making it +such that people should feel at home there. 'Yes, this is a good +country,' said Saint Peter, 'but I think that mine is better.' 'Then +we'll take a look at it,' said our Lord. + +"The land was already finished in the north and east when Saint Peter +began the work, but the southern and western parts; and the whole +interior, he had created all by himself. Now when our Lord came up +there, where Saint Peter had been at work, he was so horrified that he +stopped short and exclaimed: 'What on earth have you been doing with +this land, Saint Peter?' + +"Saint Peter, too, stood and looked around--perfectly astonished. He +had had the idea that nothing could be so good for a land as a great +deal of warmth. Therefore he had gathered together an enormous mass of +stones and mountains, and erected a highland, and this he had done so +that it should be near the sun, and receive much help from the sun's +heat. Over the stone-heaps he had spread a thin layer of soil, and then +he had thought that everything was well arranged. + +"But while he was down in SkÃ¥ne, a couple of heavy showers had come up, +and more was not needed to show what his work amounted to. When our +Lord came to inspect the land, all the soil had been washed away, and +the naked mountain foundation shone forth all over. Where it was about +the best, lay clay and heavy gravel over the rocks, but it looked so +poor that it was easy to understand that hardly anything except spruce +and juniper and moss and heather could grow there. But what there was +plenty of was water. It had filled up all the clefts in the mountain; +and lakes and rivers and brooks; these one saw everywhere, to say +nothing of swamps and morasses, which spread over large tracts. And the +most exasperating thing of all was, that while some tracts had too much +water, it was so scarce in others, that whole fields lay like dry moors, +where sand and earth whirled up in clouds with the least little breeze. + +"'What can have been your meaning in creating such a land as this?' said +our Lord. Saint Peter made excuses, and declared he had wished to build +up a land so high that it should have plenty of warmth from the sun. +'But then you will also get much of the night chill,' said our Lord, +'for that too comes from heaven. I am very much afraid the little that +can grow here will freeze.' + +"This, to be sure, Saint Peter hadn't thought about. + +"'Yes, here it will be a poor and frost-bound land,' said our Lord, 'it +can't be helped.'" + +When little Mats had gotten this far in his story, Osa, the goose-girl, +protested: "I cannot bear, little Mats, to hear you say that it is so +miserable in SmÃ¥land," said she. "You forget entirely how much good soil +there is there. Only think of Möre district, by Kalmar Sound! I wonder +where you'll find a richer grain region. There are fields upon fields, +just like here in SkÃ¥ne. The soil is so good that I cannot imagine +anything that couldn't grow there." + +"I can't help that," said little Mats. "I'm only relating what others +have said before." + +"And I have heard many say that there is not a more beautiful coast land +than Tjust. Think of the bays and islets, and the manors, and the +groves!" said Osa. "Yes, that's true enough," little Mats admitted. "And +don't you remember," continued Osa, "the school teacher said that such +a lively and picturesque district as that bit of SmÃ¥land which lies +south of Lake Vettern is not to be found in all Sweden? Think of the +beautiful sea and the yellow coast-mountains, and of Grenna and +Jönköping, with its match factory, and think of Huskvarna, and all the +big establishments there!" "Yes, that's true enough," said little Mats +once again. "And think of Visingsö, little Mats, with the ruins and the +oak forests and the legends! Think of the valley through which EmÃ¥n +flows, with all the villages and flour-mills and sawmills, and the +carpenter shops!" "Yes, that is true enough," said little Mats, and +looked troubled. + +All of a sudden he had looked up. "Now we are pretty stupid," said he. +"All this, of course, lies in our Lord's SmÃ¥land, in that part of the +land which was already finished when Saint Peter undertook the job. It's +only natural that it should be pretty and fine there. But in Saint +Peter's SmÃ¥land it looks as it says in the legend. And it wasn't +surprising that our Lord was distressed when he saw it," continued +little Mats, as he took up the thread of his story again. "Saint Peter +didn't lose his courage, at all events, but tried to comfort our Lord. +'Don't be so grieved over this!' said he. 'Only wait until I have +created people who can till the swamps and break up fields from the +stone hills.' + +"That was the end of our Lord's patience--and he said: 'No! you can go +down to SkÃ¥ne and make the SkÃ¥ninge, but the SmÃ¥lander I will create +myself.' And so our Lord created the SmÃ¥lander, and made him +quick-witted and contented and happy and thrifty and enterprising and +capable, that he might be able to get his livelihood in his poor +country." + +Then little Mats was silent; and if Nils Holgersson had also kept still, +all would have gone well; but he couldn't possibly refrain from asking +how Saint Peter had succeeded in creating the SkÃ¥ninge. + +"Well, what do you think yourself?" said little Mats, and looked so +scornful that Nils Holgersson threw himself upon him, to thrash him. But +Mats was only a little tot, and Osa, the goose-girl, who was a year +older than he, ran forward instantly to help him. Good-natured though +she was, she sprang like a lion as soon as anyone touched her brother. +And Nils Holgersson did not care to fight a girl, but turned his back, +and didn't look at those SmÃ¥land children for the rest of the day. + + +THE CROWS + + +THE EARTHEN CROCK + +In the southwest corner of SmÃ¥land lies a township called Sonnerbo. It +is a rather smooth and even country. And one who sees it in winter, when +it is covered with snow, cannot imagine that there is anything under the +snow but garden-plots, rye-fields and clover-meadows as is generally the +case in flat countries. But, in the beginning of April when the snow +finally melts away in Sonnerbo, it is apparent that that which lies +hidden under it is only dry, sandy heaths, bare rocks, and big, marshy +swamps. There are fields here and there, to be sure, but they are so +small that they are scarcely worth mentioning; and one also finds a few +little red or gray farmhouses hidden away in some beech-coppice--almost +as if they were afraid to show themselves. + +Where Sonnerbo township touches the boundaries of Halland, there is a +sandy heath which is so far-reaching that he who stands upon one edge of +it cannot look across to the other. Nothing except heather grows on the +heath, and it wouldn't be easy either to coax other growths to thrive +there. To start with one would have to uproot the heather; for it is +thus with heather: although it has only a little shrunken root, small +shrunken branches, and dry, shrunken leaves it fancies that it's a tree. +Therefore it acts just like real trees--spreads itself out in forest +fashion over wide areas; holds together faithfully, and causes all +foreign growths that wish to crowd in upon its territory to die out. + +The only place on the heath where the heather is not all-powerful, is a +low, stony ridge which passes over it. There you'll find juniper bushes, +mountain ash, and a few large, fine oaks. At the time when Nils +Holgersson travelled around with the wild geese, a little cabin stood +there, with a bit of cleared ground around it. But the people who had +lived there at one time, had, for some reason or other, moved away. The +little cabin was empty, and the ground lay unused. + +When the tenants left the cabin they closed the damper, fastened the +window-hooks, and locked the door. But no one had thought of the broken +window-pane which was only stuffed with a rag. After the showers of a +couple of summers, the rag had moulded and shrunk, and, finally, a crow +had succeeded in poking it out. + +The ridge on the heather-heath was really not as desolate as one might +think, for it was inhabited by a large crow-folk. Naturally, the crows +did not live there all the year round. They moved to foreign lands in +the winter; in the autumn they travelled from one grain-field to another +all over Götaland, and picked grain; during the summer, they spread +themselves over the farms in Sonnerbo township, and lived upon eggs and +berries and birdlings; but every spring, when nesting time came, they +came back to the heather-heath. + +The one who had poked the rag from the window was a crow-cock named Garm +Whitefeather; but he was never called anything but Fumle or Drumle, or +out and out Fumle-Drumle, because he always acted awkwardly and +stupidly, and wasn't good for anything except to make fun of. +Fumle-Drumle was bigger and stronger than any of the other crows, but +that didn't help him in the least; he was--and remained--a butt for +ridicule. And it didn't profit him, either, that he came from very good +stock. If everything had gone smoothly, he should have been leader for +the whole flock, because this honour had, from time immemorial, belonged +to the oldest Whitefeather. But long before Fumle-Drumle was born, the +power had gone from his family, and was now wielded by a cruel wild +crow, named Wind-Rush. + +This transference of power was due to the fact that the crows on +crow-ridge desired to change their manner of living. Possibly there are +many who think that everything in the shape of crow lives in the same +way; but this is not so. There are entire crow-folk who lead honourable +lives--that is to say, they only eat grain, worms, caterpillars, and +dead animals; and there are others who lead a regular bandit's life, who +throw themselves upon baby-hares and small birds, and plunder every +single bird's nest they set eyes on. + +The ancient Whitefeathers had been strict and temperate; and as long as +they had led the flock, the crows had been compelled to conduct +themselves in such a way that other birds could speak no ill of them. +But the crows were numerous, and poverty was great among them. They +didn't care to go the whole length of living a strictly moral life, so +they rebelled against the Whitefeathers, and gave the power to +Wind-Rush, who was the worst nest-plunderer and robber that could be +imagined--if his wife, Wind-Air, wasn't worse still. Under their +government the crows had begun to lead such a life that now they were +more feared than pigeon-hawks and leech-owls. + +Naturally, Fumle-Drumle had nothing to say in the flock. The crows were +all of the opinion that he did not in the least take after his +forefathers, and that he wouldn't suit as a leader. No one would have +mentioned him, if he hadn't constantly committed fresh blunders. A few, +who were quite sensible, sometimes said perhaps it was lucky for +Fumle-Drumle that he was such a bungling idiot, otherwise Wind-Rush and +Wind-Air would hardly have allowed him--who was of the old chieftain +stock--to remain with the flock. + +Now, on the other hand, they were rather friendly toward him, and +willingly took him along with them on their hunting expeditions. There +all could observe how much more skilful and daring they were than he. + +None of the crows knew that it was Fumle-Drumle who had pecked the rag +out of the window; and had they known of this, they would have been very +much astonished. Such a thing as daring to approach a human being's +dwelling, they had never believed of him. He kept the thing to himself +very carefully; and he had his own good reasons for it. Wind-Rush always +treated him well in the daytime, and when the others were around; but +one very dark night, when the comrades sat on the night branch, he was +attacked by a couple of crows and nearly murdered. After that he moved +every night, after dark, from his usual sleeping quarters into the empty +cabin. + +Now one afternoon, when the crows had put their nests in order on +crow-ridge, they happened upon a remarkable find. Wind-Rush, +Fumle-Drumle, and a couple of others had flown down into a big hollow in +one corner of the heath. The hollow was nothing but a gravel-pit, but +the crows could not be satisfied with such a simple explanation; they +flew down in it continually, and turned every single sand-grain to get +at the reason why human beings had digged it. While the crows were +pottering around down there, a mass of gravel fell from one side. They +rushed up to it, and had the good fortune to find amongst the fallen +stones and stubble--a large earthen crock, which was locked with a +wooden clasp! Naturally they wanted to know if there was anything in it, +and they tried both to peck holes in the crock, and to bend up the +clasp, but they had no success. + +They stood perfectly helpless and examined the crock, when they heard +someone say: "Shall I come down and assist you crows?" They glanced up +quickly. On the edge of the hollow sat a fox and blinked down at them. +He was one of the prettiest foxes--both in colour and form--that they +had ever seen. The only fault with him was that he had lost an ear. + +"If you desire to do us a service," said Wind-Rush, "we shall not say +nay." At the same time, both he and the others flew up from the hollow. +Then the fox jumped down in their place, bit at the jar, and pulled at +the lock--but he couldn't open it either. + +"Can you make out what there is in it?" said Wind-Rush. The fox rolled +the jar back and forth, and listened attentively. "It must be silver +money," said he. + +This was more than the crows had expected. "Do you think it can be +silver?" said they, and their eyes were ready to pop out of their heads +with greed; for remarkable as it may sound, there is nothing in the +world which crows love as much as silver money. + +"Hear how it rattles!" said the fox and rolled the crock around once +more. "Only I can't understand how we shall get at it." "That will +surely be impossible," said the crows. The fox stood and rubbed his head +against his left leg, and pondered. Now perhaps he might succeed, with +the help of the crows, in becoming master of that little imp who always +eluded him. "Oh! I know someone who could open the crock for you," said +the fox. "Then tell us! Tell us!" cried the crows; and they were so +excited that they tumbled down into the pit. "That I will do, if you'll +first promise me that you will agree to my terms," said he. + +Then the fox told the crows about Thumbietot, and said that if they +could bring him to the heath he would open the crock for them. But in +payment for this counsel, he demanded that they should deliver +Thumbietot to him, as soon as he had gotten the silver money for them. +The crows had no reason to spare Thumbietot, so agreed to the compact at +once. It was easy enough to agree to this; but it was harder to find out +where Thumbietot and the wild geese were stopping. + +Wind-Rush himself travelled away with fifty crows, and said that he +should soon return. But one day after another passed without the crows +on crow-ridge seeing a shadow of him. + +KIDNAPPED BY CROWS + +_Wednesday, April thirteenth_. + +The wild geese were up at daybreak, so they should have time to get +themselves a bite of food before starting out on the journey toward +Östergötland. The island in Goosefiord, where they had slept, was small +and barren, but in the water all around it were growths which they could +eat their fill upon. It was worse for the boy, however. He couldn't +manage to find anything eatable. + +As he stood there hungry and drowsy, and looked around in all +directions, his glance fell upon a pair of squirrels, who played upon +the wooded point, directly opposite the rock island. He wondered if the +squirrels still had any of their winter supplies left, and asked the +white goosey-gander to take him over to the point, that he might beg +them for a couple of hazelnuts. + +Instantly the white one swam across the sound with him; but as luck +would have it the squirrels had so much fun chasing each other from tree +to tree, that they didn't bother about listening to the boy. They drew +farther into the grove. He hurried after them, and was soon out of the +goosey-gander's sight--who stayed behind and waited on the shore. + +The boy waded forward between some white anemone-stems--which were so +high they reached to his chin--when he felt that someone caught hold of +him from behind, and tried to lift him up. He turned round and saw that +a crow had grabbed him by the shirt-band. He tried to break loose, but +before this was possible, another crow ran up, gripped him by the +stocking, and knocked him over. + +If Nils Holgersson had immediately cried for help, the white +goosey-gander certainly would have been able to save him; but the boy +probably thought that he could protect himself, unaided, against a +couple of crows. He kicked and struck out, but the crows didn't let go +their hold, and they soon succeeded in raising themselves into the air +with him. To make matters worse, they flew so recklessly that his head +struck against a branch. He received a hard knock over the head, it grew +black before his eyes, and he lost consciousness. + +When he opened his eyes once more, he found himself high above the +ground. He regained his senses slowly; at first he knew neither where he +was, nor what he saw. When he glanced down, he saw that under him was +spread a tremendously big woolly carpet, which was woven in greens and +reds, and in large irregular patterns. The carpet was very thick and +fine, but he thought it was a pity that it had been so badly used. It +was actually ragged; long tears ran through it; in some places large +pieces were torn away. And the strangest of all was that it appeared to +be spread over a mirror floor; for under the holes and tears in the +carpet shone bright and glittering glass. + +The next thing the boy observed was that the sun unrolled itself in the +heavens. Instantly, the mirror-glass under the holes and tears in the +carpet began to shimmer in red and gold. It looked very gorgeous, and +the boy was delighted with the pretty colour-scheme, although he didn't +exactly understand what it was that he saw. But now the crows descended, +and he saw at once that the big carpet under him was the earth, which +was dressed in green and brown cone-trees and naked leaf-trees, and that +the holes and tears were shining fiords and little lakes. + +He remembered that the first time he had travelled up in the air, he +had thought that the earth in SkÃ¥ne looked like a piece of checked +cloth. But this country which resembled a torn carpet--what might this +be? + +He began to ask himself a lot of questions. Why wasn't he sitting on the +goosey-gander's back? Why did a great swarm of crows fly around him? And +why was he being pulled and knocked hither and thither so that he was +about to break to pieces? + +Then, all at once, the whole thing dawned on him. He had been kidnapped +by a couple of crows. The white goosey-gander was still on the shore, +waiting, and to-day the wild geese were going to travel to Östergötland. +He was being carried southwest; this he understood because the sun's +disc was behind him. The big forest-carpet which lay beneath him was +surely SmÃ¥land. + +"What will become of the goosey-gander now, when I cannot look after +him?" thought the boy, and began to call to the crows to take him back +to the wild geese instantly. He wasn't at all uneasy on his own account. +He believed that they were carrying him off simply in a spirit of +mischief. + +The crows didn't pay the slightest attention to his exhortations, but +flew on as fast as they could. After a bit, one of them flapped his +wings in a manner which meant: "Look out! Danger!" Soon thereafter they +came down in a spruce forest, pushed their way between prickly branches +to the ground, and put the boy down under a thick spruce, where he was +so well concealed that not even a falcon could have sighted him. + +Fifty crows surrounded him, with bills pointed toward him to guard him. +"Now perhaps I may hear, crows, what your purpose is in carrying me +off", said he. But he was hardly permitted to finish the sentence before +a big crow hissed at him: "Keep still! or I'll bore your eyes out." + +It was evident that the crow meant what she said; and there was nothing +for the boy to do but obey. So he sat there and stared at the crows, and +the crows stared at him. + +The longer he looked at them, the less he liked them. It was dreadful +how dusty and unkempt their feather dresses were--as though they knew +neither baths nor oiling. Their toes and claws were grimy with dried-in +mud, and the corners of their mouths were covered with food drippings. +These were very different birds from the wild geese--that he observed. +He thought they had a cruel, sneaky, watchful and bold appearance, just +like cut-throats and vagabonds. + +"It is certainly a real robber-band that I've fallen in with," thought +he. + +Just then he heard the wild geese's call above him. "Where are you? Here +am I. Where are you? Here am I." + +He understood that Akka and the others had gone out to search for him; +but before he could answer them the big crow who appeared to be the +leader of the band hissed in his ear: "Think of your eyes!" And there +was nothing else for him to do but to keep still. + +The wild geese may not have known that he was so near them, but had just +happened, incidentally, to travel over this forest. He heard their call +a couple of times more, then it died away. "Well, now you'll have to get +along by yourself, Nils Holgersson," he said to himself. "Now you must +prove whether you have learned anything during these weeks in the open." + +A moment later the crows gave the signal to break up; and since it was +still their intention, apparently, to carry him along in such a way that +one held on to his shirt-band, and one to a stocking, the boy said: "Is +there not one among you so strong that he can carry me on his back? You +have already travelled so badly with me that I feel as if I were in +pieces. Only let me ride! I'll not jump from the crow's back, that I +promise you." + +"Oh! you needn't think that we care how you have it," said the leader. +But now the largest of the crows--a dishevelled and uncouth one, who had +a white feather in his wing--came forward and said: "It would certainly +be best for all of us, Wind-Rush, if Thumbietot got there whole, rather +than half, and therefore, I shall carry him on my back." "If you can do +it, Fumle-Drumle, I have no objection," said Wind-Rush. "But don't lose +him!" + +With this, much was already gained, and the boy actually felt pleased +again. "There is nothing to be gained by losing my grit because I have +been kidnapped by the crows," thought he. "I'll surely be able to manage +those poor little things." + +The crows continued to fly southwest, over SmÃ¥land. It was a glorious +morning--sunny and calm; and the birds down on the earth were singing +their best love songs. In a high, dark forest sat the thrush himself +with drooping wings and swelling throat, and struck up tune after tune. +"How pretty you are! How pretty you are! How pretty you are!" sang he. +"No one is so pretty. No one is so pretty. No one is so pretty." As soon +as he had finished this song, he began it all over again. + +But just then the boy rode over the forest; and when he had heard the +song a couple of times, and marked that the thrush knew no other, he put +both hands up to his mouth as a speaking trumpet, and called down: +"We've heard all this before. We've heard all this before." "Who is it? +Who is it? Who is it? Who makes fun of me?" asked the thrush, and tried +to catch a glimpse of the one who called. "It is Kidnapped-by-Crows who +makes fun of your song," answered the boy. At that, the crow-chief +turned his head and said: "Be careful of your eyes, Thumbietot!" But the +boy thought, "Oh! I don't care about that. I want to show you that I'm +not afraid of you!" + +Farther and farther inland they travelled; and there were woods and +lakes everywhere. In a birch-grove sat the wood-dove on a naked branch, +and before him stood the lady-dove. He blew up his feathers, cocked his +head, raised and lowered his body, until the breast-feathers rattled +against the branch. All the while he cooed: "Thou, thou, thou art the +loveliest in all the forest. No one in the forest is so lovely as thou, +thou, thou!" + +But up in the air the boy rode past, and when he heard Mr. Dove he +couldn't keep still. "Don't you believe him! Don't you believe him!" +cried he. + +"Who, who, who is it that lies about me?" cooed Mr. Dove, and tried to +get a sight of the one who shrieked at him. "It is Caught-by-Crows that +lies about you," replied the boy. Again Wind-Rush turned his head toward +the boy and commanded him to shut up, but Fumle-Drumle, who was carrying +him, said: "Let him chatter, then all the little birds will think that +we crows have become quick-witted and funny birds." "Oh! they're not +such fools, either," said Wind-Rush; but he liked the idea just the +same, for after that he let the boy call out as much as he liked. + +They flew mostly over forests and woodlands, but there were churches and +parishes and little cabins in the outskirts of the forest. In one place +they saw a pretty old manor. It lay with the forest back of it, and the +sea in front of it; had red walls and a turreted roof; great sycamores +about the grounds, and big, thick gooseberry-bushes in the orchard. On +the top of the weathercock sat the starling, and sang so loud that every +note was heard by the wife, who sat on an egg in the heart of a pear +tree. "We have four pretty little eggs," sang the starling. "We have +four pretty little round eggs. We have the whole nest filled with fine +eggs." + +When the starling sang the song for the thousandth time, the boy rode +over the place. He put his hands up to his mouth, as a pipe, and called: +"The magpie will get them. The magpie will get them." + +"Who is it that wants to frighten me?" asked the starling, and flapped +his wings uneasily. "It is Captured-by-Crows that frightens you," said +the boy. This time the crow-chief didn't attempt to hush him up. +Instead, both he and his flock were having so much fun that they cawed +with satisfaction. + +The farther inland they came, the larger were the lakes, and the more +plentiful were the islands and points. And on a lake-shore stood a drake +and kowtowed before the duck. "I'll be true to you all the days of my +life. I'll be true to you all the days of my life," said the drake. "It +won't last until the summer's end," shrieked the boy. "Who are you?" +called the drake. "My name's Stolen-by-Crows," shrieked the boy. + +At dinner time the crows lighted in a food-grove. They walked about and +procured food for themselves, but none of them thought about giving the +boy anything. Then Fumle-Drumle came riding up to the chief with a +dog-rose branch, with a few dried buds on it. "Here's something for you, +Wind-Rush," said he. "This is pretty food, and suitable for you." +Wind-Rush sniffed contemptuously. "Do you think that I want to eat old, +dry buds?" said he. "And I who thought that you would be pleased with +them!" said Fumle-Drumle; and threw away the dog-rose branch as if in +despair. But it fell right in front of the boy, and he wasn't slow about +grabbing it and eating until he was satisfied. + +When the crows had eaten, they began to chatter. "What are you thinking +about, Wind-Rush? You are so quiet to-day," said one of them to the +leader. "I'm thinking that in this district there lived, once upon a +time, a hen, who was very fond of her mistress; and in order to really +please her, she went and laid a nest full of eggs, which she hid under +the store-house floor. The mistress of the house wondered, of course, +where the hen was keeping herself such a long time. She searched for +her, but did not find her. Can you guess, Longbill, who it was that +found her and the eggs?" + +"I think I can guess it, Wind-Rush, but when you have told about this, I +will tell you something like it. Do you remember the big, black cat in +Hinneryd's parish house? She was dissatisfied because they always took +the new-born kittens from her, and drowned them. Just once did she +succeed in keeping them concealed, and that was when she had laid them +in a haystack, out doors. She was pretty well pleased with those young +kittens, but I believe that I got more pleasure out of them than she +did." + +Now they became so excited that they all talked at once. "What kind of +an accomplishment is that--to steal little kittens?" said one. "I once +chased a young hare who was almost full-grown. That meant to follow him +from covert to covert." He got no further before another took the words +from him. "It may be fun, perhaps, to annoy hens and cats, but I find it +still more remarkable that a crow can worry a human being. I once stole +a silver spoon--" + +But now the boy thought he was too good to sit and listen to such +gabble. "Now listen to me, you crows!" said he. "I think you ought to +be ashamed of yourselves to talk about all your wickedness. I have lived +amongst wild geese for three weeks, and of them I have never heard or +seen anything but good. You must have a bad chief, since he permits you +to rob and murder in this way. You ought to begin to lead new lives, for +I can tell you that human beings have grown so tired of your wickedness +they are trying with all their might to root you out. And then there +will soon be an end of you." + +When Wind-Rush and the crows heard this, they were so furious that they +intended to throw themselves upon him and tear him in pieces. But +Fumle-Drumle laughed and cawed, and stood in front of him. "Oh, no, no!" +said he, and seemed absolutely terrified. "What think you that Wind-Air +will say if you tear Thumbietot in pieces before he has gotten that +silver money for us?" "It has to be you, Fumle-Drumle, that's afraid of +women-folk," said Rush. But, at any rate, both he and the others left +Thumbietot in peace. + +Shortly after that the crows went further. Until now the boy thought +that SmÃ¥land wasn't such a poor country as he had heard. Of course it +was woody and full of mountain-ridges, but alongside the islands and +lakes lay cultivated grounds, and any real desolation he hadn't come +upon. But the farther inland they came, the fewer were the villages and +cottages. Toward the last, he thought that he was riding over a +veritable wilderness where he saw nothing but swamps and heaths and +juniper-hills. + +The sun had gone down, but it was still perfect daylight when the crows +reached the large heather-heath. Wind-Rush sent a crow on ahead, to say +that he had met with success; and when it was known, Wind-Air, with +several hundred crows from Crow-Ridge, flew to meet the arrivals. In the +midst of the deafening cawing which the crows emitted, Fumle-Drumle said +to the boy: "You have been so comical and so jolly during the trip that +I am really fond of you. Therefore I want to give you some good advice. +As soon as we light, you'll be requested to do a bit of work which may +seem very easy to you; but beware of doing it!" + +Soon thereafter Fumle-Drumle put Nils Holgersson down in the bottom of +a sandpit. The boy flung himself down, rolled over, and lay there as +though he was simply done up with fatigue. Such a lot of crows fluttered +about him that the air rustled like a wind-storm, but he didn't look up. + +"Thumbietot," said Wind-Rush, "get up now! You shall help us with a +matter which will be very easy for you." + +The boy didn't move, but pretended to be asleep. Then Wind-Rush took him +by the arm, and dragged him over the sand to an earthen crock of +old-time make, that was standing in the pit. "Get up, Thumbietot," said +he, "and open this crock!" "Why can't you let me sleep?" said the boy. +"I'm too tired to do anything to-night. Wait until to-morrow!" + +"Open the crock!" said Wind-Rush, shaking him. "How shall a poor little +child be able to open such a crock? Why, it's quite as large as I am +myself." "Open it!" commanded Wind-Rush once more, "or it will be a +sorry thing for you." The boy got up, tottered over to the crock, +fumbled the clasp, and let his arms fall. "I'm not usually so weak," +said he. "If you will only let me sleep until morning, I think that I'll +be able to manage with that clasp." + +But Wind-Rush was impatient, and he rushed forward and pinched the boy +in the leg. That sort of treatment the boy didn't care to suffer from a +crow. He jerked himself loose quickly, ran a couple of paces backward, +drew his knife from the sheath, and held it extended in front of him. +"You'd better be careful!" he cried to Wind-Rush. + +This one too was so enraged that he didn't dodge the danger. He rushed +at the boy, just as though he'd been blind, and ran so straight against +the knife, that it entered through his eye into the head. The boy drew +the knife back quickly, but Wind-Rush only struck out with his wings, +then he fell down--dead. + +"Wind-Rush is dead! The stranger has killed our chieftain, Wind-Rush!" +cried the nearest crows, and then there was a terrible uproar. Some +wailed, others cried for vengeance. They all ran or fluttered up to the +boy, with Fumle-Drumle in the lead. But he acted badly as usual. He only +fluttered and spread his wings over the boy, and prevented the others +from coming forward and running their bills into him. + +The boy thought that things looked very bad for him now. He couldn't run +away from the crows, and there was no place where he could hide. Then he +happened to think of the earthen crock. He took a firm hold on the +clasp, and pulled it off. Then he hopped into the crock to hide in it. +But the crock was a poor hiding place, for it was nearly filled to the +brim with little, thin silver coins. The boy couldn't get far enough +down, so he stooped and began to throw out the coins. + +Until now the crows had fluttered around him in a thick swarm and pecked +at him, but when he threw out the coins they immediately forgot their +thirst for vengeance, and hurried to gather the money. The boy threw out +handfuls of it, and all the crows--yes, even Wind-Air herself--picked +them up. And everyone who succeeded in picking up a coin ran off to the +nest with the utmost speed to conceal it. + +When the boy had thrown out all the silver pennies from the crock he +glanced up. Not more than a single crow was left in the sandpit. That +was Fumle-Drumle, with the white feather in his wing; he who had carried +Thumbietot. "You have rendered me a greater service than you +understand," said the crow--with a very different voice, and a different +intonation than the one he had used heretofore--"and I want to save your +life. Sit down on my back, and I'll take you to a hiding place where you +can be secure for to-night. To-morrow, I'll arrange it so that you will +get back to the wild geese." + +THE CABIN + +_Thursday, April fourteenth_. + +The following morning when the boy awoke, he lay in a bed. When he saw +that he was in a house with four walls around him, and a roof over him, +he thought that he was at home. "I wonder if mother will come soon with +some coffee," he muttered to himself where he lay half-awake. Then he +remembered that he was in a deserted cabin on the crow-ridge, and that +Fumle-Drumle with the white feather had borne him there the night +before. + +The boy was sore all over after the journey he had made the day before, +and he thought it was lovely to lie still while he waited for +Fumle-Drumle who had promised to come and fetch him. + +Curtains of checked cotton hung before the bed, and he drew them aside +to look out into the cabin. It dawned upon him instantly that he had +never seen the mate to a cabin like this. The walls consisted of nothing +but a couple of rows of logs; then the roof began. There was no interior +ceiling, so he could look clear up to the roof-tree. The cabin was so +small that it appeared to have been built rather for such as he than for +real people. However, the fireplace and chimney were so large, he +thought that he had never seen larger. The entrance door was in a +gable-wall at the side of the fireplace, and was so narrow that it was +more like a wicket than a door. In the other gable-wall he saw a low and +broad window with many panes. There was scarcely any movable furniture +in the cabin. The bench on one side, and the table under the window, +were also stationary--also the big bed where he lay, and the +many-coloured cupboard. + +The boy could not help wondering who owned the cabin, and why it was +deserted. It certainly looked as though the people who had lived there +expected to return. The coffee-urn and the gruel-pot stood on the +hearth, and there was some wood in the fireplace; the oven-rake and +baker's peel stood in a corner; the spinning wheel was raised on a +bench; on the shelf over the window lay oakum and flax, a couple of +skeins of yarn, a candle, and a bunch of matches. + +Yes, it surely looked as if those who had lived there had intended to +come back. There were bed-clothes on the bed; and on the walls there +still hung long strips of cloth, upon which three riders named Kasper, +Melchior, and Baltasar were painted. The same horses and riders were +pictured many times. They rode around the whole cabin, and continued +their ride even up toward the joists. + +But in the roof the boy saw something which brought him to his senses in +a jiffy. It was a couple of loaves of big bread-cakes that hung there +upon a spit. They looked old and mouldy, but it was bread all the same. +He gave them a knock with the oven-rake and one piece fell to the floor. +He ate, and stuffed his bag full. It was incredible how good bread was, +anyway. + +He looked around the cabin once more, to try and discover if there was +anything else which he might find useful to take along. "I may as well +take what I need, since no one else cares about it," thought he. But +most of the things were too big and heavy. The only things that he +could carry might be a few matches perhaps. + +He clambered up on the table, and swung with the help of the curtains up +to the window-shelf. While he stood there and stuffed the matches into +his bag, the crow with the white feather came in through the window. +"Well here I am at last," said Fumle-Drumle as he lit on the table. "I +couldn't get here any sooner because we crows have elected a new +chieftain in Wind-Rush's place." "Whom have you chosen?" said the boy. +"Well, we have chosen one who will not permit robbery and injustice. We +have elected Garm Whitefeather, lately called Fumle-Drumle," answered +he, drawing himself up until he looked absolutely regal. "That was a +good choice," said the boy and congratulated him. "You may well wish me +luck," said Garm; then he told the boy about the time they had had with +Wind-Rush and Wind-Air. + +During this recital the boy heard a voice outside the window which he +thought sounded familiar. "Is he here?"--inquired the fox. "Yes, he's +hidden in there," answered a crow-voice. "Be careful, Thumbietot!" cried +Garm. "Wind-Air stands without with that fox who wants to eat you." More +he didn't have time to say, for Smirre dashed against the window. The +old, rotten window-frame gave way, and the next second Smirre stood upon +the window-table. Garm Whitefeather, who didn't have time to fly away, +he killed instantly. Thereupon he jumped down to the floor, and looked +around for the boy. He tried to hide behind a big oakum-spiral, but +Smirre had already spied him, and was crouched for the final spring. The +cabin was so small, and so low, the boy understood that the fox could +reach him without the least difficulty. But just at that moment the boy +was not without weapons of defence. He struck a match quickly, touched +the curtains, and when they were in flames, he threw them down upon +Smirre Fox. When the fire enveloped the fox, he was seized with a mad +terror. He thought no more about the boy, but rushed wildly out of the +cabin. + +But it looked as if the boy had escaped one danger to throw himself into +a greater one. From the tuft of oakum which he had flung at Smirre the +fire had spread to the bed-hangings. He jumped down and tried to smother +it, but it blazed too quickly now. The cabin was soon filled with smoke, +and Smirre Fox, who had remained just outside the window, began to grasp +the state of affairs within. "Well, Thumbietot," he called out, "which +do you choose now: to be broiled alive in there, or to come out here to +me? Of course, I should prefer to have the pleasure of eating you; but +in whichever way death meets you it will be dear to me." + +The boy could not think but what the fox was right, for the fire was +making rapid headway. The whole bed was now in a blaze, and smoke rose +from the floor; and along the painted wall-strips the fire crept from +rider to rider. The boy jumped up in the fireplace, and tried to open +the oven door, when he heard a key which turned around slowly in the +lock. It must be human beings coming. And in the dire extremity in which +he found himself, he was not afraid, but only glad. He was already on +the threshold when the door opened. He saw a couple of children facing +him; but how they looked when they saw the cabin in flames, he took no +time to find out; but rushed past them into the open. + +He didn't dare run far. He knew, of course, that Smirre Fox lay in wait +for him, and he understood that he must remain near the children. He +turned round to see what sort of folk they were, but he hadn't looked at +them a second before he ran up to them and cried: "Oh, good-day, Osa +goose-girl! Oh, good-day, little Mats!" + +For when the boy saw those children he forgot entirely where he was. +Crows and burning cabin and talking animals had vanished from his +memory. He was walking on a stubble-field, in West Vemminghög, tending a +goose-flock; and beside him, on the field, walked those same SmÃ¥land +children, with their geese. As soon as he saw them, he ran up on the +stone-hedge and shouted: "Oh, good-day, Osa goose-girl! Oh, good-day, +little Mats!" + +But when the children saw such a little creature coming up to them with +outstretched hands, they grabbed hold of each other, took a couple of +steps backward, and looked scared to death. + +When the boy noticed their terror he woke up and remembered who he was. +And then it seemed to him that nothing worse could happen to him than +that those children should see how he had been bewitched. Shame and +grief because he was no longer a human being overpowered him. He turned +and fled. He knew not whither. + +But a glad meeting awaited the boy when he came down to the heath. For +there, in the heather, he spied something white, and toward him came the +white goosey-gander, accompanied by Dunfin. When the white one saw the +boy running with such speed, he thought that dreadful fiends were +pursuing him. He flung him in all haste upon his back and flew off with +him. + + +THE OLD PEASANT WOMAN + + +_Thursday, April fourteenth_. + +Three tired wanderers were out in the late evening in search of a night +harbour. They travelled over a poor and desolate portion of northern +SmÃ¥land. But the sort of resting place which they wanted, they should +have been able to find; for they were no weaklings who asked for soft +beds or comfortable rooms. "If one of these long mountain-ridges had a +peak so high and steep that a fox couldn't in any way climb up to it, +then we should have a good sleeping-place," said one of them. "If a +single one of the big swamps was thawed out, and was so marshy and wet +that a fox wouldn't dare venture out on it, this, too, would be a right +good night harbour," said the second. "If the ice on one of the large +lakes we travel past were loose, so that a fox could not come out on +it, then we should have found just what we are seeking," said the third. + +The worst of it was that when the sun had gone down, two of the +travellers became so sleepy that every second they were ready to fall to +the ground. The third one, who could keep himself awake, grew more and +more uneasy as night approached. "Then it was a misfortune that we came +to a land where lakes and swamps are frozen, so that a fox can get +around everywhere. In other places the ice has melted away; but now +we're well up in the very coldest SmÃ¥land, where spring has not as yet +arrived. I don't know how I shall ever manage to find a good +sleeping-place! Unless I find some spot that is well protected, Smirre +Fox will be upon us before morning." + +He gazed in all directions, but he saw no shelter where he could lodge. +It was a dark and chilly night, with wind and drizzle. It grew more +terrible and disagreeable around him every second. + +This may sound strange, perhaps, but the travellers didn't seem to have +the least desire to ask for house-room on any farm. They had already +passed many parishes without knocking at a single door. Little hillside +cabins on the outskirts of the forests, which all poor wanderers are +glad to run across, they took no notice of either. One might almost be +tempted to say they deserved to have a hard time of it, since they did +not seek help where it was to be had for the asking. + +But finally, when it was so dark that there was scarcely a glimmer of +light left under the skies and the two who needed sleep journeyed on in +a kind of half-sleep, they happened into a farmyard which was a long way +off from all neighbours. And not only did it lie there desolate, but it +appeared to be uninhabited as well. No smoke rose from the chimney; no +light shone through the windows; no human being moved on the place. When +the one among the three who could keep awake, saw the place, he thought: +"Now come what may, we must try to get in here. Anything better we are +not likely to find." + +Soon after that, all three stood in the house-yard. Two of them fell +asleep the instant they stood still, but the third looked about him +eagerly, to find where they could get under cover. It was not a small +farm. Beside the dwelling house and stable and smoke-house, there were +long ranges with granaries and storehouses and cattlesheds. But it all +looked awfully poor and dilapidated. The houses had gray, moss-grown, +leaning walls, which seemed ready to topple over. In the roofs were +yawning holes, and the doors hung aslant on broken hinges. It was +apparent that no one had taken the trouble to drive a nail into a wall +on this place for a long time. + +Meanwhile, he who was awake had figured out which house was the cowshed. +He roused his travelling companions from their sleep, and conducted them +to the cowshed door. Luckily, this was not fastened with anything but a +hook, which he could easily push up with a rod. He heaved a sigh of +relief at the thought that they should soon be in safety. But when the +cowshed door swung open with a sharp creaking, he heard a cow begin to +bellow. "Are you coming at last, mistress?" said she. "I thought that +you didn't propose to give me any supper to-night." + +The one who was awake stopped in the doorway, absolutely terrified when +he discovered that the cowshed was not empty. But he soon saw that there +was not more than one cow, and three or four chickens; and then he took +courage again. "We are three poor travellers who want to come in +somewhere, where no fox can assail us, and no human being capture us," +said he. "We wonder if this can be a good place for us." "I cannot +believe but what it is," answered the cow. "To be sure the walls are +poor, but the fox does not walk through them as yet; and no one lives +here except an old peasant woman, who isn't at all likely to make a +captive of anyone. But who are you?" she continued, as she twisted in +her stall to get a sight of the newcomers. "I am Nils Holgersson from +Vemminghög, who has been transformed into an elf," replied the first of +the incomers, "and I have with me a tame goose, whom I generally ride, +and a gray goose." "Such rare guests have never before been within my +four walls," said the cow, "and you shall be welcome, although I would +have preferred that it had been my mistress, come to give me my supper." + +The boy led the geese into the cowshed, which was rather large, and +placed them in an empty manger, where they fell asleep instantly. For +himself, he made a little bed of straw and expected that he, too, should +go to sleep at once. + +But this was impossible, for the poor cow, who hadn't had her supper, +wasn't still an instant. She shook her flanks, moved around in the +stall, and complained of how hungry she was. The boy couldn't get a wink +of sleep, but lay there and lived over all the things that had happened +to him during these last days. + +He thought of Osa, the goose-girl, and little Mats, whom he had +encountered so unexpectedly; and he fancied that the little cabin which +he had set on fire must have been their old home in SmÃ¥land. Now he +recalled that he had heard them speak of just such a cabin, and of the +big heather-heath which lay below it. Now Osa and Mats had wandered back +there to see their old home again, and then, when they had reached it, +it was in flames. + +It was indeed a great sorrow which he had brought upon them, and it hurt +him very much. If he ever again became a human being, he would try to +compensate them for the damage and miscalculation. + +Then his thoughts wandered to the crows. And when he thought of +Fumle-Drumle who had saved his life, and had met his own death so soon +after he had been elected chieftain, he was so distressed that tears +filled his eyes. He had had a pretty rough time of it these last few +days. But, anyway, it was a rare stroke of luck that the goosey-gander +and Dunfin had found him. The goosey-gander had said that as soon as the +geese discovered that Thumbietot had disappeared, they had asked all +the small animals in the forest about him. They soon learned that a +flock of SmÃ¥land crows had carried him off. But the crows were already +out of sight, and whither they had directed their course no one had been +able to say. That they might find the boy as soon as possible, Akka had +commanded the wild geese to start out--two and two--in different +directions, to search for him. But after a two days' hunt, whether or +not they had found him, they were to meet in northwestern SmÃ¥land on a +high mountain-top, which resembled an abrupt, chopped-off tower, and was +called Taberg. After Akka had given them the best directions, and +described carefully how they should find Taberg, they had separated. + +The white goosey-gander had chosen Dunfin as travelling companion, and +they had flown about hither and thither with the greatest anxiety for +Thumbietot. During this ramble they had heard a thrush, who sat in a +tree-top, cry and wail that someone, who called himself +Kidnapped-by-Crows, had made fun of him. They had talked with the +thrush, and he had shown them in which direction that Kidnapped-by-Crows +had travelled. Afterward, they had met a dove-cock, a starling and a +drake; they had all wailed about a little culprit who had disturbed +their song, and who was named Caught-by-Crows, Captured-by-Crows, and +Stolen-by-Crows. In this way, they were enabled to trace Thumbietot all +the way to the heather-heath in Sonnerbo township. + +As soon as the goosey-gander and Dunfin had found Thumbietot, they had +started toward the north, in order to reach Taberg. But it had been a +long road to travel, and the darkness was upon them before they had +sighted the mountain top. "If we only get there by to-morrow, surely all +our troubles will be over," thought the boy, and dug down into the straw +to have it warmer. All the while the cow fussed and fumed in the stall. +Then, all of a sudden, she began to talk to the boy. "Everything is +wrong with me," said the cow. "I am neither milked nor tended. I have no +night fodder in my manger, and no bed has been made under me. My +mistress came here at dusk, to put things in order for me, but she felt +so ill, that she had to go in soon again, and she has not returned." + +"It's distressing that I should be little and powerless," said the boy. +"I don't believe that I am able to help you." "You can't make me believe +that you are powerless because you are little," said the cow. "All the +elves that I've ever heard of, were so strong that they could pull a +whole load of hay and strike a cow dead with one fist." The boy couldn't +help laughing at the cow. "They were a very different kind of elf from +me," said he. "But I'll loosen your halter and open the door for you, so +that you can go out and drink in one of the pools on the place, and then +I'll try to climb up to the hayloft and throw down some hay in your +manger." "Yes, that would be some help," said the cow. + +The boy did as he had said; and when the cow stood with a full manger in +front of her, he thought that at last he should get some sleep. But he +had hardly crept down in the bed before she began, anew, to talk to him. + +"You'll be clean put out with me if I ask you for one thing more," said +the cow. "Oh, no I won't, if it's only something that I'm able to do," +said the boy. "Then I will ask you to go into the cabin, directly +opposite, and find out how my mistress is getting along. I fear some +misfortune has come to her." "No! I can't do that," said the boy. "I +dare not show myself before human beings." "'Surely you're not afraid of +an old and sick woman," said the cow. "But you do not need to go into +the cabin. Just stand outside the door and peep in through the crack!" +"Oh! if that is all you ask of me, I'll do it of course," said the boy. + +With that he opened the cowshed door and went out in the yard. It was a +fearful night! Neither moon nor stars shone; the wind blew a gale, and +the rain came down in torrents. And the worst of all was that seven +great owls sat in a row on the eaves of the cabin. It was awful just to +hear them, where they sat and grumbled at the weather; but it was even +worse to think what would happen to him if one of them should set eyes +on him. That would be the last of him. + +"Pity him who is little!" said the boy as he ventured out in the yard. +And he had a right to say this, for he was blown down twice before he +got to the house: once the wind swept him into a pool, which was so deep +that he came near drowning. But he got there nevertheless. + +He clambered up a pair of steps, scrambled over a threshold, and came +into the hallway. The cabin door was closed, but down in one corner a +large piece had been cut away, that the cat might go in and out. It was +no difficulty whatever for the boy to see how things were in the cabin. + +He had hardly cast a glance in there before he staggered back and turned +his head away. An old, gray-haired woman lay stretched out on the floor +within. She neither moved nor moaned; and her face shone strangely +white. It was as if an invisible moon had thrown a feeble light over it. + +The boy remembered that when his grandfather had died, his face had also +become so strangely white-like. And he understood that the old woman who +lay on the cabin floor must be dead. Death had probably come to her so +suddenly that she didn't even have time to lie down on her bed. + +As he thought of being alone with the dead in the middle of the dark +night, he was terribly afraid. He threw himself headlong down the steps, +and rushed back to the cowshed. + +When he told the cow what he had seen in the cabin, she stopped eating. +"So my mistress is dead," said she. "Then it will soon be over for me +as well." "There will always be someone to look out for you," said the +boy comfortingly. "Ah! you don't know," said the cow, "that I am already +twice as old as a cow usually is before she is laid upon the +slaughter-bench. But then I do not care to live any longer, since she, +in there, can come no more to care for me." + +She said nothing more for a while, but the boy observed, no doubt, that +she neither slept nor ate. It was not long before she began to speak +again. "Is she lying on the bare floor?" she asked. "She is," said the +boy. "She had a habit of coming out to the cowshed," she continued, "and +talking about everything that troubled her. I understood what she said, +although I could not answer her. These last few days she talked of how +afraid she was lest there would be no one with her when she died. She +was anxious for fear no one should close her eyes and fold her hands +across her breast, after she was dead. Perhaps you'll go in and do +this?" The boy hesitated. He remembered that when his grandfather had +died, mother had been very careful about putting everything to rights. +He knew this was something which had to be done. But, on the other hand, +he felt that he didn't care go to the dead, in the ghastly night. He +didn't say no; neither did he take a step toward the cowshed door. For a +couple of seconds the old cow was silent--just as if she had expected an +answer. But when the boy said nothing, she did not repeat her request. +Instead, she began to talk with him of her mistress. + +There was much to tell, first and foremost, about all the children which +she had brought up. They had been in the cowshed every day, and in the +summer they had taken the cattle to pasture on the swamp and in the +groves, so the old cow knew all about them. They had been splendid, all +of them, and happy and industrious. A cow knew well enough what her +caretakers were good for. + +There was also much to be said about the farm. It had not always been as +poor as it was now. It was very large--although the greater part of it +consisted of swamps and stony groves. There was not much room for +fields, but there was plenty of good fodder everywhere. At one time +there had been a cow for every stall in the cowshed; and the oxshed, +which was now empty, had at one time been filled with oxen. And then +there was life and gayety, both in cabin and cowhouse. When the mistress +opened the cowshed door she would hum and sing, and all the cows lowed +with gladness when they heard her coming. + +But the good man had died when the children were so small that they +could not be of any assistance, and the mistress had to take charge of +the farm, and all the work and responsibility. She had been as strong as +a man, and had both ploughed and reaped. In the evenings, when she came +into the cowshed to milk, sometimes she was so tired that she wept. Then +she dashed away her tears, and was cheerful again. "It doesn't matter. +Good times are coming again for me too, if only my children grow up. +Yes, if they only grow up." + +But as soon as the children were grown, a strange longing came over +them. They didn't want to stay at home, but went away to a strange +country. Their mother never got any help from them. A couple of her +children were married before they went away, and they had left their +children behind, in the old home. And now these children followed the +mistress in the cowshed, just as her own had done. They tended the cows, +and were fine, good folk. And, in the evenings, when the mistress was so +tired out that she could fall asleep in the middle of the milking, she +would rouse herself again to renewed courage by thinking of them. "Good +times are coming for me, too," said she--and shook off sleep--"when once +they are grown." + +But when these children grew up, they went away to their parents in the +strange land. No one came back--no one stayed at home--the old mistress +was left alone on the farm. + +Probably she had never asked them to remain with her. "Think you, +Rödlinna, that I would ask them to stay here with me, when they can go +out in the world and have things comfortable?" she would say as she +stood in the stall with the old cow. "Here in SmÃ¥land they have only +poverty to look forward to." + +But when the last grandchild was gone, it was all up with the mistress. +All at once she became bent and gray, and tottered as she walked; as if +she no longer had the strength to move about. She stopped working. She +did not care to look after the farm, but let everything go to rack and +ruin. She didn't repair the houses; and she sold both the cows and the +oxen. The only one that she kept was the old cow who now talked with +Thumbietot. Her she let live because all the children had tended her. + +She could have taken maids and farm-hands into her service, who would +have helped her with the work, but she couldn't bear to see strangers +around her, since her own had deserted her. Perhaps she was better +satisfied to let the farm go to ruin, since none of her children were +coming back to take it after she was gone. She did not mind that she +herself became poor, because she didn't value that which was only hers. +But she was troubled lest the children should find out how hard she had +it. "If only the children do not hear of this! If only the children do +not hear of this!" she sighed as she tottered through the cowhouse. + +The children wrote constantly, and begged her to come out to them; but +this she did not wish. She didn't want to see the land that had taken +them from her. She was angry with it. "It's foolish of me, perhaps, that +I do not like that land which has been so good for them," said she. "But +I don't want to see it." + +She never thought of anything but the children, and of this--that they +must needs have gone. When summer came, she led the cow out to graze in +the big swamp. All day she would sit on the edge of the swamp, her hands +in her lap; and on the way home she would say: "You see, Rödlinna, if +there had been large, rich fields here, in place of these barren swamps, +then there would have been no need for them to leave." + +She could become furious with the swamp which spread out so big, and did +no good. She could sit and talk about how it was the swamp's fault that +the children had left her. + +This last evening she had been more trembly and feeble than ever before. +She could not even do the milking. She had leaned against the manger +and talked about two strangers who had been to see her, and had asked if +they might buy the swamp. They wanted to drain it, and sow and raise +grain on it. This had made her both anxious and glad. "Do you hear, +Rödlinna," she had said, "do you hear they said that grain can grow on +the swamp? Now I shall write to the children to come home. Now they'll +not have to stay away any longer; for now they can get their bread here +at home." It was this that she had gone into the cabin to do-- + +The boy heard no more of what the old cow said. He had opened the +cowhouse door and gone across the yard, and in to the dead whom he had +but lately been so afraid of. + +It was not so poor in the cabin as he had expected. It was well supplied +with the sort of things one generally finds among those who have +relatives in America. In a corner there was an American rocking chair; +on the table before the window lay a brocaded plush cover; there was a +pretty spread on the bed; on the walls, in carved-wood frames, hung the +photographs of the children and grandchildren who had gone away; on the +bureau stood high vases and a couple of candlesticks, with thick, spiral +candles in them. + +The boy searched for a matchbox and lighted these candles, not because +he needed more light than he already had; but because he thought that +this was one way to honour the dead. + +Then he went up to her, closed her eyes, folded her hands across her +breast, and stroked back the thin gray hair from her face. + +He thought no more about being afraid of her. He was so deeply grieved +because she had been forced to live out her old age in loneliness and +longing. He, at least, would watch over her dead body this night. + +He hunted up the psalm book, and seated himself to read a couple of +psalms in an undertone. But in the middle of the reading he +paused--because he had begun to think about his mother and father. + +Think, that parents can long so for their children! This he had never +known. Think, that life can be as though it was over for them when the +children are away! Think, if those at home longed for him in the same +way that this old peasant woman had longed! + +This thought made him happy, but he dared not believe in it. He had not +been such a one that anybody could long for him. + +But what he had not been, perhaps he could become. + +Round about him he saw the portraits of those who were away. They were +big, strong men and women with earnest faces. There were brides in long +veils, and gentlemen in fine clothes; and there were children with waved +hair and pretty white dresses. And he thought that they all stared +blindly into vacancy--and did not want to see. + +"Poor you!" said the boy to the portraits. "Your mother is dead. You +cannot make reparation now, because you went away from her. But my +mother is living!" + +Here he paused, and nodded and smiled to himself. "My mother is living," +said he. "Both father and mother are living." + + +FROM TABERG TO HUSKVARNA + + +_Friday, April fifteenth_. + +The boy sat awake nearly all night, but toward morning he fell asleep +and then he dreamed of his father and mother. He could hardly recognise +them. They had both grown gray, and had old and wrinkled faces. He asked +how this had come about, and they answered that they had aged so because +they had longed for him. He was both touched and astonished, for he had +never believed but what they were glad to be rid of him. + +When the boy awoke the morning was come, with fine, clear weather. +First, he himself ate a bit of bread which he found in the cabin; then +he gave morning feed to both geese and cow, and opened the cowhouse door +so that the cow could go over to the nearest farm. When the cow came +along all by herself the neighbours would no doubt understand that +something was wrong with her mistress. They would hurry over to the +desolate farm to see how the old woman was getting along, and then they +would find her dead body and bury it. + +The boy and the geese had barely raised themselves into the air, when +they caught a glimpse of a high mountain, with almost perpendicular +walls, and an abrupt, broken-off top; and they understood that this +must be Taberg. On the summit stood Akka, with Yksi and Kaksi, Kolmi and +Neljä, Viisi and Knusi, and all six goslings and waited for them. There +was a rejoicing, and a cackling, and a fluttering, and a calling which +no one can describe, when they saw that the goosey-gander and Dunfin had +succeeded in finding Thumbietot. + +The woods grew pretty high up on Taberg's sides, but her highest peak +was barren; and from there one could look out in all directions. If one +gazed toward the east, or south, or west, then there was hardly anything +to be seen but a poor highland with dark spruce-trees, brown morasses, +ice-clad lakes, and bluish mountain-ridges. The boy couldn't keep from +thinking it was true that the one who had created this hadn't taken very +great pains with his work, but had thrown it together in a hurry. But if +one glanced to the north, it was altogether different. Here it looked as +if it had been worked out with the utmost care and affection. In this +direction one saw only beautiful mountains, soft valleys, and winding +rivers, all the way to the big Lake Vettern, which lay ice-free and +transparently clear, and shone as if it wasn't filled with water but +with blue light. + +It was Vettern that made it so pretty to look toward the north, because +it looked as though a blue stream had risen up from the lake, and spread +itself over land also. Groves and hills and roofs, and the spires of +Jönköping City--which shimmered along Vettern's shores--lay enveloped in +pale blue which caressed the eye. If there were countries in heaven, +they, too, must be blue like this, thought the boy, and imagined that he +had gotten a faint idea of how it must look in Paradise. + +Later in the day, when the geese continued their journey, they flew up +toward the blue valley. They were in holiday humour; shrieked and made +such a racket that no one who had ears could help hearing them. + +This happened to be the first really fine spring day they had had in +this section. Until now, the spring had done its work under rain and +bluster; and now, when it had all of a sudden become fine weather, the +people were filled with such a longing after summer warmth and green +woods that they could hardly perform their tasks. And when the wild +geese rode by, high above the ground, cheerful and free, there wasn't +one who did not drop what he had in hand, and glance at them. + +The first ones who saw the wild geese that day were miners on Taberg, +who were digging ore at the mouth of the mine. When they heard them +cackle, they paused in their drilling for ore, and one of them called to +the birds: "Where are you going? Where are you going?" The geese didn't +understand what he said, but the boy leaned forward over the goose-back, +and answered for them: "Where there is neither pick nor hammer." When +the miners heard the words, they thought it was their own longing that +made the goose-cackle sound like human speech. "Take us along with you! +Take us along with you!" they cried. "Not this year," shrieked the boy. +"Not this year." + +The wild geese followed Taberg River down toward Monk Lake, and all the +while they made the same racket. Here, on the narrow land-strip between +Monk and Vettern lakes, lay Jönköping with its great factories. The wild +geese rode first over Monksjö paper mills. The noon rest hour was just +over, and the big workmen were streaming down to the mill-gate. When +they heard the wild geese, they stopped a moment to listen to them. +"Where are you going? Where are you going?" called the workmen. The wild +geese understood nothing of what they said, but the boy answered for +them: "There, where there are neither machines nor steam-boxes." When +the workmen heard the answer, they believed it was their own longing +that made the goose-cackle sound like human speech. "Take us along with +you!" "Not this year," answered the boy. "Not this year." + +Next, the geese rode over the well-known match factory, which lies on +the shores of Vettern--large as a fortress--and lifts its high chimneys +toward the sky. Not a soul moved out in the yards; but in a large hall +young working-women sat and filled match-boxes. They had opened a window +on account of the beautiful weather, and through it came the wild +geese's call. The one who sat nearest the window, leaned out with a +match-box in her hand, and cried: "Where are you going? Where are you +going?" "To that land where there is no need of either light or +matches," said the boy. The girl thought that what she had heard was +only goose-cackle; but since she thought she had distinguished a couple +of words, she called out in answer: "Take me along with you!" "Not this +year," replied the boy. "Not this year." + +East of the factories rises Jönköping, on the most glorious spot that +any city can occupy. The narrow Vettern has high, steep sand-shores, +both on the eastern and western sides; but straight south, the +sand-walls are broken down, just as if to make room for a large gate, +through which one reaches the lake. And in the middle of the gate--with +mountains to the left, and mountains to the right, with Monk Lake behind +it, and Vettern in front of it--lies Jönköping. + +The wild geese travelled forward over the long, narrow city, and behaved +themselves here just as they had done in the country. But in the city +there was no one who answered them. It was not to be expected that city +folks should stop out in the streets, and call to the wild geese. + +The trip extended further along Vettern's shores; and after a little +they came to Sanna Sanitarium. Some of the patients had gone out on the +veranda to enjoy the spring air, and in this way they heard the +goose-cackle. "Where are you going?" asked one of them with such a +feeble voice that he was scarcely heard. "To that land where there is +neither sorrow nor sickness," answered the boy. "Take us along with +you!" said the sick ones. "Not this year," answered the boy. "Not this +year." + +When they had travelled still farther on, they came to Huskvarna. It lay +in a valley. The mountains around it were steep and beautifully formed. +A river rushed along the heights in long and narrow falls. Big workshops +and factories lay below the mountain walls; and scattered over the +valley-bottom were the workingmens' homes, encircled by little gardens; +and in the centre of the valley lay the schoolhouse. Just as the wild +geese came along, a bell rang, and a crowd of school children marched +out in line. They were so numerous that the whole schoolyard was filled +with them. "Where are you going? Where are you going?" the children +shouted when they heard the wild geese. "Where there are neither books +nor lessons to be found," answered the boy. "Take us along!" shrieked +the children. "Not this year, but next," cried the boy. "Not this year, +but next." + + +THE BIG BIRD LAKE + + +JARRO, THE WILD DUCK + +On the eastern shore of Vettern lies Mount Omberg; east of Omberg lies +Dagmosse; east of Dagmosse lies Lake Takern. Around the whole of Takern +spreads the big, even Östergöta plain. + +Takern is a pretty large lake and in olden times it must have been still +larger. But then the people thought it covered entirely too much of the +fertile plain, so they attempted to drain the water from it, that they +might sow and reap on the lake-bottom. But they did not succeed in +laying waste the entire lake--which had evidently been their +intention--therefore it still hides a lot of land. Since the draining +the lake has become so shallow that hardly at any point is it more than +a couple of metres deep. The shores have become marshy and muddy; and +out in the lake, little mud-islets stick up above the water's surface. + +Now, there is one who loves to stand with his feet in the water, if he +can just keep his body and head in the air, and that is the reed. And it +cannot find a better place to grow upon, than the long, shallow Takern +shores, and around the little mud-islets. It thrives so well that it +grows taller than a man's height, and so thick that it is almost +impossible to push a boat through it. It forms a broad green enclosure +around the whole lake, so that it is only accessible in a few places +where the people have taken away the reeds. + +But if the reeds shut the people out, they give, in return, shelter and +protection to many other things. In the reeds there are a lot of little +dams and canals with green, still water, where duckweed and pondweed run +to seed; and where gnat-eggs and blackfish and worms are hatched out in +uncountable masses. And all along the shores of these little dams and +canals, there are many well-concealed places, where seabirds hatch their +eggs, and bring up their young without being disturbed, either by +enemies or food worries. + +An incredible number of birds live in the Takern reeds; and more and +more gather there every year, as it becomes known what a splendid abode +it is. The first who settled there were the wild ducks; and they still +live there by thousands. But they no longer own the entire lake, for +they have been obliged to share it with swans, grebes, coots, loons, +fen-ducks, and a lot of others. + +Takern is certainly the largest and choicest bird lake in the whole +country; and the birds may count themselves lucky as long as they own +such a retreat. But it is uncertain just how long they will be in +control of reeds and mud-banks, for human beings cannot forget that the +lake extends over a considerable portion of good and fertile soil; and +every now and then the proposition to drain it comes up among them. And +if these propositions were carried out, the many thousands of +water-birds would be forced to move from this quarter. + +At the time when Nils Holgersson travelled around with the wild geese, +there lived at Takern a wild duck named Jarro. He was a young bird, who +had only lived one summer, one fall, and a winter; now, it was his first +spring. He had just returned from South Africa, and had reached Takern +in such good season that the ice was still on the lake. + +One evening, when he and the other young wild ducks played at racing +backward and forward over the lake, a hunter fired a couple of shots at +them, and Jarro was wounded in the breast. He thought he should die; but +in order that the one who had shot him shouldn't get him into his power, +he continued to fly as long as he possibly could. He didn't think +whither he was directing his course, but only struggled to get far +away. When his strength failed him, so that he could not fly any +farther, he was no longer on the lake. He had flown a bit inland, and +now he sank down before the entrance to one of the big farms which lie +along the shores of Takern. + +A moment later a young farm-hand happened along. He saw Jarro, and came +and lifted him up. But Jarro, who asked for nothing but to be let die in +peace, gathered his last powers and nipped the farm-hand in the finger, +so he should let go of him. + +Jarro didn't succeed in freeing himself. The encounter had this good in +it at any rate: the farm-hand noticed that the bird was alive. He +carried him very gently into the cottage, and showed him to the mistress +of the house--a young woman with a kindly face. At once she took Jarro +from the farm-hand, stroked him on the back and wiped away the blood +which trickled down through the neck-feathers. She looked him over very +carefully; and when she saw how pretty he was, with his dark-green, +shining head, his white neck-band, his brownish-red back, and his blue +wing-mirror, she must have thought that it was a pity for him to die. +She promptly put a basket in order, and tucked the bird into it. + +All the while Jarro fluttered and struggled to get loose; but when he +understood that the people didn't intend to kill him, he settled down in +the basket with a sense of pleasure. Now it was evident how exhausted he +was from pain and loss of blood. The mistress carried the basket across +the floor to place it in the corner by the fireplace; but before she put +it down Jarro was already fast asleep. + +In a little while Jarro was awakened by someone who nudged him gently. +When he opened his eyes he experienced such an awful shock that he +almost lost his senses. Now he was lost; for there stood _the_ one who +was more dangerous than either human beings or birds of prey. It was no +less a thing than Caesar himself--the long-haired dog--who nosed around +him inquisitively. + +How pitifully scared had he not been last summer, when he was still a +little yellow-down duckling, every time it had sounded over the +reed-stems: "Caesar is coming! Caesar is coming!" When he had seen the +brown and white spotted dog with the teeth-filled jowls come wading +through the reeds, he had believed that he beheld death itself. He had +always hoped that he would never have to live through that moment when +he should meet Caesar face to face. + +But, to his sorrow, he must have fallen down in the very yard where +Caesar lived, for there he stood right over him. "Who are you?" he +growled. "How did you get into the house? Don't you belong down among +the reed banks?" + +It was with great difficulty that he gained the courage to answer. +"Don't be angry with me, Caesar, because I came into the house!" said +he. "It isn't my fault. I have been wounded by a gunshot. It was the +people themselves who laid me in this basket." + +"Oho! so it's the folks themselves that have placed you here," said +Caesar. "Then it is surely their intention to cure you; although, for my +part, I think it would be wiser for them to eat you up, since you are in +their power. But, at any rate, you are tabooed in the house. You needn't +look so scared. Now, we're not down on Takern." + +With that Caesar laid himself to sleep in front of the blazing log-fire. +As soon as Jarro understood that this terrible danger was past, extreme +lassitude came over him, and he fell asleep anew. + +The next time Jarro awoke, he saw that a dish with grain and water stood +before him. He was still quite ill, but he felt hungry nevertheless, and +began to eat. When the mistress saw that he ate, she came up and petted +him, and looked pleased. After that, Jarro fell asleep again. For +several days he did nothing but eat and sleep. + +One morning Jarro felt so well that he stepped from the basket and +wandered along the floor. But he hadn't gone very far before he keeled +over, and lay there. Then came Caesar, opened his big jaws and grabbed +him. Jarro believed, of course, that the dog was going to bite him to +death; but Caesar carried him back to the basket without harming him. +Because of this, Jarro acquired such a confidence in the dog Caesar, +that on his next walk in the cottage, he went over to the dog and lay +down beside him. Thereafter Caesar and he became good friends, and every +day, for several hours, Jarro lay and slept between Caesar's paws. + +But an even greater affection than he felt for Caesar, did Jarro feel +toward his mistress. Of her he had not the least fear; but rubbed his +head against her hand when she came and fed him. Whenever she went out +of the cottage he sighed with regret; and when she came back he cried +welcome to her in his own language. + +Jarro forgot entirely how afraid he had been of both dogs and humans in +other days. He thought now that they were gentle and kind, and he loved +them. He wished that he were well, so he could fly down to Takern and +tell the wild ducks that their enemies were not dangerous, and that they +need not fear them. + +He had observed that the human beings, as well as Caesar, had calm eyes, +which it did one good to look into. The only one in the cottage whose +glance he did not care to meet, was Clawina, the house cat. She did him +no harm, either, but he couldn't place any confidence in her. Then, too, +she quarrelled with him constantly, because he loved human beings. "You +think they protect you because they are fond of you," said Clawina. "You +just wait until you are fat enough! Then they'll wring the neck off you. +I know them, I do." + +Jarro, like all birds, had a tender and affectionate heart; and he was +unutterably distressed when he heard this. He couldn't imagine that his +mistress would wish to wring the neck off him, nor could he believe any +such thing of her son, the little boy who sat for hours beside his +basket, and babbled and chattered. He seemed to think that both of them +had the same love for him that he had for them. + +One day, when Jarro and Caesar lay on the usual spot before the fire, +Clawina sat on the hearth and began to tease the wild duck. + +"I wonder, Jarro, what you wild ducks will do next year, when Takern is +drained and turned into grain fields?" said Clawina. "What's that you +say, Clawina?" cried Jarro, and jumped up--scared through and through. +"I always forget, Jarro, that you do not understand human speech, like +Caesar and myself," answered the cat. "Or else you surely would have +heard how the men, who were here in the cottage yesterday, said that all +the water was going to be drained from Takern, and that next year the +lake-bottom would be as dry as a house-floor. And now I wonder where you +wild ducks will go." When Jarro heard this talk he was so furious that +he hissed like a snake. "You are just as mean as a common coot!" he +screamed at Clawina. "You only want to incite me against human beings. I +don't believe they want to do anything of the sort. They must know that +Takern is the wild ducks' property. Why should they make so many birds +homeless and unhappy? You have certainly hit upon all this to scare me. +I hope that you may be torn in pieces by Gorgo, the eagle! I hope that +my mistress will chop off your whiskers!" + +But Jarro couldn't shut Clawina up with this outburst. "So you think I'm +lying," said she. "Ask Caesar, then! He was also in the house last +night. Caesar never lies." + +"Caesar," said Jarro, "you understand human speech much better than +Clawina. Say that she hasn't heard aright! Think how it would be if the +people drained Takern, and changed the lake-bottom into fields! Then +there would be no more pondweed or duck-food for the grown wild ducks, +and no blackfish or worms or gnat-eggs for the ducklings. Then the +reed-banks would disappear--where now the ducklings conceal themselves +until they are able to fly. All ducks would be compelled to move away +from here and seek another home. But where shall they find a retreat +like Takern? Caesar, say that Clawina has not heard aright!" + +It was extraordinary to watch Caesar's behaviour during this +conversation. He had been wide-awake the whole time before, but now, +when Jarro turned to him, he panted, laid his long nose on his forepaws, +and was sound asleep within the wink of an eyelid. + +The cat looked down at Caesar with a knowing smile. "I believe that +Caesar doesn't care to answer you," she said to Jarro. "It is with him +as with all dogs; they will never acknowledge that humans can do any +wrong. But you can rely upon my word, at any rate. I shall tell you why +they wish to drain the lake just now. As long as you wild ducks still +had the power on Takern, they did not wish to drain it, for, at least, +they got some good out of you; but now, grebes and coots and other birds +who are no good as food, have infested nearly all the reed-banks, and +the people don't think they need let the lake remain on their account." + +Jarro didn't trouble himself to answer Clawina, but raised his head, and +shouted in Caesar's ear: "Caesar! You know that on Takern there are +still so many ducks left that they fill the air like clouds. Say it +isn't true that human beings intend to make all of these homeless!" + +Then Caesar sprang up with such a sudden outburst at Clawina that she +had to save herself by jumping up on a shelf. "I'll teach you to keep +quiet when I want to sleep," bawled Caesar. "Of course I know that there +is some talk about draining the lake this year. But there's been talk of +this many times before without anything coming of it. And that draining +business is a matter in which I take no stock whatever. For how would it +go with the game if Takern were laid waste. You're a donkey to gloat +over a thing like that. What will you and I have to amuse ourselves +with, when there are no more birds on Takern?" + +THE DECOY-DUCK + +_Sunday, April seventeenth_. + +A couple of days later Jarro was so well that he could fly all about the +house. Then he was petted a good deal by the mistress, and the little +boy ran out in the yard and plucked the first grass-blades for him which +had sprung up. When the mistress caressed him, Jarro thought that, +although he was now so strong that he could fly down to Takern at any +time, he shouldn't care to be separated from the human beings. He had no +objection to remaining with them all his life. + +But early one morning the mistress placed a halter, or noose, over +Jarro, which prevented him from using his wings, and then she turned him +over to the farm-hand who had found him in the yard. The farm-hand poked +him under his arm, and went down to Takern with him. + +The ice had melted away while Jarro had been ill. The old, dry fall +leaves still stood along the shores and islets, but all the +water-growths had begun to take root down in the deep; and the green +stems had already reached the surface. And now nearly all the migratory +birds were at home. The curlews' hooked bills peeped out from the reeds. +The grebes glided about with new feather-collars around the neck; and +the jack-snipes were gathering straws for their nests. + +The farm-hand got into a scow, laid Jarro in the bottom of the boat, and +began to pole himself out on the lake. Jarro, who had now accustomed +himself to expect only good of human beings, said to Caesar, who was +also in the party, that he was very grateful toward the farm-hand for +taking him out on the lake. But there was no need to keep him so closely +guarded, for he did not intend to fly away. To this Caesar made no +reply. He was very close-mouthed that morning. + +The only thing which struck Jarro as being a bit peculiar was that the +farm-hand had taken his gun along. He couldn't believe that any of the +good folk in the cottage would want to shoot birds. And, beside, Caesar +had told him that the people didn't hunt at this time of the year. "It +is a prohibited time," he had said, "although this doesn't concern me, +of course." + +The farm-hand went over to one of the little reed-enclosed mud-islets. +There he stepped from the boat, gathered some old reeds into a pile, +and lay down behind it. Jarro was permitted to wander around on the +ground, with the halter over his wings, and tethered to the boat, with a +long string. + +Suddenly Jarro caught sight of some young ducks and drakes, in whose +company he had formerly raced backward and forward over the lake. They +were a long way off, but Jarro called them to him with a couple of loud +shouts. They responded, and a large and beautiful flock approached. +Before they got there, Jarro began to tell them about his marvellous +rescue, and of the kindness of human beings. Just then, two shots +sounded behind him. Three ducks sank down in the reeds--lifeless--and +Caesar bounced out and captured them. + +Then Jarro understood. The human beings had only saved him that they +might use him as a decoy-duck. And they had also succeeded. Three ducks +had died on his account. He thought he should die of shame. He thought +that even his friend Caesar looked contemptuously at him; and when they +came home to the cottage, he didn't dare lie down and sleep beside the +dog. + +The next morning Jarro was again taken out on the shallows. This time, +too, he saw some ducks. But when he observed that they flew toward him, +he called to them: "Away! Away! Be careful! Fly in another direction! +There's a hunter hidden behind the reed-pile. I'm only a decoy-bird!" +And he actually succeeded in preventing them from coming within shooting +distance. + +Jarro had scarcely had time to taste of a grass-blade, so busy was he in +keeping watch. He called out his warning as soon as a bird drew nigh. He +even warned the grebes, although he detested them because they crowded +the ducks out of their best hiding-places. But he did not wish that any +bird should meet with misfortune on his account. And, thanks to Jarro's +vigilance, the farm-hand had to go home without firing off a single +shot. + +Despite this fact, Caesar looked less displeased than on the previous +day; and when evening came he took Jarro in his mouth, carried him over +to the fireplace, and let him sleep between his forepaws. + +Nevertheless Jarro was no longer contented in the cottage, but was +grievously unhappy. His heart suffered at the thought that humans never +had loved him. When the mistress, or the little boy, came forward to +caress him, he stuck his bill under his wing and pretended that he +slept. + +For several days Jarro continued his distressful watch-service; and +already he was known all over Takern. Then it happened one morning, +while he called as usual: "Have a care, birds! Don't come near me! I'm +only a decoy-duck," that a grebe-nest came floating toward the shallows +where he was tied. This was nothing especially remarkable. It was a nest +from the year before; and since grebe-nests are built in such a way that +they can move on water like boats, it often happens that they drift out +toward the lake. Still Jarro stood there and stared at the nest, because +it came so straight toward the islet that it looked as though someone +had steered its course over the water. + +As the nest came nearer, Jarro saw that a little human being--the +tiniest he had ever seen--sat in the nest and rowed it forward with a +pair of sticks. And this little human called to him: "Go as near the +water as you can, Jarro, and be ready to fly. You shall soon be freed." + +A few seconds later the grebe-nest lay near land, but the little oarsman +did not leave it, but sat huddled up between branches and straw. Jarro +too held himself almost immovable. He was actually paralysed with fear +lest the rescuer should be discovered. + +The next thing which occurred was that a flock of wild geese came along. +Then Jarro woke up to business, and warned them with loud shrieks; but +in spite of this they flew backward and forward over the shallows +several times. They held themselves so high that they were beyond +shooting distance; still the farm-hand let himself be tempted to fire a +couple of shots at them. These shots were hardly fired before the little +creature ran up on land, drew a tiny knife from its sheath, and, with a +couple of quick strokes, cut loose Jarro's halter. "Now fly away, Jarro, +before the man has time to load again!" cried he, while he himself ran +down to the grebe-nest and poled away from the shore. + +The hunter had had his gaze fixed upon the geese, and hadn't observed +that Jarro had been freed; but Caesar had followed more carefully that +which happened; and just as Jarro raised his wings, he dashed forward +and grabbed him by the neck. + +Jarro cried pitifully; and the boy who had freed him said quietly to +Caesar: "If you are just as honourable as you look, surely you cannot +wish to force a good bird to sit here and entice others into trouble." + +When Caesar heard these words, he grinned viciously with his upper lip, +but the next second he dropped Jarro. "Fly, Jarro!" said he. "You are +certainly too good to be a decoy-duck. It wasn't for this that I wanted +to keep you here; but because it will be lonely in the cottage without +you." + +THE LOWERING OF THE LAKE + +_Wednesday, April twentieth_. + +It was indeed very lonely in the cottage without Jarro. The dog and the +cat found the time long, when they didn't have him to wrangle over; and +the housewife missed the glad quacking which he had indulged in every +time she entered the house. But the one who longed most for Jarro, was +the little boy, Per Ola. He was but three years old, and the only child; +and in all his life he had never had a playmate like Jarro. When he +heard that Jarro had gone back to Takern and the wild ducks, he couldn't +be satisfied with this, but thought constantly of how he should get him +back again. + +Per Ola had talked a good deal with Jarro while he lay still in his +basket, and he was certain that the duck understood him. He begged his +mother to take him down to the lake that he might find Jarro, and +persuade him to come back to them. Mother wouldn't listen to this; but +the little one didn't give up his plan on that account. + +The day after Jarro had disappeared, Per Ola was running about in the +yard. He played by himself as usual, but Caesar lay on the stoop; and +when mother let the boy out, she said: "Take care of Per Ola, Caesar!" + +Now if all had been as usual, Caesar would also have obeyed the command, +and the boy would have been so well guarded that he couldn't have run +the least risk. But Caesar was not like himself these days. He knew that +the farmers who lived along Takern had held frequent conferences about +the lowering of the lake; and that they had almost settled the matter. +The ducks must leave, and Caesar should nevermore behold a glorious +chase. He was so preoccupied with thoughts of this misfortune, that he +did not remember to watch over Per Ola. + +And the little one had scarcely been alone in the yard a minute, before +he realised that now the right moment was come to go down to Takern and +talk with Jarro. He opened a gate, and wandered down toward the lake on +the narrow path which ran along the banks. As long as he could be seen +from the house, he walked slowly; but afterward he increased his pace. +He was very much afraid that mother, or someone else, should call to him +that he couldn't go. He didn't wish to do anything naughty, only to +persuade Jarro to come home; but he felt that those at home would not +have approved of the undertaking. + +When Per Ola came down to the lake-shore, he called Jarro several +times. Thereupon he stood for a long time and waited, but no Jarro +appeared. He saw several birds that resembled the wild duck, but they +flew by without noticing him, and he could understand that none among +them was the right one. + +When Jarro didn't come to him, the little boy thought that it would be +easier to find him if he went out on the lake. There were several good +craft lying along the shore, but they were tied. The only one that lay +loose, and at liberty, was an old leaky scow which was so unfit that no +one thought of using it. But Per Ola scrambled up in it without caring +that the whole bottom was filled with water. He had not strength enough +to use the oars, but instead, he seated himself to swing and rock in the +scow. Certainly no grown person would have succeeded in moving a scow +out on Takern in that manner; but when the tide is high--and ill-luck to +the fore--little children have a marvellous faculty for getting out to +sea. Per Ola was soon riding around on Takern, and calling for Jarro. + +When the old scow was rocked like this--out to sea--its Cracks opened +wider and wider, and the water actually streamed into it. Per Ola didn't +pay the slightest attention to this. He sat upon the little bench in +front and called to every bird he saw, and wondered why Jarro didn't +appear. + +At last Jarro caught sight of Per Ola. He heard that someone called him +by the name which he had borne among human beings, and he understood +that the boy had gone out on Takern to search for him. Jarro was +unspeakably happy to find that one of the humans really loved him. He +shot down toward Per Ola, like an arrow, seated himself beside him, and +let him caress him. They were both very happy to see each other again. +But suddenly Jarro noticed the condition of the scow. It was half-filled +with water, and was almost ready to sink. Jarro tried to tell Per Ola +that he, who could neither fly nor swim, must try to get upon land; but +Per Ola didn't understand him. Then Jarro did not wait an instant, but +hurried away to get help. + +Jarro came back in a little while, and carried on his back a tiny thing, +who was much smaller than Per Ola himself. If he hadn't been able to +talk and move, the boy would have believed that it was a doll. +Instantly, the little one ordered Per Ola to pick up a long, slender +pole that lay in the bottom of the scow, and try to pole it toward one +of the reed-islands. Per Ola obeyed him, and he and the tiny creature, +together, steered the scow. With a couple of strokes they were on a +little reed-encircled island, and now Per Ola was told that he must step +on land. And just the very moment that Per Ola set foot on land, the +scow was filled with water, and sank to the bottom. When Per Ola saw +this he was sure that father and mother would be very angry with him. He +would have started in to cry if he hadn't found something else to think +about soon; namely, a flock of big, gray birds, who lighted on the +island. The little midget took him up to them, and told him their names, +and what they said. And this was so funny that Per Ola forgot +everything else. + +Meanwhile the folks on the farm had discovered that the boy had +disappeared, and had started to search for him. They searched the +outhouses, looked in the well, and hunted through the cellar. Then they +went out into the highways and by-paths; wandered to the neighbouring +farm to find out if he had strayed over there, and searched for him also +down by Takern. But no matter how much they sought they did not find +him. + +Caesar, the dog, understood very well that the farmer-folk were looking +for Per Ola, but he did nothing to lead them on the right track; +instead, he lay still as though the matter didn't concern him. + +Later in the day, Per Ola's footprints were discovered down by the +boat-landing. And then came the thought that the old, leaky scow was no +longer on the strand. Then one began to understand how the whole affair +had come about. + +The farmer and his helpers immediately took out the boats and went in +search of the boy. They rowed around on Takern until way late in the +evening, without seeing the least shadow of him. They couldn't help +believing that the old scow had gone down, and that the little one lay +dead on the lake-bottom. + +In the evening, Per Ola's mother hunted around on the strand. Everyone +else was convinced that the boy was drowned, but she could not bring +herself to believe this. She searched all the while. She searched +between reeds and bulrushes; tramped and tramped on the muddy shore, +never thinking of how deep her foot sank, and how wet she had become. +She was unspeakably desperate. Her heart ached in her breast. She did +not weep, but wrung her hands and called for her child in loud piercing +tones. + +Round about her she heard swans' and ducks' and curlews' shrieks. She +thought that they followed her, and moaned and wailed--they too. +"Surely, they, too, must be in trouble, since they moan so," thought +she. Then she remembered: these were only birds that she heard complain. +They surely had no worries. + +It was strange that they did not quiet down after sunset. But she heard +all these uncountable bird-throngs, which lived along Takern, send forth +cry upon cry. Several of them followed her wherever she went; others +came rustling past on light wings. All the air was filled with moans and +lamentations. + +But the anguish which she herself was suffering, opened her heart. She +thought that she was not as far removed from all other living creatures +as people usually think. She understood much better than ever before, +how birds fared. They had their constant worries for home and children; +they, as she. There was surely not such a great difference between them +and her as she had heretofore believed. + +Then she happened to think that it was as good as settled that these +thousands of swans and ducks and loons would lose their homes here by +Takern. "It will be very hard for them," she thought. "Where shall they +bring up their children now?" + +She stood still and mused on this. It appeared to be an excellent and +agreeable accomplishment to change a lake into fields and meadows, but +let it be some other lake than Takern; some other lake, which was not +the home of so many thousand creatures. + +She remembered how on the following day the proposition to lower the +lake was to be decided, and she wondered if this was why her little son +had been lost--just to-day. + +Was it God's meaning that sorrow should come and open her heart--just +to-day--before it was too late to avert the cruel act? + +She walked rapidly up to the house, and began to talk with her husband +about this. She spoke of the lake, and of the birds, and said that she +believed it was God's judgment on them both. And she soon found that he +was of the same opinion. + +They already owned a large place, but if the lake-draining was carried +into effect, such a goodly portion of the lake-bottom would fall to +their share that their property would be nearly doubled. For this reason +they had been more eager for the undertaking than any of the other shore +owners. The others had been worried about expenses, and anxious lest the +draining should not prove any more successful this time than it was the +last. Per Ola's father knew in his heart that it was he who had +influenced them to undertake the work. He had exercised all his +eloquence, so that he might leave to his son a farm as large again as +his father had left to him. + +He stood and pondered if God's hand was back of the fact that Takern had +taken his son from him on the day before he was to draw up the contract +to lay it waste. The wife didn't have to say many words to him, before +he answered: "It may be that God does not want us to interfere with His +order. I'll talk with the others about this to-morrow, and I think we'll +conclude that all may remain as it is." + +While the farmer-folk were talking this over, Caesar lay before the +fire. He raised his head and listened very attentively. When he thought +that he was sure of the outcome, he walked up to the mistress, took her +by the skirt, and led her to the door. "But Caesar!" said she, and +wanted to break loose. "Do you know where Per Ola is?" she exclaimed. +Caesar barked joyfully, and threw himself against the door. She opened +it, and Caesar dashed down toward Takern. The mistress was so positive +he knew where Per Ola was, that she rushed after him. And no sooner had +they reached the shore than they heard a child's cry out on the lake. + +Per Ola had had the best day of his life, in company with Thumbietot and +the birds; but now he had begun to cry because he was hungry and afraid +of the darkness. And he was glad when father and mother and Caesar came +for him. + + +ULVÃ…SA-LADY + + +THE PROPHECY + +_Friday, April twenty-second_. + +One night when the boy lay and slept on an island in Takern, he was +awakened by oar-strokes. He had hardly gotten his eyes open before there +fell such a dazzling light on them that he began to blink. + +At first he couldn't make out what it was that shone so brightly out +here on the lake; but he soon saw that a scow with a big burning torch +stuck up on a spike, aft, lay near the edge of the reeds. The red flame +from the torch was clearly reflected in the night-dark lake; and the +brilliant light must have lured the fish, for round about the flame in +the deep a mass of dark specks were seen, that moved continually, and +changed places. + +There were two old men in the scow. One sat at the oars, and the other +stood on a bench in the stern and held in his hand a short spear which +was coarsely barbed. The one who rowed was apparently a poor fisherman. +He was small, dried-up and weather-beaten, and wore a thin, threadbare +coat. One could see that he was so used to being out in all sorts of +weather that he didn't mind the cold. The other was well fed and well +dressed, and looked like a prosperous and self-complacent farmer. + +"Now, stop!" said the farmer, when they were opposite the island where +the boy lay. At the same time he plunged the spear into the water. When +he drew it out again, a long, fine eel came with it. + +"Look at that!" said he as he released the eel from the spear. "That was +one who was worth while. Now I think we have so many that we can turn +back." + +His comrade did not lift the oars, but sat and looked around. "It is +lovely out here on the lake to-night," said he. And so it was. It was +absolutely still, so that the entire water-surface lay in undisturbed +rest with the exception of the streak where the boat had gone forward. +This lay like a path of gold, and shimmered in the firelight. The sky +was clear and dark blue and thickly studded with stars. The shores were +hidden by the reed islands except toward the west. There Mount Omberg +loomed up high and dark, much more impressive than usual, and, cut away +a big, three-cornered piece of the vaulted heavens. + +The other one turned his head to get the light out of his eyes, and +looked about him. "Yes, it is lovely here in Östergylln," said he. +"Still the best thing about the province is not its beauty." "Then what +is it that's best?" asked the oarsman. "That it has always been a +respected and honoured province." "That may be true enough." "And then +this, that one knows it will always continue to be so." "But how in the +world can one know this?" said the one who sat at the oars. + +The farmer straightened up where he stood and braced himself with the +spear. "There is an old story which has been handed down from father to +son in my family; and in it one learns what will happen to +Östergötland." "Then you may as well tell it to me," said the oarsman. +"We do not tell it to anyone and everyone, but I do not wish to keep it +a secret from an old comrade. + +"At UlvÃ¥sa, here in Östergötland," he continued (and one could tell by +the tone of his voice that he talked of something which he had heard +from others, and knew by heart), "many, many years ago, there lived a +lady who had the gift of looking into the future, and telling people +what was going to happen to them--just as certainly and accurately as +though it had already occurred. For this she became widely noted; and it +is easy to understand that people would come to her, both from far and +near, to find out what they were going to pass through of good or evil. + +"One day, when UlvÃ¥sa-lady sat in her hall and spun, as was customary in +former days, a poor peasant came into the room and seated himself on the +bench near the door. + +"'I wonder what you are sitting and thinking about, dear lady,' said the +peasant after a little. + +"'I am sitting and thinking about high and holy things,' answered she. +'Then it is not fitting, perhaps, that I ask you about something which +weighs on my heart,' said the peasant. + +"'It is probably nothing else that weighs on your heart than that you +may reap much grain on your field. But I am accustomed to receive +communications from the Emperor about how it will go with his crown; and +from the Pope, about how it will go with his keys.' 'Such things cannot +be easy to answer,' said the peasant. 'I have also heard that no one +seems to go from here without being dissatisfied with what he has +heard.' + +"When the peasant said this, he saw that UlvÃ¥sa-lady bit her lip, and +moved higher up on the bench. 'So this is what you have heard about me,' +said she. 'Then you may as well tempt fortune by asking me about the +thing you wish to know; and you shall see if I can answer so that you +will be satisfied.' + +"After this the peasant did not hesitate to state his errand. He said +that he had come to ask how it would go with Östergötland in the future. +There was nothing which was so dear to him as his native province, and +he felt that he should be happy until his dying day if he could get a +satisfactory reply to his query. + +"'Oh! is that all you wish to know,' said the wise lady; 'then I think +that you will be content. For here where I now sit, I can tell you that +it will be like this with Östergötland: it will always have something to +boast of ahead of other provinces.' + +"'Yes, that was a good answer, dear lady,' said the peasant, 'and now I +would be entirely at peace if I could only comprehend how such a thing +should be possible.' + +"'Why should it not be possible?' said UlvÃ¥sa-lady. 'Don't you know that +Östergötland is already renowned? Or think you there is any place in +Sweden that can boast of owning, at the same time, two such cloisters as +the ones in Alvastra and Vreta, and such a beautiful cathedral as the +one in Linköping?' + +"'That may be so,' said the peasant. 'But I'm an old man, and I know +that people's minds are changeable. I fear that there will come a time +when they won't want to give us any glory, either for Alvastra or Vreta +or for the cathedral.' + +"'Herein you may be right,' said UlvÃ¥sa-lady, 'but you need not doubt +prophecy on that account. I shall now build up a new cloister on +Vadstena, and that will become the most celebrated in the North. Thither +both the high and the lowly shall make pilgrimages, and all shall sing +the praises of the province because it has such a holy place within its +confines.' + +"The peasant replied that he was right glad to know this. But he also +knew, of course, that everything was perishable; and he wondered much +what would give distinction to the province, if Vadstena Cloister should +once fall into disrepute. + +"'You are not easy to satisfy,' said UlvÃ¥sa-lady, 'but surely I can see +so far ahead that I can tell you, before Vadstena Cloister shall have +lost its splendour, there will be a castle erected close by, which will +be the most magnificent of its period. Kings and dukes will be guests +there, and it shall be accounted an honour to the whole province, that +it owns such an ornament.' + +"'This I am also glad to hear,' said the peasant. 'But I'm an old man, +and I know how it generally turns out with this world's glories. And if +the castle goes to ruin, I wonder much what there will be that can +attract the people's attention to this province.' + +"'It's not a little that you want to know,' said UlvÃ¥sa-lady, 'but, +certainly, I can look far enough into the future to see that there will +be life and movement in the forests around FinspÃ¥ng. I see how cabins +and smithies arise there, and I believe that the whole province shall +be renowned because iron will be moulded within its confines.' + +"The peasant didn't deny that he was delighted to hear this. 'But if it +should go so badly that even FinspÃ¥ng's foundry went down in importance, +then it would hardly be possible that any new thing could arise of which +Östergötland might boast.' + +"'You are not easy to please,' said UlvÃ¥sa-lady, 'but I can see so far +into the future that I mark how, along the lake-shores, great +manors--large as castles--are built by gentlemen who have carried on +wars in foreign lands. I believe that the manors will bring the province +just as much honour as anything else that I have mentioned.' + +"'But if there comes a time when no one lauds the great manors?' +insisted the peasant. + +"'You need not be uneasy at all events,' said UlvÃ¥sa-lady. I see how +health-springs bubble on Medevi meadows, by Vätter's shores. I believe +that the wells at Medevi will bring the land as much praise as you can +desire.' + +"'That is a mighty good thing to know,' said the peasant. 'But if there +comes a time when people will seek their health at other springs?' + +"'You must not give yourself any anxiety on that account,' answered +UlvÃ¥sa-lady. I see how people dig and labour, from Motala to Mem. They +dig a canal right through the country, and then Östergötland's praise is +again on everyone's lips.' + +"But, nevertheless, the peasant looked distraught. + +"'I see that the rapids in Motala stream begin to draw wheels,' said +UlvÃ¥sa-lady--and now two bright red spots came to her cheeks, for she +began to be impatient--'I hear hammers resound in Motala, and looms +clatter in Norrköping.' + +"'Yes, that's good to know,' said the peasant, 'but everything is +perishable, and I'm afraid that even this can be forgotten, and go into +oblivion.' + +"When the peasant was not satisfied even now, there was an end to the +lady's patience. 'You say that everything is perishable,' said she, 'but +now I shall still name something which will always be like itself; and +that is that such arrogant and pig-headed peasants as you will always +be found in this province--until the end of time.' + +"Hardly had UlvÃ¥sa-lady said this before the peasant rose--happy and +satisfied--and thanked her for a good answer. Now, at last, he was +satisfied, he said. + +"'Verily, I understand now how you look at it,' then said UlvÃ¥sa-lady. + +"'Well, I look at it in this way, dear lady,' said the peasant, 'that +everything which kings and priests and noblemen and merchants build and +accomplish, can only endure for a few years. But when you tell me that +in Östergötland there will always be peasants who are honour-loving and +persevering, then I know also that it will be able to keep its ancient +glory. For it is only those who go bent under the eternal labour with +the soil, who can hold this land in good repute and honour--from one +time to another.'" + + +THE HOMESPUN CLOTH + + +_Saturday, April twenty-third_. + +The boy rode forward--way up in the air. He had the great Östergötland +plain under him, and sat and counted the many white churches which +towered above the small leafy groves around them. It wasn't long before +he had counted fifty. After that he became confused and couldn't keep +track of the counting. + +Nearly all the farms were built up with large, whitewashed two-story +houses, which looked so imposing that the boy couldn't help admiring +them. "There can't be any peasants in this land," he said to himself, +"since I do not see any peasant farms." + +Immediately all the wild geese shrieked: "Here the peasants live like +gentlemen. Here the peasants live like gentlemen." + +On the plains the ice and snow had disappeared, and the spring work had +begun. "What kind of long crabs are those that creep over the fields?" +asked the boy after a bit. "Ploughs and oxen. Ploughs and oxen," +answered the wild geese. + +The oxen moved so slowly down on the fields, that one could scarcely +perceive they were in motion, and the geese shouted to them: "You won't +get there before next year. You won't get there before next year." But +the oxen were equal to the occasion. They raised their muzzles in the +air and bellowed: "We do more good in an hour than such as you do in a +whole lifetime." + +In a few places the ploughs were drawn by horses. They went along with +much more eagerness and haste than the oxen; but the geese couldn't keep +from teasing these either. "Ar'n't you ashamed to be doing ox-duty?" +cried the wild geese. "Ar'n't you ashamed yourselves to be doing lazy +man's duty?" the horses neighed back at them. + +But while horses and oxen were at work in the fields, the stable ram +walked about in the barnyard. He was newly clipped and touchy, knocked +over the small boys, chased the shepherd dog into his kennel, and then +strutted about as though he alone were lord of the whole place. "Rammie, +rammie, what have you done with your wool?" asked the wild geese, who +rode by up in the air. "That I have sent to Drag's woollen mills in +Norrköping," replied the ram with a long, drawn-out bleat. "Rammie, +rammie, what have you done with your horns?" asked the geese. But any +horns the rammie had never possessed, to his sorrow, and one couldn't +offer him a greater insult than to ask after them. He ran around a long +time, and butted at the air, so furious was he. + +On the country road came a man who drove a flock of SkÃ¥ne pigs that were +not more than a few weeks old, and were going to be sold up country. +They trotted along bravely, as little as they were, and kept close +together--as if they sought protection. "Nuff, nuff, nuff, we came away +too soon from father and mother. Nuff, nuff, nuff, how will it go with +us poor children?" said the little pigs. The wild geese didn't have the +heart to tease such poor little creatures. "It will be better for you +than you can ever believe," they cried as they flew past them. + +The wild geese were never so merry as when they flew over a flat +country. Then they did not hurry themselves, but flew from farm to farm, +and joked with the tame animals. + +As the boy rode over the plain, he happened to think of a legend which +he had heard a long time ago. He didn't remember it exactly, but it was +something about a petticoat--half of which was made of gold-woven +velvet, and half of gray homespun cloth. But the one who owned the +petticoat adorned the homespun cloth with such a lot of pearls and +precious stones that it looked richer and more gorgeous than the +gold-cloth. + +He remembered this about the homespun cloth, as he looked down on +Östergötland, because it was made up of a large plain, which lay wedged +in between two mountainous forest-tracts--one to the north, the other to +the south. The two forest-heights lay there, a lovely blue, and +shimmered in the morning light, as if they were decked with golden +veils; and the plain, which simply spread out one winter-naked field +after another, was, in and of itself, prettier to look upon than gray +homespun. + +But the people must have been contented on the plain, because it was +generous and kind, and they had tried to decorate it in the best way +possible. High up--where the boy rode by--he thought that cities and +farms, churches and factories, castles and railway stations were +scattered over it, like large and small trinkets. It shone on the roofs, +and the window-panes glittered like jewels. Yellow country roads, +shining railway-tracks and blue canals ran along between the districts +like embroidered loops. Linköping lay around its cathedral like a +pearl-setting around a precious stone; and the gardens in the country +were like little brooches and buttons. There was not much regulation in +the pattern, but it was a display of grandeur which one could never tire +of looking at. + +The geese had left Öberg district, and travelled toward the east along +Göta Canal. This was also getting itself ready for the summer. Workmen +laid canal-banks, and tarred the huge lock-gates. They were working +everywhere to receive spring fittingly, even in the cities. There, +masons and painters stood on scaffoldings and made fine the exteriors of +the houses while maids were cleaning the windows. Down at the harbour, +sailboats and steamers were being washed and dressed up. + +At Norrköping the wild geese left the plain, and flew up toward +KolmÃ¥rden. For a time they had followed an old, hilly country road, +which wound around cliffs, and ran forward under wild +mountain-walls--when the boy suddenly let out a shriek. He had been +sitting and swinging his foot back and forth, and one of his wooden +shoes had slipped off. + +"Goosey-gander, goosey-gander, I have dropped my shoe!" cried the boy. +The goosey-gander turned about and sank toward the ground; then the boy +saw that two children, who were walking along the road, had picked up +his shoe. "Goosey-gander, goosey-gander," screamed the boy excitedly, +"fly upward again! It is too late. I cannot get my shoe back again." + +Down on the road stood Osa, the goose-girl, and her brother, little +Mats, looking at a tiny wooden shoe that had fallen from the skies. + +Osa, the goose-girl, stood silent a long while, and pondered over the +find. At last she said, slowly and thoughtfully: "Do you remember, +little Mats, that when we went past Övid Cloister, we heard that the +folks in a farmyard had seen an elf who was dressed in leather breeches, +and had wooden shoes on his feet, like any other working man? And do you +recollect when we came to Vittskövle, a girl told us that she had seen a +Goa-Nisse with wooden shoes, who flew away on the back of a goose? And +when we ourselves came home to our cabin, little Mats, we saw a goblin +who was dressed in the same way, and who also straddled the back of a +goose--and flew away. Maybe it was the same one who rode along on his +goose up here in the air and dropped his wooden shoe." + +"Yes, it must have been," said little Mats. + +They turned the wooden shoe about and examined it carefully--for it +isn't every day that one happens across a Goa-Nisse's wooden shoe on the +highway. + +"Wait, wait, little Mats!" said Osa, the goose-girl. "There is something +written on one side of it." + +"Why, so there is! but they are such tiny letters." + +"Let me see! It says--it says: 'Nils Holgersson from W. Vemminghög.' +That's the most wonderful thing I've ever heard!" said little Mats. + + +THE STORY OF KARR AND GRAYSKIN + + +KARR + +About twelve years before Nils Holgersson started on his travels with +the wild geese there was a manufacturer at KolmÃ¥rden who wanted to be +rid of one of his dogs. He sent for his game-keeper and said to him that +it was impossible to keep the dog because he could not be broken of the +habit of chasing all the sheep and fowl he set eyes on, and he asked the +man to take the dog into the forest and shoot him. + +The game-keeper slipped the leash on the dog to lead him to a spot in +the forest where all the superannuated dogs from the manor were shot and +buried. He was not a cruel man, but he was very glad to shoot that dog, +for he knew that sheep and chickens were not the only creatures he +hunted. Times without number he had gone into the forest and helped +himself to a hare or a grouse-chick. + +The dog was a little black-and-tan setter. His name was Karr, and he was +so wise he understood all that was said. + +As the game-keeper was leading him through the thickets, Karr knew only +too well what was in store for him. But this no one could have guessed +by his behaviour, for he neither hung his head nor dragged his tail, but +seemed as unconcerned as ever. + +It was because they were in the forest that the dog was so careful not +to appear the least bit anxious. + +There were great stretches of woodland on every side of the factory, and +this forest was famed both among animals and human beings because for +many, many years the owners had been so careful of it that they had +begrudged themselves even the trees needed for firewood. Nor had they +had the heart to thin or train them. The trees had been allowed to grow +as they pleased. Naturally a forest thus protected was a beloved refuge +for wild animals, which were to be found there in great numbers. Among +themselves they called it Liberty Forest, and regarded it as the best +retreat in the whole country. + +As the dog was being led through the woods he thought of what a bugaboo +he had been to all the small animals and birds that lived there. + +"Now, Karr, wouldn't they be happy in their lairs if they only knew what +was awaiting you?" he thought, but at the same time he wagged his tail +and barked cheerfully, so that no one should think that he was worried +or depressed. + +"What fun would there have been in living had I not hunted +occasionally?" he reasoned. "Let him who will, regret; it's not going to +be Karr!" + +But the instant the dog said this, a singular change came over him. He +stretched his neck as though he had a mind to howl. He no longer trotted +alongside the game-keeper, but walked behind him. It was plain that he +had begun to think of something unpleasant. + +It was early summer; the elk cows had just given birth to their young, +and, the night before, the dog had succeeded in parting from its mother +an elk calf not more than five days old, and had driven it down into the +marsh. There he had chased it back and forth over the knolls--not with +the idea of capturing it, but merely for the sport of seeing how he +could scare it. The elk cow knew that the marsh was bottomless so soon +after the thaw, and that it could not as yet hold up so large an animal +as herself, so she stood on the solid earth for the longest time, +watching! But when Karr kept chasing the calf farther and farther away, +she rushed out on the marsh, drove the dog off, took the calf with her, +and turned back toward firm land. Elk are more skilled than other +animals in traversing dangerous, marshy ground, and it seemed as if she +would reach solid land in safety; but when she was almost there a knoll +which she had stepped upon sank into the mire, and she went down with +it. She tried to rise, but could get no secure foothold, so she sank and +sank. Karr stood and looked on, not daring to move. When he saw that the +elk could not save herself, he ran away as fast as he could, for he had +begun to think of the beating he would get if it were discovered that he +had brought a mother elk to grief. He was so terrified that he dared not +pause for breath until he reached home. + +It was this that the dog recalled; and it troubled him in a way very +different from the recollection of all his other misdeeds. This was +doubtless because he had not really meant to kill either the elk cow or +her calf, but had deprived them of life without wishing to do so. + +"But maybe they are alive yet!" thought the dog. "They were not dead +when I ran away; perhaps they saved themselves." + +He was seized with an irresistible longing to know for a certainty while +yet there was time for him to find out. He noticed that the game-keeper +did not have a firm hold on the leash; so he made a sudden spring, broke +loose, and dashed through the woods down to the marsh with such speed +that he was out of sight before the game-keeper had time to level his +gun. + +There was nothing for the game-keeper to do but to rush after him. When +he got to the marsh he found the dog standing upon a knoll, howling with +all his might. + +The man thought he had better find out the meaning of this, so he +dropped his gun and crawled out over the marsh on hands and knees. He +had not gone far when he saw an elk cow lying dead in the quagmire. +Close beside her lay a little calf. It was still alive, but so much +exhausted that it could not move. Karr was standing beside the calf, now +bending down and licking it, now howling shrilly for help. + +The game-keeper raised the calf and began to drag it toward land. When +the dog understood that the calf would be saved he was wild with joy. He +jumped round and round the game-keeper, licking his hands and barking +with delight. + +The man carried the baby elk home and shut it up in a calf stall in the +cow shed. Then he got help to drag the mother elk from the marsh. Only +after this had been done did he remember that he was to shoot Karr. He +called the dog to him, and again took him into the forest. + +The game-keeper walked straight on toward the dog's grave; but all the +while he seemed to be thinking deeply. Suddenly he turned and walked +toward the manor. + +Karr had been trotting along quietly; but when the game-keeper turned +and started for home, he became anxious. The man must have discovered +that it was he that had caused the death of the elk, and now he was +going back to the manor to be thrashed before he was shot! + +To be beaten was worse than all else! With that prospect Karr could no +longer keep up his spirits, but hung his head. When he came to the manor +he did not look up, but pretended that he knew no one there. + +The master was standing on the stairs leading to the hall when the +game-keeper came forward. + +"Where on earth did that dog come from?" he exclaimed. "Surely it can't +be Karr? He must be dead this long time!" + +Then the man began to tell his master all about the mother elk, while +Karr made himself as little as he could, and crouched behind the +game-keeper's legs. + +Much to his surprise the man had only praise for him. He said it was +plain the dog knew that the elk were in distress, and wished to save +them. + +"You may do as you like, but I can't shoot that dog!" declared the +game-keeper. + +Karr raised himself and pricked up his ears. He could hardly believe +that he heard aright. Although he did not want to show how anxious he +had been, he couldn't help whining a little. Could it be possible that +his life was to be spared simply because he had felt uneasy about the +elk? + +The master thought that Karr had conducted himself well, but as he did +not want the dog, he could not decide at once what should be done with +him. + +"If you will take charge of him and answer for his good behaviour in the +future, he may as well live," he said, finally. + +This the game-keeper was only too glad to do, and that was how Karr came +to move to the game-keeper's lodge. + +GRAYSKIN'S FLIGHT + +From the day that Karr went to live with the game-keeper he abandoned +entirely his forbidden chase in the forest. This was due not only to his +having been thoroughly frightened, but also to the fact that he did not +wish to make the game-keeper angry at him. Ever since his new master +saved his life the dog loved him above everything else. He thought only +of following him and watching over him. If he left the house, Karr would +run ahead to make sure that the way was clear, and if he sat at home, +Karr would lie before the door and keep a close watch on every one who +came and went. + +When all was quiet at the lodge, when no footsteps were heard on the +road, and the game-keeper was working in his garden, Karr would amuse +himself playing with the baby elk. + +At first the dog had no desire to leave his master even for a moment. +Since he accompanied him everywhere, he went with him to the cow shed. +When he gave the elk calf its milk, the dog would sit outside the stall +and gaze at it. The game-keeper called the calf Grayskin because he +thought it did not merit a prettier name, and Karr agreed with him on +that point. + +Every time the dog looked at it he thought that he had never seen +anything so ugly and misshapen as the baby elk, with its long, shambly +legs, which hung down from the body like loose stilts. The head was +large, old, and wrinkled, and it always drooped to one side. The skin +lay in tucks and folds, as if the animal had put on a coat that had not +been made for him. Always doleful and discontented, curiously enough he +jumped up every time Karr appeared as if glad to see him. + +The elk calf became less hopeful from day to day, did not grow any, and +at last he could not even rise when he saw Karr. Then the dog jumped up +into the crib to greet him, and thereupon a light kindled in the eyes of +the poor creature--as if a cherished longing were fulfilled. + +After that Karr visited the elk calf every day, and spent many hours +with him, licking his coat, playing and racing with him, till he taught +him a little of everything a forest animal should know. + +It was remarkable that, from the time Karr began to visit the elk calf +in his stall, the latter seemed more contented, and began to grow. After +he was fairly started, he grew so rapidly that in a couple of weeks the +stall could no longer hold him, and he had to be moved into a grove. + +When he had been in the grove two months his legs were so long that he +could step over the fence whenever he wished. Then the lord of the manor +gave the game-keeper permission to put up a higher fence and to allow +him more space. Here the elk lived for several years, and grew up into a +strong and handsome animal. Karr kept him company as often as he could; +but now it was no longer through pity, for a great friendship had sprung +up between the two. The elk was always inclined to be melancholy, +listless, and, indifferent, but Karr knew how to make him playful and +happy. + +Grayskin had lived for five summers on the game-keeper's place, when his +owner received a letter from a zoölogical garden abroad asking if the +elk might be purchased. + +The master was pleased with the proposal, the game-keeper was +distressed, but had not the power to say no; so it was decided that the +elk should be sold. Karr soon discovered what was in the air and ran +over to the elk to have a chat with him. The dog was very much +distressed at the thought of losing his friend, but the elk took the +matter calmly, and seemed neither glad nor sorry. + +"Do you think of letting them send you away without offering +resistance?" asked Karr. + +"What good would it do to resist?" asked Grayskin. "I should prefer to +remain where I am, naturally, but if I've been sold, I shall have to go, +of course." + +Karr looked at Grayskin and measured him with his eyes. It was apparent +that the elk was not yet full grown. He did not have the broad antlers, +high hump, and long mane of the mature elk; but he certainly had +strength enough to fight for his freedom. + +"One can see that he has been in captivity all his life," thought Karr, +but said nothing. + +Karr left and did not return to the grove till long past midnight. By +that time he knew Grayskin would be awake and eating his breakfast. + +"Of course you are doing right, Grayskin, in letting them take you +away," remarked Karr, who appeared now to be calm and satisfied. "You +will be a prisoner in a large park and will have no responsibilities. It +seems a pity that you must leave here without having seen the forest. +You know your ancestors have a saying that 'the elk are one with the +forest.' But you haven't even been in a forest!" + +Grayskin glanced up from the clover which he stood munching. + +"Indeed, I should love to see the forest, but how am I to get over the +fence?" he said with his usual apathy. + +"Oh, that is difficult for one who has such short legs!" said Karr. + +The elk glanced slyly at the dog, who jumped the fence many times a +day--little as he was. + +He walked over to the fence, and with one spring he was on the other +side, without knowing how it happened. + +Then Karr and Grayskin went into the forest. It was a beautiful +moonlight night in late summer; but in among the trees it was dark, and +the elk walked along slowly. + +"Perhaps we had better turn back," said Karr. "You, who have never +before tramped the wild forest, might easily break your legs." Grayskin +moved more rapidly and with more courage. + +Karr conducted the elk to a part of the forest where the pines grew so +thickly that no wind could penetrate them. + +"It is here that your kind are in the habit of seeking shelter from cold +and storm," said Karr. "Here they stand under the open skies all winter. +But you will fare much better where you are going, for you will stand in +a shed, with a roof over your head, like an ox." + +Grayskin made no comment, but stood quietly and drank in the strong, +piney air. + +"Have you anything more to show me, or have I now seen the whole +forest?" he asked. + +Then Karr went with him to a big marsh, and showed him clods and +quagmire. + +"Over this marsh the elk take flight when they are in peril," said Karr. +"I don't know how they manage it, but, large and heavy as they are, they +can walk here without sinking. Of course you couldn't hold yourself up +on such dangerous ground, but then there is no occasion for you to do +so, for you will never be hounded by hunters." + +Grayskin made no retort, but with a leap he was out on the marsh, and +happy when he felt how the clods rocked under him. He dashed across the +marsh, and came back again to Karr, without having stepped into a +mudhole. + +"Have we seen the whole forest now?" he asked. + +"No, not yet," said Karr. + +He next conducted the elk to the skirt of the forest, where fine oaks, +lindens, and aspens grew. + +"Here your kind eat leaves and bark, which they consider the choicest +of food; but you will probably get better fare abroad." + +Grayskin was astonished when he saw the enormous leaf-trees spreading +like a great canopy above him. He ate both oak leaves and aspen bark. + +"These taste deliciously bitter and good!" he remarked. "Better than +clover!" + +"Then wasn't it well that you should taste them once?" said the dog. + +Thereupon he took the elk down to a little forest lake. The water was as +smooth as a mirror, and reflected the shores, which were veiled in thin, +light mists. When Grayskin saw the lake he stood entranced. + +"What is this, Karr?" he asked. + +It was the first time that he had seen a lake. + +"It's a large body of water--a lake," said Karr. "Your people swim +across it from shore to shore. One could hardly expect you to be +familiar with this; but at least you should go in and take a swim!" + +Karr, himself, plunged into the water for a swim. Grayskin stayed back +on the shore for some little time, but finally followed. He grew +breathless with delight as the cool water stole soothingly around his +body. He wanted it over his back, too, so went farther out. Then he felt +that the water could hold him up, and began to swim. He swam all around +Karr, ducking and snorting, perfectly at home in the water. + +When they were on shore again, the dog asked if they had not better go +home now. + +"It's a long time until morning," observed Grayskin, "so we can tramp +around in the forest a little longer." + +They went again into the pine wood. Presently they came to an open glade +illuminated by the moonlight, where grass and flowers shimmered beneath +the dew. Some large animals were grazing on this forest meadow--an elk +bull, several elk cows and a number of elk calves. When Grayskin caught +sight of them he stopped short. He hardly glanced at the cows or the +young ones, but stared at the old bull, which had broad antlers with +many taglets, a high hump, and a long-haired fur piece hanging down from +his throat. + +"What kind of an animal is that?" asked Grayskin in wonderment. + +"He is called Antler-Crown," said Karr, "and he is your kinsman. One of +these days you, too, will have broad antlers, like those, and just such +a mane; and if you were to remain in the forest, very likely you, also, +would have a herd to lead." + +"If he is my kinsman, I must go closer and have a look at him," said +Grayskin. "I never dreamed that an animal could be so stately!" + +Grayskin walked over to the elk, but almost immediately he came back to +Karr, who had remained at the edge of the clearing. + +"You were not very well received, were you?" said Karr. + +"I told him that this was the first time I had run across any of my +kinsmen, and asked if I might walk with them on their meadow. But they +drove me back, threatening me with their antlers." + +"You did right to retreat," said Karr. "A young elk bull with only a +taglet crown must be careful about fighting with an old elk. Another +would have disgraced his name in the whole forest by retreating without +resistance, but such things needn't worry you who are going to move to a +foreign land." + +Karr had barely finished speaking when Grayskin turned and walked down +to the meadow. The old elk came toward him, and instantly they began to +fight. Their antlers met and clashed, and Grayskin was driven backward +over the whole meadow. Apparently he did not know how to make use of his +strength; but when he came to the edge of the forest, he planted his +feet on the ground, pushed hard with his antlers, and began to force +Antler-Crown back. + +Grayskin fought quietly, while Antler-Crown puffed and snorted. The old +elk, in his turn, was now being forced backward over the meadow. +Suddenly a loud crash was heard! A taglet in the old elk's antlers had +snapped. He tore himself loose, and dashed into the forest. + +Karr was still standing at the forest border when Grayskin came along. + +"Now that you have seen what there is in the forest," said Karr, "will +you come home with me?" + +"Yes, it's about time," observed the elk. + +Both were silent on the way home. Karr sighed several times, as if he +was disappointed about something; but Grayskin stepped along--his head +in the air--and seemed delighted over the adventure. He walked ahead +unhesitatingly until they came to the enclosure. There he paused. He +looked in at the narrow pen where he had lived up till now; saw the +beaten ground, the stale fodder, the little trough where he had drunk +water, and the dark shed in which he had slept. + +"The elk are one with the forest!" he cried. Then he threw back his +head, so that his neck rested against his back, and rushed wildly into +the woods. + +HELPLESS, THE WATER-SNAKE + +In a pine thicket in the heart of Liberty Forest, every year, in the +month of August, there appeared a few grayish-white moths of the kind +which are called nun moths. They were small and few in number, and +scarcely any one noticed them. When they had fluttered about in the +depth of the forest a couple of nights, they laid a few thousand eggs on +the branches of trees; and shortly afterward dropped lifeless to the +ground. + +When spring came, little prickly caterpillars crawled out from the eggs +and began to eat the pine needles. They had good appetites, but they +never seemed to do the trees any serious harm, because they were hotly +pursued by birds. It was seldom that more than a few hundred +caterpillars escaped the pursuers. + +The poor things that lived to be full grown crawled up on the branches, +spun white webs around themselves, and sat for a couple of weeks as +motionless pupae. During this period, as a rule, more than half of them +were abducted. If a hundred nun moths came forth in August, winged and +perfect, it was reckoned a good year for them. + +This sort of uncertain and obscure existence did the moths lead for many +years in Liberty Forest. There were no insect folk in the whole country +that were so scarce, and they would have remained quite harmless and +powerless had they not, most unexpectedly, received a helper. + +This fact has some connection with Grayskin's flight from the +game-keeper's paddock. Grayskin roamed the forest that he might become +more familiar with the place. Late in the afternoon he happened to +squeeze through some thickets behind a clearing where the soil was muddy +and slimy, and in the centre of it was a murky pool. This open space was +encircled by tall pines almost bare from age and miasmic air. Grayskin +was displeased with the place and would have left it at once had he not +caught sight of some bright green calla leaves which grew near the pool. + +As he bent his head toward the calla stalks, he happened to disturb a +big black snake, which lay sleeping under them. Grayskin had heard Karr +speak of the poisonous adders that were to be found in the forest. So, +when the snake raised its head, shot out its tongue and hissed at him, +he thought he had encountered an awfully dangerous reptile. He was +terrified and, raising his foot, he struck so hard with his hoof that he +crushed the snake's head. Then, away he ran in hot haste! + +As soon as Grayskin had gone, another snake, just as long and as black +as the first, came up from the pool. It crawled over to the dead one, +and licked the poor, crushed-in head. + +"Can it be true that you are dead, old Harmless?" hissed the snake. "We +two have lived together so many years; we two have been so happy with +each other, and have fared so well here in the swamp, that we have lived +to be older than all the other water-snakes in the forest! This is the +worst sorrow that could have befallen me!" + +The snake was so broken-hearted that his long body writhed as if it had +been wounded. Even the frogs, who lived in constant fear of him, were +sorry for him. + +"What a wicked creature he must be to murder a poor water-snake that +cannot defend itself!" hissed the snake. "He certainly deserves a severe +punishment. As sure as my name is Helpless and I'm the oldest +water-snake in the whole forest, I'll be avenged! I shall not rest until +that elk lies as dead on the ground as my poor old snake-wife." + +When the snake had made this vow he curled up into a hoop and began to +ponder. One can hardly imagine anything that would be more difficult for +a poor water-snake than to wreak vengeance upon a big, strong elk; and +old Helpless pondered day and night without finding any solution. + +One night, as he lay there with his vengeance-thoughts, he heard a +slight rustle over his head. He glanced up and saw a few light nun moths +playing in among the trees. + +He followed them with his eyes a long while; then began to hiss loudly +to himself, apparently pleased with the thought that had occurred to +him--then he fell asleep. + +The next morning the water-snake went over to see Crawlie, the adder, +who lived in a stony and hilly part of Liberty Forest. He told him all +about the death of the old water-snake, and begged that he who could +deal such deadly thrusts would undertake the work of vengeance. But +Crawlie was not exactly disposed to go to war with an elk. + +"If I were to attack an elk," said the adder, "he would instantly kill +me. Old Harmless is dead and gone, and we can't bring her back to life, +so why should I rush into danger on her account?" + +When the water-snake got this reply he raised his head a whole foot from +the ground, and hissed furiously: + +"Vish vash! Vish vash!" he said. "It's a pity that you, who have been +blessed with such weapons of defence, should be so cowardly that you +don't dare use them!" + +When the adder heard this, he, too, got angry. + +"Crawl away, old Helpless!" he hissed. "The poison is in my fangs, but I +would rather spare one who is said to be my kinsman." + +But the water-snake did not move from the spot, and for a long time the +snakes lay there hissing abusive epithets at each other. + +When Crawlie was so angry that he couldn't hiss, but could only dart his +tongue out, the water-snake changed the subject, and began to talk in a +very different tone. + +"I had still another errand, Crawlie," he said, lowering his voice to a +mild whisper. "But now I suppose you are so angry that you wouldn't care +to help me?" + +"If you don't ask anything foolish of me, I shall certainly be at your +service." + +"In the pine trees down by the swamp live a moth folk that fly around +all night." + +"I know all about them," remarked Crawlie. "What's up with them now?" + +"They are the smallest insect family in the forest," said Helpless, "and +the most harmless, since the caterpillars content themselves with +gnawing only pine needles." + +"Yes, I know," said Crawlie. + +"I'm afraid those moths will soon be exterminated," sighed the +water-snake. "There are so many who pick off the caterpillars in the +spring." + +Now Crawlie began to understand that the water-snake wanted the +caterpillars for his own purpose, and he answered pleasantly: + +"Do you wish me to say to the owls that they are to leave those pine +tree worms in peace?" + +"Yes, it would be well if you who have some authority in the forest +should do this," said Helpless. + +"I might also drop a good word for the pine needle pickers among the +thrushes?" volunteered the adder. "I will gladly serve you when you do +not demand anything unreasonable." + +"Now you have given me a good promise, Crawlie," said Helpless, "and I'm +glad that I came to you." + +THE NUN MOTHS + +One morning--several years later--Karr lay asleep on the porch. It was +in the early summer, the season of light nights, and it was as bright as +day, although the sun was not yet up. Karr was awakened by some one +calling his name. + +"Is it you, Grayskin?" he asked, for he was accustomed to the elk's +nightly visits. Again he heard the call; then he recognized Grayskin's +voice, and hastened in the direction of the sound. + +Karr heard the elk's footfalls in the distance, as he dashed into the +thickest pine wood, and straight through the brush, following no trodden +path. Karr could not catch up with him, and he had great difficulty in +even following the trail. "Karr, Karri" came the cry, and the voice was +certainly Grayskin's, although it had a ring now which the dog had never +heard before. + +"I'm coming, I'm coming!" the dog responded. "Where are you?" + +"Karr, Karr! Don't you see how it falls and falls?" said Grayskin. + +Then Karr noticed that the pine needles kept dropping and dropping from +the trees, like a steady fall of rain. + +"Yes, I see how it falls," he cried, and ran far into the forest in +search of the elk. + +Grayskin kept running through the thickets, while Karr was about to lose +the trail again. + +"Karr, Karr!" roared Grayskin; "can't you scent that peculiar odour in +the forest?" + +Karr stopped and sniffed. + +He had not thought of it before, but now he remarked that the pines sent +forth a much stronger odour than usual. + +"Yes, I catch the scent," he said. He did not stop long enough to find +out the cause of it, but hurried on after Grayskin. + +The elk ran ahead with such speed that the dog could not catch up with +him. + +"Karr, Karr!" he called; "can't you hear the crunching on the pines?" +Now his tone was so plaintive it would have melted a stone. + +Karr paused to listen. He heard a faint but distinct "tap, tap," on the +trees. It sounded like the ticking of a watch. + +"Yes, I hear how it ticks," cried Karr, and ran no farther. He +understood that the elk did not want him to follow, but to take notice +of something that was happening in the forest. + +Karr was standing beneath the drooping branches of a great pine. He +looked carefully at it; the needles moved. He went closer and saw a mass +of grayish-white caterpillars creeping along the branches, gnawing off +the needles. Every branch was covered with them. The crunch, crunch in +the trees came from the working of their busy little jaws. Gnawed-off +needles fell to the ground in a continuous shower, and from the poor +pines there came such a strong odour that the dog suffered from it. + +"What can be the meaning of this?" wondered Karr. "It's too bad about +the pretty trees! Soon they'll have no beauty left." + +He walked from tree to tree, trying with his poor eyesight to see if all +was well with them. + +"There's a pine they haven't touched," he thought. But they had taken +possession of it, too. "And here's a birch--no, this also! The +game-keeper will not be pleased with this," observed Karr. + +He ran deeper into the thickets, to learn how far the destruction had +spread. Wherever he went, he heard the same ticking; scented the same +odour; saw the same needle rain. There was no need of his pausing to +investigate. He understood it all by these signs. The little +caterpillars were everywhere. The whole forest was being ravaged by +them! + +All of a sudden he came to a tract where there was no odour, and where +all was still. + +"Here's the end of their domain," thought the dog, as he paused and +glanced about. + +But here it was even worse; for the caterpillars had already done their +work, and the trees were needleless. They were like the dead. The only +thing that covered them was a network of ragged threads, which the +caterpillars had spun to use as roads and bridges. + +In there, among the dying trees, Grayskin stood waiting for Karr. + +He was not alone. With him were four old elk--the most respected in the +forest. Karr knew them: They were Crooked-Back, who was a small elk, but +had a larger hump than the others; Antler-Crown, who was the most +dignified of the elk; Rough-Mane, with the thick coat; and an old +long-legged one, who, up till the autumn before, when he got a bullet in +his thigh, had been terribly hot-tempered and quarrelsome. + +"What in the world is happening to the forest?" Karr asked when he came +up to the elk. They stood with lowered heads, far protruding upper lips, +and looked puzzled. + +"No one can tell," answered Grayskin. "This insect family used to be the +least hurtful of any in the forest, and never before have they done any +damage. But these last few years they have been multiplying so fast that +now it appears as if the entire forest would be destroyed." + +"Yes, it looks bad," Karr agreed, "but I see that the wisest animals in +the forest have come together to hold a consultation. Perhaps you have +already found some remedy?" + +When the dog said this, Crooked-Back solemnly raised his heavy head, +pricked up his long ears, and spoke: + +"We have summoned you hither, Karr, that we may learn if the humans know +of this desolation." + +"No," said Karr, "no human being ever comes thus far into the forest +when it's not hunting time. They know nothing of this misfortune." + +Then Antler-Crown said: + +"We who have lived long in the forest do not think that we can fight +this insect pest all by ourselves." + +"After this there will be no peace in the forest!" put in Rough-Mane. + +"But we can't let the whole Liberty Forest go to rack and ruin!" +protested Big-and-Strong. "We'll have to consult the humans; there is no +alternative." + +Karr understood that the elk had difficulty in expressing what they +wished to say, and he tried to help them. + +"Perhaps you want me to let the people know the conditions here?" he +suggested. + +All the old elk nodded their heads. + +"It's most unfortunate that we are obliged to ask help of human beings, +but we have no choice." + +A moment later Karr was on his way home. As he ran ahead, deeply +distressed over all that he had heard and seen, a big black water-snake +approached them. + +"Well met in the forest!" hissed the water-snake. + +"Well met again!" snarled Karr, and rushed by without stopping. + +The snake turned and tried to catch up to him. + +"Perhaps that creature also, is worried about the forest," thought Karr, +and waited. + +Immediately the snake began to talk about the great disaster. + +"There will be an end of peace and quiet in the forest when human beings +are called hither," said the snake. + +"I'm afraid there will," the dog agreed; "but the oldest forest dwellers +know what they're about!" he added. + +"I think I know a better plan," said the snake, "if I can get the reward +I wish." + +"Are you not the one whom every one around here calls old Helpless?" +said the dog, sneeringly. + +"I'm an old inhabitant of the forest," said the snake, "and I know how +to get rid of such plagues." + +"If you clear the forest of that pest, I feel sure you can have anything +you ask for," said Karr. + +The snake did not respond to this until he had crawled under a tree +stump, where he was well protected. Then he said: + +"Tell Grayskin that if he will leave Liberty Forest forever, and go far +north, where no oak tree grows, I will send sickness and death to all +the creeping things that gnaw the pines and spruces!" + +"What's that you say?" asked Karr, bristling up. "What harm has Grayskin +ever done you?" + +"He has slain the one whom I loved best," the snake declared, "and I +want to be avenged." + +Before the snake had finished speaking, Karr made a dash for him; but +the reptile lay safely hidden under the tree stump. + +"Stay where you are!" Karr concluded. "We'll manage to drive out the +caterpillars without your help." + +THE BIG WAR OF THE MOTHS + +The following spring, as Karr was dashing through the forest one +morning, he heard some one behind him calling: "Karr! Karr!" + +He turned and saw an old fox standing outside his lair. + +"You must tell me if the humans are doing anything for the forest," said +the fox. + +"Yes, you may be sure they are!" said Karr. "They are working as hard as +they can." + +"They have killed off all my kinsfolk, and they'll be killing me next," +protested the fox. "But they shall be pardoned for that if only they +save the forest." + +That year Karr never ran into the woods without some animal's asking if +the humans could save the forest. It was not easy for the dog to answer; +the people themselves were not certain that they could conquer the +moths. But considering how feared and hated old KolmÃ¥rden had always +been, it was remarkable that every day more than a hundred men went +there, to work. They cleared away the underbrush. They felled dead +trees, lopped off branches from the live ones so that the caterpillars +could not easily crawl from tree to tree; they also dug wide trenches +around the ravaged parts and put up lime-washed fences to keep them out +of new territory. Then they painted rings of lime around the trunks of +trees to prevent the caterpillars leaving those they had already +stripped. The idea was to force them to remain where they were until +they starved to death. + +The people worked with the forest until far into the spring. They were +hopeful, and could hardly wait for the caterpillars to come out from +their eggs, feeling certain that they had shut them in so effectually +that most of them would die of starvation. + +But in the early summer the caterpillars came out, more numerous than +ever. + +They were everywhere! They crawled on the country roads, on fences, on +the walls of the cabins. They wandered outside the confines of Liberty +Forest to other parts of KolmÃ¥rden. + +"They won't stop till all our forests are destroyed!" sighed the people, +who were in great despair, and could not enter the forest without +weeping. + +Karr was so sick of the sight of all these creeping, gnawing things that +he could hardly bear to step outside the door. But one day he felt that +he must go and find out how Grayskin was getting on. He took the +shortest cut to the elk's haunts, and hurried along--his nose close to +the earth. When he came to the tree stump where he had met Helpless the +year before, the snake was still there, and called to him: + +"Have you told Grayskin what I said to you when last we met?" asked the +water-snake. + +Karr only growled and tried to get at him. + +"If you haven't told him, by all means do so!" insisted the snake. "You +must see that the humans know of no cure for this plague." + +"Neither do you!" retorted the dog, and ran on. + +Karr found Grayskin, but the elk was so low-spirited that he scarcely +greeted the dog. He began at once to talk of the forest. + +"I don't know what I wouldn't give if this misery were only at an end!" +he said. + +"Now I shall tell you that 'tis said you could save the forest." Then +Karr delivered the water-snake's message. + +"If any one but Helpless had promised this, I should immediately go into +exile," declared the elk. "But how can a poor water-snake have the power +to work such a miracle?" + +"Of course it's only a bluff," said Karr. "Water-snakes always like to +pretend that they know more than other creatures." + +When Karr was ready to go home, Grayskin accompanied him part of the +way. Presently Karr heard a thrush, perched on a pine top, cry: + +"There goes Grayskin, who has destroyed the forest! There goes Grayskin, +who has destroyed the forest!" + +Karr thought that he had not heard correctly, but the next moment a hare +came darting across the path. When the hare saw them, he stopped, +flapped his ears, and screamed: + +"Here comes Grayskin, who has destroyed the forest!" Then he ran as fast +as he could. + +"What do they mean by that?" asked Karr. + +"I really don't know," said Grayskin. "I think that the small forest +animals are displeased with me because I was the one who proposed that +we should ask help of human beings. When the underbrush was cut down, +all their lairs and hiding places were destroyed." + +They walked on together a while longer, and Karr heard the same cry +coming from all directions: + +"There goes Grayskin, who has destroyed the forest!" + +Grayskin pretended not to hear it; but Karr understood why the elk was +so downhearted. + +"I say, Grayskin, what does the water-snake mean by saying you killed +the one he loved best?" + +"How can I tell?" said Grayskin. "You know very well that I never kill +anything." + +Shortly after that they met the four old elk--Crooked-Back, +Antler-Crown, Rough-Mane, and Big-and-Strong, who were coming along +slowly, one after the other. + +"Well met in the forest!" called Grayskin. + +"Well met in turn!" answered the elk. + +"We were just looking for you, Grayskin, to consult with you about the +forest." + +"The fact is," began Crooked-Back, "we have been informed that a crime +has been committed here, and that the whole forest is being destroyed +because the criminal has not been punished." + +"What kind of a crime was it?" + +"Some one killed a harmless creature that he couldn't eat. Such an act +is accounted a crime in Liberty Forest." + +"Who could have done such a cowardly thing?" wondered Grayskin. + +"They say that an elk did it, and we were just going to ask if you knew +who it was." + +"No," said Grayskin, "I have never heard of an elk killing a harmless +creature." + +Grayskin parted from the four old elk, and went on with Karr. He was +silent and walked with lowered head. They happened to pass Crawlie, the +adder, who lay on his shelf of rock. + +"There goes Grayskin, who has destroyed the whole forest!" hissed +Crawlie, like all the rest. + +By that time Grayskin's patience was exhausted. He walked up to the +snake, and raised a forefoot. + +"Do you think of crushing me as you crushed the old water-snake?" hissed +Crawlie. + +"Did I kill a water-snake?" asked Grayskin, astonished. + +"The first day you were in the forest you killed the wife of poor old +Helpless," said Crawlie. + +Grayskin turned quickly from the adder, and continued his walk with +Karr. Suddenly he stopped. + +"Karr, it was I who committed that crime! I killed a harmless creature; +therefore it is on my account that the forest is being destroyed." + +"What are you saying?" Karr interrupted. + +"You may tell the water-snake, Helpless, that Grayskin goes into exile +to-night!" + +"That I shall never tell him!" protested Karr. "The Far North is a +dangerous country for elk." + +"Do you think that I wish to remain here, when I have caused a disaster +like this?" protested Grayskin. + +"Don't be rash! Sleep over it before you do anything!" + +"It was you who taught me that the elk are one with the forest," said +Grayskin, and so saying he parted from Karr. + +The dog went home alone; but this talk with Grayskin troubled him, and +the next morning he returned to the forest to seek him, but Grayskin was +not to be found, and the dog did not search long for him. He realized +that the elk had taken the snake at his word, and had gone into exile. + +On his walk home Karr was too unhappy for words! He could not understand +why Grayskin should allow that wretch of a water-snake to trick him +away. He had never heard of such folly! "What power can that old +Helpless have?" + +As Karr walked along, his mind full of these thoughts, he happened to +see the game-keeper, who stood pointing up at a tree. + +"What are you looking at?" asked a man who stood beside him. + +"Sickness has come among the caterpillars," observed the game-keeper. + +Karr was astonished, but he was even more angered at the snake's having +the power to keep his word. Grayskin would have to stay away a long long +time, for, of course, that water-snake would never die. + +At the very height of his grief a thought came to Karr which comforted +him a little. + +"Perhaps the water-snake won't live so long, after all!" he thought. +"Surely he cannot always lie protected under a tree root. As soon as he +has cleaned out the caterpillars, I know some one who is going to bite +his head off!" + +It was true that an illness had made its appearance among the +caterpillars. The first summer it did not spread much. It had only just +broken out when it was time for the larvae to turn into pupae. From the +latter came millions of moths. They flew around in the trees like a +blinding snowstorm, and laid countless numbers of eggs. An even greater +destruction was prophesied for the following year. + +The destruction came not only to the forest, but also to the +caterpillars. The sickness spread quickly from forest to forest. The +sick caterpillars stopped eating, crawled up to the branches of the +trees, and died there. + +There was great rejoicing among the people when they saw them die, but +there was even greater rejoicing among the forest animals. + +From day to day the dog Karr went about with savage glee, thinking of +the hour when he might venture to kill Helpless. + +But the caterpillars, meanwhile, had spread over miles of pine woods. +Not in one summer did the disease reach them all. Many lived to become +pupas and moths. + +Grayskin sent messages to his friend Karr by the birds of passage, to +say that he was alive and faring well. But the birds told Karr +confidentially that on several occasions Grayskin had been pursued by +poachers, and that only with the greatest difficulty had he escaped. + +Karr lived in a state of continual grief, yearning, and anxiety. Yet he +had to wait two whole summers more before there was an end of the +caterpillars! + +Karr no sooner heard the game-keeper say that the forest was out of +danger than he started on a hunt for Helpless. But when he was in the +thick of the forest he made a frightful discovery: He could not hunt any +more, he could not run, he could not track his enemy, and he could not +see at all! + +During the long years of waiting, old age had overtaken Karr. He had +grown old without having noticed it. He had not the strength even to +kill a water-snake. He was not able to save his friend Grayskin from his +enemy. + +RETRIBUTION + +One afternoon Akka from Kebnekaise and her flock alighted on the shore +of a forest lake. + +Spring was backward--as it always is in the mountain districts. Ice +covered all the lake save a narrow strip next the land. The geese at +once plunged into the water to bathe and hunt for food. In the morning +Nils Holgersson had dropped one of his wooden shoes, so he went down by +the elms and birches that grew along the shore, to look for something to +bind around his foot. + +The boy walked quite a distance before he found anything that he could +use. He glanced about nervously, for he did not fancy being in the +forest. + +"Give me the plains and the lakes!" he thought. "There you can see what +you are likely to meet. Now, if this were a grove of little birches, it +would be well enough, for then the ground would be almost bare; but how +people can like these wild, pathless forests is incomprehensible to me. +If I owned this land I would chop down every tree." + +At last he caught sight of a piece of birch bark, and just as he was +fitting it to his foot he heard a rustle behind him. He turned quickly. +A snake darted from the brush straight toward him! + +The snake was uncommonly long and thick, but the boy soon saw that it +had a white spot on each cheek. + +"Why, it's only a water-snake," he laughed; "it can't harm me." + +But the next instant the snake gave him a powerful blow on the chest +that knocked him down. The boy was on his feet in a second and running +away, but the snake was after him! The ground was stony and scrubby; the +boy could not proceed very fast; and the snake was close at his heels. + +Then the boy saw a big rock in front of him, and began to scale it. + +"I do hope the snake can't follow me here!" he thought, but he had no +sooner reached the top of the rock than he saw that the snake was +following him. + +Quite close to the boy, on a narrow ledge at the top of the rock, lay a +round stone as large as a man's head. As the snake came closer, the boy +ran behind the stone, and gave it a push. It rolled right down on the +snake, drawing it along to the ground, where it landed on its head. + +"That stone did its work well!" thought the boy with a sigh of relief, +as he saw the snake squirm a little, and then lie perfectly still. + +"I don't think I've been in greater peril on the whole journey," he +said. + +He had hardly recovered from the shock when he heard a rustle above him, +and saw a bird circling through the air to light on the ground right +beside the snake. The bird was like a crow in size and form, but was +dressed in a pretty coat of shiny black feathers. + +The boy cautiously retreated into a crevice of the rock. His adventure +in being kidnapped by crows was still fresh in his memory, and he did +not care to show himself when there was no need of it. + +The bird strode back and forth beside the snake's body, and turned it +over with his beak. Finally he spread his wings and began to shriek in +ear-splitting tones: + +"It is certainly Helpless, the water-snake, that lies dead here!" Once +more he walked the length of the snake; then he stood in a deep study, +and scratched his neck with his foot. + +"It isn't possible that there can be two such big snakes in the forest," +he pondered. "It must surely be Helpless!" + +He was just going to thrust his beak into the snake, but suddenly +checked himself. + +"You mustn't be a numbskull, Bataki!" he remarked to himself. "Surely +you cannot be thinking of eating the snake until you have called Karr! +He wouldn't believe that Helpless was dead unless he could see it with +his own eyes." + +The boy tried to keep quiet, but the bird was so ludicrously solemn, as +he stalked back and forth chattering to himself, that he had to laugh. + +The bird heard him, and, with a flap of his wings, he was up on the +rock. The boy rose quickly and walked toward him. + +"Are you not the one who is called Bataki, the raven? and are you not a +friend of Akka from Kebnekaise?" asked the boy. + +The bird regarded him intently; then nodded three times. + +"Surely, you're not the little chap who flies around with the wild +geese, and whom they call Thumbietot?" + +"Oh, you're not so far out of the way," said the boy. + +"What luck that I should have run across you! Perhaps you can tell me +who killed this water-snake?" + +"The stone which I rolled down on him killed him," replied the boy, and +related how the whole thing happened. + +"That was cleverly done for one who is as tiny as you are!" said the +raven. "I have a friend in these parts who will be glad to know that +this snake has been killed, and I should like to render you a service in +return." + +"Then tell me why you are glad the water-snake is dead," responded the +boy. + +"It's a long story," said the raven; "you wouldn't have the patience to +listen to it." + +But the boy insisted that he had, and then the raven told him the whole +story about Karr and Grayskin and Helpless, the water-snake. When he had +finished, the boy sat quietly for a moment, looking straight ahead. Then +he spoke: + +"I seem to like the forest better since hearing this. I wonder if there +is anything left of the old Liberty Forest." + +"Most of it has been destroyed," said Bataki. "The trees look as if they +had passed through a fire. They'll have to be cleared away, and it will +take many years before the forest will be what it once was." + +"That snake deserved his death!" declared the boy. "But I wonder if it +could be possible that he was so wise he could send sickness to the +caterpillars?" + +"Perhaps he knew that they frequently became sick in that way," +intimated Bataki. + +"Yes, that may be; but all the same, I must say that he was a very wily +snake." + +The boy stopped talking because he saw the raven was not listening to +him, but sitting with gaze averted. "Hark!" he said. "Karr is in the +vicinity. Won't he be happy when he sees that Helpless is dead!" + +The boy turned his head in the direction of the sound. + +"He's talking with the wild geese," he said. + +"Oh, you may be sure that he has dragged himself down to the strand to +get the latest news about Grayskin!" + +Both the boy and the raven jumped to the ground, and hastened down to +the shore. All the geese had come out of the lake, and stood talking +with an old dog, who was so weak and decrepit that it seemed as if he +might drop dead at any moment. + +"There's Karr," said Bataki to the boy. "Let him hear first what the +wild geese have to say to him; later we shall tell him that the +water-snake is dead." + +Presently they heard Akka talking to Karr. + +"It happened last year while we were making our usual spring trip," +remarked the leader-goose. "We started out one morning--Yksi, Kaksi, and +I, and we flew over the great boundary forests between Dalecarlia and +Hälsingland. Under us we, saw only thick pine forests. The snow was +still deep among the trees, and the creeks were mostly frozen. + +"Suddenly we noticed three poachers down in the forest! They were on +skis, had dogs in leash, carried knives in their belts, but had no guns. + +"As there was a hard crust on the snow, they did not bother to take the +winding forest paths, but skied straight ahead. Apparently they knew +very well where they must go to find what they were seeking. + +"We wild geese flew on, high up in the air, so that the whole forest +under us was visible. When we sighted the poachers we wanted to find out +where the game was, so we circled up and down, peering through the +trees. Then, in a dense thicket, we saw something that looked like big, +moss-covered rocks, but couldn't be rocks, for there was no snow on +them. + +"We shot down, suddenly, and lit in the centre of the thicket. The three +rocks moved. They were three elk--a bull and two cows--resting in the +bleak forest. + +"When we alighted, the elk bull rose and came toward us. He was the +most superb animal we had ever seen. When he saw that it was only some +poor wild geese that had awakened him, he lay down again. + +"'No, old granddaddy, you mustn't go back to sleep!' I cried. 'Flee as +fast as you can! There are poachers in the forest, and they are bound +for this very deer fold.' + +"'Thank you, goose mother!' said the elk. He seemed to be dropping to +sleep while he was speaking. 'But surely you must know that we elk are +under the protection of the law at this time of the year. Those poachers +are probably out for fox,' he yawned. + +"'There are plenty of fox trails in the forest, but the poachers are not +looking for them. Believe me, old granddaddy! They know that you are +lying here, and are coming to attack you. They have no guns with +them--only spears and knives--for they dare not fire a shot at this +season.' + +"The elk bull lay there calmly, but the elk cows seemed to feel uneasy. + +"'It may be as the geese say,' they remarked, beginning to bestir +themselves. + +"'You just lie down!' said the elk bull. 'There are no poachers coming +here; of that you may be certain.' + +"There was nothing more to be done, so we wild geese rose again into the +air. But we continued to circle over the place, to see how it would turn +out for the elk. + +"We had hardly reached our regular flying altitude, when we saw the elk +bull come out from the thicket. He sniffed the air a little, then walked +straight toward the poachers. As he strode along he stepped upon dry +twigs that crackled noisily. A big barren marsh lay just beyond him. +Thither he went and took his stand in the middle, where there was +nothing to hide him from view. + +"There he stood until the poachers emerged from the woods. Then he +turned and fled in the opposite direction. The poachers let loose the +dogs, and they themselves skied after him at full speed. + +"The elk threw back his head and loped as fast as he could. He kicked up +snow until it flew like a blizzard about him. Both dogs and men were +left far behind. Then the elk stopped, as if to await their approach. +When they were within sight he dashed ahead again. We understood that he +was purposely tempting the hunters away from the place where the cows +were. We thought it brave of him to face danger himself, in order that +those who were dear to him might be left in safety. None of us wanted to +leave the place until we had seen how all this was to end. + +"Thus the chase continued for two hours or more. We wondered that the +poachers went to the trouble of pursuing the elk when they were not +armed with rifles. They couldn't have thought that they could succeed in +tiring out a runner like him! + +"Then we noticed that the elk no longer ran so rapidly. He stepped on +the snow more carefully, and every time he lifted his feet, blood could +be seen in his tracks. + +"We understood why the poachers had been so persistent! They had +counted on help from the snow. The elk was heavy, and with every step he +sank to the bottom of the drift. The hard crust on the snow was scraping +his legs. It scraped away the fur, and tore out pieces of flesh, so that +he was in torture every time he put his foot down. + +"The poachers and the dogs, who were so light that the ice crust could +hold their weight, pursued him all the while. He ran on and on--his +steps becoming more and more uncertain and faltering. He gasped for +breath. Not only did he suffer intense pain, but he was also exhausted +from wading through the deep snowdrifts. + +"At last he lost all patience. He paused to let poachers and dogs come +upon him, and was ready to fight them. As he stood there waiting, he +glanced upward. When he saw us wild geese circling above him, he cried +out: + +"'Stay here, wild geese, until all is over! And the next time you fly +over KolmÃ¥rden, look up Karr, and ask him if he doesn't think that his +friend Grayskin has met with a happy end?'" + +When Akka had gone so far in her story the old dog rose and walked +nearer to her. + +"Grayskin led a good life," he said. "He understands me. He knows that +I'm a brave dog, and that I shall be glad to hear that he had a happy +end. Now tell me how--" + +He raised his tail and threw back his head, as if to give himself a bold +and proud bearing--then he collapsed. + +"Karr! Karr!" called a man's voice from the forest. + +The old dog rose obediently. + +"My master is calling me," he said, "and I must not tarry longer. I just +saw him load his gun. Now we two are going into the forest for the last +time. + +"Many thanks, wild goose! I know everything that I need know to die +content!" + + +THE WIND WITCH + + +IN NÄRKE + +In bygone days there was something in Närke the like of which was not to +be found elsewhere: it was a witch, named Ysätter-Kaisa. + +The name Kaisa had been given her because she had a good deal to do with +wind and storm--and these wind witches are always so called. The surname +was added because she was supposed to have come from Ysätter swamp in +Asker parish. + +It seemed as though her real abode must have been at Asker; but she used +also to appear at other places. Nowhere in all Närke could one be sure +of not meeting her. + +She was no dark, mournful witch, but gay and frolicsome; and what she +loved most of all was a gale of wind. As soon as there was wind enough, +off she would fly to the Närke plain for a good dance. On days when a +whirlwind swept the plain, Ysätter-Kaisa had fun! She would stand right +in the wind and spin round, her long hair flying up among the clouds and +the long trail of her robe sweeping the ground, like a dust cloud, while +the whole plain lay spread out under her, like a ballroom floor. + +Of a morning Ysätter-Kaisa would sit up in some tall pine at the top of +a precipice, and look across the plain. If it happened to be winter and +she saw many teams on the roads she hurriedly blew up a blizzard, piling +the drifts so high that people could barely get back to their homes by +evening. If it chanced to be summer and good harvest weather, +Ysätter-Kaisa would sit quietly until the first hayricks had been +loaded, then down she would come with a couple of heavy showers, which +put an end to the work for that day. + +It was only too true that she seldom thought of anything else than +raising mischief. The charcoal burners up in the Kil mountains hardly +dared take a cat-nap, for as soon as she saw an unwatched kiln, she +stole up and blew on it until it began to burn in a great flame. If the +metal drivers from LaxÃ¥ and SvartÃ¥ were out late of an evening, +Ysätter-Kaisa would veil the roads and the country round about in such +dark clouds that both men and horses lost their way and drove the heavy +trucks down into swamps and morasses. + +If, on a summer's day, the dean's wife at Glanshammar had spread the tea +table in the garden and along would come a gust of wind that lifted the +cloth from the table and turned over cups and saucers, they knew who had +raised the mischief! If the mayor of Örebro's hat blew off, so that he +had to run across the whole square after it; if the wash on the line +blew away and got covered with dirt, or if the smoke poured into the +cabins and seemed unable to find its way out through the chimney, it was +easy enough to guess who was out making merry! + +Although Ysätter-Kaisa was fond of all sorts of tantalizing games, there +was nothing really bad about her. One could see that she was hardest on +those who were quarrelsome, stingy, or wicked; while honest folk and +poor little children she would take under her wing. Old people say of +her that, once, when Asker church was burning, Ysätter-Kaisa swept +through the air, lit amid fire and smoke on the church roof, and averted +the disaster. + +All the same the Närke folk were often rather tired of Ysätter-Kaisa, +but she never tired of playing her tricks on them. As she sat on the +edge of a cloud and looked down upon Närke, which rested so peacefully +and comfortably beneath her, she must have thought: "The inhabitants +would fare much too well if I were not in existence. They would grow +sleepy and dull. There must be some one like myself to rouse them and +keep them in good spirits." + +Then she would laugh wildly and, chattering like a magpie, would rush +off, dancing and spinning from one end of the plain to the other. When a +Närke man saw her come dragging her dust trail over the plain, he could +not help smiling. Provoking and tiresome she certainly was, but she had +a merry spirit. It was just as refreshing for the peasants to meet +Ysätter-Kaisa as it was for the plain to be lashed by the windstorm. + +Nowadays 'tis said that Ysätter-Kaisa is dead and gone, like all other +witches, but this one can hardly believe. It is as if some one were to +come and tell you that henceforth the air would always be still on the +plain, and the wind would never more dance across it with blustering +breezes and drenching showers. + +He who fancies that Ysätter-Kaisa is dead and gone may as well hear what +occurred in Närke the year that Nils Holgersson travelled over that part +of the country. Then let him tell what he thinks about it. + +MARKET EVE + +_Wednesday, April twenty-seventh_. + +It was the day before the big Cattle Fair at Örebro; it rained in +torrents and people thought: "This is exactly as in Ysätter-Kaisa's +time! At fairs she used to be more prankish than usual. It was quite in +her line to arrange a downpour like this on a market eve." + +As the day wore on, the rain increased, and toward evening came regular +cloud-bursts. The roads were like bottomless swamps. The farmers who had +started from home with their cattle early in the morning, that they +might arrive at a seasonable hour, fared badly. Cows and oxen were so +tired they could hardly move, and many of the poor beasts dropped down +in the middle of the road, to show that they were too exhausted to go +any farther. All who lived along the roadside had to open their doors to +the market-bound travellers, and harbour them as best they could. Farm +houses, barns, and sheds were soon crowded to their limit. + +Meanwhile, those who could struggle along toward the inn did so; but +when they arrived they wished they had stopped at some cabin along the +road. All the cribs in the barn and all the stalls in the stable were +already occupied. There was no other choice than to let horses and +cattle stand out in the rain. Their masters could barely manage to get +under cover. + +The crush and mud and slush in the barn yard were frightful! Some of the +animals were standing in puddles and could not even lie down. There were +thoughtful masters, of course, who procured straw for their animals to +lie on, and spread blankets over them; but there were those, also, who +sat in the inn, drinking and gambling, entirely forgetful of the dumb +creatures which they should have protected. + +The boy and the wild geese had come to a little wooded island in Hjälmar +Lake that evening. The island was separated from the main land by a +narrow and shallow stream, and at low tide one could pass over it +dry-shod. + +It rained just as hard on the island as it did everywhere else. The boy +could not sleep for the water that kept dripping down on him. Finally he +got up and began to walk. He fancied that he felt the rain less when he +moved about. + +He had hardly circled the island, when he heard a splashing in the +stream. Presently he saw a solitary horse tramping among the trees. +Never in all his life had he seen such a wreck of a horse! He was +broken-winded and stiff-kneed and so thin that every rib could be seen +under the hide. He bore neither harness nor saddle--only an old bridle, +from which dangled a half-rotted rope-end. Obviously he had had no +difficulty in breaking loose. + +The horse walked straight toward the spot where the wild geese were +sleeping. The boy was afraid that he would step on them. + +"Where are you going? Feel your ground!" shouted the boy. + +"Oh, there you are!" exclaimed the horse. "I've walked miles to meet +you!" + +"Have you heard of me?" asked the boy, astonished. + +"I've got ears, even if I am old! There are many who talk of you +nowadays." + +As he spoke, the horse bent his head that he might see better, and the +boy noticed that he had a small head, beautiful eyes, and a soft, +sensitive nose. + +"He must have been a good horse at the start, though he has come to +grief in his old age," he thought. + +"I wish you would come with me and help me with something," pleaded the +horse. + +The boy thought it would be embarrassing to accompany a creature who +looked so wretched, and excused himself on account of the bad weather. + +"You'll be no worse off on my back than you are lying here," said the +horse. "But perhaps you don't dare to go with an old tramp of a horse +like me." + +"Certainly I dare!" said the boy. + +"Then wake the geese, so that we can arrange with them where they shall +come for you to-morrow," said the horse. + +The boy was soon seated on the animal's back. The old nag trotted along +better than he had thought possible. It was a long ride in the rain and +darkness before they halted near a large inn, where everything looked +terribly uninviting! The wheel tracks were so deep in the road that the +boy feared he might drown should he fall down into them. Alongside the +fence, which enclosed the yard, some thirty or forty horses and cattle +were tied, with no protection against the rain, and in the yard were +wagons piled with packing cases, where sheep, calves, hogs, and chickens +were shut in. + +The horse walked over to the fence and stationed himself. The boy +remained seated upon his back, and, with his good night eyes, plainly +saw how badly the animals fared. + +"How do you happen to be standing out here in the rain?" he asked. + +"We're on our way to a fair at Örebro, but we were obliged to put up +here on account of the rain. This is an inn; but so many travellers have +already arrived that there's no room for us in the barns." + +The boy made no reply, but sat quietly looking about him. Not many of +the animals were asleep, and on all sides he heard complaints and +indignant protests. They had reason enough for grumbling, for the +weather was even worse than it had been earlier in the day. A freezing +wind had begun to blow, and the rain which came beating down on them +was turning to snow. It was easy enough to understand what the horse +wanted the boy to help him with. + +"Do you see that fine farm yard directly opposite the inn?" remarked the +horse. + +"Yes, I see it," answered the boy, "and I can't comprehend why they +haven't tried to find shelter for all of you in there. They are already +full, perhaps?" + +"No, there are no strangers in that place," said the horse. "The people +who live on that farm are so stingy and selfish that it would be useless +for any one to ask them for harbour." + +"If that's the case, I suppose you'll have to stand where you are." + +"I was born and raised on that farm," said the horse; "I know that there +is a large barn and a big cow shed, with many empty stalls and mangers, +and I was wondering if you couldn't manage in some way or other to get +us in over there." + +"I don't think I could venture--" hesitated the boy. But he felt so +sorry for the poor beasts that he wanted at least to try. + +He ran into the strange barn yard and saw at once that all the outhouses +were locked and the keys gone. He stood there, puzzled and helpless, +when aid came to him from an unexpected source. A gust of wind came +sweeping along with terrific force and flung open a shed door right in +front of him. + +The boy was not long in getting back to the horse. + +"It isn't possible to get into the barn or the cow house," he said, "but +there's a big, empty hay shed that they have forgotten to bolt. I can +lead you into that." + +"Thank you!" said the horse. "It will seem good to sleep once more on +familiar ground. It's the only happiness I can expect in this life." + +Meanwhile, at the flourishing farm opposite the inn, the family sat up +much later than usual that evening. + +The master of the place was a man of thirty-five, tall and dignified, +with a handsome but melancholy face. During the day he had been out in +the rain and had got wet, like every one else, and at supper he asked +his old mother, who was still mistress of the place, to light a fire on +the hearth that he might dry his clothes. The mother kindled a feeble +blaze--for in that house they were not wasteful with wood--and the +master hung his coat on the back of a chair, and placed it before the +fire. With one foot on top of the andiron and a hand resting on his +knee, he stood gazing into the embers. Thus he stood for two whole +hours, making no move other than to cast a log on the fire now and then. + +The mistress removed the supper things and turned down his bed for the +night before she went to her own room and seated herself. At intervals +she came to the door and looked wonderingly at her son. + +"It's nothing, mother. I'm only thinking," he said. + +His thoughts were on something that had occurred shortly before: When he +passed the inn a horse dealer had asked him if he would not like to +purchase a horse, and had shown him an old nag so weather-beaten that he +asked the dealer if he took him for a fool, since he wished to palm off +such a played-out beast on him. + +"Oh, no!" said the horse dealer. "I only thought that, inasmuch as the +horse once belonged to you, you might wish to give him a comfortable +home in his old age; he has need of it." + +Then he looked at the horse and recognized it as one which he himself +had raised and broken in; but it did not occur to him to purchase such +an old and useless creature on that account. No, indeed! He was not one +who squandered his money. + +All the same, the sight of the horse had awakened many, memories--and it +was the memories that kept him awake. + +That horse had been a fine animal. His father had let him tend it from +the start. He had broken it in and had loved it above everything else. +His father had complained that he used to feed it too well, and often he +had been obliged to steal out and smuggle oats to it. + +Once, when he ventured to talk with his father about letting him buy a +broadcloth suit, or having the cart painted, his father stood as if +petrified, and he thought the old man would have a stroke. He tried to +make his father understand that, when he had a fine horse to drive, he +should look presentable himself. + +The father made no reply, but two days later he took the horse to Örebro +and sold it. + +It was cruel of him. But it was plain that his father had feared that +this horse might lead him into vanity and extravagance. And now, so long +afterward, he had to admit that his father was right. A horse like that +surely would have been a temptation. At first he had grieved terribly +over his loss. Many a time he had gone down to Örebro, just to stand on +a street corner and see the horse pass by, or to steal into the stable +and give him a lump of sugar. He thought: "If I ever get the farm, the +first thing I do will be to buy back my horse." + +Now his father was gone and he himself had been master for two years, +but he had not made a move toward buying the horse. He had not thought +of him for ever so long, until to-night. + +It was strange that he should have forgotten the beast so entirely! + +His father had been a very headstrong, domineering man. When his son was +grown and the two had worked together, the father had gained absolute +power over him. The boy had come to think that everything his father did +was right, and, after he became the master, he only tried to do exactly +as his father would have done. + +He knew, of course, that folk said his father was stingy; but it was +well to keep a tight hold on one's purse and not throw away money +needlessly. The goods one has received should not be wasted. It was +better to live on a debt-free place and be called stingy, than to carry +heavy mortgages, like other farm owners. + +He had gone so far in his mind when he was called back by a strange +sound. It was as if a shrill, mocking voice were repeating his thoughts: +"It's better to keep a firm hold on one's purse and be called stingy, +than to be in debt, like other farm owners." + +It sounded as if some one was trying to make sport of his wisdom and he +was about to lose his temper, when he realized that it was all a +mistake. The wind was beginning to rage, and he had been standing there +getting so sleepy that he mistook the howling of the wind in the chimney +for human speech. + +He glanced up at the wall clock, which just then struck eleven. + +"It's time that you were in bed," he remarked to himself. Then he +remembered that he had not yet gone the rounds of the farm yard, as it +was his custom to do every night, to make sure that all doors were +closed and all lights extinguished. This was something he had never +neglected since he became master. He drew on his coat and went out in +the storm. + +He found everything as it should be, save that the door to the empty hay +shed had been blown open by the wind. He stepped inside for the key, +locked the shed door and put the key into his coat pocket. Then he went +back to the house, removed his coat, and hung it before the fire. Even +now he did not retire, but began pacing the floor. The storm without, +with its biting wind and snow-blended rain, was terrible, and his old +horse was standing in this storm without so much as a blanket to protect +him! He should at least have given his old friend a roof over his head, +since he had come such a long distance. + +At the inn across the way the boy heard an old wall clock strike eleven +times. Just then he was untying the animals to lead them to the shed in +the farm yard opposite. It took some time to rouse them and get them +into line. When all were ready, they marched in a long procession into +the stingy farmer's yard, with the boy as their guide. While the boy had +been assembling them, the farmer had gone the rounds of the farm yard +and locked the hay shed, so that when the animals came along the door +was closed. The boy stood there dismayed. He could not let the creatures +stand out there! He must go into the house and find the key. + +"Keep them quiet out here while I go in and fetch the key!" he said to +the old horse, and off he ran. + +On the path right in front of the house he paused to think out how he +should get inside. As he stood there he noticed two little wanderers +coming down the road, who stopped before the inn. + +The boy saw at once that they were two little girls, and ran toward +them. + +"Come now, Britta Maja!" said one, "you mustn't cry any more. Now we are +at the inn. Here they will surely take us in." + +The girl had but just said this when the boy called to her: + +"No, you mustn't try to get in there. It is simply impossible. But at +the farm house opposite there are no guests. Go there instead." + +The little girls heard the words distinctly, though they could not see +the one who spoke to them. They did not wonder much at that, however, +for the night was as black as pitch. The larger of the girls promptly +answered: + +"We don't care to enter that place, because those who live there are +stingy and cruel. It is their fault that we two must go out on the +highways and beg." + +"That may be so," said the boy, "but all the same you should go there. +You shall see that it will be well for you." + +"We can try, but it is doubtful that they will even let us enter," +observed the two little girls as they walked up to the house and +knocked. + +The master was standing by the fire thinking of the horse when he heard +the knocking. He stepped to the door to see what was up, thinking all +the while that he would not let himself be tempted into admitting any +wayfarer. As he fumbled the lock, a gust of wind came along, wrenched +the door from his hand and swung it open. To close it, he had to step +out on the porch, and, when he stepped back into the house, the two +little girls were standing within. + +They were two poor beggar girls, ragged, dirty, and starving--two little +tots bent under the burden of their beggar's packs, which were as large +as themselves. + +"Who are you that go prowling about at this hour of the night?" said the +master gruffly. + +The two children did not answer immediately, but first removed their +packs. Then they walked up to the man and stretched forth their tiny +hands in greeting. + +"We are Anna and Britta Maja from the Engärd," said the elder, "and we +were going to ask for a night's lodging." + +He did not take the outstretched hands and was just about to drive out +the beggar children, when a fresh recollection faced him. Engärd--was +not that a little cabin where a poor widow with five children had lived? +The widow had owed his father a few hundred kroner and in order to get +back his money he had sold her cabin. After that the widow, with her +three eldest children, went to Norrland to seek employment, and the two +youngest became a charge on the parish. + +As he called this to mind he grew bitter. He knew that his father had +been severely censured for squeezing out that money, which by right +belonged to him. + +"What are you doing nowadays?" he asked in a cross tone. "Didn't the +board of charities take charge of you? Why do you roam around and beg?" + +"It's not our fault," replied the larger girl. "The people with whom we +are living have sent us out to beg." + +"Well, your packs are filled," the farmer observed, "so you can't +complain. Now you'd better take out some of the food you have with you +and eat your fill, for here you'll get no food, as all the women folk +are in bed. Later you may lie down in the corner by the hearth, so you +won't have to freeze." + +He waved his hand, as if to ward them off, and his eyes took on a hard +look. He was thankful that he had had a father who had been careful of +his property. Otherwise, he might perhaps have been forced in childhood +to run about and beg, as these children now did. + +No sooner had he thought this out to the end than the shrill, mocking +voice he had heard once before that evening repeated it, word for word. + +He listened, and at once understood that it was nothing--only the wind +roaring in the chimney. But the queer thing about it was, when the wind +repeated his thoughts, they seemed so strangely stupid and hard and +false! + +The children meanwhile had stretched themselves, side by side, on the +floor. They were not quiet, but lay there muttering. + +"Do be still, won't you?" he growled, for he was in such an irritable +mood that he could have beaten them. + +But the mumbling continued, and again he called for silence. + +"When mother went away," piped a clear little voice, "she made me +promise that every night I would say my evening prayer. I must do this, +and Britta Maja too. As soon as we have said 'God who cares for little +children--' we'll be quiet." + +The master sat quite still while the little ones said their prayers, +then he rose and began pacing back and forth, back and forth, wringing +his hands all the while, as though he had met with some great sorrow. + +"The horse driven out and wrecked, these two children turned into road +beggars--both father's doings! Perhaps father did not do right after +all?" he thought. + +He sat down again and buried his head in his hands. Suddenly his lips +began to quiver and into his eyes came tears, which he hastily wiped +away. Fresh tears came, and he was just as prompt to brush these away; +but it was useless, for more followed. + +When his mother stepped into the room, he swung his chair quickly and +turned his back to her. She must have noticed something unusual, for she +stood quietly behind him a long while, as if waiting for him to speak. +She realized how difficult it always is for men to talk of the things +they feel most deeply. She must help him of course. + +From her bedroom she had observed all that had taken place in the living +room, so that she did not have to ask questions. She walked very softly +over to the two sleeping children, lifted them, and bore them to her own +bed. Then she went back to her son. + +"Lars," she said, as if she did not see that he was weeping, "you had +better let me keep these children." + +"What, mother?" he gasped, trying to smother the sobs. + +"I have been suffering for years--ever since father took the cabin from +their mother, and so have you." + +"Yes, but--" + +"I want to keep them here and make something of them; they are too good +to beg." + +He could not speak, for now the tears were beyond his control; but he +took his old mother's withered hand and patted it. + +Then he jumped up, as if something had frightened him. + +"What would father have said of this?" + +"Father had his day at ruling," retorted the mother. "Now it is your +day. As long as father lived we had to obey him. Now is the time to show +what you are." + +Her son was so astonished that he ceased crying. + +"But I have just shown what I am!" he returned. + +"No, you haven't," protested the mother. "You only try to be like him. +Father experienced hard times, which made him fear poverty. He believed +that he had to think of himself first. But you have never had any +difficulties that should make you hard. You have more than you need, and +it would be unnatural of you not to think of others." + +When the two little girls entered the house the boy slipped in behind +them and secreted himself in a dark corner. He had not been there long +before he caught a glimpse of the shed key, which the farmer had thrust +into his coat pocket. + +"When the master of the house drives the children out, I'll take the key +and ran," he thought. + +But the children were not driven out and the boy crouched in the corner, +not knowing what he should do next. + +The mother talked long with her son, and while she was speaking he +stopped weeping. Gradually his features softened; he looked like another +person. All the while he was stroking the wasted old hand. + +"Now we may as well retire," said the old lady when she saw that he was +calm again. + +"No," he said, suddenly rising, "I cannot retire yet. There's a stranger +without whom I must shelter to-night!" + +He said nothing further, but quickly drew on his coat, lit the lantern +and went out. There were the same wind and chill without, but as he +stepped to the porch he began to sing softly. He wondered if the horse +would know him, and if he would be glad to come back to his old stable. + +As he crossed the house yard he heard a door slam. + +"That shed door has blown open again," he thought, and went over to +close it. + +A moment later he stood by the shed and was just going to shut the door, +when he heard a rustling within. + +The boy, who had watched his opportunity, had run directly to the shed, +where he left the animals, but they were no longer out in the rain: A +strong wind had long since thrown open the door and helped them to get a +roof over their heads. The patter which the master heard was occasioned +by the boy running into the shed. + +By the light of the lantern the man could see into the shed. The whole +floor was covered with sleeping cattle. There was no human being to be +seen; the animals were not bound, but were lying, here and there, in the +straw. + +He was enraged at the intrusion and began storming and shrieking to +rouse the sleepers and drive them out. But the creatures lay still and +would not let themselves be disturbed. The only one that rose was an old +horse that came slowly toward him. + +All of a sudden the man became silent. He recognized the beast by its +gait. He raised the lantern, and the horse came over and laid its head +on his shoulder. The master patted and stroked it. + +"My old horsy, my old horsy!" he said. "What have they done to you? Yes, +dear, I'll buy you back. You'll never again have to leave this place. +You shall do whatever you like, horsy mine! Those whom you have brought +with you may remain here, but you shall come with me to the stable. Now +I can give you all the oats you are able to eat, without having to +smuggle them. And you're not all used up, either! The handsomest horse +on the church knoll--that's what you shall be once more! There, there! +There, there!" + + +THE BREAKING UP OF THE ICE + + +_Thursday, April twenty-eighth_. + +The following day the weather was clear and beautiful. There was a +strong west wind; people were glad of that, for it dried up the roads, +which had been soaked by the heavy rains of the day before. + +Early in the morning the two SmÃ¥land children, Osa, the goose girl, and +little Mats, were out on the highway leading from Sörmland to Närke. The +road ran alongside the southern shore of Hjälmar Lake and the children +were walking along looking at the ice, which covered the greater part of +it. The morning sun darted its clear rays upon the ice, which did not +look dark and forbidding, like most spring ice, but sparkled temptingly. +As far as they could see, the ice was firm and dry. The rain had run +down into cracks and hollows, or been absorbed by the ice itself. The +children saw only the sound ice. + +Osa, the goose girl, and little Mats were on their way North, and they +could not help thinking of all the steps they would be saved if they +could cut straight across the lake instead of going around it. They +knew, to be sure, that spring ice is treacherous, but this looked +perfectly secure. They could see that it was several inches thick near +the shore. They saw a path which they might follow, and the opposite +shore appeared to be so near that they ought to be able to get there in +an hour. + +"Come, let's try!" said little Mats. "If we only look before us, so that +we don't go down into some hole, we can do it." + +So they went out on the lake. The ice was not very slippery, but rather +easy to walk upon. There was more water on it than they expected to see, +and here and there were cracks, where the water purled up. One had to +watch out for such places; but that was easy to do in broad daylight, +with the sun shining. + +The children advanced rapidly, and talked only of how sensible they were +to have gone out on the ice instead of tramping the slushy road. + +When they had been walking a while they came to Vin Island, where an old +woman had sighted them from her window. She rushed from her cabin, waved +them back, and shouted something which they could not hear. They +understood perfectly well that she was warning them not to come any +farther; but they thought there was no immediate danger. It would be +stupid for them to leave the ice when all was going so well! + +Therefore they went on past Vin Island and had a stretch of seven miles +of ice ahead of them. + +Out there was so much water that the children were obliged to take +roundabout ways; but that was sport to them. They vied with each other +as to which could find the soundest ice. They were neither tired nor +hungry. The whole day was before them, and they laughed at each obstacle +they met. + +Now and then they cast a glance ahead at the farther shore. It still +appeared far away, although they had been walking a good hour. They were +rather surprised that the lake was so broad. + +"The shore seems to be moving farther away from us," little Mats +observed. + +Out there the children were not protected against the wind, which was +becoming stronger and stronger every minute, and was pressing their +clothing so close to their bodies that they could hardly go on. The cold +wind was the first disagreeable thing they had met with on the journey. + +But the amazing part of it was that the wind came sweeping along with a +loud roar--as if it brought with it the noise of a large mill or +factory, though nothing of the kind was to be found out there on the +ice. They had walked to the west of the big island, Valen; now they +thought they were nearing the north shore. Suddenly the wind began to +blow more and more, while the loud roaring increased so rapidly that +they began to feel uneasy. + +All at once it occurred to them that the roar was caused by the foaming +and rushing of the waves breaking against a shore. Even this seemed +improbable, since the lake was still covered with ice. + +At all events, they paused and looked about. They noticed far in the +west a white bank which stretched clear across the lake. At first they +thought it was a snowbank alongside a road. Later they realized it was +the foam-capped waves dashing against the ice! They took hold of hands +and ran without saying a word. Open sea lay beyond in the west, and +suddenly the streak of foam appeared to be moving eastward. They +wondered if the ice was going to break all over. What was going to +happen? They felt now that they were in great danger. + +All at once it seemed as if the ice under their feet rose--rose and +sank, as if some one from below were pushing it. Presently they heard a +hollow boom, and then there were cracks in the ice all around them. The +children could see how they crept along under the ice-covering. + +The next moment all was still, then the rising and sinking began again. +Thereupon the cracks began to widen into crevices through which the +water bubbled up. By and by the crevices became gaps. Soon after that +the ice was divided into large floes. + +"Osa," said little Mats, "this must be the breaking up of the ice!" + +"Why, so it is, little Mats," said Osa, "but as yet we can get to land. +Run for your life!" + +As a matter of fact, the wind and waves had a good deal of work to do +yet to clear the ice from the lake. The hardest part was done when the +ice-cake burst into pieces, but all these pieces must be broken and +hurled against each other, to be crushed, worn down, and dissolved. +There was still a great deal of hard and sound ice left, which formed +large, unbroken surfaces. + +The greatest danger for the children lay in the fact that they had no +general view of the ice. They did not see the places where the gaps were +so wide that they could not possibly jump over them, nor did they know +where to find any floes that would hold them, so they wandered aimlessly +back and forth, going farther out on the lake instead of nearer land. At +last, confused and terrified, they stood still and wept. + +Then a flock of wild geese in rapid flight came rushing by. They +shrieked loudly and sharply; but the strange thing was that above the +geese-cackle the little children heard these words: + +"You must go to the right, the right, the right!" They began at once to +follow the advice; but before long they were again standing irresolute, +facing another broad gap. + +Again they heard the geese shrieking above them, and again, amid the +geese-cackle, they distinguished a few words: + +"Stand where you are! Stand where you are!" + +The children did not say a word to each other, but obeyed and stood +still. Soon after that the ice-floes floated together, so that they +could cross the gap. Then they took hold of hands again and ran. They +were afraid not only of the peril, but of the mysterious help that had +come to them. + +Soon they had to stop again, and immediately the sound of the voice +reached them. + +"Straight ahead, straight ahead!" it said. + +This leading continued for about half an hour; by that time they had +reached Ljunger Point, where they left the ice and waded to shore. They +were still terribly frightened, even though they were on firm land. They +did not stop to look back at the lake--where the waves were pitching the +ice-floes faster and faster--but ran on. When they had gone a short +distance along the point, Osa paused suddenly. + +"Wait here, little Mats," she said; "I have forgotten something." + +Osa, the goose girl, went down to the strand again, where she stopped to +rummage in her bag. Finally she fished out a little wooden shoe, which +she placed on a stone where it could be plainly seen. Then she ran to +little Mats without once looking back. + +But the instant her back was turned, a big white goose shot down from +the sky, like a streak of lightning, snatched the wooden shoe, and flew +away with it. + + +THUMBIETOT AND THE BEARS + + +THE IRONWORKS + +_Thursday, April twenty-eighth_. + +When the wild geese and Thumbietot had helped Osa, the goose girl, and +little Mats across the ice, they flew into Westmanland, where they +alighted in a grain field to feed and rest. + +A strong west wind blew almost the entire day on which the wild geese +travelled over the mining districts, and as soon as they attempted to +direct their course northward they were buffeted toward the east. Now, +Akka thought that Smirre Fox was at large in the eastern part of the +province; therefore she would not fly in that direction, but turned +back, time and again, struggling westward with great difficulty. At this +rate the wild geese advanced very slowly, and late in the afternoon they +were still in the Westmanland mining districts. Toward evening the wind +abated suddenly, and the tired travellers hoped that they would have an +interval of easy flight before sundown. Then along came a violent gust +of wind, which tossed the geese before it, like balls, and the boy, who +was sitting comfortably, with no thought of peril, was lifted from the +goose's back and hurled into space. + +Little and light as he was, he could not fall straight to the ground in +such a wind; so at first he was carried along with it, drifting down +slowly and spasmodically, as a leaf falls from a tree. + +"Why, this isn't so bad!" thought the boy as he fell. "I'm tumbling as +easily as if I were only a scrap of paper. Morten Goosey-Gander will +doubtless hurry along and pick me up." + +The first thing the boy did when he landed was to tear off his cap and +wave it, so that the big white gander should see where he was. + +"Here am I, where are you? Here am I, where are you?" he called, and was +rather surprised that Morten Goosey-Gander was not already at his side. + +But the big white gander was not to be seen, nor was the wild goose +flock outlined against the sky. It had entirely disappeared. + +He thought this rather singular, but he was neither worried nor +frightened. Not for a second did it occur to him that folk like Akka and +Morten Goosey-Gander would abandon him. The unexpected gust of wind had +probably borne them along with it. As soon as they could manage to turn, +they would surely come back and fetch him. + +But what was this? Where on earth was he anyway? He had been standing +gazing toward the sky for some sign of the geese, but now he happened to +glance about him. He had not come down on even ground, but had dropped +into a deep, wide mountain cave--or whatever it might be. It was as +large as a church, with almost perpendicular walls on all four sides, +and with no roof at all. On the ground were some huge rocks, between +which moss and lignon-brush and dwarfed birches grew. Here and there in +the wall were projections, from which swung rickety ladders. At one side +there was a dark passage, which apparently led far into the mountain. + +The boy had not been travelling over the mining districts a whole day +for nothing. He comprehended at once that the big cleft had been made by +the men who had mined ore in this place. + +"I must try and climb back to earth again," he thought, "otherwise I +fear that my companions won't find me!" + +He was about to go over to the wall when some one seized him from +behind, and he heard a gruff voice growl in his ear: "Who are you?" + +The boy turned quickly, and, in the confusion of the moment, he thought +he was facing a huge rock, covered with brownish moss. Then he noticed +that the rock had broad paws to walk with, a head, two eyes, and a +growling mouth. + +He could not pull himself together to answer, nor did the big beast +appear to expect it of him, for it knocked him down, rolled him back and +forth with its paws, and nosed him. It seemed just about ready to +swallow him, when it changed its mind and called: + +"Brumme and Mulle, come here, you cubs, and you shall have something +good to eat!" + +A pair of frowzy cubs, as uncertain on their feet and as woolly as +puppies, came tumbling along. + +"What have you got, Mamma Bear? May we see, oh, may we see?" shrieked +the cubs excitedly. + +"Oho! so I've fallen in with bears," thought the boy to himself. "Now +Smirre Fox won't have to trouble himself further to chase after me!" + +The mother bear pushed the boy along to the cubs. One of them nabbed him +quickly and ran off with him; but he did not bite hard. He was playful +and wanted to amuse himself awhile with Thumbietot before eating him. +The other cub was after the first one to snatch the boy for himself, and +as he lumbered along he managed to tumble straight down on the head of +the one that carried the boy. So the two cubs rolled over each other, +biting, clawing, and snarling. + +During the tussle the boy got loose, ran over to the wall, and started +to scale it. Then both cubs scurried after him, and, nimbly scaling the +cliff, they caught up with him and tossed him down on the moss, like a +ball. + +"Now I know how a poor little mousie fares when it falls into the cat's +claws," thought the boy. + +He made several attempts to get away. He ran deep down into the old +tunnel and hid behind the rocks and climbed the birches, but the cubs +hunted him out, go where he would. The instant they caught him they let +him go, so that he could run away again and they should have the fun of +recapturing him. + +At last the boy got so sick and tired of it all that he threw himself +down on the ground. + +"Run away," growled the cubs, "or we'll eat you up!" + +"You'll have to eat me then," said the boy, "for I can't run any more." + +Immediately both cubs rushed over to the mother bear and complained: + +"Mamma Bear, oh, Mamma Bear, he won't play any more." + +"Then you must divide him evenly between you," said Mother Bear. + +When the boy heard this he was so scared that he jumped up instantly and +began playing again. + +As it was bedtime, Mother Bear called to the cubs that they must come +now and cuddle up to her and go to sleep. They had been having such a +good time that they wished to continue their play next day; so they took +the boy between them and laid their paws over him. They did not want him +to move without waking them. They went to sleep immediately. The boy +thought that after a while he would try to steal away. But never in all +his life had he been so tumbled and tossed and hunted and rolled! And he +was so tired out that he too fell asleep. + +By and by Father Bear came clambering down the mountain wall. The boy +was wakened by his tearing away stone and gravel as he swung himself +into the old mine. The boy was afraid to move much; but he managed to +stretch himself and turn over, so that he could see the big bear. He was +a frightfully coarse, huge old beast, with great paws, large, glistening +tusks, and wicked little eyes! The boy could not help shuddering as he +looked at this old monarch of the forest. + +"It smells like a human being around here," said Father Bear the instant +he came up to Mother Bear, and his growl was as the rolling of thunder. + +"How can you imagine anything so absurd?" said Mother Bear without +disturbing herself. "It has been settled for good and all that we are +not to harm mankind any more; but if one of them were to put in an +appearance here, where the cubs and I have our quarters, there wouldn't +be enough left of him for you to catch even a scent of him!" + +Father Bear lay down beside Mother Bear. "You ought to know me well +enough to understand that I don't allow anything dangerous to come near +the cubs. Talk, instead, of what you have been doing. I haven't seen you +for a whole week!" + +"I've been looking about for a new residence," said Father Bear. "First +I went over to Vermland, to learn from our kinsmen at Ekshärad how they +fared in that country; but I had my trouble for nothing. There wasn't a +bear's den left in the whole forest." + +"I believe the humans want the whole earth to themselves," said Mother +Bear. "Even if we leave people and cattle in peace and live solely upon +lignon and insects and green things, we cannot remain unmolested in the +forest! I wonder where we could move to in order to live in peace?" + +"We've lived comfortably for many years in this pit," observed Father +Bear. "But I can't be content here now since the big noise-shop has been +built right in our neighbourhood. Lately I have been taking a look at +the land east of Dal River, over by Garpen Mountain. Old mine pits are +plentiful there, too, and other fine retreats. I thought it looked as if +one might be fairly protected against men--" + +The instant Father Bear said this he sat up and began to sniff. + +"It's extraordinary that whenever I speak of human beings I catch that +queer scent again," he remarked. + +"Go and see for yourself if you don't believe me!" challenged Mother +Bear. "I should just like to know where a human being could manage to +hide down here?" + +The bear walked all around the cave, and nosed. Finally he went back and +lay down without a word. + +"What did I tell you?" said Mother Bear. "But of course you think that +no one but yourself has any nose or ears!" + +"One can't be too careful, with such neighbours as we have," said Father +Bear gently. Then he leaped up with a roar. As luck would have it, one +of the cubs had moved a paw over to Nils Holgersson's face and the poor +little wretch could not breathe, but began to sneeze. It was impossible +for Mother Bear to keep Father Bear back any longer. He pushed the young +ones to right and left and caught sight of the boy before he had time to +sit up. + +He would have swallowed him instantly if Mother Bear had not cast +herself between them. + +"Don't touch him! He belongs to the cubs," she said. "They have had +such fun with him the whole evening that they couldn't bear to eat him +up, but wanted to save him until morning." + +Father Bear pushed Mother Bear aside. + +"Don't meddle with what you don't understand!" he roared. "Can't you +scent that human odour about him from afar? I shall eat him at once, or +he will play us some mean trick." + +He opened his jaws again; but meanwhile the boy had had time to think, +and, quick as a flash, he dug into his knapsack and brought forth some +matches--his sole weapon of defence--struck one on his leather breeches, +and stuck the burning match into the bear's open mouth. + +Father Bear snorted when he smelled the sulphur, and with that the flame +went out. The boy was ready with another match, but, curiously enough, +Father Bear did not repeat his attack. + +"Can you light many of those little blue roses?" asked Father Bear. + +"I can light enough to put an end to the whole forest," replied the boy, +for he thought that in this way he might be able to scare Father Bear. + +"Oh, that would be no trick for me!" boasted the boy, hoping that this +would make the bear respect him. + +"Good!" exclaimed the bear. "You shall render me a service. Now I'm very +glad that I did not eat you!" + +Father Bear carefully took the boy between his tusks and climbed up from +the pit. He did this with remarkable ease and agility, considering that +he was so big and heavy. As soon as he was up, he speedily made for the +woods. It was evident that Father Bear was created to squeeze through +dense forests. The heavy body pushed through the brushwood as a boat +does through the water. + +Father Bear ran along till he came to a hill at the skirt of the forest, +where he could see the big noise-shop. Here he lay down and placed the +boy in front of him, holding him securely between his forepaws. + +"Now look down at that big noise-shop!" he commanded. The great +ironworks, with many tall buildings, stood at the edge of a waterfall. +High chimneys sent forth dark clouds of smoke, blasting furnaces were in +full blaze, and light shone from all the windows and apertures. Within +hammers and rolling mills were going with such force that the air rang +with their clatter and boom. All around the workshops proper were +immense coal sheds, great slag heaps, warehouses, wood piles, and tool +sheds. Just beyond were long rows of workingmen's homes, pretty villas, +schoolhouses, assembly halls, and shops. But there all was quiet and +apparently everybody was asleep. The boy did not glance in that +direction, but gazed intently at the ironworks. The earth around them +was black; the sky above them was like a great fiery dome; the rapids, +white with foam, rushed by; while the buildings themselves were sending +out light and smoke, fire and sparks. It was the grandest sight the boy +had ever seen! + +"Surely you don't mean to say you can set fire to a place like that?" +remarked the bear doubtingly. + +The boy stood wedged between the beast's paws thinking the only thing +that might save him would be that the bear should have a high opinion of +his capability and power. + +"It's all the same to me," he answered with a superior air. "Big or +little, I can burn it down." + +"Then I'll tell you something," said Father Bear. "My forefathers lived +in this region from the time that the forests first sprang up. From +them I inherited hunting grounds and pastures, lairs and retreats, and +have lived here in peace all my life. In the beginning I wasn't troubled +much by the human kind. They dug in the mountains and picked up a little +ore down here, by the rapids; they had a forge and a furnace, but the +hammers sounded only a few hours during the day, and the furnace was not +fired more than two moons at a stretch. It wasn't so bad but that I +could stand it; but these last years, since they have built this +noise-shop, which keeps up the same racket both day and night, life here +has become intolerable. Formerly only a manager and a couple of +blacksmiths lived here, but now there are so many people that I can +never feel safe from them. I thought that I should have to move away, +but I have discovered something better!" + +The boy wondered what Father Bear had hit upon, but no opportunity was +afforded him to ask, as the bear took him between his tusks again and +lumbered down the hill. The boy could see nothing, but knew by the +increasing noise that they were approaching the rolling mills. + +Father Bear was well informed regarding the ironworks. He had prowled +around there on many a dark night, had observed what went on within, and +had wondered if there would never be any cessation of the work. He had +tested the walls with his paws and wished that he were only strong +enough to knock down the whole structure with a single blow. + +He was not easily distinguishable against the dark ground, and when, in +addition, he remained in the shadow of the walls, there was not much +danger of his being discovered. Now he walked fearlessly between the +workshops and climbed to the top of a slag heap. There he sat up on his +haunches, took the boy between his forepaws and held him up. + +"Try to look into the house!" he commanded. A strong current of air was +forced into a big cylinder which was suspended from the ceiling and +filled with molten iron. As this current rushed into the mess of iron +with an awful roar, showers of sparks of all colours spurted up in +bunches, in sprays, in long clusters! They struck against the wall and +came splashing down over the whole big room. Father Bear let the boy +watch the gorgeous spectacle until the blowing was over and the flowing +and sparkling red steel had been poured into ingot moulds. + +The boy was completely charmed by the marvellous display and almost +forgot that he was imprisoned between a bear's two paws. + +Father Bear let him look into the rolling mill. He saw a workman take a +short, thick bar of iron at white heat from a furnace opening and place +it under a roller. When the iron came out from under the roller, it was +flattened and extended. Immediately another workman seized it and placed +it beneath a heavier roller, which made it still longer and thinner. +Thus it was passed from roller to roller, squeezed and drawn out until, +finally, it curled along the floor, like a long red thread. + +But while the first bar of iron was being pressed, a second was taken +from the furnace and placed under the rollers, and when this was a +little along, a third was brought. Continuously fresh threads came +crawling over the floor, like hissing snakes. The boy was dazzled by the +iron. But he found it more splendid to watch the workmen who, +dexterously and delicately, seized the glowing snakes with their tongs +and forced them under the rollers. It seemed like play for them to +handle the hissing iron. + +"I call that real man's work!" the boy remarked to himself. + +The bear then let the boy have a peep at the furnace and the forge, and +he became more and more astonished as he saw how the blacksmiths handled +iron and fire. + +"Those men have no fear of heat and flames," he thought. The workmen +were sooty and grimy. He fancied they were some sort of firefolk--that +was why they could bend and mould the iron as they wished. He could not +believe that they were just ordinary men, since they had such power! + +"They keep this up day after day, night after night," said Father Bear, +as he dropped wearily down on the ground. "You can understand that one +gets rather tired of that kind of thing. I'm mighty glad that at last I +can put an end to it!" + +"Indeed!" said the boy. "How will you go about it?" + +"Oh, I thought that you were going to set fire to the buildings!" said +Father Bear. "That would put an end to all this work, and I could remain +in my old home." + +The boy was all of a shiver. + +So it was for this that Father Bear had brought him here! + +"If you will set fire to the noise-works, I'll promise to spare your +life," said Father Bear. "But if you don't do it, I'll make short work +of you!" The huge workshops were built of brick, and the boy was +thinking to himself that Father Bear could command as much as he liked, +it was impossible to obey him. Presently he saw that it might not be +impossible after all. Just beyond them lay a pile of chips and shavings +to which he could easily set fire, and beside it was a wood pile that +almost reached the coal shed. The coal shed extended over to the +workshops, and if that once caught fire, the flames would soon fly over +to the roof of the iron foundry. Everything combustible would burn, the +walls would fall from the heat, and the machinery would be destroyed. +"Will you or won't you?" demanded Father Bear. The boy knew that he +ought to answer promptly that he would not, but he also knew that then +the bear's paws would squeeze him to death; therefore he replied: + +"I shall have to think it over." + +"Very well, do so," assented Father Bear. "Let me say to you that iron +is the thing that has given men the advantage over us bears, which is +another reason for my wishing to put an end to the work here." + +The boy thought he would use the delay to figure out some plan of +escape, but he was so worried he could not direct his thoughts where he +would; instead he began to think of the great help that iron had been to +mankind. They needed iron for everything. There was iron in the plough +that broke up the field, in the axe that felled the tree for building +houses, in the scythe that mowed the grain, and in the knife, which +could be turned to all sorts of uses. There was iron in the horse's bit, +in the lock on the door, in the nails that held furniture together, in +the sheathing that covered the roof. The rifle which drove away wild +beasts was made of iron, also the pick that had broken up the mine. Iron +covered the men-of-war he had seen at Karlskrona; the locomotives +steamed through the country on iron rails; the needle that had stitched +his coat was of iron; the shears that clipped the sheep and the kettle +that cooked the food. Big and little alike--much that was indispensable +was made from iron. Father Bear was perfectly right in saying that it +was the iron that had given men their mastery over the bears. + +"Now will you or won't you?" Father Bear repeated. + +The boy was startled from his musing. Here he stood thinking of matters +that were entirely unnecessary, and had not yet found a way to save +himself! + +"You mustn't be so impatient," he said. "This is a serious matter for +me, and I've got to have time to consider." + +"Well, then, consider another moment," said Father Bear. "But let me +tell you that it's because of the iron that men have become so much +wiser than we bears. For this alone, if for nothing else, I should like +to put a stop to the work here." + +Again the boy endeavoured to think out a plan of escape, but his +thoughts wandered, willy nilly. They were taken up with the iron. And +gradually he began to comprehend how much thinking and calculating men +must have done before they discovered how to produce iron from ore, and +he seemed to see sooty blacksmiths of old bending over the forge, +pondering how they should properly handle it. Perhaps it was because +they had thought so much about the iron that intelligence had been +developed in mankind, until finally they became so advanced that they +were able to build great works like these. The fact was that men owed +more to the iron than they themselves knew. + +"Well, what say you? Will you or won't you?" insisted Father Bear. + +The boy shrank back. Here he stood thinking needless thoughts, and had +no idea as to what he should do to save himself. + +"It's not such an easy matter to decide as you think," he answered. "You +must give me time for reflection." + +"I can wait for you a little longer," said Father Bear. "But after that +you'll get no more grace. You must know that it's the fault of the iron +that the human kind can live here on the property of the bears. And now +you understand why I would be rid of the work." + +The boy meant to use the last moment to think out some way to save +himself, but, anxious and distraught as he was, his thoughts wandered +again. Now he began thinking of all that he had seen when he flew over +the mining districts. It was strange that there should be so much life +and activity and so much work back there in the wilderness. + +"Just think how poor and desolate this place would be had there been no +iron here! + +"This very foundry gave employment to many, and had gathered around it +many homes filled with people, who, in turn, had attracted hither +railways and telegraph wires and--" + +"Come, come!" growled the bear. "Will you or won't you?" + +The boy swept his hand across his forehead. No plan of escape had as yet +come to his mind, but this much he knew--he did not wish to do any harm +to the iron, which was so useful to rich and poor alike, and which gave +bread to so many people in this land. + +"I won't!" he said. + +Father Bear squeezed him a little harder, but said nothing. + +"You'll not get me to destroy the ironworks!" defied the boy. "The iron +is so great a blessing that it will never do to harm it." + +"Then of course you don't expect to be allowed to live very long?" said +the bear. + +"No, I don't expect it," returned the boy, looking the bear straight in +the eye. + +Father Bear gripped him still harder. It hurt so that the boy could not +keep the tears back, but he did not cry out or say a word. + +"Very well, then," said Father Bear, raising his paw very slowly, hoping +that the boy would give in at the last moment. + +But just then the boy heard something click very close to them, and saw +the muzzle of a rifle two paces away. Both he and Father Bear had been +so engrossed in their own affairs they had not observed that a man had +stolen right upon them. + +"Father Bear! Don't you hear the clicking of a trigger?" cried the boy. +"Run, or you'll be shot!" + +Father Bear grew terribly hurried. However, he allowed himself time +enough to pick up the boy and carry him along. As he ran, a couple of +shots sounded, and the bullets grazed his ears, but, luckily, he +escaped. + +The boy thought, as he was dangling from the bear's mouth, that never +had he been so stupid as he was to-night. If he had only kept still, the +bear would have been shot, and he himself would have been freed. But he +had become so accustomed to helping the animals that he did it +naturally, and as a matter of course. + +When Father Bear had run some distance into the woods, he paused and set +the boy down on the ground. + +"Thank you, little one!" he said. "I dare say those bullets would have +caught me if you hadn't been there. And now I want to do you a service +in return. If you should ever meet with another bear, just say to him +this--which I shall whisper to you--and he won't touch you." + +Father Bear whispered a word or two into the boy's ear and hurried away, +for he thought he heard hounds and hunters pursuing him. + +The boy stood in the forest, free and unharmed, and could hardly +understand how it was possible. + +The wild geese had been flying back and forth the whole evening, peering +and calling, but they had been unable to find Thumbietot. They searched +long after the sun had set, and, finally, when it had grown so dark that +they were forced to alight somewhere for the night, they were very +downhearted. There was not one among them but thought the boy had been +killed by the fall and was lying dead in the forest, where they could +not see him. + +But the next morning, when the sun peeped over the hills and awakened +the wild geese, the boy lay sleeping, as usual, in their midst. When he +woke and heard them shrieking and cackling their astonishment, he could +not help laughing. + +They were so eager to know what had happened to him that they did not +care to go to breakfast until he had told them the whole story. The boy +soon narrated his entire adventure with the bears, but after that he +seemed reluctant to continue. + +"How I got back to you perhaps you already know?" he said. + +"No, we know nothing. We thought you were killed." + +"That's curious!" remarked the boy. "Oh, yes!--when Father Bear left me +I climbed up into a pine and fell asleep. At daybreak I was awakened by +an eagle hovering over me. He picked me up with his talons and carried +me away. He didn't hurt me, but flew straight here to you and dropped me +down among you." + +"Didn't he tell you who he was?" asked the big white gander. + +"He was gone before I had time even to thank him. I thought that Mother +Akka had sent him after me." + +"How extraordinary!" exclaimed the white goosey-gander. "But are you +certain that it was an eagle?" + +"I had never before seen an eagle," said the boy, "but he was so big +and splendid that I can't give him a lowlier name!" + +Morten Goosey-Gander turned to the wild geese to hear what they thought +of this; but they stood gazing into the air, as though they were +thinking of something else. + +"We must not forget entirely to eat breakfast today," said Akka, quickly +spreading her wings. + + +THE FLOOD + + +THE SWANS + +_May first to fourth_. + +There was a terrible storm raging in the district north of Lake Mälar, +which lasted several days. The sky was a dull gray, the wind whistled, +and the rain beat. Both people and animals knew the spring could not be +ushered in with anything short of this; nevertheless they thought it +unbearable. + +After it had been raining for a whole day, the snowdrifts in the pine +forests began to melt in earnest, and the spring brooks grew lively. All +the pools on the farms, the standing water in the ditches, the water +that oozed between the tufts in marshes and swamps--all were in motion +and tried to find their way to creeks, that they might be borne along to +the sea. + +The creeks rushed as fast as possible down to the rivers, and the rivers +did their utmost to carry the water to Lake Mälar. + +All the lakes and rivers in Uppland and the mining district quickly +threw off their ice covers on one and the same day, so that the creeks +filled with ice-floes which rose clear up to their banks. + +Swollen as they were, they emptied into Lake Mälar, and it was not long +before the lake had taken in as much water as it could well hold. Down +by the outlet was a raging torrent. Norrström is a narrow channel, and +it could not let out the water quickly enough. Besides, there was a +strong easterly wind that lashed against the land, obstructing the +stream when it tried to carry the fresh water into the East Sea. Since +the rivers kept running to Mälaren with more water than it could dispose +of, there was nothing for the big lake to do but overflow its banks. + +It rose very slowly, as if reluctant to injure its beautiful shores; but +as they were mostly low and gradually sloping, it was not long before +the water had flooded several acres of land, and that was enough to +create the greatest alarm. + +Lake Mälar is unique in its way, being made up of a succession of narrow +fiords, bays, and inlets. In no place does it spread into a storm +centre, but seems to have been created only for pleasure trips, yachting +tours, and fishing. Nowhere does it present barren, desolate, wind-swept +shores. It looks as if it never thought that its shores could hold +anything but country seats, summer villas, manors, and amusement +resorts. But, because it usually presents a very agreeable and friendly +appearance, there is all the more havoc whenever it happens to drop its +smiling expression in the spring, and show that it can be serious. + +At that critical time Smirre Fox happened to come sneaking through a +birch grove just north of Lake Mälar. As usual, he was thinking of +Thumbietot and the wild geese, and wondering how he should ever find +them again. He had lost all track of them. + +As he stole cautiously along, more discouraged than usual, he caught +sight of Agar, the carrier-pigeon, who had perched herself on a birch +branch. + +"My, but I'm in luck to run across you, Agar!" exclaimed Smirre. "Maybe +you can tell me where Akka from Kebnekaise and her flock hold forth +nowadays?" + +"It's quite possible that I know where they are," Agar hinted, "but I'm +not likely to tell you!" + +"Please yourself!" retorted Smirre. "Nevertheless, you can take a +message that I have for them. You probably know the present condition of +Lake Mälar? There's a great overflow down there and all the swans who +live in Hjälsta Bay are about to see their nests, with all their eggs, +destroyed. Daylight, the swan-king, has heard of the midget who travels +with the wild geese and knows a remedy for every ill. He has sent me to +ask Akka if she will bring Thumbietot down to Hjälsta Bay." + +"I dare say I can convey your message," Agar replied, "but I can't +understand how the little boy will be able to help the swans." + +"Nor do I," said Smirre, "but he can do almost everything, it seems." + +"It's surprising to me that Daylight should send his messages by a fox," +Agar remarked. + +"Well, we're not exactly what you'd call good friends," said Smirre +smoothly, "but in an emergency like this we must help each other. +Perhaps it would be just as well not to tell Akka that you got the +message from a fox. Between you and me, she's inclined to be a little +suspicious." + +The safest refuge for water-fowl in the whole Mälar district is Hjälsta +Bay. It has low shores, shallow water and is also covered with reeds. + +It is by no means as large as Lake TÃ¥kern, but nevertheless Hjälsta is a +good retreat for birds, since it has long been forbidden territory to +hunters. + +It is the home of a great many swans, and the owner of the old castle +nearby has prohibited all shooting on the bay, so that they might be +unmolested. + +As soon as Akka received word that the swans needed her help, she +hastened down to Hjälsta Bay. She arrived with her flock one evening and +saw at a glance that there had been a great disaster. The big swans' +nests had been torn away, and the strong wind was driving them down the +bay. Some had already fallen apart, two or three had capsized, and the +eggs lay at the bottom of the lake. + +When Akka alighted on the bay, all the swans living there were gathered +near the eastern shore, where they were protected from the wind. + +Although they had suffered much by the flood, they were too proud to let +any one see it. + +"It is useless to cry," they said. "There are plenty of root-fibres and +stems here; we can soon build new nests." + +None had thought of asking a stranger to help them, and the swans had no +idea that Smirre Fox had sent for the wild geese! + +There were several hundred swans resting on the water. They had placed +themselves according to rank and station. The young and inexperienced +were farthest out, the old and wise nearer the middle of the group, and +right in the centre sat Daylight, the swan-king, and Snow-White, the +swan-queen, who were older than any of the others and regarded the rest +of the swans as their children. + +The geese alighted on the west shore of the bay; but when Akka saw where +the swans were, she swam toward them at once. She was very much +surprised at their having sent for her, but she regarded it as an honour +and did not wish to lose a moment in coming to their aid. + +As Akka approached the swans she paused to see if the geese who followed +her swam in a straight line, and at even distances apart. + +"Now, swim along quickly!" she ordered. "Don't stare at the swans as if +you had never before seen anything beautiful, and don't mind what they +may say to you!" + +This was not the first time that Akka had called on the aristocratic +swans. They had always received her in a manner befitting a great +traveller like herself. + +But still she did not like the idea of swimming in among them. She never +felt so gray and insignificant as when she happened upon swans. One or +another of them was sure to drop a remark about "common gray-feathers" +and "poor folk." But it is always best to take no notice of such things. + +This time everything passed off uncommonly well. The swans politely made +way for the wild geese, who swam forward through a kind of passageway, +which formed an avenue bordered by shimmering, white birds. + +It was a beautiful sight to watch them as they spread their wings, like +sails, to appear well before the strangers. They refrained from making +comments, which rather surprised Akka. + +Evidently Daylight had noted their misbehaviour in the past and had told +the swans that they must conduct themselves in a proper manner--so +thought the leader-goose. + +But just as the swans were making an effort to observe the rules of +etiquette, they caught sight of the goosey-gander, who swam last in the +long goose-line. Then there was a murmur of disapproval, even of +threats, among the swans, and at once there was an end to their good +deportment! + +"What's this?" shrieked one. "Do the wild geese intend to dress up in +white feathers?" + +"They needn't think that will make swans of them," cried another. + +They began shrieking--one louder than another--in their strong, resonant +voices. It was impossible to explain that a tame goosey-gander had come +with the wild geese. + +"That must be the goose-king himself coming along," they said +tauntingly. "There's no limit to their audacity!" + +"That's no goose, it's only a tame duck." + +The big white gander remembered Akka's admonition to pay no attention, +no matter what he might hear. He kept quiet and swam ahead as fast he +could, but it did no good. The swans became more and more impertinent. + +"What kind of a frog does he carry on his back?" asked one. "They must +think we don't see it's a frog because it is dressed like a human +being." + +The swans, who but a moment before had been resting in such perfect +order, now swam up and down excitedly. All tried to crowd forward to get +a glimpse of the white wild goose. + +"That white goosey-gander ought to be ashamed to come here and parade +before swans!" + +"He's probably as gray as the rest of them. He has only been in a flour +barrel at some farm house!" + +Akka had just come up to Daylight and was about to ask him what kind of +help he wanted of her, when the swan-king noticed the uproar among the +swans. + +"What do I see? Haven't I taught you to be polite to strangers?" he said +with a frown. + +Snow-White, the swan-queen, swam out to restore order among her +subjects, and again Daylight turned to Akka. + +Presently Snow-White came back, appearing greatly agitated. + +"Can't you keep them quiet?" shouted Daylight. + +"There's a white wild goose over there," answered Snow-White. "Is it not +shameful? I don't wonder they are furious!" + +"A white wild goose?" scoffed Daylight. "That's too ridiculous! There +can't be such a thing. You must be mistaken." + +The crowds around Morten Goosey-Gander grew larger and larger. Akka and +the other wild geese tried to swim over to him, but were jostled hither +and thither and could not get to him. + +The old swan-king, who was the strongest among them, swam off quickly, +pushed all the others aside, and made his way over to the big white +gander. But when he saw that there really was a white goose on the +water, he was just as indignant as the rest. + +He hissed with rage, flew straight at Morten Goosey-Gander and tore out +a few feathers. + +"I'll teach you a lesson, wild goose," he shrieked, "so that you'll not +come again to the swans, togged out in this way!" + +"Fly, Morten Goosey-Gander! Fly, fly!" cried Akka, for she knew that +otherwise the swans would pull out every feather the goosey-gander had. + +"Fly, fly!" screamed Thumbietot, too. + +But the goosey-gander was so hedged in by the swans that he had not +room enough to spread his wings. All around him the swans stretched +their long necks, opened their strong bills, and plucked his feathers. + +Morten Goosey-Gander defended himself as best he could, by striking and +biting. The wild geese also began to fight the swans. + +It was obvious how this would have ended had the geese not received help +quite unexpectedly. + +A red-tail noticed that they were being roughly treated by the swans. +Instantly he cried out the shrill call that little birds use when they +need help to drive off a hawk or a falcon. + +Three calls had barely sounded when all the little birds in the vicinity +came shooting down to Hjälsta Bay, as if on wings of lightning. + +These delicate little creatures swooped down upon the swans, screeched +in their ears, and obstructed their view with the flutter of their tiny +wings. They made them dizzy with their fluttering and drove them to +distraction with their cries of "Shame, shame, swans!" + +The attack of the small birds lasted but a moment. When they were gone +and the swans came to their senses, they saw that the geese had risen +and flown over to the other end of the bay. + +THE NEW WATCH-DOG + +There was this at least to be said in the swans' favour--when they saw +that the wild geese had escaped, they were too proud to chase them. +Moreover, the geese could stand on a clump of reeds with perfect +composure, and sleep. + +Nils Holgersson was too hungry to sleep. + +"It is necessary for me to get something to eat," he said. + +At that time, when all kinds of things were floating on the water, it +was not difficult for a little boy like Nils Holgersson to find a craft. +He did not stop to deliberate, but hopped down on a stump that had +drifted in amongst the reeds. Then he picked up a little stick and began +to pole toward shore. + +Just as he was landing, he heard a splash in the water. He stopped +short. First he saw a lady swan asleep in her big nest quite close to +him, then he noticed that a fox had taken a few steps into the water and +was sneaking up to the swan's nest. + +"Hi, hi, hi! Get up, get up!" cried the boy, beating the water with his +stick. + +The lady swan rose, but not so quickly but that the fox could have +pounced upon her had he cared to. However, he refrained and instead +hurried straight toward the boy. + +Thumbietot saw the fox coming and ran for his life. + +Wide stretches of meadow land spread before him. He saw no tree that he +could climb, no hole where he might hide; he just had to keep running. + +The boy was a good runner, but it stands to reason that he could not +race with a fox! + +Not far from the bay there were a number of little cabins, with candle +lights shining through the windows. Naturally the boy ran in that +direction, but he realized that long before he could reach the nearest +cabin the fox would catch up to him. + +Once the fox was so close that it looked as if the boy would surely be +his prey, but Nils quickly sprang aside and turned back toward the bay. +By that move the fox lost time, and before he could reach the boy the +latter had run up to two men who were on their way home from work. + +The men were tired and sleepy; they had noticed neither boy nor fox, +although both had been running right in front of them. Nor did the boy +ask help of the men; he was content to walk close beside them. + +"Surely the fox won't venture to come up to the men," he thought. + +But presently the fox came pattering along. He probably counted on the +men taking him for a dog, for he went straight up to them. + +"Whose dog can that be sneaking around here?" queried one. "He looks as +though he were ready to bite." + +The other paused and glanced back. + +"Go along with you!" he said, and gave the fox a kick that sent it to +the opposite side of the road. "What are you doing here?" + +After that the fox kept at a safe distance, but followed all the while. + +Presently the men reached a cabin and entered it. The boy intended to go +in with them; but when he got to the stoop he saw a big, shaggy +watch-dog rush out from his kennel to greet his master. Suddenly the boy +changed his mind and remained out in the open. + +"Listen, watch-dog!" whispered the boy as soon as the men had shut the +door. "I wonder if you would like to help me catch a fox to-night?" + +The dog had poor eyesight and had become irritable and cranky from being +chained. + +"What, I catch a fox?" he barked angrily. "Who are you that makes fun of +me? You just come within my reach and I'll teach you not to fool with +me!" + +"You needn't think that I'm afraid to come near you!" said the boy, +running up to the dog. + +When the dog saw him he was so astonished that he could not speak. + +"I'm the one they call Thumbietot, who travels with the wild geese," +said the boy, introducing himself. "Haven't you heard of me?" + +"I believe the sparrows have twittered a little about you," the dog +returned. "They say that you have done wonderful things for one of your +size." + +"I've been rather lucky up to the present," admitted the boy. "But now +it's all up with me unless you help me! There's a fox at my heels. He's +lying in wait for me around the corner." + +"Don't you suppose I can smell him?" retorted the dog. "But we'll soon +be rid of him!" With that the dog sprang as far as the chain would +allow, barking and growling for ever so long. "Now I don't think he will +show his face again to-night!" said the dog. + +"It will take something besides a fine bark to scare that fox!" the boy +remarked. "He'll soon be here again, and that is precisely what I wish, +for I have set my heart on your catching him." + +"Are you poking fun at me now?" asked the dog. + +"Only come with me into your kennel, and I'll tell you what to do." + +The boy and the watch-dog crept into the kennel and crouched there, +whispering. + +By and by the fox stuck his nose out from his hiding place. When all was +quiet he crept along cautiously. He scented the boy all the way to the +kennel, but halted at a safe distance and sat down to think of some way +to coax him out. + +Suddenly the watch-dog poked his head out and growled at him: + +"Go away, or I'll catch you!" + +"I'll sit here as long as I please for all of you!" defied the fox. + +"Go away!" repeated the dog threateningly, "or there will be no more +hunting for you after to-night." + +But the fox only grinned and did not move an inch. + +"I know how far your chain can reach," he said. + +"I have warned you twice," said the dog, coming out from his kennel. +"Now blame yourself!" + +With that the dog sprang at the fox and caught him without the least +effort, for he was loose. The boy had unbuckled his collar. + +There was a hot struggle, but it was soon over. The dog was the victor. +The fox lay on the ground and dared not move. + +"Don't stir or I'll kill you!" snarled the dog. Then he took the fox by +the scruff of the neck and dragged him to the kennel. There the boy was +ready with the chain. He placed the dog collar around the neck of the +fox, tightening it so that he was securely chained. During all this the +fox had to lie still, for he was afraid to move. + +"Now, Smirre Fox, I hope you'll make a good watch-dog," laughed the boy +when he had finished. + + +DUNFIN + + +THE CITY THAT FLOATS ON THE WATER + +_Friday, May sixth_. + +No one could be more gentle and kind than the little gray goose Dunfin. +All the wild geese loved her, and the tame white goosey-gander would +have died for her. When Dunfin asked for anything not even Akka could +say no. + +As soon as Dunfin came to Lake Mälar the landscape looked familiar to +her. Just beyond the lake lay the sea, with many wooded islands, and +there, on a little islet, lived her parents and her brothers and +sisters. She begged the wild geese to fly to her home before travelling +farther north, that she might let her family see that she was still +alive. It would be such a joy to them. + +Akka frankly declared that she thought Dunfin's parents and brothers and +sisters had shown no great love for her when they abandoned her at +Öland, but Dunfin would not admit that Akka was in the right. "What else +was there to do, when they saw that I could not fly?" she protested. +"Surely they couldn't remain at Öland on my account!" + +Dunfin began telling the wild geese all about her home in the +archipelago, to try to induce them to make the trip. Her family lived on +a rock island. Seen from a distance, there appeared to be nothing but +stone there; but when one came closer, there were to be found the +choicest goose tidbits in clefts and hollows, and one might search long +for better nesting places than those that were hidden in the mountain +crevices or among the osier bushes. But the best of all was the old +fisherman who lived there. Dunfin had heard that in his youth he had +been a great shot and had always lain in the offing and hunted birds. +But now, in his old age--since his wife had died and the children had +gone from home, so that he was alone in the hut--he had begun to care +for the birds on his island. He never fired a shot at them, nor would he +permit others to do so. He walked around amongst the birds' nests, and +when the mother birds were sitting he brought them food. Not one was +afraid of him. They all loved him. + +Dunfin had been in his hut many times, and he had fed her with bread +crumbs. Because he was kind to the birds, they flocked to his island in +such great numbers that it was becoming overcrowded. If one happened to +arrive a little late in the spring, all the nesting places were +occupied. That was why Dunfin's family had been obliged to leave her. + +Dunfin begged so hard that she finally had her way, although the wild +geese felt that they were losing time and really should be going +straight north. But a little trip like this to the cliff island would +not delay them more than a day. + +So they started off one morning, after fortifying themselves with a good +breakfast, and flew eastward over Lake Mälar. The boy did not know for +certain where they were going; but he noticed that the farther east they +flew, the livelier it was on the lake and the more built up were the +shores. + +Heavily freighted barges and sloops, boats and fishing smacks were on +their way east, and these were met and passed by many pretty white +steamers. Along the shores ran country roads and railway tracks--all in +the same direction. There was some place beyond in the east where all +wished to go to in the morning. + +On one of the islands the boy saw a big, white castle, and to the east +of it the shores were dotted with villas. At the start these lay far +apart, then they became closer and closer, and, presently, the whole +shore was lined with them. They were of every variety--here a castle, +there a cottage; then a low manor house appeared, or a mansion, with +many small towers. Some stood in gardens, but most of them were in the +wild woods which bordered the shores. Despite their dissimilarity, they +had one point of resemblance--they were not plain and sombre-looking, +like other buildings, but were gaudily painted in striking greens and +blues, reds and white, like children's playhouses. + +As the boy sat on the goose's back and glanced down at the curious shore +mansions, Dunfin cried out with delight: "Now I know where I am! Over +there lies the City that Floats on the Water." + +The boy looked ahead. At first he saw nothing but some light clouds and +mists rolling forward over the water, but soon he caught sight of some +tall spires, and then one and another house with many rows of windows. +They appeared and disappeared--rolling hither and thither--but not a +strip of shore did he see! Everything over there appeared to be resting +on the water. + +Nearer to the city he saw no more pretty playhouses along the +shores--only dingy factories. Great heaps of coal and wood were stacked +behind tall planks, and alongside black, sooty docks lay bulky freight +steamers; but over all was spread a shimmering, transparent mist, which +made everything appear so big and strong and wonderful that it was +almost beautiful. + +The wild geese flew past factories and freight steamers and were +nearing the cloud-enveloped spires. Suddenly all the mists sank to the +water, save the thin, fleecy ones that circled above their heads, +beautifully tinted in blues and pinks. The other clouds rolled over +water and land. They entirely obscured the lower portions of the houses: +only the upper stories and the roofs and gables were visible. Some of +the buildings appeared to be as high as the Tower of Babel. The boy no +doubt knew that they were built upon hills and mountains, but these he +did not see--only the houses that seemed to float among the white, +drifting clouds. In reality the buildings were dark and dingy, for the +sun in the east was not shining on them. + +The boy knew that he was riding above a large city, for he saw spires +and house roofs rising from the clouds in every direction. Sometimes an +opening was made in the circling mists, and he looked down into a +running, tortuous stream; but no land could he see. All this was +beautiful to look upon, but he felt quite distraught--as one does when +happening upon something one cannot understand. + +When he had gone beyond the city, he found that the ground was no longer +hidden by clouds, but that shores, streams, and islands were again +plainly visible. He turned to see the city better, but could not, for +now it looked quite enchanted. The mists had taken on colour from the +sunshine and were rolling forward in the most brilliant reds, blues, and +yellows. The houses were white, as if built of light, and the windows +and spires sparkled like fire. All things floated on the water as +before. + +The geese were travelling straight east. They flew over factories and +workshops; then over mansions edging the shores. Steamboats and tugs +swarmed on the water; but now they came from the east and were steaming +westward toward the city. + +The wild geese flew on, but instead of the narrow Mälar fiords and the +little islands, broader waters and larger islands spread under them. At +last the land was left behind and seen no more. + +They flew still farther out, where they found no more large inhabited +islands--only numberless little rock islands were scattered on the +water. Now the fiords were not crowded by the land. The sea lay before +them, vast and limitless. + +Here the wild geese alighted on a cliff island, and as soon as their +feet touched the ground the boy turned to Dunfin. + +"What city did we fly over just now?" he asked. + +"I don't know what human beings have named it," said Dunfin. "We gray +geese call it the 'City that Floats on the Water'." + +THE SISTERS + +Dunfin had two sisters, Prettywing and Goldeye. They were strong and +intelligent birds, but they did not have such a soft and shiny feather +dress as Dunfin, nor did they have her sweet and gentle disposition. +From the time they had been little, yellow goslings, their parents and +relatives and even the old fisherman had plainly shown them that they +thought more of Dunfin than of them. Therefore the sisters had always +hated her. + +When the wild geese landed on the cliff island, Prettywing and Goldeye +were feeding on a bit of grass close to the strand, and immediately +caught sight of the strangers. + +"See, Sister Goldeye, what fine-looking geese have come to our island!" +exclaimed Prettywing, "I have rarely seen such graceful birds. Do you +notice that they have a white goosey-gander among them? Did you ever set +eyes on a handsomer bird? One could almost take him for a swan!" + +Goldeye agreed with her sister that these were certainly very +distinguished strangers that had come to the island, but suddenly she +broke off and called: "Sister Prettywing! Oh, Sister Prettywing! Don't +you see whom they bring with them?" + +Prettywing also caught sight of Dunfin and was so astounded that she +stood for a long time with her bill wide open, and only hissed. + +"It can't be possible that it is she! How did she manage to get in with +people of that class? Why, we left her at Öland to freeze and starve." + +"The worse of it is she will tattle to father and mother that we flew +so close to her that we knocked her wing out of joint," said Goldeye. +"You'll see that it will end in our being driven from the island!" + +"We have nothing but trouble in store for us, now that that young one +has come back!" snapped Prettywing. "Still I think it would be best for +us to appear as pleased as possible over her return. She is so stupid +that perhaps she didn't even notice that we gave her a push on purpose." + +While Prettywing and Goldeye were talking in this strain, the wild geese +had been standing on the strand, pluming their feathers after the +flight. Now they marched in a long line up the rocky shore to the cleft +where Dunfin's parents usually stopped. + +Dunfin's parents were good folk. They had lived on the island longer +than any one else, and it was their habit to counsel and aid all +newcomers. They too had seen the geese approach, but they had not +recognized Dunfin in the flock. + +"It is strange to see wild geese land on this island," remarked the +goose-master. "It is a fine flock--that one can see by their flight." + +"But it won't be easy to find pasturage for so many," said the +goose-wife, who was gentle and sweet-tempered, like Dunfin. + +When Akka came marching with her company, Dunfin's parents went out to +meet her and welcome her to the island. Dunfin flew from her place at +the end of the line and lit between her parents. + +"Mother and father, I'm here at last!" she cried joyously. "Don't you +know Dunfin?" + +At first the old goose-parents could not quite make out what they saw, +but when they recognized Dunfin they were absurdly happy, of course. + +While the wild geese and Morten Goosey-Gander and Dunfin were chattering +excitedly, trying to tell how she had been rescued, Prettywing and +Goldeye came running. They cried "_welcome"_ and pretended to be so +happy because Dunfin was at home that she was deeply moved. + +The wild geese fared well on the island and decided not to travel +farther until the following morning. After a while the sisters asked +Dunfin if she would come with them and see the places where they +intended to build their nests. She promptly accompanied them, and saw +that they had picked out secluded and well protected nesting places. + +"Now where will you settle down, Dunfin?" they asked. + +"I? Why I don't intend to remain on the island," she said. "I'm going +with the wild geese up to Lapland." + +"What a pity that you must leave us!" said the sisters. + +"I should have been very glad to remain here with father and mother and +you," said Dunfin, "had I not promised the big, white--" + +"What!" shrieked Prettywing. "Are you to have the handsome +goosey-gander? Then it is--" But here Goldeye gave her a sharp nudge, +and she stopped short. + +The two cruel sisters had much to talk about all the afternoon. They +were furious because Dunfin had a suitor like the white goosey-gander. +They themselves had suitors, but theirs were only common gray geese, +and, since they had seen Morten Goosey-Gander, they thought them so +homely and low-bred that they did not wish even to look at them. + +"This will grieve me to death!" whimpered Goldeye. "If at least it had +been you, Sister Prettywing, who had captured him!" + +"I would rather see him dead than to go about here the entire summer +thinking of Dunfin's capturing a white goosey-gander!" pouted +Prettywing. + +However, the sisters continued to appear very friendly toward Dunfin, +and in the afternoon Goldeye took Dunfin with her, that she might see +the one she thought of marrying. + +"He's not as attractive as the one you will have," said Goldeye. "But to +make up for it, one can be certain that he is what he is." + +"What do you mean, Goldeye?" questioned Dunfin. At first Goldeye would +not explain what she had meant, but at last she came out with it. + +"We have never seen a white goose travel with wild geese," said the +sister, "and we wonder if he can be bewitched." + +"You are very stupid," retorted Dunfin indignantly. "He is a tame goose, +of course." + +"He brings with him one who is bewitched," said Goldeye, "and, under the +circumstances, he too must be bewitched. Are you not afraid that he may +be a black cormorant?" She was a good talker and succeeded in +frightening Dunfin thoroughly. + +"You don't mean what you are saying," pleaded the little gray goose. +"You only wish to frighten me!" + +"I wish what is for your good, Dunfin," said Goldeye. "I can't imagine +anything worse than for you to fly away with a black cormorant! But now +I shall tell you something--try to persuade him to eat some of the roots +I have gathered here. If he is bewitched, it will be apparent at once. +If he is not, he will remain as he is." + +The boy was sitting amongst the wild geese, listening to Akka and the +old goose-master, when Dunfin came flying up to him. "Thumbietot, +Thumbietot!" she cried. "Morten Goosey-Gander is dying! I have killed +him!" + +"Let me get up on your back, Dunfin, and take me to him!" Away they +flew, and Akka and the other wild geese followed them. When they got to +the goosey-gander, he was lying prostrate on the ground. He could not +utter a word--only gasped for breath. + +"Tickle him under the gorge and slap him on the back!" commanded Akka. +The boy did so and presently the big, white gander coughed up a large, +white root, which had stuck in his gorge. "Have you been eating of +these?" asked Akka, pointing to some roots that lay on the ground. + +"Yes," groaned the goosey-gander. + +"Then it was well they stuck in your throat," said Akka, "for they are +poisonous. Had you swallowed them, you certainly should have died." + +"Dunfin bade me eat them," said the goosey-gander. + +"My sister gave them to me," protested Dunfin, and she told everything. + +"You must beware of those sisters of yours, Dunfin!" warned Akka, "for +they wish you no good, depend upon it!" + +But Dunfin was so constituted that she could not think evil of any one +and, a moment later, when Prettywing asked her to come and meet her +intended, she went with her immediately. + +"Oh, he isn't as handsome as yours," said the sister, "but he's much +more courageous and daring!" + +"How do you know he is?" challenged Dunfin. + +"For some time past there has been weeping and wailing amongst the sea +gulls and wild ducks on the island. Every morning at daybreak a strange +bird of prey comes and carries off one of them." + +"What kind of a bird is it?" asked Dunfin. + +"We don't know," replied the sister. "One of his kind has never before +been seen on the island, and, strange to say, he has never attacked one +of us geese. But now my intended has made up his mind to challenge him +to-morrow morning, and drive him away." + +"Oh, I hope he'll succeed!" said Dunfin. + +"I hardly think he will," returned the sister. "If my goosey-gander were +as big and strong as yours, I should have hope." + +"Do you wish me to ask Morten Goosey-Gander to meet the strange bird?" +asked Dunfin. + +"Indeed, I do!" exclaimed Prettywing excitedly. "You couldn't render me +a greater service." + +The next morning the goosey-gander was up before the sun. He stationed +himself on the highest point of the island and peered in all directions. +Presently he saw a big, dark bird coming from the west. His wings were +exceedingly large, and it was easy to tell that he was an eagle. The +goosey-gander had not expected a more dangerous adversary than an owl, +and how he understood that he could not escape this encounter with his +life. But it did not occur to him to avoid a struggle with a bird who +was many times stronger than himself. + +The great bird swooped down on a sea gull and dug his talons into it. +Before the eagle could spread his wings, Morten Goosey-Gander rushed up +to him. "Drop that!" he shouted, "and don't come here again or you'll +have me to deal with!" "What kind of a lunatic are you?" said the eagle. +"It's lucky for you that I never fight with geese, or you would soon be +done for!" + +Morten Goosey-Gander thought the eagle considered himself too good to +fight with him and flew at him, incensed, biting him on the throat and +beating him with his wings. This, naturally, the eagle would not +tolerate and he began to fight, but not with his full strength. + +The boy lay sleeping in the quarters where Akka and the other wild geese +slept, when Dunfin called: "Thumbietot, Thumbietot! Morten Goosey-Gander +is being torn to pieces by an eagle." + +"Let me get up on your back, Dunfin, and take me to him!" said the boy. + +When they arrived on the scene Morten Goosey-Gander was badly torn, and +bleeding, but he was still fighting. The boy could not battle with the +eagle; all that he could do was to seek more efficient help. + +"Hurry, Dunfin, and call Akka and the wild geese!" he cried. The instant +he said that, the eagle flew back and stopped fighting. + +"Who's speaking of Akka?" he asked. He saw Thumbietot and heard the wild +geese honking, so he spread his wings. + +"Tell Akka I never expected to run across her or any of her flock out +here in the sea!" he said, and soared away in a rapid and graceful +flight. + +"That is the self-same eagle who once brought me back to the wild +geese," the boy remarked, gazing after the bird in astonishment. + +The geese had decided to leave the island at dawn, but first they wanted +to feed awhile. As they walked about and nibbled, a mountain duck came +up to Dunfin. + +"I have a message for you from your sisters," said the duck. "They dare +not show themselves among the wild geese, but they asked me to remind +you not to leave the island without calling on the old fisherman." + +"That's so!" exclaimed Dunfin, but she was so frightened now that she +would not go alone, and asked the goosey-gander and Thumbietot to +accompany her to the hut. + +The door was open, so Dunfin entered, but the others remained outside. +After a moment they heard Akka give the signal to start, and called +Dunfin. A gray goose came out and flew with the wild geese away from the +island. + +They had travelled quite a distance along the archipelago when the boy +began to wonder at the goose who accompanied them. Dunfin always flew +lightly and noiselessly, but this one laboured with heavy and noisy +wing-strokes. "We are in the wrong company. It is Prettywing that +follows us!" + +The boy had barely spoken when the goose uttered such an ugly and angry +shriek that all knew who she was. Akka and the others turned to her, but +the gray goose did not fly away at once. Instead she bumped against the +big goosey-gander, snatched Thumbietot, and flew off with him in her +bill. + +There was a wild chase over the archipelago. Prettywing flew fast, but +the wild geese were close behind her, and there was no chance for her to +escape. + +Suddenly they saw a puff of smoke rise up from the sea, and heard an +explosion. In their excitement they had not noticed that they were +directly above a boat in which a lone fisherman was seated. + +However, none of the geese was hurt; but just there, above the boat, +Prettywing opened her bill and dropped Thumbietot into the sea. + + +STOCKHOLM + + +SKANSEN + +A few years ago, at Skansen--the great park just outside of Stockholm +where they have collected so many wonderful things--there lived a little +old man, named Clement Larsson. He was from Hälsingland and had come to +Skansen with his fiddle to play folk dances and other old melodies. As a +performer, he appeared mostly in the evening. During the day it was his +business to sit on guard in one of the many pretty peasant cottages +which have been moved to Skansen from all parts of the country. + +In the beginning Clement thought that he fared better in his old age +than he had ever dared dream; but after a time he began to dislike the +place terribly, especially while he was on watch duty. It was all very +well when visitors came into the cottage to look around, but some days +Clement would sit for many hours all alone. Then he felt so homesick +that he feared he would have to give up his place. He was very poor and +knew that at home he would become a charge on the parish. Therefore he +tried to hold out as long as he could, although he felt more unhappy +from day to day. + +One beautiful evening in the beginning of May Clement had been granted a +few hours' leave of absence. He was on his way down the steep hill +leading out of Skansen, when he met an island fisherman coming along +with his game bag. The fisherman was an active young man who came to +Skansen with seafowl that he had managed to capture alive. Clement had +met him before, many times. + +The fisherman stopped Clement to ask if the superintendent at Skansen +was at home. When Clement had replied, he, in turn, asked what choice +thing the fisherman had in his bag. "You can see what I have," the +fisherman answered, "if in return you will give me an idea as to what I +should ask for it." + +He held open the bag and Clement peeped into it once--and again--then +quickly drew back a step or two. "Good gracious, Ashbjörn!" he +exclaimed. "How did you catch that one?" + +He remembered that when he was a child his mother used to talk of the +tiny folk who lived under the cabin floor. He was not permitted to cry +or to be naughty, lest he provoke these small people. After he was grown +he believed his mother had made up these stories about the elves to make +him behave himself. But it had been no invention of his mother's, it +seemed; for there, in Ashbjörn's bag, lay one of the tiny folk. + +There was a little of the terror natural to childhood left in Clement, +and he felt a shudder run down his spinal column as he peeped into the +bag. Ashbjörn saw that he was frightened and began to laugh; but +Clement took the matter seriously. "Tell me, Ashbjörn, where you came +across him?" he asked. "You may be sure that I wasn't lying in wait for +him!" said Ashbjörn. "He came to me. I started out early this morning +and took my rifle along into the boat. I had just poled away from the +shore when I sighted some wild geese coming from the east, shrieking +like mad. I sent them a shot, but hit none of them. Instead this +creature came tumbling down into the water--so close to the boat that I +only had to put my hand out and pick him up." + +"I hope you didn't shoot him, Ashbjörn?" + +"Oh, no! He is well and sound; but when he came down, he was a little +dazed at first, so I took advantage of that fact to wind the ends of two +sail threads around his ankles and wrists, so that he couldn't run away. +'Ha! Here's something for Skansen,' I thought instantly." + +Clement grew strangely troubled as the fisherman talked. All that he had +heard about the tiny folk in his childhood--of their vindictiveness +toward enemies and their benevolence toward friends--came back to him. +It had never gone well with those who had attempted to hold one of them +captive. + +"You should have let him go at once, Ashbjörn," said Clement. + +"I came precious near being forced to set him free," returned the +fisherman. "You may as well know, Clement, that the wild geese followed +me all the way home, and they criss-crossed over the island the whole +morning, honk-honking as if they wanted him back. Not only they, but the +entire population--sea gulls, sea swallows, and many others who are not +worth a shot of powder, alighted on the island and made an awful racket. +When I came out they fluttered about me until I had to turn back. My +wife begged me to let him go, but I had made up my mind that he should +come here to Skansen, so I placed one of the children's dolls in the +window, hid the midget in the bottom of my bag, and started away. The +birds must have fancied that it was he who stood in the window, for they +permitted me to leave without pursuing me." + +"Does it say anything?" asked Clement. + +"Yes. At first he tried to call to the birds, but I wouldn't have it and +put a gag in his mouth." + +"Oh, Ashbjörn!" protested Clement. "How can you treat him so! Don't you +see that he is something supernatural!" + +"I don't know what he is," said Ashbjörn calmly. "Let others consider +that. I'm satisfied if only I can get a good sum for him. Now tell me, +Clement, what you think the doctor at Skansen would give me." + +There was a long pause before Clement replied. He felt very sorry for +the poor little chap. He actually imagined that his mother was standing +beside him telling him that he must always be kind to the tiny folk. + +"I have no idea what the doctor up there would care to give you, +Ashbjörn," he said finally. "But if you will leave him with me, I'll pay +you twenty kroner for him." + +Ashbjörn stared at the fiddler in amazement when he heard him name so +large a sum. He thought that Clement believed the midget had some +mysterious power and might be of service for him. He was by no means +certain that the doctor would think him such a great find or would offer +to pay so high a sum for him; so he accepted Clement's proffer. + +The fiddler poked his purchase into one of his wide pockets, turned back +to Skansen, and went into a moss-covered hut, where there were neither +visitors nor guards. He closed the door after him, took out the midget, +who was still bound hand and foot and gagged, and laid him down gently +on a bench. + +"Now listen to what I say!" said Clement. "I know of course that such as +you do not like to be seen of men, but prefer to go about and busy +yourselves in your own way. Therefore I have decided to give you your +liberty--but only on condition that you will remain in this park until I +permit you to leave. If you agree to this, nod your head three times." + +Clement gazed at the midget with confident expectation, but the latter +did not move a muscle. + +"You shall not fare badly," continued Clement. "I'll see to it that you +are fed every day, and you will have so much to do there that the time +will not seem long to you. But you mustn't go elsewhere till I give you +leave. Now we'll agree as to a signal. So long as I set your food out in +a white bowl you are to stay. When I set it out in a blue one you may +go." + +Clement paused again, expecting the midget to give the sign of approval, +but he did not stir. + +"Very well," said Clement, "then there's no choice but to show you to +the master of this place. Then you'll be put in a glass case, and all +the people in the big city of Stockholm will come and stare at you." + +This scared the midget, and he promptly gave the signal. + +"That was right," said Clement as he cut the cord that bound the +midget's hands. Then he hurried toward the door. + +The boy unloosed the bands around his ankles and tore away the gag +before thinking of anything else. When he turned to Clement to thank +him, he had gone. + +Just outside the door Clement met a handsome, noble-looking gentleman, +who was on his way to a place close by from which there was a beautiful +outlook. Clement could not recall having seen the stately old man +before, but the latter must surely have noticed Clement sometime when he +was playing the fiddle, because he stopped and spoke to him. + +"Good day, Clement!" he said. "How do you do? You are not ill, are you? +I think you have grown a bit thin of late." + +There was such an expression of kindliness about the old gentleman that +Clement plucked up courage and told him of his homesickness. + +"What!" exclaimed the old gentleman. "Are you homesick when you are in +Stockholm? It can't be possible!" He looked almost offended. Then he +reflected that it was only an ignorant old peasant from Hälsingland that +he talked with--and so resumed his friendly attitude. + +"Surely you have never heard how the city of Stockholm was founded? If +you had, you would comprehend that your anxiety to get away is only a +foolish fancy. Come with me to the bench over yonder and I will tell you +something about Stockholm." + +When the old gentleman was seated on the bench he glanced down at the +city, which spread in all its glory below him, and he drew a deep +breath, as if he wished to drink in all the beauty of the landscape. +Thereupon he turned to the fiddler. + +"Look, Clement!" he said, and as he talked he traced with his cane a +little map in the sand in front of them. "Here lies Uppland, and here, +to the south, a point juts out, which is split up by a number of bays. +And here we have Sörmland with another point, which is just as cut up +and points straight north. Here, from the west, comes a lake filled with +islands: It is Lake Mälar. From the east comes another body of water, +which can barely squeeze in between the islands and islets. It is the +East Sea. Here, Clement, where Uppland joins Sörmland and Mälaren joins +the East Sea, comes a short river, in the centre of which lie four +little islets that divide the river into several tributaries--one of +which is called Norriström but was formerly Stocksund. + +"In the beginning these islets were common wooded islands, such as one +finds in plenty on Lake Mälar even to-day, and for ages they were +entirely uninhabited. They were well located between two bodies of water +and two bodies of land; but this no one remarked. Year after year +passed; people settled along Lake Mälar and in the archipelago, but +these river islands attracted no settlers. Sometimes it happened that a +seafarer put into port at one of them and pitched his tent for the +night; but no one remained there long. + +"One day a fisherman, who lived on Liding Island, out in Salt Fiord, +steered his boat toward Lake Mälar, where he had such good luck with his +fishing that he forgot to start for home in time. He got no farther than +the four islets, and the best he could do was to land on one and wait +until later in the night, when there would be bright moonlight. + +"It was late summer and warm. The fisherman hauled his boat on land, lay +down beside it, his head resting upon a stone, and fell asleep. When he +awoke the moon had been up a long while. It hung right above him and +shone with such splendour that it was like broad daylight. + +"The man jumped to his feet and was about to push his boat into the +water, when he saw a lot of black specks moving out in the stream. A +school of seals was heading full speed for the island. When the +fisherman saw that they intended to crawl up on land, he bent down for +his spear, which he always took with him in the boat. But when he +straightened up, he saw no seals. Instead, there stood on the strand the +most beautiful young maidens, dressed in green, trailing satin robes, +with pearl crowns upon their heads. The fisherman understood that these +were mermaids who lived on desolate rock islands far out at sea and had +assumed seal disguises in order to come up on land and enjoy the +moonlight on the green islets. + +"He laid down the spear very cautiously, and when the young maidens came +up on the island to play, he stole behind and surveyed them. He had +heard that sea-nymphs were so beautiful and fascinating that no one +could see them and not be enchanted by their charms; and he had to admit +that this was not too much to say of them. + +"When he had stood for a while under the shadow of the trees and watched +the dance, he went down to the strand, took one of the seal skins lying +there, and hid it under a stone. Then he went back to his boat, lay down +beside it, and pretended to be asleep. + +"Presently he saw the young maidens trip down to the strand to don their +seal skins. At first all was play and laughter, which was changed to +weeping and wailing when one of the mermaids could not find her seal +robe. Her companions ran up and down the strand and helped her search +for it, but no trace could they find. While they were seeking they +noticed that the sky was growing pale and the day was breaking, so they +could tarry no longer, and they all swam away, leaving behind the one +whose seal skin was missing. She sat on the strand and wept. + +"The fisherman felt sorry for her, of course, but he forced himself to +lie still till daybreak. Then he got up, pushed the boat into the water, +and stepped into it to make it appear that he saw her by chance after he +had lifted the oars. + +"'Who are you?' he called out. 'Are you shipwrecked?' + +"She ran toward him and asked if he had seen her seal skin. The +fisherman looked as if he did not know what she was talking about. She +sat down again and wept. Then he determined to take her with him in the +boat. 'Come with me to my cottage,' he commanded, 'and my mother will +take care of you. You can't stay here on the island, where you have +neither food nor shelter!' He talked so convincingly that she was +persuaded to step into his boat. + +"Both the fisherman and his mother were very kind to the poor mermaid, +and she seemed to be happy with them. She grew more contented every day +and helped the older woman with her work, and was exactly like any other +island lass--only she was much prettier. One day the fisherman asked her +if she would be his wife, and she did not object, but at once said yes. + +"Preparations were made for the wedding. The mermaid dressed as a bride +in her green, trailing robe with the shimmering pearl crown she had worn +when the fisherman first saw her. There was neither church nor parson on +the island at that time, so the bridal party seated themselves in the +boats to row up to the first church they should find. + +"The fisherman had the mermaid and his mother in his boat, and he rowed +so well that he was far ahead of all the others. When he had come so far +that he could see the islet in the river, where he won his bride, he +could not help smiling. + +"'What are you smiling at?' she asked. + +"'Oh, I'm thinking of that night when I hid your seal skin,' answered +the fisherman; for he felt so sure of her that he thought there was no +longer any need for him to conceal anything. + +"'What are you saying?' asked the bride, astonished. 'Surely I have +never possessed a seal skin!' It appeared she had forgotten everything. + +"'Don't you recollect how you danced with the mermaids?' he asked. + +"'I don't know what you mean,' said the bride. 'I think that you must +have dreamed a strange dream last night.' + +"If I show you your seal skin, you'll probably believe me!' laughed the +fisherman, promptly turning the boat toward the islet. They stepped +ashore and he brought the seal skin out from under the stone where he +had hidden it. + +"But the instant the bride set eyes on the seal skin she grasped it and +drew it over her head. It snuggled close to her--as if there was life in +it--and immediately she threw herself into the stream. + +"The bridegroom saw her swim away and plunged into the water after her; +but he could not catch up to her. When he saw that he couldn't stop her +in any other way, in his grief he seized his spear and hurled it. He +aimed better than he had intended, for the poor mermaid gave a piercing +shriek and disappeared in the depths. + +"The fisherman stood on the strand waiting for her to appear again. He +observed that the water around him began to take on a soft sheen, a +beauty that he had never seen before. It shimmered in pink and white, +like the colour-play on the inside of sea shells. + +"As the glittering water lapped the shores, the fisherman thought that +they too were transformed. They began to blossom and waft their +perfumes. A soft sheen spread over them and they also took on a beauty +which they had never possessed before. + +"He understood how all this had come to pass. For it is thus with +mermaids: one who beholds them must needs find them more beautiful than +any one else, and the mermaid's blood being mixed with the water that +bathed the shores, her beauty was transferred to both. All who saw them +must love them and yearn for them. This was their legacy from the +mermaid." + +When the stately old gentleman had got thus far in his narrative he +turned to Clement and looked at him. Clement nodded reverently but made +no comment, as he did not wish to cause a break in the story. + +"Now you must bear this in mind, Clement," the old gentleman continued, +with a roguish glint in his eyes. "From that time on people emigrated to +the islands. At first only fishermen and peasants settled there, but +others, too, were attracted to them. One day the king and his earl +sailed up the stream. They started at once to talk of these islands, +having observed they were so situated that every vessel that sailed +toward Lake Mälar had to pass them. The earl suggested that there ought +to be a lock put on the channel which could be opened or closed at will, +to let in merchant vessels and shut out pirates. + +"This idea was carried out," said the old gentleman, as he rose and +began to trace in the sand again with his cane. "On the largest of these +islands the earl erected a fortress with a strong tower, which was +called 'Kärnan.' And around the island a wall was built. Here, at the +north and south ends of the wall, they made gates and placed strong +towers over them. Across the other islands they built bridges; these +were likewise equipped with high towers. Out in the water, round about, +they put a wreath of piles with bars that could open and close, so that +no vessel could sail past without permission. + +"Therefore you see, Clement, the four islands which had lain so long +unnoticed were soon strongly fortified. But this was not all, for the +shores and the sound tempted people, and before long they came from all +quarters to settle there. They built a church, which has since been +called 'Storkyrkan.' Here it stands, near the castle. And here, within +the walls, were the little huts the pioneers built for themselves. They +were primitive, but they served their purpose. More was not needed at +that time to make the place pass for a city. And the city was named +Stockholm. + +"There came a day, Clement, when the earl who had begun the work went to +his final rest, and Stockholm was without a master builder. Monks called +the Gray Friars came to the country. Stockholm attracted them. They +asked permission to erect a monastery there, so the king gave them an +island--one of the smaller ones--this one facing Lake Mälar. There they +built, and the place was called Gray Friars' Island. Other monks came, +called the Black Friars. They, too, asked for right to build in +Stockholm, near the south gate. On this, the larger of the islands north +of the city, a 'Holy Ghost House,' or hospital, was built; while on the +smaller one thrifty men put up a mill, and along the little islands +close by the monks fished. As you know, there is only one island now, +for the canal between the two has filled up; but it is still called Holy +Ghost Island. + +"And now, Clement, all the little wooded islands were dotted with +houses, but still people kept streaming in; for these shores and waters +have the power to draw people to them. Hither came pious women of the +Order of Saint Clara and asked for ground to build upon. For them there +was no choice but to settle on the north shore, at Norrmalm, as it is +called. You may be sure that they were not over pleased with this +location, for across Norrmalm ran a high ridge, and on that the city had +its gallows hill, so that it was a detested spot. Nevertheless the Poor +Clares erected their church and their convent on the strand below the +ridge. After they were established there they soon found plenty of +followers. Upon the ridge itself were built a hospital and a church, +consecrated to Saint Goran, and just below the ridge a church was +erected to Saint Jacob. + +"And even at Södermalm, where the mountain rises perpendicularly from +the strand, they began to build. There they raised a church to Saint +Mary. + +"But you must not think that only cloister folk moved to Stockholm! +There were also many others--principally German tradesmen and artisans. +These were more skilled than the Swedes, and were well received. They +settled within the walls of the city where they pulled down the wretched +little cabins that stood there and built high, magnificent stone houses. +But space was not plentiful within the walls, therefore they had to +build the houses close together, with gables facing the narrow by-lanes. +So you see, Clement, that Stockholm could attract people!" + +At this point in the narrative another gentleman appeared and walked +rapidly down the path toward the man who was talking to Clement, but he +waved his hand, and the other remained at a distance. The dignified old +gentleman still sat on the bench beside the fiddler. + +"Now, Clement, you must render me a service," he said. "I have no time +to talk more with you, but I will send you a book about Stockholm and +you must read it from cover to cover. I have, so to speak, laid the +foundations of Stockholm for you. Study the rest out for yourself and +learn how the city has thrived and changed. Read how the little, narrow, +wall-enclosed city on the islands has spread into this great sea of +houses below us. Read how, on the spot where the dark tower Kärnan once +stood, the beautiful, light castle below us was erected and how the Gray +Friars' church has been turned into the burial place of the Swedish +kings; read how islet after islet was built up with factories; how the +ridge was lowered and the sound filled in; how the truck gardens at the +south and north ends of the city have been converted into beautiful +parks or built-up quarters; how the King's private deer park has become +the people's favourite pleasure resort. You must make yourself at home +here, Clement. This city does not belong exclusively to the +Stockholmers. It belongs to you and to all Swedes. + +"As you read about Stockholm, remember that I have spoken the truth, for +the city has the power to draw every one to it. First the King moved +here, then the nobles built their palaces here, and then one after +another was attracted to the place, so that now, as you see, Stockholm +is not a city unto itself or for nearby districts; it has grown into a +city for the whole kingdom. + +"You know, Clement, that there are judicial courts in every parish +throughout the land, but in Stockholm they have jurisdiction for the +whole nation. You know that there are judges in every district court in +the country, but at Stockholm there is only one court, to which all the +others are accountable. You know that there are barracks and troops in +every part of the land, but those at Stockholm command the whole army. +Everywhere in the country you will find railroads, but the whole great +national system is controlled and managed at Stockholm; here you will +find the governing boards for the clergy, for teachers, for physicians, +for bailiffs and jurors. This is the heart of your country, Clement. All +the change you have in your pocket is coined here, and the postage +stamps you stick on your letters are made here. There is something here +for every Swede. Here no one need feel homesick, for here all Swedes are +at home. + +"And when you read of all that has been brought here to Stockholm, think +too of the latest that the city has attracted to itself: these old-time +peasant cottages here at Skansen; the old dances; the old costumes and +house-furnishings; the musicians and story-tellers. Everything good of +the old times Stockholm has tempted here to Skansen to do it honour, +that it may, in turn, stand before the people with renewed glory. + +"But, first and last, remember as you read about Stockholm that you are +to sit in this place. You must see how the waves sparkle in joyous play +and how the shores shimmer with beauty. You will come under the spell of +their witchery, Clement." + +The handsome old gentleman had raised his voice, so that it rang out +strong and commanding, and his eyes shone. Then he rose, and, with a +wave of his hand to Clement, walked away. Clement understood that the +one who had been talking to him was a great man, and he bowed to him as +low as he could. + +The next day came a royal lackey with a big red book and a letter for +Clement, and in the letter it said that the book was from the King. + +After that the little old man, Clement Larsson, was lightheaded for +several days, and it was impossible to get a sensible word out of him. +When a week had gone by, he went to the superintendent and gave in his +notice. He simply had to go home. + +"Why must you go home? Can't you learn to be content here?" asked the +doctor. + +"Oh, I'm contented here," said Clement. "That matter troubles me no +longer, but I must go home all the same." + +Clement was quite perturbed because the King had said that he should +learn all about Stockholm and be happy there. But he could not rest +until he had told every one at home that the King had said those words +to him. He could not renounce the idea of standing on the church knoll +at home and telling high and low that the King had been so kind to him, +that he had sat beside him on the bench, and had sent him a book, and +had taken the time to talk to him--a poor fiddler--for a whole hour, in +order to cure him of his homesickness. It was good to relate this to the +Laplanders and Dalecarlian peasant girls at Skansen, but what was that +compared to being able to tell of it at home? + +Even if Clement were to end in the poorhouse, it wouldn't be so hard +after this. He was a totally different man from what he had been, and he +would be respected and honoured in a very different way. + +This new yearning took possession of Clement. He simply had to go up to +the doctor and say that he must go home. + + +GORGO, THE EAGLE + + +IN THE MOUNTAIN GLEN + +Far up among the mountains of Lapland there was an old eagle's nest on a +ledge which projected from a high cliff. The nest was made of dry twigs +of pine and spruce, interlaced one with another until they formed a +perfect network. Year by year the nest had been repaired and +strengthened. It was about two metres wide, and nearly as high as a +Laplander's hut. + +The cliff on which the eagle's nest was situated towered above a big +glen, which was inhabited in summer by a flock of wild geese, as it was +an excellent refuge for them. It was so secluded between cliffs that not +many knew of it, even among the Laplanders themselves. + +In the heart of this glen there was a small, round lake in which was an +abundance of food for the tiny goslings, and on the tufted lake shores +which were covered with osier bushes and dwarfed birches the geese found +fine nesting places. + +In all ages eagles had lived on the mountain, and geese in the glen. +Every year the former carried off a few of the latter, but they were +very careful not to take so many that the wild geese would be afraid to +remain in the glen. The geese, in their turn, found the eagles quite +useful. They were robbers, to be sure, but they kept other robbers away. + +Two years before Nils Holgersson travelled with the wild geese the old +leader-goose, Akka from Kebnekaise, was standing at the foot of the +mountain slope looking toward the eagle's nest. + +The eagles were in the habit of starting on their chase soon after +sunrise; during the summers that Akka had lived in the glen she had +watched every morning for their departure to find if they stopped in the +glen to hunt, or if they flew beyond it to other hunting grounds. + +She did not have to wait long before the two eagles left the ledge on +the cliff. Stately and terror-striking they soared into the air. They +directed their course toward the plain, and Akka breathed a sigh of +relief. + +The old leader-goose's days of nesting and rearing of young were over, +and during the summer she passed the time going from one goose range to +another, giving counsel regarding the brooding and care of the young. +Aside from this she kept an eye out not only for eagles but also for +mountain fox and owls and all other enemies who were a menace to the +wild geese and their young. + +About noontime Akka began to watch for the eagles again. This she had +done every day during all the summers that she had lived in the glen. +She could tell at once by their flight if their hunt had been +successful, and in that event she felt relieved for the safety of those +who belonged to her. But on this particular day she had not seen the +eagles return. "I must be getting old and stupid," she thought, when she +had waited a time for them. "The eagles have probably been home this +long while." + +In the afternoon she looked toward the cliff again, expecting to see the +eagles perched on the rocky ledge where they usually took their +afternoon rest; toward evening, when they took their bath in the dale +lake, she tried again to get sight of them, but failed. Again she +bemoaned the fact that she was growing old. She was so accustomed to +having the eagles on the mountain above her that she could not imagine +the possibility of their not having returned. + +The following morning Akka was awake in good season to watch for the +eagles; but she did not see them. On the other hand, she heard in the +morning stillness a cry that sounded both angry and plaintive, and it +seemed to come from the eagles' nest. "Can there possibly be anything +amiss with the eagles?" she wondered. She spread her wings quickly, and +rose so high that she could perfectly well look down into the nest. + +There she saw neither of the eagles. There was no one in the nest save a +little half-fledged eaglet who was screaming for food. + +Akka sank down toward the eagles' nest, slowly and reluctantly. It was a +gruesome place to come to! It was plain what kind of robber folk lived +there! In the nest and on the cliff ledge lay bleached bones, bloody +feathers, pieces of skin, hares' heads, birds' beaks, and the tufted +claws of grouse. The eaglet, who was lying in the midst of this, was +repulsive to look upon, with his big, gaping bill, his awkward, +down-clad body, and his undeveloped wings where the prospective quills +stuck out like thorns. + +At last Akka conquered her repugnance and alighted on the edge of the +nest, at the same time glancing about her anxiously in every direction, +for each second she expected to see the old eagles coming back. + +"It is well that some one has come at last," cried the baby eagle. +"Fetch me some food at once!" + +"Well, well, don't be in such haste," said Akka. "Tell me first where +your father and mother are." + +"That's what I should like to know myself. They went off yesterday +morning and left me a lemming to live upon while they were away. You can +believe that was eaten long ago. It's a shame for mother to let me +starve in this way!" + +Akka began to think that the eagles had really been shot, and she +reasoned that if she were to let the eaglet starve she might perhaps be +rid of the whole robber tribe for all time. But it went very much +against her not to succour a deserted young one so far as she could. + +"Why do you sit there and stare?" snapped the eaglet. "Didn't you hear +me say I want food?" + +Akka spread her wings and sank down to the little lake in the glen. A +moment later she returned to the eagles' nest with a salmon trout in her +bill. + +The eaglet flew into a temper when she dropped the fish in front of him. + +"Do you think I can eat such stuff?" he shrieked, pushing it aside, and +trying to strike Akka with his bill. "Fetch me a willow grouse or a +lemming, do you hear?" + +Akka stretched her head forward, and gave the eaglet a sharp nip in the +neck. "Let me say to you," remarked the old goose, "that if I'm to +procure food for you, you must be satisfied with what I give you. Your +father and mother are dead, and from them you can get no help; but if +you want to lie here and starve to death while you wait for grouse and +lemming, I shall not hinder you." + +When Akka had spoken her mind she promptly retired, and did not show her +face in the eagles' nest again for some time. But when she did return, +the eaglet had eaten the fish, and when she dropped another in front of +him he swallowed it at once, although it was plain that he found it very +distasteful. + +Akka had imposed upon herself a tedious task. The old eagles never +appeared again, and she alone had to procure for the eaglet all the food +he needed. She gave him fish and frogs and he did not seem to fare badly +on this diet, but grew big and strong. He soon forgot his parents, the +eagles, and fancied that Akka was his real mother. Akka, in turn, loved +him as if he had been her own child. She tried to give him a good +bringing up, and to cure him of his wildness and overbearing ways. + +After a fortnight Akka observed that the time was approaching for her to +moult and put on a new feather dress so as to be ready to fly. For a +whole moon she would be unable to carry food to the baby eaglet, and he +might starve to death. + +So Akka said to him one day: "Gorgo, I can't come to you any more with +fish. Everything depends now upon your pluck--which means can you dare +to venture into the glen, so I can continue to procure food for you? You +must choose between starvation and flying down to the glen, but that, +too, may cost you your life." + +Without a second's hesitation the eaglet stepped upon the edge of the +nest. Barely taking the trouble to measure the distance to the bottom, +he spread his tiny wings and started away. He rolled over and over in +space, but nevertheless made enough use of his wings to reach the ground +almost unhurt. + +Down there in the glen Gorgo passed the summer in company with the +little goslings, and was a good comrade for them. Since he regarded +himself as a gosling, he tried to live as they lived; when they swam in +the lake he followed them until he came near drowning. It was most +embarrassing to him that he could not learn to swim, and he went to Akka +and complained of his inability. + +"Why can't I swim like the others?" he asked. + +"Your claws grew too hooked, and your toes too large while you were up +there on the cliff," Akka replied. "But you'll make a fine bird all the +same." + +The eaglet's wings soon grew so large that they could carry him; but not +until autumn, when the goslings learned to fly, did it dawn upon him +that he could use them for flight. There came a proud time for him, for +at this sport he was the peer of them all. His companions never stayed +up in the air any longer than they had to, but he stayed there nearly +the whole day, and practised the art of flying. So far it had not +occurred to him that he was of another species than the geese, but he +could not help noting a number of things that surprised him, and he +questioned Akka constantly. + +"Why do grouse and lemming run and hide when they see my shadow on the +cliff?" he queried. "They don't show such fear of the other goslings." + +"Your wings grew too big when you were on the cliff," said Akka. "It is +that which frightens the little wretches. But don't be unhappy because +of that. You'll be a fine bird all the same." + +After the eagle had learned to fly, he taught himself to fish, and to +catch frogs. But by and by he began to ponder this also. + +"How does it happen that I live on fish and frogs?" he asked. "The other +goslings don't." + +"This is due to the fact that I had no other food to give you when you +were on the cliff," said Akka. "But don't let that make you sad. You'll +be a fine bird all the same." + +When the wild geese began their autumn moving, Gorgo flew along with the +flock, regarding himself all the while as one of them. The air was +filled with birds who were on their way south, and there was great +excitement among them when Akka appeared with an eagle in her train. The +wild goose flock was continually surrounded by swarms of the curious who +loudly expressed their astonishment. Akka bade them be silent, but it +was impossible to stop so many wagging tongues. + +"Why do they call me an eagle?" Gorgo asked repeatedly, growing more and +more exasperated. "Can't they see that I'm a wild goose? I'm no +bird-eater who preys upon his kind. How dare they give me such an ugly +name?" + +One day they flew above a barn yard where many chickens walked on a dump +heap and picked. "An eagle! An eagle!" shrieked the chickens, and +started to run for shelter. But Gorgo, who had heard the eagles spoken +of as savage criminals, could not control his anger. He snapped his +wings together and shot down to the ground, striking his talons into one +of the hens. "I'll teach you, I will, that I'm no eagle!" he screamed +furiously, and struck with his beak. + +That instant he heard Akka call to him from the air, and rose +obediently. The wild goose flew toward him and began to reprimand him. +"What are you trying to do?" she cried, beating him with her bill. "Was +it perhaps your intention to tear that poor hen to pieces?" But when the +eagle took his punishment from the wild goose without a protest, there +arose from the great bird throng around them a perfect storm of taunts +and gibes. The eagle heard this, and turned toward Akka with flaming +eyes, as though he would have liked to attack her. But he suddenly +changed his mind, and with quick wing strokes bounded into the air, +soaring so high that no call could reach him; and he sailed around up +there as long as the wild geese saw him. + +Two days later he appeared again in the wild goose flock. + +"I know who I am," he said to Akka. "Since I am an eagle, I must live +as becomes an eagle; but I think that we can be friends all the same. +You or any of yours I shall never attack." + +But Akka had set her heart on successfully training an eagle into a mild +and harmless bird, and she could not tolerate his wanting to do as he +chose. + +"Do you think that I wish to be the friend of a bird-eater?" she asked. +"Live as I have taught you to live, and you may travel with my flock as +heretofore." + +Both were proud and stubborn, and neither of them would yield. It ended +in Akka's forbidding the eagle to show his face in her neighbourhood, +and her anger toward him was so intense that no one dared speak his name +in her presence. + +After that Gorgo roamed around the country, alone and shunned, like all +great robbers. He was often downhearted, and certainly longed many a +time for the days when he thought himself a wild goose, and played with +the merry goslings. + +Among the animals he had a great reputation for courage. They used to +say of him that he feared no one but his foster-mother, Akka. And they +could also say of him that he never used violence against a wild goose. + +IN CAPTIVITY + +Gorgo was only three years old, and had not as yet thought about +marrying and procuring a home for himself, when he was captured one day +by a hunter, and sold to the Skansen Zoölogical Garden, where there were +already two eagles held captive in a cage built of iron bars and steel +wires. The cage stood out in the open, and was so large that a couple of +trees had easily been moved into it, and quite a large cairn was piled +up in there. Notwithstanding all this, the birds were unhappy. They sat +motionless on the same spot nearly all day. Their pretty, dark feather +dresses became rough and lustreless, and their eyes were riveted with +hopeless longing on the sky without. + +During the first week of Gorgo's captivity he was still awake and full +of life, but later a heavy torpor came upon him. He perched himself on +one spot, like the other eagles, and stared at vacancy. He no longer +knew how the days passed. + +One morning when Gorgo sat in his usual torpor, he heard some one call +to him from below. He was so drowsy that he could barely rouse himself +enough to lower his glance. + +"Who is calling me?" he asked. + +"Oh, Gorgo! Don't you know me? It's Thumbietot who used to fly around +with the wild geese." + +"Is Akka also captured?" asked Gorgo in the tone of one who is trying to +collect his thoughts after a long sleep. + +"No; Akka, the white goosey-gander, and the whole flock are probably +safe and sound up in Lapland at this season," said the boy. "It's only I +who am a prisoner here." + +As the boy was speaking he noticed that Gorgo averted his glance, and +began to stare into space again. + +"Golden eagle!" cried the boy; "I have not forgotten that once you +carried me back to the wild geese, and that you spared the white +goosey-gander's life! Tell me if I can be of any help to you!" + +Gorgo scarcely raised his head. "Don't disturb me, Thumbietot," he +yawned. "I'm sitting here dreaming that I am free, and am soaring away +up among the clouds. I don't want to be awake." + +"You must rouse yourself, and see what goes on around you," the boy +admonished, "or you will soon look as wretched as the other eagles." + +"I wish I were as they are! They are so lost in their dreams that +nothing more can trouble them," said the eagle. + +When night came, and all three eagles were asleep, there was a light +scraping on the steel wires stretched across the top of the cage. The +two listless old captives did not allow themselves to be disturbed by +the noise, but Gorgo awakened. + +"Who's there? Who is moving up on the roof?" he asked. + +"It's Thumbietot, Gorgo," answered the boy. "I'm sitting here filing +away at the steel wires so that you can escape." + +The eagle raised his head, and saw in the night light how the boy sat +and filed the steel wires at the top of the cage. He felt hopeful for an +instant, but soon discouragement got the upper hand. + +"I'm a big bird, Thumbietot," said Gorgo; "how can you ever manage to +file away enough wires for me to come out? You'd better quit that, and +leave me in peace." + +"Oh, go to sleep, and don't bother about me!" said the boy. "I'll not be +through to-night nor to-morrow night, but I shall try to free you in +time for here you'll become a total wreck." + +Gorgo fell asleep. When he awoke the next morning he saw at a glance +that a number of wires had been filed. That day he felt less drowsy than +he had done in the past. He spread his wings, and fluttered from branch +to branch to get the stiffness out of his joints. + +One morning early, just as the first streak of sunlight made its +appearance, Thumbietot awakened the eagle. + +"Try now, Gorgo!" he whispered. + +The eagle looked up. The boy had actually filed off so many wires that +now there was a big hole in the wire netting. Gorgo flapped his wings +and propelled himself upward. Twice he missed and fell back into the +cage; but finally he succeeded in getting out. + +With proud wing strokes he soared into the clouds. Little Thumbietot sat +and gazed after him with a mournful expression. He wished that some one +would come and give him his freedom too. + +The boy was domiciled now at Skansen. He had become acquainted with all +the animals there, and had made many friends among them. He had to admit +that there was so much to see and learn there that it was not difficult +for him to pass the time. To be sure his thoughts went forth every day +to Morten Goosey-Gander and his other comrades, and he yearned for them. +"If only I weren't bound by my promise," he thought, "I'd find some bird +to take me to them!" + +It may seem strange that Clement Larsson had not restored the boy's +liberty, but one must remember how excited the little fiddler had been +when he left Skansen. The morning of his departure he had thought of +setting out the midget's food in a blue bowl, but, unluckily, he had +been unable to find one. All the Skansen folk--Lapps, peasant girls, +artisans, and gardeners--had come to bid him good-bye, and he had had no +time to search for a blue bowl. It was time to start, and at the last +moment he had to ask the old Laplander to help him. + +"One of the tiny folk happens to be living here at Skansen," said +Clement, "and every morning I set out a little food for him. Will you do +me the favour of taking these few coppers and purchasing a blue bowl +with them? Put a little gruel and milk in it, and to-morrow morning set +it out under the steps of Bollnäs cottage." + +The old Laplander looked surprised, but there was no time for Clement to +explain further, as he had to be off to the railway station. + +The Laplander went down to the zoölogical village to purchase the bowl. +As he saw no blue one that he thought appropriate, he bought a white +one, and this he conscientiously filled and set out every morning. + +That was why the boy had not been released from his pledge. He knew that +Clement had gone away, but _he_ was not allowed to leave. + +That night the boy longed more than ever for his freedom. This was +because summer had come now in earnest. During his travels he had +suffered much in cold and stormy weather, and when he first came to +Skansen he had thought that perhaps it was just as well that he had been +compelled to break the journey. He would have been frozen to death had +he gone to Lapland in the month of May. But now it was warm; the earth +was green-clad, birches and poplars were clothed in their satiny +foliage, and the cherry trees--in fact all the fruit trees--were covered +with blossoms. The berry bushes had green berries on their stems; the +oaks had carefully unfolded their leaves, and peas, cabbages, and beans +were growing in the vegetable garden at Skansen. + +"Now it must be warm up in Lapland," thought the boy. "I should like to +be seated on Morten Goosey-Gander's back on a fine morning like this! It +would be great fun to ride around in the warm, still air, and look down +at the ground, as it now lies decked with green grass, and embellished +with pretty blossoms." + +He sat musing on this when the eagle suddenly swooped down from the sky, +and perched beside the boy, on top of the cage. + +"I wanted to try my wings to see if they were still good for anything," +said Gorgo. "You didn't suppose that I meant to leave you here in +captivity? Get up on my back, and I'll take you to your comrades." + +"No, that's impossible!" the boy answered. "I have pledged my word that +I would stay here till I am liberated." + +"What sort of nonsense are you talking?" protested Gorgo. "In the first +place they brought you here against your will; then they forced you to +promise that you would remain here. Surely you must understand that such +a promise one need not keep?" + +"Oh, no, I must keep it," said the boy. "I thank you all the same for +your kind intention, but you can't help me." + +"Oh, can't I?" said Gorgo. "We'll see about that!" In a twinkling he +grasped Nils Holgersson in his big talons, and rose with him toward the +skies, disappearing in a northerly direction. + + +ON OVER GÄSTRIKLAND + + +THE PRECIOUS GIRDLE + +_Wednesday, June fifteenth_. + +The eagle kept on flying until he was a long distance north of +Stockholm. Then he sank to a wooded hillock where he relaxed his hold on +the boy. + +The instant Thumbietot was out of Gorgo's clutches he started to run +back to the city as fast as he could. + +The eagle made a long swoop, caught up to the boy, and stopped him with +his claw. + +"Do you propose to go back to prison?" he demanded. + +"That's my affair. I can go where I like, for all of you!" retorted the +boy, trying to get away. Thereupon the eagle gripped him with his strong +talons, and rose in the air. + +Now Gorgo circled over the entire province of Uppland and did not stop +again until he came to the great water-falls at Älvkarleby where he +alighted on a rock in the middle of the rushing rapids below the roaring +falls. Again he relaxed his hold on the captive. + +The boy saw that here there was no chance of escape from the eagle. +Above them the white scum wall of the water-fall came tumbling down, and +round about the river rushed along in a mighty torrent. Thumbietot was +very indignant to think that in this way he had been forced to become a +promise-breaker. He turned his back to the eagle and would not speak to +him. + +Now that the bird had set the boy down in a place from which he could +not run away, he told him confidentially that he had been brought up by +Akka from Kebnekaise, and that he had quarrelled with his foster-mother. + +"Now, Thumbietot, perhaps you understand why I wish to take you back to +the wild geese," he said. "I have heard that you are in great favour +with Akka, and it was my purpose to ask you to make peace between us." + +As soon as the boy comprehended that the eagle had not carried him off +in a spirit of contrariness, he felt kindly toward him. + +"I should like very much to help you," he returned, "but I am bound by +my promise." Thereupon he explained to the eagle how he had fallen into +captivity and how Clement Larsson had left Skansen without setting him +free. + +Nevertheless the eagle would not relinquish his plan. + +"Listen to me, Thumbietot," he said. "My wings can carry you wherever +you wish to go, and my eyes can search out whatever you wish to find. +Tell me how the man looks who exacted this promise from you, and I will +find him and take you to him. Then it is for you to do the rest." + +Thumbietot approved of the proposition. + +"I can see, Gorgo, that you have had a wise bird like Akka for a +foster-mother," the boy remarked. + +He gave a graphic description of Clement Larsson, and added that he had +heard at Skansen that the little fiddler was from Hälsingland. + +"We'll search for him through the whole of Hälsingland--from Ljungby to +Mellansjö; from Great Mountain to Hornland," said the eagle. "To-morrow +before sundown you shall have a talk with the man!" + +"I fear you are promising more than you can perform," doubted the boy. + +"I should be a mighty poor eagle if I couldn't do that much," said +Gorgo. + +So when Gorgo and Thumbietot left Älvkarleby they were good friends, and +the boy willingly took his mount for a ride on the eagle's back. Thus he +had an opportunity to see much of the country. + +When clutched in the eagle's talons he had seen nothing. Perhaps it was +just as well, for in the forenoon he had travelled over Upsala, +Österby's big factories, the Dannemora Mine, and the ancient castle of +Örbyhus, and he would have been sadly disappointed at not seeing them +had he known of their proximity. + +The eagle bore him speedily over Gästrikland. In the southern part of +the province there was very little to tempt the eye. But as they flew +northward, it began to be interesting. + +"This country is clad in a spruce skirt and a gray-stone jacket," +thought the boy. "But around its waist it wears a girdle which has not +its match in value, for it is embroidered with blue lakes and green +groves. The great ironworks adorn it like a row of precious stones, and +its buckle is a whole city with castles and cathedrals and great +clusters of houses." + +When the travellers arrived in the northern forest region, Gorgo +alighted on top of a mountain. As the boy dismounted, the eagle said: + +"There's game in this forest, and I can't forget my late captivity and +feel really free until I have gone a-hunting. You won't mind my leaving +you for a while?" + +"No, of course, I won't," the boy assured him. + +"You may go where you like if only you are back here by sundown," said +the eagle, as he flew off. + +The boy sat on a stone gazing across the bare, rocky ground and the +great forests round about. + +He felt rather lonely. But soon he heard singing in the forest below, +and saw something bright moving amongst the trees. Presently he saw a +blue and yellow banner, and he knew by the songs and the merry chatter +that it was being borne at the head of a procession. On it came, up the +winding path; he wondered where it and those who followed it were going. +He couldn't believe that anybody would come up to such an ugly, desolate +waste as the place where he sat. But the banner was nearing the forest +border, and behind it marched many happy people for whom it had led the +way. Suddenly there was life and movement all over the mountain plain; +after that there was so much for the boy to see that he didn't have a +dull moment. + +FOREST DAY + +On the mountain's broad back, where Gorgo left Thumbietot, there had +been a forest fire ten years before. Since that time the charred trees +had been felled and removed, and the great fire-swept area had begun to +deck itself with green along the edges, where it skirted the healthy +forest. However, the larger part of the top was still barren and +appallingly desolate. Charred stumps, standing sentinel-like between the +rock ledges, bore witness that once there had been a fine forest here; +but no fresh roots sprang from the ground. + +One day in the early summer all the children in the parish had assembled +in front of the schoolhouse near the fire-swept mountain. Each child +carried either a spade or a hoe on its shoulder, and a basket of food in +its hand. As soon as all were assembled, they marched in a long +procession toward the forest. The banner came first, with the teachers +on either side of it; then followed a couple of foresters and a wagon +load of pine shrubs and spruce seeds; then the children. + +The procession did not pause in any of the birch groves near the +settlements, but marched on deep into the forest. As it moved along, the +foxes stuck their heads out of the lairs in astonishment, and wondered +what kind of backwoods people these were. As they marched past old coal +pits where charcoal kilns were fired every autumn, the cross-beaks +twisted their hooked bills, and asked one another what kind of coalers +these might be who were now thronging the forest. + +Finally, the procession reached the big, burnt mountain plain. The rocks +had been stripped of the fine twin-flower creepers that once covered +them; they had been robbed of the pretty silver moss and the attractive +reindeer moss. Around the dark water gathered in clefts and hollows +there was now no wood-sorrel. The little patches of soil in crevices and +between stones were without ferns, without star-flowers, without all the +green and red and light and soft and soothing things which usually +clothe the forest ground. + +It was as if a bright light flashed upon the mountain when all the +parish children covered it. Here again was something sweet and delicate; +something fresh and rosy; something young and growing. Perhaps these +children would bring to the poor abandoned forest a little new life. + +When the children had rested and eaten their luncheon, they seized hoes +and spades and began to work. The foresters showed them what to do. They +set out shrub after shrub on every clear spot of earth they could find. + +As they worked, they talked quite knowingly among themselves of how the +little shrubs they were planting would bind the soil so that it could +not get away, and of how new soil would form under the trees. By and by +seeds would drop, and in a few years they would be picking both +strawberries and raspberries where now there were only bare rocks. The +little shrubs which they were planting would gradually become tall +trees. Perhaps big houses and great splendid ships would be built from +them! + +If the children had not come here and planted while there was still a +little soil in the clefts, all the earth would have been carried away by +wind and water, and the mountain could never more have been clothed in +green. + +"It was well that we came," said the children. "We were just in the nick +of time!" They felt very important. + +While they were working on the mountain, their parents were at home. By +and by they began to wonder how the children were getting along. Of +course it was only a joke about their planting a forest, but it might be +amusing to see what they were trying to do. + +So presently both fathers and mothers were on their way to the forest. +When they came to the outlying stock farms they met some of their +neighbours. + +"Are you going to the fire-swept mountain?" they asked. + +"That's where we're bound for." + +"To have a look at the children?" + +"Yes, to see what they're up to." + +"It's only play, of course." + +"It isn't likely that there will be many forest trees planted by the +youngsters. We have brought the coffee pot along so that we can have +something warm to drink, since we must stay there all day with only +lunch-basket provisions." + +So the parents of the children went on up the mountain. At first they +thought only of how pretty it looked to see all the rosy-cheeked little +children scattered over the gray hills. Later, they observed how the +children were working--how some were setting out shrubs, while others +were digging furrows and sowing seeds. Others again were pulling up +heather to prevent its choking the young trees. They saw that the +children took the work seriously and were so intent upon what they were +doing that they scarcely had time to glance up. + +The fathers and mothers stood for a moment and looked on; then they too +began to pull up heather--just for the fun of it. The children were the +instructors, for they were already trained, and had to show their elders +what to do. + +Thus it happened that all the grown-ups who had come to watch the +children took part in the work. Then, of course, it became greater fun +than before. By and by the children had even more help. Other implements +were needed, so a couple of long-legged boys were sent down to the +village for spades and hoes. As they ran past the cabins, the +stay-at-homes came out and asked: "What's wrong? Has there been an +accident?" + +"No, indeed! But the whole parish is up on the fire-swept mountain +planting a forest." + +"If the whole parish is there, we can't stay at home!" + +So party after party of peasants went crowding to the top of the burnt +mountain. They stood a moment and looked on. The temptation to join the +workers was irresistible. + +"It's a pleasure to sow one's own acres in the spring, and to think of +the grain that will spring up from the earth, but this work is even more +alluring," they thought. + +Not only slender blades would come from that sowing, but mighty trees +with tall trunks and sturdy branches. It meant giving birth not merely +to a summer's grain, but to many years' growths. It meant the awakening +hum of insects, the song of the thrush, the play of grouse and all kinds +of life on the desolate mountain. Moreover, it was like raising a +memorial for coming generations. They could have left a bare, treeless +height as a heritage. Instead they were to leave a glorious forest. + +Coming generations would know their forefathers had been a good and wise +folk and they would remember them with reverence and gratitude. + + +A DAY IN HÄLSINGLAND + + +A LARGE GREEN LEAF + +_Thursday, June sixteenth_. + +The following day the boy travelled over Hälsingland. It spread beneath +him with new, pale-green shoots on the pine trees, new birch leaves in +the groves, new green grass in the meadows, and sprouting grain in the +fields. It was a mountainous country, but directly through it ran a +broad, light valley from either side of which branched other +valleys--some short and narrow, some broad and long. + +"This land resembles a leaf," thought the boy, "for it's as green as a +leaf, and the valleys subdivide it in about the same way as the veins of +a leaf are foliated." + +The branch valleys, like the main one, were filled with lakes, rivers, +farms, and villages. They snuggled, light and smiling, between the dark +mountains until they were gradually squeezed together by the hills. +There they were so narrow that they could not hold more than a little +brook. + +On the high land between the valleys there were pine forests which had +no even ground to grow upon. There were mountains standing all about, +and the forest covered the whole, like a woolly hide stretched over a +bony body. + +It was a picturesque country to look down upon, and the boy saw a good +deal of it, because the eagle was trying to find the old fiddler, +Clement Larsson, and flew from ravine to ravine looking for him. + +A little later in the morning there was life and movement on every farm. +The doors of the cattle sheds were thrown wide open and the cows were +let out. They were prettily coloured, small, supple and sprightly, and +so sure-footed that they made the most comic leaps and bounds. After +them came the calves and sheep, and it was plainly to be seen that they, +too, were in the best of spirits. + +It grew livelier every moment in the farm yards. A couple of young girls +with knapsacks on their backs walked among the cattle; a boy with a long +switch kept the sheep together, and a little dog ran in and out among +the cows, barking at the ones that tried to gore him. The farmer hitched +a horse to a cart loaded with tubs of butter, boxes of cheese, and all +kinds of eatables. The people laughed and chattered. They and the beasts +were alike merry--as if looking forward to a day of real pleasure. + +A moment later all were on their way to the forest. One of the girls +walked in the lead and coaxed the cattle with pretty, musical calls. The +animals followed in a long line. The shepherd boy and the sheep-dog ran +hither and thither, to see that no creature turned from the right +course; and last came the farmer and his hired man. They walked beside +the cart to prevent its being upset, for the road they followed was a +narrow, stony forest path. + +It may have been the custom for all the peasants in Hälsingland to send +their cattle into the forests on the same day--or perhaps it only +happened so that year; at any rate the boy saw how processions of happy +people and cattle wandered out from every valley and every farm and +rushed into the lonely forest, filling it with life. From the depths of +the dense woods the boy heard the shepherd maidens' songs and the tinkle +of the cow bells. Many of the processions had long and difficult roads +to travel; and the boy saw how they tramped through marshes, how they +had to take roundabout ways to get past windfalls, and how, time and +again, the carts bumped against stones and turned over with all their +contents. But the people met all the obstacles with jokes and laughter. + +In the afternoon they came to a cleared space where cattle sheds and a +couple of rude cabins had been built. The cows mooed with delight as +they tramped on the luscious green grass in the yards between the +cabins, and at once began grazing. The peasants, with merry chatter and +banter, carried water and wood and all that had been brought in the +carts into the larger cabin. Presently smoke rose from the chimney and +then the dairymaids, the shepherd boy, and the men squatted upon a flat +rock and ate their supper. + +Gorgo, the eagle, was certain that he should find Clement Larsson among +those who were off for the forest. Whenever he saw a stock farm +procession, he sank down and scrutinized it with his sharp eyes; but +hour after hour passed without his finding the one he sought. + +After much circling around, toward evening they came to a stony and +desolate tract east of the great main valley. There the boy saw another +outlying stock farm under him. The people and the cattle had arrived. +The men were splitting wood, and the dairymaids were milking the cows. + +"Look there!" said Gorgo. "I think we've got him." + +He sank, and, to his great astonishment, the boy saw that the eagle was +right. There indeed stood little Clement Larsson chopping wood. + +Gorgo alighted on a pine tree in the thick woods a little away from the +house. + +"I have fulfilled my obligation," said the eagle, with a proud toss of +his head. "Now you must try and have a word with the man. I'll perch +here at the top of the thick pine and wait for you." + +THE ANIMALS' NEW YEAR'S EVE + +The day's work was done at the forest ranches, supper was over, and the +peasants sat about and chatted. It was a long time since they had been +in the forest of a summer's night, and they seemed reluctant to go to +bed and sleep. It was as light as day, and the dairymaids were busy with +their needle-work. Ever and anon they raised their heads, looked toward +the forest and smiled. "Now we are here again!" they said. The town, +with its unrest, faded from their minds, and the forest, with its +peaceful stillness, enfolded them. When at home they had wondered how +they should ever be able to endure the loneliness of the woods; but +once there, they felt that they were having their best time. + +Many of the young girls and young men from neighbouring ranches had come +to call upon them, so that there were quite a lot of folk seated on the +grass before the cabins, but they did not find it easy to start +conversation. The men were going home the next day, so the dairymaids +gave them little commissions and bade them take greetings to their +friends in the village. This was nearly all that had been said. + +Suddenly the eldest of the dairy girls looked up from her work and said +laughingly: + +"There's no need of our sitting here so silent to-night, for we have two +story-tellers with us. One is Clement Larsson, who sits beside me, and +the other is Bernhard from Sunnasjö, who stands back there gazing toward +Black's Ridge. I think that we should ask each of them to tell us a +story. To the one who entertains us the better I shall give the muffler +I am knitting." + +This proposal won hearty applause. The two competitors offered lame +excuses, naturally, but were quickly persuaded. Clement asked Bernhard +to begin, and he did not object. He knew little of Clement Larsson, but +assumed that he would come out with some story about ghosts and trolls. +As he knew that people liked to listen to such things, he thought it +best to choose something of the same sort. + +"Some centuries ago," he began, "a dean here in Delsbo township was +riding through the dense forest on a New Year's Eve. He was on +horseback, dressed in fur coat and cap. On the pommel of his saddle hung +a satchel in which he kept the communion service, the Prayer-book, and +the clerical robe. He had been summoned on a parochial errand to a +remote forest settlement, where he had talked with a sick person until +late in the evening. Now he was on his way home, but feared that he +should not get back to the rectory until after midnight. + +"As he had to sit in the saddle when he should have been at home in his +bed, he was glad it was not a rough night. The weather was mild, the air +still and the skies overcast. Behind the clouds hung a full round moon +which gave some light, although it was out of sight. But for that faint +light it would have been impossible for him to distinguish paths from +fields, for that was a snowless winter, and all things had the same +grayish-brown colour. + +"The horse the dean rode was one he prized very highly. He was strong +and sturdy, and quite as wise as a human being. He could find his way +home from any place in the township. The dean had observed this on +several occasions, and he relied upon it with such a sense of security +that he never troubled himself to think where he was going when he rode +that horse. So he came along now in the gray night, through the +bewildering forest, with the reins dangling and his thoughts far away. + +"He was thinking of the sermon he had to preach on the morrow, and of +much else besides, and it was a long time before it occurred to him to +notice how far along he was on his homeward way. When he did glance up, +he saw that the forest was as dense about him as at the beginning, and +he was somewhat surprised, for he had ridden so long that he should have +come to the inhabited portion of the township. + +"Delsbo was about the same then as now. The church and parsonage and all +the large farms and villages were at the northern end of the township, +while at the southern part there were only forests and mountains. The +dean saw that he was still in the unpopulated district and knew that he +was in the southern part and must ride to the north to get home. There +were no stars, nor was there a moon to guide him; but he was a man who +had the four cardinal points in his head. He had the positive feeling +that he was travelling southward, or possibly eastward. + +"He intended to turn the horse at once, but hesitated. The animal had +never strayed, and it did not seem likely that he would do so now. It +was more likely that the dean was mistaken. He had been far away in +thought and had not looked at the road. So he let the horse continue in +the same direction, and again lost himself in his reverie. + +"Suddenly a big branch struck him and almost swept him off the horse. +Then he realized that he must find out where he was. + +"He glanced down and saw that he was riding over a soft marsh, where +there was no beaten path. The horse trotted along at a brisk pace and +showed no uncertainty. Again the dean was positive that he was going in +the wrong direction, and now he did not hesitate to interfere. He seized +the reins and turned the horse about, guiding him back to the roadway. +No sooner was he there than he turned again and made straight for the +woods. + +"The dean was certain that he was going wrong, but because the beast was +so persistent he thought that probably he was trying to find a better +road, and let him go along. + +"The horse did very well, although he had no path to follow. If a +precipice obstructed his way, he climbed it as nimbly as a goat, and +later, when they had to descend, he bunched his hoofs and slid down the +rocky inclines. + +"'May he only find his way home before church hour!' thought the dean. +'I wonder how the Delsbo folk would take it if I were not at my church +on time?' + +"He did not have to brood over this long, for soon he came to a place +that was familiar to him. It was a little creek where he had fished the +summer before. Now he saw it was as he had feared--he was in the depths +of the forest, and the horse was plodding along in a south-easterly +direction. He seemed determined to carry the dean as far from church and +rectory as he could. + +"The clergyman dismounted. He could not let the horse carry him into the +wilderness. He must go home. And, since the animal persisted in going in +the wrong direction, he decided to walk and lead him until they came to +more familiar roads. The dean wound the reins around his arm and began +to walk. It was not an easy matter to tramp through the forest in a +heavy fur coat; but the dean was strong and hardy and had little fear of +overexertion. + +"The horse, meanwhile, caused him fresh anxiety. He would not follow but +planted his hoofs firmly on the ground. + +"At last the dean was angry. He had never beaten that horse, nor did he +wish to do so now. Instead, he threw down the reins and walked away. + +"'We may as well part company here, since you want to go your own way,' +he said. + +"He had not taken more than two steps before the horse came after him, +took a cautious grip on his coat sleeve and stopped him. The dean turned +and looked the horse straight in the eyes, as if to search out why he +behaved so strangely. + +"Afterward the dean could not quite understand how this was possible, +but it is certain that, dark as it was, he plainly saw the horse's face +and read it like that of a human being. He realized that the animal was +in a terrible state of apprehension and fear. He gave his master a look +that was both imploring and reproachful. + +"'I have served you day after day and done your bidding,' he seemed to +say. 'Will you not follow me this one night?' + +"The dean was touched by the appeal in the animal's eyes. It was clear +that the horse needed his help to-night, in one way or another. Being a +man through and through, the dean promptly determined to follow him. +Without further delay he sprang into the saddle. 'Go on!' he said. 'I +will not desert you since you want me. No one shall say of the dean in +Delsbo that he refused to accompany any creature who was in trouble.' + +"He let the horse go as he wished and thought only of keeping his seat. +It proved to be a hazardous and troublesome journey--uphill most of the +way. The forest was so thick that he could not see two feet ahead, but +it appeared to him that they were ascending a high mountain. The horse +climbed perilous steeps. Had the dean been guiding, he should not have +thought of riding over such ground. + +"'Surely you don't intend to go up to Black's Ridge, do you?' laughed +the dean, who knew that was one of the highest peaks in Hälsingland. + +"During the ride he discovered that he and the horse were not the only +ones who were out that night. He heard stones roll down and branches +crackle, as if animals were breaking their way through the forest. He +remembered that wolves were plentiful in that section and wondered if +the horse wished to lead him to an encounter with wild beasts. + +"They mounted up and up, and the higher they went the more scattered +were the trees. At last they rode on almost bare highland, where the +dean could look in every direction. He gazed out over immeasurable +tracts of land, which went up and down in mountains and valleys covered +with sombre forests. It was so dark that he had difficulty in seeing any +orderly arrangement; but presently he could make out where he was. + +"'Why of course it's Black's Ridge that I've come to!' he remarked to +himself. 'It can't be any other mountain, for there, in the west, I see +Jarv Island, and to the east the sea glitters around Ag Island. Toward +the north also I see something shiny. It must be Dellen. In the depths +below me I see white smoke from Nian Falls. Yes, I'm up on Black's +Ridge. What an adventure!' + +"When they were at the summit the horse stopped behind a thick pine, as +if to hide. The dean bent forward and pushed aside the branches, that he +might have an unobstructed view. + +"The mountain's bald plate confronted him. It was not empty and +desolate, as he had anticipated. In the middle of the open space was an +immense boulder around which many wild beasts had gathered. Apparently +they were holding a conclave of some sort. + +"Near to the big rock he saw bears, so firmly and heavily built that +they seemed like fur-clad blocks of stone. They were lying down and +their little eyes blinked impatiently; it was obvious that they had come +from their winter sleep to attend court, and that they could hardly keep +awake. Behind them, in tight rows, were hundreds of wolves. They were +not sleepy, for wolves are more alert in winter than in summer. They sat +upon their haunches, like dogs, whipping the ground with their tails and +panting--their tongues lolling far out of their jaws. Behind the wolves +the lynx skulked, stiff-legged and clumsy, like misshapen cats. They +were loath to be among the other beasts, and hissed and spat when one +came near them. The row back of the lynx was occupied by the wolverines, +with dog faces and bear coats. They were not happy on the ground, and +they stamped their pads impatiently, longing to get into the trees. +Behind them, covering the entire space to the forest border, leaped the +foxes, the weasels, and the martens. These were small and perfectly +formed, but they looked even more savage and bloodthirsty than the +larger beasts. + +"All this the dean plainly saw, for the whole place was illuminated. +Upon the huge rock at the centre was the Wood-nymph, who held in her +hand a pine torch which burned in a big red flame. The Nymph was as tall +as the tallest tree in the forest. She wore a spruce-brush mantle and +had spruce-cone hair. She stood very still, her face turned toward the +forest. She was watching and listening. + +"The dean saw everything as plain as plain could be, but his +astonishment was so great that he tried to combat it, and would not +believe the evidence of his own eyes. + +"'Such things cannot possibly happen!' he thought. 'I have ridden much +too long in the bleak forest. This is only an optical illusion.' + +"Nevertheless he gave the closest attention to the spectacle, and +wondered what was about to be done. + +"He hadn't long to wait before he caught the sound of a familiar bell, +coming from the depths of the forest, and the next moment he heard +footfalls and crackling of branches--as when many animals break through +the forest. + +"A big herd of cattle was climbing the mountain. They came through the +forest in the order in which they had marched to the mountain ranches. +First came the bell cow followed by the bull, then the other cows and +the calves. The sheep, closely herded, followed. After them came the +goats, and last were the horses and colts. The sheep-dog trotted along +beside the sheep; but neither shepherd nor shepherdess attended them. + +"The dean thought it heart-rending to see the tame animals coming +straight toward the wild beasts. He would gladly have blocked their way +and called 'Halt!' but he understood that it was not within human power +to stop the march of the cattle on this night; therefore he made no +move. + +"The domestic animals were in a state of torment over that which they +had to face. If it happened to be the bell cow's turn, she advanced with +drooping head and faltering step. The goats had no desire either to play +or to butt. The horses tried to bear up bravely, but their bodies were +all of a quiver with fright. The most pathetic of all was the sheep-dog. +He kept his tail between his legs and crawled on the ground. + +"The bell cow led the procession all the way up to the Wood-nymph, who +stood on the boulder at the top of the mountain. The cow walked around +the rock and then turned toward the forest without any of the wild +beasts touching her. In the same way all the cattle walked unmolested +past the wild beasts. + +"As the creatures filed past, the dean saw the Wood-nymph lower her pine +torch over one and another of them. + +"Every time this occurred the beasts of prey broke into loud, exultant +roars--particularly when it was lowered over a cow or some other large +creature. The animal that saw the torch turning toward it uttered a +piercing shriek, as if it had received a knife thrust in its flesh, +while the entire herd to which it belonged bellowed their lamentations. + +"Then the dean began to comprehend the meaning of what he saw. Surely he +had heard that the animals in Delsbo assembled on Black's Ridge every +New Year's Eve, that the Wood-nymph might mark out which among the tame +beasts would that year be prey for the wild beasts. The dean pitied the +poor creatures that were at the mercy of savage beasts, when in reality +they should have no master but man. + +"The leading herd had only just left when another bell tinkled, and the +cattle from another farm tramped to the mountain top. These came in the +same order as the first and marched past the Wood-nymph, who stood +there, stern and solemn, indicating animal after animal for death. + +"Herd upon herd followed, without a break in the line of procession. +Some were so small that they included only one cow and a few sheep; +others consisted of only a pair of goats. It was apparent that these +were from very humble homes, but they too were compelled to pass in +review. + +"The dean thought of the Delsbo farmers, who had so much love for their +beasts. 'Did they but know of it, surely they would not allow a +repetition of this!' he thought. 'They would risk their own lives rather +than let their cattle wander amongst bears and wolves, to be doomed by +the Wood-nymph!' + +"The last herd to appear was the one from the rectory farm. The dean +heard the sound of the familiar bell a long way off. The horse, too, +must have heard it, for he began to shake in every limb, and was bathed +in sweat. + +"'So it is your turn now to pass before the Wood-nymph to receive your +sentence,' the dean said to the horse. 'Don't be afraid! Now I know why +you brought me here, and I shall not leave you.' + +"The fine cattle from the parsonage farm emerged from the forest and +marched to the Wood-nymph and the wild beasts. Last in the line was the +horse that had brought his master to Black's Ridge. The dean did not +leave the saddle, but let the animal take him to the Wood-nymph. + +"He had neither knife nor gun for his defence, but he had taken out the +Prayer-book and sat pressing it to his heart as he exposed himself to +battle against evil. + +"At first it appeared as if none had observed him. The dean's cattle +filed past the Wood-nymph in the same order as the others had done. She +did not wave the torch toward any of these, but as soon as the +intelligent horse stepped forward, she made a movement to mark him for +death. + +"Instantly the dean held up the Prayer-book, and the torchlight fell +upon the cross on its cover. The Wood-nymph uttered a loud, shrill cry +and let the torch drop from her hand. + +"Immediately the flame was extinguished. In the sudden transition from +light to darkness the dean saw nothing, nor did he hear anything. About +him reigned the profound stillness of a wilderness in winter. + +"Then the dark clouds parted, and through the opening stepped the full +round moon to shed its light upon the ground. The dean saw that he and +the horse were alone on the summit of Black's Ridge. Not one of the many +wild beasts was there. The ground had not been trampled by the herds +that had passed over it; but the dean himself sat with his Prayer-book +before him, while the horse under him stood trembling and foaming. + +"By the time the dean reached home he no longer knew whether or not it +had been a dream, a vision, or reality--this that he had seen; but he +took it as a warning to him to remember the poor creatures who were at +the mercy of wild beasts. He preached so powerfully to the Delsbo +peasants that in his day all the wolves and bears were exterminated from +that section of the country, although they may have returned since his +time." + +Here Bernhard ended his story. He received praise from all sides and it +seemed to be a foregone conclusion that he would get the prize. The +majority thought it almost a pity that Clement had to compete with him. + +But Clement, undaunted, began: + +"One day, while I was living at Skansen, just outside of Stockholm, and +longing for home--" Then he told about the tiny midget he had ransomed +so that he would not have to be confined in a cage, to be stared at by +all the people. He told, also, that no sooner had he performed this act +of mercy than he was rewarded for it. He talked and talked, and the +astonishment of his hearers grew greater and greater; but when he came +to the royal lackey and the beautiful book, all the dairymaids dropped +their needle-work and sat staring at Clement in open-eyed wonder at his +marvellous experiences. + +As soon as Clement had finished, the eldest of the dairymaids announced +that he should have the muffler. + +"Bernhard related only things that happened to another, but Clement has +himself been the hero of a true story, which I consider far more +important." + +In this all concurred. They regarded Clement with very different eyes +after hearing that he had talked with the King, and the little fiddler +was afraid to show how proud he felt. But at the very height of his +elation some one asked him what had become of the midget. + +"I had no time to set out the blue bowl for him myself," said Clement, +"so I asked the old Laplander to do it. What has become of him since +then I don't know." + +No sooner had he spoken than a little pine cone came along and struck +him on the nose. It did not drop from a tree, and none of the peasants +had thrown it. It was simply impossible to tell whence it had come. + +"Aha, Clement!" winked the dairymaid, "it appears as if the tiny folk +were listening to us. You should not have left it to another to set out +that blue bowl!" + + +IN MEDELPAD + + +_Friday, June seventeenth_. + +The boy and the eagle were out bright and early the next morning. Gorgo +hoped that he would get far up into West Bothnia that day. As luck would +have it, he heard the boy remark to himself that in a country like the +one through which they were now travelling it must be impossible for +people to live. + +The land which spread below them was Southern Medelpad. When the eagle +heard the boy's remark, he replied: + +"Up here they have forests for fields." + +The boy thought of the contrast between the light, golden-rye fields +with their delicate blades that spring up in one summer, and the dark +spruce forest with its solid trees which took many years to ripen for +harvest. + +"One who has to get his livelihood from such a field must have a deal of +patience!" he observed. + +Nothing more was said until they came to a place where the forest had +been cleared, and the ground was covered with stumps and lopped-off +branches. As they flew over this ground, the eagle heard the boy mutter +to himself that it was a mighty ugly and poverty-stricken place. + +"This field was cleared last winter," said the eagle. + +The boy thought of the harvesters at home, who rode on their reaping +machines on fine summer mornings, and in a short time mowed a large +field. But the forest field was harvested in winter. The lumbermen went +out in the wilderness when the snow was deep, and the cold most severe. +It was tedious work to fell even one tree, and to hew down a forest such +as this they must have been out in the open many weeks. + +"They have to be hardy men to mow a field of this kind," he said. + +When the eagle had taken two more wing strokes, they sighted a log cabin +at the edge of the clearing. It had no windows and only two loose boards +for a door. The roof had been covered with bark and twigs, but now it +was gaping, and the boy could see that inside the cabin there were only +a few big stones to serve as a fireplace, and two board benches. When +they were above the cabin the eagle suspected that the boy was wondering +who could have lived in such a wretched hut as that. + +"The reapers who mowed the forest field lived there," the eagle said. + +The boy remembered how the reapers in his home had returned from their +day's work, cheerful and happy, and how the best his mother had in the +larder was always spread for them; while here, after the arduous work of +the day, they must rest on hard benches in a cabin that was worse than +an outhouse. And what they had to eat he could not imagine. + +"I wonder if there are any harvest festivals for these labourers?" he +questioned. + +A little farther on they saw below them a wretchedly bad road winding +through the forest. It was narrow and zigzag, hilly and stony, and cut +up by brooks in many places. As they flew over it the eagle knew that +the boy was wondering what was carted over a road like that. + +"Over this road the harvest was conveyed to the stack," the eagle said. + +The boy recalled what fun they had at home when the harvest wagons +drawn by two sturdy horses, carried the grain from the field. The man +who drove sat proudly on top of the load; the horses danced and pricked +up their ears, while the village children, who were allowed to climb +upon the sheaves, sat there laughing and shrieking, half-pleased, +half-frightened. But here the great logs were drawn up and down steep +hills; here the poor horses must be worked to their limit, and the +driver must often be in peril. "I'm afraid there has been very little +cheer along this road," the boy observed. + +The eagle flew on with powerful wing strokes, and soon they came to a +river bank covered with logs, chips, and bark. The eagle perceived that +the boy wondered why it looked so littered up down there. + +"Here the harvest has been stacked," the eagle told him. + +The boy thought of how the grain stacks in his part of the country were +piled up close to the farms, as if they were their greatest ornaments, +while here the harvest was borne to a desolate river strand, and left +there. + +"I wonder if any one out in this wilderness counts his stacks, and +compares them with his neighbour's?" he said. + +A little later they came to Ljungen, a river which glides through a +broad valley. Immediately everything was so changed that they might well +think they had come to another country. The dark spruce forest had +stopped on the inclines above the valley, and the slopes were clad in +light-stemmed birches and aspens. The valley was so broad that in many +places the river widened into lakes. Along the shores lay a large +flourishing town. + +As they soared above the valley the eagle realized that the boy was +wondering if the fields and meadows here could provide a livelihood for +so many people. + +"Here live the reapers who mow the forest fields," the eagle said. + +The boy was thinking of the lowly cabins and the hedged-in farms down in +SkÃ¥ne when he exclaimed: + +"Why, here the peasants live in real manors. It looks as if it might be +worth one's while to work in the forest!" + +The eagle had intended to travel straight north, but when he had flown +out over the river he understood that the boy wondered who handled the +timber after it was stacked on the river bank. + +The boy recollected how careful they had been at home never to let a +grain be wasted, while here were great rafts of logs floating down the +river, uncared for. He could not believe that more than half of the logs +ever reached their destination. Many were floating in midstream, and for +them all went smoothly; others moved close to the shore, bumping against +points of land, and some were left behind in the still waters of the +creeks. On the lakes there were so many logs that they covered the +entire surface of the water. These appeared to be lodged for an +indefinite period. At the bridges they stuck; in the falls they were +bunched, then they were pyramided and broken in two; afterward, in the +rapids, they were blocked by the stones and massed into great heaps. + +"I wonder how long it takes for the logs to get to the mill?" said the +boy. + +The eagle continued his slow flight down River Ljungen. Over many places +he paused in the air on outspread wings, that the boy might see how this +kind of harvest work was done. + +Presently they came to a place where the loggers were at work. The eagle +marked that the boy wondered what they were doing. + +"They are the ones who take care of all the belated harvest," the eagle +said. + +The boy remembered the perfect ease with which his people at home had +driven their grain to the mill. Here the men ran alongside the shores +with long boat-hooks, and with toil and effort urged the logs along. +They waded out in the river and were soaked from top to toe. They jumped +from stone to stone far out into the rapids, and they tramped on the +rolling log heaps as calmly as though they were on flat ground. They +were daring and resolute men. + +"As I watch this, I'm reminded of the iron-moulders in the mining +districts, who juggle with fire as if it were perfectly harmless," +remarked the boy. "These loggers play with water as if they were its +masters. They seem to have subjugated it so that it dare not harm them." + +Gradually they neared the mouth of the river, and Bothnia Bay was beyond +them. Gorgo flew no farther straight ahead, but went northward along the +coast. Before they had travelled very far they saw a lumber camp as +large as a small city. While the eagle circled back and forth above it, +he heard the boy remark that this place looked interesting. + +"Here you have the great lumber camp called Svartvik," the eagle said. + +The boy thought of the mill at home, which stood peacefully embedded in +foliage, and moved its wings very slowly. This mill, where they grind +the forest harvest, stood on the water. + +The mill pond was crowded with logs. One by one the helpers seized them +with their cant-hooks, crowded them into the chutes and hurried them +along to the whirling saws. What happened to the logs inside, the boy +could not see, but he heard loud buzzing and roaring, and from the other +end of the house small cars ran out, loaded with white planks. The cars +ran on shining tracks down to the lumber yard, where the planks were +piled in rows, forming streets--like blocks of houses in a city. In one +place they were building new piles; in another they were pulling down +old ones. These were carried aboard two large vessels which lay waiting +for cargo. The place was alive with workmen, and in the woods, back of +the yard, they had their homes. + +"They'll soon manage to saw up all the forests in Medelpad the way they +work here," said the boy. + +The eagle moved his wings just a little, and carried the boy above +another large camp, very much like the first, with the mill, yard, +wharf, and the homes of the workmen. + +"This is called Kukikenborg," the eagle said. + +He flapped his wings slowly, flew past two big lumber camps, and +approached a large city. When the eagle heard the boy ask the name of +it, he cried; "This is Sundsvall, the manor of the lumber districts." + +The boy remembered the cities of SkÃ¥ne, which looked so old and gray and +solemn; while here in the bleak North the city of Sundsvall faced a +beautiful bay, and looked young and happy and beaming. There was +something odd about the city when one saw it from above, for in the +middle stood a cluster of tall stone structures which looked so imposing +that their match was hardly to be found in Stockholm. Around the stone +buildings there was a large open space, then came a wreath of frame +houses which looked pretty and cosy in their little gardens; but they +seemed to be conscious of the fact that they were very much poorer than +the stone houses, and dared not venture into their neighbourhood. + +"This must be both a wealthy and powerful city," remarked the boy. "Can +it be possible that the poor forest soil is the source of all this?" + +The eagle flapped his wings again, and went over to Aln Island, which +lies opposite Sundsvall. The boy was greatly surprised to see all the +sawmills that decked the shores. On Aln Island they stood, one next +another, and on the mainland opposite were mill upon mill, lumber yard +upon lumber yard. He counted forty, at least, but believed there were +many more. + +"How wonderful it all looks from up here!" he marvelled. "So much life +and activity I have not seen in any place save this on the whole trip. +It is a great country that we have! Wherever I go, there is always +something new for people to live upon." + + +A MORNING IN Ã…NGERMANLAND + + +THE BREAD + +_Saturday, June eighteenth_. + +Next morning, when the eagle had flown some distance into Ã…ngermanland, +he remarked that to-day he was the one who was hungry, and must find +something to eat! He set the boy down in an enormous pine on a high +mountain ridge, and away he flew. + +The boy found a comfortable seat in a cleft branch from which he could +look down over Ã…ngermanland. It was a glorious morning! The sunshine +gilded the treetops; a soft breeze played in the pine needles; the +sweetest fragrance was wafted through the forest; a beautiful landscape +spread before him; and the boy himself was happy and care-free. He felt +that no one could be better off. + +He had a perfect outlook in every direction. The country west of him was +all peaks and table-land, and the farther away they were, the higher and +wilder they looked. To the east there were also many peaks, but these +sank lower and lower toward the sea, where the land became perfectly +flat. Everywhere he saw shining rivers and brooks which were having a +troublesome journey with rapids and falls so long as they ran between +mountains, but spread out clear and broad as they neared the shore of +the coast. Bothnia Bay was dotted with islands and notched with points, +but farther out was open, blue water, like a summer sky. + +When the boy had had enough of the landscape he unloosed his knapsack, +took out a morsel of fine white bread, and began to eat. + +"I don't think I've ever tasted such good bread," said he. "And how much +I have left! There's enough to last me for a couple of days." As he +munched he thought of how he had come by the bread. + +"It must be because I got it in such a nice way that it tastes so good +to me," he said. + +The golden eagle had left Medelpad the evening before. He had hardly +crossed the border into Ã…ngermanland when the boy caught a glimpse of a +fertile valley and a river, which surpassed anything of the kind he had +seen before. + +As the boy glanced down at the rich valley, he complained of feeling +hungry. He had had no food for two whole days, he said, and now he was +famished. Gorgo did not wish to have it said that the boy had fared +worse in his company than when he travelled with the wild geese, so he +slackened his speed. + +"Why haven't you spoken of this before?" he asked. "You shall have all +the food you want. There's no need of your starving when you have an +eagle for a travelling companion." + +Just then the eagle sighted a farmer who was sowing a field near the +river strand. The man carried the seeds in a basket suspended from his +neck, and each time that it was emptied he refilled it from a seed sack +which stood at the end of the furrow. The eagle reasoned it out that the +sack must be filled with the best food that the boy could wish for, so +he darted toward it. But before the bird could get there a terrible +clamour arose about him. Sparrows, crows, and swallows came rushing up +with wild shrieks, thinking that the eagle meant to swoop down upon some +bird. + +"Away, away, robber! Away, away, bird-killer!" they cried. They made +such a racket that it attracted the farmer, who came running, so that +Gorgo had to flee, and the boy got no seed. + +The small birds behaved in the most extraordinary manner. Not only did +they force the eagle to flee, they pursued him a long distance down the +valley, and everywhere the people heard their cries. Women came out and +clapped their hands so that it sounded like a volley of musketry, and +the men rushed out with rifles. + +The same thing was repeated every time the eagle swept toward the +ground. The boy abandoned the hope that the eagle could procure any food +for him. It had never occurred to him before that Gorgo was so much +hated. He almost pitied him. + +In a little while they came to a homestead where the housewife had just +been baking. She had set a platter of sugared buns in the back yard to +cool and was standing beside it, watching, so that the cat and dog +should not steal the buns. + +The eagle circled down to the yard, but dared not alight right under the +eyes of the peasant woman. He flew up and down, irresolute; twice he +came down as far as the chimney, then rose again. + +The peasant woman noticed the eagle. She raised her head and followed +him with her glance. + +"How peculiarly he acts!" she remarked. "I believe he wants one of my +buns." + +She was a beautiful woman, tall and fair, with a cheery, open +countenance. Laughing heartily, she took a bun from the platter, and +held it above her head. + +"If you want it, come and take it!" she challenged. + +While the eagle did not understand her language, he knew at once that +she was offering him the bun. With lightning speed, he swooped to the +bread, snatched it, and flew toward the heights. + +When the boy saw the eagle snatch the bread he wept for joy--not because +he would escape suffering hunger for a few days, but because he was +touched by the peasant woman's sharing her bread with a savage bird of +prey. + +Where he now sat on the pine branch he could recall at will the tall, +fair woman as she stood in the yard and held up the bread. + +She must have known that the large bird was a golden eagle--a plunderer, +who was usually welcomed with loud shots; doubtless she had also seen +the queer changeling he bore on his back. But she had not thought of +what they were. As soon as she understood that they were hungry, she +shared her good bread with them. + +"If I ever become human again," thought the boy, "I shall look up the +pretty woman who lives near the great river, and thank her for her +kindness to us." + +THE FOREST FIRE + +While the boy was still at his breakfast he smelled a faint odour of +smoke coming from the north. He turned and saw a tiny spiral, white as a +mist, rise from a forest ridge--not from the one nearest him, but from +the one beyond it. It looked strange to see smoke in the wild forest, +but it might be that a mountain stock farm lay over yonder, and the +women were boiling their morning coffee. + +It was remarkable the way that smoke increased and spread! It could not +come from a ranch, but perhaps there were charcoal kilns in the forest. + +The smoke increased every moment. Now it curled over the whole mountain +top. It was not possible that so much smoke could come from a charcoal +kiln. There must be a conflagration of some sort, for many birds flew +over to the nearest ridge. Hawks, grouse, and other birds, who were so +small that it was impossible to recognize them at such a distance, fled +from the fire. + +The tiny white spiral of smoke grew to a thick white cloud which rolled +over the edge of the ridge and sank toward the valley. Sparks and flakes +of soot shot up from the clouds, and here and there one could see a red +flame in the smoke. A big fire was raging over there, but what was +burning? Surely there was no large farm hidden in the forest. + +The source of such a fire must be more than a farm. Now the smoke came +not only from the ridge, but from the valley below it, which the boy +could not see, because the next ridge obstructed his view. Great clouds +of smoke ascended; the forest itself was burning! + +It was difficult for him to grasp the idea that the fresh, green pines +could burn. If it really were the forest that was burning, perhaps the +fire might spread all the way over to him. It seemed improbable; but he +wished the eagle would soon return. It would be best to be away from +this. The mere smell of the smoke which he drew in with every breath was +a torture. + +All at once he heard a terrible crackling and sputtering. It came from +the ridge nearest him. There, on the highest point, stood a tall pine +like the one in which he sat. A moment before it had been a gorgeous red +in the morning light. Now all the needles flashed, and the pine caught +fire. Never before had it looked so beautiful! But this was the last +time it could exhibit any beauty, for the pine was the first tree on the +ridge to burn. It was impossible to tell how the flames had reached it. +Had the fire flown on red wings, or crawled along the ground like a +snake? It was not easy to say, but there it was at all events. The great +pine burned like a birch stem. + +Ah, look! Now smoke curled up in many places on the ridge. The forest +fire was both bird and snake. It could fly in the air over wide +stretches, or steal along the ground. The whole ridge was ablaze! + +There was a hasty flight of birds that circled up through the smoke like +big flakes of soot. They flew across the valley and came to the ridge +where the boy sat. A horned owl perched beside him, and on a branch just +above him a hen hawk alighted. These would have been dangerous +neighbours at any other time, but now they did not even glance in his +direction--only stared at the fire. Probably they could not make out +what was wrong with the forest. A marten ran up the pine to the tip of a +branch, and looked at the burning heights. Close beside the marten sat a +squirrel, but they did not appear to notice each other. + +Now the fire came rushing down the slope, hissing and roaring like a +tornado. Through the smoke one could see the flames dart from tree to +tree. Before a branch caught fire it was first enveloped in a thin veil +of smoke, then all the needles grew red at one time, and it began to +crackle and blaze. + +In the glen below ran a little brook, bordered by elms and small +birches. It appeared as if the flames would halt there. Leafy trees are +not so ready to take fire as fir trees. The fire did pause as if before +a gate that could stop it. It glowed and crackled and tried to leap +across the brook to the pine woods on the other side, but could not +reach them. + +For a short time the fire was thus restrained, then it shot a long +flame over to the large, dry pine that stood on the slope, and this was +soon ablaze. The fire had crossed the brook! The heat was so intense +that every tree on the mountain was ready to burn. With the roar and +rush of the maddest storm and the wildest torrent the forest fire flew +over to the ridge. + +Then the hawk and the owl rose and the marten dashed down the tree. In a +few seconds more the fire would reach the top of the pine, and the boy, +too, would have to be moving. It was not easy to slide down the long, +straight pine trunk. He took as firm a hold of it as he could, and slid +in long stretches between the knotty branches; finally he tumbled +headlong to the ground. He had no time to find out if he was hurt--only +to hurry away. The fire raced down the pine like a raging tempest; the +ground under his feet was hot and smouldering. On either side of him ran +a lynx and an adder, and right beside the snake fluttered a mother +grouse who was hurrying along with her little downy chicks. + +When the refugees descended the mountain to the glen they met people +fighting the fire. They had been there for some time, but the boy had +been gazing so intently in the direction of the fire that he had not +noticed them before. + +In this glen there was a brook, bordered by a row of leaf trees, and +back of these trees the people worked. They felled the fir trees nearest +the elms, dipped water from the brook and poured it over the ground, +washing away heather and myrtle to prevent the fire from stealing up to +the birch brush. + +They, too, thought only of the fire which was now rushing toward them. +The fleeing animals ran in and out among the men's feet, without +attracting attention. No one struck at the adder or tried to catch the +mother grouse as she ran back and forth with her little peeping +birdlings. They did not even bother about Thumbietot. In their hands +they held great, charred pine branches which had dropped into the brook, +and it appeared as if they intended to challenge the fire with these +weapons. There were not many men, and it was strange to see them stand +there, ready to fight, when all other living creatures were fleeing. + +As the fire came roaring and rushing down the slope with its intolerable +heat and suffocating smoke, ready to hurl itself over brook and +leaf-tree wall in order to reach the opposite shore without having to +pause, the people drew back at first as if unable to withstand it; but +they did not flee far before they turned back. + +The conflagration raged with savage force, sparks poured like a rain of +fire over the leaf trees, and long tongues of flame shot hissingly out +from the smoke, as if the forest on the other side were sucking them in. + +But the leaf-tree wall was an obstruction behind which the men worked. +When the ground began to smoulder they brought water in their vessels +and dampened it. When a tree became wreathed in smoke they felled it at +once, threw it down and put out the flames. Where the fire crept along +the heather, they beat it with the wet pine branches and smothered it. + +The smoke was so dense that it enveloped everything. One could not +possibly see how the battle was going, but it was easy enough to +understand that it was a hard fight, and that several times the fire +came near penetrating farther. + +But think! After a while the loud roar of the flames decreased, and the +smoke cleared. By that time the leaf trees had lost all their foliage, +the ground under them was charred, the faces of the men were blackened +by smoke and dripping with sweat; but the forest fire was conquered. It +had ceased to flame up. Soft white smoke crept along the ground, and +from it peeped out a lot of black stumps. This was all there was left of +the beautiful forest! + +The boy scrambled up on a rock, so that he might see how the fire had +been quenched. But now that the forest was saved, his peril began. The +owl and the hawk simultaneously turned their eyes toward him. Just then +he heard a familiar voice calling to him. + +Gorgo, the golden eagle, came sweeping through the forest, and soon the +boy was soaring among the clouds--rescued from every peril. + + +WESTBOTTOM AND LAPLAND + + +THE FIVE SCOUTS + +Once, at Skansen, the boy had sat under the steps at Bollnäs cottage and +had overheard Clement Larsson and the old Laplander talk about Norrland. +Both agreed that it was the most beautiful part of Sweden. Clement +thought that the southern part was the best, while the Laplander +favoured the northern part. + +As they argued, it became plain that Clement had never been farther +north than Härnösand. The Laplander laughed at him for speaking with +such assurance of places that he had never seen. + +"I think I shall have to tell you a story, Clement, to give you some +idea of Lapland, since you have not seen it," volunteered the Laplander. + +"It shall not be said of me that I refuse to listen to a story," +retorted Clement, and the old Laplander began: + +"It once happened that the birds who lived down in Sweden, south of the +great Saméland, thought that they were overcrowded there and suggested +moving northward. + +"They came together to consider the matter. The young and eager birds +wished to start at once, but the older and wiser ones passed a +resolution to send scouts to explore the new country. + +"'Let each of the five great bird families send out a scout,' said the +old and wise birds, 'to learn if there is room for us all up there--food +and hiding places.' + +"Five intelligent and capable birds were immediately appointed by the +five great bird families. + +"The forest birds selected a grouse, the field birds a lark, the sea +birds a gull, the fresh-water birds a loon, and the cliff birds a snow +sparrow. + +"When the five chosen ones were ready to start, the grouse, who was the +largest and most commanding, said: + +"'There are great stretches of land ahead. If we travel together, it +will be long before we cover all the territory that we must explore. If, +on the other hand, we travel singly--each one exploring his special +portion of the country--the whole business can be accomplished in a few +days.' + +"The other scouts thought the suggestion a good one, and agreed to act +upon it. + +"It was decided that the grouse should explore the midlands. The lark +was to travel to the eastward, the sea gull still farther east, where +the land bordered on the sea, while the loon should fly over the +territory west of the midlands, and the snow sparrow to the extreme +west. + +"In accordance with this plan, the five birds flew over the whole +Northland. Then they turned back and told the assembly of birds what +they had discovered. + +"The gull, who had travelled along the sea-coast, spoke first. + +"'The North is a fine country,' he said. 'The sounds are full of fish, +and there are points and islands without number. Most of these are +uninhabited, and the birds will find plenty of room there. The humans +do a little fishing and sailing in the sounds, but not enough to disturb +the birds. If the sea birds follow my advice, they will move north +immediately.' + +"When the gull had finished, the lark, who had explored the land back +from the coast, spoke: + +"'I don't know what the gull means by his islands and points,' said the +lark. I have travelled only over great fields and flowery meadows. I +have never before seen a country crossed by some large streams. Their +shores are dotted with homesteads, and at the mouth of the rivers are +cities; but for the most part the country is very desolate. If the field +birds follow my advice, they will move north immediately.' + +"After the lark came the grouse, who had flown over the midlands. + +"'I know neither what the lark means with his meadows nor the gull with +his islands and points,' said he. 'I have seen only pine forests on this +whole trip. There are also many rushing streams and great stretches of +moss-grown swamp land; but all that is not river or swamp is forest. If +the forest birds follow my advice, they will move north immediately.' + +"After the grouse came the loon, who had explored the borderland to the +west. + +"I don't know what the grouse means by his forests, nor do I know where +the eyes of the lark and the gull could have been,' remarked the loon. +There's hardly any land up there--only big lakes. Between beautiful +shores glisten clear, blue mountain lakes, which pour into roaring +water-falls. If the fresh-water birds follow my advice, they will move +north immediately.' + +"The last speaker was the snow sparrow, who had flown along the western +boundary. + +"'I don't know what the loon means by his lakes, nor do I know what +countries the grouse, the lark, and the gull can have seen,' he said. 'I +found one vast mountainous region up north. I didn't run across any +fields or any pine forests, but peak after peak and highlands. I have +seen ice fields and snow and mountain brooks, with water as white as +milk. No farmers nor cattle nor homesteads have I seen, but only Lapps +and reindeer and huts met my eyes. If the cliff birds follow my advice, +they will move north immediately.' + +"When the five scouts had presented their reports to the assembly, they +began to call one another liars, and were ready to fly at each other to +prove the truth of their arguments. + +"But the old and wise birds who had sent them out, listened to their +accounts with joy, and calmed their fighting propensities. + +"'You mustn't quarrel among yourselves,' they said. 'We understand from +your reports that up north there are large mountain tracts, a big lake +region, great forest lands, a wide plain, and a big group of islands. +This is more than we have expected--more than many a mighty kingdom can +boast within its borders.'" + +THE MOVING LANDSCAPE + +_Saturday, June eighteenth_. + +The boy had been reminded of the old Laplander's story because he +himself was now travelling over the country of which he had spoken. The +eagle told him that the expanse of coast which spread beneath them was +Westbottom, and that the blue ridges far to the west were in Lapland. + +Only to be once more seated comfortably on Gorgo's back, after all that +he had suffered during the forest fire, was a pleasure. Besides, they +were having a fine trip. The flight was so easy that at times it seemed +as if they were standing still in the air. The eagle beat and beat his +wings, without appearing to move from the spot; on the other hand, +everything under them seemed in motion. The whole earth and all things +on it moved slowly southward. The forests, the fields, the fences, the +rivers, the cities, the islands, the sawmills--all were on the march. +The boy wondered whither they were bound. Had they grown tired of +standing so far north, and wished to move toward the south? + +Amid all the objects in motion there was only one that stood still: that +was a railway train. It stood directly under them, for it was with the +train as with Gorgo--it could not move from the spot. The locomotive +sent forth smoke and sparks. The clatter of the wheels could be heard +all the way up to the boy, but the train did not seem to move. The +forests rushed by; the flag station rushed by; fences and telegraph +poles rushed by; but the train stood still. A broad river with a long +bridge came toward it, but the river and the bridge glided along under +the train with perfect ease. Finally a railway station appeared. The +station master stood on the platform with his red flag, and moved slowly +toward the train. + +When he waved his little flag, the locomotive belched even darker smoke +curls than before, and whistled mournfully because it had to stand +still. All of a sudden it began to move toward the south, like +everything else. + +The boy saw all the coach doors open and the passengers step out while +both cars and people were moving southward. + +He glanced away from the earth and tried to look straight ahead. Staring +at the queer railway train had made him dizzy; but after he had gazed +for a moment at a little white cloud, he was tired of that and looked +down again--thinking all the while that the eagle and himself were quite +still and that everything else was travelling on south. Fancy! Suppose +the grain field just then running along under him--which must have been +newly sown for he had seen a green blade on it--were to travel all the +way down to SkÃ¥ne where the rye was in full bloom at this season! + +Up here the pine forests were different: the trees were bare, the +branches short and the needles were almost black. Many trees were bald +at the top and looked sickly. If a forest like that were to journey down +to KolmÃ¥rden and see a real forest, how inferior it would feel! + +The gardens which he now saw had some pretty bushes, but no fruit trees +or lindens or chestnut trees--only mountain ash and birch. There were +some vegetable beds, but they were not as yet hoed or planted. + +"If such an apology for a garden were to come trailing into Sörmland, +the province of gardens, wouldn't it think itself a poor wilderness by +comparison?" + +Imagine an immense plain like the one now gliding beneath him, coming +under the very eyes of the poor SmÃ¥land peasants! They would hurry away +from their meagre garden plots and stony fields, to begin plowing and +sowing. + +There was one thing, however, of which this Northland had more than +other lands, and that was light. Night must have set in, for the cranes +stood sleeping on the morass; but it was as light as day. The sun had +not travelled southward, like every other thing. Instead, it had gone so +far north that it shone in the boy's face. To all appearance, it had no +notion of setting that night. + +If this light and this sun were only shining on West Vemmenhög! It would +suit the boy's father and mother to a dot to have a working day that +lasted twenty-four hours. + +_Sunday, June nineteenth_. + +The boy raised his head and looked around, perfectly bewildered. It was +mighty queer! Here he lay sleeping in some place where he had not been +before. No, he had never seen this glen nor the mountains round about; +and never had he noticed such puny and shrunken birches as those under +which he now lay. + +Where was the eagle? The boy could see no sign of him. Gorgo must have +deserted him. Well, here was another adventure! + +The boy lay down again, closed his eyes, and tried to recall the +circumstances under which he had dropped to sleep. + +He remembered that as long as he was travelling over Westbottom he had +fancied that the eagle and he were at a standstill in the air, and that +the land under them was moving southward. As the eagle turned northwest, +the wind had come from that side, and again he had felt a current of +air, so that the land below had stopped moving and he had noticed that +the eagle was bearing him onward with terrific speed. + +"Now we are flying into Lapland," Gorgo had said, and the boy had bent +forward, so that he might see the country of which he had heard so much. + +But he had felt rather disappointed at not seeing anything but great +tracts of forest land and wide marshes. Forest followed marsh and marsh +followed forest. The monotony of the whole finally made him so sleepy +that he had nearly dropped to the ground. + +He said to the eagle that he could not stay on his back another minute, +but must sleep awhile. Gorgo had promptly swooped to the ground, where +the boy had dropped down on a moss tuft. Then Gorgo put a talon around +him and soared into the air with him again. + +"Go to sleep, Thumbietot!" he cried. "The sunshine keeps me awake and I +want to continue the journey." + +Although the boy hung in this uncomfortable position, he actually dozed +and dreamed. + +He dreamed that he was on a broad road in southern Sweden, hurrying +along as fast as his little legs could carry him. He was not alone, many +wayfarers were tramping in the same direction. Close beside him marched +grain-filled rye blades, blossoming corn flowers, and yellow daisies. +Heavily laden apple trees went puffing along, followed by vine-covered +bean stalks, big clusters of white daisies, and masses of berry bushes. +Tall beeches and oaks and lindens strolled leisurely in the middle of +the road, their branches swaying, and they stepped aside for none. +Between the boy's tiny feet darted the little flowers--wild strawberry +blossoms, white anemones, clover, and forget-me-nots. At first he +thought that only the vegetable family was on the march, but presently +he saw that animals and people accompanied them. The insects were +buzzing around advancing bushes, the fishes were swimming in moving +ditches, the birds were singing in strolling trees. Both tame and wild +beasts were racing, and amongst all this people moved along--some with +spades and scythes, others with axes, and others, again, with fishing +nets. + +The procession marched with gladness and gayety, and he did not wonder +at that when he saw who was leading it. It was nothing less than the Sun +itself that rolled on like a great shining head with hair of many-hued +rays and a countenance beaming with merriment and kindliness! + +"Forward, march!" it kept calling out. "None need feel anxious whilst I +am here. Forward, march!" + +"I wonder where the Sun wants to take us to?" remarked the boy. A rye +blade that walked beside him heard him, and immediately answered: + +"He wants to take us up to Lapland to fight the Ice Witch." + +Presently the boy noticed that some of the travellers hesitated, slowed +up, and finally stood quite still. He saw that the tall beech tree +stopped, and that the roebuck and the wheat blade tarried by the +wayside, likewise the blackberry bush, the little yellow buttercup, the +chestnut tree, and the grouse. + +He glanced about him and tried to reason out why so many stopped. Then +he discovered that they were no longer in southern Sweden. The march had +been so rapid that they were already in Svealand. + +Up there the oak began to move more cautiously. It paused awhile to +consider, took a few faltering steps, then came to a standstill. + +"Why doesn't the oak come along?" asked the boy. + +"It's afraid of the Ice Witch," said a fair young birch that tripped +along so boldly and cheerfully that it was a joy to watch it. The crowd +hurried on as before. In a short time they were in Norrland, and now it +mattered not how much the Sun cried and coaxed--the apple tree stopped, +the cherry tree stopped, the rye blade stopped! + +The boy turned to them and asked: + +"Why don't you come along? Why do you desert the Sun?" + +"We dare not! We're afraid of the Ice Witch, who lives in Lapland," they +answered. + +The boy comprehended that they were far north, as the procession grew +thinner and thinner. The rye blade, the barley, the wild strawberry, the +blueberry bush, the pea stalk, the currant bush had come along as far as +this. The elk and the domestic cow had been walking side by side, but +now they stopped. The Sun no doubt would have been almost deserted if +new followers had not happened along. Osier bushes and a lot of brushy +vegetation joined the procession. Laps and reindeer, mountain owl and +mountain fox and willow grouse followed. + +Then the boy heard something coming toward them. He saw great rivers and +creeks sweeping along with terrible force. + +"Why are they in such a hurry?" he asked. + +"They are running away from the Ice Witch, who lives up in the +mountains." + +All of a sudden the boy saw before him a high, dark, turreted wall. +Instantly the Sun turned its beaming face toward this wall and flooded +it with light. Then it became apparent that it was no wall, but the most +glorious mountains, which loomed up--one behind another. Their peaks +were rose-coloured in the sunlight, their slopes azure and gold-tinted. + +"Onward, onward!" urged the Sun as it climbed the steep cliffs. "There's +no danger so long as I am with you." + +But half way up, the bold young birch deserted--also the sturdy pine and +the persistent spruce, and there, too, the Laplander, and the willow +brush deserted. At last, when the Sun reached the top, there was no one +but the little tot, Nils Holgersson, who had followed it. + +The Sun rolled into a cave, where the walls were bedecked with ice, and +Nils Holgersson wanted to follow, but farther than the opening of the +cave he dared not venture, for in there he saw something dreadful. + +Far back in the cave sat an old witch with an ice body, hair of icicles, +and a mantle of snow! + +At her feet lay three black wolves, who rose and opened their jaws when +the Sun approached. From the mouth of one came a piercing cold, from the +second a blustering north wind, and from the third came impenetrable +darkness. + +"That must be the Ice Witch and her tribe," thought the boy. + +He understood that now was the time for him to flee, but he was so +curious to see the outcome of the meeting between the Sun and the Ice +Witch that he tarried. + +The Ice Witch did not move--only turned her hideous face toward the Sun. +This continued for a short time. It appeared to the boy that the witch +was beginning to sigh and tremble. Her snow mantle fell, and the three +ferocious wolves howled less savagely. + +Suddenly the Sun cried: + +"Now my time is up!" and rolled out of the cave. + +Then the Ice Witch let loose her three wolves. Instantly the North Wind, +Cold, and Darkness rushed from the cave and began to chase the Sun. + +"Drive him out! Drive him back!" shrieked the Ice Witch. "Chase him so +far that he can never come back! Teach him that Lapland is MINE!" + +But Nils Holgersson felt so unhappy when he saw that the Sun was to be +driven from Lapland that he awakened with a cry. When he recovered his +senses, he found himself at the bottom of a ravine. + +But where was Gorgo? How was he to find out where he himself was? + +He arose and looked all around him. Then he happened to glance upward +and saw a peculiar structure of pine twigs and branches that stood on a +cliff-ledge. + +"That must be one of those eagle nests that Gorgo--" But this was as far +as he got. He tore off his cap, waved it in the air, and cheered. + +Now he understood where Gorgo had brought him. This was the very glen +where the wild geese lived in summer, and just above it was the eagles' +cliff. + +HE HAD ARRIVED! + +He would meet Morten Goosey-Gander and Akka and all the other comrades +in a few moments. Hurrah! + +THE MEETING + +All was still in the glen. The sun had not yet stepped above the cliffs, +and Nils Holgersson knew that it was too early in the morning for the +geese to be awake. + +The boy walked along leisurely and searched for his friends. Before he +had gone very far, he paused with a smile, for he saw such a pretty +sight. A wild goose was sleeping in a neat little nest, and beside her +stood her goosey-gander. He too, slept, but it was obvious that he had +stationed himself thus near her that he might be on hand in the possible +event of danger. + +The boy went on without disturbing them and peeped into the willow brush +that covered the ground. It was not long before he spied another goose +couple. These were strangers, not of his flock, but he was so happy that +he began to hum--just because he had come across wild geese. + +He peeped into another bit of brushwood. There at last he saw two that +were familiar. + +It was certainly Neljä that was nesting there, and the goosey-gander +who stood beside her was surely Kolme. Why, of course! The boy had a +good mind to awaken them, but he let them sleep on, and walked away. + +In the next brush he saw Viisi and Kuusi, and not far from them he found +Yksi and Kaksi. All four were asleep, and the boy passed by without +disturbing them. As he approached the next brush, he thought he saw +something white shimmering among the bushes, and the heart of him +thumped with joy. Yes, it was as he expected. In there sat the dainty +Dunfin on an egg-filled nest. Beside her stood her white goosey-gander. +Although he slept, it was easy to see how proud he was to watch over his +wife up here among the Lapland mountains. The boy did not care to waken +the goosey-gander, so he walked on. + +He had to seek a long time before he came across any more wild geese. +Finally, he saw on a little hillock something that resembled a small, +gray moss tuft, and he knew that there was Akka from Kebnekaise. She +stood, wide awake, looking about as if she were keeping watch over the +whole glen. + +"Good morning, Mother Akka!" said the boy. "Please don't waken the other +geese yet awhile, for I wish to speak with you in private." + +The old leader-goose came rushing down the hill and up to the boy. + +First she seized hold of him and shook him, then she stroked him with +her bill before she shook him again. But she did not say a word, since +he asked her not to waken the others. + +Thumbietot kissed old Mother Akka on both cheeks, then he told her how +he had been carried off to Skansen and held captive there. + +"Now I must tell you that Smirre Fox, short of an ear, sat imprisoned in +the foxes' cage at Skansen," said the boy. "Although he was very mean to +us, I couldn't help feeling sorry for him. There were many other foxes +in the cage; and they seemed quite contented there, but Smirre sat all +the while looking dejected, longing for liberty. + +"I made many good friends at Skansen, and I learned one day from the +Lapp dog that a man had come to Skansen to buy foxes. He was from some +island far out in the ocean. All the foxes had been exterminated there, +and the rats were about to get the better of the inhabitants, so they +wished the foxes back again. + +"As soon as I learned of this, I went to Smirre's cage and said to him: + +"'To-morrow some men are coming here to get a pair of foxes. Don't hide, +Smirre, but keep well in the foreground and see to it that you are +chosen. Then you'll be free again.' + +"He followed my suggestion, and now he is running at large on the +island. What say you to this, Mother Akka? If you had been in my place, +would you not have done likewise?" + +"You have acted in a way that makes me wish I had done that myself," +said the leader-goose proudly. + +"It's a relief to know that you approve," said the boy. "Now there is +one thing more I wish to ask you about: + +"One day I happened to see Gorgo, the eagle--the one that fought with +Morten Goosey-Gander--a prisoner at Skansen. He was in the eagles' cage +and looked pitifully forlorn. I was thinking of filing down the wire +roof over him and letting him out, but I also thought of his being a +dangerous robber and bird-eater, and wondered if I should be doing right +in letting loose such a plunderer, and if it were not better, perhaps, +to let him stay where he was. What say you, Mother Akka? Was it right +to think thus?" + +"No, it was not right!" retorted Akka. "Say what you will about the +eagles, they are proud birds and greater lovers of freedom than all +others. It is not right to keep them in captivity. Do you know what I +would suggest? This: that, as soon as you are well rested, we two make +the trip together to the big bird prison, and liberate Gorgo." + +"That is just the word I was expecting from you, Mother Akka," returned +the boy eagerly. + +"There are those who say that you no longer have any love in your heart +for the one you reared so tenderly, because he lives as eagles must +live. But I know now that it isn't true. And now I want to see if +Morten Goosey-Gander is awake. + +"Meanwhile, if you wish to say a 'thank you' to the one who brought me +here to you, I think you'll find him up there on the cliff ledge, where +once you found a helpless eaglet." + + +OSA, THE GOOSE GIRL, AND LITTLE MATS + + +The year that Nils Holgersson travelled with the wild geese everybody +was talking about two little children, a boy and a girl, who tramped +through the country. They were from Sunnerbo township, in SmÃ¥land, and +had once lived with their parents and four brothers and sisters in a +little cabin on the heath. + +While the two children, Osa and Mats, were still small, a poor, homeless +woman came to their cabin one night and begged for shelter. Although the +place could hardly hold the family, she was taken in and the mother +spread a bed for her on the floor. In the night she coughed so hard that +the children fancied the house shook. By morning she was too ill to +continue her wanderings. The children's father and mother were as kind +to her as could be. They gave up their bed to her and slept on the +floor, while the father went to the doctor and brought her medicine. + +The first few days the sick woman behaved like a savage; she demanded +constant attention and never uttered a word of thanks. Later she became +more subdued and finally begged to be carried out to the heath and left +there to die. + +When her hosts would not hear of this, she told them that the last few +years she had roamed about with a band of gipsies. She herself was not +of gipsy blood, but was the daughter of a well-to-do farmer. She had run +away from home and gone with the nomads. She believed that a gipsy woman +who was angry at her had brought this sickness upon her. Nor was that +all: The gipsy woman had also cursed her, saying that all who took her +under their roof or were kind to her should suffer a like fate. She +believed this, and therefore begged them to cast her out of the house +and never to see her again. She did not want to bring misfortune down +upon such good people. But the peasants refused to do her bidding. It +was quite possible that they were alarmed, but they were not the kind of +folk who could turn out a poor, sick person. + +Soon after that she died, and then along came the misfortunes. Before, +there had never been anything but happiness in that cabin. Its inmates +were poor, yet not so very poor. The father was a maker of weavers' +combs, and mother and children helped him with the work. Father made the +frames, mother and the older children did the binding, while the smaller +ones planed the teeth and cut them out. They worked from morning until +night, but the time passed pleasantly, especially when father talked of +the days when he travelled about in foreign lands and sold weavers' +combs. Father was so jolly that sometimes mother and the children would +laugh until their sides ached at his funny quips and jokes. + +The weeks following the death of the poor vagabond woman lingered in the +minds of the children like a horrible nightmare. They knew not if the +time had been long or short, but they remembered that they were always +having funerals at home. One after another they lost their brothers and +sisters. At last it was very still and sad in the cabin. + +The mother kept up some measure of courage, but the father was not a bit +like himself. He could no longer work nor jest, but sat from morning +till night, his head buried in his hands, and only brooded. + +Once--that was after the third burial--the father had broken out into +wild talk, which frightened the children. He said that he could not +understand why such misfortunes should come upon them. They had done a +kindly thing in helping the sick woman. Could it be true, then, that the +evil in this world was more powerful than the good? + +The mother tried to reason with him, but she was unable to soothe him. + +A few days later the eldest was stricken. She had always been the +father's favourite, so when he realized that she, too, must go, he fled +from all the misery. The mother never said anything, but she thought it +was best for him to be away, as she feared that he might lose his +reason. He had brooded too long over this one idea: that God had allowed +a wicked person to bring about so much evil. + +After the father went away they became very poor. For awhile he sent +them money, but afterward things must have gone badly with him, for no +more came. + +The day of the eldest daughter's burial the mother closed the cabin and +left home with the two remaining children, Osa and Mats. She went down +to SkÃ¥ne to work in the beet fields, and found a place at the Jordberga +sugar refinery. She was a good worker and had a cheerful and generous +nature. Everybody liked her. Many were astonished because she could be +so calm after all that she had passed through, but the mother was very +strong and patient. When any one spoke to her of her two sturdy +children, she only said: "I shall soon lose them also," without a quaver +in her voice or a tear in her eye. She had accustomed herself to expect +nothing else. + +But it did not turn out as she feared. Instead, the sickness came upon +herself. She had gone to Skane in the beginning of summer; before autumn +she was gone, and the children were left alone. + +While their mother was ill she had often said to the children they must +remember that she never regretted having let the sick woman stop with +them. It was not hard to die when one had done right, she said, for then +one could go with a clear conscience. + +Before the mother passed away, she tried to make some provision for her +children. She asked the people with whom she lived to let them remain in +the room which she had occupied. If the children only had a shelter they +would not become a burden to any one. She knew that they could take care +of themselves. + +Osa and Mats were allowed to keep the room on condition that they would +tend the geese, as it was always hard to find children willing to do +that work. It turned out as the mother expected: they did maintain +themselves. The girl made candy, and the boy carved wooden toys, which +they sold at the farm houses. They had a talent for trading and soon +began buying eggs and butter from the farmers, which they sold to the +workers at the sugar refinery. Osa was the older, and, by the time she +was thirteen, she was as responsible as a grown woman. She was quiet and +serious, while Mats was lively and talkative. His sister used to say to +him that he could outcackle the geese. + +When the children had been at Jordberga for two years, there was a +lecture given one evening at the schoolhouse. Evidently it was meant for +grown-ups, but the two SmÃ¥land children were in the audience. They did +not regard themselves as children, and few persons thought of them as +such. The lecturer talked about the dread disease called the White +Plague, which every year carried off so many people in Sweden. He spoke +very plainly and the children understood every word. + +After the lecture they waited outside the schoolhouse. When the lecturer +came out they took hold of hands and walked gravely up to him, asking if +they might speak to him. + +The stranger must have wondered at the two rosy, baby-faced children +standing there talking with an earnestness more in keeping with people +thrice their age; but he listened graciously to them. They related what +had happened in their home, and asked the lecturer if he thought their +mother and their sisters and brothers had died of the sickness he had +described. + +"Very likely," he answered. "It could hardly have been any other +disease." + +If only the mother and father had known what the children learned that +evening, they might have protected themselves. If they had burned the +clothing of the vagabond woman; if they had scoured and aired the cabin +and had not used the old bedding, all whom the children mourned might +have been living yet. The lecturer said he could not say positively, but +he believed that none of their dear ones would have been sick had they +understood how to guard against the infection. + +Osa and Mats waited awhile before putting the next question, for that +was the most important of all. It was not true then that the gipsy woman +had sent the sickness because they had befriended the one with whom she +was angry. It was not something special that had stricken only them. The +lecturer assured them that no person had the power to bring sickness +upon another in that way. + +Thereupon the children thanked him and went to their room. They talked +until late that night. + +The next day they gave notice that they could not tend geese another +year, but must go elsewhere. Where were they going? Why, to try to find +their father. They must tell him that their mother and the other +children had died of a common ailment and not something special brought +upon them by an angry person. They were very glad that they had found +out about this. Now it was their duty to tell their father of it, for +probably he was still trying to solve the mystery. + +Osa and Mats set out for their old home on the heath. When they arrived +they were shocked to find the little cabin in flames. They went to the +parsonage and there they learned that a railroad workman had seen their +father at Malmberget, far up in Lapland. He had been working in a mine +and possibly was still there. When the clergyman heard that the children +wanted to go in search of their father he brought forth a map and showed +them how far it was to Malmberget and tried to dissuade them from making +the journey, but the children insisted that they must find their father. +He had left home believing something that was not true. They must find +him and tell him that it was all a mistake. + +They did not want to spend their little savings buying railway tickets, +therefore they decided to go all the way on foot, which they never +regretted, as it proved to be a remarkably beautiful journey. + +Before they were out of SmÃ¥land, they stopped at a farm house to buy +food. The housewife was a kind, motherly soul who took an interest in +the children. She asked them who they were and where they came from, and +they told her their story. "Dear, dear! Dear, dear!" she interpolated +time and again when they were speaking. Later she petted the children +and stuffed them with all kinds of goodies, for which she would not +accept a penny. When they rose to thank her and go, the woman asked them +to stop at her brother's farm in the next township. Of course the +children were delighted. + +"Give him my greetings and tell him what has happened to you," said the +peasant woman. + +This the children did and were well treated. From every farm after that +it was always: "If you happen to go in such and such a direction, stop +there or there and tell them what has happened to you." + +In every farm house to which they were sent there was always a +consumptive. So Osa and Mats went through the country unconsciously +teaching the people how to combat that dreadful disease. + +Long, long ago, when the black plague was ravaging the country, 'twas +said that a boy and a girl were seen wandering from house to house. The +boy carried a rake, and if he stopped and raked in front of a house, it +meant that there many should die, but not all; for the rake has coarse +teeth and does not take everything with it. The girl carried a broom, +and if she came along and swept before a door, it meant that all who +lived within must die; for the broom is an implement that makes a clean +sweep. + +It seems quite remarkable that in our time two children should wander +through the land because of a cruel sickness. But these children did not +frighten people with the rake and the broom. They said rather: "We will +not content ourselves with merely raking the yard and sweeping the +floors, we will use mop and brush, water and soap. We will keep clean +inside and outside of the door and we ourselves will be clean in both +mind and body. In this way we will conquer the sickness." + +One day, while still in Lapland, Akka took the boy to Malmberget, where +they discovered little Mats lying unconscious at the mouth of the pit. +He and Osa had arrived there a short time before. That morning he had +been roaming about, hoping to come across his father. He had ventured +too near the shaft and been hurt by flying rocks after the setting off +of a blast. + +Thumbietot ran to the edge of the shaft and called down to the miners +that a little boy was injured. + +Immediately a number of labourers came rushing up to little Mats. Two of +them carried him to the hut where he and Osa were staying. They did all +they could to save him, but it was too late. + +Thumbietot felt so sorry for poor Osa. He wanted to help and comfort +her; but he knew that if he were to go to her now, he would only +frighten her--such as he was! + +The night after the burial of little Mats, Osa straightway shut herself +in her hut. + +She sat alone recalling, one after another, things her brother had said +and done. There was so much to think about that she did not go straight +to bed, but sat up most of the night. The more she thought of her +brother the more she realized how hard it would be to live without him. +At last she dropped her head on the table and wept. + +"What shall I do now that little Mats is gone?" she sobbed. + +It was far along toward morning and Osa, spent by the strain of her hard +day, finally fell asleep. + +She dreamed that little Mats softly opened the door and stepped into the +room. + +"Osa, you must go and find father," he said. + +"How can I when I don't even know where he is?" she replied in her +dream. + +"Don't worry about that," returned little Mats in his usual, cheery way. +"I'll send some one to help you." + +Just as Osa, the goose girl, dreamed that little Mats had said this, +there was a knock at the door. It was a real knock--not something she +heard in the dream, but she was so held by the dream that she could not +tell the real from the unreal. As she went on to open the door, she +thought: + +"This must be the person little Mats promised to send me." + +She was right, for it was Thumbietot come to talk to her about her +father. + +When he saw that she was not afraid of him, he told her in a few words +where her father was and how to reach him. + +While he was speaking, Osa, the goose girl, gradually regained +consciousness; when he had finished she was wide awake. + +Then she was so terrified at the thought of talking with an elf that she +could not say thank you or anything else, but quickly shut the door. + +As she did that she thought she saw an expression of pain flash across +the elf's face, but she could not help what she did, for she was beside +herself with fright. She crept into bed as quickly as she could and drew +the covers over her head. + +Although she was afraid of the elf, she had a feeling that he meant well +by her. So the next day she made haste to do as he had told her. + + +WITH THE LAPLANDERS + + +One afternoon in July it rained frightfully up around Lake Luossajaure. +The Laplanders, who lived mostly in the open during the summer, had +crawled under the tent and were squatting round the fire drinking +coffee. + +The new settlers on the east shore of the lake worked diligently to have +their homes in readiness before the severe Arctic winter set in. They +wondered at the Laplanders, who had lived in the far north for centuries +without even thinking that better protection was needed against cold and +storm than thin tent covering. + +The Laplanders, on the other hand, wondered at the new settlers giving +themselves so much needless, hard work, when nothing more was necessary +to live comfortably than a few reindeer and a tent. + +They only had to drive the poles into the ground and spread the covers +over them, and their abodes were ready. They did not have to trouble +themselves about decorating or furnishing. The principal thing was to +scatter some spruce twigs on the floor, spread a few skins, and hang the +big kettle, in which they cooked their reindeer meat, on a chain +suspended from the top of the tent poles. + +While the Laplanders were chatting over their coffee cups, a row boat +coming from the Kiruna side pulled ashore at the Lapps' quarters. + +A workman and a young girl, between thirteen and fourteen, stepped from +the boat. The girl was Osa. The Lapp dogs bounded down to them, barking +loudly, and a native poked his head out of the tent opening to see what +was going on. + +He was glad when he saw the workman, for he was a friend of the +Laplanders--a kindly and sociable man, who could speak their native +tongue. The Lapp called to him to crawl under the tent. + +"You're just in time, Söderberg!" he said. "The coffee pot is on the +fire. No one can do any work in this rain, so come in and tell us the +news." + +The workman went in, and, with much ado and amid a great deal of +laughter and joking, places were made for Söderberg and Osa, though the +tent was already crowded to the limit with natives. Osa understood none +of the conversation. She sat dumb and looked in wonderment at the kettle +and coffee pot; at the fire and smoke; at the Lapp men and Lapp women; +at the children and dogs; the walls and floor; the coffee cups and +tobacco pipes; the multi-coloured costumes and crude implements. All +this was new to her. + +Suddenly she lowered her glance, conscious that every one in the tent +was looking at her. Söderberg must have said something about her, for +now both Lapp men and Lapp women took the short pipes from their mouths +and stared at her in open-eyed wonder and awe. The Laplander at her side +patted her shoulder and nodded, saying in Swedish, "bra, bra!" (good, +good!) A Lapp woman filled a cup to the brim with coffee and passed it +under difficulties, while a Lapp boy, who was about her own age, +wriggled and crawled between the squatters over to her. + +Osa felt that Söderberg was telling the Laplanders that she had just +buried her little brother, Mats. She wished he would find out about her +father instead. + +The elf had said that he lived with the Lapps, who camped west of Lake +Luossajaure, and she had begged leave to ride up on a sand truck to seek +him, as no regular passenger trains came so far. Both labourers and +foremen had assisted her as best they could. An engineer had sent +Söderberg across the lake with her, as he spoke Lappish. She had hoped +to meet her father as soon as she arrived. Her glance wandered anxiously +from face to face, but she saw only natives. Her father was not there. + +She noticed that the Lapps and the Swede, Söderberg, grew more and more +earnest as they talked among themselves. The Lapps shook their heads and +tapped their foreheads, as if they were speaking of some one that was +not quite right in his mind. + +She became so uneasy that she could no longer endure the suspense and +asked Söderberg what the Laplanders knew of her father. + +"They say he has gone fishing," said the workman. "They're not sure that +he can get back to the camp to-night; but as soon as the weather clears, +one of them will go in search of him." + +Thereupon he turned to the Lapps and went on talking to them. He did not +wish to give Osa an opportunity to question him further about Jon +Esserson. + +THE NEXT MORNING + +Ola Serka himself, who was the most distinguished man among the Lapps, +had said that he would find Osa's father, but he appeared to be in no +haste and sat huddled outside the tent, thinking of Jon Esserson and +wondering how best to tell him of his daughter's arrival. It would +require diplomacy in order that Jon Esserson might not become alarmed +and flee. He was an odd sort of man who was afraid of children. He used +to say that the sight of them made him so melancholy that he could not +endure it. + +While Ola Serka deliberated, Osa, the goose girl, and Aslak, the young +Lapp boy who had stared so hard at her the night before, sat on the +ground in front of the tent and chatted. + +Aslak had been to school and could speak Swedish. He was telling Osa +about the life of the "Saméfolk," assuring her that they fared better +than other people. + +Osa thought that they lived wretchedly, and told him so. + +"You don't know what you are talking about!" said Aslak curtly. "Only +stop with us a week and you shall see that we are the happiest people on +earth." + +"If I were to stop here a whole week, I should be choked by all the +smoke in the tent," Osa retorted. + +"Don't say that!" protested the boy. "You know nothing of us. Let me +tell you something which will make you understand that the longer you +stay with us the more contented you will become." + +Thereupon Aslak began to tell Osa how a sickness called "The Black +Plague" once raged throughout the land. He was not certain as to whether +it had swept through the real "Saméland," where they now were, but in +Jämtland it had raged so brutally that among the Saméfolk, who lived in +the forests and mountains there, all had died except a boy of fifteen. +Among the Swedes, who lived in the valleys, none was left but a girl, +who was also fifteen years old. + +The boy and girl separately tramped the desolate country all winter in +search of other human beings. Finally, toward spring, the two met. +Aslak continued: "The Swedish girl begged the Lapp boy to accompany her +southward, where she could meet people of her own race. She did not wish +to tarry longer in Jämtland, where there were only vacant homesteads. +I'll take you wherever you wish to go,' said the boy, 'but not before +winter. It's spring now, and my reindeer go westward toward the +mountains. You know that we who are of the Saméfolk must go where our +reindeer take us.' The Swedish girl was the daughter of wealthy parents. +She was used to living under a roof, sleeping in a bed, and eating at a +table. She had always despised the poor mountaineers and thought that +those who lived under the open sky were most unfortunate; but she was +afraid to return to her home, where there were none but the dead. 'At +least let me go with you to the mountains,' she said to the boy, 'so +that I sha'n't have to tramp about here all alone and never hear the +sound of a human voice.' + +"The boy willingly assented, so the girl went with the reindeer to the +mountains. + +"The herd yearned for the good pastures there, and every day tramped +long distances to feed on the moss. There was not time to pitch tents. +The children had to lie on the snowy ground and sleep when the reindeer +stopped to graze. The girl often sighed and complained of being so tired +that she must turn back to the valley. Nevertheless she went along to +avoid being left without human companionship. + +"When they reached the highlands the boy pitched a tent for the girl on +a pretty hill that sloped toward a mountain brook. + +"In the evening he lassoed and milked the reindeer, and gave the girl +milk to drink. He brought forth dried reindeer meat and reindeer cheese, +which his people had stowed away on the heights when they were there the +summer before. + +"Still the girl grumbled all the while, and was never satisfied. She +would eat neither reindeer meat nor reindeer cheese, nor would she drink +reindeer milk. She could not accustom herself to squatting in the tent +or to lying on the ground with only a reindeer skin and some spruce +twigs for a bed. + +"The son of the mountains laughed at her woes and continued to treat her +kindly. + +"After a few days, the girl went up to the boy when he was milking and +asked if she might help him. She next undertook to make the fire under +the kettle, in which the reindeer meat was to be cooked, then to carry +water and to make cheese. So the time passed pleasantly. The weather was +mild and food was easily procured. Together they set snares for game, +fished for salmon-trout in the rapids and picked cloud-berries in the +swamp. + +"When the summer was gone, they moved farther down the mountains, where +pine and leaf forests meet. There they pitched their tent. They had to +work hard every day, but fared better, for food was even more plentiful +than in the summer because of the game. + +"When the snow came and the lakes began to freeze, they drew farther +east toward the dense pine forests. + +"As soon as the tent was up, the winter's work began. The boy taught the +girl to make twine from reindeer sinews, to treat skins, to make shoes +and clothing of hides, to make combs and tools of reindeer horn, to +travel on skis, and to drive a sledge drawn by reindeer. + +"When they had lived through the dark winter and the sun began to shine +all day and most of the night, the boy said to the girl that now he +would accompany her southward, so that she might meet some of her own +race. + +"Then the girl looked at him astonished. + +"'Why do you want to send me away?' she asked. 'Do you long to be alone +with your reindeer?' + +"'I thought that you were the one that longed to get away?' said the +boy. + +"'I have lived the life of the Saméfolk almost a year now,' replied the +girl. I can't return to my people and live the shut-in life after having +wandered freely on mountains and in forests. Don't drive me away, but +let me stay here. Your way of living is better than ours.' + +"The girl stayed with the boy for the rest of her life, and never again +did she long for the valleys. And you, Osa, if you were to stay with us +only a month, you could never again part from us." + +With these words, Aslak, the Lapp boy, finished his story. Just then his +father, Ola Serka, took the pipe from his mouth and rose. + +Old Ola understood more Swedish than he was willing to have any one +know, and he had overheard his son's remarks. While he was listening, it +had suddenly flashed on him how he should handle this delicate matter of +telling Jon Esserson that his daughter had come in search of him. + +Ola Serka went down to Lake Luossajaure and had walked a short distance +along the strand, when he happened upon a man who sat on a rock fishing. + +The fisherman was gray-haired and bent. His eyes blinked wearily and +there was something slack and helpless about him. He looked like a man +who had tried to carry a burden too heavy for him, or to solve a problem +too difficult for him, who had become broken and despondent over his +failure. + +"You must have had luck with your fishing, Jon, since you've been at it +all night?" said the mountaineer in Lappish, as he approached. + +The fisherman gave a start, then glanced up. The bait on his hook was +gone and not a fish lay on the strand beside him. He hastened to rebait +the hook and throw out the line. In the meantime the mountaineer +squatted on the grass beside him. + +"There's a matter that I wanted to talk over with you," said Ola. "You +know that I had a little daughter who died last winter, and we have +always missed her in the tent." + +"Yes, I know," said the fisherman abruptly, a cloud passing over his +face--as though he disliked being reminded of a dead child. + +"It's not worth while to spend one's life grieving," said the Laplander. + +"I suppose it isn't." + +"Now I'm thinking of adopting another child. Don't you think it would be +a good idea?" + +"That depends on the child, Ola." + +"I will tell you what I know of the girl," said Ola. Then he told the +fisherman that around midsummer-time, two strange children--a boy and a +girl--had come to the mines to look for their father, but as their +father was away, they had stayed to await his return. While there, the +boy had been killed by a blast of rock. + +Thereupon Ola gave a beautiful description of how brave the little girl +had been, and of how she had won the admiration and sympathy of +everyone. + +"Is that the girl you want to take into your tent?" asked the +fisherman. + +"Yes," returned the Lapp. "When we heard her story we were all deeply +touched and said among ourselves that so good a sister would also make a +good daughter, and we hoped that she would come to us." + +The fisherman sat quietly thinking a moment. It was plain that he +continued the conversation only to please his friend, the Lapp. + +"I presume the girl is one of your race?" + +"No," said Ola, "she doesn't belong to the Saméfolk." + +"Perhaps she's the daughter of some new settler and is accustomed to the +life here?" + +"No, she's from the far south," replied Ola, as if this was of small +importance. + +The fisherman grew more interested. + +"Then I don't believe that you can take her," he said. "It's doubtful if +she could stand living in a tent in winter, since she was not brought up +that way." + +"She will find kind parents and kind brothers and sisters in the tent," +insisted Ola Serka. "It's worse to be alone than to freeze." + +The fisherman became more and more zealous to prevent the adoption. It +seemed as if he could not bear the thought of a child of Swedish parents +being taken in by Laplanders. + +"You said just now that she had a father in the mine." + +"He's dead," said the Lapp abruptly. + +"I suppose you have thoroughly investigated this matter, Ola?" + +"What's the use of going to all that trouble?" disdained the Lapp. "I +ought to know! Would the girl and her brother have been obliged to roam +about the country if they had a father living? Would two children have +been forced to care for themselves if they had a father? The girl +herself thinks he's alive, but I say that he must be dead." + +The man with the tired eyes turned to Ola. + +"What is the girl's name, Ola?" he asked. + +The mountaineer thought awhile, then said: + +"I can't remember it. I must ask her." + +"Ask her! Is she already here?" + +"She's down at the camp." + +"What, Ola! Have you taken her in before knowing her father's wishes?" + +"What do I care for her father! If he isn't dead, he's probably the kind +of man who cares nothing for his child. He may be glad to have another +take her in hand." + +The fisherman threw down his rod and rose with an alertness in his +movements that bespoke new life. + +"I don't think her father can be like other folk," continued the +mountaineer. "I dare say he is a man who is haunted by gloomy +forebodings and therefore can not work steadily. What kind of a father +would that be for the girl?" + +While Ola was talking the fisherman started up the strand. + +"Where are you going?" queried the Lapp. + +"I'm going to have a look at your foster-daughter, Ola." + +"Good!" said the Lapp. "Come along and meet her. I think you'll say +that she will be a good daughter to me." + +The Swede rushed on so rapidly that the Laplander could hardly keep pace +with him. + +After a moment Ola said to his companion: + +"Now I recall that her name is Osa--this girl I'm adopting." + +The other man only kept hurrying along and old Ola Serka was so well +pleased that he wanted to laugh aloud. + +When they came in sight of the tents, Ola said a few words more. + +"She came here to us Saméfolk to find her father and not to become my +foster-child. But if she doesn't find him, I shall be glad to keep her +in my tent." + +The fisherman hastened all the faster. + +"I might have known that he would be alarmed when I threatened to take +his daughter into the Lapps' quarters," laughed Ola to himself. + +When the man from Kiruna, who had brought Osa to the tent, turned back +later in the day, he had two people with him in the boat, who sat close +together, holding hands--as if they never again wanted to part. + +They were Jon Esserson and his daughter. Both were unlike what they had +been a few hours earlier. + +The father looked less bent and weary and his eyes were clear and good, +as if at last he had found the answer to that which had troubled him so +long. + +Osa, the goose girl, did not glance longingly about, for she had found +some one to care for her, and now she could be a child again. + + +HOMEWARD BOUND! + + +THE FIRST TRAVELLING DAY + +_Saturday, October first_. + +The boy sat on the goosey-gander's back and rode up amongst the clouds. +Some thirty geese, in regular order, flew rapidly southward. There was a +rustling of feathers and the many wings beat the air so noisily that one +could scarcely hear one's own voice. Akka from Kebnekaise flew in the +lead; after her came Yksi and Kaksi, Kolme and Neljä, Viisi and Kuusi, +Morten Goosey-Gander and Dunfin. The six goslings which had accompanied +the flock the autumn before had now left to look after themselves. +Instead, the old geese were taking with them twenty-two goslings that +had grown up in the glen that summer. Eleven flew to the right, eleven +to the left; and they did their best to fly at even distances, like the +big birds. + +The poor youngsters had never before been on a long trip and at first +they had difficulty in keeping up with the rapid flight. + +"Akka from Kebnekaise! Akka from Kebnekaise!" they cried in plaintive +tones. + +"What's the matter?" said the leader-goose sharply. + +"Our wings are tired of moving, our wings are tired of moving!" wailed +the young ones. + +"The longer you keep it up, the better it will go," answered the +leader-goose, without slackening her speed. And she was quite right, for +when the goslings had flown two hours longer, they complained no more of +being tired. + +But in the mountain glen they had been in the habit of eating all day +long, and very soon they began to feel hungry. + +"Akka, Akka, Akka from Kebnekaise!" wailed the goslings pitifully. + +"What's the trouble now?" asked the leader-goose. + +"We're so hungry, we can't fly any more!" whimpered the goslings. "We're +so hungry, we can't fly any more!" + +"Wild geese must learn to eat air and drink wind," said the +leader-goose, and kept right on flying. + +It actually seemed as if the young ones were learning to live on wind +and air, for when they had flown a little longer, they said nothing more +about being hungry. + +The goose flock was still in the mountain regions, and the old geese +called out the names of all the peaks as they flew past, so that the +youngsters might learn them. When they had been calling out a while: + +"This is Porsotjokko, this is Särjaktjokko, this is Sulitelma," and so +on, the goslings became impatient again. + +"Akka, Akka, Akka!" they shrieked in heart-rending tones. + +"What's wrong?" said the leader-goose. + +"We haven't room in our heads for any more of those awful names!" +shrieked the goslings. + +"The more you put into your heads the more you can get into them," +retorted the leader-goose, and continued to call out the queer names. + +The boy sat thinking that it was about time the wild geese betook +themselves southward, for so much snow had fallen that the ground was +white as far as the eye could see. There was no use denying that it had +been rather disagreeable in the glen toward the last. Rain and fog had +succeeded each other without any relief, and even if it did clear up +once in a while, immediately frost set in. Berries and mushrooms, upon +which the boy had subsisted during the summer, were either frozen or +decayed. Finally he had been compelled to eat raw fish, which was +something he disliked. The days had grown short and the long evenings +and late mornings were rather tiresome for one who could not sleep the +whole time that the sun was away. + +Now, at last, the goslings' wings had grown, so that the geese could +start for the south. The boy was so happy that he laughed and sang as he +rode on the goose's back. It was not only on account of the darkness and +cold that he longed to get away from Lapland; there were other reasons +too. + +The first weeks of his sojourn there the boy had not been the least bit +homesick. He thought he had never before seen such a glorious country. +The only worry he had had was to keep the mosquitoes from eating him up. + +The boy had seen very little of the goosey-gander, because the big, +white gander thought only of his Dunfin and was unwilling to leave her +for a moment. On the other hand, Thumbietot had stuck to Akka and Gorgo, +the eagle, and the three of them had passed many happy hours together. + +The two birds had taken him with them on long trips. He had stood on +snow-capped Mount Kebnekaise, had looked down at the glaciers and +visited many high cliffs seldom tramped by human feet. Akka had shown +him deep-hidden mountain dales and had let him peep into caves where +mother wolves brought up their young. He had also made the acquaintance +of the tame reindeer that grazed in herds along the shores of the +beautiful Torne Lake, and he had been down to the great falls and +brought greetings to the bears that lived thereabouts from their friends +and relatives in Westmanland. + +Ever since he had seen Osa, the goose girl, he longed for the day when +he might go home with Morten Goosey-Gander and be a normal human being +once more. He wanted to be himself again, so that Osa would not be +afraid to talk to him and would not shut the door in his face. + +Yes, indeed, he was glad that at last they were speeding southward. He +waved his cap and cheered when he saw the first pine forest. In the same +manner he greeted the first gray cabin, the first goat, the first cat, +and the first chicken. + +They were continually meeting birds of passage, flying now in greater +flocks than in the spring. + +"Where are you bound for, wild geese?" called the passing birds. "Where +are you bound for?" + +"We, like yourselves, are going abroad," answered the geese. + +"Those goslings of yours aren't ready to fly," screamed the others. +"They'll never cross the sea with those puny wings!" + +Laplander and reindeer were also leaving the mountains. When the wild +geese sighted the reindeer, they circled down and called out: + +"Thanks for your company this summer!" + +"A pleasant journey to you and a welcome back!" returned the reindeer. + +But when the bears saw the wild geese, they pointed them out to the cubs +and growled: + +"Just look at those geese; they are so afraid of a little cold they +don't dare to stay at home in winter." + +But the old geese were ready with a retort and cried to their goslings: + +"Look at those beasts that stay at home and sleep half the year rather +than go to the trouble of travelling south!" + +Down in the pine forest the young grouse sat huddled together and gazed +longingly after the big bird flocks which, amid joy and merriment, +proceeded southward. + +"When will our turn come?" they asked the mother grouse. + +"You will have to stay at home with mamma and papa," she said. + + +LEGENDS FROM HÄRJEDALEN + + +_Tuesday, October fourth_. + +The boy had had three days' travel in the rain and mist and longed for +some sheltered nook, where he might rest awhile. + +At last the geese alighted to feed and ease their wings a bit. To his +great relief the boy saw an observation tower on a hill close by, and +dragged himself to it. + +When he had climbed to the top of the tower he found a party of tourists +there, so he quickly crawled into a dark corner and was soon sound +asleep. + +When the boy awoke, he began to feel uneasy because the tourists +lingered so long in the tower telling stories. He thought they would +never go. Morten Goosey-Gander could not come for him while they were +there and he knew, of course, that the wild geese were in a hurry to +continue the journey. In the middle of a story he thought he heard +honking and the beating of wings, as if the geese were flying away, but +he did not dare to venture over to the balustrade to find out if it was +so. + +At last, when the tourists were gone, and the boy could crawl from his +hiding place, he saw no wild geese, and no Morten Goosey-Gander came to +fetch him. He called, "Here am I, where are you?" as loud as he could, +but his travelling companions did not appear. Not for a second did he +think they had deserted him; but he feared that they had met with some +mishap and was wondering what he should do to find them, when Bataki, +the raven, lit beside him. + +The boy never dreamed that he should greet Bataki with such a glad +welcome as he now gave him. + +"Dear Bataki," he burst forth. "How fortunate that you are here! Maybe +you know what has become of Morten Goosey-Gander and the wild geese?" + +"I've just come with a greeting from them," replied the raven. "Akka saw +a hunter prowling about on the mountain and therefore dared not stay to +wait for you, but has gone on ahead. Get up on my back and you shall +soon be with your friends." + +The boy quickly seated himself on the raven's back and Bataki would soon +have caught up with the geese had he not been hindered by a fog. It was +as if the morning sun had awakened it to life. Little light veils of +mist rose suddenly from the lake, from fields, and from the forest. They +thickened and spread with marvellous rapidity, and soon the entire +ground was hidden from sight by white, rolling mists. + +Bataki flew along above the fog in clear air and sparkling sunshine, but +the wild geese must have circled down among the damp clouds, for it was +impossible to sight them. The boy and the raven called and shrieked, but +got no response. + +"Well, this is a stroke of ill luck!" said Bataki finally. "But we know +that they are travelling toward the south, and of course I'll find them +as soon as the mist clears." + +The boy was distressed at the thought of being parted from Morten +Goosey-Gander just now, when the geese were on the wing, and the big +white one might meet with all sorts of mishaps. After Thumbietot had +been sitting worrying for two hours or more, he remarked to himself +that, thus far, there had been no mishap, and it was not worth while to +lose heart. + +Just then he heard a rooster crowing down on the ground, and instantly +he bent forward on the raven's back and called out: + +"What's the name of the country I'm travelling over?" + +"It's called Härjedalen, Härjedalen, Härjedalen," crowed the rooster. + +"How does it look down there where you are?" the boy asked. + +"Cliffs in the west, woods in the east, broad valleys across the whole +country," replied the rooster. + +"Thank you," cried the boy. "You give a clear account of it." + +When they had travelled a little farther, he heard a crow cawing down in +the mist. + +"What kind of people live in this country?" shouted the boy. + +"Good, thrifty peasants," answered the crow. "Good, thrifty peasants." + +"What do they do?" asked the boy. "What do they do?" + +"They raise cattle and fell forests," cawed the crow. + +"Thanks," replied the boy. "You answer well." + +A bit farther on he heard a human voice yodeling and singing down in the +mist. + +"Is there any large city in this part of the country?" the boy asked. + +"What--what--who is it that calls?" cried the human voice. + +"Is there any large city in this region?" the boy repeated. + +"I want to know who it is that calls," shouted the human voice. + +"I might have known that I could get no information when I asked a human +being a civil question," the boy retorted. + +It was not long before the mist went away as suddenly as it had come. +Then the boy saw a beautiful landscape, with high cliffs as in Jämtland, +but there were no large, flourishing settlements on the mountain slopes. +The villages lay far apart, and the farms were small. Bataki followed +the stream southward till they came within sight of a village. There he +alighted in a stubble field and let the boy dismount. + +"In the summer grain grew on this ground," said Bataki. "Look around and +see if you can't find something eatable." + +The boy acted upon the suggestion and before long he found a blade of +wheat. As he picked out the grains and ate them, Bataki talked to him. + +"Do you see that mountain towering directly south of us?" he asked. + +"Yes, of course, I see it," said the boy. + +"It is called Sonfjället," continued the raven; "you can imagine that +wolves were plentiful there once upon a time." + +"It must have been an ideal place for wolves," said the boy. + +"The people who lived here in the valley were frequently attacked by +them," remarked the raven. + +"Perhaps you remember a good wolf story you could tell me?" said the +boy. + +"I've been told that a long, long time ago the wolves from Sonfjället +are supposed to have waylaid a man who had gone out to peddle his +wares," began Bataki. "He was from Hede, a village a few miles down the +valley. It was winter time and the wolves made for him as he was driving +over the ice on Lake Ljusna. There were about nine or ten, and the man +from Hede had a poor old horse, so there was very little hope of his +escaping. + +"When the man heard the wolves howl and saw how many there were after +him, he lost his head, and it did not occur to him that he ought to dump +his casks and jugs out of the sledge, to lighten the load. He only +whipped up the horse and made the best speed he could, but he soon +observed that the wolves were gaining on him. The shores were desolate +and he was fourteen miles from the nearest farm. He thought that his +final hour had come, and was paralyzed with fear. + +"While he sat there, terrified, he saw something move in the brush, +which had been set in the ice to mark out the road; and when he +discovered who it was that walked there, his fear grew more and more +intense. + +"Wild beasts were not coming toward him, but a poor old woman, named +Finn-Malin, who was in the habit of roaming about on highways and +byways. She was a hunchback, and slightly lame, so he recognized her at +a distance. + +"The old woman was walking straight toward the wolves. The sledge had +hidden them from her view, and the man comprehended at once that, if he +were to drive on without warning her, she would walk right into the jaws +of the wild beasts, and while they were rending her, he would have time +enough to get away. + +"The old woman walked slowly, bent over a cane. It was plain that she +was doomed if he did not help her, but even if he were to stop and take +her into the sledge, it was by no means certain that she would be safe. +More than likely the wolves would catch up with them, and he and she and +the horse would all be killed. He wondered if it were not better to +sacrifice one life in order that two might be spared--this flashed upon +him the minute he saw the old woman. He had also time to think how it +would be with him afterward--if perchance he might not regret that he +had not succoured her; or if people should some day learn of the meeting +and that he had not tried to help her. It was a terrible temptation. + +"'I would rather not have seen her,' he said to himself. + +"Just then the wolves howled savagely. The horse reared, plunged +forward, and dashed past the old beggar woman. She, too, had heard the +howling of the wolves, and, as the man from Hede drove by, he saw that +the old woman knew what awaited her. She stood motionless, her mouth +open for a cry, her arms stretched out for help. But she neither cried +nor tried to throw herself into the sledge. Something seemed to have +turned her to stone. 'It was I,' thought the man. 'I must have looked +like a demon as I passed.' + +"He tried to feel satisfied, now that he was certain of escape; but at +that very moment his heart reproached him. Never before had he done a +dastardly thing, and he felt now that his whole life was blasted. + +"'Let come what may,' he said, and reined in the horse, 'I cannot leave +her alone with the wolves!' + +"It was with great difficulty that he got the horse to turn, but in the +end he managed it and promptly drove back to her. + +"'Be quick and get into the sledge,' he said gruffly; for he was mad +with himself for not leaving the old woman to her fate. + +"'You might stay at home once in awhile, you old hag!' he growled. 'Now +both my horse and I will come to grief on your account.' + +"The old woman did not say a word, but the man from Hede was in no mood +to spare her. + +"'The horse has already tramped thirty-five miles to-day, and the load +hasn't lightened any since you got up on it!' he grumbled, 'so that you +must understand he'll soon be exhausted.' + +"The sledge runners crunched on the ice, but for all that he heard how +the wolves panted, and knew that the beasts were almost upon him. + +"'It's all up with us!' he said. 'Much good it was, either to you or to +me, this attempt to save you, Finn-Malin!' + +"Up to this point the old woman had been silent--like one who is +accustomed to take abuse--but now she said a few words. + +"'I can't understand why you don't throw out your wares and lighten the +load. You can come back again to-morrow and gather them up.' + +"The man realized that this was sound advice and was surprised that he +had not thought of it before. He tossed the reins to the old woman, +loosed the ropes that bound the casks, and pitched them out. The wolves +were right upon them, but now they stopped to examine that which was +thrown on the ice, and the travellers again had the start of them. + +"'If this does not help you,' said the old woman, 'you understand, of +course, that I will give myself up to the wolves voluntarily, that you +may escape.' + +"While she was speaking the man was trying to push a heavy brewer's vat +from the long sledge. As he tugged at this he paused, as if he could not +quite make up his mind to throw it out; but, in reality, his mind was +taken up with something altogether different. + +"'Surely a man and a horse who have no infirmities need not let a feeble +old woman be devoured by wolves for their sakes!' he thought. 'There +must be some other way of salvation. Why, of course, there is! It's only +my stupidity that hinders me from finding the way.' + +"Again he started to push the vat, then paused once more and burst out +laughing. + +"The old woman was alarmed and wondered if he had gone mad, but the man +from Hede was laughing at himself because he had been so stupid all the +while. It was the simplest thing in the world to save all three of them. +He could not imagine why he had not thought of it before. + +"'Listen to what I say to you, Malin!' he said. 'It was splendid of you +to be willing to throw yourself to the wolves. But you won't have to do +that because I know how we can all three be helped without endangering +the life of any. Remember, whatever I may do, you are to sit still and +drive down to Linsäll. There you must waken the townspeople and tell +them that I'm alone out here on the ice, surrounded by wolves, and ask +them to come and help me.' + +"The man waited until the wolves were almost upon the sledge. Then he +rolled out the big brewer's vat, jumped down, and crawled in under it. + +"It was a huge vat, large enough to hold a whole Christmas brew. The +wolves pounced upon it and bit at the hoops, but the vat was too heavy +for them to move. They could not get at the man inside. + +"He knew that he was safe and laughed at the wolves. After a bit he was +serious again. + +"'For the future, when I get into a tight place, I shall remember this +vat, and I shall bear in mind that I need never wrong either myself or +others, for there is always a third way out of a difficulty if only one +can hit upon it.'" + +With this Bataki closed his narrative. + +The boy noticed that the raven never spoke unless there was some special +meaning back of his words, and the longer he listened to him, the more +thoughtful he became. + +"I wonder why you told me that story?" remarked the boy. + +"I just happened to think of it as I stood here, gazing up at +Sonfjället," replied the raven. + +Now they had travelled farther down Lake Ljusna and in an hour or so +they came to Kolsätt, close to the border of Hälsingland. Here the raven +alighted near a little hut that had no windows--only a shutter. From the +chimney rose sparks and smoke, and from within the sound of heavy +hammering was heard. + +"Whenever I see this smithy," observed the raven, "I'm reminded that, in +former times, there were such skilled blacksmiths here in Härjedalen, +more especially in this village--that they couldn't be matched in the +whole country." + +"Perhaps you also remember a story about them?" said the boy. + +"Yes," returned Bataki, "I remember one about a smith from Härjedalen +who once invited two other master blacksmiths--one from Dalecarlia and +one from Vermland--to compete with him at nail-making. The challenge was +accepted and the three blacksmiths met here at Kolsätt. The Dalecarlian +began. He forged a dozen nails, so even and smooth and sharp that they +couldn't be improved upon. After him came the Vermlander. He, too, +forged a dozen nails, which were quite perfect and, moreover, he +finished them in half the time that it took the Dalecarlian. When the +judges saw this they said to the Härjedal smith that it wouldn't be +worth while for him to try, since he could not forge better than the +Dalecarlian or faster than the Vermlander. + +"'I sha'n't give up! There must be still another way of excelling,' +insisted the Härjedal smith. + +"He placed the iron on the anvil without heating it at the forge; he +simply hammered it hot and forged nail after nail, without the use of +either anvil or bellows. None of the judges had ever seen a blacksmith +wield a hammer more masterfully, and the Härjedal smith was proclaimed +the best in the land." + +With these remarks Bataki subsided, and the boy grew even more +thoughtful. + +"I wonder what your purpose was in telling me that?" he queried. + +"The story dropped into my mind when I saw the old smithy again," said +Bataki in an offhand manner. + +The two travellers rose again into the air and the raven carried the boy +southward till they came to Lillhärdal Parish, where he alighted on a +leafy mound at the top of a ridge. + +"I wonder if you know upon what mound you are standing?" said Bataki. + +The boy had to confess that he did not know. + +"This is a grave," said Bataki. "Beneath this mound lies the first +settler in Härjedalen." + +"Perhaps you have a story to tell of him too?" said the boy. + +"I haven't heard much about him, but I think he was a Norwegian. He had +served with a Norwegian king, got into his bad graces, and had to flee +the country. + +"Later he went over to the Swedish king, who lived at Upsala, and took +service with him. But, after a time, he asked for the hand of the king's +sister in marriage, and when the king wouldn't give him such a high-born +bride, he eloped with her. By that time he had managed to get himself +into such disfavour that it wasn't safe for him to live either in Norway +or Sweden, and he did not wish to move to a foreign country. 'But there +must still be a course open to me,' he thought. With his servants and +treasures, he journeyed through Dalecarlia until he arrived in the +desolate forests beyond the outskirts of the province. There he settled, +built houses and broke up land. Thus, you see, he was the first man to +settle in this part of the country." + +As the boy listened to the last story, he looked very serious. + +"I wonder what your object is in telling me all this?" he repeated. + +Bataki twisted and turned and screwed up his eyes, and it was some time +before he answered the boy. + +"Since we are here alone," he said finally, "I shall take this +opportunity to question you regarding a certain matter. + +"Have you ever tried to ascertain upon what terms the elf who +transformed you was to restore you to a normal human being?" + +"The only stipulation I've heard anything about was that I should take +the white goosey-gander up to Lapland and bring him back to SkÃ¥ne, safe +and sound." + +"I thought as much," said Bataki; "for when last we met, you talked +confidently of there being nothing more contemptible than deceiving a +friend who trusts one. You'd better ask Akka about the terms. You know, +I dare say, that she was at your home and talked with the elf." + +"Akka hasn't told me of this," said the boy wonderingly. + +"She must have thought that it was best for you not to know just what +the elf _did_ say. Naturally she would rather help you than Morten +Goosey-Gander." + +"It is singular, Bataki, that you always have a way of making me feel +unhappy and anxious," said the boy. + +"I dare say it might seem so," continued the raven, "but this time I +believe that you will be grateful to me for telling you that the elf's +words were to this effect: You were to become a normal human being again +if you would bring back Morten Goosey-Gander that your mother might lay +him on the block and chop his head off." + +The boy leaped up. + +"That's only one of your base fabrications," he cried indignantly. + +"You can ask Akka yourself," said Bataki. "I see her coming up there +with her whole flock. And don't forget what I have told you to-day. +There is usually a way out of all difficulties, if only one can find it. +I shall be interested to see what success you have." + + +VERMLAND AND DALSLAND + + +_Wednesday, October fifth_. + +To-day the boy took advantage of the rest hour, when Akka was feeding +apart from the other wild geese, to ask her if that which Bataki had +related was true, and Akka could not deny it. The boy made the +leader-goose promise that she would not divulge the secret to Morten +Goosey-Gander. The big white gander was so brave and generous that he +might do something rash were he to learn of the elf's stipulations. + +Later the boy sat on the goose-back, glum and silent, and hung his head. +He heard the wild geese call out to the goslings that now they were in +Dalarne, they could see Städjan in the north, and that now they were +flying over Österdal River to Horrmund Lake and were coming to Vesterdal +River. But the boy did not care even to glance at all this. + +"I shall probably travel around with wild geese the rest of my life," he +remarked to himself, "and I am likely to see more of this land than I +wish." + +He was quite as indifferent when the wild geese called out to him that +now they had arrived in Vermland and that the stream they were following +southward was Klarälven. + +"I've seen so many rivers already," thought the boy, "why bother to look +at one more?" + +Even had he been more eager for sight-seeing, there was not very much to +be seen, for northern Vermland is nothing but vast, monotonous forest +tracts, through which Klarälven winds--narrow and rich in rapids. Here +and there one can see a charcoal kiln, a forest clearing, or a few low, +chimneyless huts, occupied by Finns. But the forest as a whole is so +extensive one might fancy it was far up in Lapland. + +A LITTLE HOMESTEAD + +_Thursday, October sixth_. + +The wild geese followed Klarälven as far as the big iron foundries at +Monk Fors. Then they proceeded westward to Fryksdalen. Before they got +to Lake Fryken it began to grow dusky, and they lit in a little wet +morass on a wooded hill. The morass was certainly a good night quarter +for the wild geese, but the boy thought it dismal and rough, and wished +for a better sleeping place. While he was still high in the air, he had +noticed that below the ridge lay a number of farms, and with great haste +he proceeded to seek them out. + +They were farther away than he had fancied and several times he was +tempted to turn back. Presently the woods became less dense, and he came +to a road skirting the edge of the forest. From it branched a pretty +birch-bordered lane, which led down to a farm, and immediately he +hastened toward it. + +First the boy entered a farm yard as large as a city marketplace and +enclosed by a long row of red houses. As he crossed the yard, he saw +another farm where the dwelling-house faced a gravel path and a wide +lawn. Back of the house there was a garden thick with foliage. The +dwelling itself was small and humble, but the garden was edged by a row +of exceedingly tall mountain-ash trees, so close together that they +formed a real wall around it. It appeared to the boy as if he were +coming into a great, high-vaulted chamber, with the lovely blue sky for +a ceiling. The mountain-ash were thick with clusters of red berries, the +grass plots were still green, of course, but that night there was a full +moon, and as the bright moonlight fell upon the grass it looked as white +as silver. + +No human being was in sight and the boy could wander freely wherever he +wished. When he was in the garden he saw something which almost put him +in good humour. He had climbed a mountain-ash to eat berries, but before +he could reach a cluster he caught sight of a barberry bush, which was +also full of berries. He slid along the ash branch and clambered up into +the barberry bush, but he was no sooner there than he discovered a +currant bush, on which still hung long red clusters. Next he saw that +the garden was full of gooseberries and raspberries and dog-rose bushes; +that there were cabbages and turnips in the vegetable beds and berries +on every bush, seeds on the herbs and grain-filled ears on every blade. +And there on the path--no, of course he could not mistake it--was a big +red apple which shone in the moonlight. + +The boy sat down at the side of the path, with the big red apple in +front of him, and began cutting little pieces from it with his sheath +knife. + +"It wouldn't be such a serious matter to be an elf all one's life if it +were always as easy to get good food as it is here," he thought. + +He sat and mused as he ate, wondering finally if it would not be as well +for him to remain here and let the wild geese travel south without him. + +"I don't know for the life of me how I can ever explain to Morten +Goosey-Gander that I cannot go home," thought he. "It would be better +were I to leave him altogether. I could gather provisions enough for the +winter, as well as the squirrels do, and if I were to live in a dark +corner of the stable or the cow shed, I shouldn't freeze to death." + +Just as he was thinking this, he heard a light rustle over his head, +and a second later something which resembled a birch stump stood on the +ground beside him. + +The stump twisted and turned, and two bright dots on top of it glowed +like coals of fire. It looked like some enchantment. However, the boy +soon remarked that the stump had a hooked beak and big feather wreaths +around its glowing eyes. Then he knew that this was no enchantment. + +"It is a real pleasure to meet a living creature," remarked the boy. +"Perhaps you will be good enough to tell me the name of this place, Mrs. +Brown Owl, and what sort of folk live here." + +That evening, as on all other evenings, the owl had perched on a rung of +the big ladder propped against the roof, from which she had looked down +toward the gravel walks and grass plots, watching for rats. Very much to +her surprise, not a single grayskin had appeared. She saw instead +something that looked like a human being, but much, much smaller, moving +about in the garden. + +"That's the one who is scaring away the rats!" thought the owl. "What in +the world can it be? It's not a squirrel, nor a kitten, nor a weasel," +she observed. "I suppose that a bird who has lived on an old place like +this as long as I have ought to know about everything in the world; but +this is beyond my comprehension," she concluded. + +She had been staring at the object that moved on the gravel path until +her eyes burned. Finally curiosity got the better of her and she flew +down to the ground to have a closer view of the stranger. + +When the boy began to speak, the owl bent forward and looked him up and +down. + +"He has neither claws nor horns," she remarked to herself, "yet who +knows but he may have a poisonous fang or some even more dangerous +weapon. I must try to find out what he passes for before I venture to +touch him." + +"The place is called MÃ¥rbacka," said the owl, "and gentlefolk lived here +once upon a time. But you, yourself, who are you?" + +"I think of moving in here," volunteered the boy without answering the +owl's question. "Would it be possible, do you think?" + +"Oh, yes--but it's not much of a place now compared to what it was +once," said the owl. "You can weather it here I dare say. It all depends +upon what you expect to live on. Do you intend to take up the rat +chase?" + +"Oh, by no means!" declared the boy. "There is more fear of the rats +eating me than that I shall do them any harm." + +"It can't be that he is as harmless as he says," thought the brown owl. +"All the same I believe I'll make an attempt...." She rose into the air, +and in a second her claws were fastened in Nils Holgersson's shoulder +and she was trying to hack at his eyes. + +The boy shielded both eyes with one hand and tried to free himself with +the other, at the same time calling with all his might for help. He +realized that he was in deadly peril and thought that this time, surely, +it was all over with him! + + +Now I must tell you of a strange coincidence: The very year that Nils +Holgersson travelled with the wild geese there was a woman who thought +of writing a book about Sweden, which would be suitable for children to +read in the schools. She had thought of this from Christmas time until +the following autumn; but not a line of the book had she written. At +last she became so tired of the whole thing that she said to herself: +"You are not fitted for such work. Sit down and compose stories and +legends, as usual, and let another write this book, which has got to be +serious and instructive, and in which there must not be one untruthful +word." + +It was as good as settled that she would abandon the idea. But she +thought, very naturally, it would have been agreeable to write something +beautiful about Sweden, and it was hard for her to relinquish her work. +Finally, it occurred to her that maybe it was because she lived in a +city, with only gray streets and house walls around her, that she could +make no headway with the writing. Perhaps if she were to go into the +country, where she could see woods and fields, that it might go better. + +She was from Vermland, and it was perfectly clear to her that she +wished to begin the book with that province. First of all she would +write about the place where she had grown up. It was a little homestead, +far removed from the great world, where many old-time habits and customs +were retained. She thought that it would be entertaining for children to +hear of the manifold duties which had succeeded one another the year +around. She wanted to tell them how they celebrated Christmas and New +Year and Easter and Midsummer Day in her home; what kind of house +furnishings they had; what the kitchen and larder were like, and how the +cow shed, stable, lodge, and bath house had looked. But when she was to +write about it the pen would not move. Why this was she could not in the +least understand; nevertheless it was so. + +True, she remembered it all just as distinctly as if she were still +living in the midst of it. She argued with herself that since she was +going into the country anyway, perhaps she ought to make a little trip +to the old homestead that she might see it again before writing about +it. She had not been there in many years and did not think it half bad +to have a reason for the journey. In fact she had always longed to be +there, no matter in what part of the world she happened to be. She had +seen many places that were more pretentious and prettier. But nowhere +could she find such comfort and protection as in the home of her +childhood. + +It was not such an easy matter for her to go home as one might think, +for the estate had been sold to people she did not know. She felt, to be +sure, that they would receive her well, but she did not care to go to +the old place to sit and talk with strangers, for she wanted to recall +how it had been in times gone by. That was why she planned it so as to +arrive there late in the evening, when the day's work was done and the +people were indoors. + +She had never imagined that it would be so wonderful to come home! As +she sat in the cart and drove toward the old homestead she fancied that +she was growing younger and younger every minute, and that soon she +would no longer be an oldish person with hair that was turning gray, +but a little girl in short skirts with a long flaxen braid. As she +recognized each farm along the road, she could not picture anything else +than that everything at home would be as in bygone days. Her father and +mother and brothers and sisters would be standing on the porch to +welcome her; the old housekeeper would run to the kitchen window to see +who was coming, and Nero and Freja and another dog or two would come +bounding and jumping up on her. + +The nearer she approached the place the happier she felt. It was autumn, +which meant a busy time with a round of duties. It must have been all +these varying duties which prevented home from ever being monotonous. +All along the way the farmers were digging potatoes, and probably they +would be doing likewise at her home. That meant that they must begin +immediately to grate potatoes and make potato flour. The autumn had been +a mild one; she wondered if everything in the garden had already been +stored. The cabbages were still out, but perhaps the hops had been +picked, and all the apples. + +It would be well if they were not having house cleaning at home. Autumn +fair time was drawing nigh, everywhere the cleaning and scouring had to +be done before the fair opened. That was regarded as a great event--more +especially by the servants. It was a pleasure to go into the kitchen on +Market Eve and see the newly scoured floor strewn with juniper twigs, +the whitewashed walls and the shining copper utensils which were +suspended from the ceiling. + +Even after the fair festivities were over there would not be much of a +breathing spell, for then came the work on the flax. During dog days the +flax had been spread out on a meadow to mould. Now it was laid in the +old bath house, where the stove was lighted to dry it out. When it was +dry enough to handle all the women in the neighbourhood were called +together. They sat outside the bath house and picked the flax to pieces. +Then they beat it with swingles, to separate the fine white fibres from +the dry stems. As they worked, the women grew gray with dust; their hair +and clothing were covered with flax seed, but they did not seem to mind +it. All day the swingles pounded, and the chatter went on, so that when +one went near the old bath house it sounded as if a blustering storm had +broken loose there. + +After the work with the flax, came the big hard-tack baking, the sheep +shearing, and the servants' moving time. In November there were busy +slaughter days, with salting of meats, sausage making, baking of blood +pudding, and candle steeping. The seamstress who used to make up their +homespun dresses had to come at this time, of course, and those were +always two pleasant weeks--when the women folk sat together and busied +themselves with sewing. The cobbler, who made shoes for the entire +household, sat working at the same time in the men-servants' quarters, +and one never tired of watching him as he cut the leather and soled and +heeled the shoes and put eyelets in the shoestring holes. + +But the greatest rush came around Christmas time. Lucia Day--when the +housemaid went about dressed in white, with candles in her hair, and +served coffee to everybody at five in the morning--came as a sort of +reminder that for the next two weeks they could not count on much sleep. +For now they must brew the Christmas ale, steep the Christmas fish in +lye, and do their Christmas baking and Christmas scouring. + +She was in the middle of the baking, with pans of Christmas buns and +cooky platters all around her, when the driver drew in the reins at the +end of the lane as she had requested. She started like one suddenly +awakened from a sound sleep. It was dismal for her who had just dreamed +herself surrounded by all her people to be sitting alone in the late +evening. As she stepped from the wagon and started to walk up the long +lane that she might come unobserved to her old home, she felt so keenly +the contrast between then and now that she would have preferred to turn +back. + +"Of what use is it to come here?" she sighed. "It can't be the same as +in the old days!" + +On the other hand she felt that since she had travelled such a long +distance, she would see the place at all events, so continued to walk +on, although she was more depressed with every step that she took. + +She had heard that it was very much changed; and it certainly was! But +she did not observe this now in the evening. She thought, rather, that +everything was quite the same. There was the pond, which in her youth +had been full of carp and where no one dared fish, because it was +father's wish that the carp should be left in peace. Over there were the +men-servants' quarters, the larder and barn, with the farm yard bell +over one gable and the weather-vane over the other. The house yard was +like a circular room, with no outlook in any direction, as it had been +in her father's time--for he had not the heart to cut down as much as a +bush. + +She lingered in the shadow under the big mountain-ash at the entrance to +the farm, and stood looking about her. As she stood there a strange +thing happened; a flock of doves came and lit beside her. + +She could hardly believe that they were real birds, for doves are not in +the habit of moving about after sundown. It must have been the beautiful +moonlight that had awakened these. They must have thought it was dawn +and flown from their dove-cotes, only to become confused, hardly knowing +where they were. When they saw a human being they flew over to her, as +if she would set them right. + +There had been many flocks of doves at the manor when her parents lived +there, for the doves were among the creatures which her father had taken +under his special care. If one ever mentioned the killing of a dove, it +put him in a bad humour. She was pleased that the pretty birds had come +to meet her in the old home. Who could tell but the doves had flown out +in the night to show her they had not forgotten that once upon a time +they had a good home there. + +Perhaps her father had sent his birds with a greeting to her, so that +she would not feel so sad and lonely when she came to her former home. + +As she thought of this, there welled up within her such an intense +longing for the old times that her eyes filled with tears. Life had +been beautiful in this place. They had had weeks of work broken by many +holiday festivities. They had toiled hard all day, but at evening they +had gathered around the lamp and read Tegner and Runeberg, "_Fru"_ +Lenngren and "_Mamsell"_ Bremer. They had cultivated grain, but also +roses and jasmine. They had spun flax, but had sung folk-songs as they +spun. They had worked hard at their history and grammar, but they had +also played theatre and written verses. They had stood at the kitchen +stove and prepared food, but had learned, also, to play the flute and +guitar, the violin and piano. They had planted cabbages and turnips, +peas and beans in one garden, but they had another full of apples and +pears and all kinds of berries. They had lived by themselves, and this +was why so many stories and legends were stowed away in their memories. +They had worn homespun clothes, but they had also been able to lead +care-free and independent lives. + +"Nowhere else in the world do they know how to get so much out of life +as they did at one of these little homesteads in my childhood!" she +thought. "There was just enough work and just enough play, and every day +there was a joy. How I should love to come back here again! Now that I +have seen the place, it is hard to leave it." + +Then she turned to the flock of doves and said to them--laughing at +herself all the while: + +"Won't you fly to father and tell him that I long to come home? I have +wandered long enough in strange places. Ask him if he can't arrange it +so that I may soon turn back to my childhood's home." + +The moment she had said this the flock of doves rose and flew away. She +tried to follow them with her eyes, but they vanished instantly. It was +as if the whole white company had dissolved in the shimmering air. + +The doves had only just gone when she heard a couple of piercing cries +from the garden, and as she hastened thither she saw a singular sight. +There stood a tiny midget, no taller than a hand's breadth, struggling +with a brown owl. At first she was so astonished that she could not +move. But when the midget cried more and more pitifully, she stepped up +quickly and parted the fighters. The owl swung herself into a tree, but +the midget stood on the gravel path, without attempting either to hide +or to run away. + +"Thanks for your help," he said. "But it was very stupid of you to let +the owl escape. I can't get away from here, because she is sitting up in +the tree watching me." + +"It was thoughtless of me to let her go. But to make amends, can't I +accompany you to your home?" asked she who wrote stories, somewhat +surprised to think that in this unexpected fashion she had got into +conversation with one of the tiny folk. Still she was not so much +surprised after all. It was as if all the while she had been awaiting +some extraordinary experience, while she walked in the moonlight outside +her old home. + +"The fact is, I had thought of stopping here over night," said the +midget. "If you will only show me a safe sleeping place, I shall not be +obliged to return to the forest before daybreak." + +"Must I show you a place to sleep? Are you not at home here?" + +"I understand that you take me for one of the tiny folk," said the +midget, "but I'm a human being, like yourself, although I have been +transformed by an elf." + +"That is the most remarkable thing I have ever heard! Wouldn't you like +to tell me how you happened to get into such a plight?" + +The boy did not mind telling her of his adventures, and, as the +narrative proceeded, she who listened to him grew more and more +astonished and happy. + +"What luck to run across one who has travelled all over Sweden on the +back of a goose!" thought she. "Just this which he is relating I shall +write down in my book. Now I need worry no more over that matter. It was +well that I came home. To think that I should find such help as soon as +I came to the old place!" + +Instantly another thought flashed into her mind. She had sent word to +her father by the doves that she longed for home, and almost immediately +she had received help in the matter she had pondered so long. Might not +this be the father's answer to her prayer? + + +THE TREASURE ON THE ISLAND + + +ON THEIR WAY TO THE SEA + +_Friday, October seventh_. + +From the very start of the autumn trip the wild geese had flown straight +south; but when they left Fryksdalen they veered in another direction, +travelling over western Vermland and Dalsland, toward Bohuslän. + +That was a jolly trip! The goslings were now so used to flying that they +complained no more of fatigue, and the boy was fast recovering his good +humour. He was glad that he had talked with a human being. He felt +encouraged when she said to him that if he were to continue doing good +to all whom he met, as heretofore, it could not end badly for him. She +was not able to tell him how to get back his natural form, but she had +given him a little hope and assurance, which inspired the boy to think +out a way to prevent the big white gander from going home. + +"Do you know, Morten Goosey-Gander, that it will be rather monotonous +for us to stay at home all winter after having been on a trip like +this," he said, as they were flying far up in the air. "I'm sitting here +thinking that we ought to go abroad with the geese." + +"Surely you are not in earnest!" said the goosey-gander. Since he had +proved to the wild geese his ability to travel with them all the way to +Lapland, he was perfectly satisfied to get back to the goose pen in +Holger Nilsson's cow shed. + +The boy sat silently a while and gazed down on Vermland, where the birch +woods, leafy groves, and gardens were clad in red and yellow autumn +colours. + +"I don't think I've ever seen the earth beneath us as lovely as it is +to-day!" he finally remarked. "The lakes are like blue satin bands. +Don't you think it would be a pity to settle down in West Vemminghög and +never see any more of the world?" + +"I thought you wanted to go home to your mother and father and show them +what a splendid boy you had become?" said the goosey-gander. + +All summer he had been dreaming of what a proud moment it would be for +him when he should alight in the house yard before Holger Nilsson's +cabin and show Dunfin and the six goslings to the geese and chickens, +the cows and the cat, and to Mother Holger Nilsson herself, so that he +was not very happy over the boy's proposal. + +"Now, Morten Goosey-Gander, don't you think yourself that it would be +hard never to see anything more that is beautiful!" said the boy. + +"I would rather see the fat grain fields of Söderslätt than these lean +hills," answered the goosey-gander. "But you must know very well that +if you really wish to continue the trip, I can't be parted from you." + +"That is just the answer I had expected from you," said the boy, and his +voice betrayed that he was relieved of a great anxiety. + +Later, when they travelled over Bohuslän, the boy observed that the +mountain stretches were more continuous, the valleys were more like +little ravines blasted in the rock foundation, while the long lakes at +their base were as black as if they had come from the underworld. This, +too, was a glorious country, and as the boy saw it, with now a strip of +sun, now a shadow, he thought that there was something strange and wild +about it. He knew not why, but the idea came to him that once upon a +time there were many strong and brave heroes in these mystical regions +who had passed through many dangerous and daring adventures. The old +passion of wanting to share in all sorts of wonderful adventures awoke +in him. + +"I might possibly miss not being in danger of my life at least once +every day or two," he thought. "Anyhow it's best to be content with +things as they are." + +He did not speak of this idea to the big white gander, because the geese +were now flying over Bohuslän with all the speed they could muster, and +the goosey-gander was puffing so hard that he would not have had the +strength to reply. + +The sun was far down on the horizon, and disappeared every now and then +behind a hill; still the geese kept forging ahead. + +Finally, in the west, they saw a shining strip of light, which grew +broader and broader with every wing stroke. Soon the sea spread before +them, milk white with a shimmer of rose red and sky blue, and when they +had circled past the coast cliffs they saw the sun again, as it hung +over the sea, big and red and ready to plunge into the waves. + +As the boy gazed at the broad, endless sea and the red evening sun, +which had such a kindly glow that he dared to look straight at it, he +felt a sense of peace and calm penetrate his soul. + +"It's not worth while to be sad, Nils Holgersson," said the Sun. "This +is a beautiful world to live in both for big and little. It is also good +to be free and happy, and to have a great dome of open sky above you." + +THE GIFT OF THE WILD GEESE + +The geese stood sleeping on a little rock islet just beyond Fjällbacka. +When it drew on toward midnight, and the moon hung high in the heavens, +old Akka shook the sleepiness out of her eyes. After that she walked +around and awakened Yksi and Kaksi, Kolme and Neljä, Viisi and Kuusi, +and, last of all, she gave Thumbietot a nudge with her bill that +startled him. + +"What is it, Mother Akka?" he asked, springing up in alarm. + +"Nothing serious," assured the leader-goose. "It's just this: we seven +who have been long together want to fly a short distance out to sea +to-night, and we wondered if you would care to come with us." + +The boy knew that Akka would not have proposed this move had there not +been something important on foot, so he promptly seated himself on her +back. The flight was straight west. The wild geese first flew over a +belt of large and small islands near the coast, then over a broad +expanse of open sea, till they reached the large cluster known as the +Väder Islands. All of them were low and rocky, and in the moonlight one +could see that they were rather large. + +Akka looked at one of the smallest islands and alighted there. It +consisted of a round, gray stone hill, with a wide cleft across it, into +which the sea had cast fine, white sea sand and a few shells. + +As the boy slid from the goose's back he noticed something quite close +to him that looked like a jagged stone. But almost at once he saw that +it was a big vulture which had chosen the rock island for a night +harbour. Before the boy had time to wonder at the geese recklessly +alighting so near a dangerous enemy, the bird flew up to them and the +boy recognized Gorgo, the eagle. + +Evidently Akka and Gorgo had arranged the meeting, for neither of them +was taken by surprise. + +"This was good of you, Gorgo," said Akka. "I didn't expect that you +would be at the meeting place ahead of us. Have you been here long?" + +"I came early in the evening," replied Gorgo. "But I fear that the only +praise I deserve is for keeping my appointment with you. I've not been +very successful in carrying out the orders you gave me." + +"I'm sure, Gorgo, that you have done more than you care to admit," +assured Akka. "But before you relate your experiences on the trip, I +shall ask Thumbietot to help me find something which is supposed to be +buried on this island." + +The boy stood gazing admiringly at two beautiful shells, but when Akka +spoke his name, he glanced up. + +"You must have wondered, Thumbietot, why we turned out of our course to +fly here to the West Sea," said Akka. + +"To be frank, I did think it strange," answered the boy. "But I knew, of +course, that you always have some good reason for whatever you do." + +"You have a good opinion of me," returned Akka, "but I almost fear you +will lose it now, for it's very probable that we have made this journey +in vain. + +"Many years ago it happened that two of the other old geese and myself +encountered frightful storms during a spring flight and were wind-driven +to this island. When we discovered that there was only open sea before +us, we feared we should be swept so far out that we should never find +our way back to land, so we lay down on the waves between these bare +cliffs, where the storm compelled us to remain for several days. + +"We suffered terribly from hunger; once we ventured up to the cleft on +this island in search of food. We couldn't find a green blade, but we +saw a number of securely tied bags half buried in the sand. We hoped to +find grain in the bags and pulled and tugged at them till we tore the +cloth. However, no grain poured out, but shining gold pieces. For such +things we wild geese had no use, so we left them where they were. We +haven't thought of the find in all these years; but this autumn +something has come up to make us wish for gold. + +"We do not know that the treasure is still here, but we have travelled +all this way to ask you to look into the matter." + +With a shell in either hand the boy jumped down into the cleft and began +to scoop up the sand. He found no bags, but when he had made a deep hole +he heard the clink of metal and saw that he had come upon a gold piece. +Then he dug with his fingers and felt many coins in the sand. So he +hurried back to Akka. + +"The bags have rotted and fallen apart," he exclaimed, "and the money +lies scattered all through the sand." + +"That's well!" said Akka. "Now fill in the hole and smooth it over so no +one will notice the sand has been disturbed." + +The boy did as he was told, but when he came up from the cleft he was +astonished to see that the wild geese were lined up, with Akka in the +lead, and were marching toward him with great solemnity. + +The geese paused in front of him, and all bowed their heads many times, +looking so grave that he had to doff his cap and make an obeisance to +them. + +"The fact is," said Akka, "we old geese have been thinking that if +Thumbietot had been in the service of human beings and had done as much +for them as he has for us they would not let him go without rewarding +him well." + +"I haven't helped you; it is you who have taken good care of me," +returned the boy. + +"We think also," continued Akka, "that when a human being has attended +us on a whole journey he shouldn't be allowed to leave us as poor as +when he came." + +"I know that what I have learned this year with you is worth more to me +than gold or lands," said the boy. + +"Since these gold coins have been lying unclaimed in the cleft all these +years, I think that you ought to have them," declared the wild goose. + +"I thought you said something about needing this money yourselves," +reminded the boy. + +"We do need it, so as to be able to give you such recompense as will +make your mother and father think you have been working as a goose boy +with worthy people." + +The boy turned half round and cast a glance toward the sea, then faced +about and looked straight into Akka's bright eyes. + +"I think it strange, Mother Akka, that you turn me away from your +service like this and pay me off before I have given you notice," he +said. + +"As long as we wild geese remain in Sweden, I trust that you will stay +with us," said Akka. "I only wanted to show you where the treasure was +while we could get to it without going too far out of our course." + +"All the same it looks as if you wished to be rid of me before I want to +go," argued Thumbietot. "After all the good times we have had together, +I think you ought to let me go abroad with you." + +When the boy said this, Akka and the other wild geese stretched their +long necks straight up and stood a moment, with bills half open, +drinking in air. + +"That is something I haven't thought about," said Akka, when she +recovered herself. "Before you decide to come with us, we had better +hear what Gorgo has to say. You may as well know that when we left +Lapland the agreement between Gorgo and myself was that he should travel +to your home down in SkÃ¥ne to try to make better terms for you with the +elf." + +"That is true," affirmed Gorgo, "but as I have already told you, luck +was against me. I soon hunted up Holger Nilsson's croft and after +circling up and down over the place a couple of hours, I caught sight of +the elf, skulking along between the sheds. + +"Immediately I swooped down upon him and flew off with him to a meadow +where we could talk together without interruption. + +"I told him that I had been sent by Akka from Kebnekaise to ask if he +couldn't give Nils Holgersson easier terms. + +"'I only wish I could!' he answered, 'for I have heard that he has +conducted himself well on the trip; but it is not in my power to do so.' + +"Then I was wrathy and said that I would bore out his eyes unless he +gave in. + +"'You may do as you like,' he retorted, 'but as to Nils Holgersson, it +will turn out exactly as I have said. You can tell him from me that he +would do well to return soon with his goose, for matters on the farm are +in a bad shape. His father has had to forfeit a bond for his brother, +whom he trusted. He has bought a horse with borrowed money, and the +beast went lame the first time he drove it. Since then it has been of no +earthly use to him. Tell Nils Holgersson that his parents have had to +sell two of the cows and that they must give up the croft unless they +receive help from somewhere." + +When the boy heard this he frowned and clenched his fists so hard that +the nails dug into his flesh. + +"It is cruel of the elf to make the conditions so hard for me that I can +not go home and relieve my parents, but he sha'n't turn me into a +traitor to a friend! My father and mother are square and upright folk. I +know they would rather forfeit my help than have me come back to them +with a guilty conscience." + + +THE JOURNEY TO VEMMINGHÖG + + +_Thursday, November third_. + +One day in the beginning of November the wild geese flew over Halland +Ridge and into SkÃ¥ne. For several weeks they had been resting on the +wide plains around Falköping. As many other wild goose flocks also +stopped there, the grown geese had had a pleasant time visiting with old +friends, and there had been all kinds of games and races between the +younger birds. + +Nils Holgersson had not been happy over the delay in Westergötland. He +had tried to keep a stout heart; but it was hard for him to reconcile +himself to his fate. + +"If I were only well out of SkÃ¥ne and in some foreign land," he had +thought, "I should know for certain that I had nothing to hope for, and +would feel easier in my mind." + +Finally, one morning, the geese started out and flew toward Halland. + +In the beginning the boy took very little interest in that province. He +thought there was nothing new to be seen there. But when the wild geese +continued the journey farther south, along the narrow coast-lands, the +boy leaned over the goose's neck and did not take his glance from the +ground. + +He saw the hills gradually disappear and the plain spread under him, at +the same time he noticed that the coast became less rugged, while the +group of islands beyond thinned and finally vanished and the broad, open +sea came clear up to firm land. Here there were no more forests: here +the plain was supreme. It spread all the way to the horizon. A land that +lay so exposed, with field upon field, reminded the boy of SkÃ¥ne. He +felt both happy and sad as he looked at it. + +"I can't be very far from home," he thought. + +Many times during the trip the goslings had asked the old geese: + +"How does it look in foreign lands?" + +"Wait, wait! You shall soon see," the old geese had answered. + +When the wild geese had passed Halland Ridge and gone a distance into +SkÃ¥ne, Akka called out: + +"Now look down! Look all around! It is like this in foreign lands." + +Just then they flew over Söder Ridge. The whole long range of hills was +clad in beech woods, and beautiful, turreted castles peeped out here and +there. + +Among the trees grazed roe-buck, and on the forest meadow romped the +hares. Hunters' horns sounded from the forests; the loud baying of dogs +could be heard all the way up to the wild geese. Broad avenues wound +through the trees and on these ladies and gentlemen were driving in +polished carriages or riding fine horses. At the foot of the ridge lay +Ring Lake with the ancient Bosjö Cloister on a narrow peninsula. + +"Does it look like this in foreign lands?" asked the goslings. + +"It looks exactly like this wherever there are forest-clad ridges," +replied Akka, "only one doesn't see many of them. Wait! You shall see +how it looks in general." + +Akka led the geese farther south to the great SkÃ¥ne plain. There it +spread, with grain fields; with acres and acres of sugar beets, where +the beet-pickers were at work; with low whitewashed farm- and outhouses; +with numberless little white churches; with ugly, gray sugar refineries +and small villages near the railway stations. Little beech-encircled +meadow lakes, each of them adorned by its own stately manor, shimmered +here and there. + +"Now look down! Look carefully!" called the leader-goose. "Thus it is in +foreign lands, from the Baltic coast all the way down to the high Alps. +Farther than that I have never travelled." + +When the goslings had seen the plain, the leader-goose flew down the +Öresund coast. Swampy meadows sloped gradually toward the sea. In some +places were high, steep banks, in others drift-sand fields, where the +sand lay heaped in banks and hills. Fishing hamlets stood all along the +coast, with long rows of low, uniform brick houses, with a lighthouse at +the edge of the breakwater, and brown fishing nets hanging in the drying +yard. + +"Now look down! Look well! This is how it looks along the coasts in +foreign lands." + +After Akka had been flying about in this manner a long time she alighted +suddenly on a marsh in Vemminghög township and the boy could not help +thinking that she had travelled over SkÃ¥ne just to let him see that his +was a country which could compare favourably with any in the world. This +was unnecessary, for the boy was not thinking of whether the country was +rich or poor. + +From the moment that he had seen the first willow grove his heart ached +with homesickness. + +HOME AT LAST + + +_Tuesday, November eighth_. + +The atmosphere was dull and hazy. The wild geese had been feeding on the +big meadow around Skerup church and were having their noonday rest when +Akka came up to the boy. + +"It looks as if we should have calm weather for awhile," she remarked, +"and I think we'll cross the Baltic to-morrow." + +"Indeed!" said the boy abruptly, for his throat contracted so that he +could hardly speak. All along he had cherished the hope that he would be +released from the enchantment while he was still in SkÃ¥ne. + +"We are quite near West Vemminghög now," said Akka, "and I thought that +perhaps you might like to go home for awhile. It may be some time before +you have another opportunity to see your people." + +"Perhaps I had better not," said the boy hesitatingly, but something in +his voice betrayed that he was glad of Akka's proposal. + +"If the goosey-gander remains with us, no harm can come to him," Akka +assured. "I think you had better find out how your parents are getting +along. You might be of some help to them, even if you're not a normal +boy." + +"You are right, Mother Akka. I should have thought of that long ago," +said the boy impulsively. + +The next second he and the leader-goose were on their way to his home. +It was not long before Akka alighted behind the stone hedge encircling +the little farm. + +"Strange how natural everything looks around here!" the boy remarked, +quickly clambering to the top of the hedge, so that he could look about. + +"It seems to me only yesterday that I first saw you come flying through +the air." + +"I wonder if your father has a gun," said Akka suddenly. + +"You may be sure he has," returned the boy. "It was just the gun that +kept me at home that Sunday morning when I should have been at church." + +"Then I don't dare to stand here and wait for you," said Akka. "You had +better meet us at Smygahök early to-morrow morning, so that you may stay +at home over night." + +"Oh, don't go yet, Mother Akka!" begged the boy, jumping from the hedge. + +He could not tell just why it was, but he felt as if something would +happen, either to the wild goose or to himself, to prevent their future +meeting. + +"No doubt you see that I'm distressed because I cannot get back my +right form; but I want to say to you that I don't regret having gone +with you last spring," he added. "I would rather forfeit the chance of +ever being human again than to have missed that trip." + +Akka breathed quickly before she answered. + +"There's a little matter I should have mentioned to you before this, but +since you are not going back to your home for good, I thought there was +no hurry about it. Still it may as well be said now." + +"You know very well that I am always glad to do your bidding," said the +boy. + +"If you have learned anything at all from us, Thumbietot, you no longer +think that the humans should have the whole earth to themselves," said +the wild goose, solemnly. "Remember you have a large country and you can +easily afford to leave a few bare rocks, a few shallow lakes and swamps, +a few desolate cliffs and remote forests to us poor, dumb creatures, +where we can be allowed to live in peace. All my days I have been +hounded and hunted. It would be a comfort to know that there is a refuge +somewhere for one like me." + +"Indeed, I should be glad to help if I could," said the boy, "but it's +not likely that I shall ever again have any influence among human +beings." + +"Well, we're standing here talking as if we were never to meet again," +said Akka, "but we shall see each other to-morrow, of course. Now I'll +return to my flock." + +She spread her wings and started to fly, but came back and stroked +Thumbietot up and down with her bill before she flew away. + +It was broad daylight, but no human being moved on the farm and the boy +could go where he pleased. He hastened to the cow shed, because he knew +that he could get the best information from the cows. + +It looked rather barren in their shed. In the spring there had been +three fine cows there, but now there was only one--Mayrose. It was quite +apparent that she yearned for her comrades. Her head drooped sadly, and +she had hardly touched the feed in her crib. + +"Good day, Mayrose!" said the boy, running fearlessly into her stall. + +"How are mother and father? How are the cat and the chickens? What has +become of Star and Gold-Lily?" + +When Mayrose heard the boy's voice she started, and appeared as if she +were going to gore him. But she was not so quick-tempered now as +formerly, and took time to look well at Nils Holgersson. + +He was just as little now as when he went away, and wore the same +clothes; yet he was completely changed. The Nils Holgersson that went +away in the spring had a heavy, slow gait, a drawling speech, and sleepy +eyes. The one that had come back was lithe and alert, ready of speech, +and had eyes that sparkled and danced. He had a confident bearing that +commanded respect, little as he was. Although he himself did not look +happy, he inspired happiness in others. + +"Moo!" bellowed Mayrose. "They told me that he was changed, but I +couldn't believe it. Welcome home, Nils Holgersson! Welcome home! This +is the first glad moment I have known for ever so long!" + +"Thank you, Mayrose!" said the boy, who was very happy to be so well +received. + +"Now tell me all about father and mother." + +"They have had nothing but hardship ever since you went away," said +Mayrose. "The horse has been a costly care all summer, for he has stood +in the stable the whole time and not earned his feed. Your father is too +soft-hearted to shoot him and he can't sell him. It was on account of +the horse that both Star and Gold-Lily had to be sold." + +There was something else the boy wanted badly to know, but he was +diffident about asking the question point blank. Therefore he said: + +"Mother must have felt very sorry when she discovered that Morten +Goosey-Gander had flown?" + +"She wouldn't have worried much about Morten Goosey-Gander had she +known the way he came to leave. She grieves most at the thought of her +son having run away from home with a goosey-gander." + +"Does she really think that I _stole_ the goosey-gander?" said the boy. + +"What else could she think?" + +"Father and mother must fancy that I've been roaming about the country, +like a common tramp?" + +"They think that you've gone to the dogs," said Mayrose. "They have +mourned you as one mourns the loss of the dearest thing on earth." + +As soon as the boy heard this, he rushed from the cow shed and down to +the stable. + +It was small, but clean and tidy. Everything showed that his father had +tried to make the place comfortable for the new horse. In the stall +stood a strong, fine animal that looked well fed and well cared for. + +"Good day to you!" said the boy. "I have heard that there's a sick horse +in here. Surely it can't be you, who look so healthy and strong." + +The horse turned his head and stared fixedly at the boy. + +"Are you the son?" he queried. "I have heard many bad reports of him. +But you have such a good face, I couldn't believe that you were he, did +I not know that he was transformed into an elf." + +"I know that I left a bad name behind me when I went away from the +farm," admitted Nils Holgersson. "My own mother thinks I am a thief. But +what matters it--I sha'n't tarry here long. Meanwhile, I want to know +what ails you." + +"Pity you're not going to stay," said the horse, "for I have the feeling +that you and I might become good friends. I've got something in my +foot--the point of a knife, or something sharp--that's all that ails me. +It has gone so far in that the doctor can't find it, but it cuts so that +I can't walk. If you would only tell your father what's wrong with me, +I'm sure that he could help me. I should like to be of some use. I +really feel ashamed to stand here and feed without doing any work." + +"It's well that you have no real illness," remarked Nils Holgersson. "I +must attend to this at once, so that you will be all right again. You +don't mind if I do a little scratching on your hoof with my knife, do +you?" + +Nils Holgersson had just finished, when he heard the sound of voices. He +opened the stable door a little and peeped out. + +His father and mother were coming down the lane. It was easy to see that +they were broken by many sorrows. His mother had many lines on her face +and his father's hair had turned gray. She was talking with him about +getting a loan from her brother-in-law. + +"No, I don't want to borrow any more money," his father said, as they +were passing the stable. "There's nothing quite so hard as being in +debt. It would be better to sell the cabin." + +"If it were not for the boy, I shouldn't mind selling it," his mother +demurred. "But what will become of him, if he returns some day, wretched +and poor--as he's likely to be--and we not here?" + +"You're right about that," the father agreed. "But we shall have to ask +the folks who take the place to receive him kindly and to let him know +that he's welcome back to us. We sha'n't say a harsh word to him, no +matter what he may be, shall we mother?" + +"No, indeed! If I only had him again, so that I could be certain he is +not starving and freezing on the highways, I'd ask nothing more!" + +Then his father and mother went in, and the boy heard no more of their +conversation. + +He was happy and deeply moved when he knew that they loved him so +dearly, although they believed he had gone astray. He longed to rush +into their arms. + +"But perhaps it would be an even greater sorrow were they to see me as I +now am." + +While he stood there, hesitating, a cart drove up to the gate. The boy +smothered a cry of surprise, for who should step from the cart and go +into the house yard but Osa, the goose girl, and her father! + +They walked hand in hand toward the cabin. When they were about half +way there, Osa stopped her father and said: + +"Now remember, father, you are not to mention the wooden shoe or the +geese or the little brownie who was so like Nils Holgersson that if it +was not himself it must have had some connection with him." + +"Certainly not!" said Jon Esserson. "I shall only say that their son has +been of great help to you on several occasions--when you were trying to +find me--and that therefore we have come to ask if we can't do them a +service in return, since I'm a rich man now and have more than I need, +thanks to the mine I discovered up in Lapland." + +"I know, father, that you can say the right thing in the right way," Osa +commended. "It is only that one particular thing that I don't wish you +to mention." + +They went into the cabin, and the boy would have liked to hear what they +talked about in there; but he dared not venture near the house. It was +not long before they came out again, and his father and mother +accompanied them as far as the gate. + +His parents were strangely happy. They appeared to have gained a new +hold on life. + +When the visitors were gone, father and mother lingered at the gate +gazing after them. + +"I don't feel unhappy any longer, since I've heard so much that is good +of our Nils," said his mother. + +"Perhaps he got more praise than he really deserved," put in his father +thoughtfully. + +"Wasn't it enough for you that they came here specially to say they +wanted to help us because our Nils had served them in many ways? I +think, father, that you should have accepted their offer." + +"No, mother, I don't wish to accept money from any one, either as a gift +or a loan. In the first place I want to free myself from all debt, then +we will work our way up again. We're not so very old, are we, mother?" +The father laughed heartily as he said this. + +"I believe you think it will be fun to sell this place, upon which we +have expended such a lot of time and hard work," protested the mother. + +"Oh, you know why I'm laughing," the father retorted. "It was the +thought of the boy's having gone to the bad that weighed me down until I +had no strength or courage left in me. Now that I know he still lives +and has turned out well, you'll see that Holger Nilsson has some grit +left." + +The mother went in alone, and the boy made haste to hide in a corner, +for his father walked into the stable. He went over to the horse and +examined its hoof, as usual, to try to discover what was wrong with it. + +"What's this!" he cried, discovering some letters scratched on the +hoof. + +"Remove the sharp piece of iron from the foot," he read and glanced +around inquiringly. However, he ran his fingers along the under side of +the hoof and looked at it carefully. + +"I verily believe there is something sharp here!" he said. + +While his father was busy with the horse and the boy sat huddled in a +corner, it happened that other callers came to the farm. + +The fact was that when Morten Goosey-Gander found himself so near his +old home he simply could not resist the temptation of showing his wife +and children to his old companions on the farm. So he took Dunfin and +the goslings along, and made for home. + +There was not a soul in the barn yard when the goosey-gander came along. +He alighted, confidently walked all around the place, and showed Dunfin +how luxuriously he had lived when he was a tame goose. + +When they had viewed the entire farm, he noticed that the door of the +cow shed was open. + +"Look in here a moment," he said, "then you will see how I lived in +former days. It was very different from camping in swamps and morasses, +as we do now." + +The goosey-gander stood in the doorway and looked into the cow shed. + +"There's not a soul in here," he said. "Come along, Dunfin, and you +shall see the goose pen. Don't be afraid; there's no danger." + +Forthwith the goosey-gander, Dunfin, and all six goslings waddled into +the goose pen, to have a look at the elegance and comfort in which the +big white gander had lived before he joined the wild geese. + +"This is the way it used to be: here was my place and over there was the +trough, which was always filled with oats and water," explained the +goosey-gander. + +"Wait! there's some fodder in it now." With that he rushed to the trough +and began to gobble up the oats. + +But Dunfin was nervous. + +"Let's go out again!" she said. + +"Only two more grains," insisted the goosey-gander. The next second he +let out a shriek and ran for the door, but it was too late! The door +slammed, the mistress stood without and bolted it. They were locked in! + +The father had removed a sharp piece of iron from the horse's hoof and +stood contentedly stroking the animal when the mother came running into +the stable. + +"Come, father, and see the capture I've made!" + +"No, wait a minute!" said the father. "Look here, first. I have +discovered what ailed the horse." + +"I believe our luck has turned," said the mother. "Only fancy! the big +white goosey-gander that disappeared last spring must have gone off with +the wild geese. He has come back to us in company with seven wild geese. +They walked straight into the goose pen, and I've shut them all in." + +"That's extraordinary," remarked the father. "But best of all is that we +don't have to think any more that our boy stole the goosey-gander when +he went away." + +"You're quite right, father," she said. "But I'm afraid we'll have to +kill them to-night. In two days is Morten Gooseday[1] and we must make +haste if we expect to get them to market in time." + +[Footnote 1: In Sweden the 10th of November is called Morten Gooseday +and corresponds to the American Thanksgiving Day.] + +"I think it would be outrageous to butcher the goosey-gander, now that +he has returned to us with such a large family," protested Holger +Nilsson. + +"If times were easier we'd let him live; but since we're going to move +from here, we can't keep geese. Come along now and help me carry them +into the kitchen," urged the mother. + +They went out together and in a few moments the boy saw his father +coming along with Morten Goosey-Gander and Dunfin--one under each arm. +He and his wife went into the cabin. + +The goosey-gander cried: + +"Thumbietot, come and help me!"--as he always did when in +peril--although he was not aware that the boy was at hand. + +Nils Holgersson heard him, yet he lingered at the door of the cow shed. + +He did not hesitate because he knew that it would be well for him if the +goosey-gander were beheaded--at that moment he did not even remember +this--but because he shrank from being seen by his parents. + +"They have a hard enough time of it already," he thought. "Must I bring +them a new sorrow?" + +But when the door closed on the goosey-gander, the boy was aroused. + +He dashed across the house yard, sprang up on the board-walk leading to +the entrance door and ran into the hallway, where he kicked off his +wooden shoes in the old accustomed way, and walked toward the door. + +All the while it went so much against the grain to appear before his +father and mother that he could not raise his hand to knock. + +"But this concerns the life of the goosey-gander," he said to +himself--"he who has been my best friend ever since I last stood here." + +In a twinkling the boy remembered all that he and the goosey-gander had +suffered on ice-bound lakes and stormy seas and among wild beasts of +prey. His heart swelled with gratitude; he conquered himself and knocked +on the door. + +"Is there some one who wishes to come in?" asked his father, opening the +door. + +"Mother, you sha'n't touch the goosey-gander!" cried the boy. + +Instantly both the goosey-gander and Dunfin, who lay on a bench with +their feet tied, gave a cry of joy, so that he was sure they were alive. + +Some one else gave a cry of joy--his _mother_! + +"My, but you have grown tall and handsome!" she exclaimed. + +The boy had not entered the cabin, but was standing on the doorstep, +like one who is not quite certain how he will be received. + +"The Lord be praised that I have you back again!" said his mother, +laughing and crying. "Come in, my boy! Come in!" + +"Welcome!" added his father, and not another word could he utter. + +But the boy still lingered at the threshold. He could not comprehend why +they were so glad to see him--such as he was. Then his mother came and +put her arms around him and drew him into the room, and he knew that he +was all right. + +"Mother and father!" he cried. "I'm a big boy. I am a human being +again!" + + +THE PARTING WITH THE WILD GEESE + + +_Wednesday, November ninth_. + +The boy arose before dawn and wandered down to the coast. He was +standing alone on the strand east of Smyge fishing hamlet before +sunrise. He had already been in the pen with Morten Goosey-Gander to try +to rouse him, but the big white gander had no desire to leave home. He +did not say a word, but only stuck his bill under his wing and went to +sleep again. + +To all appearances the weather promised to be almost as perfect as it +had been that spring day when the wild geese came to SkÃ¥ne. There was +hardly a ripple on the water; the air was still and the boy thought of +the good passage the geese would have. He himself was as yet in a kind +of daze--sometimes thinking he was an elf, sometimes a human being. When +he saw a stone hedge alongside the road, he was afraid to go farther +until he had made sure that no wild animal or vulture lurked behind it. +Very soon he laughed to himself and rejoiced because he was big and +strong and did not have to be afraid of anything. + +When he reached the coast he stationed himself, big as he was, at the +very edge of the strand, so that the wild geese could see him. + +It was a busy day for the birds of passage. Bird calls sounded on the +air continuously. The boy smiled as he thought that no one but himself +understood what the birds were saying to one another. Presently wild +geese came flying; one big flock following another. + +"Just so it's not my geese that are going away without bidding me +farewell," he thought. He wanted so much to tell them how everything had +turned out, and to show them that he was no longer an elf but a human +being. + +There came a flock that flew faster and cackled louder than the others, +and something told him that this must be _the_ flock, but now he was not +quite so sure about it as he would have been the day before. + +The flock slackened its flight and circled up and down along the coast. + +The boy knew it was the right one, but he could not understand why the +geese did not come straight down to him. They could not avoid seeing him +where he stood. He tried to give a call that would bring them down to +him, but only think! his tongue would not obey him. He could not make +the right sound! He heard Akka's calls, but did not understand what she +said. + +"What can this mean? Have the wild geese changed their language?" he +wondered. + +He waved his cap to them and ran along the shore calling. + +"Here am I, where are you?" + +But this seemed only to frighten the geese. They rose and flew farther +out to sea. At last he understood. They did not know that he was human, +had not recognized him. He could not call them to him because human +beings can not speak the language of birds. He could not speak their +language, nor could he understand it. + +Although the boy was very glad to be released from the enchantment, +still he thought it hard that because of this he should be parted from +his old comrades. + +He sat down on the sands and buried his face in his hands. What was the +use of his gazing after them any more? + +Presently he heard the rustle of wings. Old mother Akka had found it +hard to fly away from Thumbietot, and turned back, and now that the boy +sat quite still she ventured to fly nearer to him. Suddenly something +must have told her who he was, for she lit close beside him. + +Nils gave a cry of joy and took old Akka in his arms. The other wild +geese crowded round him and stroked him with their bills. They cackled +and chattered and wished him all kinds of good luck, and he, too, talked +to them and thanked them for the wonderful journey which he had been +privileged to make in their company. + +All at once the wild geese became strangely quiet and withdrew from him, +as if to say: + +"Alas! he is a man. He does not understand us: we do not understand +him!" + +Then the boy rose and went over to Akka; he stroked her and patted her. +He did the same to Yksi and Kaksi, Kolme and Neljä, Viisi and Kuusi--the +old birds who had been his companions from the very start. + +After that he walked farther up the strand. He knew perfectly well that +the sorrows of the birds do not last long, and he wanted to part with +them while they were still sad at losing him. + +As he crossed the shore meadows he turned and watched the many flocks of +birds that were flying over the sea. All were shrieking their coaxing +calls--only one goose flock flew silently on as long as he could follow +it with his eyes. The wedge was perfect, the speed good, and the wing +strokes strong and certain. + +The boy felt such a yearning for his departing comrades that he almost +wished he were Thumbietot again and could travel over land and sea with +a flock of wild geese. + + +TABLE OF PRONUNCIATION + + +The final _e_ is sounded in SkÃ¥ne, Sirle, Gripe, etc. + +The _Ã¥_ in SkÃ¥ne and SmÃ¥land is pronounced like _o_ in ore. + +_j_ is like the English _y_. Nuolja, Oviksfjällen, Sjangeli, Jarro, +etc., should sound as if they were spelled like this: Nuolya, +Oviksfyellen, Syang [one syllable] elee, Yarro, etc. + +_g_, when followed by _e, i, y, ä, ö_, is also like _y_. Example, Göta +is pronounced Yöta. + +When _g_ is followed by _a, o, u_, or _Ã¥_, it is hard, as in go. + +_k_ in Norrköping, Linköping, Kivik (pronounced Cheeveek), etc., is like +_ch_ in cheer. + +_k_ is hard when it precedes _a, o, u_, or _Ã¥_. Example, Kaksi, Kolmi, +etc. + +_ä_ is pronounced like _ä_ in fare. Example, Färs. + +There is no sound in the English language which corresponds to the +Swedish _ö_. It is like the French _eu_ in jeu. + +Gripe is pronounced Greep-e. + +In Sirle, the first syllable has the same sound as _sir_, in sirup. + +The names which Miss Lagerlöf has given to the animals are descriptive. + +Smirre Fox, is cunning fox. + +Sirle Squirrel, is graceful, or nimble squirrel. + +Gripe Otter, means grabbing or clutching otter. + +Mons is a pet name applied to cats; like our tommy or pussy. Monsie +house-cat is equivalent to Tommy house-cat. + +MÃ¥rten gÃ¥skarl (Morten Goosie-gander) is a pet name for a tame gander, +just as we use Dickie-bird for a pet bird. + +Fru is the Swedish for Mrs. This title is usually applied to gentlewomen +only. The author has used this meaning of "fru." + +A Goa-Nisse is an elf-king, and corresponds to the English Puck or Robin +Goodfellow. + +VELMA SWANSTON HOWARD. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Wonderful Adventures of Nils +by Selma Lagerloef + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 10935 *** diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a1718fb --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #10935 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/10935) diff --git a/old/10935-8.txt b/old/10935-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..232b47e --- /dev/null +++ b/old/10935-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,16919 @@ +Project Gutenberg's The Wonderful Adventures of Nils, by Selma Lagerloef + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Wonderful Adventures of Nils + +Author: Selma Lagerloef + +Release Date: February 4, 2004 [EBook #10935] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WONDERFUL ADVENTURES OF NILS *** + + + + +Produced by David Schaal and PG Distributed Proofreaders + + + + +[Transcriber's note: The inconsistent orthography of the original is +retained in this etext.] + + +THE WONDERFUL ADVENTURES of NILS + +by + +SELMA LAGERLÖF + + +TRANSLATED FROM THE SWEDISH +BY VELMA SWANSTON HOWARD + + + +CONTENTS + +The Boy + +Akka from Kebnekaise + +The Wonderful Journey of Nils + +Glimminge Castle + +The Great Crane Dance on Kullaberg + +In Rainy Weather + +The Stairway with the Three Steps + +By Ronneby River + +Karlskrona + +The Trip to Öland + +Öland's Southern Point + +The Big Butterfly + +Little Karl's Island + +Two Cities + +The Legend of Småland + +The Crows + +The Old Peasant Woman + +From Taberg to Huskvarna + +The Big Bird Lake + +Ulvåsa-Lady + +The Homespun Cloth + +The Story of Karr and Grayskin + +The Wind Witch + +The Breaking Up of the Ice + +Thumbietot and the Bears + +The Flood + +Dunfin + +Stockholm + +Gorgo the Eagle + +On Over Gästrikland + +A Day in Hälsingland + +In Medelpad + +A Morning in Ångermanland + +Westbottom and Lapland + +Osa, the Goose Girl, and Little Mats + +With the Laplanders + +Homeward Bound + +Legends from Härjedalen + +Vermland and Dalsland + +The Treasure on the Island + +The Journey to Vemminghög + +Home at Last + +The Parting with the Wild Geese + + +_Some of the purely geographical matter in the Swedish original of the +"Further Adventures of Nils" has been eliminated from the English +version. + +The author has rendered valuable assistance in cutting certain chapters +and abridging others. Also, with the author's approval, cuts have been +made where the descriptive matter was merely of local interest. + +But the story itself is intact. + +V.S.H_. + + + +THE BOY + + +THE ELF + +_Sunday, March twentieth_. + +Once there was a boy. He was--let us say--something like fourteen years +old; long and loose-jointed and towheaded. He wasn't good for much, that +boy. His chief delight was to eat and sleep; and after that--he liked +best to make mischief. + +It was a Sunday morning and the boy's parents were getting ready to go +to church. The boy sat on the edge of the table, in his shirt sleeves, +and thought how lucky it was that both father and mother were going +away, and the coast would be clear for a couple of hours. "Good! Now I +can take down pop's gun and fire off a shot, without anybody's meddling +interference," he said to himself. + +But it was almost as if father should have guessed the boy's thoughts, +for just as he was on the threshold--ready to start--he stopped short, +and turned toward the boy. "Since you won't come to church with mother +and me," he said, "the least you can do, is to read the service at home. +Will you promise to do so?" "Yes," said the boy, "that I can do easy +enough." And he thought, of course, that he wouldn't read any more than +he felt like reading. + +The boy thought that never had he seen his mother so persistent. In a +second she was over by the shelf near the fireplace, and took down +Luther's Commentary and laid it on the table, in front of the +window--opened at the service for the day. She also opened the New +Testament, and placed it beside the Commentary. Finally, she drew up the +big arm-chair, which was bought at the parish auction the year before, +and which, as a rule, no one but father was permitted to occupy. + +The boy sat thinking that his mother was giving herself altogether too +much trouble with this spread; for he had no intention of reading more +than a page or so. But now, for the second time, it was almost as if his +father were able to see right through him. He walked up to the boy, and +said in a severe tone: "Now, remember, that you are to read carefully! +For when we come back, I shall question you thoroughly; and if you have +skipped a single page, it will not go well with you." + +"The service is fourteen and a half pages long," said his mother, just +as if she wanted to heap up the measure of his misfortune. "You'll have +to sit down and begin the reading at once, if you expect to get through +with it." + +With that they departed. And as the boy stood in the doorway watching +them, he thought that he had been caught in a trap. "There they go +congratulating themselves, I suppose, in the belief that they've hit +upon something so good that I'll be forced to sit and hang over the +sermon the whole time that they are away," thought he. + +But his father and mother were certainly not congratulating themselves +upon anything of the sort; but, on the contrary, they were very much +distressed. They were poor farmers, and their place was not much bigger +than a garden-plot. When they first moved there, the place couldn't feed +more than one pig and a pair of chickens; but they were uncommonly +industrious and capable folk--and now they had both cows and geese. +Things had turned out very well for them; and they would have gone to +church that beautiful morning--satisfied and happy--if they hadn't had +their son to think of. Father complained that he was dull and lazy; he +had not cared to learn anything at school, and he was such an all-round +good-for-nothing, that he could barely be made to tend geese. Mother did +not deny that this was true; but she was most distressed because he was +wild and bad; cruel to animals, and ill-willed toward human beings. "May +God soften his hard heart, and give him a better disposition!" said the +mother, "or else he will be a misfortune, both to himself and to us." + +The boy stood for a long time and pondered whether he should read the +service or not. Finally, he came to the conclusion that, this time, it +was best to be obedient. He seated himself in the easy chair, and began +to read. But when he had been rattling away in an undertone for a little +while, this mumbling seemed to have a soothing effect upon him--and he +began to nod. + +It was the most beautiful weather outside! It was only the twentieth of +March; but the boy lived in West Vemminghög Township, down in Southern +Skane, where the spring was already in full swing. It was not as yet +green, but it was fresh and budding. There was water in all the +trenches, and the colt's-foot on the edge of the ditch was in bloom. All +the weeds that grew in among the stones were brown and shiny. The +beech-woods in the distance seemed to swell and grow thicker with every +second. The skies were high--and a clear blue. The cottage door stood +ajar, and the lark's trill could be heard in the room. The hens and +geese pattered about in the yard, and the cows, who felt the spring air +away in their stalls, lowed their approval every now and then. + +The boy read and nodded and fought against drowsiness. "No! I don't want +to fall asleep," thought he, "for then I'll not get through with this +thing the whole forenoon." + +But--somehow--he fell asleep. + +He did not know whether he had slept a short while, or a long while; but +he was awakened by hearing a slight noise back of him. + +On the window-sill, facing the boy, stood a small looking-glass; and +almost the entire cottage could be seen in this. As the boy raised his +head, he happened to look in the glass; and then he saw that the cover +to his mother's chest had been opened. + +His mother owned a great, heavy, iron-bound oak chest, which she +permitted no one but herself to open. Here she treasured all the things +she had inherited from her mother, and of these she was especially +careful. Here lay a couple of old-time peasant dresses, of red homespun +cloth, with short bodice and plaited shirt, and a pearl-bedecked breast +pin. There were starched white-linen head-dresses, and heavy silver +ornaments and chains. Folks don't care to go about dressed like that in +these days, and several times his mother had thought of getting rid of +the old things; but somehow, she hadn't had the heart to do it. + +Now the boy saw distinctly--in the glass--that the chest-lid was open. +He could not understand how this had happened, for his mother had closed +the chest before she went away. She never would have left that precious +chest open when he was at home, alone. + +He became low-spirited and apprehensive. He was afraid that a thief had +sneaked his way into the cottage. He didn't dare to move; but sat still +and stared into the looking-glass. + +While he sat there and waited for the thief to make his appearance, he +began to wonder what that dark shadow was which fell across the edge of +the chest. He looked and looked--and did not want to believe his eyes. +But the thing, which at first seemed shadowy, became more and more +clear to him; and soon he saw that it was something real. It was no less +a thing than an elf who sat there--astride the edge of the chest! + +To be sure, the boy had heard stories about elves, but he had never +dreamed that they were such tiny creatures. He was no taller than a +hand's breadth--this one, who sat on the edge of the chest. He had an +old, wrinkled and beardless face, and was dressed in a black frock coat, +knee-breeches and a broad-brimmed black hat. He was very trim and smart, +with his white laces about the throat and wrist-bands, his buckled +shoes, and the bows on his garters. He had taken from the chest an +embroidered piece, and sat and looked at the old-fashioned handiwork +with such an air of veneration, that he did not observe the boy had +awakened. + +The boy was somewhat surprised to see the elf, but, on the other hand, +he was not particularly frightened. It was impossible to be afraid of +one who was so little. And since the elf was so absorbed in his own +thoughts that he neither saw nor heard, the boy thought that it would be +great fun to play a trick on him; to push him over into the chest and +shut the lid on him, or something of that kind. + +But the boy was not so courageous that he dared to touch the elf with +his hands, instead he looked around the room for something to poke him +with. He let his gaze wander from the sofa to the leaf-table; from the +leaf-table to the fireplace. He looked at the kettles, then at the +coffee-urn, which stood on a shelf, near the fireplace; on the water +bucket near the door; and on the spoons and knives and forks and saucers +and plates, which could be seen through the half-open cupboard door. He +looked at his father's gun, which hung on the wall, beside the portrait +of the Danish royal family, and on the geraniums and fuchsias, which +blossomed in the window. And last, he caught sight of an old +butterfly-snare that hung on the window frame. He had hardly set eyes on +that butterfly-snare, before he reached over and snatched it and jumped +up and swung it alongside the edge of the chest. He was himself +astonished at the luck he had. He hardly knew how he had managed it--but +he had actually snared the elf. The poor little chap lay, head downward, +in the bottom of the long snare, and could not free himself. + +The first moment the boy hadn't the least idea what he should do with +his prize. He was only particular to swing the snare backward and +forward; to prevent the elf from getting a foothold and clambering up. + +The elf began to speak, and begged, oh! so pitifully, for his freedom. +He had brought them good luck--these many years--he said, and deserved +better treatment. Now, if the boy would set him free, he would give him +an old coin, a silver spoon, and a gold penny, as big as the case on his +father's silver watch. + +The boy didn't think that this was much of an offer; but it so +happened--that after he had gotten the elf in his power, he was afraid +of him. He felt that he had entered into an agreement with something +weird and uncanny; something which did not belong to his world, and he +was only too glad to get rid of the horrid thing. + +For this reason he agreed at once to the bargain, and held the snare +still, so the elf could crawl out of it. But when the elf was almost out +of the snare, the boy happened to think that he ought to have bargained +for large estates, and all sorts of good things. He should at least have +made this stipulation: that the elf must conjure the sermon into his +head. "What a fool I was to let him go!" thought he, and began to shake +the snare violently, so the elf would tumble down again. + +But the instant the boy did this, he received such a stinging box on the +ear, that he thought his head would fly in pieces. He was dashed--first +against one wall, then against the other; he sank to the floor, and lay +there--senseless. + +When he awoke, he was alone in the cottage. The chest-lid was down, and +the butterfly-snare hung in its usual place by the window. If he had not +felt how the right cheek burned, from that box on the ear, he would have +been tempted to believe the whole thing had been a dream. "At any rate, +father and mother will be sure to insist that it was nothing else," +thought he. "They are not likely to make any allowances for that old +sermon, on account of the elf. It's best for me to get at that reading +again," thought he. + +But as he walked toward the table, he noticed something remarkable. It +couldn't be possible that the cottage had grown. But why was he obliged +to take so many more steps than usual to get to the table? And what was +the matter with the chair? It looked no bigger than it did a while ago; +but now he had to step on the rung first, and then clamber up in order +to reach the seat. It was the same thing with the table. He could not +look over the top without climbing to the arm of the chair. + +"What in all the world is this?" said the boy. "I believe the elf has +bewitched both the armchair and the table--and the whole cottage." + +The Commentary lay on the table and, to all appearances, it was not +changed; but there must have been something queer about that too, for he +could not manage to read a single word of it, without actually standing +right in the book itself. + +He read a couple of lines, and then he chanced to look up. With that, +his glance fell on the looking-glass; and then he cried aloud: "Look! +There's another one!" + +For in the glass he saw plainly a little, little creature who was +dressed in a hood and leather breeches. + +"Why, that one is dressed exactly like me!" said the boy, and clasped +his hands in astonishment. But then he saw that the thing in the mirror +did the same thing. Then he began to pull his hair and pinch his arms +and swing round; and instantly he did the same thing after him; he, who +was seen in the mirror. + +The boy ran around the glass several times, to see if there wasn't a +little man hidden behind it, but he found no one there; and then he +began to shake with terror. For now he understood that the elf had +bewitched him, and that the creature whose image he saw in the +glass--was he, himself. + +THE WILD GEESE + +The boy simply could not make himself believe that he had been +transformed into an elf. "It can't be anything but a dream--a queer +fancy," thought he. "If I wait a few moments, I'll surely be turned back +into a human being again." + +He placed himself before the glass and closed his eyes. He opened them +again after a couple of minutes, and then expected to find that it had +all passed over--but it hadn't. He was--and remained--just as little. In +other respects, he was the same as before. The thin, straw-coloured +hair; the freckles across his nose; the patches on his leather breeches +and the darns on his stockings, were all like themselves, with this +exception--that they had become diminished. + +No, it would do no good for him to stand still and wait, of this he was +certain. He must try something else. And he thought the wisest thing +that he could do was to try and find the elf, and make his peace with +him. + +And while he sought, he cried and prayed and promised everything he +could think of. Nevermore would he break his word to anyone; never again +would he be naughty; and never, never would he fall asleep again over +the sermon. If he might only be a human being once more, he would be +such a good and helpful and obedient boy. But no matter how much he +promised--it did not help him the least little bit. + +Suddenly he remembered that he had heard his mother say, all the tiny +folk made their home in the cowsheds; and, at once, he concluded to go +there, and see if he couldn't find the elf. It was a lucky thing that +the cottage-door stood partly open, for he never could have reached the +bolt and opened it; but now he slipped through without any difficulty. + +When he came out in the hallway, he looked around for his wooden shoes; +for in the house, to be sure, he had gone about in his stocking-feet. He +wondered how he should manage with these big, clumsy wooden shoes; but +just then, he saw a pair of tiny shoes on the doorstep. When he observed +that the elf had been so thoughtful that he had also bewitched the +wooden shoes, he was even more troubled. It was evidently his intention +that this affliction should last a long time. + +On the wooden board-walk in front of the cottage, hopped a gray sparrow. +He had hardly set eyes on the boy before he called out: "Teetee! Teetee! +Look at Nils goosey-boy! Look at Thumbietot! Look at Nils Holgersson +Thumbietot!" + +Instantly, both the geese and the chickens turned and stared at the boy; +and then they set up a fearful cackling. "Cock-el-i-coo," crowed the +rooster, "good enough for him! Cock-el-i-coo, he has pulled my comb." +"Ka, ka, kada, serves him right!" cried the hens; and with that they +kept up a continuous cackle. The geese got together in a tight group, +stuck their heads together and asked: "Who can have done this? Who can +have done this?" + +But the strangest thing of all was, that the boy understood what they +said. He was so astonished, that he stood there as if rooted to the +doorstep, and listened. "It must be because I am changed into an elf," +said he. "This is probably why I understand bird-talk." + +He thought it was unbearable that the hens would not stop saying that it +served him right. He threw a stone at them and shouted: + +"Shut up, you pack!" + +But it hadn't occurred to him before, that he was no longer the sort of +boy the hens need fear. The whole henyard made a rush for him, and +formed a ring around him; then they all cried at once: "Ka, ka, kada, +served you right! Ka, ka, kada, served you right!" + +The boy tried to get away, but the chickens ran after him and screamed, +until he thought he'd lose his hearing. It is more than likely that he +never could have gotten away from them, if the house cat hadn't come +along just then. As soon as the chickens saw the cat, they quieted down +and pretended to be thinking of nothing else than just to scratch in the +earth for worms. + +Immediately the boy ran up to the cat. "You dear pussy!" said he, "you +must know all the corners and hiding places about here? You'll be a good +little kitty and tell me where I can find the elf." + +The cat did not reply at once. He seated himself, curled his tail into +a graceful ring around his paws--and stared at the boy. It was a large +black cat with one white spot on his chest. His fur lay sleek and soft, +and shone in the sunlight. The claws were drawn in, and the eyes were a +dull gray, with just a little narrow dark streak down the centre. The +cat looked thoroughly good-natured and inoffensive. + +"I know well enough where the elf lives," he said in a soft voice, "but +that doesn't say that I'm going to tell _you_ about it." + +"Dear pussy, you must tell me where the elf lives!" said the boy. "Can't +you see how he has bewitched me?" + +The cat opened his eyes a little, so that the green wickedness began to +shine forth. He spun round and purred with satisfaction before he +replied. "Shall I perhaps help you because you have so often grabbed me +by the tail?" he said at last. + +Then the boy was furious and forgot entirely how little and helpless he +was now. "Oh! I can pull your tail again, I can," said he, and ran +toward the cat. + +The next instant the cat was so changed that the boy could scarcely +believe it was the same animal. Every separate hair on his body stood on +end. The back was bent; the legs had become elongated; the claws scraped +the ground; the tail had grown thick and short; the ears were laid back; +the mouth was frothy; and the eyes were wide open and glistened like +sparks of red fire. + +The boy didn't want to let himself be scared by a cat, and he took a +step forward. Then the cat made one spring and landed right on the boy; +knocked him down and stood over him--his forepaws on his chest, and his +jaws wide apart--over his throat. + +The boy felt how the sharp claws sank through his vest and shirt and +into his skin; and how the sharp eye-teeth tickled his throat. He +shrieked for help, as loudly as he could, but no one came. He thought +surely that his last hour had come. Then he felt that the cat drew in +his claws and let go the hold on his throat. + +"There!" he said, "that will do now. I'll let you go this time, for my +mistress's sake. I only wanted you to know which one of us two has the +power now." + +With that the cat walked away--looking as smooth and pious as he did +when he first appeared on the scene. The boy was so crestfallen that he +didn't say a word, but only hurried to the cowhouse to look for the elf. + +There were not more than three cows, all told. But when the boy came in, +there was such a bellowing and such a kick-up, that one might easily +have believed that there were at least thirty. + +"Moo, moo, moo," bellowed Mayrose. "It is well there is such a thing as +justice in this world." + +"Moo, moo, moo," sang the three of them in unison. He couldn't hear what +they said, for each one tried to out-bellow the others. + +The boy wanted to ask after the elf, but he couldn't make himself heard +because the cows were in full uproar. They carried on as they used to do +when he let a strange dog in on them. They kicked with their hind legs, +shook their necks, stretched their heads, and measured the distance with +their horns. + +"Come here, you!" said Mayrose, "and you'll get a kick that you won't +forget in a hurry!" + +"Come here," said Gold Lily, "and you shall dance on my horns!" + +"Come here, and you shall taste how it felt when you threw your wooden +shoes at me, as you did last summer!" bawled Star. + +"Come here, and you shall be repaid for that wasp you let loose in my +ear!" growled Gold Lily. + +Mayrose was the oldest and the wisest of them, and she was the very +maddest. "Come here!" said she, "that I may pay you back for the many +times that you have jerked the milk pail away from your mother; and for +all the snares you laid for her, when she came carrying the milk pails; +and for all the tears when she has stood here and wept over you!" + +The boy wanted to tell them how he regretted that he had been unkind to +them; and that never, never--from now on--should he be anything but +good, if they would only tell him where the elf was. But the cows didn't +listen to him. They made such a racket that he began to fear one of them +would succeed in breaking loose; and he thought that the best thing for +him to do was to go quietly away from the cowhouse. + +When he came out, he was thoroughly disheartened. He could understand +that no one on the place wanted to help him find the elf. And little +good would it do him, probably, if the elf were found. + +He crawled up on the broad hedge which fenced in the farm, and which was +overgrown with briers and lichen. There he sat down to think about how +it would go with him, if he never became a human being again. When +father and mother came home from church, there would be a surprise for +them. Yes, a surprise--it would be all over the land; and people would +come flocking from East Vemminghög, and from Torp, and from Skerup. The +whole Vemminghög township would come to stare at him. Perhaps father and +mother would take him with them, and show him at the market place in +Kivik. + +No, that was too horrible to think about. He would rather that no human +being should ever see him again. + +His unhappiness was simply frightful! No one in all the world was so +unhappy as he. He was no longer a human being--but a freak. + +Little by little he began to comprehend what it meant--to be no longer +human. He was separated from everything now; he could no longer play +with other boys, he could not take charge of the farm after his parents +were gone; and certainly no girl would think of marrying _him_. + +He sat and looked at his home. It was a little log house, which lay as +if it had been crushed down to earth, under the high, sloping roof. The +outhouses were also small; and the patches of ground were so narrow that +a horse could barely turn around on them. But little and poor though the +place was, it was much too good for him _now_. He couldn't ask for any +better place than a hole under the stable floor. + +It was wondrously beautiful weather! It budded, and it rippled, and it +murmured, and it twittered--all around him. But he sat there with such a +heavy sorrow. He should never be happy any more about anything. + +Never had he seen the skies as blue as they were to-day. Birds of +passage came on their travels. They came from foreign lands, and had +travelled over the East sea, by way of Smygahuk, and were now on their +way North. They were of many different kinds; but he was only familiar +with the wild geese, who came flying in two long rows, which met at an +angle. + +Several flocks of wild geese had already flown by. They flew very high, +still he could hear how they shrieked: "To the hills! Now we're off to +the hills!" + +When the wild geese saw the tame geese, who walked about the farm, they +sank nearer the earth, and called: "Come along! Come along! We're off to +the hills!" + +The tame geese could not resist the temptation to raise their heads and +listen, but they answered very sensibly: "We're pretty well off where we +are. We're pretty well off where we are." + +It was, as we have said, an uncommonly fine day, with an atmosphere that +it must have been a real delight to fly in, so light and bracing. And +with each new wild geese-flock that flew by, the tame geese became more +and more unruly. A couple of times they flapped their wings, as if they +had half a mind to fly along. But then an old mother-goose would always +say to them: "Now don't be silly. Those creatures will have to suffer +both hunger and cold." + +There was a young gander whom the wild geese had fired with a passion +for adventure. "If another flock comes this way, I'll follow them," said +he. + +Then there came a new flock, who shrieked like the others, and the young +gander answered: "Wait a minute! Wait a minute! I'm coming." + +He spread his wings and raised himself into the air; but he was so +unaccustomed to flying, that he fell to the ground again. + +At any rate, the wild geese must have heard his call, for they turned +and flew back slowly to see if he was coming. + +"Wait, wait!" he cried, and made another attempt to fly. + +All this the boy heard, where he lay on the hedge. "It would be a great +pity," thought he, "if the big goosey-gander should go away. It would be +a big loss to father and mother if he was gone when they came home from +church." + +When he thought of this, once again he entirely forgot that he was +little and helpless. He took one leap right down into the goose-flock, +and threw his arms around the neck of the goosey-gander. "Oh, no! You +don't fly away this time, sir!" cried he. + +But just about then, the gander was considering how he should go to +work to raise himself from the ground. He couldn't stop to shake the boy +off, hence he had to go along with him--up in the air. + +They bore on toward the heights so rapidly, that the boy fairly gasped. +Before he had time to think that he ought to let go his hold around the +gander's neck, he was so high up that he would have been killed +instantly, if he had fallen to the ground. + +The only thing that he could do to make himself a little more +comfortable, was to try and get upon the gander's back. And there he +wriggled himself forthwith; but not without considerable trouble. And it +was not an easy matter, either, to hold himself secure on the slippery +back, between two swaying wings. He had to dig deep into feathers and +down with both hands, to keep from tumbling to the ground. + +THE BIG CHECKED CLOTH + +The boy had grown so giddy that it was a long while before he came to +himself. The winds howled and beat against him, and the rustle of +feathers and swaying of wings sounded like a whole storm. Thirteen geese +flew around him, flapping their wings and honking. They danced before +his eyes and they buzzed in his ears. He didn't know whether they flew +high or low, or in what direction they were travelling. + +After a bit, he regained just enough sense to understand that he ought +to find out where the geese were taking him. But this was not so easy, +for he didn't know how he should ever muster up courage enough to look +down. He was sure he'd faint if he attempted it. + +The wild geese were not flying very high because the new travelling +companion could not breathe in the very thinnest air. For his sake they +also flew a little slower than usual. + +At last the boy just made himself cast one glance down to earth. Then he +thought that a great big rug lay spread beneath him, which was made up +of an incredible number of large and small checks. + +"Where in all the world am I now?" he wondered. + +He saw nothing but check upon check. Some were broad and ran crosswise, +and some were long and narrow--all over, there were angles and corners. +Nothing was round, and nothing was crooked. + +"What kind of a big, checked cloth is this that I'm looking down on?" +said the boy to himself without expecting anyone to answer him. + +But instantly the wild geese who flew about him called out: "Fields and +meadows. Fields and meadows." + +Then he understood that the big, checked cloth he was travelling over +was the flat land of southern Sweden; and he began to comprehend why it +looked so checked and multi-coloured. The bright green checks he +recognised first; they were rye fields that had been sown in the fall, +and had kept themselves green under the winter snows. The yellowish-gray +checks were stubble-fields--the remains of the oat-crop which had grown +there the summer before. The brownish ones were old clover meadows: and +the black ones, deserted grazing lands or ploughed-up fallow pastures. +The brown checks with the yellow edges were, undoubtedly, beech-tree +forests; for in these you'll find the big trees which grow in the heart +of the forest--naked in winter; while the little beech-trees, which grow +along the borders, keep their dry, yellowed leaves way into the spring. +There were also dark checks with gray centres: these were the large, +built-up estates encircled by the small cottages with their blackening +straw roofs, and their stone-divided land-plots. And then there were +checks green in the middle with brown borders: these were the orchards, +where the grass-carpets were already turning green, although the trees +and bushes around them were still in their nude, brown bark. + +The boy could not keep from laughing when he saw how checked everything +looked. + +But when the wild geese heard him laugh, they called out--kind o' +reprovingly: "Fertile and good land. Fertile and good land." + +The boy had already become serious. "To think that you can laugh; you, +who have met with the most terrible misfortune that can possibly happen +to a human being!" thought he. And for a moment he was pretty serious; +but it wasn't long before he was laughing again. + +Now that he had grown somewhat accustomed to the ride and the speed, so +that he could think of something besides holding himself on the gander's +back, he began to notice how full the air was of birds flying northward. +And there was a shouting and a calling from flock to flock. "So you came +over to-day?" shrieked some. "Yes," answered the geese. "How do you +think the spring's getting on?" "Not a leaf on the trees and ice-cold +water in the lakes," came back the answer. + +When the geese flew over a place where they saw any tame, half-naked +fowl, they shouted: "What's the name of this place? What's the name of +this place?" Then the roosters cocked their heads and answered: "Its +name's Lillgarde this year--the same as last year." + +Most of the cottages were probably named after their owners--which is +the custom in Skåne. But instead of saying this is "Per Matssons," or +"Ola Bossons," the roosters hit upon the kind of names which, to their +way of thinking, were more appropriate. Those who lived on small farms, +and belonged to poor cottagers, cried: "This place is called +Grainscarce." And those who belonged to the poorest hut-dwellers +screamed: "The name of this place is Little-to-eat, Little-to-eat, +Little-to-eat." + +The big, well-cared-for farms got high-sounding names from the +roosters--such as Luckymeadows, Eggberga and Moneyville. + +But the roosters on the great landed estates were too high and mighty to +condescend to anything like jesting. One of them crowed and called out +with such gusto that it sounded as if he wanted to be heard clear up to +the sun: "This is Herr Dybeck's estate; the same this year as last year; +this year as last year." + +A little further on strutted one rooster who crowed: "This is Swanholm, +surely all the world knows that!" + +The boy observed that the geese did not fly straight forward; but +zigzagged hither and thither over the whole South country, just as +though they were glad to be in Skåne again and wanted to pay their +respects to every separate place. + +They came to one place where there were a number of big, clumsy-looking +buildings with great, tall chimneys, and all around these were a lot of +smaller houses. "This is Jordberga Sugar Refinery," cried the roosters. +The boy shuddered as he sat there on the goose's back. He ought to have +recognised this place, for it was not very far from his home. + +Here he had worked the year before as a watch boy; but, to be sure, +nothing was exactly like itself when one saw it like that--from up +above. + +And think! Just think! Osa the goose girl and little Mats, who were his +comrades last year! Indeed the boy would have been glad to know if they +still were anywhere about here. Fancy what they would have said, had +they suspected that he was flying over their heads! + +Soon Jordberga was lost to sight, and they travelled towards Svedala and +Skaber Lake and back again over Görringe Cloister and Häckeberga. The +boy saw more of Skåne in this one day than he had ever seen before--in +all the years that he had lived. + +Whenever the wild geese happened across any tame geese, they had the +best fun! They flew forward very slowly and called down: "We're off to +the hills. Are you coming along? Are you coming along?" + +But the tame geese answered: "It's still winter in this country. You're +out too soon. Fly back! Fly back!" + +The wild geese lowered themselves that they might be heard a little +better, and called: "Come along! We'll teach you how to fly and swim." + +Then the tame geese got mad and wouldn't answer them with a single honk. + +The wild geese sank themselves still lower--until they almost touched +the ground--then, quick as lightning, they raised themselves, just as if +they'd been terribly frightened. "Oh, oh, oh!" they exclaimed. "Those +things were not geese. They were only sheep, they were only sheep." + +The ones on the ground were beside themselves with rage and shrieked: +"May you be shot, the whole lot o' you! The whole lot o' you!" + +When the boy heard all this teasing he laughed. Then he remembered how +badly things had gone with him, and he cried. But the next second, he +was laughing again. + +Never before had he ridden so fast; and to ride fast and +recklessly--that he had always liked. And, of course, he had never +dreamed that it could be as fresh and bracing as it was, up in the air; +or that there rose from the earth such a fine scent of resin and soil. +Nor had he ever dreamed what it could be like--to ride so high above the +earth. It was just like flying away from sorrow and trouble and +annoyances of every kind that could be thought of. + + +AKKA FROM KEBNEKAISE + + +EVENING + +The big tame goosey-gander that had followed them up in the air, felt +very proud of being permitted to travel back and forth over the South +country with the wild geese, and crack jokes with the tame birds. But in +spite of his keen delight, he began to tire as the afternoon wore on. He +tried to take deeper breaths and quicker wing-strokes, but even so he +remained several goose-lengths behind the others. + +When the wild geese who flew last, noticed that the tame one couldn't +keep up with them, they began to call to the goose who rode in the +centre of the angle and led the procession: "Akka from Kebnekaise! Akka +from Kebnekaise!" "What do you want of me?" asked the leader. "The white +one will be left behind; the white one will be left behind." "Tell him +it's easier to fly fast than slow!" called the leader, and raced on as +before. + +The goosey-gander certainly tried to follow the advice, and increase his +speed; but then he became so exhausted that he sank away down to the +drooping willows that bordered the fields and meadows. + +"Akka, Akka, Akka from Kebnekaise!" cried those who flew last and saw +what a hard time he was having. "What do you want now?" asked the +leader--and she sounded awfully angry. "The white one sinks to the +earth; the white one sinks to the earth." "Tell him it's easier to fly +high than low!" shouted the leader, and she didn't slow up the least +little bit, but raced on as before. + +The goosey-gander tried also to follow this advice; but when he wanted +to raise himself, he became so winded that he almost burst his breast. + +"Akka, Akka!" again cried those who flew last. "Can't you let me fly in +peace?" asked the leader, and she sounded even madder than before. + +"The white one is ready to collapse." "Tell him that he who has not the +strength to fly with the flock, can go back home!" cried the leader. She +certainly had no idea of decreasing her speed--but raced on as before. + +"Oh! is that the way the wind blows," thought the goosey-gander. He +understood at once that the wild geese had never intended to take him +along up to Lapland. They had only lured him away from home in sport. + +He felt thoroughly exasperated. To think that his strength should fail +him now, so he wouldn't be able to show these tramps that even a tame +goose was good for something! But the most provoking thing of all was +that he had fallen in with Akka from Kebnekaise. Tame goose that he was, +he had heard about a leader goose, named Akka, who was more than a +hundred years old. She had such a big name that the best wild geese in +the world followed her. But no one had such a contempt for tame geese +as Akka and her flock, and gladly would he have shown them that he was +their equal. + +He flew slowly behind the rest, while he deliberated whether he should +turn back or continue. Finally, the little creature that he carried on +his back said: "Dear Morten Goosey-gander, you know well enough that it +is simply impossible for you, who have never flown, to go with the wild +geese all the way up to Lapland. Won't you turn back before you kill +yourself?" + +But the farmer's lad was about the worst thing the goosey-gander knew +anything about, and as soon as it dawned on him that this puny creature +actually believed that he couldn't make the trip, he decided to stick it +out. "If you say another word about this, I'll drop you into the first +ditch we ride over!" said he, and at the same time his fury gave him so +much strength that he began to fly almost as well as any of the others. + +It isn't likely that he could have kept this pace up very long, neither +was it necessary; for, just then, the sun sank quickly; and at sunset +the geese flew down, and before the boy and the goosey-gander knew what +had happened, they stood on the shores of Vomb Lake. + +"They probably intend that we shall spend the night here," thought the +boy, and jumped down from the goose's back. + +He stood on a narrow beach by a fair-sized lake. It was ugly to look +upon, because it was almost entirely covered with an ice-crust that was +blackened and uneven and full of cracks and holes--as spring ice +generally is. + +The ice was already breaking up. It was loose and floating and had a +broad belt of dark, shiny water all around it; but there was still +enough of it left to spread chill and winter terror over the place. + +On the other side of the lake there appeared to be an open and light +country, but where the geese had lighted there was a thick pine-growth. +It looked as if the forest of firs and pines had the power to bind the +winter to itself. Everywhere else the ground was bare; but beneath the +sharp pine-branches lay snow that had been melting and freezing, melting +and freezing, until it was hard as ice. + +The boy thought he had struck an arctic wilderness, and he was so +miserable that he wanted to scream. He was hungry too. He hadn't eaten a +bite the whole day. But where should he find any food? Nothing eatable +grew on either ground or tree in the month of March. + +Yes, where was he to find food, and who would give him shelter, and who +would fix his bed, and who would protect him from the wild beasts? + +For now the sun was away and frost came from the lake, and darkness sank +down from heaven, and terror stole forward on the twilight's trail, and +in the forest it began to patter and rustle. + +Now the good humour which the boy had felt when he was up in the air, +was gone, and in his misery he looked around for his travelling +companions. He had no one but them to cling to now. + +Then he saw that the goosey-gander was having even a worse time of it +than he. He was lying prostrate on the spot where he had alighted; and +it looked as if he were ready to die. His neck lay flat against the +ground, his eyes were closed, and his breathing sounded like a feeble +hissing. + +"Dear Morten Goosey-Gander," said the boy, "try to get a swallow of +water! It isn't two steps to the lake." + +But the goosey-gander didn't stir. + +The boy had certainly been cruel to all animals, and to the +goosey-gander in times gone by; but now he felt that the goosey-gander +was the only comfort he had left, and he was dreadfully afraid of losing +him. + +At once the boy began to push and drag him, to get him into the water, +but the goosey-gander was big and heavy, and it was mighty hard work for +the boy; but at last he succeeded. + +The goosey-gander got in head first. For an instant he lay motionless in +the slime, but soon he poked up his head, shook the water from his eyes +and sniffed. Then he swam, proudly, between reeds and seaweed. + +The wild geese were in the lake before him. They had not looked around +for either the goosey-gander or for his rider, but had made straight +for the water. They had bathed and primped, and now they lay and gulped +half-rotten pond-weed and water-clover. + +The white goosey-gander had the good fortune to spy a perch. He grabbed +it quickly, swam ashore with it, and laid it down in front of the boy. +"Here's a thank you for helping me into the water," said he. + +It was the first time the boy had heard a friendly word that day. He was +so happy that he wanted to throw his arms around the goosey-gander's +neck, but he refrained; and he was also thankful for the gift. At first +he must have thought that it would be impossible to eat raw fish, and +then he had a notion to try it. + +He felt to see if he still had his sheath-knife with him; and, sure +enough, there it hung--on the back button of his trousers, although it +was so diminished that it was hardly as long as a match. Well, at any +rate, it served to scale and cleanse fish with; and it wasn't long +before the perch was eaten. + +When the boy had satisfied his hunger, he felt a little ashamed because +he had been able to eat a raw thing. "It's evident that I'm not a human +being any longer, but a real elf," thought he. + +While the boy ate, the goosey-gander stood silently beside him. But when +he had swallowed the last bite, he said in a low voice: "It's a fact +that we have run across a stuck-up goose folk who despise all tame +birds." + +"Yes, I've observed that," said the boy. + +"What a triumph it would be for me if I could follow them clear up to +Lapland, and show them that even a tame goose can do things!" + +"Y-e-e-s," said the boy, and drawled it out because he didn't believe +the goosey-gander could ever do it; yet he didn't wish to contradict +him. "But I don't think I can get along all alone on such a journey," +said the goosey-gander. "I'd like to ask if you couldn't come along and +help me?" The boy, of course, hadn't expected anything but to return to +his home as soon as possible, and he was so surprised that he hardly +knew what he should reply. "I thought that we were enemies, you and I," +said he. But this the goosey-gander seemed to have forgotten entirely. +He only remembered that the boy had but just saved his life. + +"I suppose I really ought to go home to father and mother," said the +boy. "Oh! I'll get you back to them some time in the fall," said the +goosey-gander. "I shall not leave you until I put you down on your own +doorstep." + +The boy thought it might be just as well for him if he escaped showing +himself before his parents for a while. He was not disinclined to favour +the scheme, and was just on the point of saying that he agreed to +it--when they heard a loud rumbling behind them. It was the wild geese +who had come up from the lake--all at one time--and stood shaking the +water from their backs. After that they arranged themselves in a long +row--with the leader-goose in the centre--and came toward them. + +As the white goosey-gander sized up the wild geese, he felt ill at ease. +He had expected that they should be more like tame geese, and that he +should feel a closer kinship with them. They were much smaller than he, +and none of them were white. They were all gray with a sprinkling of +brown. He was almost afraid of their eyes. They were yellow, and shone +as if a fire had been kindled back of them. The goosey-gander had always +been taught that it was most fitting to move slowly and with a rolling +motion, but these creatures did not walk--they half ran. He grew most +alarmed, however, when he looked at their feet. These were large, and +the soles were torn and ragged-looking. It was evident that the wild +geese never questioned what they tramped upon. They took no by-paths. +They were very neat and well cared for in other respects, but one could +see by their feet that they were poor wilderness-folk. + +The goosey-gander only had time to whisper to the boy: "Speak up quickly +for yourself, but don't tell them who you are!"--before the geese were +upon them. + +When the wild geese had stopped in front of them, they curtsied with +their necks many times, and the goosey-gander did likewise many more +times. As soon as the ceremonies were over, the leader-goose said: "Now +I presume we shall hear what kind of creatures you are." + +"There isn't much to tell about me," said the goosey-gander. "I was born +in Skanor last spring. In the fall I was sold to Holger Nilsson of West +Vemminghög, and there I have lived ever since." "You don't seem to have +any pedigree to boast of," said the leader-goose. "What is it, then, +that makes you so high-minded that you wish to associate with wild +geese?" "It may be because I want to show you wild geese that we tame +ones may also be good for something," said the goosey-gander. "Yes, it +would be well if you could show us that," said the leader-goose. "We +have already observed how much you know about flying; but you are more +skilled, perhaps, in other sports. Possibly you are strong in a swimming +match?" "No, I can't boast that I am," said the goosey-gander. It seemed +to him that the leader-goose had already made up her mind to send him +home, so he didn't much care how he answered. "I never swam any farther +than across a marl-ditch," he continued. "Then I presume you're a crack +sprinter," said the goose. "I have never seen a tame goose run, nor have +I ever done it myself," said the goosey-gander; and he made things +appear much worse than they really were. + +The big white one was sure now that the leader-goose would say that +under no circumstances could they take him along. He was very much +astonished when she said: "You answer questions courageously; and he who +has courage can become a good travelling companion, even if he is +ignorant in the beginning. What do you say to stopping with us for a +couple of days, until we can see what you are good for?" "That suits +me!" said the goosey-gander--and he was thoroughly happy. + +Thereupon the leader-goose pointed with her bill and said: "But who is +that you have with you? I've never seen anything like him before." +"That's my comrade," said the goosey-gander. "He's been a goose-tender +all his life. He'll be useful all right to take with us on the trip." +"Yes, he may be all right for a tame goose," answered the wild one. +"What do you call him?" "He has several names," said the +goosey-gander--hesitantly, not knowing what he should hit upon in a +hurry, for he didn't want to reveal the fact that the boy had a human +name. "Oh! his name is Thumbietot," he said at last. "Does he belong to +the elf family?" asked the leader-goose. "At what time do you wild geese +usually retire?" said the goosey-gander quickly--trying to evade that +last question. "My eyes close of their own accord about this time." + +One could easily see that the goose who talked with the gander was very +old. Her entire feather outfit was ice-gray, without any dark streaks. +The head was larger, the legs coarser, and the feet were more worn than +any of the others. The feathers were stiff; the shoulders knotty; the +neck thin. All this was due to age. It was only upon the eyes that time +had had no effect. They shone brighter--as if they were younger--than +any of the others! + +She turned, very haughtily, toward the goosey-gander. "Understand, Mr. +Tame-goose, that I am Akka from Kebnekaise! And that the goose who flies +nearest me--to the right--is Iksi from Vassijaure, and the one to the +left, is Kaksi from Nuolja! Understand, also, that the second right-hand +goose is Kolmi from Sarjektjakko, and the second, left, is Neljä from +Svappavaara; and behind them fly Viisi from Oviksfjällen and Kuusi from +Sjangeli! And know that these, as well as the six goslings who fly +last--three to the right, and three to the left--are all high mountain +geese of the finest breed! You must not take us for land-lubbers who +strike up a chance acquaintance with any and everyone! And you must not +think that we permit anyone to share our quarters, that will not tell us +who his ancestors were." + +When Akka, the leader-goose, talked in this way, the boy stepped briskly +forward. It had distressed him that the goosey-gander, who had spoken up +so glibly for himself, should give such evasive answers when it +concerned him. "I don't care to make a secret of who I am," said he. "My +name is Nils Holgersson. I'm a farmer's son, and, until to-day, I have +been a human being; but this morning--" He got no further. As soon as he +had said that he was human the leader-goose staggered three steps +backward, and the rest of them even farther back. They all extended +their necks and hissed angrily at him. + +"I have suspected this ever since I first saw you here on these shores," +said Akka; "and now you can clear out of here at once. We tolerate no +human beings among us." + +"It isn't possible," said the goosey-gander, meditatively, "that you +wild geese can be afraid of anyone who is so tiny! By to-morrow, of +course, he'll turn back home. You can surely let him stay with us +overnight. None of us can afford to let such a poor little creature +wander off by himself in the night--among weasels and foxes!" + +The wild goose came nearer. But it was evident that it was hard for her +to master her fear. "I have been taught to fear everything in human +shape--be it big or little," said she. "But if you will answer for this +one, and swear that he will not harm us, he can stay with us to-night. +But I don't believe our night quarters are suitable either for him or +you, for we intend to roost on the broken ice out here." + +She thought, of course, that the goosey-gander would be doubtful when +he heard this, but he never let on. "She is pretty wise who knows how to +choose such a safe bed," said he. + +"You will be answerable for his return to his own to-morrow." + +"Then I, too, will have to leave you," said the goosey-gander. "I have +sworn that I would not forsake him." + +"You are free to fly whither you will," said the leader-goose. + +With this, she raised her wings and flew out over the ice and one after +another the wild geese followed her. + +The boy was very sad to think that his trip to Lapland would not come +off, and, in the bargain, he was afraid of the chilly night quarters. +"It will be worse and worse," said he. "In the first place, we'll freeze +to death on the ice." + +But the gander was in a good humour. "There's no danger," said he. "Only +make haste, I beg of you, and gather together as much grass and litter +as you can well carry." + +When the boy had his arms full of dried grass, the goosey-gander grabbed +him by the shirt-band, lifted him, and flew out on the ice, where the +wild geese were already fast asleep, with their bills tucked under their +wings. + +"Now spread out the grass on the ice, so there'll be something to stand +on, to keep me from freezing fast. You help me and I'll help you," said +the goosey-gander. + +This the boy did. And when he had finished, the goosey-gander picked +him up, once again, by the shirt-band, and tucked him under his wing. "I +think you'll lie snug and warm there," said the goosey-gander as he +covered him with his wing. + +The boy was so imbedded in down that he couldn't answer, and he was nice +and comfy. Oh, but he was tired!--And in less than two winks he was fast +asleep. + +NIGHT + +It is a fact that ice is always treacherous and not to be trusted. In +the middle of the night the loosened ice-cake on Vomb Lake moved about, +until one corner of it touched the shore. Now it happened that Mr. +Smirre Fox, who lived at this time in Övid Cloister Park--on the east +side of the lake--caught a glimpse of that one corner, while he was out +on his night chase. Smirre had seen the wild geese early in the evening, +and hadn't dared to hope that he might get at one of them, but now he +walked right out on the ice. + +When Smirre was very near to the geese, his claws scraped the ice, and +the geese awoke, flapped their wings, and prepared for flight. But +Smirre was too quick for them. He darted forward as though he'd been +shot; grabbed a goose by the wing, and ran toward land again. + +But this night the wild geese were not alone on the ice, for they had a +human being among them--little as he was. The boy had awakened when the +goosey-gander spread his wings. He had tumbled down on the ice and was +sitting there, dazed. He hadn't grasped the whys and wherefores of all +this confusion, until he caught sight of a little long-legged dog who +ran over the ice with a goose in his mouth. + +In a minute the boy was after that dog, to try and take the goose away +from him. He must have heard the goosey-gander call to him: "Have a +care, Thumbietot! Have a care!" But the boy thought that such a little +runt of a dog was nothing to be afraid of and he rushed ahead. + +The wild goose that Smirre Fox tugged after him, heard the clatter as +the boy's wooden shoes beat against the ice, and she could hardly +believe her ears. "Does that infant think he can take me away from the +fox?" she wondered. And in spite of her misery, she began to cackle +right merrily, deep down in her windpipe. It was almost as if she had +laughed. + +"The first thing he knows, he'll fall through a crack in the ice," +thought she. + +But dark as the night was, the boy saw distinctly all the cracks and +holes there were, and took daring leaps over them. This was because he +had the elf's good eyesight now, and could see in the dark. He saw both +lake and shore just as clearly as if it had been daylight. + +Smirre Fox left the ice where it touched the shore. And just as he was +working his way up to the land-edge, the boy shouted: "Drop that goose, +you sneak!" + +Smirre didn't know who was calling to him, and wasted no time in looking +around, but increased his pace. The fox made straight for the forest and +the boy followed him, with never a thought of the danger he was running. +All he thought about was the contemptuous way in which he had been +received by the wild geese; and he made up his mind to let them see that +a human being was something higher than all else created. + +He shouted, again and again, to that dog, to make him drop his game. +"What kind of a dog are you, who can steal a whole goose and not feel +ashamed of yourself? Drop her at once! or you'll see what a beating +you'll get. Drop her, I say, or I'll tell your master how you behave!" + +When Smirre Fox saw that he had been mistaken for a scary dog, he was so +amused that he came near dropping the goose. Smirre was a great +plunderer who wasn't satisfied with only hunting rats and pigeons in the +fields, but he also ventured into the farmyards to steal chickens and +geese. He knew that he was feared throughout the district; and anything +as idiotic as this he had not heard since he was a baby. + +The boy ran so fast that the thick beech-trees appeared to be running +past him--backward, but he caught up with Smirre. Finally, he was so +close to him that he got a hold on his tail. "Now I'll take the goose +from you anyway," cried he, and held on as hard as ever he could, but he +hadn't strength enough to stop Smirre. The fox dragged him along until +the dry foliage whirled around him. + +But now it began to dawn on Smirre how harmless the thing was that +pursued him. He stopped short, put the goose on the ground, and stood on +her with his forepaws, so she couldn't fly away. He was just about to +bite off her neck--but then he couldn't resist the desire to tease the +boy a little. "Hurry off and complain to the master, for now I'm going +to bite the goose to death!" said he. + +Certainly the one who was surprised when he saw what a pointed nose, and +heard what a hoarse and angry voice that dog which he was pursuing +had,--was the boy! But now he was so enraged because the fox had made +fun of him, that he never thought of being frightened. He took a firmer +hold on the tail, braced himself against a beech trunk; and just as the +fox opened his jaws over the goose's throat, he pulled as hard as he +could. Smirre was so astonished that he let himself be pulled backward a +couple of steps--and the wild goose got away. She fluttered upward +feebly and heavily. One wing was so badly wounded that she could barely +use it. In addition to this, she could not see in the night darkness of +the forest but was as helpless as the blind. Therefore she could in no +way help the boy; so she groped her way through the branches and flew +down to the lake again. + +Then Smirre made a dash for the boy. "If I don't get the one, I shall +certainly have the other," said he; and you could tell by his voice how +mad he was. "Oh, don't you believe it!" said the boy, who was in the +best of spirits because he had saved the goose. He held fast by the +fox-tail, and swung with it--to one side--when the fox tried to catch +him. + +There was such a dance in that forest that the dry beech-leaves fairly +flew! Smirre swung round and round, but the tail swung too; while the +boy kept a tight grip on it, so the fox could not grab him. + +The boy was so gay after his success that in the beginning, he laughed +and made fun of the fox. But Smirre was persevering--as old hunters +generally are--and the boy began to fear that he should be captured in +the end. Then he caught sight of a little, young beech-tree that had +shot up as slender as a rod, that it might soon reach the free air above +the canopy of branches which the old beeches spread above it. + +Quick as a flash, he let go of the fox-tail and climbed the beech tree. +Smirre Fox was so excited that he continued to dance around after his +tail. + +"Don't bother with the dance any longer!" said the boy. + +But Smirre couldn't endure the humiliation of his failure to get the +better of such a little tot, so he lay down under the tree, that he +might keep a close watch on him. + +The boy didn't have any too good a time of it where he sat, astride a +frail branch. The young beech did not, as yet, reach the high +branch-canopy, so the boy couldn't get over to another tree, and he +didn't dare to come down again. He was so cold and numb that he almost +lost his hold around the branch; and he was dreadfully sleepy; but he +didn't dare fall asleep for fear of tumbling down. + +My! but it was dismal to sit in that way the whole night through, out in +the forest! He never before understood the real meaning of "night." It +was just as if the whole world had become petrified, and never could +come to life again. + +Then it commenced to dawn. The boy was glad that everything began to +look like itself once more; although the chill was even sharper than it +had been during the night. + +Finally, when the sun got up, it wasn't yellow but red. The boy thought +it looked as though it were angry and he wondered what it was angry +about. Perhaps it was because the night had made it so cold and gloomy +on earth, while the sun was away. + +The sunbeams came down in great clusters, to see what the night had been +up to. It could be seen how everything blushed--as if they all had +guilty consciences. The clouds in the skies; the satiny beech-limbs; the +little intertwined branches of the forest-canopy; the hoar-frost that +covered the foliage on the ground--everything grew flushed and red. More +and more sunbeams came bursting through space, and soon the night's +terrors were driven away, and such a marvellous lot of living things +came forward. The black woodpecker, with the red neck, began to hammer +with its bill on the branch. The squirrel glided from his nest with a +nut, and sat down on a branch and began to shell it. The starling came +flying with a worm, and the bulfinch sang in the tree-top. + +Then the boy understood that the sun had said to all these tiny +creatures: "Wake up now, and come out of your nests! I'm here! Now you +need be afraid of nothing." + +The wild-goose call was heard from the lake, as they were preparing for +flight; and soon all fourteen geese came flying through the forest. The +boy tried to call to them, but they flew so high that his voice couldn't +reach them. They probably believed the fox had eaten him up; and they +didn't trouble themselves to look for him. + +The boy came near crying with regret; but the sun stood up +there--orange-coloured and happy--and put courage into the whole world. +"It isn't worth while, Nils Holgersson, for you to be troubled about +anything, as long as I'm here," said the sun. + +GOOSE-PLAY + +_Monday, March twenty-first_. + +Everything remained unchanged in the forest--about as long as it takes a +goose to eat her breakfast. But just as the morning was verging on +forenoon, a goose came flying, all by herself, under the thick +tree-canopy. She groped her way hesitatingly, between the stems and +branches, and flew very slowly. As soon as Smirre Fox saw her, he left +his place under the beech tree, and sneaked up toward her. The wild +goose didn't avoid the fox, but flew very close to him. Smirre made a +high jump for her but he missed her; and the goose went on her way down +to the lake. + +It was not long before another goose came flying. She took the same +route as the first one; and flew still lower and slower. She, too, flew +close to Smirre Fox, and he made such a high spring for her, that his +ears brushed her feet. But she, too, got away from him unhurt, and went +her way toward the lake, silent as a shadow. + +A little while passed and then there came another wild goose. She flew +still slower and lower; and it seemed even more difficult for her to +find her way between the beech-branches. Smirre made a powerful spring! +He was within a hair's breadth of catching her; but that goose also +managed to save herself. + +Just after she had disappeared, came a fourth. She flew so slowly, and +so badly, that Smirre Fox thought he could catch her without much +effort, but he was afraid of failure now, and concluded to let her fly +past--unmolested. She took the same direction the others had taken; and +just as she was come right above Smirre, she sank down so far that he +was tempted to jump for her. He jumped so high that he touched her with +his tail. But she flung herself quickly to one side and saved her life. + +Before Smirre got through panting, three more geese came flying in a +row. They flew just like the rest, and Smirre made high springs for them +all, but he did not succeed in catching any one of them. + +After that came five geese; but these flew better than the others. And +although it seemed as if they wanted to lure Smirre to jump, he +withstood the temptation. After quite a long time came one single goose. +It was the thirteenth. This one was so old that she was gray all over, +without a dark speck anywhere on her body. She didn't appear to use one +wing very well, but flew so wretchedly and crookedly, that she almost +touched the ground. Smirre not only made a high leap for her, but he +pursued her, running and jumping all the way down to the lake. But not +even this time did he get anything for his trouble. + +When the fourteenth goose came along, it looked very pretty because it +was white. And as its great wings swayed, it glistened like a light, in +the dark forest. When Smirre Fox saw this one, he mustered all his +resources and jumped half-way up to the tree-canopy. But the white one +flew by unhurt like the rest. + +Now it was quiet for a moment under the beeches. It looked as if the +whole wild-goose-flock had travelled past. + +Suddenly Smirre remembered his prisoner and raised his eyes toward the +young beech-tree. And just as he might have expected--the boy had +disappeared. + +But Smirre didn't have much time to think about him; for now the first +goose came back again from the lake and flew slowly under the canopy. In +spite of all his ill luck, Smirre was glad that she came back, and +darted after her with a high leap. But he had been in too much of a +hurry, and hadn't taken the time to calculate the distance, and he +landed at one side of the goose. Then there came still another goose; +then a third; a fourth; a fifth; and so on, until the angle closed in +with the old ice-gray one, and the big white one. They all flew low and +slow. Just as they swayed in the vicinity of Smirre Fox, they sank +down--kind of inviting-like--for him to take them. Smirre ran after them +and made leaps a couple of fathoms high--but he couldn't manage to get +hold of a single one of them. + +It was the most awful day that Smirre Fox had ever experienced. The wild +geese kept on travelling over his head. They came and went--came and +went. Great splendid geese who had eaten themselves fat on the German +heaths and grain fields, swayed all day through the woods, and so close +to him that he touched them many times; yet he was not permitted to +appease his hunger with a single one of them. + +The winter was hardly gone yet, and Smirre recalled nights and days when +he had been forced to tramp around in idleness, with not so much as a +hare to hunt, when the rats hid themselves under the frozen earth; and +when the chickens were all shut up. But all the winter's hunger had not +been as hard to endure as this day's miscalculations. + +Smirre was no young fox. He had had the dogs after him many a time, and +had heard the bullets whizz around his ears. He had lain in hiding, down +in the lair, while the dachshunds crept into the crevices and all but +found him. But all the anguish that Smirre Fox had been forced to suffer +under this hot chase, was not to be compared with what he suffered every +time that he missed one of the wild geese. + +In the morning, when the play began, Smirre Fox had looked so stunning +that the geese were amazed when they saw him. Smirre loved display. His +coat was a brilliant red; his breast white; his nose black; and his tail +was as bushy as a plume. But when the evening of this day was come, +Smirre's coat hung in loose folds. He was bathed in sweat; his eyes were +without lustre; his tongue hung far out from his gaping jaws; and froth +oozed from his mouth. + +In the afternoon Smirre was so exhausted that he grew delirious. He saw +nothing before his eyes but flying geese. He made leaps for sun-spots +which he saw on the ground; and for a poor little butterfly that had +come out of his chrysalis too soon. + +The wild geese flew and flew, unceasingly. All day long they continued +to torment Smirre. They were not moved to pity because Smirre was done +up, fevered, and out of his head. They continued without a let-up, +although they understood that he hardly saw them, and that he jumped +after their shadows. + +When Smirre Fox sank down on a pile of dry leaves, weak and powerless +and almost ready to give up the ghost, they stopped teasing him. + +"Now you know, Mr. Fox, what happens to the one who dares to come near +Akka of Kebnekaise!" they shouted in his ear; and with that they left +him in peace. + + +THE WONDERFUL JOURNEY OF NILS + + +ON THE FARM + +_Thursday, March twenty-fourth_. + +Just at that time a thing happened in Skåne which created a good deal of +discussion and even got into the newspapers but which many believed to +be a fable, because they had not been able to explain it. + +It was about like this: A lady squirrel had been captured in the +hazelbrush that grew on the shores of Vomb Lake, and was carried to a +farmhouse close by. All the folks on the farm--both young and old--were +delighted with the pretty creature with the bushy tail, the wise, +inquisitive eyes, and the natty little feet. They intended to amuse +themselves all summer by watching its nimble movements; its ingenious +way of shelling nuts; and its droll play. They immediately put in order +an old squirrel cage with a little green house and a wire-cylinder +wheel. The little house, which had both doors and windows, the lady +squirrel was to use as a dining room and bedroom. For this reason they +placed therein a bed of leaves, a bowl of milk and some nuts. The +cylinder wheel, on the other hand, she was to use as a play-house, where +she could run and climb and swing round. + +The people believed that they had arranged things very comfortably for +the lady squirrel, and they were astonished because she didn't seem to +be contented; but, instead, she sat there, downcast and moody, in a +corner of her room. Every now and again, she would let out a shrill, +agonised cry. She did not touch the food; and not once did she swing +round on the wheel. "It's probably because she's frightened," said the +farmer folk. "To-morrow, when she feels more at home, she will both eat +and play." + +Meanwhile, the women folk on the farm were making preparations for a +feast; and just on that day when the lady squirrel had been captured, +they were busy with an elaborate bake. They had had bad luck with +something: either the dough wouldn't rise, or else they had been +dilatory, for they were obliged to work long after dark. + +Naturally there was a great deal of excitement and bustle in the +kitchen, and probably no one there took time to think about the +squirrel, or to wonder how she was getting on. But there was an old +grandma in the house who was too aged to take a hand in the baking; this +she herself understood, but just the same she did not relish the idea of +being left out of the game. She felt rather downhearted; and for this +reason she did not go to bed but seated herself by the sitting-room +window and looked out. + +They had opened the kitchen door on account of the heat; and through it +a clear ray of light streamed out on the yard; and it became so well +lighted out there that the old woman could see all the cracks and holes +in the plastering on the wall opposite. She also saw the squirrel cage +which hung just where the light fell clearest. And she noticed how the +squirrel ran from her room to the wheel, and from the wheel to her room, +all night long, without stopping an instant. She thought it was a +strange sort of unrest that had come over the animal; but she believed, +of course, that the strong light kept her awake. + +Between the cow-house and the stable there was a broad, handsome +carriage-gate; this too came within the light-radius. As the night wore +on, the old grandma saw a tiny creature, no bigger than a hand's +breadth, cautiously steal his way through the gate. He was dressed in +leather breeches and wooden shoes like any other working man. The old +grandma knew at once that it was the elf, and she was not the least bit +frightened. She had always heard that the elf kept himself somewhere +about the place, although she had never seen him before; and an elf, to +be sure, brought good luck wherever he appeared. + +As soon as the elf came into the stone-paved yard, he ran right up to +the squirrel cage. And since it hung so high that he could not reach it, +he went over to the store-house after a rod; placed it against the cage, +and swung himself up--in the same way that a sailor climbs a rope. When +he had reached the cage, he shook the door of the little green house as +if he wanted to open it; but the old grandma didn't move; for she knew +that the children had put a padlock on the door, as they feared that the +boys on the neighbouring farms would try to steal the squirrel. The old +woman saw that when the boy could not get the door open, the lady +squirrel came out to the wire wheel. There they held a long conference +together. And when the boy had listened to all that the imprisoned +animal had to say to him, he slid down the rod to the ground, and ran +out through the carriage-gate. + +The old woman didn't expect to see anything more of the elf that night, +nevertheless, she remained at the window. After a few moments had gone +by, he returned. He was in such a hurry that it seemed to her as though +his feet hardly touched the ground; and he rushed right up to the +squirrel cage. The old woman, with her far-sighted eyes, saw him +distinctly; and she also saw that he carried something in his hands; but +what it was she couldn't imagine. The thing he carried in his left hand +he laid down on the pavement; but that which he held in his right hand +he took with him to the cage. He kicked so hard with his wooden shoes on +the little window that the glass was broken. He poked in the thing which +he held in his hand to the lady squirrel. Then he slid down again, and +took up that which he had laid upon the ground, and climbed up to the +cage with that also. The next instant he ran off again with such haste +that the old woman could hardly follow him with her eyes. + +But now it was the old grandma who could no longer sit still in the +cottage; but who, very slowly, went out to the back yard and stationed +herself in the shadow of the pump to await the elf's return. And there +was one other who had also seen him and had become curious. This was the +house cat. He crept along slyly and stopped close to the wall, just two +steps away from the stream of light. They both stood and waited, long +and patiently, on that chilly March night, and the old woman was just +beginning to think about going in again, when she heard a clatter on the +pavement, and saw that the little mite of an elf came trotting along +once more, carrying a burden in each hand, as he had done before. That +which he bore squealed and squirmed. And now a light dawned on the old +grandma. She understood that the elf had hurried down to the hazel-grove +and brought back the lady squirrel's babies; and that he was carrying +them to her so they shouldn't starve to death. + +The old grandma stood very still, so as not to disturb them; and it did +not look as if the elf had noticed her. He was just going to lay one of +the babies on the ground so that he could swing himself up to the cage +with the other one--when he saw the house cat's green eyes glisten close +beside him. He stood there, bewildered, with a young one in each hand. + +He turned around and looked in all directions; then he became aware of +the old grandma's presence. Then he did not hesitate long; but walked +forward, stretched his arms as high as he could reach, for her to take +one of the baby squirrels. + +The old grandma did not wish to prove herself unworthy of the +confidence, so she bent down and took the baby squirrel, and stood there +and held it until the boy had swung himself up to the cage with the +other one. Then he came back for the one he had entrusted to her care. + +The next morning, when the farm folk had gathered together for +breakfast, it was impossible for the old woman to refrain from telling +them of what she had seen the night before. They all laughed at her, of +course, and said that she had been only dreaming. There were no baby +squirrels this early in the year. + +But she was sure of her ground, and begged them to take a look into the +squirrel cage and this they did. And there lay on the bed of leaves, +four tiny half-naked, half blind baby squirrels, who were at least a +couple of days old. + +When the farmer himself saw the young ones, he said: "Be it as it may +with this; but one thing is certain, we, on this farm, have behaved in +such a manner that we are shamed before both animals and human beings." +And, thereupon, he took the mother squirrel and all her young ones from +the cage, and laid them in the old grandma's lap. "Go thou out to the +hazel-grove with them," said he, "and let them have their freedom back +again!" + +It was this event that was so much talked about, and which even got into +the newspapers, but which the majority would not credit because they +were not able to explain how anything like that could have happened. + +VITTSKÖVLE + +_Saturday, March twenty-sixth_. + +Two days later, another strange thing happened. A flock of wild geese +came flying one morning, and lit on a meadow down in Eastern Skåne not +very far from Vittskövle manor. In the flock were thirteen wild geese, +of the usual gray variety, and one white goosey-gander, who carried on +his back a tiny lad dressed in yellow leather breeches, green vest, and +a white woollen toboggan hood. + +They were now very near the Eastern sea; and on the meadow where the +geese had alighted the soil was sandy, as it usually is on the +sea-coast. It looked as if, formerly, there had been flying sand in this +vicinity which had to be held down; for in several directions large, +planted pine-woods could be seen. + +When the wild geese had been feeding a while, several children came +along, and walked on the edge of the meadow. The goose who was on guard +at once raised herself into the air with noisy wing-strokes, so the +whole flock should hear that there was danger on foot. All the wild +geese flew upward; but the white one trotted along on the ground +unconcerned. When he saw the others fly he raised his head and called +after them: "You needn't fly away from these! They are only a couple of +children!" + +The little creature who had been riding on his back, sat down upon a +knoll on the outskirts of the wood and picked a pine-cone in pieces, +that he might get at the seeds. The children were so close to him that +he did not dare to run across the meadow to the white one. He concealed +himself under a big, dry thistle-leaf, and at the same time gave a +warning-cry. But the white one had evidently made up his mind not to let +himself be scared. He walked along on the ground all the while; and not +once did he look to see in what direction they were going. + +Meanwhile, they turned from the path, walked across the field, getting +nearer and nearer to the goosey-gander. When he finally did look up, +they were right upon him. He was so dumfounded, and became so confused, +he forgot that he could fly, and tried to get out of their reach by +running. But the children followed, chasing him into a ditch, and there +they caught him. The larger of the two stuck him under his arm and +carried him off. + +When the boy, who lay under the thistle-leaf saw this, he sprang up as +if he wanted to take the goosey-gander away from them; then he must have +remembered how little and powerless he was, for he threw himself on the +knoll and beat upon the ground with his clenched fists. + +The goosey-gander cried with all his might for help: "Thumbietot, come +and help me! Oh, Thumbietot, come and help me!" The boy began to laugh +in the midst of his distress. "Oh, yes! I'm just the right one to help +anybody, I am!" said he. + +Anyway he got up and followed the goosey-gander. "I can't help him," +said he, "but I shall at least find out where they are taking him." + +The children had a good start; but the boy had no difficulty in keeping +them within sight until they came to a hollow where a brook gushed +forth. But here he was obliged to run alongside of it for some little +time, before he could find a place narrow enough for him to jump over. + +When he came up from the hollow the children had disappeared. He could +see their footprints on a narrow path which led to the woods, and these +he continued to follow. + +Soon he came to a cross-road. Here the children must have separated, for +there were footprints in two directions. The boy looked now as if all +hope had fled. Then he saw a little white down on a heather-knoll, and +he understood that the goosey-gander had dropped this by the wayside to +let him know in which direction he had been carried; and therefore he +continued his search. He followed the children through the entire wood. +The goosey-gander he did not see; but wherever he was likely to miss his +way, lay a little white down to put him right. + +The boy continued faithfully to follow the bits of down. They led him +out of the wood, across a couple of meadows, up on a road, and finally +through the entrance of a broad _allée_. At the end of the _allée_ there +were gables and towers of red tiling, decorated with bright borders and +other ornamentations that glittered and shone. When the boy saw that +this was some great manor, he thought he knew what had become of the +goosey-gander. "No doubt the children have carried the goosey-gander to +the manor and sold him there. By this time he's probably butchered," he +said to himself. But he did not seem to be satisfied with anything less +than proof positive, and with renewed courage he ran forward. He met no +one in the _allée_--and that was well, for such as he are generally +afraid of being seen by human beings. + +The mansion which he came to was a splendid, old-time structure with +four great wings which inclosed a courtyard. On the east wing, there was +a high arch leading into the courtyard. This far the boy ran without +hesitation, but when he got there he stopped. He dared not venture +farther, but stood still and pondered what he should do now. + +There he stood, with his finger on his nose, thinking, when he heard +footsteps behind him; and as he turned around he saw a whole company +march up the _allée_. In haste he stole behind a water-barrel which +stood near the arch, and hid himself. + +Those who came up were some twenty young men from a folk-high-school, +out on a walking tour. They were accompanied by one of the instructors. +When they were come as far as the arch, the teacher requested them to +wait there a moment, while he went in and asked if they might see the +old castle of Vittskövle. + +The newcomers were warm and tired; as if they had been on a long tramp. +One of them was so thirsty that he went over to the water-barrel and +stooped down to drink. He had a tin box such as botanists use hanging +about his neck. He evidently thought that this was in his way, for he +threw it down on the ground. With this, the lid flew open, and one could +see that there were a few spring flowers in it. + +The botanist's box dropped just in front of the boy; and he must have +thought that here was his opportunity to get into the castle and find +out what had become of the goosey-gander. He smuggled himself quickly +into the box and concealed himself as well as he could under the +anemones and colt's-foot. + +He was hardly hidden before the young man picked the box up, hung it +around his neck, and slammed down the cover. + +Then the teacher came back, and said that they had been given +permission to enter the castle. At first he conducted them no farther +than the courtyard. There he stopped and began to talk to them about +this ancient structure. + +He called their attention to the first human beings who had inhabited +this country, and who had been obliged to live in mountain-grottoes and +earth-caves; in the dens of wild beasts, and in the brushwood; and that +a very long period had elapsed before they learned to build themselves +huts from the trunks of trees. And afterward how long had they not been +forced to labour and struggle, before they had advanced from the log +cabin, with its single room, to the building of a castle with a hundred +rooms--like Vittskövle! + +It was about three hundred and fifty years ago that the rich and +powerful built such castles for themselves, he said. It was very evident +that Vittskövle had been erected at a time when wars and robbers made it +unsafe in Skåne. All around the castle was a deep trench filled with +water; and across this there had been a bridge in bygone days that could +be hoisted up. Over the gate-arch there is, even to this day, a +watch-tower; and all along the sides of the castle ran sentry-galleries, +and in the corners stood towers with walls a metre thick. Yet the castle +had not been erected in the most savage war time; for Jens Brahe, who +built it, had also studied to make of it a beautiful and decorative +ornament. If they could see the big, solid stone structure at Glimminge, +which had been built only a generation earlier, they would readily see +that Jans Holgersen Ulfstand, the builder, hadn't figured upon anything +else--only to build big and strong and secure, without bestowing a +thought upon making it beautiful and comfortable. If they visited such +castles as Marsvinsholm, Snogeholm and Övid's Cloister--which were +erected a hundred years or so later--they would find that the times had +become less warlike. The gentlemen who built these places, had not +furnished them with fortifications; but had only taken pains to provide +themselves with great, splendid dwelling houses. + +The teacher talked at length--and in detail; and the boy who lay shut up +in the box was pretty impatient; but he must have lain very still, for +the owner of the box hadn't the least suspicion that he was carrying him +along. + +Finally the company went into the castle. But if the boy had hoped for +a chance to crawl out of that box, he was deceived; for the student +carried it upon him all the while, and the boy was obliged to accompany +him through all the rooms. It was a tedious tramp. The teacher stopped +every other minute to explain and instruct. + +In one room he found an old fireplace, and before this he stopped to +talk about the different kinds of fireplaces that had been used in the +course of time. The first indoors fireplace had been a big, flat stone +on the floor of the hut, with an opening in the roof which let in both +wind and rain. The next had been a big stone hearth with no opening in +the roof. This must have made the hut very warm, but it also filled it +with soot and smoke. When Vittskövle was built, the people had advanced +far enough to open the fireplace, which, at that time, had a wide +chimney for the smoke; but it also took most of the warmth up in the air +with it. + +If that boy had ever in his life been cross and impatient, he was given +a good lesson in patience that day. It must have been a whole hour now +that he had lain perfectly still. + +In the next room they came to, the teacher stopped before an old-time +bed with its high canopy and rich curtains. Immediately he began to talk +about the beds and bed places of olden days. + +The teacher didn't hurry himself; but then he did not know, of course, +that a poor little creature lay shut up in a botanist's box, and only +waited for him to get through. When they came to a room with gilded +leather hangings, he talked to them about how the people had dressed +their walls and ceilings ever since the beginning of time. And when he +came to an old family portrait, he told them all about the different +changes in dress. And in the banquet halls he described ancient customs +of celebrating weddings and funerals. + +Thereupon, the teacher talked a little about the excellent men and women +who had lived in the castle; about the old Brahes, and the old +Barnekows; of Christian Barnekow, who had given his horse to the king to +help him escape; of Margareta Ascheberg who had been married to Kjell +Barnekow and who, when a widow, had managed the estates and the whole +district for fifty-three years; of banker Hageman, a farmer's son from +Vittskövle, who had grown so rich that he had bought the entire estate; +about the Stjernsvärds, who had given the people of Skåne better +ploughs, which enabled them to discard the ridiculous old wooden ploughs +that three oxen were hardly able to drag. During all this, the boy lay +still. If he had ever been mischievous and shut the cellar door on his +father or mother, he understood now how they had felt; for it was hours +and hours before that teacher got through. + +At last the teacher went out into the courtyard again. And there he +discoursed upon the tireless labour of mankind to procure for themselves +tools and weapons, clothes and houses and ornaments. He said that such +an old castle as Vittskövle was a mile-post on time's highway. Here one +could see how far the people had advanced three hundred and fifty years +ago; and one could judge for oneself whether things had gone forward or +backward since their time. + +But this dissertation the boy escaped hearing; for the student who +carried him was thirsty again, and stole into the kitchen to ask for a +drink of water. When the boy was carried into the kitchen, he should +have tried to look around for the goosey-gander. He had begun to move; +and as he did this, he happened to press too hard against the lid--and +it flew open. As botanists' box-lids are always flying open, the student +thought no more about the matter but pressed it down again. Then the +cook asked him if he had a snake in the box. + +"No, I have only a few plants," the student replied. "It was certainly +something that moved there," insisted the cook. The student threw back +the lid to show her that she was mistaken. "See for yourself--if--" + +But he got no further, for now the boy dared not stay in the box any +longer, but with one bound he stood on the floor, and out he rushed. +The maids hardly had time to see what it was that ran, but they hurried +after it, nevertheless. + +The teacher still stood and talked when he was interrupted by shrill +cries. "Catch him, catch him!" shrieked those who had come from the +kitchen; and all the young men raced after the boy, who glided away +faster than a rat. They tried to intercept him at the gate, but it was +not so easy to get a hold on such a little creature, so, luckily, he got +out in the open. + +The boy did not dare to run down toward the open _allée,_ but turned in +another direction. He rushed through the garden into the back yard. All +the while the people raced after him, shrieking and laughing. The poor +little thing ran as hard as ever he could to get out of their way; but +still it looked as though the people would catch up with him. + +As he rushed past a labourer's cottage, he heard a goose cackle, and saw +a white down lying on the doorstep. There, at last, was the +goosey-gander! He had been on the wrong track before. He thought no more +of housemaids and men, who were hounding him, but climbed up the +steps--and into the hallway. Farther he couldn't come, for the door was +locked. He heard how the goosey-gander cried and moaned inside, but he +couldn't get the door open. The hunters that were pursuing him came +nearer and nearer, and, in the room, the goosey-gander cried more and +more pitifully. In this direst of needs the boy finally plucked up +courage and pounded on the door with all his might. + +A child opened it, and the boy looked into the room. In the middle of +the floor sat a woman who held the goosey-gander tight to clip his +quill-feathers. It was her children who had found him, and she didn't +want to do him any harm. It was her intention to let him in among her +own geese, had she only succeeded in clipping his wings so he couldn't +fly away. But a worse fate could hardly have happened to the +goosey-gander, and he shrieked and moaned with all his might. + +And a lucky thing it was that the woman hadn't started the clipping +sooner. Now only two quills had fallen under the shears' when the door +was opened--and the boy stood on the door-sill. But a creature like +that the woman had never seen before. She couldn't believe anything else +but that it was Goa-Nisse himself; and in her terror she dropped the +shears, clasped her hands--and forgot to hold on to the goosey-gander. + +As soon as he felt himself freed, he ran toward the door. He didn't give +himself time to stop; but, as he ran past him, he grabbed the boy by the +neck-band and carried him along with him. On the stoop he spread his +wings and flew up in the air; at the same time he made a graceful sweep +with his neck and seated the boy on his smooth, downy back. + +And off they flew--while all Vittskövle stood and stared after them. + +IN ÖVID CLOISTER PARK + +All that day, when the wild geese played with the fox, the boy lay and +slept in a deserted squirrel nest. When he awoke, along toward evening, +he felt very uneasy. "Well, now I shall soon be sent home again! Then +I'll have to exhibit myself before father and mother," thought he. But +when he looked up and saw the wild geese, who lay and bathed in Vomb +Lake--not one of them said a word about his going. "They probably think +the white one is too tired to travel home with me to-night," thought the +boy. + +The next morning the geese were awake at daybreak, long before sunrise. +Now the boy felt sure that he'd have to go home; but, curiously enough, +both he and the white goosey-gander were permitted to follow the wild +ones on their morning tour. The boy couldn't comprehend the reason for +the delay, but he figured it out in this way, that the wild geese did +not care to send the goosey-gander on such a long journey until they had +both eaten their fill. Come what might, he was only glad for every +moment that should pass before he must face his parents. + +The wild geese travelled over Övid's Cloister estate which was situated +in a beautiful park east of the lake, and looked very imposing with its +great castle; its well planned court surrounded by low walls and +pavilions; its fine old-time garden with covered arbours, streams and +fountains; its wonderful trees, trimmed bushes, and its evenly mown +lawns with their beds of beautiful spring flowers. + +When the wild geese rode over the estate in the early morning hour there +was no human being about. When they had carefully assured themselves of +this, they lowered themselves toward the dog kennel, and shouted: "What +kind of a little hut is this? What kind of a little hut is this?" + +Instantly the dog came out of his kennel--furiously angry--and barked at +the air. + +"Do you call this a hut, you tramps! Can't you see that this is a great +stone castle? Can't you see what fine terraces, and what a lot of pretty +walls and windows and great doors it has, bow, wow, wow, wow? Don't you +see the grounds, can't you see the garden, can't you see the +conservatories, can't you see the marble statues? You call this a hut, +do you? Do huts have parks with beech-groves and hazel-bushes and +trailing vines and oak trees and firs and hunting-grounds filled with +game, wow, wow, wow? Do you call this a hut? Have you seen huts with so +many outhouses around them that they look like a whole village? You must +know of a lot of huts that have their own church and their own +parsonage; and that rule over the district and the peasant homes and the +neighbouring farms and barracks, wow, wow, wow? Do you call this a hut? +To this hut belong the richest possessions in Skåne, you beggars! You +can't see a bit of land, from where you hang in the clouds, that does +not obey commands from this hut, wow, wow, wow!" + +All this the dog managed to cry out in one breath; and the wild geese +flew back and forth over the estate, and listened to him until he was +winded. But then they cried: "What are you so mad about? We didn't ask +about the castle; we only wanted to know about your kennel, stupid!" + +When the boy heard this joke, he laughed; then a thought stole in on him +which at once made him serious. "Think how many of these amusing things +you would hear, if you could go with the wild geese through the whole +country, all the way up to Lapland!" said he to himself. "And just now, +when you are in such a bad fix, a trip like that would be the best thing +you could hit upon." + +The wild geese travelled to one of the wide fields, east of the estate, +to eat grass-roots, and they kept this up for hours. In the meantime, +the boy wandered in the great park which bordered the field. He hunted +up a beech-nut grove and began to look up at the bushes, to see if a +nut from last fall still hung there. But again and again the thought of +the trip came over him, as he walked in the park. He pictured to himself +what a fine time he would have if he went with the wild geese. To freeze +and starve: that he believed he should have to do often enough; but as a +recompense, he would escape both work and study. + +As he walked there, the old gray leader-goose came up to him, and asked +if he had found anything eatable. No, that he hadn't, he replied, and +then she tried to help him. She couldn't find any nuts either, but she +discovered a couple of dried blossoms that hung on a brier-bush. These +the boy ate with a good relish. But he wondered what mother would say, +if she knew that he had lived on raw fish and old winter-dried blossoms. + +When the wild geese had finally eaten themselves full, they bore off +toward the lake again, where they amused themselves with games until +almost dinner time. + +The wild geese challenged the white goosey-gander to take part in all +kinds of sports. They had swimming races, running races, and flying +races with him. The big tame one did his level best to hold his own, but +the clever wild geese beat him every time. All the while, the boy sat on +the goosey-gander's back and encouraged him, and had as much fun as the +rest. They laughed and screamed and cackled, and it was remarkable that +the people on the estate didn't hear them. + +When the wild geese were tired of play, they flew out on the ice and +rested for a couple of hours. The afternoon they spent in pretty much +the same way as the forenoon. First, a couple of hours feeding, then +bathing and play in the water near the ice-edge until sunset, when they +immediately arranged themselves for sleep. + +"This is just the life that suits me," thought the boy when he crept in +under the gander's wing. "But to-morrow, I suppose I'll be sent home." + +Before he fell asleep, he lay and thought that if he might go along with +the wild geese, he would escape all scoldings because he was lazy. Then +he could cut loose every day, and his only worry would be to get +something to eat. But he needed so little nowadays; and there would +always be a way to get that. + +So he pictured the whole scene to himself; what he should see, and all +the adventures that he would be in on. Yes, it would be something +different from the wear and tear at home. "If I could only go with the +wild geese on their travels, I shouldn't grieve because I'd been +transformed," thought the boy. + +He wasn't afraid of anything--except being sent home; but not even on +Wednesday did the geese say anything to him about going. That day passed +in the same way as Tuesday; and the boy grew more and more contented +with the outdoor life. He thought that he had the lovely Övid Cloister +park--which was as large as a forest--all to himself; and he wasn't +anxious to go back to the stuffy cabin and the little patch of ground +there at home. + +On Wednesday he believed that the wild geese thought of keeping him with +them; but on Thursday he lost hope again. + +Thursday began just like the other days; the geese fed on the broad +meadows, and the boy hunted for food in the park. After a while Akka +came to him, and asked if he had found anything to eat. No, he had not; +and then she looked up a dry caraway herb, that had kept all its tiny +seeds intact. + +When the boy had eaten, Akka said that she thought he ran around in the +park altogether too recklessly. She wondered if he knew how many enemies +he had to guard against--he, who was so little. No, he didn't know +anything at all about that. Then Akka began to enumerate them for him. + +Whenever he walked in the park, she said, that he must look out for the +fox and the marten; when he came to the shores of the lake, he must +think of the otters; as he sat on the stone wall, he must not forget the +weasels, who could creep through the smallest holes; and if he wished to +lie down and sleep on a pile of leaves, he must first find out if the +adders were not sleeping their winter sleep in the same pile. As soon as +he came out in the open fields, he should keep an eye out for hawks and +buzzards; for eagles and falcons that soared in the air. In the +bramble-bush he could be captured by the sparrow-hawks; magpies and +crows were found everywhere and in these he mustn't place any too much +confidence. As soon as it was dusk, he must keep his ears open and +listen for the big owls, who flew along with such soundless wing-strokes +that they could come right up to him before he was aware of their +presence. + +When the boy heard that there were so many who were after his life, he +thought that it would be simply impossible for him to escape. He was not +particularly afraid to die, but he didn't like the idea of being eaten +up, so he asked Akka what he should do to protect himself from the +carnivorous animals. + +Akka answered at once that the boy should try to get on good terms with +all the small animals in the woods and fields: with the squirrel-folk, +and the hare-family; with bullfinches and the titmice and woodpeckers +and larks. If he made friends with them, they could warn him against +dangers, find hiding places for him, and protect him. + +But later in the day, when the boy tried to profit by this counsel, and +turned to Sirle Squirrel to ask for his protection, it was evident that +he did not care to help him. "You surely can't expect anything from me, +or the rest of the small animals!" said Sirle. "Don't you think we know +that you are Nils the goose boy, who tore down the swallow's nest last +year, crushed the starling's eggs, threw baby crows in the marl-ditch, +caught thrushes in snares, and put squirrels in cages? You just help +yourself as well as you can; and you may be thankful that we do not form +a league against you, and drive you back to your own kind!" + +This was just the sort of answer the boy would not have let go +unpunished, in the days when he was Nils the goose boy. But now he was +only fearful lest the wild geese, too, had found out how wicked he could +be. He had been so anxious for fear he wouldn't be permitted to stay +with the wild geese, that he hadn't dared to get into the least little +mischief since he joined their company. It was true that he didn't have +the power to do much harm now, but, little as he was, he could have +destroyed many birds' nests, and crushed many eggs, if he'd been in a +mind to. Now he had been good. He hadn't pulled a feather from a +goose-wing, or given anyone a rude answer; and every morning when he +called upon Akka he had always removed his cap and bowed. + +All day Thursday he thought it was surely on account of his wickedness +that the wild geese did not care to take him along up to Lapland. And in +the evening, when he heard that Sirle Squirrel's wife had been stolen, +and her children were starving to death, he made up his mind to help +them. And we have already been told how well he succeeded. + +When the boy came into the park on Friday, he heard the bulfinches sing +in every bush, of how Sirle Squirrel's wife had been carried away from +her children by cruel robbers, and how Nils, the goose boy, had risked +his life among human beings, and taken the little squirrel children to +her. + +"And who is so honoured in Övid Cloister park now, as Thumbietot!" sang +the bullfinch; "he, whom all feared when he was Nils the goose boy? +Sirle Squirrel will give him nuts; the poor hares are going to play with +him; the small wild animals will carry him on their backs, and fly away +with him when Smirre Fox approaches. The titmice are going to warn him +against the hawk, and the finches and larks will sing of his valour." + +The boy was absolutely certain that both Akka and the wild geese had +heard all this. But still Friday passed and not one word did they say +about his remaining with them. + +Until Saturday the wild geese fed in the fields around Övid, undisturbed +by Smirre Fox. + +But on Saturday morning, when they came out in the meadows, he lay in +wait for them, and chased them from one field to another, and they were +not allowed to eat in peace. When Akka understood that he didn't intend +to leave them in peace, she came to a decision quickly, raised herself +into the air and flew with her flock several miles away, over Färs' +plains and Linderödsosen's hills. They did not stop before they had +arrived in the district of Vittskövle. + +But at Vittskövle the goosey-gander was stolen, and how it happened has +already been related. If the boy had not used all his powers to help him +he would never again have been found. + +On Saturday evening, as the boy came back to Vomb Lake with the +goosey-gander, he thought that he had done a good day's work; and he +speculated a good deal on what Akka and the wild geese would say to him. +The wild geese were not at all sparing in their praises, but they did +not say the word he was longing to hear. + +Then Sunday came again. A whole week had gone by since the boy had been +bewitched, and he was still just as little. + +But he didn't appear to be giving himself any extra worry on account of +this thing. On Sunday afternoon he sat huddled together in a big, fluffy +osier-bush, down by the lake, and blew on a reed-pipe. All around him +there sat as many finches and bullfinches and starlings as the bush +could well hold--who sang songs which he tried to teach himself to play. +But the boy was not at home in this art. He blew so false that the +feathers raised themselves on the little music-masters and they shrieked +and fluttered in their despair. The boy laughed so heartily at their +excitement, that he dropped his pipe. + +He began once again, and that went just as badly. Then all the little +birds wailed: "To-day you play worse than usual, Thumbietot! You don't +take one true note! Where are your thoughts, Thumbietot?" + +"They are elsewhere," said the boy--and this was true. He sat there and +pondered how long he would be allowed to remain with the wild geese; or +if he should be sent home perhaps to-day. + +Finally the boy threw down his pipe and jumped from the bush. He had +seen Akka, and all the wild geese, coming toward him in a long row. They +walked so uncommonly slow and dignified-like, that the boy immediately +understood that now he should learn what they intended to do with him. + +When they stopped at last, Akka said: "You may well have reason to +wonder at me, Thumbietot, who have not said thanks to you for saving me +from Smirre Fox. But I am one of those who would rather give thanks by +deeds than words. I have sent word to the elf that bewitched you. At +first he didn't want to hear anything about curing you; but I have sent +message upon message to him, and told him how well you have conducted +yourself among us. He greets you, and says, that as soon as you turn +back home, you shall be human again." + +But think of it! Just as happy as the boy had been when the wild geese +began to speak, just that miserable was he when they had finished. He +didn't say a word, but turned away and wept. + +"What in all the world is this?" said Akka. "It looks as though you had +expected more of me than I have offered you." + +But the boy was thinking of the care-free days and the banter; and of +adventure and freedom and travel, high above the earth, that he should +miss, and he actually bawled with grief. "I don't want to be human," +said he. "I want to go with you to Lapland." "I'll tell you something," +said Akka. "That elf is very touchy, and I'm afraid that if you do not +accept his offer now, it will be difficult for you to coax him another +time." + +It was a strange thing about that boy--as long as he had lived, he had +never cared for anyone. He had not cared for his father or mother; not +for the school teacher; not for his school-mates; nor for the boys in +the neighbourhood. All that they had wished to have him do--whether it +had been work or play--he had only thought tiresome. Therefore there was +no one whom he missed or longed for. + +The only ones that he had come anywhere near agreeing with, were Osa, +the goose girl, and little Mats--a couple of children who had tended +geese in the fields, like himself. But he didn't care particularly for +them either. No, far from it! "I don't want to be human," bawled the +boy. "I want to go with you to Lapland. That's why I've been good for a +whole week!" "I don't want to forbid you to come along with us as far as +you like," said Akka, "but think first if you wouldn't rather go home +again. A day may come when you will regret this." + +"No," said the boy, "that's nothing to regret. I have never been as well +off as here with you." + +"Well then, let it be as you wish," said Akka. + +"Thanks!" said the boy, and he felt so happy that he had to cry for very +joy--just as he had cried before from sorrow. + + +GLIMMINGE CASTLE + + +BLACK RATS AND GRAY RATS + +In south-eastern Skåne--not far from the sea there is an old castle +called Glimminge. It is a big and substantial stone house; and can be +seen over the plain for miles around. It is not more than four stories +high; but it is so ponderous that an ordinary farmhouse, which stands on +the same estate, looks like a little children's playhouse in comparison. + +The big stone house has such thick ceilings and partitions that there is +scarcely room in its interior for anything but the thick walls. The +stairs are narrow, the entrances small; and the rooms few. That the +walls might retain their strength, there are only the fewest number of +windows in the upper stories, and none at all are found in the lower +ones. In the old war times, the people were just as glad that they could +shut themselves up in a strong and massive house like this, as one is +nowadays to be able to creep into furs in a snapping cold winter. But +when the time of peace came, they did not care to live in the dark and +cold stone halls of the old castle any longer. They have long since +deserted the big Glimminge castle, and moved into dwelling places where +the light and air can penetrate. + +At the time when Nils Holgersson wandered around with the wild geese, +there were no human beings in Glimminge castle; but for all that, it was +not without inhabitants. Every summer there lived a stork couple in a +large nest on the roof. In a nest in the attic lived a pair of gray +owls; in the secret passages hung bats; in the kitchen oven lived an old +cat; and down in the cellar there were hundreds of old black rats. + +Rats are not held in very high esteem by other animals; but the black +rats at Glimminge castle were an exception. They were always mentioned +with respect, because they had shown great valour in battle with their +enemies; and much endurance under the great misfortunes which had +befallen their kind. They nominally belong to a rat-folk who, at one +time, had been very numerous and powerful, but who were now dying out. +During a long period of time, the black rats owned Skåne and the whole +country. They were found in every cellar; in every attic; in larders and +cowhouses and barns; in breweries and flour-mills; in churches and +castles; in every man-constructed building. But now they were banished +from all this--and were almost exterminated. Only in one and another old +and secluded place could one run across a few of them; and nowhere were +they to be found in such large numbers as in Glimminge castle. + +When an animal folk die out, it is generally the human kind who are the +cause of it; but that was not the case in this instance. The people had +certainly struggled with the black rats, but they had not been able to +do them any harm worth mentioning. Those who had conquered them were an +animal folk of their own kind, who were called gray rats. + +These gray rats had not lived in the land since time immemorial, like +the black rats, but descended from a couple of poor immigrants who +landed in Malmö from a Libyan sloop about a hundred years ago. They were +homeless, starved-out wretches who stuck close to the harbour, swam +among the piles under the bridges, and ate refuse that was thrown in the +water. They never ventured into the city, which was owned by the black +rats. + +But gradually, as the gray rats increased in number they grew bolder. +At first they moved over to some waste places and condemned old houses +which the black rats had abandoned. They hunted their food in gutters +and dirt heaps, and made the most of all the rubbish that the black rats +did not deign to take care of. They were hardy, contented and fearless; +and within a few years they had become so powerful that they undertook +to drive the black rats out of Malmö. They took from them attics, +cellars and storerooms, starved them out or bit them to death for they +were not at all afraid of fighting. + +When Malmö was captured, they marched forward in small and large +companies to conquer the whole country. It is almost impossible to +comprehend why the black rats did not muster themselves into a great, +united war-expedition to exterminate the gray rats, while these were +still few in numbers. But the black rats were so certain of their power +that they could not believe it possible for them to lose it. They sat +still on their estates, and in the meantime the gray rats took from them +farm after farm, city after city. They were starved out, forced out, +rooted out. In Skåne they had not been able to maintain themselves in a +single place except Glimminge castle. + +The old castle had such secure walls and such few rat passages led +through these, that the black rats had managed to protect themselves, +and to prevent the gray rats from crowding in. Night after night, year +after year, the struggle had continued between the aggressors and the +defenders; but the black rats had kept faithful watch, and had fought +with the utmost contempt for death, and, thanks to the fine old house, +they had always conquered. + +It will have to be acknowledged that as long as the black rats were in +power they were as much shunned by all other living creatures as the +gray rats are in our day--and for just cause; they had thrown themselves +upon poor, fettered prisoners, and tortured them; they had ravished the +dead; they had stolen the last turnip from the cellars of the poor; +bitten off the feet of sleeping geese; robbed eggs and chicks from the +hens; and committed a thousand depredations. But since they had come to +grief, all this seemed to have been forgotten; and no one could help but +marvel at the last of a race that had held out so long against its +enemies. + +The gray rats that lived in the courtyard at Glimminge and in the +vicinity, kept up a continuous warfare and tried to watch out for every +possible chance to capture the castle. One would fancy that they should +have allowed the little company of black rats to occupy Glimminge castle +in peace, since they themselves had acquired all the rest of the +country; but you may be sure this thought never occurred to them. They +were wont to say that it was a point of honour with them to conquer the +black rats at some time or other. But those who were acquainted with the +gray rats must have known that it was because the human kind used +Glimminge castle as a grain store-house that the gray ones could not +rest before they had taken possession of the place. + +THE STORK + +_Monday, March twenty-eighth_. + +Early one morning the wild geese who stood and slept on the ice in Vomb +Lake were awakened by long calls from the air. "Trirop, Trirop!" it +sounded, "Trianut, the crane, sends greetings to Akka, the wild goose, +and her flock. To-morrow will be the day of the great crane dance on +Kullaberg." + +Akka raised her head and answered at once: "Greetings and thanks! +Greetings and thanks!" + +With that, the cranes flew farther; and the wild geese heard them for a +long while--where they travelled and called out over every field, and +every wooded hill: "Trianut sends greetings. To-morrow will be the day +of the great crane dance on Kullaberg." + +The wild geese were very happy over this invitation. "You're in luck," +they said to the white goosey-gander, "to be permitted to attend the +great crane dance on Kullaberg!" "Is it then so remarkable to see cranes +dance?" asked the goosey-gander. "It is something that you have never +even dreamed about!" replied the wild geese. + +"Now we must think out what we shall do with Thumbietot to-morrow--so +that no harm can come to him, while we run over to Kullaberg," said +Akka. "Thumbietot shall not be left alone!" said the goosey-gander. "If +the cranes won't let him see their dance, then I'll stay with him." + +"No human being has ever been permitted to attend the Animal's Congress, +at Kullaberg," said Akka, "and I shouldn't dare to take Thumbietot +along. But we'll discuss this more at length later in the day. Now we +must first and foremost think about getting something to eat." + +With that Akka gave the signal to adjourn. On this day she also sought +her feeding-place a good distance away, on Smirre Fox's account, and she +didn't alight until she came to the swampy meadows a little south of +Glimminge castle. + +All that day the boy sat on the shores of a little pond, and blew on +reed-pipes. He was out of sorts because he shouldn't see the crane +dance, and he just couldn't say a word, either to the goosey-gander, or +to any of the others. + +It was pretty hard that Akka should still doubt him. When a boy had +given up being human, just to travel around with a few wild geese, they +surely ought to understand that he had no desire to betray them. Then, +too, they ought to understand that when he had renounced so much to +follow them, it was their duty to let him see all the wonders they could +show him. + +"I'll have to speak my mind right out to them," thought he. But hour +after hour passed, still he hadn't come round to it. It may sound +remarkable--but the boy had actually acquired a kind of respect for the +old leader-goose. He felt that it was not easy to pit his will against +hers. + +On one side of the swampy meadow, where the wild geese fed, there was a +broad stone hedge. Toward evening when the boy finally raised his head, +to speak to Akka, his glance happened to rest on this hedge. He uttered +a little cry of surprise, and all the wild geese instantly looked up, +and stared in the same direction. At first, both the geese and the boy +thought that all the round, gray stones in the hedge had acquired legs, +and were starting on a run; but soon they saw that it was a company of +rats who ran over it. They moved very rapidly, and ran forward, tightly +packed, line upon line, and were so numerous that, for some time, they +covered the entire stone hedge. + +The boy had been afraid of rats, even when he was a big, strong human +being. Then what must his feelings be now, when he was so tiny that two +or three of them could overpower him? One shudder after another +travelled down his spinal column as he stood and stared at them. + +But strangely enough, the wild geese seemed to feel the same aversion +toward the rats that he did. They did not speak to them; and when they +were gone, they shook themselves as if their feathers had been +mud-spattered. + +"Such a lot of gray rats abroad!" said Iksi from Vassipaure. "That's not +a good omen." + +The boy intended to take advantage of this opportunity to say to Akka +that he thought she ought to let him go with them to Kullaberg, but he +was prevented anew, for all of a sudden a big bird came down in the +midst of the geese. + +One could believe, when one looked at this bird, that he had borrowed +body, neck and head from a little white goose. But in addition to this, +he had procured for himself large black wings, long red legs, and a +thick bill, which was too large for the little head, and weighed it down +until it gave him a sad and worried look. + +Akka at once straightened out the folds of her wings, and curtsied many +times as she approached the stork. She wasn't specially surprised to see +him in Skåne so early in the spring, because she knew that the male +storks are in the habit of coming in good season to take a look at the +nest, and see that it hasn't been damaged during the winter, before the +female storks go to the trouble of flying over the East sea. But she +wondered very much what it might signify that he sought her out, since +storks prefer to associate with members of their own family. + +"I can hardly believe that there is anything wrong with your house, Herr +Ermenrich," said Akka. + +It was apparent now that it is true what they say: a stork can seldom +open his bill without complaining. But what made the thing he said sound +even more doleful was that it was difficult for him to speak out. He +stood for a long time and only clattered with his bill; afterward he +spoke in a hoarse and feeble voice. He complained about everything: the +nest--which was situated at the very top of the roof-tree at Glimminge +castle--had been totally destroyed by winter storms; and no food could +he get any more in Skåne. The people of Skåne were appropriating all his +possessions. They dug out his marshes and laid waste his swamps. He +intended to move away from this country, and never return to it again. + +While the stork grumbled, Akka, the wild goose who had neither home nor +protection, could not help thinking to herself: "If I had things as +comfortable as you have, Herr Ermenrich, I should be above complaining. +You have remained a free and wild bird; and still you stand so well with +human beings that no one will fire a shot at you, or steal an egg from +your nest." But all this she kept to herself. To the stork she only +remarked, that she couldn't believe he would be willing to move from a +house where storks had resided ever since it was built. + +Then the stork suddenly asked the geese if they had seen the gray rats +who were marching toward Glimminge castle. When Akka replied that she +had seen the horrid creatures, he began to tell her about the brave +black rats who, for years, had defended the castle. "But this night +Glimminge castle will fall into the gray rats' power," sighed the stork. + +"And why just this night, Herr Ermenrich?" asked Akka. + +"Well, because nearly all the black rats went over to Kullaberg last +night," said the stork, "since they had counted on all the rest of the +animals also hurrying there. But you see that the gray rats have stayed +at home; and now they are mustering to storm the castle to-night, when +it will be defended by only a few old creatures who are too feeble to go +over to Kullaberg. They'll probably accomplish their purpose. But I have +lived here in harmony with the black rats for so many years, that it +does not please me to live in a place inhabited by their enemies." + +Akka understood now that the stork had become so enraged over the gray +rats' mode of action, that he had sought her out as an excuse to +complain about them. But after the manner of storks, he certainly had +done nothing to avert the disaster. "Have you sent word to the black +rats, Herr Ermenrich?" she asked. "No," replied the stork, "that +wouldn't be of any use. Before they can get back, the castle will be +taken." "You mustn't be so sure of that, Herr Ermenrich," said Akka. "I +know an old wild goose, I do, who will gladly prevent outrages of this +kind." + +When Akka said this, the stork raised his head and stared at her. And it +was not surprising, for Akka had neither claws nor bill that were fit +for fighting; and, in the bargain, she was a day bird, and as soon as it +grew dark she fell helplessly asleep, while the rats did their fighting +at night. + +But Akka had evidently made up her mind to help the black rats. She +called Iksi from Vassijaure, and ordered him to take the wild geese over +to Vonib Lake; and when the geese made excuses, she said +authoritatively: "I believe it will be best for us all that you obey me. +I must fly over to the big stone house, and if you follow me, the people +on the place will be sure to see us, and shoot us down. The only one +that I want to take with me on this trip is Thumbietot. He can be of +great service to me because he has good eyes, and can keep awake at +night." + +The boy was in his most contrary mood that day. And when he heard what +Akka said, he raised himself to his full height and stepped forward, his +hands behind him and his nose in the air, and he intended to say that +he, most assuredly, did not wish to take a hand in the fight with gray +rats. She might look around for assistance elsewhere. + +But the instant the boy was seen, the stork began to move. He had stood +before, as storks generally stand, with head bent downward and the bill +pressed against the neck. But now a gurgle was heard deep down in his +windpipe; as though he would have laughed. Quick as a flash, he lowered +the bill, grabbed the boy, and tossed him a couple of metres in the +air. This feat he performed seven times, while the boy shrieked and the +geese shouted: "What are you trying to do, Herr Ermenrich? That's not a +frog. That's a human being, Herr Ermenrich." + +Finally the stork put the boy down entirely unhurt. Thereupon he said to +Akka, "I'll fly back to Glimminge castle now, mother Akka. All who live +there were very much worried when I left. You may be sure they'll be +very glad when I tell them that Akka, the wild goose, and Thumbietot, +the human elf, are on their way to rescue them." With that the stork +craned his neck, raised his wings, and darted off like an arrow when it +leaves a well-drawn bow. Akka understood that he was making fun of her, +but she didn't let it bother her. She waited until the boy had found his +wooden shoes, which the stork had shaken off; then she put him on her +back and followed the stork. On his own account, the boy made no +objection, and said not a word about not wanting to go along. He had +become so furious with the stork, that he actually sat and puffed. That +long, red-legged thing believed he was of no account just because he was +little; but he would show him what kind of a man Nils Holgersson from +West Vemminghög was. + +A couple of moments later Akka stood in the storks' nest. It had a wheel +for foundation, and over this lay several grass-mats, and some twigs. +The nest was so old that many shrubs and plants had taken root up there; +and when the mother stork sat on her eggs in the round hole in the +middle of the nest, she not only had the beautiful outlook over a goodly +portion of Skåne to enjoy, but she had also the wild brier-blossoms and +house-leeks to look upon. + +Both Akka and the boy saw immediately that something was going on here +which turned upside down the most regular order. On the edge of the +stork-nest sat two gray owls, an old, gray-streaked cat, and a dozen +old, decrepit rats with protruding teeth and watery eyes. They were not +exactly the sort of animals one usually finds living peaceably together. + +Not one of them turned around to look at Akka, or to bid her welcome. +They thought of nothing except to sit and stare at some long, gray +lines, which came into sight here and there--on the winter-naked +meadows. + +All the black rats were silent. One could see that they were in deep +despair, and probably knew that they could neither defend their own +lives nor the castle. The two owls sat and rolled their big eyes, and +twisted their great, encircling eyebrows, and talked in hollow, +ghost-like voices, about the awful cruelty of the gray rats, and that +they would have to move away from their nest, because they had heard it +said of them that they spared neither eggs nor baby birds. The old +gray-streaked cat was positive that the gray rats would bite him to +death, since they were coming into the castle in such great numbers, and +he scolded the black rats incessantly. "How could you be so idiotic as +to let your best fighters go away?" said he. "How could you trust the +gray rats? It is absolutely unpardonable!" + +The twelve black rats did not say a word. But the stork, despite his +misery, could not refrain from teasing the cat. "Don't worry so, Monsie +house-cat!" said he. "Can't you see that mother Akka and Thumbietot have +come to save the castle? You can be certain that they'll succeed. Now I +must stand up to sleep--and I do so with the utmost calm. To-morrow, +when I awaken, there won't be a single gray rat in Glimminge castle." + +The boy winked at Akka, and made a sign--as the stork stood upon the +very edge of the nest, with one leg drawn up, to sleep--that he wanted +to push him down to the ground; but Akka restrained him. She did not +seem to be the least bit angry. Instead, she said in a confident tone of +voice: "It would be pretty poor business if one who is as old as I am +could not manage to get out of worse difficulties than this. If only Mr. +and Mrs. Owl, who can stay awake all night, will fly off with a couple +of messages for me, I think that all will go well." + +Both owls were willing. Then Akka bade the gentleman owl that he should +go and seek the black rats who had gone off, and counsel them to hurry +home immediately. The lady owl she sent to Flammea, the steeple-owl, +who lived in Lund cathedral, with a commission which was so secret that +Akka only dared to confide it to her in a whisper. + +THE RAT CHARMER + +It was getting on toward midnight when the gray rats after a diligent +search succeeded in finding an open air-hole in the cellar. This was +pretty high upon the wall; but the rats got up on one another's +shoulders, and it wasn't long before the most daring among them sat in +the air-hole, ready to force its way into Glimminge castle, outside +whose walls so many of its forebears had fallen. + +The gray rat sat still for a moment in the hole, and waited for an +attack from within. The leader of the defenders was certainly away, but +she assumed that the black rats who were still in the castle wouldn't +surrender without a struggle. With thumping heart she listened for the +slightest sound, but everything remained quiet. Then the leader of the +gray rats plucked up courage and jumped down in the coal-black cellar. + +One after another of the gray rats followed the leader. They all kept +very quiet; and all expected to be ambushed by the black rats. Not until +so many of them had crowded into the cellar that the floor couldn't hold +any more, did they venture farther. + +Although they had never before been inside the building, they had no +difficulty in finding their way. They soon found the passages in the +walls which the black rats had used to get to the upper floors. Before +they began to clamber up these narrow and steep steps, they listened +again with great attention. They felt more frightened because the black +rats held themselves aloof in this way, than if they had met them in +open battle. They could hardly believe their luck when they reached the +first story without any mishaps. + +Immediately upon their entrance the gray rats caught the scent of the +grain, which was stored in great bins on the floor. But it was not as +yet time for them to begin to enjoy their conquest. They searched first, +with the utmost caution, through the sombre, empty rooms. They ran up in +the fireplace, which stood on the floor in the old castle kitchen, and +they almost tumbled into the well, in the inner room. Not one of the +narrow peep-holes did they leave uninspected, but they found no black +rats. When this floor was wholly in their possession, they began, with +the same caution, to acquire the next. Then they had to venture on a +bold and dangerous climb through the walls, while, with breathless +anxiety, they awaited an assault from the enemy. And although they were +tempted by the most delicious odour from the grain bins, they forced +themselves most systematically to inspect the old-time warriors' +pillar-propped kitchen; their stone table, and fireplace; the deep +window-niches, and the hole in the floor--which in olden time had been +opened to pour down boiling pitch on the intruding enemy. + +All this time the black rats were invisible. The gray ones groped their +way to the third story, and into the lord of the castle's great banquet +hall--which stood there cold and empty, like all the other rooms in the +old house. They even groped their way to the upper story, which had but +one big, barren room. The only place they did not think of exploring was +the big stork-nest on the roof--where, just at this time, the lady owl +awakened Akka, and informed her that Flammea, the steeple owl, had +granted her request, and had sent her the thing she wished for. + +Since the gray rats had so conscientiously inspected the entire castle, +they felt at ease. They took it for granted that the black rats had +flown, and didn't intend to offer any resistance; and, with light +hearts, they ran up into the grain bins. + +But the gray rats had hardly swallowed the first wheat-grains, before +the sound of a little shrill pipe was heard from the yard. The gray rats +raised their heads, listened anxiously, ran a few steps as if they +intended to leave the bin, then they turned back and began to eat once +more. + +Again the pipe sounded a sharp and piercing note--and now something +wonderful happened. One rat, two rats--yes, a whole lot of rats left the +grain, jumped from the bins and hurried down cellar by the shortest cut, +to get out of the house. Still there were many gray rats left. These +thought of all the toil and trouble it had cost them to win Glimminge +castle, and they did not want to leave it. But again they caught the +tones from the pipe, and had to follow them. With wild excitement they +rushed up from the bins, slid down through the narrow holes in the +walls, and tumbled over each other in their eagerness to get out. + +In the middle of the courtyard stood a tiny creature, who blew upon a +pipe. All round him he had a whole circle of rats who listened to him, +astonished and fascinated; and every moment brought more. Once he took +the pipe from his lips--only for a second--put his thumb to his nose and +wiggled his fingers at the gray rats; and then it looked as if they +wanted to throw themselves on him and bite him to death; but as soon as +he blew on his pipe they were in his power. + +When the tiny creature had played all the gray rats out of Glimminge +castle, he began to wander slowly from the courtyard out on the highway; +and all the gray rats followed him, because the tones from that pipe +sounded so sweet to their ears that they could not resist them. + +The tiny creature walked before them and charmed them along with him, +on the road to Vallby. He led them into all sorts of crooks and turns +and bends--on through hedges and down into ditches--and wherever he went +they had to follow. He blew continuously on his pipe, which appeared to +be made from an animal's horn, although the horn was so small that, in +our days, there were no animals from whose foreheads it could have been +broken. No one knew, either, who had made it. Flammea, the steeple-owl, +had found it in a niche, in Lund cathedral. She had shown it to Bataki, +the raven; and they had both figured out that this was the kind of horn +that was used in former times by those who wished to gain power over +rats and mice. But the raven was Akka's friend; and it was from him she +had learned that Flammea owned a treasure like this. And it was true +that the rats could not resist the pipe. The boy walked before them and +played as long as the starlight lasted--and all the while they followed +him. He played at daybreak; he played at sunrise; and the whole time the +entire procession of gray rats followed him, and were enticed farther +and farther away from the big grain loft at Glimminge castle. + + +THE GREAT CRANE DANCE ON KULLABERG + + +_Tuesday, March twenty-ninth_. + +Although there are many magnificent buildings in Skåne, it must be +acknowledged that there's not one among them that has such pretty walls +as old Kullaberg. + +Kullaberg is low and rather long. It is not by any means a big or +imposing mountain. On its broad summit you'll find woods and grain +fields, and one and another heather-heath. Here and there, round +heather-knolls and barren cliffs rise up. It is not especially pretty up +there. It looks a good deal like all the other upland places in Skåne. + +He who walks along the path which runs across the middle of the +mountain, can't help feeling a little disappointed. Then he happens, +perhaps, to turn away from the path, and wanders off toward the +mountain's sides and looks down over the bluffs; and then, all at once, +he will discover so much that is worth seeing, he hardly knows how he'll +find time to take in the whole of it. For it happens that Kullaberg +does not stand on the land, with plains and valleys around it, like +other mountains; but it has plunged into the sea, as far out as it could +get. Not even the tiniest strip of land lies below the mountain to +protect it against the breakers; but these reach all the way up to the +mountain walls, and can polish and mould them to suit themselves. This +is why the walls stand there as richly ornamented as the sea and its +helpmeet, the wind, have been able to effect. You'll find steep ravines +that are deeply chiselled in the mountain's sides; and black crags that +have become smooth and shiny under the constant lashing of the winds. +There are solitary rock-columns that spring right up out of the water, +and dark grottoes with narrow entrances. There are barren, perpendicular +precipices, and soft, leaf-clad inclines. There are small points, and +small inlets, and small rolling stones that are rattlingly washed up and +down with every dashing breaker. There are majestic cliff-arches that +project over the water. There are sharp stones that are constantly +sprayed by a white foam; and others that mirror themselves in +unchangeable dark-green still water. There are giant troll-caverns +shaped in the rock, and great crevices that lure the wanderer to venture +into the mountain's depths--all the way to Kullman's Hollow. + +And over and around all these cliffs and rocks crawl entangled tendrils +and weeds. Trees grow there also, but the wind's power is so great that +trees have to transform themselves into clinging vines, that they may +get a firm hold on the steep precipices. The oaks creep along on the +ground, while their foliage hangs over them like a low ceiling; and +long-limbed beeches stand in the ravines like great leaf-tents. + +These remarkable mountain walls, with the blue sea beneath them, and the +clear penetrating air above them, is what makes Kullaberg so dear to the +people that great crowds of them haunt the place every day as long as +the summer lasts. But it is more difficult to tell what it is that makes +it so attractive to animals, that every year they gather there for a big +play-meeting. This is a custom that has been observed since time +immemorial; and one should have been there when the first sea-wave was +dashed into foam against the shore, to be able to explain just why +Kullaberg was chosen as a rendezvous, in preference to all other places. + +When the meeting is to take place, the stags and roebucks and hares and +foxes and all the other four-footers make the journey to Kullaberg the +night before, so as not to be observed by the human beings. Just before +sunrise they all march up to the playground, which is a heather-heath on +the left side of the road, and not very far from the mountain's most +extreme point. The playground is inclosed on all sides by round knolls, +which conceal it from any and all who do not happen to come right upon +it. And in the month of March it is not at all likely that any +pedestrians will stray off up there. All the strangers who usually +stroll around on the rocks, and clamber up the mountain's sides the fall +storms have driven away these many months past. And the lighthouse +keeper out there on the point; the old fru on the mountain farm, and the +mountain peasant and his house-folk go their accustomed ways, and do not +run about on the desolate heather-fields. + +When the four-footers have arrived on the playground, they take their +places on the round knolls. Each animal family keeps to itself, although +it is understood that, on a day like this, universal peace reigns, and +no one need fear attack. On this day a little hare might wander over to +the foxes' hill, without losing as much as one of his long ears. But +still the animals arrange themselves into separate groups. This is an +old custom. + +After they have all taken their places, they begin to look around for +the birds. It is always beautiful weather on this day. The cranes are +good weather prophets, and would not call the animals together if they +expected rain. Although the air is clear, and nothing obstructs the +vision, the four-footers see no birds. This is strange. The sun stands +high in the heavens, and the birds should already be on their way. + +But what the animals, on the other hand, observe, is one and another +little dark cloud that comes slowly forward over the plain. And look! +one of these clouds comes gradually along the coast of Öresund, and up +toward Kullaberg. When the cloud has come just over the playground it +stops, and, simultaneously, the entire cloud begins to ring and chirp, +as if it was made of nothing but tone. It rises and sinks, rises and +sinks, but all the while it rings and chirps. At last the whole cloud +falls down over a knoll--all at once--and the next instant the knoll is +entirely covered with gray larks, pretty red-white-gray bulfinches, +speckled starlings and greenish-yellow titmice. + +Soon after that, another cloud comes over the plain. This stops over +every bit of land; over peasant cottage and palace; over towns and +cities; over farms and railway stations; over fishing hamlets and sugar +refineries. Every time it stops, it draws to itself a little whirling +column of gray dust-grains from the ground. In this way it grows and +grows. And at last, when it is all gathered up and heads for Kullaberg, +it is no longer a cloud but a whole mist, which is so big that it throws +a shadow on the ground all the way from Höganäs to Mölle. When it stops +over the playground it hides the sun; and for a long while it had to +rain gray sparrows on one of the knolls, before those who had been +flying in the innermost part of the mist could again catch a glimpse of +the daylight. + +But still the biggest of these bird-clouds is the one which now appears. +This has been formed of birds who have travelled from every direction to +join it. It is dark bluish-gray, and no sun-ray can penetrate it. It is +full of the ghastliest noises, the most frightful shrieks, the grimmest +laughter, and most ill-luck-boding croaking! All on the playground are +glad when it finally resolves itself into a storm of fluttering and +croaking: of crows and jackdaws and rooks and ravens. + +Thereupon not only clouds are seen in the heavens, but a variety of +stripes and figures. Then straight, dotted lines appear in the East and +Northeast. These are forest-birds from Göinge districts: black grouse +and wood grouse who come flying in long lines a couple of metres apart. +Swimming-birds that live around Måkläppen, just out of Falsterbo, now +come floating over Öresund in many extraordinary figures: in triangular +and long curves; in sharp hooks and semicircles. + +To the great reunion held the year that Nils Holgersson travelled +around with the wild geese, came Akka and her flock--later than all the +others. And that was not to be wondered at, for Akka had to fly over the +whole of Skåne to get to Kullaberg. Beside, as soon as she awoke, she +had been obliged to go out and hunt for Thumbietot, who, for many hours, +had gone and played to the gray rats, and lured them far away from +Glimminge castle. Mr. Owl had returned with the news that the black rats +would be at home immediately after sunrise; and there was no longer any +danger in letting the steeple-owl's pipe be hushed, and to give the gray +rats the liberty to go where they pleased. + +But it was not Akka who discovered the boy where he walked with his long +following, and quickly sank down over him and caught him with the bill +and swung into the air with him, but it was Herr Ermenrich, the stork! +For Herr Ermenrich had also gone out to look for him; and after he had +borne him up to the stork-nest, he begged his forgiveness for having +treated him with disrespect the evening before. + +This pleased the boy immensely, and the stork and he became good +friends. Akka, too, showed him that she felt very kindly toward him; she +stroked her old head several times against his arms, and commended him +because he had helped those who were in trouble. + +But this one must say to the boy's credit: that he did not want to +accept praise which he had not earned. "No, mother Akka," he said, "you +mustn't think that I lured the gray rats away to help the black ones. I +only wanted to show Herr Ermenrich that I was of some consequence." + +He had hardly said this before Akka turned to the stork and asked if he +thought it was advisable to take Thumbietot along to Kullaberg. "I mean, +that we can rely on him as upon ourselves," said she. The stork at once +advised, most enthusiastically, that Thumbietot be permitted to come +along. "Certainly you shall take Thumbietot along to Kullaberg, mother +Akka," said he. "It is fortunate for us that we can repay him for all +that he has endured this night for our sakes. And since it still grieves +me to think that I did not conduct myself in a becoming manner toward +him the other evening, it is I who will carry him on my back--all the +way to the meeting place." + +There isn't much that tastes better than to receive praise from those +who are themselves wise and capable; and the boy had certainly never +felt so happy as he did when the wild goose and the stork talked about +him in this way. + +Thus the boy made the trip to Kullaberg, riding stork-back. Although he +knew that this was a great honour, it caused him much anxiety, for Herr +Ermenrich was a master flyer, and started off at a very different pace +from the wild geese. While Akka flew her straight way with even +wing-strokes, the stork amused himself by performing a lot of flying +tricks. Now he lay still in an immeasurable height, and floated in the +air without moving his wings, now he flung himself downward with such +sudden haste that it seemed as though he would fall to the ground, +helpless as a stone; now he had lots of fun flying all around Akka, in +great and small circles, like a whirlwind. The boy had never been on a +ride of this sort before; and although he sat there all the while in +terror, he had to acknowledge to himself that he had never before known +what a good flight meant. + +Only a single pause was made during the journey, and that was at Vomb +Lake when Akka joined her travelling companions, and called to them that +the gray rats had been vanquished. After that, the travellers flew +straight to Kullaberg. + +There they descended to the knoll reserved for the wild geese; and as +the boy let his glance wander from knoll to knoll, he saw on one of them +the many-pointed antlers of the stags; and on another, the gray herons' +neck-crests. One knoll was red with foxes, one was gray with rats; one +was covered with black ravens who shrieked continually, one with larks +who simply couldn't keep still, but kept on throwing themselves in the +air and singing for very joy. + +Just as it has ever been the custom on Kullaberg, it was the crows who +began the day's games and frolics with their flying-dance. They divided +themselves into two flocks, that flew toward each other, met, turned, +and began all over again. This dance had many repetitions, and appeared +to the spectators who were not familiar with the dance as altogether too +monotonous. The crows were very proud of their dance, but all the others +were glad when it was over. It appeared to the animals about as gloomy +and meaningless as the winter-storms' play with the snow-flakes. It +depressed them to watch it, and they waited eagerly for something that +should give them a little pleasure. + +They did not have to wait in vain, either; for as soon as the crows had +finished, the hares came running. They dashed forward in a long row, +without any apparent order. In some of the figures, one single hare +came; in others, they ran three and four abreast. They had all raised +themselves on two legs, and they rushed forward with such rapidity that +their long ears swayed in all directions. As they ran, they spun round, +made high leaps and beat their forepaws against their hind-paws so that +they rattled. Some performed a long succession of somersaults, others +doubled themselves up and rolled over like wheels; one stood on one leg +and swung round; one walked upon his forepaws. There was no regulation +whatever, but there was much that was droll in the hares' play; and the +many animals who stood and watched them began to breathe faster. Now it +was spring; joy and rapture were advancing. Winter was over; summer was +coming. Soon it was only play to live. + +When the hares had romped themselves out, it was the great forest birds' +turn to perform. Hundreds of wood-grouse in shining dark-brown array, +and with bright red eyebrows, flung themselves up into a great oak that +stood in the centre of the playground. The one who sat upon the topmost +branch fluffed up his feathers, lowered his wings, and lifted his tail +so that the white covert-feathers were seen. Thereupon he stretched his +neck and sent forth a couple of deep notes from his thick throat. +"Tjack, tjack, tjack," it sounded. More than this he could not utter. It +only gurgled a few times way down in the throat. Then he closed his eyes +and whispered: "Sis, sis, sis. Hear how pretty! Sis, sis, sis." At the +same time he fell into such an ecstasy that he no longer knew what was +going on around him. + +While the first wood grouse was sissing, the three nearest--under +him--began to sing; and before they had finished their song, the ten who +sat lower down joined in; and thus it continued from branch to branch, +until the entire hundred grouse sang and gurgled and sissed. They all +fell into the same ecstasy during their song, and this affected the +other animals like a contagious transport. Lately the blood had flowed +lightly and agreeably; now it began to grow heavy and hot. "Yes, this is +surely spring," thought all the animal folk. "Winter chill has vanished. +The fires of spring burn over the earth." + +When the black grouse saw that the brown grouse were having such +success, they could no longer keep quiet. As there was no tree for them +to light on, they rushed down on the playground, where the heather stood +so high that only their beautifully turned tail-feathers and their +thick bills were visible--and they began to sing: "Orr, orr, orr." + +Just as the black grouse began to compete with the brown grouse, +something unprecedented happened. While all the animals thought of +nothing but the grouse-game, a fox stole slowly over to the wild geese's +knoll. He glided very cautiously, and came way up on the knoll before +anyone noticed him. Suddenly a goose caught sight of him; and as she +could not believe that a fox had sneaked in among the geese for any good +purpose, she began to cry: "Have a care, wild geese! Have a care!" The +fox struck her across the throat--mostly, perhaps, because he wanted to +make her keep quiet--but the wild geese had already heard the cry and +they all raised themselves in the air. And when they had flown up, the +animals saw Smirre Fox standing on the wild geese's knoll, with a dead +goose in his mouth. + +But because he had in this way broken the play-day's peace, such a +punishment was meted out to Smirre Fox that, for the rest of his days, +he must regret he had not been able to control his thirst for revenge, +but had attempted to approach Akka and her flock in this manner. + +He was immediately surrounded by a crowd of foxes, and doomed in +accordance with an old custom, which demands that whosoever disturbs the +peace on the great play-day, must go into exile. Not a fox wished to +lighten the sentence, since they all knew that the instant they +attempted anything of the sort, they would be driven from the +playground, and would nevermore be permitted to enter it. Banishment was +pronounced upon Smirre without opposition. He was forbidden to remain in +Skåne. He was banished from wife and kindred; from hunting grounds, +home, resting places and retreats, which he had hitherto owned; and he +must tempt fortune in foreign lands. So that all foxes in Skåne should +know that Smirre was outlawed in the district, the oldest of the foxes +bit off his right earlap. As soon as this was done, all the young foxes +began to yowl from blood-thirst, and threw themselves on Smirre. For him +there was no alternative except to take flight; and with all the young +foxes in hot pursuit, he rushed away from Kullaberg. + +All this happened while black grouse and brown grouse were going on with +their games. But these birds lose themselves so completely in their +song, that they neither hear nor see. Nor had they permitted themselves +to be disturbed. + +The forest birds' contest was barely over, before the stags from +Häckeberga came forward to show their wrestling game. There were several +pairs of stags who fought at the same time. They rushed at each other +with tremendous force, struck their antlers dashingly together, so that +their points were entangled; and tried to force each other backward. The +heather-heaths were torn up beneath their hoofs; the breath came like +smoke from their nostrils; out of their throats strained hideous +bellowings, and the froth oozed down on their shoulders. + +On the knolls round about there was breathless silence while the skilled +stag-wrestlers clinched. In all the animals new emotions were awakened. +Each and all felt courageous and, strong; enlivened by returning powers; +born again with the spring; sprightly, and ready for all kinds of +adventures. They felt no enmity toward each other, although, everywhere, +wings were lifted, neck-feathers raised and claws sharpened. If the +stags from Häckeberga had continued another instant, a wild struggle +would have arisen on the knolls, for all had been gripped with a burning +desire to show that they too were full of life because the winter's +impotence was over and strength surged through their bodies. + +But the stags stopped wrestling just at the right moment, and instantly +a whisper went from knoll to knoll: "The cranes are coming!" + +And then came the gray, dusk-clad birds with plumes in their wings, and +red feather-ornaments on their necks. The big birds with their tall +legs, their slender throats, their small heads, came gliding down the +knoll with an abandon that was full of mystery. As they glided forward +they swung round--half flying, half dancing. With wings gracefully +lifted, they moved with an inconceivable rapidity. There was something +marvellous and strange about their dance. It was as though gray shadows +had played a game which the eye could scarcely follow. It was as if +they had learned it from the mists that hover over desolate morasses. +There was witchcraft in it. All those who had never before been on +Kullaberg understood why the whole meeting took its name from the +crane's dance. There was wildness in it; but yet the feeling which it +awakened was a delicious longing. No one thought any more about +struggling. Instead, both the winged and those who had no wings, all +wanted to raise themselves eternally, lift themselves above the clouds, +seek that which was hidden beyond them, leave the oppressive body that +dragged them down to earth and soar away toward the infinite. + +Such longing after the unattainable, after the hidden mysteries back of +this life, the animals felt only once a year; and this was on the day +when they beheld the great crane dance. + + +IN RAINY WEATHER + + +_Wednesday, March thirtieth_. + +It was the first rainy day of the trip. As long as the wild geese had +remained in the vicinity of Vomb Lake, they had had beautiful weather; +but on the day when they set out to travel farther north, it began to +rain, and for several hours the boy had to sit on the goose-back, +soaking wet, and shivering with the cold. + +In the morning when they started, it had been clear and mild. The wild +geese had flown high up in the air--evenly, and without haste--with Akka +at the head maintaining strict discipline, and the rest in two oblique +lines back of her. They had not taken the time to shout any witty +sarcasms to the animals on the ground; but, as it was simply impossible +for them to keep perfectly silent, they sang out continually--in rhythm +with the wing-strokes--their usual coaxing call: "Where are you? Here +am I. Where are you? Here am I." + +They all took part in this persistent calling, and only stopped, now and +then, to show the goosey-gander the landmarks they were travelling over. +The places on this route included Linderödsosen's dry hills, Ovesholm's +manor, Christianstad's church steeple, Bäckaskog's royal castle on the +narrow isthmus between Oppmann's lake and Ivö's lake, Ryss mountain's +steep precipice. + +It had been a monotonous trip, and when the rain-clouds made their +appearance the boy thought it was a real diversion. In the old days, +when he had only seen a rain-cloud from below, he had imagined that they +were gray and disagreeable; but it was a very different thing to be up +amongst them. Now he saw distinctly that the clouds were enormous carts, +which drove through the heavens with sky-high loads. Some of them were +piled up with huge, gray sacks, some with barrels; some were so large +that they could hold a whole lake; and a few were filled with big +utensils and bottles which were piled up to an immense height. And when +so many of them had driven forward that they filled the whole sky, it +appeared as though someone had given a signal, for all at once, water +commenced to pour down over the earth, from utensils, barrels, bottles +and sacks. + +Just as the first spring-showers pattered against the ground, there +arose such shouts of joy from all the small birds in groves and +pastures, that the whole air rang with them and the boy leaped high +where he sat. "Now we'll have rain. Rain gives us spring; spring gives +us flowers and green leaves; green leaves and flowers give us worms and +insects; worms and insects give us food; and plentiful and good food is +the best thing there is," sang the birds. + +The wild geese, too, were glad of the rain which came to awaken the +growing things from their long sleep, and to drive holes in the +ice-roofs on the lakes. They were not able to keep up that seriousness +any longer, but began to send merry calls over the neighbourhood. + +When they flew over the big potato patches, which are so plentiful in +the country around Christianstad--and which still lay bare and +black--they screamed: "Wake up and be useful! Here comes something that +will awaken you. You have idled long enough now." + +When they saw people who hurried to get out of the rain, they reproved +them saying: "What are you in such a hurry about? Can't you see that +it's raining rye-loaves and cookies?" + +It was a big, thick mist that moved northward briskly, and followed +close upon the geese. They seemed to think that they dragged the mist +along with them; and, just now, when they saw great orchards beneath +them, they called out proudly: "Here we come with anemones; here we come +with roses; here we come with apple blossoms and cherry buds; here we +come with peas and beans and turnips and cabbages. He who wills can take +them. He who wills can take them." + +Thus it had sounded while the first showers fell, and when all were +still glad of the rain. But when it continued to fall the whole +afternoon, the wild geese grew impatient, and cried to the thirsty +forests around Ivös lake: "Haven't you got enough yet? Haven't you got +enough yet?" + +The heavens were growing grayer and grayer and the sun hid itself so +well that one couldn't imagine where it was. The rain fell faster and +faster, and beat harder and harder against the wings, as it tried to +find its way between the oily outside feathers, into their skins. The +earth was hidden by fogs; lakes, mountains, and woods floated together +in an indistinct maze, and the landmarks could not be distinguished. The +flight became slower and slower; the joyful cries were hushed; and the +boy felt the cold more and more keenly. + +But still he had kept up his courage as long as he had ridden through +the air. And in the afternoon, when they had lighted under a little +stunted pine, in the middle of a large morass, where all was wet, and +all was cold; where some knolls were covered with snow, and others stood +up naked in a puddle of half-melted ice-water, even then, he had not +felt discouraged, but ran about in fine spirits, and hunted for +cranberries and frozen whortleberries. But then came evening, and +darkness sank down on them so close, that not even such eyes as the +boy's could see through it; and all the wilderness became so strangely +grim and awful. The boy lay tucked in under the goosey-gander's wing, +but could not sleep because he was cold and wet. He heard such a lot of +rustling and rattling and stealthy steps and menacing voices, that he +was terror-stricken and didn't know where he should go. He must go +somewhere, where there was light and heat, if he wasn't going to be +entirely scared to death. + +"If I should venture where there are human beings, just for this night?" +thought the boy. "Only so I could sit by a fire for a moment, and get a +little food. I could go back to the wild geese before sunrise." + +He crept from under the wing and slid down to the ground. He didn't +awaken either the goosey-gander or any of the other geese, but stole, +silently and unobserved, through the morass. + +He didn't know exactly where on earth he was: if he was in Skåne, in +Småland, or in Blekinge. But just before he had gotten down in the +morass, he had caught a glimpse of a large village, and thither he +directed his steps. It wasn't long, either, before he discovered a road; +and soon he was on the village street, which was long, and had planted +trees on both sides, and was bordered with garden after garden. + +The boy had come to one of the big cathedral towns, which are so common +on the uplands, but can hardly be seen at all down in the plain. + +The houses were of wood, and very prettily constructed. Most of them had +gables and fronts, edged with carved mouldings, and glass doors, with +here and there a coloured pane, opening on verandas. The walls were +painted in light oil-colours; the doors and window-frames shone in blues +and greens, and even in reds. While the boy walked about and viewed the +houses, he could hear, all the way out to the road, how the people who +sat in the warm cottages chattered and laughed. The words he could not +distinguish, but he thought it was just lovely to hear human voices. "I +wonder what they would say if I knocked and begged to be let in," +thought he. + +This was, of course, what he had intended to do all along, but now that +he saw the lighted windows, his fear of the darkness was gone. Instead, +he felt again that shyness which always came over him now when he was +near human beings. "I'll take a look around the town for a while +longer," thought he, "before I ask anyone to take me in." + +On one house there was a balcony. And just as the boy walked by, the +doors were thrown open, and a yellow light streamed through the fine, +sheer curtains. Then a pretty young fru came out on the balcony and +leaned over the railing. "It's raining; now we shall soon have spring," +said she. When the boy saw her he felt a strange anxiety. It was as +though he wanted to weep. For the first time he was a bit uneasy because +he had shut himself out from the human kind. + +Shortly after that he walked by a shop. Outside the shop stood a red +corn-drill. He stopped and looked at it; and finally crawled up to the +driver's place, and seated himself. When he had got there, he smacked +with his lips and pretended that he sat and drove. He thought what fun +it would be to be permitted to drive such a pretty machine over a +grainfield. For a moment he forgot what he was like now; then he +remembered it, and jumped down quickly from the machine. Then a greater +unrest came over him. After all, human beings were very wonderful and +clever. + +He walked by the post-office, and then he thought of all the newspapers +which came every day, with news from all the four corners of the earth. +He saw the apothecary's shop and the doctor's home, and he thought about +the power of human beings, which was so great that they were able to +battle with sickness and death. He came to the church. Then he thought +how human beings had built it, that they might hear about another world +than the one in which they lived, of God and the resurrection and +eternal life. And the longer he walked there, the better he liked human +beings. + +It is so with children that they never think any farther ahead than the +length of their noses. That which lies nearest them, they want +promptly, without caring what it may cost them. Nils Holgersson had not +understood what he was losing when he chose to remain an elf; but now he +began to be dreadfully afraid that, perhaps, he should never again get +back to his right form. + +How in all the world should he go to work in order to become human? This +he wanted, oh! so much, to know. + +He crawled up on a doorstep, and seated himself in the pouring rain and +meditated. He sat there one whole hour--two whole hours, and he thought +so hard that his forehead lay in furrows; but he was none the wiser. It +seemed as though the thoughts only rolled round and round in his head. +The longer he sat there, the more impossible it seemed to him to find +any solution. + +"This thing is certainly much too difficult for one who has learned as +little as I have," he thought at last. "It will probably wind up by my +having to go back among human beings after all. I must ask the minister +and the doctor and the schoolmaster and others who are learned, and may +know a cure for such things." + +This he concluded that he would do at once, and shook himself--for he +was as wet as a dog that has been in a water-pool. + +Just about then he saw that a big owl came flying along, and alighted on +one of the trees that bordered the village street. The next instant a +lady owl, who sat under the cornice of the house, began to call out: +"Kivitt, Kivitt! Are you at home again, Mr. Gray Owl? What kind of a +time did you have abroad?" + +"Thank you, Lady Brown Owl. I had a very comfortable time," said the +gray owl. "Has anything out of the ordinary happened here at home during +my absence?" + +"Not here in Blekinge, Mr. Gray Owl; but in Skåne a marvellous thing has +happened! A boy has been transformed by an elf into a goblin no bigger +than a squirrel; and since then he has gone to Lapland with a tame +goose." + +"That's a remarkable bit of news, a remarkable bit of news. Can he never +be human again, Lady Brown Owl? Can he never be human again?" + +"That's a secret, Mr. Gray Owl; but you shall hear it just the same. +The elf has said that if the boy watches over the goosey-gander, so that +he comes home safe and sound, and--" + +"What more, Lady Brown Owl? What more? What more?" + +"Fly with me up to the church tower, Mr. Gray Owl, and you shall hear +the whole story! I fear there may be someone listening down here in the +street." With that, the owls flew their way; but the boy flung his cap +in the air, and shouted: "If I only watch over the goosey-gander, so +that he gets back safe and sound, then I shall become a human being +again. Hurrah! Hurrah! Then I shall become a human being again!" + +He shouted "hurrah" until it was strange that they did not hear him in +the houses--but they didn't, and he hurried back to the wild geese, out +in the wet morass, as fast as his legs could carry him. + + +THE STAIRWAY WITH THE THREE STEPS + + +_Thursday, March thirty-first_. + +The following day the wild geese intended to travel northward through +Allbo district, in Småland. They sent Iksi and Kaksi to spy out the +land. But when they returned, they said that all the water was frozen, +and all the land was snow-covered. "We may as well remain where we are," +said the wild geese. "We cannot travel over a country where there is +neither water nor food." "If we remain where we are, we may have to wait +here until the next moon," said Akka. "It is better to go eastward, +through Blekinge, and see if we can't get to Småland by way of Möre, +which lies near the coast, and has an early spring." + +Thus the boy came to ride over Blekinge the next day. Now, that it was +light again, he was in a merry mood once more, and could not comprehend +what had come over him the night before. He certainly didn't want to +give up the journey and the outdoor life now. + +There lay a thick fog over Blekinge. The boy couldn't see how it looked +out there. "I wonder if it is a good, or a poor country that I'm riding +over," thought he, and tried to search his memory for the things which +he had heard about the country at school. But at the same time he knew +well enough that this was useless, as he had never been in the habit of +studying his lessons. + +At once the boy saw the whole school before him. The children sat by the +little desks and raised their hands; the teacher sat in the lectern and +looked displeased; and he himself stood before the map and should answer +some question about Blekinge, but he hadn't a word to say. The +schoolmaster's face grew darker and darker for every second that passed, +and the boy thought the teacher was more particular that they should +know their geography, than anything else. Now he came down from the +lectern, took the pointer from the boy, and sent him back to his seat. +"This won't end well," the boy thought then. + +But the schoolmaster had gone over to a window, and had stood there for +a moment and looked out, and then he had whistled to himself once. Then +he had gone up into the lectern and said that he would tell them +something about Blekinge. And that which he then talked about had been +so amusing that the boy had listened. When he only stopped and thought +for a moment, he remembered every word. + +"Småland is a tall house with spruce trees on the roof," said the +teacher, "and leading up to it is a broad stairway with three big steps; +and this stairway is called Blekinge. It is a stairway that is well +constructed. It stretches forty-two miles along the frontage of Småland +house, and anyone who wishes to go all the way down to the East sea, by +way of the stairs, has twenty-four miles to wander. + +"A good long time must have elapsed since the stairway was +built. Both days and years have gone by since the steps were hewn from +gray stones and laid down--evenly and smoothly--for a convenient track +between Småland and the East sea. + +"Since the stairway is so old, one can, of course, understand that it +doesn't look just the same now, as it did when it was new. I don't know +how much they troubled themselves about such matters at that time; but +big as it was, no broom could have kept it clean. After a couple of +years, moss and lichen began to grow on it. In the autumn dry leaves and +dry grass blew down over it; and in the spring it was piled up with +falling stones and gravel. And as all these things were left there to +mould, they finally gathered so much soil on the steps that not only +herbs and grass, but even bushes and trees could take root there. + +"But, at the same time, a great disparity has arisen between the three +steps. The topmost step, which lies nearest Småland, is mostly covered +with poor soil and small stones, and no trees except birches and +bird-cherry and spruce--which can stand the cold on the heights, and are +satisfied with little--can thrive up there. One understands best how +poor and dry it is there, when one sees how small the field-plots are, +that are ploughed up from the forest lands; and how many little cabins +the people build for themselves; and how far it is between the churches. +But on the middle step there is better soil, and it does not lie bound +down under such severe cold, either. This one can see at a glance, since +the trees are both higher and of finer quality. There you'll find maple +and oak and linden and weeping-birch and hazel trees growing, but no +cone-trees to speak of. And it is still more noticeable because of the +amount of cultivated land that you will find there; and also because the +people have built themselves great and beautiful houses. On the middle +step, there are many churches, with large towns around them; and in +every way it makes a better and finer appearance than the top step. + +"But the very lowest step is the best of all. It is covered with good +rich soil; and, where it lies and bathes in the sea, it hasn't the +slightest feeling of the Småland chill. Beeches and chestnut +and walnut trees thrive down here; and they grow so big that they tower +above the church-roofs. Here lie also the largest grain-fields; but the +people have not only timber and farming to live upon, but they are also +occupied with fishing and trading and seafaring. For this reason you +will find the most costly residences and the prettiest churches here; +and the parishes have developed into villages and cities. + +"But this is not all that is said of the three steps. For one must +realise that when it rains on the roof of the big Småland house, or when +the snow melts up there, the water has to go somewhere; and then, +naturally, a lot of it is spilled over the big stairway. In the +beginning it probably oozed over the whole stairway, big as it was; then +cracks appeared in it, and, gradually, the water has accustomed itself +to flow alongside of it, in well dug-out grooves. And water is water, +whatever one does with it. It never has any rest. In one place it cuts +and files away, and in another it adds to. Those grooves it has dug into +vales, and the walls of the vales it has decked with soil; and bushes +and trees and vines have clung to them ever since--so thick, and in such +profusion, that they almost hide the stream of water that winds its way +down there in the deep. But when the streams come to the landings between +the steps, they throw themselves headlong over them; this is why the +water comes with such a seething rush, that it gathers strength with +which to move mill-wheels and machinery--these, too, have sprung up by +every waterfall. + +"But this does not tell all that is said of the land with the three +steps. It must also be told that up in the big house in Småland there +lived once upon a time a giant, who had grown very old. And it fatigued +him in his extreme age, to be forced to walk down that long stairway in +order to catch salmon from the sea. To him it seemed much more suitable +that the salmon should come up to him, where he lived. + +"Therefore, he went up on the roof of his great house; and there he +stood and threw stones down into the East sea. He threw them with such +force that they flew over the whole of Blekinge and dropped into the +sea. And when the stones came down, the salmon got so scared that they +came up from the sea and fled toward the Blekinge streams; ran through +the rapids; flung themselves with high leaps over the waterfalls, and +stopped. + +"How true this is, one can see by the number of islands and points that +lie along the coast of Blekinge, and which are nothing in the world but +the big stones that the giant threw. + +"One can also tell because the salmon always go up in the Blekinge +streams and work their way up through rapids and still water, all the +way to Småland. + +"That giant is worthy of great thanks and much honour from the Blekinge +people; for salmon in the streams, and stone-cutting on the island--that +means work which gives food to many of them even to this day." + + +BY RONNEBY RIVER + + +_Friday, April first_. + +Neither the wild geese nor Smirre Fox had believed that they should ever +run across each other after they had left Skåne. But now it turned out +so that the wild geese happened to take the route over Blekinge and +thither Smirre Fox had also gone. + +So far he had kept himself in the northern parts of the province; and +since he had not as yet seen any manor parks, or hunting grounds filled +with game and dainty young deer, he was more disgruntled than he could +say. + +One afternoon, when Smirre tramped around in the desolate forest +district of Mellanbygden, not far from Ronneby River, he saw a flock of +wild geese fly through the air. Instantly he observed that one of the +geese was white and then he knew, of course, with whom he had to deal. + +Smirre began immediately to hunt the geese--just as much for the +pleasure of getting a good square meal, as for the desire to be avenged +for all the humiliation that they had heaped upon him. He saw that they +flew eastward until they came to Ronneby River. Then they changed their +course, and followed the river toward the south. He understood that they +intended to seek a sleeping-place along the river-banks, and he thought +that he should be able to get hold of a pair of them without much +trouble. But when Smirre finally discovered the place where the wild +geese had taken refuge, he observed they had chosen such a +well-protected spot, that he couldn't get near. + +Ronneby River isn't any big or important body of water; nevertheless, it +is just as much talked of, for the sake of its pretty shores. At several +points it forces its way forward between steep mountain-walls that stand +upright out of the water, and are entirely overgrown with honeysuckle +and bird-cherry, mountain-ash and osier; and there isn't much that can +be more delightful than to row out on the little dark river on a +pleasant summer day, and look upward on all the soft green that fastens +itself to the rugged mountain-sides. + +But now, when the wild geese and Smirre came to the river, it was cold +and blustery spring-winter; all the trees were nude, and there was +probably no one who thought the least little bit about whether the shore +was ugly or pretty. The wild geese thanked their good fortune that they +had found a sand-strip large enough for them to stand upon, on a steep +mountain wall. In front of them rushed the river, which was strong and +violent in the snow-melting time; behind them they had an impassable +mountain rock wall, and overhanging branches screened them. They +couldn't have it better. + +The geese were asleep instantly; but the boy couldn't get a wink of +sleep. As soon as the sun had disappeared he was seized with a fear of +the darkness, and a wilderness-terror, and he longed for human beings. +Where he lay--tucked in under the goose-wing--he could see nothing, and +only hear a little; and he thought if any harm came to the +goosey-gander, he couldn't save him. + +Noises and rustlings were heard from all directions, and he grew so +uneasy that he had to creep from under the wing and seat himself on the +ground, beside the goose. + +Long-sighted Smirre stood on the mountain's summit and looked down upon +the wild geese. "You may as well give this pursuit up first as last," he +said to himself. "You can't climb such a steep mountain; you can't swim +in such a wild torrent; and there isn't the tiniest strip of land below +the mountain which leads to the sleeping-place. Those geese are too wise +for you. Don't ever bother yourself again to hunt them!" + +But Smirre, like all foxes, had found it hard to give up an undertaking +already begun, and so he lay down on the extremest point of the mountain +edge, and did not take his eyes off the wild geese. While he lay and +watched them, he thought of all the harm they had done him. Yes, it was +their fault that he had been driven from Skåne, and had been obliged to +move to poverty-stricken Blekinge. He worked himself up to such a pitch, +as he lay there, that he wished the wild geese were dead, even if he, +himself, should not have the satisfaction of eating them. + +When Smirre's resentment had reached this height, he heard rasping in a +large pine that grew close to him, and saw a squirrel come down from the +tree, hotly pursued by a marten. Neither of them noticed Smirre; and he +sat quietly and watched the chase, which went from tree to tree. He +looked at the squirrel, who moved among the branches as lightly as +though he'd been able to fly. He looked at the marten, who was not as +skilled at climbing as the squirrel, but who still ran up and along the +branches just as securely as if they had been even paths in the forest. +"If I could only climb half as well as either of them," thought the fox, +"those things down there wouldn't sleep in peace very long!" + +As soon as the squirrel had been captured, and the chase was ended, +Smirre walked over to the marten, but stopped two steps away from him, +to signify that he did not wish to cheat him of his prey. He greeted the +marten in a very friendly manner, and wished him good luck with his +catch. Smirre chose his words well--as foxes always do. The marten, on +the contrary, who, with his long and slender body, his fine head, his +soft skin, and his light brown neck-piece, looked like a little marvel +of beauty--but in reality was nothing but a crude forest dweller--hardly +answered him. "It surprises me," said Smirre, "that such a fine hunter +as you are should be satisfied with chasing squirrels when there is much +better game within reach." Here he paused; but when the marten only +grinned impudently at him, he continued: "Can it be possible that you +haven't seen the wild geese that stand under the mountain wall? or are +you not a good enough climber to get down to them?" + +This time he had no need to wait for an answer. The marten rushed up to +him with back bent, and every separate hair on end. "Have you seen wild +geese?" he hissed. "Where are they? Tell me instantly, or I'll bite your +neck off!" "No! you must remember that I'm twice your size--so be a +little polite. I ask nothing better than to show you the wild geese." + +The next instant the marten was on his way down the steep; and while +Smirre sat and watched how he swung his snake-like body from branch to +branch, he thought: "That pretty tree-hunter has the wickedest heart in +all the forest. I believe that the wild geese will have me to thank for +a bloody awakening." + +But just as Smirre was waiting to hear the geese's death-rattle, he saw +the marten tumble from branch to branch--and plump into the river so the +water splashed high. Soon thereafter, wings beat loudly and strongly and +all the geese went up in a hurried flight. + +Smirre intended to hurry after the geese, but he was so curious to know +how they had been saved, that he sat there until the marten came +clambering up. That poor thing was soaked in mud, and stopped every now +and then to rub his head with his forepaws. "Now wasn't that just what I +thought--that you were a booby, and would go and tumble into the river?" +said Smirre, contemptuously. + +"I haven't acted boobyishly. You don't need to scold me," said the +marten. "I sat--all ready--on one of the lowest branches and thought how +I should manage to tear a whole lot of geese to pieces, when a little +creature, no bigger than a squirrel, jumped up and threw a stone at my +head with such force, that I fell into the water; and before I had time +to pick myself up--" + +The marten didn't have to say any more. He had no audience. Smirre was +already a long way off in pursuit of the wild geese. + +In the meantime Akka had flown southward in search of a new +sleeping-place. There was still a little daylight; and, beside, the +half-moon stood high in the heavens, so that she could see a little. +Luckily, she was well acquainted in these parts, because it had +happened more than once that she had been wind-driven to Blekinge when +she travelled over the East sea in the spring. + +She followed the river as long as she saw it winding through the +moon-lit landscape like a black, shining snake. In this way she came way +down to Djupafors--where the river first hides itself in an underground +channel--and then clear and transparent, as though it were made of +glass, rushes down in a narrow cleft, and breaks into bits against its +bottom in glittering drops and flying foam. Below the white falls lay a +few stones, between which the water rushed away in a wild torrent +cataract. Here mother Akka alighted. This was another good +sleeping-place--especially this late in the evening, when no human +beings moved about. At sunset the geese would hardly have been able to +camp there, for Djupafors does not lie in any wilderness. On one side of +the falls is a paper factory; on the other--which is steep, and +tree-grown--is Djupadal's park, where people are always strolling about +on the steep and slippery paths to enjoy the wild stream's rushing +movement down in the ravine. + +It was about the same here as at the former place; none of the +travellers thought the least little bit that they had come to a pretty +and well-known place. They thought rather that it was ghastly and +dangerous to stand and sleep on slippery, wet stones, in the middle of a +rumbling waterfall. But they had to be content, if only they were +protected from carnivorous animals. + +The geese fell asleep instantly, while the boy could find no rest in +sleep, but sat beside them that he might watch over the goosey-gander. + +After a while, Smirre came running along the river-shore. He spied the +geese immediately where they stood out in the foaming whirlpools, and +understood that he couldn't get at them here, either. Still he couldn't +make up his mind to abandon them, but seated himself on the shore and +looked at them. He felt very much humbled, and thought that his entire +reputation as a hunter was at stake. + +All of a sudden, he saw an otter come creeping up from the falls with a +fish in his mouth. Smirre approached him but stopped within two steps of +him, to show him that he didn't wish to take his game from him. + +"You're a remarkable one, who can content yourself with catching a fish, +while the stones are covered with geese!" said Smirre. He was so eager, +that he hadn't taken the time to arrange his words as carefully as he +was wont to do. The otter didn't turn his head once in the direction of +the river. He was a vagabond--like all otters--and had fished many times +by Vomb Lake, and probably knew Smirre Fox. "I know very well how you +act when you want to coax away a salmon-trout, Smirre," said he. + +"Oh! is it you, Gripe?" said Smirre, and was delighted; for he knew that +this particular otter was a quick and accomplished swimmer. "I don't +wonder that you do not care to look at the wild geese, since you can't +manage to get out to them." But the otter, who had swimming-webs between +his toes, and a stiff tail--which was as good as an oar--and a skin that +was water-proof, didn't wish to have it said of him that there was a +waterfall that he wasn't able to manage. He turned toward the stream; +and as soon as he caught sight of the wild geese, he threw the fish +away, and rushed down the steep shore and into the river. + +If it had been a little later in the spring, so that the nightingales in +Djupafors had been at home, they would have sung for many a day of +Gripe's struggle with the rapid. For the otter was thrust back by the +waves many times, and carried down river; but he fought his way steadily +up again. He swam forward in still water; he crawled over stones, and +gradually came nearer the wild geese. It was a perilous trip, which +might well have earned the right to be sung by the nightingales. + +Smirre followed the otter's course with his eyes as well as he could. At +last he saw that the otter was in the act of climbing up to the wild +geese. But just then it shrieked shrill and wild. The otter tumbled +backward into the water, and dashed away as if he had been a blind +kitten. An instant later, there was a great crackling of geese's wings. +They raised themselves and flew away to find another sleeping-place. + +The otter soon came on land. He said nothing, but commenced to lick one +of his forepaws. When Smirre sneered at him because he hadn't succeeded, +he broke out: "It was not the fault of my swimming-art, Smirre. I had +raced all the way over to the geese, and was about to climb up to them, +when a tiny creature came running, and jabbed me in the foot with some +sharp iron. It hurt so, I lost my footing, and then the current took +me." + +He didn't have to say any more. Smirre was already far away on his way +to the wild geese. + +Once again Akka and her flock had to take a night fly. Fortunately, the +moon had not gone down; and with the aid of its light, she succeeded in +finding another of those sleeping-places which she knew in that +neighbourhood. Again she followed the shining river toward the south. +Over Djupadal's manor, and over Ronneby's dark roofs and white +waterfalls she swayed forward without alighting. But a little south of +the city and not far from the sea, lies Ronneby health-spring, with its +bath house and spring house; with its big hotel and summer cottages for +the spring's guests. All these stand empty and desolate in winter--which +the birds know perfectly well; and many are the bird-companies who seek +shelter on the deserted buildings' balustrades and balconies during hard +storm-times. + +Here the wild geese lit on a balcony, and, as usual, they fell asleep at +once. The boy, on the contrary, could not sleep because he hadn't cared +to creep in under the goosey-gander's wing. + +The balcony faced south, so the boy had an outlook over the sea. And +since he could not sleep, he sat there and saw how pretty it looked when +sea and land meet, here in Blekinge. + +You see that sea and land can meet in many different ways. In many +places the land comes down toward the sea with flat, tufted meadows, and +the sea meets the land with flying sand, which piles up in mounds and +drifts. It appears as though they both disliked each other so much that +they only wished to show the poorest they possessed. But it can also +happen that, when the land comes toward the sea, it raises a wall of +hills in front of it--as though the sea were something dangerous. When +the land does this, the sea comes up to it with fiery wrath, and beats +and roars and lashes against the rocks, and looks as if it would tear +the land-hill to pieces. + +But in Blekinge it is altogether different when sea and land meet. There +the land breaks itself up into points and islands and islets; and the +sea divides itself into fiords and bays and sounds; and it is, perhaps, +this which makes it look as if they must meet in happiness and harmony. + +Think now first and foremost of the sea! Far out it lies desolate and +empty and big, and has nothing else to do but to roll its gray billows. +When it comes toward the land, it happens across the first obstacle. +This it immediately overpowers; tears away everything green, and makes +it as gray as itself. Then it meets still another obstacle. With this it +does the same thing. And still another. Yes, the same thing happens to +this also. It is stripped and plundered, as if it had fallen into +robbers' hands. Then the obstacles come nearer and nearer together, and +then the sea must understand that the land sends toward it her littlest +children, in order to move it to pity. It also becomes more friendly the +farther in it comes; rolls its waves less high; moderates its storms; +lets the green things stay in cracks and crevices; separates itself into +small sounds and inlets, and becomes at last so harmless in the land, +that little boats dare venture out on it. It certainly cannot recognise +itself--so mild and friendly has it grown. + +And then think of the hillside! It lies uniform, and looks the same +almost everywhere. It consists of flat grain-fields, with one and +another birch-grove between them; or else of long stretches of forest +ranges. It appears as if it had thought about nothing but grain and +turnips and potatoes and spruce and pine. Then comes a sea-fiord that +cuts far into it. It doesn't mind that, but borders it with birch and +alder, just as if it was an ordinary fresh-water lake. Then still +another wave comes driving in. Nor does the hillside bother itself about +cringing to this, but it, too, gets the same covering as the first one. +Then the fiords begin to broaden and separate, they break up fields and +woods and then the hillside cannot help but notice them. "I believe it +is the sea itself that is coming," says the hillside, and then it begins +to adorn itself. It wreathes itself with blossoms, travels up and down +in hills and throws islands into the sea. It no longer cares about pines +and spruces, but casts them off like old every day clothes, and parades +later with big oaks and lindens and chestnuts, and with blossoming leafy +bowers, and becomes as gorgeous as a manor-park. And when it meets the +sea, it is so changed that it doesn't know itself. All this one cannot +see very well until summertime; but, at any rate, the boy observed how +mild and friendly nature was; and he began to feel calmer than he had +been before, that night. Then, suddenly, he heard a sharp and ugly yowl +from the bath-house park; and when he stood up he saw, in the white +moonlight, a fox standing on the pavement under the balcony. For Smirre +had followed the wild geese once more. But when he had found the place +where they were quartered, he had understood that it was impossible to +get at them in any way; then he had not been able to keep from yowling +with chagrin. + +When the fox yowled in this manner, old Akka, the leader-goose, was +awakened. Although she could see nothing, she thought she recognised the +voice. "Is it you who are out to-night, Smirre?" said she. "Yes," said +Smirre, "it is I; and I want to ask what you geese think of the night +that I have given you?" + +"Do you mean to say that it is you who have sent the marten and otter +against us?" asked Akka. "A good turn shouldn't be denied," said Smirre. +"You once played the goose-game with me, now I have begun to play the +fox-game with you; and I'm not inclined to let up on it so long as a +single one of you still lives even if I have to follow you the world +over!" + +"You, Smirre, ought at least to think whether it is right for you, who +are weaponed with both teeth and claws, to hound us in this way; we, who +are without defence," said Akka. + +Smirre thought that Akka sounded scared, and he said quickly: "If you, +Akka, will take that Thumbietot--who has so often opposed me--and throw +him down to me, I'll promise to make peace with you. Then I'll never +more pursue you or any of yours." "I'm not going to give you +Thumbietot," said Akka. "From the youngest of us to the oldest, we would +willingly give our lives for his sake!" "Since you're so fond of him," +said Smirre, "I'll promise you that he shall be the first among you that +I will wreak vengeance upon." + +Akka said no more, and after Smirre had sent up a few more yowls, all +was still. The boy lay all the while awake. Now it was Akka's words to +the fox that prevented him from sleeping. Never had he dreamed that he +should hear anything so great as that anyone was willing to risk life +for his sake. From that moment, it could no longer be said of Nils +Holgersson that he did not care for anyone. + + +KARLSKRONA + + +_Saturday, April second_. + +It was a moonlight evening in Karlskrona--calm and beautiful. But +earlier in the day, there had been rain and wind; and the people must +have thought that the bad weather still continued, for hardly one of +them had ventured out on the streets. + +While the city lay there so desolate, Akka, the wild goose, and her +flock, came flying toward it over Vemmön and Pantarholmen. They were out +in the late evening to seek a sleeping place on the islands. They +couldn't remain inland because they were disturbed by Smirre Fox +wherever they lighted. + +When the boy rode along high up in the air, and looked at the sea and +the islands which spread themselves before him, he thought that +everything appeared so strange and spook-like. The heavens were no +longer blue, but encased him like a globe of green glass. The sea was +milk-white, and as far as he could see rolled small white waves tipped +with silver ripples. In the midst of all this white lay numerous little +islets, absolutely coal black. Whether they were big or little, whether +they were as even as meadows, or full of cliffs, they looked just as +black. Even dwelling houses and churches and windmills, which at other +times are white or red, were outlined in black against the green sky. +The boy thought it was as if the earth had been transformed, and he was +come to another world. + +He thought that just for this one night he wanted to be brave, and not +afraid--when he saw something that really frightened him. It was a high +cliff island, which was covered with big, angular blocks; and between +the blocks shone specks of bright, shining gold. He couldn't keep from +thinking of Maglestone, by Trolle-Ljungby, which the trolls sometimes +raised upon high gold pillars; and he wondered if this was something +like that. + +But with the stones and the gold it might have gone fairly well, if such +a lot of horrid things had not been lying all around the island. It +looked like whales and sharks and other big sea-monsters. But the boy +understood that it was the sea-trolls, who had gathered around the +island and intended to crawl up on it, to fight with the land-trolls who +lived there. And those on the land were probably afraid, for he saw how +a big giant stood on the highest point of the island and raised his +arms--as if in despair over all the misfortune that should come to him +and his island. + +The boy was not a little terrified when he noticed that Akka began to +descend right over that particular island! "No, for pity's sake! We +must not light there," said he. + +But the geese continued to descend, and soon the boy was astonished that +he could have seen things so awry. In the first place, the big stone +blocks were nothing but houses. The whole island was a city; and the +shining gold specks were street lamps and lighted window-panes. The +giant, who stood highest up on the island, and raised his arms, was a +church with two cross-towers; all the sea-trolls and monsters, which he +thought he had seen, were boats and ships of every description, that lay +anchored all around the island. On the side which lay toward the land +were mostly row-boats and sailboats and small coast steamers; but on the +side that faced the sea lay armour-clad battleships; some were broad, +with very thick, slanting smokestacks; others were long and narrow, and +so constructed that they could glide through the water like fishes. + +Now what city might this be? That, the boy could figure out because he +saw all the battleships. All his life he had loved ships, although he +had had nothing to do with any, except the galleys which he had sailed +in the road ditches. He knew very well that this city--where so many +battleships lay--couldn't be any place but Karlskrona. + +The boy's grandfather had been an old marine; and as long as he had +lived, he had talked of Karlskrona every day; of the great warship dock, +and of all the other things to be seen in that city. The boy felt +perfectly at home, and he was glad that he should see all this of which +he had heard so much. + +But he only had a glimpse of the towers and fortifications which barred +the entrance to the harbour, and the many buildings, and the +shipyard--before Akka came down on one of the flat church-towers. + +This was a pretty safe place for those who wanted to get away from a +fox, and the boy began to wonder if he couldn't venture to crawl in +under the goosey-gander's wing for this one night. Yes, that he might +safely do. It would do him good to get a little sleep. He should try to +see a little more of the dock and the ships after it had grown light. + +The boy himself thought it was strange that he could keep still and wait +until the next morning to see the ships. He certainly had not slept five +minutes before he slipped out from under the wing and slid down the +lightning-rod and the waterspout all the way down to the ground. + +Soon he stood on a big square which spread itself in front of the +church. It was covered with round stones, and was just as difficult for +him to travel over, as it is for big people to walk on a tufted meadow. +Those who are accustomed to live in the open--or way out in the +country--always feel uneasy when they come into a city, where the houses +stand straight and forbidding, and the streets are open, so that +everyone can see who goes there. And it happened in the same way with +the boy. When he stood on the big Karlskrona square, and looked at the +German church, and town hall, and the cathedral from which he had just +descended, he couldn't do anything but wish that he was back on the +tower again with the geese. + +It was a lucky thing that the square was entirely deserted. There wasn't +a human being about--unless he counted a statue that stood on a high +pedestal. The boy gazed long at the statue, which represented a big, +brawny man in a three-cornered hat, long waistcoat, knee-breeches and +coarse shoes, and wondered what kind of a one he was. He held a long +stick in his hand, and he looked as if he would know how to make use of +it, too--for he had an awfully severe countenance, with a big, hooked +nose and an ugly mouth. + +"What is that long-lipped thing doing here?" said the boy at last. He +had never felt so small and insignificant as he did that night. He tried +to jolly himself up a bit by saying something audacious. Then he thought +no more about the statue, but betook himself to a wide street which led +down to the sea. + +But the boy hadn't gone far before he heard that someone was following +him. Someone was walking behind him, who stamped on the stone pavement +with heavy footsteps, and pounded on the ground with a hard stick. It +sounded as if the bronze man up in the square had gone out for a +promenade. + +The boy listened after the steps, while he ran down the street, and he +became more and more convinced that it was the bronze man. The ground +trembled, and the houses shook. It couldn't be anyone but he, who walked +so heavily, and the boy grew panic-stricken when he thought of what he +had just said to him. He did not dare to turn his head to find out if it +really was he. + +"Perhaps he is only out walking for recreation," thought the boy. +"Surely he can't be offended with me for the words I spoke. They were +not at all badly meant." + +Instead of going straight on, and trying to get down to the dock, the +boy turned into a side street which led east. First and foremost, he +wanted to get away from the one who tramped after him. + +But the next instant he heard that the bronze man had switched off to +the same street; and then the boy was so scared that he didn't know what +he would do with himself. And how hard it was to find any hiding places +in a city where all the gates were closed! Then he saw on his right an +old frame church, which lay a short distance away from the street in the +centre of a large grove. Not an instant did he pause to consider, but +rushed on toward the church. "If I can only get there, then I'll surely +be shielded from all harm," thought he. + +As he ran forward, he suddenly caught sight of a man who stood on a +gravel path and beckoned to him. "There is certainly someone who will +help me!" thought the boy; he became intensely happy, and hurried off in +that direction. He was actually so frightened that the heart of him +fairly thumped in his breast. + +But when he came up to the man who stood on the edge of the gravel path, +upon a low pedestal, he was absolutely thunderstruck. "Surely, it can't +have been that one who beckoned to me!" thought he; for he saw that the +entire man was made of wood. + +He stood there and stared at him. He was a thick-set man on short legs, +with a broad, ruddy countenance, shiny, black hair and full black beard. +On his head he wore a wooden hat; on his body, a brown wooden coat; +around his waist, a black wooden belt; on his legs he had wide wooden +knee-breeches and wooden stockings; and on his feet black wooden shoes. +He was newly painted and newly varnished, so that he glistened and shone +in the moonlight. This undoubtedly had a good deal to do with giving him +such a good-natured appearance, that the boy at once placed confidence +in him. + +In his left hand he held a wooden slate, and there the boy read: + +_Most humbly I beg you, + Though voice I may lack: +Come drop a penny, do; + But lift my hat!_ + +Oh ho! the man was only a poor-box. The boy felt that he had been done. +He had expected that this should be something really remarkable. And now +he remembered that grandpa had also spoken of the wooden man, and said +that all the children in Karlskrona were so fond of him. And that must +have been true, for he, too, found it hard to part with the wooden man. +He had something so old-timy about him, that one could well take him to +be many hundred years old; and at the same time, he looked so strong and +bold, and animated--just as one might imagine that folks looked in olden +times. + +The boy had so much fun looking at the wooden man, that he entirely +forgot the one from whom he was fleeing. But now he heard him. He turned +from the street and came into the churchyard. He followed him here too! +Where should the boy go? + +Just then he saw the wooden man bend down to him and stretch forth his +big, broad hand. It was impossible to believe anything but good of him; +and with one jump, the boy stood in his hand. The wooden man lifted him +to his hat--and stuck him under it. + +The boy was just hidden, and the wooden man had just gotten his arm in +its right place again, when the bronze man stopped in front of him and +banged the stick on the ground, so that the wooden man shook on his +pedestal. Thereupon the bronze man said in a strong and resonant voice: +"Who might this one be?" + +The wooden man's arm went up, so that it creaked in the old woodwork, +and he touched his hat brim as he replied: "Rosenbom, by Your Majesty's +leave. Once upon a time boatswain on the man-of-war, _Dristigheten_; +after completed service, sexton at the Admiral's church--and, lately, +carved in wood and exhibited in the churchyard as a poor-box." + +The boy gave a start when he heard that the wooden man said "Your +Majesty." For now, when he thought about it, he knew that the statue on +the square represented the one who had founded the city. It was probably +no less an one than Charles the Eleventh himself, whom he had +encountered. + +"He gives a good account of himself," said the bronze man. "Can he also +tell me if he has seen a little brat who runs around in the city +to-night? He's an impudent rascal, if I get hold of him, I'll teach him +manners!" With that, he again pounded on the ground with his stick, and +looked fearfully angry. + +"By Your Majesty's leave, I have seen him," said the wooden man; and the +boy was so scared that he commenced to shake where he sat under the hat +and looked at the bronze man through a crack in the wood. But he calmed +down when the wooden man continued: "Your Majesty is on the wrong track. +That youngster certainly intended to run into the shipyard, and conceal +himself there." + +"Does he say so, Rosenbom? Well then, don't stand still on the pedestal +any longer but come with me and help me find him. Four eyes are better +than two, Rosenbom." + +But the wooden man answered in a doleful voice: "I would most humbly beg +to be permitted to stay where I am. I look well and sleek because of the +paint, but I'm old and mouldy, and cannot stand moving about." + +The bronze man was not one of those who liked to be contradicted. "What +sort of notions are these? Come along, Rosenbom!" Then he raised his +stick and gave the other one a resounding whack on the shoulder. "Does +Rosenbom not see that he holds together?" + +With that they broke off and walked forward on the streets of +Karlskrona--large and mighty--until they came to a high gate, which led +to the shipyard. Just outside and on guard walked one of the navy's +jack-tars, but the bronze man strutted past him and kicked the gate open +without the jack-tar's pretending to notice it. + +As soon as they had gotten into the shipyard, they saw before them a +wide, expansive harbor separated by pile-bridges. In the different +harbour basins, lay the warships, which looked bigger, and more +awe-inspiring close to, like this, than lately, when the boy had seen +them from up above. "Then it wasn't so crazy after all, to imagine that +they were sea-trolls," thought he. + +"Where does Rosenbom think it most advisable for us to begin the +search?" said the bronze man. + +"Such an one as he could most easily conceal himself in the hall of +models," replied the wooden man. + +On a narrow land-strip which stretched to the right from the gate, all +along the harbour, lay ancient structures. The bronze man walked over to +a building with low walls, small windows, and a conspicuous roof. He +pounded on the door with his stick until it burst open; and tramped up a +pair of worn-out steps. Soon they came into a large hall, which was +filled with tackled and full-rigged little ships. The boy understood +without being told, that these were models for the ships which had been +built for the Swedish navy. + +There were ships of many different varieties. There were old men-of-war, +whose sides bristled with cannon, and which had high structures fore and +aft, and their masts weighed down with a network of sails and ropes. +There were small island-boats with rowing-benches along the sides; there +were undecked cannon sloops and richly gilded frigates, which were +models of the ones the kings had used on their travels. Finally, there +were also the heavy, broad armour-plated ships with towers and cannon +on deck--such as are in use nowadays; and narrow, shining torpedo boats +which resembled long, slender fishes. + +When the boy was carried around among all this, he was awed. "Fancy that +such big, splendid ships have been built here in Sweden!" he thought to +himself. + +He had plenty of time to see all that was to be seen in there; for when +the bronze man saw the models, he forgot everything else. He examined +them all, from the first to the last, and asked about them. And +Rosenbom, the boatswain on the _Dristigheten_, told as much as he knew +of the ships' builders, and of those who had manned them; and of the +fates they had met. He told them about Chapman and Puke and Trolle; of +Hoagland and Svensksund--all the way along until 1809--after that he had +not been there. + +Both he and the bronze man had the most to say about the fine old wooden +ships. The new battleships they didn't exactly appear to understand. + +"I can hear that Rosenbom doesn't know anything about these new-fangled +things," said the bronze man. "Therefore, let us go and look at +something else; for this amuses me, Rosenbom." + +By this time he had entirely given up his search for the boy, who felt +calm and secure where he sat in the wooden hat. + +Thereupon both men wandered through the big establishment: sail-making +shops, anchor smithy, machine and carpenter shops. They saw the mast +sheers and the docks; the large magazines, the arsenal, the rope-bridge +and the big discarded dock, which had been blasted in the rock. They +went out upon the pile-bridges, where the naval vessels lay moored, +stepped on board and examined them like two old sea-dogs; wondered; +disapproved; approved; and became indignant. + +The boy sat in safety under the wooden hat, and heard all about how they +had laboured and struggled in this place, to equip the navies which had +gone out from here. He heard how life and blood had been risked; how the +last penny had been sacrificed to build the warships; how skilled men +had strained all their powers, in order to perfect these ships which +had been their fatherland's safeguard. A couple of times the tears came +to the boy's eyes, as he heard all this. + +And the very last, they went into an open court, where the galley models +of old men-of-war were grouped; and a more remarkable sight the boy had +never beheld; for these models had inconceivably powerful and +terror-striking faces. They were big, fearless and savage: filled with +the same proud spirit that had fitted out the great ships. They were +from another time than his. He thought that he shrivelled up before +them. + +But when they came in here, the bronze man said to the wooden man: +"Take off thy hat, Rosenbom, for those that stand here! They have all +fought for the fatherland." + +And Rosenbom--like the bronze man--had forgotten why they had begun this +tramp. Without thinking, he lifted the wooden hat from his head and +shouted: + +"I take off my hat to the one who chose the harbour and founded the +shipyard and recreated the navy; to the monarch who has awakened all +this into life!" + +"Thanks, Rosenbom! That was well spoken. Rosenbom is a fine man. But +what is this, Rosenbom?" + +For there stood Nils Holgersson, right on the top of Rosenbom's bald +pate. He wasn't afraid any longer; but raised his white toboggan hood, +and shouted: "Hurrah for you, Longlip!" + +The bronze man struck the ground hard with his stick; but the boy never +learned what he had intended to do for now the sun ran up, and, at the +same time, both the bronze man and the wooden man vanished--as if they +had been made of mists. While he still stood and stared after them, the +wild geese flew up from the church tower, and swayed back and forth over +the city. Instantly they caught sight of Nils Holgersson; and then the +big white one darted down from the sky and fetched him. + + +THE TRIP TO ÖLAND + + +_Sunday, April third_. + +The wild geese went out on a wooded island to feed. There they happened +to run across a few gray geese, who were surprised to see them--since +they knew very well that their kinsmen, the wild geese, usually travel +over the interior of the country. + +They were curious and inquisitive, and wouldn't be satisfied with less +than that the wild geese should tell them all about the persecution +which they had to endure from Smirre Fox. When they had finished, a +gray goose, who appeared to be as old and as wise as Akka herself, said: +"It was a great misfortune for you that Smirre Fox was declared an +outlaw in his own land. He'll be sure to keep his word, and follow you +all the way up to Lapland. If I were in your place, I shouldn't travel +north over Småland, but would take the outside route over Öland instead, +so that he'll be thrown off the track entirely. To really mislead him, +you must remain for a couple of days on Öland's southern point. There +you'll find lots of food and lots of company. I don't believe you'll +regret it, if you go over there." + +It was certainly very sensible advice, and the wild geese concluded to +follow it. As soon as they had eaten all they could hold, they started +on the trip to Öland. None of them had ever been there before, but the +gray goose had given them excellent directions. They only had to travel +direct south until they came to a large bird-track, which extended all +along the Blekinge coast. All the birds who had winter residences by the +West sea, and who now intended to travel to Finland and Russia, flew +forward there--and, in passing, they were always in the habit of +stopping at Öland to rest. The wild geese would have no trouble in +finding guides. + +That day it was perfectly still and warm--like a summer's day--the best +weather in the world for a sea trip. The only grave thing about it was +that it was not quite clear, for the sky was gray and veiled. Here and +there were enormous mist-clouds which hung way down to the sea's outer +edge, and obstructed the view. + +When the travellers had gotten away from the wooded island, the sea +spread itself so smooth and mirror-like, that the boy as he looked down +thought the water had disappeared. There was no longer any earth under +him. He had nothing but mist and sky around him. He grew very dizzy, and +held himself tight on the goose-back, more frightened than when he sat +there for the first time. It seemed as though he couldn't possibly hold +on; he must fall in some direction. + +It was even worse when they reached the big bird-track, of which the +gray goose had spoken. Actually, there came flock after flock flying in +exactly the same direction. They seemed to follow a fixed route. There +were ducks and gray geese, surf-scoters and guillemots, loons and +pin-tail ducks and mergansers and grebes and oyster-catchers and +sea-grouse. But now, when the boy leaned forward, and looked in the +direction where the sea ought to lie, he saw the whole bird procession +reflected in the water. But he was so dizzy that he didn't understand +how this had come about: he thought that the whole bird procession flew +with their bellies upside down. Still he didn't wonder at this so much, +for he did not himself know which was up, and which was down. + +The birds were tired out and impatient to get on. None of them shrieked +or said a funny thing, and this made everything seem peculiarly unreal. + +"Think, if we have travelled away from the earth!" he said to himself. +"Think, if we are on our way up to heaven!" + +He saw nothing but mists and birds around him, and began to look upon it +as reasonable that they were travelling heaven-ward. He was glad, and +wondered what he should see up there. The dizziness passed all at once. +He was so exceedingly happy at the thought that he was on his way to +heaven and was leaving this earth. + +Just about then he heard a couple of loud shots, and saw two white +smoke-columns ascend. + +There was a sudden awakening, and an unrest among the birds. "Hunters! +Hunters!" they cried. "Fly high! Fly away!" + +Then the boy saw, finally, that they were travelling all the while over +the sea-coast, and that they certainly were not in heaven. In a long row +lay small boats filled with hunters, who fired shot upon shot. The +nearest bird-flocks hadn't noticed them in time. They had flown too low. +Several dark bodies sank down toward the sea; and for every one that +fell, there arose cries of anguish from the living. + +It was strange for one who had but lately believed himself in heaven, to +wake up suddenly to such fear and lamentation. Akka shot toward the +heights as fast as she could, and the flock followed with the greatest +possible speed. The wild geese got safely out of the way, but the boy +couldn't get over his amazement. "To think that anyone could wish to +shoot upon such as Akka and Yksi and Kaksi and the goosey-gander and the +others! Human beings had no conception of what they did." + +So it bore on again, in the still air, and everything was as quiet as +heretofore--with the exception that some of the tired birds called out +every now and then: "Are we not there soon? Are you sure we're on the +right track?" Hereupon, those who flew in the centre answered: "We are +flying straight to Öland; straight to Öland." + +The gray geese were tired out, and the loons flew around them. "Don't be +in such a rush!" cried the ducks. "You'll eat up all the food before we +get there." "Oh! there'll be enough for both you and us," answered the +loons. + +Before they had gotten so far that they saw Öland, there came a light +wind against them. It brought with it something that resembled immense +clouds of white smoke--just as if there was a big fire somewhere. + +When the birds saw the first white spiral haze, they became uneasy and +increased their speed. But that which resembled smoke blew thicker and +thicker, and at last it enveloped them altogether. They smelled no +smoke; and the smoke was not dark and dry, but white and damp. Suddenly +the boy understood that it was nothing but a mist. + +When the mist became so thick that one couldn't see a goose-length +ahead, the birds began to carry on like real lunatics. All these, who +before had travelled forward in such perfect order, began to play in the +mist. They flew hither and thither, to entice one another astray. "Be +careful!" they cried. "You're only travelling round and round. Turn +back, for pity's sake! You'll never get to Öland in this way." + +They all knew perfectly well where the island was, but they did their +best to lead each other astray. "Look at those wagtails!" rang out in +the mist. "They are going back toward the North Sea!" "Have a care, wild +geese!" shrieked someone from another direction. "If you continue like +this, you'll get clear up to Rügen." + +There was, of course, no danger that the birds who were accustomed to +travel here would permit themselves to be lured in a wrong direction. +But the ones who had a hard time of it were the wild geese. The jesters +observed that they were uncertain as to the way, and did all they could +to confuse them. + +"Where do you intend to go, good people?" called a swan. He came right +up to Akka, and looked sympathetic and serious. + +"We shall travel to Öland; but we have never been there before," said +Akka. She thought that this was a bird to be trusted. + +"It's too bad," said the swan. "They have lured you in the wrong +direction. You're on the road to Blekinge. Now come with me, and I'll +put you right!" + +And so he flew off with them; and when he had taken them so far away +from the track that they heard no calls, he disappeared in the mist. + +They flew around for a while at random. They had barely succeeded in +finding the birds again, when a duck approached them. "It's best that +you lie down on the water until the mist clears," said the duck. "It is +evident that you are not accustomed to look out for yourselves on +journeys." + +Those rogues succeeded in making Akka's head swim. As near as the boy +could make out, the wild geese flew round and round for a long time. + +"Be careful! Can't you see that you are flying up and down?" shouted a +loon as he rushed by. The boy positively clutched the goosey-gander +around the neck. This was something which he had feared for a long time. + +No one can tell when they would have arrived, if they hadn't heard a +rolling and muffled sound in the distance. + +Then Akka craned her neck, snapped hard with her wings, and rushed on at +full speed. Now she had something to go by. The gray goose had told her +not to light on Öland's southern point, because there was a cannon +there, which the people used to shoot the mist with. Now she knew the +way, and now no one in the world should lead her astray again. + + +ÖLAND'S SOUTHERN POINT + + +_April third to sixth_. + +On the most southerly part of Öland lies a royal demesne, which is +called Ottenby. It is a rather large estate which extends from shore to +shore, straight across the island; and it is remarkable because it has +always been a haunt for large bird-companies. In the seventeenth +century, when the kings used to go over to Öland to hunt, the entire +estate was nothing but a deer park. In the eighteenth century there was +a stud there, where blooded race-horses were bred; and a sheep farm, +where several hundred sheep were maintained. In our days you'll find +neither blooded horses nor sheep at Ottenby. In place of them live +great herds of young horses, which are to be used by the cavalry. + +In all the land there is certainly no place that could be a better abode +for animals. Along the extreme eastern shore lies the old sheep meadow, +which is a mile and a half long, and the largest meadow in all Öland, +where animals can graze and play and run about, as free as if they were +in a wilderness. And there you will find the celebrated Ottenby grove +with the hundred-year-old oaks, which give shade from the sun, and +shelter from the severe Öland winds. And we must not forget the long +Ottenby wall, which stretches from shore to shore, and separates Ottenby +from the rest of the island, so that the animals may know how far the +old royal demesne extends, and be careful about getting in on other +ground, where they are not so well protected. + +You'll find plenty of tame animals at Ottenby, but that isn't all. One +could almost believe that the wild ones also felt that on an old crown +property both the wild and the tame ones can count upon shelter and +protection--since they venture there in such great numbers. + +Besides, there are still a few stags of the old descent left; and +burrow-ducks and partridges love to live there, and it offers a resting +place, in the spring and late summer, for thousands of migratory birds. +Above all, it is the swampy eastern shore below the sheep meadow, where +the migratory birds alight, to rest and feed. + +When the wild geese and Nils Holgersson had finally found their way to +Öland, they came down, like all the rest, on the shore near the sheep +meadow. The mist lay thick over the island, just as it had over the sea. +But still the boy was amazed at all the birds which he discerned, only +on the little narrow stretch of shore which he could see. + +It was a low sand-shore with stones and pools, and a lot of cast-up +sea-weed. If the boy had been permitted to choose, it isn't likely that +he would have thought of alighting there; but the birds probably looked +upon this as a veritable paradise. Ducks and geese walked about and fed +on the meadow; nearer the water, ran snipe, and other coast-birds. The +loons lay in the sea and fished, but the life and movement was upon the +long sea-weed banks along the coast. There the birds stood side by side +close together and picked grub-worms--which must have been found there +in limitless quantities for it was very evident that there was never any +complaint over a lack of food. + +The great majority were going to travel farther, and had only alighted +to take a short rest; and as soon as the leader of a flock thought that +his comrades had recovered themselves sufficiently he said, "If you are +ready now, we may as well move on." + +"No, wait, wait! We haven't had anything like enough," said the +followers. + +"You surely don't believe that I intend to let you eat so much that you +will not be able to move?" said the leader, and flapped his wings and +started off. Along the outermost sea-weed banks lay a flock of swans. +They didn't bother about going on land, but rested themselves by lying +and rocking on the water. Now and then they dived down with their necks +and brought up food from the sea-bottom. When they had gotten hold of +anything very good, they indulged in loud shouts that sounded like +trumpet calls. + +When the boy heard that there were swans on the shoals, he hurried out +to the sea-weed banks. He had never before seen wild swans at close +range. He had luck on his side, so that he got close up to them. + +The boy was not the only one who had heard the swans. Both the wild +geese and the gray geese and the loons swam out between the banks, laid +themselves in a ring around the swans and stared at them. The swans +ruffled their feathers, raised their wings like sails, and lifted their +necks high in the air. Occasionally one and another of them swam up to a +goose, or a great loon, or a diving-duck, and said a few words. And then +it appeared as though the one addressed hardly dared raise his bill to +reply. + +But then there was a little loon--a tiny mischievous baggage--who +couldn't stand all this ceremony. He dived suddenly, and disappeared +under the water's edge. Soon after that, one of the swans let out a +scream, and swam off so quickly that the water foamed. Then he stopped +and began to look majestic once more. But soon, another one shrieked in +the same way as the first one, and then a third. + +The little loon wasn't able to stay under water any longer, but appeared +on the water's edge, little and black and venomous. The swans rushed +toward him; but when they saw what a poor little thing it was, they +turned abruptly--as if they considered themselves too good to quarrel +with him. Then the little loon dived again, and pinched their feet. It +certainly must have hurt; and the worst of it was, that they could not +maintain their dignity. At once they took a decided stand. They began to +beat the air with their wings so that it thundered; came forward a +bit--as though they were running on the water--got wind under their +wings, and raised themselves. + +When the swans were gone they were greatly missed; and those who had +lately been amused by the little loon's antics scolded him for his +thoughtlessness. + +The boy walked toward land again. There he stationed himself to see how +the pool-snipe played. They resembled small storks; like these, they had +little bodies, long legs and necks, and light, swaying movements; only +they were not gray, but brown. They stood in a long row on the shore +where it was washed by waves. As soon as a wave rolled in, the whole row +ran backward; as soon as it receded, they followed it. And they kept +this up for hours. + +The showiest of all the birds were the burrow-ducks. They were +undoubtedly related to the ordinary ducks; for, like these, they too had +a thick-set body, broad bill, and webbed feet; but they were much more +elaborately gotten up. The feather dress, itself, was white; around +their necks they wore a broad gold band; the wing-mirror shone in green, +red, and black; and the wing-edges were black, and the head was dark +green and shimmered like satin. + +As soon as any of these appeared on the shore, the others said: "Now, +just look at those things! They know how to tog themselves out." "If +they were not so conspicuous, they wouldn't have to dig their nests in +the earth, but could lay above ground, like anyone else," said a brown +mallard-duck. "They may try as much as they please, still they'll never +get anywhere with such noses," said a gray goose. And this was actually +true. The burrow-ducks had a big knob on the base of the bill, which +spoiled their appearance. + +Close to the shore, sea-gulls and sea-swallows moved forward on the +water and fished. "What kind of fish are you catching?" asked a wild +goose. "It's a stickleback. It's Öland stickleback. It's the best +stickleback in the world," said a gull. "Won't you taste of it?" And he +flew up to the goose, with his mouth full of the little fishes, and +wanted to give her some. "Ugh! Do you think that I eat such filth?" said +the wild goose. + +The next morning it was just as cloudy. The wild geese walked about on +the meadow and fed; but the boy had gone to the seashore to gather +mussels. There were plenty of them; and when he thought that the next +day, perhaps, they would be in some place where they couldn't get any +food at all, he concluded that he would try to make himself a little +bag, which he could fill with mussels. He found an old sedge on the +meadow, which was strong and tough; and out of this he began to braid a +knapsack. He worked at this for several hours, but he was well satisfied +with it when it was finished. + +At dinner time all the wild geese came running and asked him if he had +seen anything of the white goosey-gander. "No, he has not been with me," +said the boy. "We had him with us all along until just lately," said +Akka, "but now we no longer know where he's to be found." + +The boy jumped up, and was terribly frightened. He asked if any fox or +eagle had put in an appearance, or if any human being had been seen in +the neighbourhood. But no one had noticed anything dangerous. The +goosey-gander had probably lost his way in the mist. + +But it was just as great a misfortune for the boy, in whatever way the +white one had been lost, and he started off immediately to hunt for him. +The mist shielded him, so that he could run wherever he wished without +being seen, but it also prevented him from seeing. He ran southward +along the shore--all the way down to the lighthouse and the mist cannon +on the island's extreme point. It was the same bird confusion +everywhere, but no goosey-gander. He ventured over to Ottenby estate, +and he searched every one of the old, hollow oaks in Ottenby grove, but +he saw no trace of the goosey-gander. + +He searched until it began to grow dark. Then he had to turn back again +to the eastern shore. He walked with heavy steps, and was fearfully +blue. He didn't know what would become of him if he couldn't find the +goosey-gander. There was no one whom he could spare less. + +But when he wandered over the sheep meadow, what was that big, white +thing that came toward him in the mist if it wasn't the goosey-gander? +He was all right, and very glad that, at last, he had been able to find +his way back to the others. The mist had made him so dizzy, he said, +that he had wandered around on the big meadow all day long. The boy +threw his arms around his neck, for very joy, and begged him to take +care of himself, and not wander away from the others. And he promised, +positively, that he never would do this again. No, never again. + +But the next morning, when the boy went down to the beach and hunted for +mussels, the geese came running and asked if he had seen the +goosey-gander. No, of course he hadn't. "Well, then the goosey-gander +was lost again. He had gone astray in the mist, just as he had done the +day before." + +The boy ran off in great terror and began to search. He found one place +where the Ottenby wall was so tumble-down that he could climb over it. +Later, he went about, first on the shore which gradually widened and +became so large that there was room for fields and meadows and +farms--then up on the flat highland, which lay in the middle of the +island, and where there were no buildings except windmills, and where +the turf was so thin that the white cement shone under it. + +Meanwhile, he could not find the goosey-gander; and as it drew on toward +evening, and the boy must return to the beach, he couldn't believe +anything but that his travelling companion was lost. He was so +depressed, he did not know what to do with himself. + +He had just climbed over the wall again when he heard a stone crash down +close beside him. As he turned to see what it was, he thought that he +could distinguish something that moved on a stone pile which lay close +to the wall. He stole nearer, and saw the goosey-gander come trudging +wearily over the stone pile, with several long fibres in his mouth. The +goosey-gander didn't see the boy, and the boy did not call to him, but +thought it advisable to find out first why the goosey-gander time and +again disappeared in this manner. + +And he soon learned the reason for it. Up in the stone pile lay a young +gray goose, who cried with joy when the goosey-gander came. The boy +crept near, so that he heard what they said; then he found out that the +gray goose had been wounded in one wing, so that she could not fly, and +that her flock had travelled away from her, and left her alone. She had +been near death's door with hunger, when the white goosey-gander had +heard her call, the other day, and had sought her out. Ever since, he +had been carrying food to her. They had both hoped that she would be +well before they left the island, but, as yet, she could neither fly nor +walk. She was very much worried over this, but he comforted her with the +thought that he shouldn't travel for a long time. At last he bade her +good-night, and promised to come the next day. + +The boy let the goosey-gander go; and as soon as he was gone, he stole, +in turn, up to the stone heap. He was angry because he had been +deceived, and now he wanted to say to that gray goose that the +goosey-gander was his property. He was going to take the boy up to +Lapland, and there would be no talk of his staying here on her account. +But now, when he saw the young gray goose close to, he understood, not +only why the goosey-gander had gone and carried food to her for two +days, but also why he had not wished to mention that he had helped her. +She had the prettiest little head; her feather-dress was like soft +satin, and the eyes were mild and pleading. + +When she saw the boy, she wanted to run away; but the left wing was out +of joint and dragged on the ground, so that it interfered with her +movements. + +"You mustn't be afraid of me," said the boy, and didn't look nearly so +angry as he had intended to appear. "I'm Thumbietot, Morten +Goosey-gander's comrade," he continued. Then he stood there, and didn't +know what he wanted to say. + +Occasionally one finds something among animals which makes one wonder +what sort of creatures they really are. One is almost afraid that they +may be transformed human beings. It was something like this with the +gray goose. As soon as Thumbietot said who he was, she lowered her neck +and head very charmingly before him, and said in a voice that was so +pretty that he couldn't believe it was a goose who spoke: "I am very +glad that you have come here to help me. The white goosey-gander has +told me that no one is as wise and as good as you." + +She said this with such dignity, that the boy grew really embarrassed. +"This surely can't be any bird," thought he. "It is certainly some +bewitched princess." + +He was filled with a desire to help her, and ran his hand under the +feathers, and felt along the wing-bone. The bone was not broken, but +there was something wrong with the joint. He got his finger down into +the empty cavity. "Be careful, now!" he said; and got a firm grip on the +bone-pipe and fitted it into the place where it ought to be. He did it +very quickly and well, considering it was the first time that he had +attempted anything of the sort. But it must have hurt very much, for the +poor young goose uttered a single shrill cry, and then sank down among +the stones without showing a sign of life. + +The boy was terribly frightened. He had only wished to help her, and now +she was dead. He made a big jump from the stone pile, and ran away. He +thought it was as though he had murdered a human being. + +The next morning it was clear and free from mist, and Akka said that now +they should continue their travels. All the others were willing to go, +but the white goosey-gander made excuses. The boy understood well enough +that he didn't care to leave the gray goose. Akka did not listen to him, +but started off. + +The boy jumped up on the goosey-gander's back, and the white one +followed the flock--albeit slowly and unwillingly. The boy was mighty +glad that they could fly away from the island. He was conscience-stricken +on account of the gray goose, and had not cared to tell the goosey-gander +how it had turned out when he had tried to cure her. It would probably be +best if Morten goosey-gander never found out about this, he thought, +though he wondered, at the same time, how the white one had the heart to +leave the gray goose. + +But suddenly the goosey-gander turned. The thought of the young gray +goose had overpowered him. It could go as it would with the Lapland +trip: he couldn't go with the others when he knew that she lay alone and +ill, and would starve to death. + +With a few wing-strokes he was over the stone pile; but then, there lay +no young gray goose between the stones. "Dunfin! Dunfin! Where art +thou?" called the goosey-gander. + +"The fox has probably been here and taken her," thought the boy. But at +that moment he heard a pretty voice answer the goosey-gander. "Here am +I, goosey-gander; here am I! I have only been taking a morning bath." +And up from the water came the little gray goose--fresh and in good +trim--and told how Thumbietot had pulled her wing into place, and that +she was entirely well, and ready to follow them on the journey. + +The drops of water lay like pearl-dew on her shimmery satin-like +feathers, and Thumbietot thought once again that she was a real little +princess. + + +THE BIG BUTTERFLY + + +_Wednesday, April sixth_. + +The geese travelled alongside the coast of the long island, which lay +distinctly visible under them. The boy felt happy and light of heart +during the trip. He was just as pleased and well satisfied as he had +been glum and depressed the day before, when he roamed around down on +the island, and hunted for the goosey-gander. + +He saw now that the interior of the island consisted of a barren high +plain, with a wreath of fertile land along the coast; and he began to +comprehend the meaning of something which he had heard the other +evening. + +He had just seated himself to rest a bit by one of the many windmills on +the highland, when a couple of shepherds came along with the dogs beside +them, and a large herd of sheep in their train. The boy had not been +afraid because he was well concealed under the windmill stairs. But as +it turned out, the shepherds came and seated themselves on the same +stairway, and then there was nothing for him to do but to keep perfectly +still. + +One of the shepherds was young, and looked about as folks do mostly; the +other was an old queer one. His body was large and knotty, but the head +was small, and the face had sensitive and delicate features. It appeared +as though the body and head didn't want to fit together at all. + +One moment he sat silent and gazed into the mist, with an unutterably +weary expression. Then he began to talk to his companion. Then the other +one took out some bread and cheese from his knapsack, to eat his evening +meal. He answered scarcely anything, but listened very patiently, just +as if he were thinking: "I might as well give you the pleasure of +letting you chatter a while." + +"Now I shall tell you something, Eric," said the old shepherd. "I have +figured out that in former days, when both human beings and animals were +much larger than they are now, that the butterflies, too, must have been +uncommonly large. And once there was a butterfly that was many miles +long, and had wings as wide as seas. Those wings were blue, and shone +like silver, and so gorgeous that, when the butterfly was out flying, +all the other animals stood still and stared at it. It had this +drawback, however, that it was too large. The wings had hard work to +carry it. But probably all would have gone very well, if the butterfly +had been wise enough to remain on the hillside. But it wasn't; it +ventured out over the East sea. And it hadn't gotten very far before the +storm came along and began to tear at its wings. Well, it's easy to +understand, Eric, how things would go when the East sea storm commenced +to wrestle with frail butterfly-wings. It wasn't long before they were +torn away and scattered; and then, of course, the poor butterfly fell +into the sea. At first it was tossed backward and forward on the +billows, and then it was stranded upon a few cliff-foundations outside +of Småland. And there it lay--as large and long as it was. + +"Now I think, Eric, that if the butterfly had dropped on land, it would +soon have rotted and fallen apart. But since it fell into the sea, it +was soaked through and through with lime, and became as hard as a stone. +You know, of course, that we have found stones on the shore which were +nothing but petrified worms. Now I believe that it went the same way +with the big butterfly-body. I believe that it turned where it lay into +a long, narrow mountain out in the East sea. Don't you?" + +He paused for a reply, and the other one nodded to him. "Go on, so I may +hear what you are driving at," said he. + +"And mark you, Eric, that this very Öland, upon which you and I live, is +nothing else than the old butterfly-body. If one only thinks about it, +one can observe that the island is a butterfly. Toward the north, the +slender fore-body and the round head can be seen, and toward the south, +one sees the back-body--which first broadens out, and then narrows to a +sharp point." + +Here he paused once more and looked at his companion rather anxiously to +see how he would take this assertion. But the young man kept on eating +with the utmost calm, and nodded to him to continue. + +"As soon as the butterfly had been changed into a limestone rock, many +different kinds of seeds of herbs and trees came travelling with the +winds, and wanted to take root on it. It was a long time before anything +but sedge could grow there. Then came sheep sorrel, and the rock-rose +and thorn-brush. But even to-day there is not so much growth on Alvaret, +that the mountain is well covered, but it shines through here and there. +And no one can think of ploughing and sowing up here, where the +earth-crust is so thin. But if you will admit that Alvaret and the +strongholds around it, are made of the butterfly-body, then you may well +have the right to question where that land which lies beneath the +strongholds came from." + +"Yes, it is just that," said he who was eating. "That I should indeed +like to know." + +"Well, you must remember that Öland has lain in the sea for a good many +years, and in the course of time all the things which tumble around with +the waves--sea-weed and sand and clams--have gathered around it, and +remained lying there. And then, stone and gravel have fallen down from +both the eastern and western strongholds. In this way the island has +acquired broad shores, where grain and flowers and trees can grow. + +"Up here, on the hard butterfly-back, only sheep and cows and little +horses go about. Only lapwings and plover live here, and there are no +buildings except windmills and a few stone huts, where we shepherds +crawl in. But down on the coast lie big villages and churches and +parishes and fishing hamlets and a whole city." + +He looked questioningly at the other one. This one had finished his +meal, and was tying the food-sack together. "I wonder where you will end +with all this," said he. + +"It is only this that I want to know," said the shepherd, as he lowered +his voice so that he almost whispered the words, and looked into the +mist with his small eyes, which appeared to be worn out from spying +after all that which does not exist. "Only this I want to know: if the +peasants who live on the built-up farms beneath the strongholds, or the +fishermen who take the small herring from the sea, or the merchants in +Borgholm, or the bathing guests who come here every summer, or the +tourists who wander around in Borgholm's old castle ruin, or the +sportsmen who come here in the fall to hunt partridges, or the painters +who sit here on Alvaret and paint the sheep and windmills--I should like +to know if any of them understand that this island has been a butterfly +which flew about with great shimmery wings." + +"Ah!" said the young shepherd, suddenly. "It should have occurred to +some of them, as they sat on the edge of the stronghold of an evening, +and heard the nightingales trill in the groves below them, and looked +over Kalmar Sound, that this island could not have come into existence +in the same way as the others." + +"I want to ask," said the old one, "if no one has had the desire to give +wings to the windmills--so large that they could reach to heaven, so +large that they could lift the whole island out of the sea and let it +fly like a butterfly among butterflies." + +"It may be possible that there is something in what you say," said the +young one; "for on summer nights, when the heavens widen and open over +the island, I have sometimes thought that it was as if it wanted to +raise itself from the sea, and fly away." + +But when the old one had finally gotten the young one to talk, he didn't +listen to him very much. "I would like to know," the old one said in a +low tone, "if anyone can explain why one feels such a longing up here on +Alvaret. I have felt it every day of my life; and I think it preys upon +each and every one who must go about here. I want to know if no one else +has understood that all this wistfulness is caused by the fact that the +whole island is a butterfly that longs for its wings." + + +LITTLE KARL'S ISLAND + + +THE STORM + +_Friday, April eighth_. + +The wild geese had spent the night on Öland's northern point, and were +now on their way to the continent. A strong south wind blew over Kalmar +Sound, and they had been thrown northward. Still they worked their way +toward land with good speed. But when they were nearing the first +islands a powerful rumbling was heard, as if a lot of strong-winged +birds had come flying; and the water under them, all at once, became +perfectly black. Akka drew in her wings so suddenly that she almost +stood still in the air. Thereupon, she lowered herself to light on the +edge of the sea. But before the geese had reached the water, the west +storm caught up with them. Already, it drove before it fogs, salt scum +and small birds; it also snatched with it the wild geese, threw them on +end, and cast them toward the sea. + +It was a rough storm. The wild geese tried to turn back, time and again, +but they couldn't do it and were driven out toward the East sea. The +storm had already blown them past Öland, and the sea lay before +them--empty and desolate. There was nothing for them to do but to keep +out of the water. + +When Akka observed that they were unable to turn back she thought that +it was needless to let the storm drive them over the entire East sea. +Therefore she sank down to the water. Now the sea was raging, and +increased in violence with every second. The sea-green billows rolled +forward, with seething foam on their crests. Each one surged higher than +the other. It was as though they raced with each other, to see which +could foam the wildest. But the wild geese were not afraid of the +swells. On the contrary, this seemed to afford them much pleasure. They +did not strain themselves with swimming, but lay and let themselves be +washed up with the wave-crests, and down in the water-dales, and had +just as much fun as children in a swing. Their only anxiety was that the +flock should be separated. The few land-birds who drove by, up in the +storm, cried with envy: "There is no danger for you who can swim." + +But the wild geese were certainly not out of all danger. In the first +place, the rocking made them helplessly sleepy. They wished continually +to turn their heads backward, poke their bills under their wings, and go +to sleep. Nothing can be more dangerous than to fall asleep in this way; +and Akka called out all the while: "Don't go to sleep, wild geese! He +that falls asleep will get away from the flock. He that gets away from +the flock is lost." + +Despite all attempts at resistance one after another fell asleep; and +Akka herself came pretty near dozing off, when she suddenly saw +something round and dark rise on the top of a wave. "Seals! Seals! +Seals!" cried Akka in a high, shrill voice, and raised herself up in the +air with resounding wing-strokes. It was just at the crucial moment. +Before the last wild goose had time to come up from the water, the seals +were so close to her that they made a grab for her feet. + +Then the wild geese were once more up in the storm which drove them +before it out to sea. No rest did it allow either itself or the wild +geese; and no land did they see--only desolate sea. + +They lit on the water again, as soon as they dared venture. But when +they had rocked upon the waves for a while, they became sleepy again. +And when they fell asleep, the seals came swimming. If old Akka had not +been so wakeful, not one of them would have escaped. + +All day the storm raged; and it caused fearful havoc among the crowds of +little birds, which at this time of year were migrating. Some were +driven from their course to foreign lands, where they died of +starvation; others became so exhausted that they sank down in the sea +and were drowned. Many were crushed against the cliff-walls, and many +became a prey for the seals. + +The storm continued all day, and, at last, Akka began to wonder if she +and her flock would perish. They were now dead tired, and nowhere did +they see any place where they might rest. Toward evening she no longer +dared to lie down on the sea, because now it filled up all of a sudden +with large ice-cakes, which struck against each other, and she feared +they should be crushed between these. A couple of times the wild geese +tried to stand on the ice-crust; but one time the wild storm swept them +into the water; another time, the merciless seals came creeping up on +the ice. + +At sundown the wild geese were once more up in the air. They flew +on--fearful for the night. The darkness seemed to come upon them much +too quickly this night--which was so full of dangers. + +It was terrible that they, as yet, saw no land. How would it go with +them if they were forced to stay out on the sea all night? They would +either be crushed between the ice-cakes or devoured by seals or +separated by the storm. + +The heavens were cloud-bedecked, the moon hid itself, and the darkness +came quickly. At the same time all nature was filled with a horror which +caused the most courageous hearts to quail. Distressed bird-travellers' +cries had sounded over the sea all day long, without anyone having paid +the slightest attention to them; but now, when one no longer saw who it +was that uttered them, they seemed mournful and terrifying. Down on the +sea, the ice-drifts crashed against each other with a loud rumbling +noise. The seals tuned up their wild hunting songs. It was as though +heaven and earth were, about to clash. + +THE SHEEP + +The boy sat for a moment and looked down into the sea. Suddenly he +thought that it began to roar louder than ever. He looked up. Right in +front of him--only a couple of metres away--stood a rugged and bare +mountain-wall. At its base the waves dashed into a foaming spray. The +wild geese flew straight toward the cliff, and the boy did not see how +they could avoid being dashed to pieces against it. Hardly had he +wondered that Akka hadn't seen the danger in time, when they were over +by the mountain. Then he also noticed that in front of them was the +half-round entrance to a grotto. Into this the geese steered; and the +next moment they were safe. + +The first thing the wild geese thought of--before they gave themselves +time to rejoice over their safety--was to see if all their comrades were +also harboured. Yes, there were Akka, Iksi, Kolmi, Nelja, Viisi, Knusi, +all the six goslings, the goosey-gander, Dunfin and Thumbietot; but +Kaksi from Nuolja, the first left-hand goose, was missing--and no one +knew anything about her fate. + +When the wild geese discovered that no one but Kaksi had been separated +from the flock, they took the matter lightly. Kaksi was old and wise. +She knew all their byways and their habits, and she, of course, would +know how to find her way back to them. + +Then the wild geese began to look around in the cave. Enough daylight +came in through the opening, so that they could see the grotto was both +deep and wide. They were delighted to think they had found such a fine +night harbour, when one of them caught sight of some shining, green +dots, which glittered in a dark corner. "These are eyes!" cried Akka. +"There are big animals in here." They rushed toward the opening, but +Thumbietot called to them: "There is nothing to run away from! It's only +a few sheep who are lying alongside the grotto wall." + +When the wild geese had accustomed themselves to the dim daylight in the +grotto, they saw the sheep very distinctly. The grown-up ones might be +about as many as there were geese; but beside these there were a few +little lambs. An old ram with long, twisted horns appeared to be the +most lordly one of the flock. The wild geese went up to him with much +bowing and scraping. "Well met in the wilderness!" they greeted, but the +big ram lay still, and did not speak a word of welcome. + +Then the wild geese thought that the sheep were displeased because they +had taken shelter in their grotto. "It is perhaps not permissible that +we have come in here?" said Akka. "But we cannot help it, for we are +wind-driven. We have wandered about in the storm all day, and it would +be very good to be allowed to stop here to-night." After that a long +time passed before any of the sheep answered with words; but, on the +other hand, it could be heard distinctly that a pair of them heaved deep +sighs. Akka knew, to be sure, that sheep are always shy and peculiar; +but these seemed to have no idea of how they should conduct themselves. +Finally an old ewe, who had a long and pathetic face and a doleful +voice, said: "There isn't one among us that refuses to let you stay; but +this is a house of mourning, and we cannot receive guests as we did in +former days." "You needn't worry about anything of that sort," said +Akka. "If you knew what we have endured this day, you would surely +understand that we are satisfied if we only get a safe spot to sleep +on." + +When Akka said this, the old ewe raised herself. "I believe that it +would be better for you to fly about in the worst storm than to stop +here. But, at least, you shall not go from here before we have had the +privilege of offering you the best hospitality which the house affords." + +She conducted them to a hollow in the ground, which was filled with +water. Beside it lay a pile of bait and husks and chaff; and she bade +them make the most of these. "We have had a severe snow-winter this +year, on the island," she said. "The peasants who own us came out to us +with hay and oaten straw, so we shouldn't starve to death. And this +trash is all there is left of the good cheer." + +The geese rushed to the food instantly. They thought that they had fared +well, and were in their best humour. They must have observed, of course, +that the sheep were anxious; but they knew how easily scared sheep +generally are, and didn't believe there was any actual danger on foot. +As soon as they had eaten, they intended to stand up to sleep as usual. +But then the big ram got up, and walked over to them. The geese thought +that they had never seen a sheep with such big and coarse horns. In +other respects, also, he was noticeable. He had a high, rolling +forehead, intelligent eyes, and a good bearing--as though he were a +proud and courageous animal. + +"I cannot assume the responsibility of letting you geese remain, without +telling you that it is unsafe here," said he. "We cannot receive night +guests just now." At last Akka began to comprehend that this was +serious. "We shall go away, since you really wish it," said she. "But +won't you tell us first, what it is that troubles you? We know nothing +about it. We do not even know where we are." "This is Little Karl's +Island!" said the ram. "It lies outside of Gottland, and only sheep and +seabirds live here." "Perhaps you are wild sheep?" said Akka. "We're not +far removed from it," replied the ram. "We have nothing to do with human +beings. It's an old agreement between us and some peasants on a farm in +Gottland, that they shall supply us with fodder in case we have +snow-winter; and as a recompense they are permitted to take away those +of us who become superfluous. The island is small, so it cannot feed +very many of us. But otherwise we take care of ourselves all the year +round, and we do not live in houses with doors and locks, but we reside +in grottoes like these." + +"Do you stay out here in the winter as well?" asked Akka, surprised. "We +do," answered the ram. "We have good fodder up here on the mountain, all +the year around." "I think it sounds as if you might have it better than +other sheep," said Akka. "But what is the misfortune that has befallen +you?" "It was bitter cold last winter. The sea froze, and then three +foxes came over here on the ice, and here they have been ever since. +Otherwise, there are no dangerous animals here on the island." "Oh, oh! +do foxes dare to attack such as you?" "Oh, no! not during the day; then +I can protect myself and mine," said the ram, shaking his horns. "But +they sneak upon us at night when we sleep in the grottoes. We try to +keep awake, but one must sleep some of the time; and then they come upon +us. They have already killed every sheep in the other grottoes, and +there were herds that were just as large as mine." + +"It isn't pleasant to tell that we are so helpless," said the old ewe. +"We cannot help ourselves any better than if we were tame sheep." "Do +you think that they will come here to-night?" asked Akka. "There is +nothing else in store for us," answered the old ewe. "They were here +last night, and stole a lamb from us. They'll be sure to come again, as +long as there are any of us alive. This is what they have done in the +other places." "But if they are allowed to keep this up, you'll become +entirely exterminated," said Akka. "Oh! it won't be long before it is +all over with the sheep on Little Karl's Island," said the ewe. + +Akka stood there hesitatingly. It was not pleasant, by any means, to +venture out in the storm again, and it wasn't good to remain in a house +where such guests were expected. When she had pondered a while, she +turned to Thumbietot. "I wonder if you will help us, as you have done so +many times before," said she. Yes, that he would like to do, he replied. +"It is a pity for you not to get any sleep!" said the wild goose, "but I +wonder if you are able to keep awake until the foxes come, and then to +awaken us, so we may fly away." The boy was so very glad of this--for +anything was better than to go out in the storm again--so he promised +to keep awake. He went down to the grotto opening, crawled in behind a +stone, that he might be shielded from the storm, and sat down to watch. + +When the boy had been sitting there a while, the storm seemed to abate. +The sky grew clear, and the moonlight began to play on the waves. The +boy stepped to the opening to look out. The grotto was rather high up on +the mountain. A narrow path led to it. It was probably here that he must +await the foxes. + +As yet he saw no foxes; but, on the other hand, there was something +which, for the moment, terrified him much more. On the land-strip below +the mountain stood some giants, or other stone-trolls--or perhaps they +were actual human beings. At first he thought that he was dreaming, but +now he was positive that he had not fallen asleep. He saw the big men so +distinctly that it couldn't be an illusion. Some of them stood on the +land-strip, and others right on the mountain just as if they intended to +climb it. Some had big, thick heads; others had no heads at all. Some +were one-armed, and some had humps both before and behind. He had never +seen anything so extraordinary. + +The boy stood and worked himself into a state of panic because of those +trolls, so that he almost forgot to keep his eye peeled for the foxes. +But now he heard a claw scrape against a stone. He saw three foxes +coming up the steep; and as soon as he knew that he had something real +to deal with, he was calm again, and not the least bit scared. It struck +him that it was a pity to awaken only the geese, and to leave the sheep +to their fate. He thought he would like to arrange things some other +way. + +He ran quickly to the other end of the grotto, shook the big ram's horns +until he awoke, and, at the same time, swung himself upon his back. "Get +up, sheep, and well try to frighten the foxes a bit!" said the boy. + +He had tried to be as quiet as possible, but the foxes must have heard +some noise; for when they came up to the mouth of the grotto they +stopped and deliberated. "It was certainly someone in there that +moved," said one. "I wonder if they are awake." "Oh, go ahead, you!" +said another. "At all events, they can't do anything to us." + +When they came farther in, in the grotto, they stopped and sniffed. "Who +shall we take to-night?" whispered the one who went first. "To-night we +will take the big ram," said the last. "After that, we'll have easy work +with the rest." + +The boy sat on the old ram's back and saw how they sneaked along. "Now +butt straight forward!" whispered the boy. The ram butted, and the first +fox was thrust--top over tail--back to the opening. "Now butt to the +left!" said the boy, and turned the big ram's head in that direction. +The ram measured a terrific assault that caught the second fox in the +side. He rolled around several times before he got to his feet again and +made his escape. The boy had wished that the third one, too, might have +gotten a bump, but this one had already gone. + +"Now I think that they've had enough for to-night," said the boy. "I +think so too," said the big ram. "Now lie down on my back, and creep +into the wool! You deserve to have it warm and comfortable, after all +the wind and storm that you have been out in." + +HELL'S HOLE + +The next day the big ram went around with the boy on his back, and +showed him the island. It consisted of a single massive mountain. It was +like a large house with perpendicular walls and a flat roof. First the +ram walked up on the mountain-roof and showed the boy the good grazing +lands there, and he had to admit that the island seemed to be especially +created for sheep. There wasn't much else than sheep-sorrel and such +little spicy growths as sheep are fond of that grew on the mountain. + +But indeed there was something beside sheep fodder to look at, for one +who had gotten well up on the steep. To begin with, the largest part of +the sea--which now lay blue and sunlit, and rolled forward in glittering +swells--was visible. Only upon one and another point, did the foam spray +up. To the east lay Gottland, with even and long-stretched coast; and to +the southwest lay Great Karl's Island, which was built on the same plan +as the little island. When the ram walked to the very edge of the +mountain roof, so the boy could look down the mountain walls, he noticed +that they were simply filled with birds' nests; and in the blue sea +beneath him, lay surf-scoters and eider-ducks and kittiwakes and +guillemots and razor-bills--so pretty and peaceful--busying themselves +with fishing for small herring. + +"This is really a favoured land," said the boy. "You live in a pretty +place, you sheep." "Oh, yes! it's pretty enough here," said the big ram. +It was as if he wished to add something; but he did not, only sighed. +"If you go about here alone you must look out for the crevices which run +all around the mountain," he continued after a little. And this was a +good warning, for there were deep and broad crevices in several places. +The largest of them was called Hell's Hole. That crevice was many +fathoms deep and nearly one fathom wide. "If anyone fell down there, it +would certainly be the last of him," said the big ram. The boy thought +it sounded as if he had a special meaning in what he said. + +Then he conducted the boy down to the narrow strip of shore. Now he +could see those giants which had frightened him the night before, at +close range. They were nothing but tall rock-pillars. The big ram called +them "cliffs." The boy couldn't see enough of them. He thought that if +there had ever been any trolls who had turned into stone they ought to +look just like that. + +Although it was pretty down on the shore, the boy liked it still better +on the mountain height. It was ghastly down here; for everywhere they +came across dead sheep. It was here that the foxes had held their +orgies. He saw skeletons whose flesh had been eaten, and bodies that +were half-eaten, and others which they had scarcely tasted, but had +allowed to lie untouched. It was heart-rending to see how the wild +beasts had thrown themselves upon the sheep just for sport--just to +hunt them and tear them to death. + +The big ram did not pause in front of the dead, but walked by them in +silence. But the boy, meanwhile, could not help seeing all the horror. + +Then the big ram went up on the mountain height again; but when he was +there he stopped and said: "If someone who is capable and wise could see +all the misery which prevails here, he surely would not be able to rest +until these foxes had been punished." "The foxes must live, too," said +the boy. "Yes," said the big ram, "those who do not tear in pieces more +animals than they need for their sustenance, they may as well live. But +these are felons." "The peasants who own the island ought to come here +and help you," insisted the boy. "They have rowed over a number of +times," replied the ram, "but the foxes always hid themselves in the +grottoes and crevices, so they could not get near them, to shoot them." +"You surely cannot mean, father, that a poor little creature like me +should be able to get at them, when neither you nor the peasants have +succeeded in getting the better of them." "He that is little and spry +can put many things to rights," said the big ram. + +They talked no more about this, and the boy went over and seated himself +among the wild geese who fed on the highland. Although he had not cared +to show his feelings before the ram, he was very sad on the sheep's +account, and he would have been glad to help them. "I can at least talk +with Akka and Morten goosey-gander about the matter," thought he. +"Perhaps they can help me with a good suggestion." + +A little later the white goosey-gander took the boy on his back and went +over the mountain plain, and in the direction of Hell's Hole at that. + +He wandered, care-free, on the open mountain roof--apparently +unconscious of how large and white he was. He didn't seek protection +behind tufts, or any other protuberances, but went straight ahead. It +was strange that he was not more careful, for it was apparent that he +had fared badly in yesterday's storm. He limped on his right leg, and +the left wing hung and dragged as if it might be broken. + +He acted as if there were no danger, pecked at a grass-blade here and +another there, and did not look about him in any direction. The boy lay +stretched out full length on the goose-back, and looked up toward the +blue sky. He was so accustomed to riding now, that he could both stand +and lie down on the goose-back. + +When the goosey-gander and the boy were so care-free, they did not +observe, of course, that the three foxes had come up on the mountain +plain. + +And the foxes, who knew that it was well-nigh impossible to take the +life of a goose on an open plain, thought at first that they wouldn't +chase after the goosey-gander. But as they had nothing else to do, they +finally sneaked down on one of the long passes, and tried to steal up to +him. They went about it so cautiously that the goosey-gander couldn't +see a shadow of them. + +They were not far off when the goosey-gander made an attempt to raise +himself into the air. He spread his wings, but he did not succeed in +lifting himself. When the foxes seemed to grasp the fact that he +couldn't fly, they hurried forward with greater eagerness than before. +They no longer concealed themselves in the cleft, but came up on the +highland. They hurried as fast as they could, behind tufts and hollows, +and came nearer and nearer the goosey-gander--without his seeming to +notice that he was being hunted. At last the foxes were so near that +they could make the final leap. Simultaneously, all three threw +themselves with one long jump at the goosey-gander. + +But still at the last moment he must have noticed something, for he ran +out of the way, so the foxes missed him. This, at any rate, didn't mean +very much, for the goosey-gander only had a couple of metres headway, +and, in the bargain, he limped. Anyway, the poor thing ran ahead as fast +as he could. + +The boy sat upon the goose-back--backward--and shrieked and called to +the foxes. "You have eaten yourselves too fat on mutton, foxes. You +can't catch up with a goose even." He teased them so that they became +crazed with rage and thought only of rushing forward. + +The white one ran right straight to the big cleft. When he was there, he +made one stroke with his wings, and got over. Just then the foxes were +almost upon him. + +The goosey-gander hurried on with the same haste as before, even after +he had gotten across Hell's Hole. But he had hardly been running two +metres before the boy patted him on the neck, and said: "Now you can +stop, goosey-gander." + +At that instant they heard a number of wild howls behind them, and a +scraping of claws, and heavy falls. But of the foxes they saw nothing +more. + +The next morning the lighthouse keeper on Great Karl's Island found a +bit of bark poked under the entrance-door, and on it had been cut, in +slanting, angular letters: "The foxes on the little island have fallen +down into Hell's Hole. Take care of them!" + +And this the lighthouse keeper did, too. + + +TWO CITIES + + +THE CITY AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA + +_Saturday, April ninth_. + +It was a calm and clear night. The wild geese did not trouble themselves +to seek shelter in any of the grottoes, but stood and slept upon the +mountain top; and the boy had lain down in the short, dry grass beside +the geese. + +It was bright moonlight that night; so bright that it was difficult for +the boy to go to sleep. He lay there and thought about just how long he +had been away from home; and he figured out that it was three weeks +since he had started on the trip. At the same time he remembered that +this was Easter-eve. + +"It is to-night that all the witches come home from Blakulla," thought +he, and laughed to himself. For he was just a little afraid of both the +sea-nymph and the elf, but he didn't believe in witches the least little +bit. + +If there had been any witches out that night, he should have seen them, +to be sure. It was so light in the heavens that not the tiniest black +speck could move in the air without his seeing it. + +While the boy lay there with his nose in the air and thought about this, +his eye rested on something lovely! The moon's disc was whole and round, +and rather high, and over it a big bird came flying. He did not fly past +the moon, but he moved just as though he might have flown out from it. +The bird looked black against the light background, and the wings +extended from one rim of the disc to the other. He flew on, evenly, in +the same direction, and the boy thought that he was painted on the +moon's disc. The body was small, the neck long and slender, the legs +hung down, long and thin. It couldn't be anything but a stork. + +A couple of seconds later Herr Ermenrich, the stork, lit beside the boy. +He bent down and poked him with his bill to awaken him. + +Instantly the boy sat up. "I'm not asleep, Herr Ermenrich," he said. +"How does it happen that you are out in the middle of the night, and how +is everything at Glimminge castle? Do you want to speak with mother +Akka?" + +"It's too light to sleep to-night," answered Herr Ermenrich. "Therefore +I concluded to travel over here to Karl's Island and hunt you up, friend +Thumbietot. I learned from the seamew that you were spending the night +here. I have not as yet moved over to Glimminge castle, but am still +living at Pommern." + +The boy was simply overjoyed to think that Herr Ermenrich had sought him +out. They chatted about all sorts of things, like old friends. At last +the stork asked the boy if he wouldn't like to go out riding for a while +on this beautiful night. + +Oh, yes! that the boy wanted to do, if the stork would manage it so that +he got back to the wild geese before sunrise. This he promised, so off +they went. + +Again Herr Ermenrich flew straight toward the moon. They rose and rose; +the sea sank deep down, but the flight went so light and easy that it +seemed almost as if the boy lay still in the air. + +When Herr Ermenrich began to descend, the boy thought that the flight +had lasted an unreasonably short time. + +They landed on a desolate bit of seashore, which was covered with fine, +even sand. All along the coast ran a row of flying-sand drifts, with +lyme-grass on their tops. They were not very high, but they prevented +the boy from seeing any of the island. + +Herr Ermenrich stood on a sand-hill, drew up one leg and bent his head +backward, so he could stick his bill under the wing. "You can roam +around on the shore for a while," he said to Thumbietot, "while I rest +myself. But don't go so far away but what you can find your way back to +me again!" + +To start with, the boy intended to climb a sand-hill and see how the +land behind it looked. But when he had walked a couple of paces, he +stubbed the toe of his wooden shoe against something hard. He stooped +down, and saw that a small copper coin lay on the sand, and was so worn +with verdigris that it was almost transparent. It was so poor that he +didn't even bother to pick it up, but only kicked it out of the way. + +But when he straightened himself up once more he was perfectly +astounded, for two paces away from him stood a high, dark wall with a +big, turreted gate. + +The moment before, when the boy bent down, the sea lay there--shimmering +and smooth, while now it was hidden by a long wall with towers and +battlements. Directly in front of him, where before there had been only +a few sea-weed banks, the big gate of the wall opened. + +The boy probably understood that it was a spectre-play of some sort; but +this was nothing to be afraid of, thought he. It wasn't any dangerous +trolls, or any other evil--such as he always dreaded to encounter at +night. Both the wall and the gate were so beautifully constructed that +he only desired to see what there might be back of them. "I must find +out what this can be," thought he, and went in through the gate. + +In the deep archway there were guards, dressed in brocaded and purred +suits, with long-handled spears beside them, who sat and threw dice. +They thought only of the game, and took no notice of the boy who hurried +past them quickly. + +Just within the gate he found an open space, paved with large, even +stone blocks. All around this were high and magnificent buildings; and +between these opened long, narrow streets. On the square--facing the +gate--it fairly swarmed with human beings. The men wore long, +fur-trimmed capes over satin suits; plume-bedecked hats sat obliquely on +their heads; on their chests hung superb chains. They were all so +regally gotten up that the whole lot of them might have been kings. + +The women went about in high head-dresses and long robes with +tight-fitting sleeves. They, too, were beautifully dressed, but their +splendour was not to be compared with that of the men. + +This was exactly like the old story-book which mother took from the +chest--only once--and showed to him. The boy simply couldn't believe his +eyes. + +But that which was even more wonderful to look upon than either the men +or the women, was the city itself. Every house was built in such a way +that a gable faced the street. And the gables were so highly ornamented, +that one could believe they wished to compete with each other as to +which one could show the most beautiful decorations. + +When one suddenly sees so much that is new, he cannot manage to treasure +it all in his memory. But at least the boy could recall that he had seen +stairway gables on the various landings, which bore images of the Christ +and his Apostles; gables, where there were images in niche after niche +all along the wall; gables that were inlaid with multi-coloured bits of +glass, and gables that were striped and checked with white and black +marble. As the boy admired all this, a sudden sense of haste came over +him. "Anything like this my eyes have never seen before. Anything like +this, they would never see again," he said to himself. And he began to +run in toward the city--up one street, and down another. + +The streets were straight and narrow, but not empty and gloomy, as they +were in the cities with which he was familiar. There were people +everywhere. Old women sat by their open doors and spun without a +spinning-wheel--only with the help of a shuttle. The merchants' shops +were like market-stalls--opening on the street. All the hand-workers did +their work out of doors. In one place they were boiling crude oil; in +another tanning hides; in a third there was a long rope-walk. + +If only the boy had had time enough he could have learned how to make +all sorts of things. Here he saw how armourers hammered out thin +breast-plates; how turners tended their irons; how the shoemakers soled +soft, red shoes; how the gold-wire drawers twisted gold thread, and how +the weavers inserted silver and gold into their weaving. + +But the boy did not have the time to stay. He just rushed on, so that he +could manage to see as much as possible before it would all vanish +again. + +The high wall ran all around the city and shut it in, as a hedge shuts +in a field. He saw it at the end of every street--gable-ornamented and +crenelated. On the top of the wall walked warriors in shining armour; +and when he had run from one end of the city to the other, he came to +still another gate in the wall. Outside of this lay the sea and +harbour. The boy saw olden-time ships, with rowing-benches straight +across, and high structures fore and aft. Some lay and took on cargo, +others were just casting anchor. Carriers and merchants hurried around +each other. All over, it was life and bustle. + +But not even here did he seem to have the time to linger. He rushed into +the city again; and now he came up to the big square. There stood the +cathedral with its three high towers and deep vaulted arches filled with +images. The walls had been so highly decorated by sculptors that there +was not a stone without its own special ornamentation. And what a +magnificent display of gilded crosses and gold-trimmed altars and +priests in golden vestments, shimmered through the open gate! Directly +opposite the church there was a house with a notched roof and a single +slender, sky-high tower. That was probably the courthouse. And between +the courthouse and the cathedral, all around the square, stood the +beautiful gabled houses with their multiplicity of adornments. + +The boy had run himself both warm and tired. He thought that now he had +seen the most remarkable things, and therefore he began to walk more +leisurely. The street which he had turned into now was surely the one +where the inhabitants purchased their fine clothing. He saw crowds of +people standing before the little stalls where the merchants spread +brocades, stiff satins, heavy gold cloth, shimmery velvet, delicate +veiling, and laces as sheer as a spider's web. + +Before, when the boy ran so fast, no one had paid any attention to him. +The people must have thought that it was only a little gray rat that +darted by them. But now, when he walked down the street, very slowly, +one of the salesmen caught sight of him, and began to beckon to him. + +At first the boy was uneasy and wanted to hurry out of the way, but the +salesman only beckoned and smiled, and spread out on the counter a +lovely piece of satin damask as if he wanted to tempt him. + +The boy shook his head. "I will never be so rich that I can buy even a +metre of that cloth," thought he. + +But now they had caught sight of him in every stall, all along the +street. Wherever he looked stood a salesman and beckoned to him. They +left their costly wares, and thought only of him. He saw how they +hurried into the most hidden corner of the stall to fetch the best that +they had to sell, and how their hands trembled with eagerness and haste +as they laid it upon the counter. + +When the boy continued to go on, one of the merchants jumped over the +counter, caught hold of him, and spread before him silver cloth and +woven tapestries, which shone with brilliant colours. + +The boy couldn't do anything but laugh at him. The salesman certainly +must understand that a poor little creature like him couldn't buy such +things. He stood still and held out his two empty hands, so they would +understand that he had nothing and let him go in peace. + +But the merchant raised a finger and nodded and pushed the whole pile of +beautiful things over to him. + +"Can he mean that he will sell all this for a gold piece?" wondered the +boy. + +The merchant brought out a tiny worn and poor coin--the smallest that +one could see--and showed it to him. And he was so eager to sell that +he increased his pile with a pair of large, heavy, silver goblets. + +Then the boy began to dig down in his pockets. He knew, of course, that +he didn't possess a single coin, but he couldn't help feeling for it. + +All the other merchants stood still and tried to see how the sale would +come off, and when they observed that the boy began to search in his +pockets, they flung themselves over the counters, filled their hands +full of gold and silver ornaments, and offered them to him. And they all +showed him that what they asked in payment was just one little penny. + +But the boy turned both vest and breeches pockets inside out, so they +should see that he owned nothing. Then tears filled the eyes of all +these regal merchants, who were so much richer than he. At last he was +moved because they looked so distressed, and he pondered if he could not +in some way help them. And then he happened to think of the rusty coin, +which he had but lately seen on the strand. + +He started to run down the street, and luck was with him so that he came +to the self-same gate which he had happened upon first. He dashed +through it, and commenced to search for the little green copper penny +which lay on the strand a while ago. + +He found it too, very promptly; but when he had picked it up, and wanted +to run back to the city with it--he saw only the sea before him. No city +wall, no gate, no sentinels, no streets, no houses could now be +seen--only the sea. + +The boy couldn't help that the tears came to his eyes. He had believed +in the beginning, that that which he saw was nothing but an +hallucination, but this he had already forgotten. He only thought about +how pretty everything was. He felt a genuine, deep sorrow because the +city had vanished. + +That moment Herr Ermenrich awoke, and came up to him. But he didn't hear +him, and the stork had to poke the boy with his bill to attract +attention to himself. "I believe that you stand here and sleep just as I +do," said Herr Ermenrich. + +"Oh, Herr Ermenrich!" said the boy. "What was that city which stood +here just now?" + +"Have you seen a city?" said the stork. "You have slept and dreamt, as I +say." + +"No! I have not dreamt," said Thumbietot, and he told the stork all that +he had experienced. + +Then Herr Ermenrich said: "For my part, Thumbietot, I believe that you +fell asleep here on the strand and dreamed all this. + +"But I will not conceal from you that Bataki, the raven, who is the most +learned of all birds, once told me that in former times there was a city +on this shore, called Vineta. It was so rich and so fortunate, that no +city has ever been more glorious; but its inhabitants, unluckily, gave +themselves up to arrogance and love of display. As a punishment for +this, says Bataki, the city of Vineta was overtaken by a flood, and sank +into the sea. But its inhabitants cannot die, neither is their city +destroyed. And one night in every hundred years, it rises in all its +splendour up from the sea, and remains on the surface just one hour." + +"Yes, it must be so," said Thumbietot, "for this I have seen." + +"But when the hour is up, it sinks again into the sea, if, during that +time, no merchant in Vineta has sold anything to a single living +creature. If you, Thumbietot, only had had an ever so tiny coin, to pay +the merchants, Vineta might have remained up here on the shore; and its +people could have lived and died like other human beings." + +"Herr Ermenrich," said the boy, "now I understand why you came and +fetched me in the middle of the night. It was because you believed that +I should be able to save the old city. I am so sorry it didn't turn out +as you wished, Herr Ermenrich." + +He covered his face with his hands and wept. It wasn't easy to say which +one looked the more disconsolate--the boy, or Herr Ermenrich. + +THE LIVING CITY + +_Monday, April eleventh_. + +On the afternoon of Easter Monday, the wild geese and Thumbietot were on +the wing. They travelled over Gottland. + +The large island lay smooth and even beneath them. The ground was +checked just as it was in Skåne and there were many churches and farms. +But there was this difference, however, that there were more leafy +meadows between the fields here, and then the farms were not built up +with small houses. And there were no large manors with ancient +tower-ornamented castles. + +The wild geese had taken the route over Gottland on account of +Thumbietot. He had been altogether unlike himself for two days, and +hadn't spoken a cheerful word. This was because he had thought of +nothing but that city which had appeared to him in such a strange way. +He had never seen anything so magnificent and royal, and he could not be +reconciled with himself for having failed to save it. Usually he was not +chicken-hearted, but now he actually grieved for the beautiful buildings +and the stately people. + +Both Akka and the goosey-gander tried to convince Thumbietot that he had +been the victim of a dream, or an hallucination, but the boy wouldn't +listen to anything of that sort. He was so positive that he had really +seen what he had seen, that no one could move him from this conviction. +He went about so disconsolate that his travelling companions became +uneasy for him. + +Just as the boy was the most depressed, old Kaksi came back to the +flock. She had been blown toward Gottland, and had been compelled to +travel over the whole island before she had learned through some crows +that her comrades were on Little Karl's Island. When Kaksi found out +what was wrong with Thumbietot, she said impulsively: + +"If Thumbietot is grieving over an old city, we'll soon be able to +comfort him. Just come along, and I'll take you to a place that I saw +yesterday! You will not need to be distressed very long." + +Thereupon the geese had taken farewell of the sheep, and were on their +way to the place which Kaksi wished to show Thumbietot. As blue as he +was, he couldn't keep from looking at the land over which he travelled, +as usual. + +He thought it looked as though the whole island had in the beginning +been just such a high, steep cliff as Karl's Island--though much bigger +of course. But afterward, it had in some way been flattened out. Someone +had taken a big rolling-pin and rolled over it, as if it had been a lump +of dough. Not that the island had become altogether flat and even, like +a bread-cake, for it wasn't like that. While they had travelled along +the coast, he had seen white lime walls with grottoes and crags, in +several directions; but in most of the places they were levelled, and +sank inconspicuously down toward the sea. + +In Gottland they had a pleasant and peaceful holiday afternoon. It +turned out to be mild spring weather; the trees had large buds; spring +blossoms dressed the ground in the leafy meadows; the poplars' long, +thin pendants swayed; and in the little gardens, which one finds around +every cottage, the gooseberry bushes were green. + +The warmth and the spring-budding had tempted the people out into the +gardens and roads, and wherever a number of them were gathered together +they were playing. It was not the children alone who played, but the +grown-ups also. They were throwing stones at a given point, and they +threw balls in the air with such exact aim that they almost touched the +wild geese. It looked cheerful and pleasant to see big folks at play; +and the boy certainly would have enjoyed it, if he had been able to +forget his grief because he had failed to save the city. + +Anyway, he had to admit that this was a lovely trip. There was so much +singing and sound in the air. Little children played ring games, and +sang as they played. The Salvation Army was out. He saw a lot of people +dressed in black and red--sitting upon a wooded hill, playing on guitars +and brass instruments. On one road came a great crowd of people. They +were Good Templars who had been on a pleasure trip. He recognized them +by the big banners with the gold inscriptions which waved above them. +They sang song after song as long as he could hear them. + +After that the boy could never think of Gottland without thinking of the +games and songs at the same time. + +He had been sitting and looking down for a long while; but now he +happened to raise his eyes. No one can describe his amazement. Before he +was aware of it, the wild geese had left the interior of the island and +gone westward--toward the sea-coast. Now the wide, blue sea lay before +him. However, it was not the sea that was remarkable, but a city which +appeared on the sea-shore. + +The boy came from the east, and the sun had just begun to go down in the +west. When he came nearer the city, its walls and towers and high, +gabled houses and churches stood there, perfectly black, against the +light evening sky. He couldn't see therefore what it really looked like, +and for a couple of moments he believed that this city was just as +beautiful as the one he had seen on Easter night. + +When he got right up to it, he saw that it was both like and unlike that +city from the bottom of the sea. There was the same contrast between +them, as there is between a man whom one sees arrayed in purple and +jewels one day, and on another day one sees him dressed in rags. + +Yes, this city had probably, once upon a time, been like the one which +he sat and thought about. This one, also, was enclosed by a wall with +towers and gates. But the towers in this city, which had been allowed to +remain on land, were roofless, hollow and empty. The gates were without +doors; sentinels and warriors had disappeared. All the glittering +splendour was gone. There was nothing left but the naked, gray stone +skeleton. + +When the boy came farther into the city, he saw that the larger part of +it was made up of small, low houses; but here and there were still a few +high gabled houses and a few cathedrals, which were from the olden time. +The walls of the gabled houses were whitewashed, and entirely without +ornamentation; but because the boy had so lately seen the buried city, +he seemed to understand how they had been decorated: some with statues, +and others with black and white marble. And it was the same with the old +cathedrals; the majority of them were roofless with bare interiors. The +window openings were empty, the floors were grass-grown, and ivy +clambered along the walls. But now he knew how they had looked at one +time; that they had been covered with images and paintings; that the +chancel had had trimmed altars and gilded crosses, and that their +priests had moved about, arrayed in gold vestments. + +The boy saw also the narrow streets, which were almost deserted on +holiday afternoons. He knew, he did, what a stream of stately people had +once upon a time sauntered about on them. He knew that they had been +like large workshops--filled with all sorts of workmen. + +But that which Nils Holgersson did not see was, that the city--even +to-day--was both beautiful and remarkable. He saw neither the cheery +cottages on the side streets, with their black walls, and white bows and +red pelargoniums behind the shining window-panes, nor the many pretty +gardens and avenues, nor the beauty in the weed-clad ruins. His eyes +were so filled with the preceding glory, that he could not see anything +good in the present. + +The wild geese flew back and forth over the city a couple of times, so +that Thumbietot might see everything. Finally they sank down on the +grass-grown floor of a cathedral ruin to spend the night. + +When they had arranged themselves for sleep, Thumbietot was still awake +and looked up through the open arches, to the pale pink evening sky. +When he had been sitting there a while, he thought he didn't want to +grieve any more because he couldn't save the buried city. + +No, that he didn't want to do, now that he had seen this one. If that +city, which he had seen, had not sunk into the sea again, then it would +perhaps become as dilapidated as this one in a little while. Perhaps it +could not have withstood time and decay, but would have stood there with +roofless churches and bare houses and desolate, empty streets--just like +this one. Then it was better that it should remain in all its glory down +in the deep. + +"It was best that it happened as it happened," thought he. "If I had the +power to save the city, I don't believe that I should care to do it." +Then he no longer grieved over that matter. + +And there are probably many among the young who think in the same way. +But when people are old, and have become accustomed to being satisfied +with little, then they are more happy over the Visby that exists, than +over a magnificent Vineta at the bottom of the sea. + + +THE LEGEND OF SMÅLAND + + +_Tuesday, April twelfth_. + +The wild geese had made a good trip over the sea, and had lighted in +Tjust Township, in northern Småland. That township didn't seem able to +make up its mind whether it wanted to be land or sea. Fiords ran in +everywhere, and cut the land up into islands and peninsulas and points +and capes. The sea was so forceful that the only things which could hold +themselves above it were hills and mountains. All the lowlands were +hidden away under the water exterior. + +It was evening when the wild geese came in from the sea; and the land +with the little hills lay prettily between the shimmering fiords. Here +and there, on the islands, the boy saw cabins and cottages; and the +farther inland he came, the bigger and better became the dwelling +houses. Finally, they grew into large, white manors. Along the shores +there was generally a border of trees; and within this lay field-plots, +and on the tops of the little hills there were trees again. He could not +help but think of Blekinge. Here again was a place where land and sea +met, in such a pretty and peaceful sort of way, just as if they tried to +show each other the best and loveliest which they possessed. + +The wild geese alighted upon a limestone island a good way in on +Goose-fiord. With the first glance at the shore they observed that +spring had made rapid strides while they had been away on the islands. +The big, fine trees were not as yet leaf-clad, but the ground under them +was brocaded with white anemones, gagea, and blue anemones. + +When the wild geese saw the flower-carpet they feared that they had +lingered too long in the southern part of the country. Akka said +instantly that there was no time in which to hunt up any of the stopping +places in Småland. By the next morning they must travel northward, over +Östergötland. + +The boy should then see nothing of Småland, and this grieved him. He had +heard more about Småland than he had about any other province, and he +had longed to see it with his own eyes. + +The summer before, when he had served as goose-boy with a farmer in the +neighbourhood of Jordberga, he had met a pair of Småland children, +almost every day, who also tended geese. These children had irritated +him terribly with their Småland. + +It wasn't fair to say that Osa, the goose-girl, had annoyed him. She was +much too wise for that. But the one who could be aggravating with a +vengeance was her brother, little Mats. + +"Have you heard, Nils Goose-boy, how it went when Småland and Skåne were +created?" he would ask, and if Nils Holgersson said no, he began +immediately to relate the old joke-legend. + +"Well, it was at that time when our Lord was creating the world. While +he was doing his best work, Saint Peter came walking by. He stopped and +looked on, and then he asked if it was hard to do. 'Well, it isn't +exactly easy,' said our Lord. Saint Peter stood there a little longer, +and when he noticed how easy it was to lay out one landscape after +another, he too wanted to try his hand at it. 'Perhaps you need to rest +yourself a little,' said Saint Peter, 'I could attend to the work in +the meantime for you.' But this our Lord did not wish. 'I do not know if +you are so much at home in this art that I can trust you to take hold +where I leave off,' he answered. Then Saint Peter was angry, and said +that he believed he could create just as fine countries as our Lord +himself. + +"It happened that our Lord was just then creating Småland. It wasn't +even half-ready but it looked as though it would be an indescribably +pretty and fertile land. It was difficult for our Lord to say no to +Saint Peter, and aside from this, he thought very likely that a thing so +well begun no one could spoil. Therefore he said: If you like, we will +prove which one of us two understands this sort of work the better. You, +who are only a novice, shall go on with this which I have begun, and I +will create a new land.' To this Saint Peter agreed at once; and so they +went to work--each one in his place. + +"Our Lord moved southward a bit, and there he undertook to create Skåne. +It wasn't long before he was through with it, and soon he asked if Saint +Peter had finished, and would come and look at his work. 'I had mine +ready long ago,' said Saint Peter; and from the sound of his voice it +could be heard how pleased he was with what he had accomplished. + +"When Saint Peter saw Skåne, he had to acknowledge that there was +nothing but good to be said of that land. It was a fertile land and easy +to cultivate, with wide plains wherever one looked, and hardly a sign of +hills. It was evident that our Lord had really contemplated making it +such that people should feel at home there. 'Yes, this is a good +country,' said Saint Peter, 'but I think that mine is better.' 'Then +we'll take a look at it,' said our Lord. + +"The land was already finished in the north and east when Saint Peter +began the work, but the southern and western parts; and the whole +interior, he had created all by himself. Now when our Lord came up +there, where Saint Peter had been at work, he was so horrified that he +stopped short and exclaimed: 'What on earth have you been doing with +this land, Saint Peter?' + +"Saint Peter, too, stood and looked around--perfectly astonished. He +had had the idea that nothing could be so good for a land as a great +deal of warmth. Therefore he had gathered together an enormous mass of +stones and mountains, and erected a highland, and this he had done so +that it should be near the sun, and receive much help from the sun's +heat. Over the stone-heaps he had spread a thin layer of soil, and then +he had thought that everything was well arranged. + +"But while he was down in Skåne, a couple of heavy showers had come up, +and more was not needed to show what his work amounted to. When our +Lord came to inspect the land, all the soil had been washed away, and +the naked mountain foundation shone forth all over. Where it was about +the best, lay clay and heavy gravel over the rocks, but it looked so +poor that it was easy to understand that hardly anything except spruce +and juniper and moss and heather could grow there. But what there was +plenty of was water. It had filled up all the clefts in the mountain; +and lakes and rivers and brooks; these one saw everywhere, to say +nothing of swamps and morasses, which spread over large tracts. And the +most exasperating thing of all was, that while some tracts had too much +water, it was so scarce in others, that whole fields lay like dry moors, +where sand and earth whirled up in clouds with the least little breeze. + +"'What can have been your meaning in creating such a land as this?' said +our Lord. Saint Peter made excuses, and declared he had wished to build +up a land so high that it should have plenty of warmth from the sun. +'But then you will also get much of the night chill,' said our Lord, +'for that too comes from heaven. I am very much afraid the little that +can grow here will freeze.' + +"This, to be sure, Saint Peter hadn't thought about. + +"'Yes, here it will be a poor and frost-bound land,' said our Lord, 'it +can't be helped.'" + +When little Mats had gotten this far in his story, Osa, the goose-girl, +protested: "I cannot bear, little Mats, to hear you say that it is so +miserable in Småland," said she. "You forget entirely how much good soil +there is there. Only think of Möre district, by Kalmar Sound! I wonder +where you'll find a richer grain region. There are fields upon fields, +just like here in Skåne. The soil is so good that I cannot imagine +anything that couldn't grow there." + +"I can't help that," said little Mats. "I'm only relating what others +have said before." + +"And I have heard many say that there is not a more beautiful coast land +than Tjust. Think of the bays and islets, and the manors, and the +groves!" said Osa. "Yes, that's true enough," little Mats admitted. "And +don't you remember," continued Osa, "the school teacher said that such +a lively and picturesque district as that bit of Småland which lies +south of Lake Vettern is not to be found in all Sweden? Think of the +beautiful sea and the yellow coast-mountains, and of Grenna and +Jönköping, with its match factory, and think of Huskvarna, and all the +big establishments there!" "Yes, that's true enough," said little Mats +once again. "And think of Visingsö, little Mats, with the ruins and the +oak forests and the legends! Think of the valley through which Emån +flows, with all the villages and flour-mills and sawmills, and the +carpenter shops!" "Yes, that is true enough," said little Mats, and +looked troubled. + +All of a sudden he had looked up. "Now we are pretty stupid," said he. +"All this, of course, lies in our Lord's Småland, in that part of the +land which was already finished when Saint Peter undertook the job. It's +only natural that it should be pretty and fine there. But in Saint +Peter's Småland it looks as it says in the legend. And it wasn't +surprising that our Lord was distressed when he saw it," continued +little Mats, as he took up the thread of his story again. "Saint Peter +didn't lose his courage, at all events, but tried to comfort our Lord. +'Don't be so grieved over this!' said he. 'Only wait until I have +created people who can till the swamps and break up fields from the +stone hills.' + +"That was the end of our Lord's patience--and he said: 'No! you can go +down to Skåne and make the Skåninge, but the Smålander I will create +myself.' And so our Lord created the Smålander, and made him +quick-witted and contented and happy and thrifty and enterprising and +capable, that he might be able to get his livelihood in his poor +country." + +Then little Mats was silent; and if Nils Holgersson had also kept still, +all would have gone well; but he couldn't possibly refrain from asking +how Saint Peter had succeeded in creating the Skåninge. + +"Well, what do you think yourself?" said little Mats, and looked so +scornful that Nils Holgersson threw himself upon him, to thrash him. But +Mats was only a little tot, and Osa, the goose-girl, who was a year +older than he, ran forward instantly to help him. Good-natured though +she was, she sprang like a lion as soon as anyone touched her brother. +And Nils Holgersson did not care to fight a girl, but turned his back, +and didn't look at those Småland children for the rest of the day. + + +THE CROWS + + +THE EARTHEN CROCK + +In the southwest corner of Småland lies a township called Sonnerbo. It +is a rather smooth and even country. And one who sees it in winter, when +it is covered with snow, cannot imagine that there is anything under the +snow but garden-plots, rye-fields and clover-meadows as is generally the +case in flat countries. But, in the beginning of April when the snow +finally melts away in Sonnerbo, it is apparent that that which lies +hidden under it is only dry, sandy heaths, bare rocks, and big, marshy +swamps. There are fields here and there, to be sure, but they are so +small that they are scarcely worth mentioning; and one also finds a few +little red or gray farmhouses hidden away in some beech-coppice--almost +as if they were afraid to show themselves. + +Where Sonnerbo township touches the boundaries of Halland, there is a +sandy heath which is so far-reaching that he who stands upon one edge of +it cannot look across to the other. Nothing except heather grows on the +heath, and it wouldn't be easy either to coax other growths to thrive +there. To start with one would have to uproot the heather; for it is +thus with heather: although it has only a little shrunken root, small +shrunken branches, and dry, shrunken leaves it fancies that it's a tree. +Therefore it acts just like real trees--spreads itself out in forest +fashion over wide areas; holds together faithfully, and causes all +foreign growths that wish to crowd in upon its territory to die out. + +The only place on the heath where the heather is not all-powerful, is a +low, stony ridge which passes over it. There you'll find juniper bushes, +mountain ash, and a few large, fine oaks. At the time when Nils +Holgersson travelled around with the wild geese, a little cabin stood +there, with a bit of cleared ground around it. But the people who had +lived there at one time, had, for some reason or other, moved away. The +little cabin was empty, and the ground lay unused. + +When the tenants left the cabin they closed the damper, fastened the +window-hooks, and locked the door. But no one had thought of the broken +window-pane which was only stuffed with a rag. After the showers of a +couple of summers, the rag had moulded and shrunk, and, finally, a crow +had succeeded in poking it out. + +The ridge on the heather-heath was really not as desolate as one might +think, for it was inhabited by a large crow-folk. Naturally, the crows +did not live there all the year round. They moved to foreign lands in +the winter; in the autumn they travelled from one grain-field to another +all over Götaland, and picked grain; during the summer, they spread +themselves over the farms in Sonnerbo township, and lived upon eggs and +berries and birdlings; but every spring, when nesting time came, they +came back to the heather-heath. + +The one who had poked the rag from the window was a crow-cock named Garm +Whitefeather; but he was never called anything but Fumle or Drumle, or +out and out Fumle-Drumle, because he always acted awkwardly and +stupidly, and wasn't good for anything except to make fun of. +Fumle-Drumle was bigger and stronger than any of the other crows, but +that didn't help him in the least; he was--and remained--a butt for +ridicule. And it didn't profit him, either, that he came from very good +stock. If everything had gone smoothly, he should have been leader for +the whole flock, because this honour had, from time immemorial, belonged +to the oldest Whitefeather. But long before Fumle-Drumle was born, the +power had gone from his family, and was now wielded by a cruel wild +crow, named Wind-Rush. + +This transference of power was due to the fact that the crows on +crow-ridge desired to change their manner of living. Possibly there are +many who think that everything in the shape of crow lives in the same +way; but this is not so. There are entire crow-folk who lead honourable +lives--that is to say, they only eat grain, worms, caterpillars, and +dead animals; and there are others who lead a regular bandit's life, who +throw themselves upon baby-hares and small birds, and plunder every +single bird's nest they set eyes on. + +The ancient Whitefeathers had been strict and temperate; and as long as +they had led the flock, the crows had been compelled to conduct +themselves in such a way that other birds could speak no ill of them. +But the crows were numerous, and poverty was great among them. They +didn't care to go the whole length of living a strictly moral life, so +they rebelled against the Whitefeathers, and gave the power to +Wind-Rush, who was the worst nest-plunderer and robber that could be +imagined--if his wife, Wind-Air, wasn't worse still. Under their +government the crows had begun to lead such a life that now they were +more feared than pigeon-hawks and leech-owls. + +Naturally, Fumle-Drumle had nothing to say in the flock. The crows were +all of the opinion that he did not in the least take after his +forefathers, and that he wouldn't suit as a leader. No one would have +mentioned him, if he hadn't constantly committed fresh blunders. A few, +who were quite sensible, sometimes said perhaps it was lucky for +Fumle-Drumle that he was such a bungling idiot, otherwise Wind-Rush and +Wind-Air would hardly have allowed him--who was of the old chieftain +stock--to remain with the flock. + +Now, on the other hand, they were rather friendly toward him, and +willingly took him along with them on their hunting expeditions. There +all could observe how much more skilful and daring they were than he. + +None of the crows knew that it was Fumle-Drumle who had pecked the rag +out of the window; and had they known of this, they would have been very +much astonished. Such a thing as daring to approach a human being's +dwelling, they had never believed of him. He kept the thing to himself +very carefully; and he had his own good reasons for it. Wind-Rush always +treated him well in the daytime, and when the others were around; but +one very dark night, when the comrades sat on the night branch, he was +attacked by a couple of crows and nearly murdered. After that he moved +every night, after dark, from his usual sleeping quarters into the empty +cabin. + +Now one afternoon, when the crows had put their nests in order on +crow-ridge, they happened upon a remarkable find. Wind-Rush, +Fumle-Drumle, and a couple of others had flown down into a big hollow in +one corner of the heath. The hollow was nothing but a gravel-pit, but +the crows could not be satisfied with such a simple explanation; they +flew down in it continually, and turned every single sand-grain to get +at the reason why human beings had digged it. While the crows were +pottering around down there, a mass of gravel fell from one side. They +rushed up to it, and had the good fortune to find amongst the fallen +stones and stubble--a large earthen crock, which was locked with a +wooden clasp! Naturally they wanted to know if there was anything in it, +and they tried both to peck holes in the crock, and to bend up the +clasp, but they had no success. + +They stood perfectly helpless and examined the crock, when they heard +someone say: "Shall I come down and assist you crows?" They glanced up +quickly. On the edge of the hollow sat a fox and blinked down at them. +He was one of the prettiest foxes--both in colour and form--that they +had ever seen. The only fault with him was that he had lost an ear. + +"If you desire to do us a service," said Wind-Rush, "we shall not say +nay." At the same time, both he and the others flew up from the hollow. +Then the fox jumped down in their place, bit at the jar, and pulled at +the lock--but he couldn't open it either. + +"Can you make out what there is in it?" said Wind-Rush. The fox rolled +the jar back and forth, and listened attentively. "It must be silver +money," said he. + +This was more than the crows had expected. "Do you think it can be +silver?" said they, and their eyes were ready to pop out of their heads +with greed; for remarkable as it may sound, there is nothing in the +world which crows love as much as silver money. + +"Hear how it rattles!" said the fox and rolled the crock around once +more. "Only I can't understand how we shall get at it." "That will +surely be impossible," said the crows. The fox stood and rubbed his head +against his left leg, and pondered. Now perhaps he might succeed, with +the help of the crows, in becoming master of that little imp who always +eluded him. "Oh! I know someone who could open the crock for you," said +the fox. "Then tell us! Tell us!" cried the crows; and they were so +excited that they tumbled down into the pit. "That I will do, if you'll +first promise me that you will agree to my terms," said he. + +Then the fox told the crows about Thumbietot, and said that if they +could bring him to the heath he would open the crock for them. But in +payment for this counsel, he demanded that they should deliver +Thumbietot to him, as soon as he had gotten the silver money for them. +The crows had no reason to spare Thumbietot, so agreed to the compact at +once. It was easy enough to agree to this; but it was harder to find out +where Thumbietot and the wild geese were stopping. + +Wind-Rush himself travelled away with fifty crows, and said that he +should soon return. But one day after another passed without the crows +on crow-ridge seeing a shadow of him. + +KIDNAPPED BY CROWS + +_Wednesday, April thirteenth_. + +The wild geese were up at daybreak, so they should have time to get +themselves a bite of food before starting out on the journey toward +Östergötland. The island in Goosefiord, where they had slept, was small +and barren, but in the water all around it were growths which they could +eat their fill upon. It was worse for the boy, however. He couldn't +manage to find anything eatable. + +As he stood there hungry and drowsy, and looked around in all +directions, his glance fell upon a pair of squirrels, who played upon +the wooded point, directly opposite the rock island. He wondered if the +squirrels still had any of their winter supplies left, and asked the +white goosey-gander to take him over to the point, that he might beg +them for a couple of hazelnuts. + +Instantly the white one swam across the sound with him; but as luck +would have it the squirrels had so much fun chasing each other from tree +to tree, that they didn't bother about listening to the boy. They drew +farther into the grove. He hurried after them, and was soon out of the +goosey-gander's sight--who stayed behind and waited on the shore. + +The boy waded forward between some white anemone-stems--which were so +high they reached to his chin--when he felt that someone caught hold of +him from behind, and tried to lift him up. He turned round and saw that +a crow had grabbed him by the shirt-band. He tried to break loose, but +before this was possible, another crow ran up, gripped him by the +stocking, and knocked him over. + +If Nils Holgersson had immediately cried for help, the white +goosey-gander certainly would have been able to save him; but the boy +probably thought that he could protect himself, unaided, against a +couple of crows. He kicked and struck out, but the crows didn't let go +their hold, and they soon succeeded in raising themselves into the air +with him. To make matters worse, they flew so recklessly that his head +struck against a branch. He received a hard knock over the head, it grew +black before his eyes, and he lost consciousness. + +When he opened his eyes once more, he found himself high above the +ground. He regained his senses slowly; at first he knew neither where he +was, nor what he saw. When he glanced down, he saw that under him was +spread a tremendously big woolly carpet, which was woven in greens and +reds, and in large irregular patterns. The carpet was very thick and +fine, but he thought it was a pity that it had been so badly used. It +was actually ragged; long tears ran through it; in some places large +pieces were torn away. And the strangest of all was that it appeared to +be spread over a mirror floor; for under the holes and tears in the +carpet shone bright and glittering glass. + +The next thing the boy observed was that the sun unrolled itself in the +heavens. Instantly, the mirror-glass under the holes and tears in the +carpet began to shimmer in red and gold. It looked very gorgeous, and +the boy was delighted with the pretty colour-scheme, although he didn't +exactly understand what it was that he saw. But now the crows descended, +and he saw at once that the big carpet under him was the earth, which +was dressed in green and brown cone-trees and naked leaf-trees, and that +the holes and tears were shining fiords and little lakes. + +He remembered that the first time he had travelled up in the air, he +had thought that the earth in Skåne looked like a piece of checked +cloth. But this country which resembled a torn carpet--what might this +be? + +He began to ask himself a lot of questions. Why wasn't he sitting on the +goosey-gander's back? Why did a great swarm of crows fly around him? And +why was he being pulled and knocked hither and thither so that he was +about to break to pieces? + +Then, all at once, the whole thing dawned on him. He had been kidnapped +by a couple of crows. The white goosey-gander was still on the shore, +waiting, and to-day the wild geese were going to travel to Östergötland. +He was being carried southwest; this he understood because the sun's +disc was behind him. The big forest-carpet which lay beneath him was +surely Småland. + +"What will become of the goosey-gander now, when I cannot look after +him?" thought the boy, and began to call to the crows to take him back +to the wild geese instantly. He wasn't at all uneasy on his own account. +He believed that they were carrying him off simply in a spirit of +mischief. + +The crows didn't pay the slightest attention to his exhortations, but +flew on as fast as they could. After a bit, one of them flapped his +wings in a manner which meant: "Look out! Danger!" Soon thereafter they +came down in a spruce forest, pushed their way between prickly branches +to the ground, and put the boy down under a thick spruce, where he was +so well concealed that not even a falcon could have sighted him. + +Fifty crows surrounded him, with bills pointed toward him to guard him. +"Now perhaps I may hear, crows, what your purpose is in carrying me +off", said he. But he was hardly permitted to finish the sentence before +a big crow hissed at him: "Keep still! or I'll bore your eyes out." + +It was evident that the crow meant what she said; and there was nothing +for the boy to do but obey. So he sat there and stared at the crows, and +the crows stared at him. + +The longer he looked at them, the less he liked them. It was dreadful +how dusty and unkempt their feather dresses were--as though they knew +neither baths nor oiling. Their toes and claws were grimy with dried-in +mud, and the corners of their mouths were covered with food drippings. +These were very different birds from the wild geese--that he observed. +He thought they had a cruel, sneaky, watchful and bold appearance, just +like cut-throats and vagabonds. + +"It is certainly a real robber-band that I've fallen in with," thought +he. + +Just then he heard the wild geese's call above him. "Where are you? Here +am I. Where are you? Here am I." + +He understood that Akka and the others had gone out to search for him; +but before he could answer them the big crow who appeared to be the +leader of the band hissed in his ear: "Think of your eyes!" And there +was nothing else for him to do but to keep still. + +The wild geese may not have known that he was so near them, but had just +happened, incidentally, to travel over this forest. He heard their call +a couple of times more, then it died away. "Well, now you'll have to get +along by yourself, Nils Holgersson," he said to himself. "Now you must +prove whether you have learned anything during these weeks in the open." + +A moment later the crows gave the signal to break up; and since it was +still their intention, apparently, to carry him along in such a way that +one held on to his shirt-band, and one to a stocking, the boy said: "Is +there not one among you so strong that he can carry me on his back? You +have already travelled so badly with me that I feel as if I were in +pieces. Only let me ride! I'll not jump from the crow's back, that I +promise you." + +"Oh! you needn't think that we care how you have it," said the leader. +But now the largest of the crows--a dishevelled and uncouth one, who had +a white feather in his wing--came forward and said: "It would certainly +be best for all of us, Wind-Rush, if Thumbietot got there whole, rather +than half, and therefore, I shall carry him on my back." "If you can do +it, Fumle-Drumle, I have no objection," said Wind-Rush. "But don't lose +him!" + +With this, much was already gained, and the boy actually felt pleased +again. "There is nothing to be gained by losing my grit because I have +been kidnapped by the crows," thought he. "I'll surely be able to manage +those poor little things." + +The crows continued to fly southwest, over Småland. It was a glorious +morning--sunny and calm; and the birds down on the earth were singing +their best love songs. In a high, dark forest sat the thrush himself +with drooping wings and swelling throat, and struck up tune after tune. +"How pretty you are! How pretty you are! How pretty you are!" sang he. +"No one is so pretty. No one is so pretty. No one is so pretty." As soon +as he had finished this song, he began it all over again. + +But just then the boy rode over the forest; and when he had heard the +song a couple of times, and marked that the thrush knew no other, he put +both hands up to his mouth as a speaking trumpet, and called down: +"We've heard all this before. We've heard all this before." "Who is it? +Who is it? Who is it? Who makes fun of me?" asked the thrush, and tried +to catch a glimpse of the one who called. "It is Kidnapped-by-Crows who +makes fun of your song," answered the boy. At that, the crow-chief +turned his head and said: "Be careful of your eyes, Thumbietot!" But the +boy thought, "Oh! I don't care about that. I want to show you that I'm +not afraid of you!" + +Farther and farther inland they travelled; and there were woods and +lakes everywhere. In a birch-grove sat the wood-dove on a naked branch, +and before him stood the lady-dove. He blew up his feathers, cocked his +head, raised and lowered his body, until the breast-feathers rattled +against the branch. All the while he cooed: "Thou, thou, thou art the +loveliest in all the forest. No one in the forest is so lovely as thou, +thou, thou!" + +But up in the air the boy rode past, and when he heard Mr. Dove he +couldn't keep still. "Don't you believe him! Don't you believe him!" +cried he. + +"Who, who, who is it that lies about me?" cooed Mr. Dove, and tried to +get a sight of the one who shrieked at him. "It is Caught-by-Crows that +lies about you," replied the boy. Again Wind-Rush turned his head toward +the boy and commanded him to shut up, but Fumle-Drumle, who was carrying +him, said: "Let him chatter, then all the little birds will think that +we crows have become quick-witted and funny birds." "Oh! they're not +such fools, either," said Wind-Rush; but he liked the idea just the +same, for after that he let the boy call out as much as he liked. + +They flew mostly over forests and woodlands, but there were churches and +parishes and little cabins in the outskirts of the forest. In one place +they saw a pretty old manor. It lay with the forest back of it, and the +sea in front of it; had red walls and a turreted roof; great sycamores +about the grounds, and big, thick gooseberry-bushes in the orchard. On +the top of the weathercock sat the starling, and sang so loud that every +note was heard by the wife, who sat on an egg in the heart of a pear +tree. "We have four pretty little eggs," sang the starling. "We have +four pretty little round eggs. We have the whole nest filled with fine +eggs." + +When the starling sang the song for the thousandth time, the boy rode +over the place. He put his hands up to his mouth, as a pipe, and called: +"The magpie will get them. The magpie will get them." + +"Who is it that wants to frighten me?" asked the starling, and flapped +his wings uneasily. "It is Captured-by-Crows that frightens you," said +the boy. This time the crow-chief didn't attempt to hush him up. +Instead, both he and his flock were having so much fun that they cawed +with satisfaction. + +The farther inland they came, the larger were the lakes, and the more +plentiful were the islands and points. And on a lake-shore stood a drake +and kowtowed before the duck. "I'll be true to you all the days of my +life. I'll be true to you all the days of my life," said the drake. "It +won't last until the summer's end," shrieked the boy. "Who are you?" +called the drake. "My name's Stolen-by-Crows," shrieked the boy. + +At dinner time the crows lighted in a food-grove. They walked about and +procured food for themselves, but none of them thought about giving the +boy anything. Then Fumle-Drumle came riding up to the chief with a +dog-rose branch, with a few dried buds on it. "Here's something for you, +Wind-Rush," said he. "This is pretty food, and suitable for you." +Wind-Rush sniffed contemptuously. "Do you think that I want to eat old, +dry buds?" said he. "And I who thought that you would be pleased with +them!" said Fumle-Drumle; and threw away the dog-rose branch as if in +despair. But it fell right in front of the boy, and he wasn't slow about +grabbing it and eating until he was satisfied. + +When the crows had eaten, they began to chatter. "What are you thinking +about, Wind-Rush? You are so quiet to-day," said one of them to the +leader. "I'm thinking that in this district there lived, once upon a +time, a hen, who was very fond of her mistress; and in order to really +please her, she went and laid a nest full of eggs, which she hid under +the store-house floor. The mistress of the house wondered, of course, +where the hen was keeping herself such a long time. She searched for +her, but did not find her. Can you guess, Longbill, who it was that +found her and the eggs?" + +"I think I can guess it, Wind-Rush, but when you have told about this, I +will tell you something like it. Do you remember the big, black cat in +Hinneryd's parish house? She was dissatisfied because they always took +the new-born kittens from her, and drowned them. Just once did she +succeed in keeping them concealed, and that was when she had laid them +in a haystack, out doors. She was pretty well pleased with those young +kittens, but I believe that I got more pleasure out of them than she +did." + +Now they became so excited that they all talked at once. "What kind of +an accomplishment is that--to steal little kittens?" said one. "I once +chased a young hare who was almost full-grown. That meant to follow him +from covert to covert." He got no further before another took the words +from him. "It may be fun, perhaps, to annoy hens and cats, but I find it +still more remarkable that a crow can worry a human being. I once stole +a silver spoon--" + +But now the boy thought he was too good to sit and listen to such +gabble. "Now listen to me, you crows!" said he. "I think you ought to +be ashamed of yourselves to talk about all your wickedness. I have lived +amongst wild geese for three weeks, and of them I have never heard or +seen anything but good. You must have a bad chief, since he permits you +to rob and murder in this way. You ought to begin to lead new lives, for +I can tell you that human beings have grown so tired of your wickedness +they are trying with all their might to root you out. And then there +will soon be an end of you." + +When Wind-Rush and the crows heard this, they were so furious that they +intended to throw themselves upon him and tear him in pieces. But +Fumle-Drumle laughed and cawed, and stood in front of him. "Oh, no, no!" +said he, and seemed absolutely terrified. "What think you that Wind-Air +will say if you tear Thumbietot in pieces before he has gotten that +silver money for us?" "It has to be you, Fumle-Drumle, that's afraid of +women-folk," said Rush. But, at any rate, both he and the others left +Thumbietot in peace. + +Shortly after that the crows went further. Until now the boy thought +that Småland wasn't such a poor country as he had heard. Of course it +was woody and full of mountain-ridges, but alongside the islands and +lakes lay cultivated grounds, and any real desolation he hadn't come +upon. But the farther inland they came, the fewer were the villages and +cottages. Toward the last, he thought that he was riding over a +veritable wilderness where he saw nothing but swamps and heaths and +juniper-hills. + +The sun had gone down, but it was still perfect daylight when the crows +reached the large heather-heath. Wind-Rush sent a crow on ahead, to say +that he had met with success; and when it was known, Wind-Air, with +several hundred crows from Crow-Ridge, flew to meet the arrivals. In the +midst of the deafening cawing which the crows emitted, Fumle-Drumle said +to the boy: "You have been so comical and so jolly during the trip that +I am really fond of you. Therefore I want to give you some good advice. +As soon as we light, you'll be requested to do a bit of work which may +seem very easy to you; but beware of doing it!" + +Soon thereafter Fumle-Drumle put Nils Holgersson down in the bottom of +a sandpit. The boy flung himself down, rolled over, and lay there as +though he was simply done up with fatigue. Such a lot of crows fluttered +about him that the air rustled like a wind-storm, but he didn't look up. + +"Thumbietot," said Wind-Rush, "get up now! You shall help us with a +matter which will be very easy for you." + +The boy didn't move, but pretended to be asleep. Then Wind-Rush took him +by the arm, and dragged him over the sand to an earthen crock of +old-time make, that was standing in the pit. "Get up, Thumbietot," said +he, "and open this crock!" "Why can't you let me sleep?" said the boy. +"I'm too tired to do anything to-night. Wait until to-morrow!" + +"Open the crock!" said Wind-Rush, shaking him. "How shall a poor little +child be able to open such a crock? Why, it's quite as large as I am +myself." "Open it!" commanded Wind-Rush once more, "or it will be a +sorry thing for you." The boy got up, tottered over to the crock, +fumbled the clasp, and let his arms fall. "I'm not usually so weak," +said he. "If you will only let me sleep until morning, I think that I'll +be able to manage with that clasp." + +But Wind-Rush was impatient, and he rushed forward and pinched the boy +in the leg. That sort of treatment the boy didn't care to suffer from a +crow. He jerked himself loose quickly, ran a couple of paces backward, +drew his knife from the sheath, and held it extended in front of him. +"You'd better be careful!" he cried to Wind-Rush. + +This one too was so enraged that he didn't dodge the danger. He rushed +at the boy, just as though he'd been blind, and ran so straight against +the knife, that it entered through his eye into the head. The boy drew +the knife back quickly, but Wind-Rush only struck out with his wings, +then he fell down--dead. + +"Wind-Rush is dead! The stranger has killed our chieftain, Wind-Rush!" +cried the nearest crows, and then there was a terrible uproar. Some +wailed, others cried for vengeance. They all ran or fluttered up to the +boy, with Fumle-Drumle in the lead. But he acted badly as usual. He only +fluttered and spread his wings over the boy, and prevented the others +from coming forward and running their bills into him. + +The boy thought that things looked very bad for him now. He couldn't run +away from the crows, and there was no place where he could hide. Then he +happened to think of the earthen crock. He took a firm hold on the +clasp, and pulled it off. Then he hopped into the crock to hide in it. +But the crock was a poor hiding place, for it was nearly filled to the +brim with little, thin silver coins. The boy couldn't get far enough +down, so he stooped and began to throw out the coins. + +Until now the crows had fluttered around him in a thick swarm and pecked +at him, but when he threw out the coins they immediately forgot their +thirst for vengeance, and hurried to gather the money. The boy threw out +handfuls of it, and all the crows--yes, even Wind-Air herself--picked +them up. And everyone who succeeded in picking up a coin ran off to the +nest with the utmost speed to conceal it. + +When the boy had thrown out all the silver pennies from the crock he +glanced up. Not more than a single crow was left in the sandpit. That +was Fumle-Drumle, with the white feather in his wing; he who had carried +Thumbietot. "You have rendered me a greater service than you +understand," said the crow--with a very different voice, and a different +intonation than the one he had used heretofore--"and I want to save your +life. Sit down on my back, and I'll take you to a hiding place where you +can be secure for to-night. To-morrow, I'll arrange it so that you will +get back to the wild geese." + +THE CABIN + +_Thursday, April fourteenth_. + +The following morning when the boy awoke, he lay in a bed. When he saw +that he was in a house with four walls around him, and a roof over him, +he thought that he was at home. "I wonder if mother will come soon with +some coffee," he muttered to himself where he lay half-awake. Then he +remembered that he was in a deserted cabin on the crow-ridge, and that +Fumle-Drumle with the white feather had borne him there the night +before. + +The boy was sore all over after the journey he had made the day before, +and he thought it was lovely to lie still while he waited for +Fumle-Drumle who had promised to come and fetch him. + +Curtains of checked cotton hung before the bed, and he drew them aside +to look out into the cabin. It dawned upon him instantly that he had +never seen the mate to a cabin like this. The walls consisted of nothing +but a couple of rows of logs; then the roof began. There was no interior +ceiling, so he could look clear up to the roof-tree. The cabin was so +small that it appeared to have been built rather for such as he than for +real people. However, the fireplace and chimney were so large, he +thought that he had never seen larger. The entrance door was in a +gable-wall at the side of the fireplace, and was so narrow that it was +more like a wicket than a door. In the other gable-wall he saw a low and +broad window with many panes. There was scarcely any movable furniture +in the cabin. The bench on one side, and the table under the window, +were also stationary--also the big bed where he lay, and the +many-coloured cupboard. + +The boy could not help wondering who owned the cabin, and why it was +deserted. It certainly looked as though the people who had lived there +expected to return. The coffee-urn and the gruel-pot stood on the +hearth, and there was some wood in the fireplace; the oven-rake and +baker's peel stood in a corner; the spinning wheel was raised on a +bench; on the shelf over the window lay oakum and flax, a couple of +skeins of yarn, a candle, and a bunch of matches. + +Yes, it surely looked as if those who had lived there had intended to +come back. There were bed-clothes on the bed; and on the walls there +still hung long strips of cloth, upon which three riders named Kasper, +Melchior, and Baltasar were painted. The same horses and riders were +pictured many times. They rode around the whole cabin, and continued +their ride even up toward the joists. + +But in the roof the boy saw something which brought him to his senses in +a jiffy. It was a couple of loaves of big bread-cakes that hung there +upon a spit. They looked old and mouldy, but it was bread all the same. +He gave them a knock with the oven-rake and one piece fell to the floor. +He ate, and stuffed his bag full. It was incredible how good bread was, +anyway. + +He looked around the cabin once more, to try and discover if there was +anything else which he might find useful to take along. "I may as well +take what I need, since no one else cares about it," thought he. But +most of the things were too big and heavy. The only things that he +could carry might be a few matches perhaps. + +He clambered up on the table, and swung with the help of the curtains up +to the window-shelf. While he stood there and stuffed the matches into +his bag, the crow with the white feather came in through the window. +"Well here I am at last," said Fumle-Drumle as he lit on the table. "I +couldn't get here any sooner because we crows have elected a new +chieftain in Wind-Rush's place." "Whom have you chosen?" said the boy. +"Well, we have chosen one who will not permit robbery and injustice. We +have elected Garm Whitefeather, lately called Fumle-Drumle," answered +he, drawing himself up until he looked absolutely regal. "That was a +good choice," said the boy and congratulated him. "You may well wish me +luck," said Garm; then he told the boy about the time they had had with +Wind-Rush and Wind-Air. + +During this recital the boy heard a voice outside the window which he +thought sounded familiar. "Is he here?"--inquired the fox. "Yes, he's +hidden in there," answered a crow-voice. "Be careful, Thumbietot!" cried +Garm. "Wind-Air stands without with that fox who wants to eat you." More +he didn't have time to say, for Smirre dashed against the window. The +old, rotten window-frame gave way, and the next second Smirre stood upon +the window-table. Garm Whitefeather, who didn't have time to fly away, +he killed instantly. Thereupon he jumped down to the floor, and looked +around for the boy. He tried to hide behind a big oakum-spiral, but +Smirre had already spied him, and was crouched for the final spring. The +cabin was so small, and so low, the boy understood that the fox could +reach him without the least difficulty. But just at that moment the boy +was not without weapons of defence. He struck a match quickly, touched +the curtains, and when they were in flames, he threw them down upon +Smirre Fox. When the fire enveloped the fox, he was seized with a mad +terror. He thought no more about the boy, but rushed wildly out of the +cabin. + +But it looked as if the boy had escaped one danger to throw himself into +a greater one. From the tuft of oakum which he had flung at Smirre the +fire had spread to the bed-hangings. He jumped down and tried to smother +it, but it blazed too quickly now. The cabin was soon filled with smoke, +and Smirre Fox, who had remained just outside the window, began to grasp +the state of affairs within. "Well, Thumbietot," he called out, "which +do you choose now: to be broiled alive in there, or to come out here to +me? Of course, I should prefer to have the pleasure of eating you; but +in whichever way death meets you it will be dear to me." + +The boy could not think but what the fox was right, for the fire was +making rapid headway. The whole bed was now in a blaze, and smoke rose +from the floor; and along the painted wall-strips the fire crept from +rider to rider. The boy jumped up in the fireplace, and tried to open +the oven door, when he heard a key which turned around slowly in the +lock. It must be human beings coming. And in the dire extremity in which +he found himself, he was not afraid, but only glad. He was already on +the threshold when the door opened. He saw a couple of children facing +him; but how they looked when they saw the cabin in flames, he took no +time to find out; but rushed past them into the open. + +He didn't dare run far. He knew, of course, that Smirre Fox lay in wait +for him, and he understood that he must remain near the children. He +turned round to see what sort of folk they were, but he hadn't looked at +them a second before he ran up to them and cried: "Oh, good-day, Osa +goose-girl! Oh, good-day, little Mats!" + +For when the boy saw those children he forgot entirely where he was. +Crows and burning cabin and talking animals had vanished from his +memory. He was walking on a stubble-field, in West Vemminghög, tending a +goose-flock; and beside him, on the field, walked those same Småland +children, with their geese. As soon as he saw them, he ran up on the +stone-hedge and shouted: "Oh, good-day, Osa goose-girl! Oh, good-day, +little Mats!" + +But when the children saw such a little creature coming up to them with +outstretched hands, they grabbed hold of each other, took a couple of +steps backward, and looked scared to death. + +When the boy noticed their terror he woke up and remembered who he was. +And then it seemed to him that nothing worse could happen to him than +that those children should see how he had been bewitched. Shame and +grief because he was no longer a human being overpowered him. He turned +and fled. He knew not whither. + +But a glad meeting awaited the boy when he came down to the heath. For +there, in the heather, he spied something white, and toward him came the +white goosey-gander, accompanied by Dunfin. When the white one saw the +boy running with such speed, he thought that dreadful fiends were +pursuing him. He flung him in all haste upon his back and flew off with +him. + + +THE OLD PEASANT WOMAN + + +_Thursday, April fourteenth_. + +Three tired wanderers were out in the late evening in search of a night +harbour. They travelled over a poor and desolate portion of northern +Småland. But the sort of resting place which they wanted, they should +have been able to find; for they were no weaklings who asked for soft +beds or comfortable rooms. "If one of these long mountain-ridges had a +peak so high and steep that a fox couldn't in any way climb up to it, +then we should have a good sleeping-place," said one of them. "If a +single one of the big swamps was thawed out, and was so marshy and wet +that a fox wouldn't dare venture out on it, this, too, would be a right +good night harbour," said the second. "If the ice on one of the large +lakes we travel past were loose, so that a fox could not come out on +it, then we should have found just what we are seeking," said the third. + +The worst of it was that when the sun had gone down, two of the +travellers became so sleepy that every second they were ready to fall to +the ground. The third one, who could keep himself awake, grew more and +more uneasy as night approached. "Then it was a misfortune that we came +to a land where lakes and swamps are frozen, so that a fox can get +around everywhere. In other places the ice has melted away; but now +we're well up in the very coldest Småland, where spring has not as yet +arrived. I don't know how I shall ever manage to find a good +sleeping-place! Unless I find some spot that is well protected, Smirre +Fox will be upon us before morning." + +He gazed in all directions, but he saw no shelter where he could lodge. +It was a dark and chilly night, with wind and drizzle. It grew more +terrible and disagreeable around him every second. + +This may sound strange, perhaps, but the travellers didn't seem to have +the least desire to ask for house-room on any farm. They had already +passed many parishes without knocking at a single door. Little hillside +cabins on the outskirts of the forests, which all poor wanderers are +glad to run across, they took no notice of either. One might almost be +tempted to say they deserved to have a hard time of it, since they did +not seek help where it was to be had for the asking. + +But finally, when it was so dark that there was scarcely a glimmer of +light left under the skies and the two who needed sleep journeyed on in +a kind of half-sleep, they happened into a farmyard which was a long way +off from all neighbours. And not only did it lie there desolate, but it +appeared to be uninhabited as well. No smoke rose from the chimney; no +light shone through the windows; no human being moved on the place. When +the one among the three who could keep awake, saw the place, he thought: +"Now come what may, we must try to get in here. Anything better we are +not likely to find." + +Soon after that, all three stood in the house-yard. Two of them fell +asleep the instant they stood still, but the third looked about him +eagerly, to find where they could get under cover. It was not a small +farm. Beside the dwelling house and stable and smoke-house, there were +long ranges with granaries and storehouses and cattlesheds. But it all +looked awfully poor and dilapidated. The houses had gray, moss-grown, +leaning walls, which seemed ready to topple over. In the roofs were +yawning holes, and the doors hung aslant on broken hinges. It was +apparent that no one had taken the trouble to drive a nail into a wall +on this place for a long time. + +Meanwhile, he who was awake had figured out which house was the cowshed. +He roused his travelling companions from their sleep, and conducted them +to the cowshed door. Luckily, this was not fastened with anything but a +hook, which he could easily push up with a rod. He heaved a sigh of +relief at the thought that they should soon be in safety. But when the +cowshed door swung open with a sharp creaking, he heard a cow begin to +bellow. "Are you coming at last, mistress?" said she. "I thought that +you didn't propose to give me any supper to-night." + +The one who was awake stopped in the doorway, absolutely terrified when +he discovered that the cowshed was not empty. But he soon saw that there +was not more than one cow, and three or four chickens; and then he took +courage again. "We are three poor travellers who want to come in +somewhere, where no fox can assail us, and no human being capture us," +said he. "We wonder if this can be a good place for us." "I cannot +believe but what it is," answered the cow. "To be sure the walls are +poor, but the fox does not walk through them as yet; and no one lives +here except an old peasant woman, who isn't at all likely to make a +captive of anyone. But who are you?" she continued, as she twisted in +her stall to get a sight of the newcomers. "I am Nils Holgersson from +Vemminghög, who has been transformed into an elf," replied the first of +the incomers, "and I have with me a tame goose, whom I generally ride, +and a gray goose." "Such rare guests have never before been within my +four walls," said the cow, "and you shall be welcome, although I would +have preferred that it had been my mistress, come to give me my supper." + +The boy led the geese into the cowshed, which was rather large, and +placed them in an empty manger, where they fell asleep instantly. For +himself, he made a little bed of straw and expected that he, too, should +go to sleep at once. + +But this was impossible, for the poor cow, who hadn't had her supper, +wasn't still an instant. She shook her flanks, moved around in the +stall, and complained of how hungry she was. The boy couldn't get a wink +of sleep, but lay there and lived over all the things that had happened +to him during these last days. + +He thought of Osa, the goose-girl, and little Mats, whom he had +encountered so unexpectedly; and he fancied that the little cabin which +he had set on fire must have been their old home in Småland. Now he +recalled that he had heard them speak of just such a cabin, and of the +big heather-heath which lay below it. Now Osa and Mats had wandered back +there to see their old home again, and then, when they had reached it, +it was in flames. + +It was indeed a great sorrow which he had brought upon them, and it hurt +him very much. If he ever again became a human being, he would try to +compensate them for the damage and miscalculation. + +Then his thoughts wandered to the crows. And when he thought of +Fumle-Drumle who had saved his life, and had met his own death so soon +after he had been elected chieftain, he was so distressed that tears +filled his eyes. He had had a pretty rough time of it these last few +days. But, anyway, it was a rare stroke of luck that the goosey-gander +and Dunfin had found him. The goosey-gander had said that as soon as the +geese discovered that Thumbietot had disappeared, they had asked all +the small animals in the forest about him. They soon learned that a +flock of Småland crows had carried him off. But the crows were already +out of sight, and whither they had directed their course no one had been +able to say. That they might find the boy as soon as possible, Akka had +commanded the wild geese to start out--two and two--in different +directions, to search for him. But after a two days' hunt, whether or +not they had found him, they were to meet in northwestern Småland on a +high mountain-top, which resembled an abrupt, chopped-off tower, and was +called Taberg. After Akka had given them the best directions, and +described carefully how they should find Taberg, they had separated. + +The white goosey-gander had chosen Dunfin as travelling companion, and +they had flown about hither and thither with the greatest anxiety for +Thumbietot. During this ramble they had heard a thrush, who sat in a +tree-top, cry and wail that someone, who called himself +Kidnapped-by-Crows, had made fun of him. They had talked with the +thrush, and he had shown them in which direction that Kidnapped-by-Crows +had travelled. Afterward, they had met a dove-cock, a starling and a +drake; they had all wailed about a little culprit who had disturbed +their song, and who was named Caught-by-Crows, Captured-by-Crows, and +Stolen-by-Crows. In this way, they were enabled to trace Thumbietot all +the way to the heather-heath in Sonnerbo township. + +As soon as the goosey-gander and Dunfin had found Thumbietot, they had +started toward the north, in order to reach Taberg. But it had been a +long road to travel, and the darkness was upon them before they had +sighted the mountain top. "If we only get there by to-morrow, surely all +our troubles will be over," thought the boy, and dug down into the straw +to have it warmer. All the while the cow fussed and fumed in the stall. +Then, all of a sudden, she began to talk to the boy. "Everything is +wrong with me," said the cow. "I am neither milked nor tended. I have no +night fodder in my manger, and no bed has been made under me. My +mistress came here at dusk, to put things in order for me, but she felt +so ill, that she had to go in soon again, and she has not returned." + +"It's distressing that I should be little and powerless," said the boy. +"I don't believe that I am able to help you." "You can't make me believe +that you are powerless because you are little," said the cow. "All the +elves that I've ever heard of, were so strong that they could pull a +whole load of hay and strike a cow dead with one fist." The boy couldn't +help laughing at the cow. "They were a very different kind of elf from +me," said he. "But I'll loosen your halter and open the door for you, so +that you can go out and drink in one of the pools on the place, and then +I'll try to climb up to the hayloft and throw down some hay in your +manger." "Yes, that would be some help," said the cow. + +The boy did as he had said; and when the cow stood with a full manger in +front of her, he thought that at last he should get some sleep. But he +had hardly crept down in the bed before she began, anew, to talk to him. + +"You'll be clean put out with me if I ask you for one thing more," said +the cow. "Oh, no I won't, if it's only something that I'm able to do," +said the boy. "Then I will ask you to go into the cabin, directly +opposite, and find out how my mistress is getting along. I fear some +misfortune has come to her." "No! I can't do that," said the boy. "I +dare not show myself before human beings." "'Surely you're not afraid of +an old and sick woman," said the cow. "But you do not need to go into +the cabin. Just stand outside the door and peep in through the crack!" +"Oh! if that is all you ask of me, I'll do it of course," said the boy. + +With that he opened the cowshed door and went out in the yard. It was a +fearful night! Neither moon nor stars shone; the wind blew a gale, and +the rain came down in torrents. And the worst of all was that seven +great owls sat in a row on the eaves of the cabin. It was awful just to +hear them, where they sat and grumbled at the weather; but it was even +worse to think what would happen to him if one of them should set eyes +on him. That would be the last of him. + +"Pity him who is little!" said the boy as he ventured out in the yard. +And he had a right to say this, for he was blown down twice before he +got to the house: once the wind swept him into a pool, which was so deep +that he came near drowning. But he got there nevertheless. + +He clambered up a pair of steps, scrambled over a threshold, and came +into the hallway. The cabin door was closed, but down in one corner a +large piece had been cut away, that the cat might go in and out. It was +no difficulty whatever for the boy to see how things were in the cabin. + +He had hardly cast a glance in there before he staggered back and turned +his head away. An old, gray-haired woman lay stretched out on the floor +within. She neither moved nor moaned; and her face shone strangely +white. It was as if an invisible moon had thrown a feeble light over it. + +The boy remembered that when his grandfather had died, his face had also +become so strangely white-like. And he understood that the old woman who +lay on the cabin floor must be dead. Death had probably come to her so +suddenly that she didn't even have time to lie down on her bed. + +As he thought of being alone with the dead in the middle of the dark +night, he was terribly afraid. He threw himself headlong down the steps, +and rushed back to the cowshed. + +When he told the cow what he had seen in the cabin, she stopped eating. +"So my mistress is dead," said she. "Then it will soon be over for me +as well." "There will always be someone to look out for you," said the +boy comfortingly. "Ah! you don't know," said the cow, "that I am already +twice as old as a cow usually is before she is laid upon the +slaughter-bench. But then I do not care to live any longer, since she, +in there, can come no more to care for me." + +She said nothing more for a while, but the boy observed, no doubt, that +she neither slept nor ate. It was not long before she began to speak +again. "Is she lying on the bare floor?" she asked. "She is," said the +boy. "She had a habit of coming out to the cowshed," she continued, "and +talking about everything that troubled her. I understood what she said, +although I could not answer her. These last few days she talked of how +afraid she was lest there would be no one with her when she died. She +was anxious for fear no one should close her eyes and fold her hands +across her breast, after she was dead. Perhaps you'll go in and do +this?" The boy hesitated. He remembered that when his grandfather had +died, mother had been very careful about putting everything to rights. +He knew this was something which had to be done. But, on the other hand, +he felt that he didn't care go to the dead, in the ghastly night. He +didn't say no; neither did he take a step toward the cowshed door. For a +couple of seconds the old cow was silent--just as if she had expected an +answer. But when the boy said nothing, she did not repeat her request. +Instead, she began to talk with him of her mistress. + +There was much to tell, first and foremost, about all the children which +she had brought up. They had been in the cowshed every day, and in the +summer they had taken the cattle to pasture on the swamp and in the +groves, so the old cow knew all about them. They had been splendid, all +of them, and happy and industrious. A cow knew well enough what her +caretakers were good for. + +There was also much to be said about the farm. It had not always been as +poor as it was now. It was very large--although the greater part of it +consisted of swamps and stony groves. There was not much room for +fields, but there was plenty of good fodder everywhere. At one time +there had been a cow for every stall in the cowshed; and the oxshed, +which was now empty, had at one time been filled with oxen. And then +there was life and gayety, both in cabin and cowhouse. When the mistress +opened the cowshed door she would hum and sing, and all the cows lowed +with gladness when they heard her coming. + +But the good man had died when the children were so small that they +could not be of any assistance, and the mistress had to take charge of +the farm, and all the work and responsibility. She had been as strong as +a man, and had both ploughed and reaped. In the evenings, when she came +into the cowshed to milk, sometimes she was so tired that she wept. Then +she dashed away her tears, and was cheerful again. "It doesn't matter. +Good times are coming again for me too, if only my children grow up. +Yes, if they only grow up." + +But as soon as the children were grown, a strange longing came over +them. They didn't want to stay at home, but went away to a strange +country. Their mother never got any help from them. A couple of her +children were married before they went away, and they had left their +children behind, in the old home. And now these children followed the +mistress in the cowshed, just as her own had done. They tended the cows, +and were fine, good folk. And, in the evenings, when the mistress was so +tired out that she could fall asleep in the middle of the milking, she +would rouse herself again to renewed courage by thinking of them. "Good +times are coming for me, too," said she--and shook off sleep--"when once +they are grown." + +But when these children grew up, they went away to their parents in the +strange land. No one came back--no one stayed at home--the old mistress +was left alone on the farm. + +Probably she had never asked them to remain with her. "Think you, +Rödlinna, that I would ask them to stay here with me, when they can go +out in the world and have things comfortable?" she would say as she +stood in the stall with the old cow. "Here in Småland they have only +poverty to look forward to." + +But when the last grandchild was gone, it was all up with the mistress. +All at once she became bent and gray, and tottered as she walked; as if +she no longer had the strength to move about. She stopped working. She +did not care to look after the farm, but let everything go to rack and +ruin. She didn't repair the houses; and she sold both the cows and the +oxen. The only one that she kept was the old cow who now talked with +Thumbietot. Her she let live because all the children had tended her. + +She could have taken maids and farm-hands into her service, who would +have helped her with the work, but she couldn't bear to see strangers +around her, since her own had deserted her. Perhaps she was better +satisfied to let the farm go to ruin, since none of her children were +coming back to take it after she was gone. She did not mind that she +herself became poor, because she didn't value that which was only hers. +But she was troubled lest the children should find out how hard she had +it. "If only the children do not hear of this! If only the children do +not hear of this!" she sighed as she tottered through the cowhouse. + +The children wrote constantly, and begged her to come out to them; but +this she did not wish. She didn't want to see the land that had taken +them from her. She was angry with it. "It's foolish of me, perhaps, that +I do not like that land which has been so good for them," said she. "But +I don't want to see it." + +She never thought of anything but the children, and of this--that they +must needs have gone. When summer came, she led the cow out to graze in +the big swamp. All day she would sit on the edge of the swamp, her hands +in her lap; and on the way home she would say: "You see, Rödlinna, if +there had been large, rich fields here, in place of these barren swamps, +then there would have been no need for them to leave." + +She could become furious with the swamp which spread out so big, and did +no good. She could sit and talk about how it was the swamp's fault that +the children had left her. + +This last evening she had been more trembly and feeble than ever before. +She could not even do the milking. She had leaned against the manger +and talked about two strangers who had been to see her, and had asked if +they might buy the swamp. They wanted to drain it, and sow and raise +grain on it. This had made her both anxious and glad. "Do you hear, +Rödlinna," she had said, "do you hear they said that grain can grow on +the swamp? Now I shall write to the children to come home. Now they'll +not have to stay away any longer; for now they can get their bread here +at home." It was this that she had gone into the cabin to do-- + +The boy heard no more of what the old cow said. He had opened the +cowhouse door and gone across the yard, and in to the dead whom he had +but lately been so afraid of. + +It was not so poor in the cabin as he had expected. It was well supplied +with the sort of things one generally finds among those who have +relatives in America. In a corner there was an American rocking chair; +on the table before the window lay a brocaded plush cover; there was a +pretty spread on the bed; on the walls, in carved-wood frames, hung the +photographs of the children and grandchildren who had gone away; on the +bureau stood high vases and a couple of candlesticks, with thick, spiral +candles in them. + +The boy searched for a matchbox and lighted these candles, not because +he needed more light than he already had; but because he thought that +this was one way to honour the dead. + +Then he went up to her, closed her eyes, folded her hands across her +breast, and stroked back the thin gray hair from her face. + +He thought no more about being afraid of her. He was so deeply grieved +because she had been forced to live out her old age in loneliness and +longing. He, at least, would watch over her dead body this night. + +He hunted up the psalm book, and seated himself to read a couple of +psalms in an undertone. But in the middle of the reading he +paused--because he had begun to think about his mother and father. + +Think, that parents can long so for their children! This he had never +known. Think, that life can be as though it was over for them when the +children are away! Think, if those at home longed for him in the same +way that this old peasant woman had longed! + +This thought made him happy, but he dared not believe in it. He had not +been such a one that anybody could long for him. + +But what he had not been, perhaps he could become. + +Round about him he saw the portraits of those who were away. They were +big, strong men and women with earnest faces. There were brides in long +veils, and gentlemen in fine clothes; and there were children with waved +hair and pretty white dresses. And he thought that they all stared +blindly into vacancy--and did not want to see. + +"Poor you!" said the boy to the portraits. "Your mother is dead. You +cannot make reparation now, because you went away from her. But my +mother is living!" + +Here he paused, and nodded and smiled to himself. "My mother is living," +said he. "Both father and mother are living." + + +FROM TABERG TO HUSKVARNA + + +_Friday, April fifteenth_. + +The boy sat awake nearly all night, but toward morning he fell asleep +and then he dreamed of his father and mother. He could hardly recognise +them. They had both grown gray, and had old and wrinkled faces. He asked +how this had come about, and they answered that they had aged so because +they had longed for him. He was both touched and astonished, for he had +never believed but what they were glad to be rid of him. + +When the boy awoke the morning was come, with fine, clear weather. +First, he himself ate a bit of bread which he found in the cabin; then +he gave morning feed to both geese and cow, and opened the cowhouse door +so that the cow could go over to the nearest farm. When the cow came +along all by herself the neighbours would no doubt understand that +something was wrong with her mistress. They would hurry over to the +desolate farm to see how the old woman was getting along, and then they +would find her dead body and bury it. + +The boy and the geese had barely raised themselves into the air, when +they caught a glimpse of a high mountain, with almost perpendicular +walls, and an abrupt, broken-off top; and they understood that this +must be Taberg. On the summit stood Akka, with Yksi and Kaksi, Kolmi and +Neljä, Viisi and Knusi, and all six goslings and waited for them. There +was a rejoicing, and a cackling, and a fluttering, and a calling which +no one can describe, when they saw that the goosey-gander and Dunfin had +succeeded in finding Thumbietot. + +The woods grew pretty high up on Taberg's sides, but her highest peak +was barren; and from there one could look out in all directions. If one +gazed toward the east, or south, or west, then there was hardly anything +to be seen but a poor highland with dark spruce-trees, brown morasses, +ice-clad lakes, and bluish mountain-ridges. The boy couldn't keep from +thinking it was true that the one who had created this hadn't taken very +great pains with his work, but had thrown it together in a hurry. But if +one glanced to the north, it was altogether different. Here it looked as +if it had been worked out with the utmost care and affection. In this +direction one saw only beautiful mountains, soft valleys, and winding +rivers, all the way to the big Lake Vettern, which lay ice-free and +transparently clear, and shone as if it wasn't filled with water but +with blue light. + +It was Vettern that made it so pretty to look toward the north, because +it looked as though a blue stream had risen up from the lake, and spread +itself over land also. Groves and hills and roofs, and the spires of +Jönköping City--which shimmered along Vettern's shores--lay enveloped in +pale blue which caressed the eye. If there were countries in heaven, +they, too, must be blue like this, thought the boy, and imagined that he +had gotten a faint idea of how it must look in Paradise. + +Later in the day, when the geese continued their journey, they flew up +toward the blue valley. They were in holiday humour; shrieked and made +such a racket that no one who had ears could help hearing them. + +This happened to be the first really fine spring day they had had in +this section. Until now, the spring had done its work under rain and +bluster; and now, when it had all of a sudden become fine weather, the +people were filled with such a longing after summer warmth and green +woods that they could hardly perform their tasks. And when the wild +geese rode by, high above the ground, cheerful and free, there wasn't +one who did not drop what he had in hand, and glance at them. + +The first ones who saw the wild geese that day were miners on Taberg, +who were digging ore at the mouth of the mine. When they heard them +cackle, they paused in their drilling for ore, and one of them called to +the birds: "Where are you going? Where are you going?" The geese didn't +understand what he said, but the boy leaned forward over the goose-back, +and answered for them: "Where there is neither pick nor hammer." When +the miners heard the words, they thought it was their own longing that +made the goose-cackle sound like human speech. "Take us along with you! +Take us along with you!" they cried. "Not this year," shrieked the boy. +"Not this year." + +The wild geese followed Taberg River down toward Monk Lake, and all the +while they made the same racket. Here, on the narrow land-strip between +Monk and Vettern lakes, lay Jönköping with its great factories. The wild +geese rode first over Monksjö paper mills. The noon rest hour was just +over, and the big workmen were streaming down to the mill-gate. When +they heard the wild geese, they stopped a moment to listen to them. +"Where are you going? Where are you going?" called the workmen. The wild +geese understood nothing of what they said, but the boy answered for +them: "There, where there are neither machines nor steam-boxes." When +the workmen heard the answer, they believed it was their own longing +that made the goose-cackle sound like human speech. "Take us along with +you!" "Not this year," answered the boy. "Not this year." + +Next, the geese rode over the well-known match factory, which lies on +the shores of Vettern--large as a fortress--and lifts its high chimneys +toward the sky. Not a soul moved out in the yards; but in a large hall +young working-women sat and filled match-boxes. They had opened a window +on account of the beautiful weather, and through it came the wild +geese's call. The one who sat nearest the window, leaned out with a +match-box in her hand, and cried: "Where are you going? Where are you +going?" "To that land where there is no need of either light or +matches," said the boy. The girl thought that what she had heard was +only goose-cackle; but since she thought she had distinguished a couple +of words, she called out in answer: "Take me along with you!" "Not this +year," replied the boy. "Not this year." + +East of the factories rises Jönköping, on the most glorious spot that +any city can occupy. The narrow Vettern has high, steep sand-shores, +both on the eastern and western sides; but straight south, the +sand-walls are broken down, just as if to make room for a large gate, +through which one reaches the lake. And in the middle of the gate--with +mountains to the left, and mountains to the right, with Monk Lake behind +it, and Vettern in front of it--lies Jönköping. + +The wild geese travelled forward over the long, narrow city, and behaved +themselves here just as they had done in the country. But in the city +there was no one who answered them. It was not to be expected that city +folks should stop out in the streets, and call to the wild geese. + +The trip extended further along Vettern's shores; and after a little +they came to Sanna Sanitarium. Some of the patients had gone out on the +veranda to enjoy the spring air, and in this way they heard the +goose-cackle. "Where are you going?" asked one of them with such a +feeble voice that he was scarcely heard. "To that land where there is +neither sorrow nor sickness," answered the boy. "Take us along with +you!" said the sick ones. "Not this year," answered the boy. "Not this +year." + +When they had travelled still farther on, they came to Huskvarna. It lay +in a valley. The mountains around it were steep and beautifully formed. +A river rushed along the heights in long and narrow falls. Big workshops +and factories lay below the mountain walls; and scattered over the +valley-bottom were the workingmens' homes, encircled by little gardens; +and in the centre of the valley lay the schoolhouse. Just as the wild +geese came along, a bell rang, and a crowd of school children marched +out in line. They were so numerous that the whole schoolyard was filled +with them. "Where are you going? Where are you going?" the children +shouted when they heard the wild geese. "Where there are neither books +nor lessons to be found," answered the boy. "Take us along!" shrieked +the children. "Not this year, but next," cried the boy. "Not this year, +but next." + + +THE BIG BIRD LAKE + + +JARRO, THE WILD DUCK + +On the eastern shore of Vettern lies Mount Omberg; east of Omberg lies +Dagmosse; east of Dagmosse lies Lake Takern. Around the whole of Takern +spreads the big, even Östergöta plain. + +Takern is a pretty large lake and in olden times it must have been still +larger. But then the people thought it covered entirely too much of the +fertile plain, so they attempted to drain the water from it, that they +might sow and reap on the lake-bottom. But they did not succeed in +laying waste the entire lake--which had evidently been their +intention--therefore it still hides a lot of land. Since the draining +the lake has become so shallow that hardly at any point is it more than +a couple of metres deep. The shores have become marshy and muddy; and +out in the lake, little mud-islets stick up above the water's surface. + +Now, there is one who loves to stand with his feet in the water, if he +can just keep his body and head in the air, and that is the reed. And it +cannot find a better place to grow upon, than the long, shallow Takern +shores, and around the little mud-islets. It thrives so well that it +grows taller than a man's height, and so thick that it is almost +impossible to push a boat through it. It forms a broad green enclosure +around the whole lake, so that it is only accessible in a few places +where the people have taken away the reeds. + +But if the reeds shut the people out, they give, in return, shelter and +protection to many other things. In the reeds there are a lot of little +dams and canals with green, still water, where duckweed and pondweed run +to seed; and where gnat-eggs and blackfish and worms are hatched out in +uncountable masses. And all along the shores of these little dams and +canals, there are many well-concealed places, where seabirds hatch their +eggs, and bring up their young without being disturbed, either by +enemies or food worries. + +An incredible number of birds live in the Takern reeds; and more and +more gather there every year, as it becomes known what a splendid abode +it is. The first who settled there were the wild ducks; and they still +live there by thousands. But they no longer own the entire lake, for +they have been obliged to share it with swans, grebes, coots, loons, +fen-ducks, and a lot of others. + +Takern is certainly the largest and choicest bird lake in the whole +country; and the birds may count themselves lucky as long as they own +such a retreat. But it is uncertain just how long they will be in +control of reeds and mud-banks, for human beings cannot forget that the +lake extends over a considerable portion of good and fertile soil; and +every now and then the proposition to drain it comes up among them. And +if these propositions were carried out, the many thousands of +water-birds would be forced to move from this quarter. + +At the time when Nils Holgersson travelled around with the wild geese, +there lived at Takern a wild duck named Jarro. He was a young bird, who +had only lived one summer, one fall, and a winter; now, it was his first +spring. He had just returned from South Africa, and had reached Takern +in such good season that the ice was still on the lake. + +One evening, when he and the other young wild ducks played at racing +backward and forward over the lake, a hunter fired a couple of shots at +them, and Jarro was wounded in the breast. He thought he should die; but +in order that the one who had shot him shouldn't get him into his power, +he continued to fly as long as he possibly could. He didn't think +whither he was directing his course, but only struggled to get far +away. When his strength failed him, so that he could not fly any +farther, he was no longer on the lake. He had flown a bit inland, and +now he sank down before the entrance to one of the big farms which lie +along the shores of Takern. + +A moment later a young farm-hand happened along. He saw Jarro, and came +and lifted him up. But Jarro, who asked for nothing but to be let die in +peace, gathered his last powers and nipped the farm-hand in the finger, +so he should let go of him. + +Jarro didn't succeed in freeing himself. The encounter had this good in +it at any rate: the farm-hand noticed that the bird was alive. He +carried him very gently into the cottage, and showed him to the mistress +of the house--a young woman with a kindly face. At once she took Jarro +from the farm-hand, stroked him on the back and wiped away the blood +which trickled down through the neck-feathers. She looked him over very +carefully; and when she saw how pretty he was, with his dark-green, +shining head, his white neck-band, his brownish-red back, and his blue +wing-mirror, she must have thought that it was a pity for him to die. +She promptly put a basket in order, and tucked the bird into it. + +All the while Jarro fluttered and struggled to get loose; but when he +understood that the people didn't intend to kill him, he settled down in +the basket with a sense of pleasure. Now it was evident how exhausted he +was from pain and loss of blood. The mistress carried the basket across +the floor to place it in the corner by the fireplace; but before she put +it down Jarro was already fast asleep. + +In a little while Jarro was awakened by someone who nudged him gently. +When he opened his eyes he experienced such an awful shock that he +almost lost his senses. Now he was lost; for there stood _the_ one who +was more dangerous than either human beings or birds of prey. It was no +less a thing than Caesar himself--the long-haired dog--who nosed around +him inquisitively. + +How pitifully scared had he not been last summer, when he was still a +little yellow-down duckling, every time it had sounded over the +reed-stems: "Caesar is coming! Caesar is coming!" When he had seen the +brown and white spotted dog with the teeth-filled jowls come wading +through the reeds, he had believed that he beheld death itself. He had +always hoped that he would never have to live through that moment when +he should meet Caesar face to face. + +But, to his sorrow, he must have fallen down in the very yard where +Caesar lived, for there he stood right over him. "Who are you?" he +growled. "How did you get into the house? Don't you belong down among +the reed banks?" + +It was with great difficulty that he gained the courage to answer. +"Don't be angry with me, Caesar, because I came into the house!" said +he. "It isn't my fault. I have been wounded by a gunshot. It was the +people themselves who laid me in this basket." + +"Oho! so it's the folks themselves that have placed you here," said +Caesar. "Then it is surely their intention to cure you; although, for my +part, I think it would be wiser for them to eat you up, since you are in +their power. But, at any rate, you are tabooed in the house. You needn't +look so scared. Now, we're not down on Takern." + +With that Caesar laid himself to sleep in front of the blazing log-fire. +As soon as Jarro understood that this terrible danger was past, extreme +lassitude came over him, and he fell asleep anew. + +The next time Jarro awoke, he saw that a dish with grain and water stood +before him. He was still quite ill, but he felt hungry nevertheless, and +began to eat. When the mistress saw that he ate, she came up and petted +him, and looked pleased. After that, Jarro fell asleep again. For +several days he did nothing but eat and sleep. + +One morning Jarro felt so well that he stepped from the basket and +wandered along the floor. But he hadn't gone very far before he keeled +over, and lay there. Then came Caesar, opened his big jaws and grabbed +him. Jarro believed, of course, that the dog was going to bite him to +death; but Caesar carried him back to the basket without harming him. +Because of this, Jarro acquired such a confidence in the dog Caesar, +that on his next walk in the cottage, he went over to the dog and lay +down beside him. Thereafter Caesar and he became good friends, and every +day, for several hours, Jarro lay and slept between Caesar's paws. + +But an even greater affection than he felt for Caesar, did Jarro feel +toward his mistress. Of her he had not the least fear; but rubbed his +head against her hand when she came and fed him. Whenever she went out +of the cottage he sighed with regret; and when she came back he cried +welcome to her in his own language. + +Jarro forgot entirely how afraid he had been of both dogs and humans in +other days. He thought now that they were gentle and kind, and he loved +them. He wished that he were well, so he could fly down to Takern and +tell the wild ducks that their enemies were not dangerous, and that they +need not fear them. + +He had observed that the human beings, as well as Caesar, had calm eyes, +which it did one good to look into. The only one in the cottage whose +glance he did not care to meet, was Clawina, the house cat. She did him +no harm, either, but he couldn't place any confidence in her. Then, too, +she quarrelled with him constantly, because he loved human beings. "You +think they protect you because they are fond of you," said Clawina. "You +just wait until you are fat enough! Then they'll wring the neck off you. +I know them, I do." + +Jarro, like all birds, had a tender and affectionate heart; and he was +unutterably distressed when he heard this. He couldn't imagine that his +mistress would wish to wring the neck off him, nor could he believe any +such thing of her son, the little boy who sat for hours beside his +basket, and babbled and chattered. He seemed to think that both of them +had the same love for him that he had for them. + +One day, when Jarro and Caesar lay on the usual spot before the fire, +Clawina sat on the hearth and began to tease the wild duck. + +"I wonder, Jarro, what you wild ducks will do next year, when Takern is +drained and turned into grain fields?" said Clawina. "What's that you +say, Clawina?" cried Jarro, and jumped up--scared through and through. +"I always forget, Jarro, that you do not understand human speech, like +Caesar and myself," answered the cat. "Or else you surely would have +heard how the men, who were here in the cottage yesterday, said that all +the water was going to be drained from Takern, and that next year the +lake-bottom would be as dry as a house-floor. And now I wonder where you +wild ducks will go." When Jarro heard this talk he was so furious that +he hissed like a snake. "You are just as mean as a common coot!" he +screamed at Clawina. "You only want to incite me against human beings. I +don't believe they want to do anything of the sort. They must know that +Takern is the wild ducks' property. Why should they make so many birds +homeless and unhappy? You have certainly hit upon all this to scare me. +I hope that you may be torn in pieces by Gorgo, the eagle! I hope that +my mistress will chop off your whiskers!" + +But Jarro couldn't shut Clawina up with this outburst. "So you think I'm +lying," said she. "Ask Caesar, then! He was also in the house last +night. Caesar never lies." + +"Caesar," said Jarro, "you understand human speech much better than +Clawina. Say that she hasn't heard aright! Think how it would be if the +people drained Takern, and changed the lake-bottom into fields! Then +there would be no more pondweed or duck-food for the grown wild ducks, +and no blackfish or worms or gnat-eggs for the ducklings. Then the +reed-banks would disappear--where now the ducklings conceal themselves +until they are able to fly. All ducks would be compelled to move away +from here and seek another home. But where shall they find a retreat +like Takern? Caesar, say that Clawina has not heard aright!" + +It was extraordinary to watch Caesar's behaviour during this +conversation. He had been wide-awake the whole time before, but now, +when Jarro turned to him, he panted, laid his long nose on his forepaws, +and was sound asleep within the wink of an eyelid. + +The cat looked down at Caesar with a knowing smile. "I believe that +Caesar doesn't care to answer you," she said to Jarro. "It is with him +as with all dogs; they will never acknowledge that humans can do any +wrong. But you can rely upon my word, at any rate. I shall tell you why +they wish to drain the lake just now. As long as you wild ducks still +had the power on Takern, they did not wish to drain it, for, at least, +they got some good out of you; but now, grebes and coots and other birds +who are no good as food, have infested nearly all the reed-banks, and +the people don't think they need let the lake remain on their account." + +Jarro didn't trouble himself to answer Clawina, but raised his head, and +shouted in Caesar's ear: "Caesar! You know that on Takern there are +still so many ducks left that they fill the air like clouds. Say it +isn't true that human beings intend to make all of these homeless!" + +Then Caesar sprang up with such a sudden outburst at Clawina that she +had to save herself by jumping up on a shelf. "I'll teach you to keep +quiet when I want to sleep," bawled Caesar. "Of course I know that there +is some talk about draining the lake this year. But there's been talk of +this many times before without anything coming of it. And that draining +business is a matter in which I take no stock whatever. For how would it +go with the game if Takern were laid waste. You're a donkey to gloat +over a thing like that. What will you and I have to amuse ourselves +with, when there are no more birds on Takern?" + +THE DECOY-DUCK + +_Sunday, April seventeenth_. + +A couple of days later Jarro was so well that he could fly all about the +house. Then he was petted a good deal by the mistress, and the little +boy ran out in the yard and plucked the first grass-blades for him which +had sprung up. When the mistress caressed him, Jarro thought that, +although he was now so strong that he could fly down to Takern at any +time, he shouldn't care to be separated from the human beings. He had no +objection to remaining with them all his life. + +But early one morning the mistress placed a halter, or noose, over +Jarro, which prevented him from using his wings, and then she turned him +over to the farm-hand who had found him in the yard. The farm-hand poked +him under his arm, and went down to Takern with him. + +The ice had melted away while Jarro had been ill. The old, dry fall +leaves still stood along the shores and islets, but all the +water-growths had begun to take root down in the deep; and the green +stems had already reached the surface. And now nearly all the migratory +birds were at home. The curlews' hooked bills peeped out from the reeds. +The grebes glided about with new feather-collars around the neck; and +the jack-snipes were gathering straws for their nests. + +The farm-hand got into a scow, laid Jarro in the bottom of the boat, and +began to pole himself out on the lake. Jarro, who had now accustomed +himself to expect only good of human beings, said to Caesar, who was +also in the party, that he was very grateful toward the farm-hand for +taking him out on the lake. But there was no need to keep him so closely +guarded, for he did not intend to fly away. To this Caesar made no +reply. He was very close-mouthed that morning. + +The only thing which struck Jarro as being a bit peculiar was that the +farm-hand had taken his gun along. He couldn't believe that any of the +good folk in the cottage would want to shoot birds. And, beside, Caesar +had told him that the people didn't hunt at this time of the year. "It +is a prohibited time," he had said, "although this doesn't concern me, +of course." + +The farm-hand went over to one of the little reed-enclosed mud-islets. +There he stepped from the boat, gathered some old reeds into a pile, +and lay down behind it. Jarro was permitted to wander around on the +ground, with the halter over his wings, and tethered to the boat, with a +long string. + +Suddenly Jarro caught sight of some young ducks and drakes, in whose +company he had formerly raced backward and forward over the lake. They +were a long way off, but Jarro called them to him with a couple of loud +shouts. They responded, and a large and beautiful flock approached. +Before they got there, Jarro began to tell them about his marvellous +rescue, and of the kindness of human beings. Just then, two shots +sounded behind him. Three ducks sank down in the reeds--lifeless--and +Caesar bounced out and captured them. + +Then Jarro understood. The human beings had only saved him that they +might use him as a decoy-duck. And they had also succeeded. Three ducks +had died on his account. He thought he should die of shame. He thought +that even his friend Caesar looked contemptuously at him; and when they +came home to the cottage, he didn't dare lie down and sleep beside the +dog. + +The next morning Jarro was again taken out on the shallows. This time, +too, he saw some ducks. But when he observed that they flew toward him, +he called to them: "Away! Away! Be careful! Fly in another direction! +There's a hunter hidden behind the reed-pile. I'm only a decoy-bird!" +And he actually succeeded in preventing them from coming within shooting +distance. + +Jarro had scarcely had time to taste of a grass-blade, so busy was he in +keeping watch. He called out his warning as soon as a bird drew nigh. He +even warned the grebes, although he detested them because they crowded +the ducks out of their best hiding-places. But he did not wish that any +bird should meet with misfortune on his account. And, thanks to Jarro's +vigilance, the farm-hand had to go home without firing off a single +shot. + +Despite this fact, Caesar looked less displeased than on the previous +day; and when evening came he took Jarro in his mouth, carried him over +to the fireplace, and let him sleep between his forepaws. + +Nevertheless Jarro was no longer contented in the cottage, but was +grievously unhappy. His heart suffered at the thought that humans never +had loved him. When the mistress, or the little boy, came forward to +caress him, he stuck his bill under his wing and pretended that he +slept. + +For several days Jarro continued his distressful watch-service; and +already he was known all over Takern. Then it happened one morning, +while he called as usual: "Have a care, birds! Don't come near me! I'm +only a decoy-duck," that a grebe-nest came floating toward the shallows +where he was tied. This was nothing especially remarkable. It was a nest +from the year before; and since grebe-nests are built in such a way that +they can move on water like boats, it often happens that they drift out +toward the lake. Still Jarro stood there and stared at the nest, because +it came so straight toward the islet that it looked as though someone +had steered its course over the water. + +As the nest came nearer, Jarro saw that a little human being--the +tiniest he had ever seen--sat in the nest and rowed it forward with a +pair of sticks. And this little human called to him: "Go as near the +water as you can, Jarro, and be ready to fly. You shall soon be freed." + +A few seconds later the grebe-nest lay near land, but the little oarsman +did not leave it, but sat huddled up between branches and straw. Jarro +too held himself almost immovable. He was actually paralysed with fear +lest the rescuer should be discovered. + +The next thing which occurred was that a flock of wild geese came along. +Then Jarro woke up to business, and warned them with loud shrieks; but +in spite of this they flew backward and forward over the shallows +several times. They held themselves so high that they were beyond +shooting distance; still the farm-hand let himself be tempted to fire a +couple of shots at them. These shots were hardly fired before the little +creature ran up on land, drew a tiny knife from its sheath, and, with a +couple of quick strokes, cut loose Jarro's halter. "Now fly away, Jarro, +before the man has time to load again!" cried he, while he himself ran +down to the grebe-nest and poled away from the shore. + +The hunter had had his gaze fixed upon the geese, and hadn't observed +that Jarro had been freed; but Caesar had followed more carefully that +which happened; and just as Jarro raised his wings, he dashed forward +and grabbed him by the neck. + +Jarro cried pitifully; and the boy who had freed him said quietly to +Caesar: "If you are just as honourable as you look, surely you cannot +wish to force a good bird to sit here and entice others into trouble." + +When Caesar heard these words, he grinned viciously with his upper lip, +but the next second he dropped Jarro. "Fly, Jarro!" said he. "You are +certainly too good to be a decoy-duck. It wasn't for this that I wanted +to keep you here; but because it will be lonely in the cottage without +you." + +THE LOWERING OF THE LAKE + +_Wednesday, April twentieth_. + +It was indeed very lonely in the cottage without Jarro. The dog and the +cat found the time long, when they didn't have him to wrangle over; and +the housewife missed the glad quacking which he had indulged in every +time she entered the house. But the one who longed most for Jarro, was +the little boy, Per Ola. He was but three years old, and the only child; +and in all his life he had never had a playmate like Jarro. When he +heard that Jarro had gone back to Takern and the wild ducks, he couldn't +be satisfied with this, but thought constantly of how he should get him +back again. + +Per Ola had talked a good deal with Jarro while he lay still in his +basket, and he was certain that the duck understood him. He begged his +mother to take him down to the lake that he might find Jarro, and +persuade him to come back to them. Mother wouldn't listen to this; but +the little one didn't give up his plan on that account. + +The day after Jarro had disappeared, Per Ola was running about in the +yard. He played by himself as usual, but Caesar lay on the stoop; and +when mother let the boy out, she said: "Take care of Per Ola, Caesar!" + +Now if all had been as usual, Caesar would also have obeyed the command, +and the boy would have been so well guarded that he couldn't have run +the least risk. But Caesar was not like himself these days. He knew that +the farmers who lived along Takern had held frequent conferences about +the lowering of the lake; and that they had almost settled the matter. +The ducks must leave, and Caesar should nevermore behold a glorious +chase. He was so preoccupied with thoughts of this misfortune, that he +did not remember to watch over Per Ola. + +And the little one had scarcely been alone in the yard a minute, before +he realised that now the right moment was come to go down to Takern and +talk with Jarro. He opened a gate, and wandered down toward the lake on +the narrow path which ran along the banks. As long as he could be seen +from the house, he walked slowly; but afterward he increased his pace. +He was very much afraid that mother, or someone else, should call to him +that he couldn't go. He didn't wish to do anything naughty, only to +persuade Jarro to come home; but he felt that those at home would not +have approved of the undertaking. + +When Per Ola came down to the lake-shore, he called Jarro several +times. Thereupon he stood for a long time and waited, but no Jarro +appeared. He saw several birds that resembled the wild duck, but they +flew by without noticing him, and he could understand that none among +them was the right one. + +When Jarro didn't come to him, the little boy thought that it would be +easier to find him if he went out on the lake. There were several good +craft lying along the shore, but they were tied. The only one that lay +loose, and at liberty, was an old leaky scow which was so unfit that no +one thought of using it. But Per Ola scrambled up in it without caring +that the whole bottom was filled with water. He had not strength enough +to use the oars, but instead, he seated himself to swing and rock in the +scow. Certainly no grown person would have succeeded in moving a scow +out on Takern in that manner; but when the tide is high--and ill-luck to +the fore--little children have a marvellous faculty for getting out to +sea. Per Ola was soon riding around on Takern, and calling for Jarro. + +When the old scow was rocked like this--out to sea--its Cracks opened +wider and wider, and the water actually streamed into it. Per Ola didn't +pay the slightest attention to this. He sat upon the little bench in +front and called to every bird he saw, and wondered why Jarro didn't +appear. + +At last Jarro caught sight of Per Ola. He heard that someone called him +by the name which he had borne among human beings, and he understood +that the boy had gone out on Takern to search for him. Jarro was +unspeakably happy to find that one of the humans really loved him. He +shot down toward Per Ola, like an arrow, seated himself beside him, and +let him caress him. They were both very happy to see each other again. +But suddenly Jarro noticed the condition of the scow. It was half-filled +with water, and was almost ready to sink. Jarro tried to tell Per Ola +that he, who could neither fly nor swim, must try to get upon land; but +Per Ola didn't understand him. Then Jarro did not wait an instant, but +hurried away to get help. + +Jarro came back in a little while, and carried on his back a tiny thing, +who was much smaller than Per Ola himself. If he hadn't been able to +talk and move, the boy would have believed that it was a doll. +Instantly, the little one ordered Per Ola to pick up a long, slender +pole that lay in the bottom of the scow, and try to pole it toward one +of the reed-islands. Per Ola obeyed him, and he and the tiny creature, +together, steered the scow. With a couple of strokes they were on a +little reed-encircled island, and now Per Ola was told that he must step +on land. And just the very moment that Per Ola set foot on land, the +scow was filled with water, and sank to the bottom. When Per Ola saw +this he was sure that father and mother would be very angry with him. He +would have started in to cry if he hadn't found something else to think +about soon; namely, a flock of big, gray birds, who lighted on the +island. The little midget took him up to them, and told him their names, +and what they said. And this was so funny that Per Ola forgot +everything else. + +Meanwhile the folks on the farm had discovered that the boy had +disappeared, and had started to search for him. They searched the +outhouses, looked in the well, and hunted through the cellar. Then they +went out into the highways and by-paths; wandered to the neighbouring +farm to find out if he had strayed over there, and searched for him also +down by Takern. But no matter how much they sought they did not find +him. + +Caesar, the dog, understood very well that the farmer-folk were looking +for Per Ola, but he did nothing to lead them on the right track; +instead, he lay still as though the matter didn't concern him. + +Later in the day, Per Ola's footprints were discovered down by the +boat-landing. And then came the thought that the old, leaky scow was no +longer on the strand. Then one began to understand how the whole affair +had come about. + +The farmer and his helpers immediately took out the boats and went in +search of the boy. They rowed around on Takern until way late in the +evening, without seeing the least shadow of him. They couldn't help +believing that the old scow had gone down, and that the little one lay +dead on the lake-bottom. + +In the evening, Per Ola's mother hunted around on the strand. Everyone +else was convinced that the boy was drowned, but she could not bring +herself to believe this. She searched all the while. She searched +between reeds and bulrushes; tramped and tramped on the muddy shore, +never thinking of how deep her foot sank, and how wet she had become. +She was unspeakably desperate. Her heart ached in her breast. She did +not weep, but wrung her hands and called for her child in loud piercing +tones. + +Round about her she heard swans' and ducks' and curlews' shrieks. She +thought that they followed her, and moaned and wailed--they too. +"Surely, they, too, must be in trouble, since they moan so," thought +she. Then she remembered: these were only birds that she heard complain. +They surely had no worries. + +It was strange that they did not quiet down after sunset. But she heard +all these uncountable bird-throngs, which lived along Takern, send forth +cry upon cry. Several of them followed her wherever she went; others +came rustling past on light wings. All the air was filled with moans and +lamentations. + +But the anguish which she herself was suffering, opened her heart. She +thought that she was not as far removed from all other living creatures +as people usually think. She understood much better than ever before, +how birds fared. They had their constant worries for home and children; +they, as she. There was surely not such a great difference between them +and her as she had heretofore believed. + +Then she happened to think that it was as good as settled that these +thousands of swans and ducks and loons would lose their homes here by +Takern. "It will be very hard for them," she thought. "Where shall they +bring up their children now?" + +She stood still and mused on this. It appeared to be an excellent and +agreeable accomplishment to change a lake into fields and meadows, but +let it be some other lake than Takern; some other lake, which was not +the home of so many thousand creatures. + +She remembered how on the following day the proposition to lower the +lake was to be decided, and she wondered if this was why her little son +had been lost--just to-day. + +Was it God's meaning that sorrow should come and open her heart--just +to-day--before it was too late to avert the cruel act? + +She walked rapidly up to the house, and began to talk with her husband +about this. She spoke of the lake, and of the birds, and said that she +believed it was God's judgment on them both. And she soon found that he +was of the same opinion. + +They already owned a large place, but if the lake-draining was carried +into effect, such a goodly portion of the lake-bottom would fall to +their share that their property would be nearly doubled. For this reason +they had been more eager for the undertaking than any of the other shore +owners. The others had been worried about expenses, and anxious lest the +draining should not prove any more successful this time than it was the +last. Per Ola's father knew in his heart that it was he who had +influenced them to undertake the work. He had exercised all his +eloquence, so that he might leave to his son a farm as large again as +his father had left to him. + +He stood and pondered if God's hand was back of the fact that Takern had +taken his son from him on the day before he was to draw up the contract +to lay it waste. The wife didn't have to say many words to him, before +he answered: "It may be that God does not want us to interfere with His +order. I'll talk with the others about this to-morrow, and I think we'll +conclude that all may remain as it is." + +While the farmer-folk were talking this over, Caesar lay before the +fire. He raised his head and listened very attentively. When he thought +that he was sure of the outcome, he walked up to the mistress, took her +by the skirt, and led her to the door. "But Caesar!" said she, and +wanted to break loose. "Do you know where Per Ola is?" she exclaimed. +Caesar barked joyfully, and threw himself against the door. She opened +it, and Caesar dashed down toward Takern. The mistress was so positive +he knew where Per Ola was, that she rushed after him. And no sooner had +they reached the shore than they heard a child's cry out on the lake. + +Per Ola had had the best day of his life, in company with Thumbietot and +the birds; but now he had begun to cry because he was hungry and afraid +of the darkness. And he was glad when father and mother and Caesar came +for him. + + +ULVÅSA-LADY + + +THE PROPHECY + +_Friday, April twenty-second_. + +One night when the boy lay and slept on an island in Takern, he was +awakened by oar-strokes. He had hardly gotten his eyes open before there +fell such a dazzling light on them that he began to blink. + +At first he couldn't make out what it was that shone so brightly out +here on the lake; but he soon saw that a scow with a big burning torch +stuck up on a spike, aft, lay near the edge of the reeds. The red flame +from the torch was clearly reflected in the night-dark lake; and the +brilliant light must have lured the fish, for round about the flame in +the deep a mass of dark specks were seen, that moved continually, and +changed places. + +There were two old men in the scow. One sat at the oars, and the other +stood on a bench in the stern and held in his hand a short spear which +was coarsely barbed. The one who rowed was apparently a poor fisherman. +He was small, dried-up and weather-beaten, and wore a thin, threadbare +coat. One could see that he was so used to being out in all sorts of +weather that he didn't mind the cold. The other was well fed and well +dressed, and looked like a prosperous and self-complacent farmer. + +"Now, stop!" said the farmer, when they were opposite the island where +the boy lay. At the same time he plunged the spear into the water. When +he drew it out again, a long, fine eel came with it. + +"Look at that!" said he as he released the eel from the spear. "That was +one who was worth while. Now I think we have so many that we can turn +back." + +His comrade did not lift the oars, but sat and looked around. "It is +lovely out here on the lake to-night," said he. And so it was. It was +absolutely still, so that the entire water-surface lay in undisturbed +rest with the exception of the streak where the boat had gone forward. +This lay like a path of gold, and shimmered in the firelight. The sky +was clear and dark blue and thickly studded with stars. The shores were +hidden by the reed islands except toward the west. There Mount Omberg +loomed up high and dark, much more impressive than usual, and, cut away +a big, three-cornered piece of the vaulted heavens. + +The other one turned his head to get the light out of his eyes, and +looked about him. "Yes, it is lovely here in Östergylln," said he. +"Still the best thing about the province is not its beauty." "Then what +is it that's best?" asked the oarsman. "That it has always been a +respected and honoured province." "That may be true enough." "And then +this, that one knows it will always continue to be so." "But how in the +world can one know this?" said the one who sat at the oars. + +The farmer straightened up where he stood and braced himself with the +spear. "There is an old story which has been handed down from father to +son in my family; and in it one learns what will happen to +Östergötland." "Then you may as well tell it to me," said the oarsman. +"We do not tell it to anyone and everyone, but I do not wish to keep it +a secret from an old comrade. + +"At Ulvåsa, here in Östergötland," he continued (and one could tell by +the tone of his voice that he talked of something which he had heard +from others, and knew by heart), "many, many years ago, there lived a +lady who had the gift of looking into the future, and telling people +what was going to happen to them--just as certainly and accurately as +though it had already occurred. For this she became widely noted; and it +is easy to understand that people would come to her, both from far and +near, to find out what they were going to pass through of good or evil. + +"One day, when Ulvåsa-lady sat in her hall and spun, as was customary in +former days, a poor peasant came into the room and seated himself on the +bench near the door. + +"'I wonder what you are sitting and thinking about, dear lady,' said the +peasant after a little. + +"'I am sitting and thinking about high and holy things,' answered she. +'Then it is not fitting, perhaps, that I ask you about something which +weighs on my heart,' said the peasant. + +"'It is probably nothing else that weighs on your heart than that you +may reap much grain on your field. But I am accustomed to receive +communications from the Emperor about how it will go with his crown; and +from the Pope, about how it will go with his keys.' 'Such things cannot +be easy to answer,' said the peasant. 'I have also heard that no one +seems to go from here without being dissatisfied with what he has +heard.' + +"When the peasant said this, he saw that Ulvåsa-lady bit her lip, and +moved higher up on the bench. 'So this is what you have heard about me,' +said she. 'Then you may as well tempt fortune by asking me about the +thing you wish to know; and you shall see if I can answer so that you +will be satisfied.' + +"After this the peasant did not hesitate to state his errand. He said +that he had come to ask how it would go with Östergötland in the future. +There was nothing which was so dear to him as his native province, and +he felt that he should be happy until his dying day if he could get a +satisfactory reply to his query. + +"'Oh! is that all you wish to know,' said the wise lady; 'then I think +that you will be content. For here where I now sit, I can tell you that +it will be like this with Östergötland: it will always have something to +boast of ahead of other provinces.' + +"'Yes, that was a good answer, dear lady,' said the peasant, 'and now I +would be entirely at peace if I could only comprehend how such a thing +should be possible.' + +"'Why should it not be possible?' said Ulvåsa-lady. 'Don't you know that +Östergötland is already renowned? Or think you there is any place in +Sweden that can boast of owning, at the same time, two such cloisters as +the ones in Alvastra and Vreta, and such a beautiful cathedral as the +one in Linköping?' + +"'That may be so,' said the peasant. 'But I'm an old man, and I know +that people's minds are changeable. I fear that there will come a time +when they won't want to give us any glory, either for Alvastra or Vreta +or for the cathedral.' + +"'Herein you may be right,' said Ulvåsa-lady, 'but you need not doubt +prophecy on that account. I shall now build up a new cloister on +Vadstena, and that will become the most celebrated in the North. Thither +both the high and the lowly shall make pilgrimages, and all shall sing +the praises of the province because it has such a holy place within its +confines.' + +"The peasant replied that he was right glad to know this. But he also +knew, of course, that everything was perishable; and he wondered much +what would give distinction to the province, if Vadstena Cloister should +once fall into disrepute. + +"'You are not easy to satisfy,' said Ulvåsa-lady, 'but surely I can see +so far ahead that I can tell you, before Vadstena Cloister shall have +lost its splendour, there will be a castle erected close by, which will +be the most magnificent of its period. Kings and dukes will be guests +there, and it shall be accounted an honour to the whole province, that +it owns such an ornament.' + +"'This I am also glad to hear,' said the peasant. 'But I'm an old man, +and I know how it generally turns out with this world's glories. And if +the castle goes to ruin, I wonder much what there will be that can +attract the people's attention to this province.' + +"'It's not a little that you want to know,' said Ulvåsa-lady, 'but, +certainly, I can look far enough into the future to see that there will +be life and movement in the forests around Finspång. I see how cabins +and smithies arise there, and I believe that the whole province shall +be renowned because iron will be moulded within its confines.' + +"The peasant didn't deny that he was delighted to hear this. 'But if it +should go so badly that even Finspång's foundry went down in importance, +then it would hardly be possible that any new thing could arise of which +Östergötland might boast.' + +"'You are not easy to please,' said Ulvåsa-lady, 'but I can see so far +into the future that I mark how, along the lake-shores, great +manors--large as castles--are built by gentlemen who have carried on +wars in foreign lands. I believe that the manors will bring the province +just as much honour as anything else that I have mentioned.' + +"'But if there comes a time when no one lauds the great manors?' +insisted the peasant. + +"'You need not be uneasy at all events,' said Ulvåsa-lady. I see how +health-springs bubble on Medevi meadows, by Vätter's shores. I believe +that the wells at Medevi will bring the land as much praise as you can +desire.' + +"'That is a mighty good thing to know,' said the peasant. 'But if there +comes a time when people will seek their health at other springs?' + +"'You must not give yourself any anxiety on that account,' answered +Ulvåsa-lady. I see how people dig and labour, from Motala to Mem. They +dig a canal right through the country, and then Östergötland's praise is +again on everyone's lips.' + +"But, nevertheless, the peasant looked distraught. + +"'I see that the rapids in Motala stream begin to draw wheels,' said +Ulvåsa-lady--and now two bright red spots came to her cheeks, for she +began to be impatient--'I hear hammers resound in Motala, and looms +clatter in Norrköping.' + +"'Yes, that's good to know,' said the peasant, 'but everything is +perishable, and I'm afraid that even this can be forgotten, and go into +oblivion.' + +"When the peasant was not satisfied even now, there was an end to the +lady's patience. 'You say that everything is perishable,' said she, 'but +now I shall still name something which will always be like itself; and +that is that such arrogant and pig-headed peasants as you will always +be found in this province--until the end of time.' + +"Hardly had Ulvåsa-lady said this before the peasant rose--happy and +satisfied--and thanked her for a good answer. Now, at last, he was +satisfied, he said. + +"'Verily, I understand now how you look at it,' then said Ulvåsa-lady. + +"'Well, I look at it in this way, dear lady,' said the peasant, 'that +everything which kings and priests and noblemen and merchants build and +accomplish, can only endure for a few years. But when you tell me that +in Östergötland there will always be peasants who are honour-loving and +persevering, then I know also that it will be able to keep its ancient +glory. For it is only those who go bent under the eternal labour with +the soil, who can hold this land in good repute and honour--from one +time to another.'" + + +THE HOMESPUN CLOTH + + +_Saturday, April twenty-third_. + +The boy rode forward--way up in the air. He had the great Östergötland +plain under him, and sat and counted the many white churches which +towered above the small leafy groves around them. It wasn't long before +he had counted fifty. After that he became confused and couldn't keep +track of the counting. + +Nearly all the farms were built up with large, whitewashed two-story +houses, which looked so imposing that the boy couldn't help admiring +them. "There can't be any peasants in this land," he said to himself, +"since I do not see any peasant farms." + +Immediately all the wild geese shrieked: "Here the peasants live like +gentlemen. Here the peasants live like gentlemen." + +On the plains the ice and snow had disappeared, and the spring work had +begun. "What kind of long crabs are those that creep over the fields?" +asked the boy after a bit. "Ploughs and oxen. Ploughs and oxen," +answered the wild geese. + +The oxen moved so slowly down on the fields, that one could scarcely +perceive they were in motion, and the geese shouted to them: "You won't +get there before next year. You won't get there before next year." But +the oxen were equal to the occasion. They raised their muzzles in the +air and bellowed: "We do more good in an hour than such as you do in a +whole lifetime." + +In a few places the ploughs were drawn by horses. They went along with +much more eagerness and haste than the oxen; but the geese couldn't keep +from teasing these either. "Ar'n't you ashamed to be doing ox-duty?" +cried the wild geese. "Ar'n't you ashamed yourselves to be doing lazy +man's duty?" the horses neighed back at them. + +But while horses and oxen were at work in the fields, the stable ram +walked about in the barnyard. He was newly clipped and touchy, knocked +over the small boys, chased the shepherd dog into his kennel, and then +strutted about as though he alone were lord of the whole place. "Rammie, +rammie, what have you done with your wool?" asked the wild geese, who +rode by up in the air. "That I have sent to Drag's woollen mills in +Norrköping," replied the ram with a long, drawn-out bleat. "Rammie, +rammie, what have you done with your horns?" asked the geese. But any +horns the rammie had never possessed, to his sorrow, and one couldn't +offer him a greater insult than to ask after them. He ran around a long +time, and butted at the air, so furious was he. + +On the country road came a man who drove a flock of Skåne pigs that were +not more than a few weeks old, and were going to be sold up country. +They trotted along bravely, as little as they were, and kept close +together--as if they sought protection. "Nuff, nuff, nuff, we came away +too soon from father and mother. Nuff, nuff, nuff, how will it go with +us poor children?" said the little pigs. The wild geese didn't have the +heart to tease such poor little creatures. "It will be better for you +than you can ever believe," they cried as they flew past them. + +The wild geese were never so merry as when they flew over a flat +country. Then they did not hurry themselves, but flew from farm to farm, +and joked with the tame animals. + +As the boy rode over the plain, he happened to think of a legend which +he had heard a long time ago. He didn't remember it exactly, but it was +something about a petticoat--half of which was made of gold-woven +velvet, and half of gray homespun cloth. But the one who owned the +petticoat adorned the homespun cloth with such a lot of pearls and +precious stones that it looked richer and more gorgeous than the +gold-cloth. + +He remembered this about the homespun cloth, as he looked down on +Östergötland, because it was made up of a large plain, which lay wedged +in between two mountainous forest-tracts--one to the north, the other to +the south. The two forest-heights lay there, a lovely blue, and +shimmered in the morning light, as if they were decked with golden +veils; and the plain, which simply spread out one winter-naked field +after another, was, in and of itself, prettier to look upon than gray +homespun. + +But the people must have been contented on the plain, because it was +generous and kind, and they had tried to decorate it in the best way +possible. High up--where the boy rode by--he thought that cities and +farms, churches and factories, castles and railway stations were +scattered over it, like large and small trinkets. It shone on the roofs, +and the window-panes glittered like jewels. Yellow country roads, +shining railway-tracks and blue canals ran along between the districts +like embroidered loops. Linköping lay around its cathedral like a +pearl-setting around a precious stone; and the gardens in the country +were like little brooches and buttons. There was not much regulation in +the pattern, but it was a display of grandeur which one could never tire +of looking at. + +The geese had left Öberg district, and travelled toward the east along +Göta Canal. This was also getting itself ready for the summer. Workmen +laid canal-banks, and tarred the huge lock-gates. They were working +everywhere to receive spring fittingly, even in the cities. There, +masons and painters stood on scaffoldings and made fine the exteriors of +the houses while maids were cleaning the windows. Down at the harbour, +sailboats and steamers were being washed and dressed up. + +At Norrköping the wild geese left the plain, and flew up toward +Kolmården. For a time they had followed an old, hilly country road, +which wound around cliffs, and ran forward under wild +mountain-walls--when the boy suddenly let out a shriek. He had been +sitting and swinging his foot back and forth, and one of his wooden +shoes had slipped off. + +"Goosey-gander, goosey-gander, I have dropped my shoe!" cried the boy. +The goosey-gander turned about and sank toward the ground; then the boy +saw that two children, who were walking along the road, had picked up +his shoe. "Goosey-gander, goosey-gander," screamed the boy excitedly, +"fly upward again! It is too late. I cannot get my shoe back again." + +Down on the road stood Osa, the goose-girl, and her brother, little +Mats, looking at a tiny wooden shoe that had fallen from the skies. + +Osa, the goose-girl, stood silent a long while, and pondered over the +find. At last she said, slowly and thoughtfully: "Do you remember, +little Mats, that when we went past Övid Cloister, we heard that the +folks in a farmyard had seen an elf who was dressed in leather breeches, +and had wooden shoes on his feet, like any other working man? And do you +recollect when we came to Vittskövle, a girl told us that she had seen a +Goa-Nisse with wooden shoes, who flew away on the back of a goose? And +when we ourselves came home to our cabin, little Mats, we saw a goblin +who was dressed in the same way, and who also straddled the back of a +goose--and flew away. Maybe it was the same one who rode along on his +goose up here in the air and dropped his wooden shoe." + +"Yes, it must have been," said little Mats. + +They turned the wooden shoe about and examined it carefully--for it +isn't every day that one happens across a Goa-Nisse's wooden shoe on the +highway. + +"Wait, wait, little Mats!" said Osa, the goose-girl. "There is something +written on one side of it." + +"Why, so there is! but they are such tiny letters." + +"Let me see! It says--it says: 'Nils Holgersson from W. Vemminghög.' +That's the most wonderful thing I've ever heard!" said little Mats. + + +THE STORY OF KARR AND GRAYSKIN + + +KARR + +About twelve years before Nils Holgersson started on his travels with +the wild geese there was a manufacturer at Kolmården who wanted to be +rid of one of his dogs. He sent for his game-keeper and said to him that +it was impossible to keep the dog because he could not be broken of the +habit of chasing all the sheep and fowl he set eyes on, and he asked the +man to take the dog into the forest and shoot him. + +The game-keeper slipped the leash on the dog to lead him to a spot in +the forest where all the superannuated dogs from the manor were shot and +buried. He was not a cruel man, but he was very glad to shoot that dog, +for he knew that sheep and chickens were not the only creatures he +hunted. Times without number he had gone into the forest and helped +himself to a hare or a grouse-chick. + +The dog was a little black-and-tan setter. His name was Karr, and he was +so wise he understood all that was said. + +As the game-keeper was leading him through the thickets, Karr knew only +too well what was in store for him. But this no one could have guessed +by his behaviour, for he neither hung his head nor dragged his tail, but +seemed as unconcerned as ever. + +It was because they were in the forest that the dog was so careful not +to appear the least bit anxious. + +There were great stretches of woodland on every side of the factory, and +this forest was famed both among animals and human beings because for +many, many years the owners had been so careful of it that they had +begrudged themselves even the trees needed for firewood. Nor had they +had the heart to thin or train them. The trees had been allowed to grow +as they pleased. Naturally a forest thus protected was a beloved refuge +for wild animals, which were to be found there in great numbers. Among +themselves they called it Liberty Forest, and regarded it as the best +retreat in the whole country. + +As the dog was being led through the woods he thought of what a bugaboo +he had been to all the small animals and birds that lived there. + +"Now, Karr, wouldn't they be happy in their lairs if they only knew what +was awaiting you?" he thought, but at the same time he wagged his tail +and barked cheerfully, so that no one should think that he was worried +or depressed. + +"What fun would there have been in living had I not hunted +occasionally?" he reasoned. "Let him who will, regret; it's not going to +be Karr!" + +But the instant the dog said this, a singular change came over him. He +stretched his neck as though he had a mind to howl. He no longer trotted +alongside the game-keeper, but walked behind him. It was plain that he +had begun to think of something unpleasant. + +It was early summer; the elk cows had just given birth to their young, +and, the night before, the dog had succeeded in parting from its mother +an elk calf not more than five days old, and had driven it down into the +marsh. There he had chased it back and forth over the knolls--not with +the idea of capturing it, but merely for the sport of seeing how he +could scare it. The elk cow knew that the marsh was bottomless so soon +after the thaw, and that it could not as yet hold up so large an animal +as herself, so she stood on the solid earth for the longest time, +watching! But when Karr kept chasing the calf farther and farther away, +she rushed out on the marsh, drove the dog off, took the calf with her, +and turned back toward firm land. Elk are more skilled than other +animals in traversing dangerous, marshy ground, and it seemed as if she +would reach solid land in safety; but when she was almost there a knoll +which she had stepped upon sank into the mire, and she went down with +it. She tried to rise, but could get no secure foothold, so she sank and +sank. Karr stood and looked on, not daring to move. When he saw that the +elk could not save herself, he ran away as fast as he could, for he had +begun to think of the beating he would get if it were discovered that he +had brought a mother elk to grief. He was so terrified that he dared not +pause for breath until he reached home. + +It was this that the dog recalled; and it troubled him in a way very +different from the recollection of all his other misdeeds. This was +doubtless because he had not really meant to kill either the elk cow or +her calf, but had deprived them of life without wishing to do so. + +"But maybe they are alive yet!" thought the dog. "They were not dead +when I ran away; perhaps they saved themselves." + +He was seized with an irresistible longing to know for a certainty while +yet there was time for him to find out. He noticed that the game-keeper +did not have a firm hold on the leash; so he made a sudden spring, broke +loose, and dashed through the woods down to the marsh with such speed +that he was out of sight before the game-keeper had time to level his +gun. + +There was nothing for the game-keeper to do but to rush after him. When +he got to the marsh he found the dog standing upon a knoll, howling with +all his might. + +The man thought he had better find out the meaning of this, so he +dropped his gun and crawled out over the marsh on hands and knees. He +had not gone far when he saw an elk cow lying dead in the quagmire. +Close beside her lay a little calf. It was still alive, but so much +exhausted that it could not move. Karr was standing beside the calf, now +bending down and licking it, now howling shrilly for help. + +The game-keeper raised the calf and began to drag it toward land. When +the dog understood that the calf would be saved he was wild with joy. He +jumped round and round the game-keeper, licking his hands and barking +with delight. + +The man carried the baby elk home and shut it up in a calf stall in the +cow shed. Then he got help to drag the mother elk from the marsh. Only +after this had been done did he remember that he was to shoot Karr. He +called the dog to him, and again took him into the forest. + +The game-keeper walked straight on toward the dog's grave; but all the +while he seemed to be thinking deeply. Suddenly he turned and walked +toward the manor. + +Karr had been trotting along quietly; but when the game-keeper turned +and started for home, he became anxious. The man must have discovered +that it was he that had caused the death of the elk, and now he was +going back to the manor to be thrashed before he was shot! + +To be beaten was worse than all else! With that prospect Karr could no +longer keep up his spirits, but hung his head. When he came to the manor +he did not look up, but pretended that he knew no one there. + +The master was standing on the stairs leading to the hall when the +game-keeper came forward. + +"Where on earth did that dog come from?" he exclaimed. "Surely it can't +be Karr? He must be dead this long time!" + +Then the man began to tell his master all about the mother elk, while +Karr made himself as little as he could, and crouched behind the +game-keeper's legs. + +Much to his surprise the man had only praise for him. He said it was +plain the dog knew that the elk were in distress, and wished to save +them. + +"You may do as you like, but I can't shoot that dog!" declared the +game-keeper. + +Karr raised himself and pricked up his ears. He could hardly believe +that he heard aright. Although he did not want to show how anxious he +had been, he couldn't help whining a little. Could it be possible that +his life was to be spared simply because he had felt uneasy about the +elk? + +The master thought that Karr had conducted himself well, but as he did +not want the dog, he could not decide at once what should be done with +him. + +"If you will take charge of him and answer for his good behaviour in the +future, he may as well live," he said, finally. + +This the game-keeper was only too glad to do, and that was how Karr came +to move to the game-keeper's lodge. + +GRAYSKIN'S FLIGHT + +From the day that Karr went to live with the game-keeper he abandoned +entirely his forbidden chase in the forest. This was due not only to his +having been thoroughly frightened, but also to the fact that he did not +wish to make the game-keeper angry at him. Ever since his new master +saved his life the dog loved him above everything else. He thought only +of following him and watching over him. If he left the house, Karr would +run ahead to make sure that the way was clear, and if he sat at home, +Karr would lie before the door and keep a close watch on every one who +came and went. + +When all was quiet at the lodge, when no footsteps were heard on the +road, and the game-keeper was working in his garden, Karr would amuse +himself playing with the baby elk. + +At first the dog had no desire to leave his master even for a moment. +Since he accompanied him everywhere, he went with him to the cow shed. +When he gave the elk calf its milk, the dog would sit outside the stall +and gaze at it. The game-keeper called the calf Grayskin because he +thought it did not merit a prettier name, and Karr agreed with him on +that point. + +Every time the dog looked at it he thought that he had never seen +anything so ugly and misshapen as the baby elk, with its long, shambly +legs, which hung down from the body like loose stilts. The head was +large, old, and wrinkled, and it always drooped to one side. The skin +lay in tucks and folds, as if the animal had put on a coat that had not +been made for him. Always doleful and discontented, curiously enough he +jumped up every time Karr appeared as if glad to see him. + +The elk calf became less hopeful from day to day, did not grow any, and +at last he could not even rise when he saw Karr. Then the dog jumped up +into the crib to greet him, and thereupon a light kindled in the eyes of +the poor creature--as if a cherished longing were fulfilled. + +After that Karr visited the elk calf every day, and spent many hours +with him, licking his coat, playing and racing with him, till he taught +him a little of everything a forest animal should know. + +It was remarkable that, from the time Karr began to visit the elk calf +in his stall, the latter seemed more contented, and began to grow. After +he was fairly started, he grew so rapidly that in a couple of weeks the +stall could no longer hold him, and he had to be moved into a grove. + +When he had been in the grove two months his legs were so long that he +could step over the fence whenever he wished. Then the lord of the manor +gave the game-keeper permission to put up a higher fence and to allow +him more space. Here the elk lived for several years, and grew up into a +strong and handsome animal. Karr kept him company as often as he could; +but now it was no longer through pity, for a great friendship had sprung +up between the two. The elk was always inclined to be melancholy, +listless, and, indifferent, but Karr knew how to make him playful and +happy. + +Grayskin had lived for five summers on the game-keeper's place, when his +owner received a letter from a zoölogical garden abroad asking if the +elk might be purchased. + +The master was pleased with the proposal, the game-keeper was +distressed, but had not the power to say no; so it was decided that the +elk should be sold. Karr soon discovered what was in the air and ran +over to the elk to have a chat with him. The dog was very much +distressed at the thought of losing his friend, but the elk took the +matter calmly, and seemed neither glad nor sorry. + +"Do you think of letting them send you away without offering +resistance?" asked Karr. + +"What good would it do to resist?" asked Grayskin. "I should prefer to +remain where I am, naturally, but if I've been sold, I shall have to go, +of course." + +Karr looked at Grayskin and measured him with his eyes. It was apparent +that the elk was not yet full grown. He did not have the broad antlers, +high hump, and long mane of the mature elk; but he certainly had +strength enough to fight for his freedom. + +"One can see that he has been in captivity all his life," thought Karr, +but said nothing. + +Karr left and did not return to the grove till long past midnight. By +that time he knew Grayskin would be awake and eating his breakfast. + +"Of course you are doing right, Grayskin, in letting them take you +away," remarked Karr, who appeared now to be calm and satisfied. "You +will be a prisoner in a large park and will have no responsibilities. It +seems a pity that you must leave here without having seen the forest. +You know your ancestors have a saying that 'the elk are one with the +forest.' But you haven't even been in a forest!" + +Grayskin glanced up from the clover which he stood munching. + +"Indeed, I should love to see the forest, but how am I to get over the +fence?" he said with his usual apathy. + +"Oh, that is difficult for one who has such short legs!" said Karr. + +The elk glanced slyly at the dog, who jumped the fence many times a +day--little as he was. + +He walked over to the fence, and with one spring he was on the other +side, without knowing how it happened. + +Then Karr and Grayskin went into the forest. It was a beautiful +moonlight night in late summer; but in among the trees it was dark, and +the elk walked along slowly. + +"Perhaps we had better turn back," said Karr. "You, who have never +before tramped the wild forest, might easily break your legs." Grayskin +moved more rapidly and with more courage. + +Karr conducted the elk to a part of the forest where the pines grew so +thickly that no wind could penetrate them. + +"It is here that your kind are in the habit of seeking shelter from cold +and storm," said Karr. "Here they stand under the open skies all winter. +But you will fare much better where you are going, for you will stand in +a shed, with a roof over your head, like an ox." + +Grayskin made no comment, but stood quietly and drank in the strong, +piney air. + +"Have you anything more to show me, or have I now seen the whole +forest?" he asked. + +Then Karr went with him to a big marsh, and showed him clods and +quagmire. + +"Over this marsh the elk take flight when they are in peril," said Karr. +"I don't know how they manage it, but, large and heavy as they are, they +can walk here without sinking. Of course you couldn't hold yourself up +on such dangerous ground, but then there is no occasion for you to do +so, for you will never be hounded by hunters." + +Grayskin made no retort, but with a leap he was out on the marsh, and +happy when he felt how the clods rocked under him. He dashed across the +marsh, and came back again to Karr, without having stepped into a +mudhole. + +"Have we seen the whole forest now?" he asked. + +"No, not yet," said Karr. + +He next conducted the elk to the skirt of the forest, where fine oaks, +lindens, and aspens grew. + +"Here your kind eat leaves and bark, which they consider the choicest +of food; but you will probably get better fare abroad." + +Grayskin was astonished when he saw the enormous leaf-trees spreading +like a great canopy above him. He ate both oak leaves and aspen bark. + +"These taste deliciously bitter and good!" he remarked. "Better than +clover!" + +"Then wasn't it well that you should taste them once?" said the dog. + +Thereupon he took the elk down to a little forest lake. The water was as +smooth as a mirror, and reflected the shores, which were veiled in thin, +light mists. When Grayskin saw the lake he stood entranced. + +"What is this, Karr?" he asked. + +It was the first time that he had seen a lake. + +"It's a large body of water--a lake," said Karr. "Your people swim +across it from shore to shore. One could hardly expect you to be +familiar with this; but at least you should go in and take a swim!" + +Karr, himself, plunged into the water for a swim. Grayskin stayed back +on the shore for some little time, but finally followed. He grew +breathless with delight as the cool water stole soothingly around his +body. He wanted it over his back, too, so went farther out. Then he felt +that the water could hold him up, and began to swim. He swam all around +Karr, ducking and snorting, perfectly at home in the water. + +When they were on shore again, the dog asked if they had not better go +home now. + +"It's a long time until morning," observed Grayskin, "so we can tramp +around in the forest a little longer." + +They went again into the pine wood. Presently they came to an open glade +illuminated by the moonlight, where grass and flowers shimmered beneath +the dew. Some large animals were grazing on this forest meadow--an elk +bull, several elk cows and a number of elk calves. When Grayskin caught +sight of them he stopped short. He hardly glanced at the cows or the +young ones, but stared at the old bull, which had broad antlers with +many taglets, a high hump, and a long-haired fur piece hanging down from +his throat. + +"What kind of an animal is that?" asked Grayskin in wonderment. + +"He is called Antler-Crown," said Karr, "and he is your kinsman. One of +these days you, too, will have broad antlers, like those, and just such +a mane; and if you were to remain in the forest, very likely you, also, +would have a herd to lead." + +"If he is my kinsman, I must go closer and have a look at him," said +Grayskin. "I never dreamed that an animal could be so stately!" + +Grayskin walked over to the elk, but almost immediately he came back to +Karr, who had remained at the edge of the clearing. + +"You were not very well received, were you?" said Karr. + +"I told him that this was the first time I had run across any of my +kinsmen, and asked if I might walk with them on their meadow. But they +drove me back, threatening me with their antlers." + +"You did right to retreat," said Karr. "A young elk bull with only a +taglet crown must be careful about fighting with an old elk. Another +would have disgraced his name in the whole forest by retreating without +resistance, but such things needn't worry you who are going to move to a +foreign land." + +Karr had barely finished speaking when Grayskin turned and walked down +to the meadow. The old elk came toward him, and instantly they began to +fight. Their antlers met and clashed, and Grayskin was driven backward +over the whole meadow. Apparently he did not know how to make use of his +strength; but when he came to the edge of the forest, he planted his +feet on the ground, pushed hard with his antlers, and began to force +Antler-Crown back. + +Grayskin fought quietly, while Antler-Crown puffed and snorted. The old +elk, in his turn, was now being forced backward over the meadow. +Suddenly a loud crash was heard! A taglet in the old elk's antlers had +snapped. He tore himself loose, and dashed into the forest. + +Karr was still standing at the forest border when Grayskin came along. + +"Now that you have seen what there is in the forest," said Karr, "will +you come home with me?" + +"Yes, it's about time," observed the elk. + +Both were silent on the way home. Karr sighed several times, as if he +was disappointed about something; but Grayskin stepped along--his head +in the air--and seemed delighted over the adventure. He walked ahead +unhesitatingly until they came to the enclosure. There he paused. He +looked in at the narrow pen where he had lived up till now; saw the +beaten ground, the stale fodder, the little trough where he had drunk +water, and the dark shed in which he had slept. + +"The elk are one with the forest!" he cried. Then he threw back his +head, so that his neck rested against his back, and rushed wildly into +the woods. + +HELPLESS, THE WATER-SNAKE + +In a pine thicket in the heart of Liberty Forest, every year, in the +month of August, there appeared a few grayish-white moths of the kind +which are called nun moths. They were small and few in number, and +scarcely any one noticed them. When they had fluttered about in the +depth of the forest a couple of nights, they laid a few thousand eggs on +the branches of trees; and shortly afterward dropped lifeless to the +ground. + +When spring came, little prickly caterpillars crawled out from the eggs +and began to eat the pine needles. They had good appetites, but they +never seemed to do the trees any serious harm, because they were hotly +pursued by birds. It was seldom that more than a few hundred +caterpillars escaped the pursuers. + +The poor things that lived to be full grown crawled up on the branches, +spun white webs around themselves, and sat for a couple of weeks as +motionless pupae. During this period, as a rule, more than half of them +were abducted. If a hundred nun moths came forth in August, winged and +perfect, it was reckoned a good year for them. + +This sort of uncertain and obscure existence did the moths lead for many +years in Liberty Forest. There were no insect folk in the whole country +that were so scarce, and they would have remained quite harmless and +powerless had they not, most unexpectedly, received a helper. + +This fact has some connection with Grayskin's flight from the +game-keeper's paddock. Grayskin roamed the forest that he might become +more familiar with the place. Late in the afternoon he happened to +squeeze through some thickets behind a clearing where the soil was muddy +and slimy, and in the centre of it was a murky pool. This open space was +encircled by tall pines almost bare from age and miasmic air. Grayskin +was displeased with the place and would have left it at once had he not +caught sight of some bright green calla leaves which grew near the pool. + +As he bent his head toward the calla stalks, he happened to disturb a +big black snake, which lay sleeping under them. Grayskin had heard Karr +speak of the poisonous adders that were to be found in the forest. So, +when the snake raised its head, shot out its tongue and hissed at him, +he thought he had encountered an awfully dangerous reptile. He was +terrified and, raising his foot, he struck so hard with his hoof that he +crushed the snake's head. Then, away he ran in hot haste! + +As soon as Grayskin had gone, another snake, just as long and as black +as the first, came up from the pool. It crawled over to the dead one, +and licked the poor, crushed-in head. + +"Can it be true that you are dead, old Harmless?" hissed the snake. "We +two have lived together so many years; we two have been so happy with +each other, and have fared so well here in the swamp, that we have lived +to be older than all the other water-snakes in the forest! This is the +worst sorrow that could have befallen me!" + +The snake was so broken-hearted that his long body writhed as if it had +been wounded. Even the frogs, who lived in constant fear of him, were +sorry for him. + +"What a wicked creature he must be to murder a poor water-snake that +cannot defend itself!" hissed the snake. "He certainly deserves a severe +punishment. As sure as my name is Helpless and I'm the oldest +water-snake in the whole forest, I'll be avenged! I shall not rest until +that elk lies as dead on the ground as my poor old snake-wife." + +When the snake had made this vow he curled up into a hoop and began to +ponder. One can hardly imagine anything that would be more difficult for +a poor water-snake than to wreak vengeance upon a big, strong elk; and +old Helpless pondered day and night without finding any solution. + +One night, as he lay there with his vengeance-thoughts, he heard a +slight rustle over his head. He glanced up and saw a few light nun moths +playing in among the trees. + +He followed them with his eyes a long while; then began to hiss loudly +to himself, apparently pleased with the thought that had occurred to +him--then he fell asleep. + +The next morning the water-snake went over to see Crawlie, the adder, +who lived in a stony and hilly part of Liberty Forest. He told him all +about the death of the old water-snake, and begged that he who could +deal such deadly thrusts would undertake the work of vengeance. But +Crawlie was not exactly disposed to go to war with an elk. + +"If I were to attack an elk," said the adder, "he would instantly kill +me. Old Harmless is dead and gone, and we can't bring her back to life, +so why should I rush into danger on her account?" + +When the water-snake got this reply he raised his head a whole foot from +the ground, and hissed furiously: + +"Vish vash! Vish vash!" he said. "It's a pity that you, who have been +blessed with such weapons of defence, should be so cowardly that you +don't dare use them!" + +When the adder heard this, he, too, got angry. + +"Crawl away, old Helpless!" he hissed. "The poison is in my fangs, but I +would rather spare one who is said to be my kinsman." + +But the water-snake did not move from the spot, and for a long time the +snakes lay there hissing abusive epithets at each other. + +When Crawlie was so angry that he couldn't hiss, but could only dart his +tongue out, the water-snake changed the subject, and began to talk in a +very different tone. + +"I had still another errand, Crawlie," he said, lowering his voice to a +mild whisper. "But now I suppose you are so angry that you wouldn't care +to help me?" + +"If you don't ask anything foolish of me, I shall certainly be at your +service." + +"In the pine trees down by the swamp live a moth folk that fly around +all night." + +"I know all about them," remarked Crawlie. "What's up with them now?" + +"They are the smallest insect family in the forest," said Helpless, "and +the most harmless, since the caterpillars content themselves with +gnawing only pine needles." + +"Yes, I know," said Crawlie. + +"I'm afraid those moths will soon be exterminated," sighed the +water-snake. "There are so many who pick off the caterpillars in the +spring." + +Now Crawlie began to understand that the water-snake wanted the +caterpillars for his own purpose, and he answered pleasantly: + +"Do you wish me to say to the owls that they are to leave those pine +tree worms in peace?" + +"Yes, it would be well if you who have some authority in the forest +should do this," said Helpless. + +"I might also drop a good word for the pine needle pickers among the +thrushes?" volunteered the adder. "I will gladly serve you when you do +not demand anything unreasonable." + +"Now you have given me a good promise, Crawlie," said Helpless, "and I'm +glad that I came to you." + +THE NUN MOTHS + +One morning--several years later--Karr lay asleep on the porch. It was +in the early summer, the season of light nights, and it was as bright as +day, although the sun was not yet up. Karr was awakened by some one +calling his name. + +"Is it you, Grayskin?" he asked, for he was accustomed to the elk's +nightly visits. Again he heard the call; then he recognized Grayskin's +voice, and hastened in the direction of the sound. + +Karr heard the elk's footfalls in the distance, as he dashed into the +thickest pine wood, and straight through the brush, following no trodden +path. Karr could not catch up with him, and he had great difficulty in +even following the trail. "Karr, Karri" came the cry, and the voice was +certainly Grayskin's, although it had a ring now which the dog had never +heard before. + +"I'm coming, I'm coming!" the dog responded. "Where are you?" + +"Karr, Karr! Don't you see how it falls and falls?" said Grayskin. + +Then Karr noticed that the pine needles kept dropping and dropping from +the trees, like a steady fall of rain. + +"Yes, I see how it falls," he cried, and ran far into the forest in +search of the elk. + +Grayskin kept running through the thickets, while Karr was about to lose +the trail again. + +"Karr, Karr!" roared Grayskin; "can't you scent that peculiar odour in +the forest?" + +Karr stopped and sniffed. + +He had not thought of it before, but now he remarked that the pines sent +forth a much stronger odour than usual. + +"Yes, I catch the scent," he said. He did not stop long enough to find +out the cause of it, but hurried on after Grayskin. + +The elk ran ahead with such speed that the dog could not catch up with +him. + +"Karr, Karr!" he called; "can't you hear the crunching on the pines?" +Now his tone was so plaintive it would have melted a stone. + +Karr paused to listen. He heard a faint but distinct "tap, tap," on the +trees. It sounded like the ticking of a watch. + +"Yes, I hear how it ticks," cried Karr, and ran no farther. He +understood that the elk did not want him to follow, but to take notice +of something that was happening in the forest. + +Karr was standing beneath the drooping branches of a great pine. He +looked carefully at it; the needles moved. He went closer and saw a mass +of grayish-white caterpillars creeping along the branches, gnawing off +the needles. Every branch was covered with them. The crunch, crunch in +the trees came from the working of their busy little jaws. Gnawed-off +needles fell to the ground in a continuous shower, and from the poor +pines there came such a strong odour that the dog suffered from it. + +"What can be the meaning of this?" wondered Karr. "It's too bad about +the pretty trees! Soon they'll have no beauty left." + +He walked from tree to tree, trying with his poor eyesight to see if all +was well with them. + +"There's a pine they haven't touched," he thought. But they had taken +possession of it, too. "And here's a birch--no, this also! The +game-keeper will not be pleased with this," observed Karr. + +He ran deeper into the thickets, to learn how far the destruction had +spread. Wherever he went, he heard the same ticking; scented the same +odour; saw the same needle rain. There was no need of his pausing to +investigate. He understood it all by these signs. The little +caterpillars were everywhere. The whole forest was being ravaged by +them! + +All of a sudden he came to a tract where there was no odour, and where +all was still. + +"Here's the end of their domain," thought the dog, as he paused and +glanced about. + +But here it was even worse; for the caterpillars had already done their +work, and the trees were needleless. They were like the dead. The only +thing that covered them was a network of ragged threads, which the +caterpillars had spun to use as roads and bridges. + +In there, among the dying trees, Grayskin stood waiting for Karr. + +He was not alone. With him were four old elk--the most respected in the +forest. Karr knew them: They were Crooked-Back, who was a small elk, but +had a larger hump than the others; Antler-Crown, who was the most +dignified of the elk; Rough-Mane, with the thick coat; and an old +long-legged one, who, up till the autumn before, when he got a bullet in +his thigh, had been terribly hot-tempered and quarrelsome. + +"What in the world is happening to the forest?" Karr asked when he came +up to the elk. They stood with lowered heads, far protruding upper lips, +and looked puzzled. + +"No one can tell," answered Grayskin. "This insect family used to be the +least hurtful of any in the forest, and never before have they done any +damage. But these last few years they have been multiplying so fast that +now it appears as if the entire forest would be destroyed." + +"Yes, it looks bad," Karr agreed, "but I see that the wisest animals in +the forest have come together to hold a consultation. Perhaps you have +already found some remedy?" + +When the dog said this, Crooked-Back solemnly raised his heavy head, +pricked up his long ears, and spoke: + +"We have summoned you hither, Karr, that we may learn if the humans know +of this desolation." + +"No," said Karr, "no human being ever comes thus far into the forest +when it's not hunting time. They know nothing of this misfortune." + +Then Antler-Crown said: + +"We who have lived long in the forest do not think that we can fight +this insect pest all by ourselves." + +"After this there will be no peace in the forest!" put in Rough-Mane. + +"But we can't let the whole Liberty Forest go to rack and ruin!" +protested Big-and-Strong. "We'll have to consult the humans; there is no +alternative." + +Karr understood that the elk had difficulty in expressing what they +wished to say, and he tried to help them. + +"Perhaps you want me to let the people know the conditions here?" he +suggested. + +All the old elk nodded their heads. + +"It's most unfortunate that we are obliged to ask help of human beings, +but we have no choice." + +A moment later Karr was on his way home. As he ran ahead, deeply +distressed over all that he had heard and seen, a big black water-snake +approached them. + +"Well met in the forest!" hissed the water-snake. + +"Well met again!" snarled Karr, and rushed by without stopping. + +The snake turned and tried to catch up to him. + +"Perhaps that creature also, is worried about the forest," thought Karr, +and waited. + +Immediately the snake began to talk about the great disaster. + +"There will be an end of peace and quiet in the forest when human beings +are called hither," said the snake. + +"I'm afraid there will," the dog agreed; "but the oldest forest dwellers +know what they're about!" he added. + +"I think I know a better plan," said the snake, "if I can get the reward +I wish." + +"Are you not the one whom every one around here calls old Helpless?" +said the dog, sneeringly. + +"I'm an old inhabitant of the forest," said the snake, "and I know how +to get rid of such plagues." + +"If you clear the forest of that pest, I feel sure you can have anything +you ask for," said Karr. + +The snake did not respond to this until he had crawled under a tree +stump, where he was well protected. Then he said: + +"Tell Grayskin that if he will leave Liberty Forest forever, and go far +north, where no oak tree grows, I will send sickness and death to all +the creeping things that gnaw the pines and spruces!" + +"What's that you say?" asked Karr, bristling up. "What harm has Grayskin +ever done you?" + +"He has slain the one whom I loved best," the snake declared, "and I +want to be avenged." + +Before the snake had finished speaking, Karr made a dash for him; but +the reptile lay safely hidden under the tree stump. + +"Stay where you are!" Karr concluded. "We'll manage to drive out the +caterpillars without your help." + +THE BIG WAR OF THE MOTHS + +The following spring, as Karr was dashing through the forest one +morning, he heard some one behind him calling: "Karr! Karr!" + +He turned and saw an old fox standing outside his lair. + +"You must tell me if the humans are doing anything for the forest," said +the fox. + +"Yes, you may be sure they are!" said Karr. "They are working as hard as +they can." + +"They have killed off all my kinsfolk, and they'll be killing me next," +protested the fox. "But they shall be pardoned for that if only they +save the forest." + +That year Karr never ran into the woods without some animal's asking if +the humans could save the forest. It was not easy for the dog to answer; +the people themselves were not certain that they could conquer the +moths. But considering how feared and hated old Kolmården had always +been, it was remarkable that every day more than a hundred men went +there, to work. They cleared away the underbrush. They felled dead +trees, lopped off branches from the live ones so that the caterpillars +could not easily crawl from tree to tree; they also dug wide trenches +around the ravaged parts and put up lime-washed fences to keep them out +of new territory. Then they painted rings of lime around the trunks of +trees to prevent the caterpillars leaving those they had already +stripped. The idea was to force them to remain where they were until +they starved to death. + +The people worked with the forest until far into the spring. They were +hopeful, and could hardly wait for the caterpillars to come out from +their eggs, feeling certain that they had shut them in so effectually +that most of them would die of starvation. + +But in the early summer the caterpillars came out, more numerous than +ever. + +They were everywhere! They crawled on the country roads, on fences, on +the walls of the cabins. They wandered outside the confines of Liberty +Forest to other parts of Kolmården. + +"They won't stop till all our forests are destroyed!" sighed the people, +who were in great despair, and could not enter the forest without +weeping. + +Karr was so sick of the sight of all these creeping, gnawing things that +he could hardly bear to step outside the door. But one day he felt that +he must go and find out how Grayskin was getting on. He took the +shortest cut to the elk's haunts, and hurried along--his nose close to +the earth. When he came to the tree stump where he had met Helpless the +year before, the snake was still there, and called to him: + +"Have you told Grayskin what I said to you when last we met?" asked the +water-snake. + +Karr only growled and tried to get at him. + +"If you haven't told him, by all means do so!" insisted the snake. "You +must see that the humans know of no cure for this plague." + +"Neither do you!" retorted the dog, and ran on. + +Karr found Grayskin, but the elk was so low-spirited that he scarcely +greeted the dog. He began at once to talk of the forest. + +"I don't know what I wouldn't give if this misery were only at an end!" +he said. + +"Now I shall tell you that 'tis said you could save the forest." Then +Karr delivered the water-snake's message. + +"If any one but Helpless had promised this, I should immediately go into +exile," declared the elk. "But how can a poor water-snake have the power +to work such a miracle?" + +"Of course it's only a bluff," said Karr. "Water-snakes always like to +pretend that they know more than other creatures." + +When Karr was ready to go home, Grayskin accompanied him part of the +way. Presently Karr heard a thrush, perched on a pine top, cry: + +"There goes Grayskin, who has destroyed the forest! There goes Grayskin, +who has destroyed the forest!" + +Karr thought that he had not heard correctly, but the next moment a hare +came darting across the path. When the hare saw them, he stopped, +flapped his ears, and screamed: + +"Here comes Grayskin, who has destroyed the forest!" Then he ran as fast +as he could. + +"What do they mean by that?" asked Karr. + +"I really don't know," said Grayskin. "I think that the small forest +animals are displeased with me because I was the one who proposed that +we should ask help of human beings. When the underbrush was cut down, +all their lairs and hiding places were destroyed." + +They walked on together a while longer, and Karr heard the same cry +coming from all directions: + +"There goes Grayskin, who has destroyed the forest!" + +Grayskin pretended not to hear it; but Karr understood why the elk was +so downhearted. + +"I say, Grayskin, what does the water-snake mean by saying you killed +the one he loved best?" + +"How can I tell?" said Grayskin. "You know very well that I never kill +anything." + +Shortly after that they met the four old elk--Crooked-Back, +Antler-Crown, Rough-Mane, and Big-and-Strong, who were coming along +slowly, one after the other. + +"Well met in the forest!" called Grayskin. + +"Well met in turn!" answered the elk. + +"We were just looking for you, Grayskin, to consult with you about the +forest." + +"The fact is," began Crooked-Back, "we have been informed that a crime +has been committed here, and that the whole forest is being destroyed +because the criminal has not been punished." + +"What kind of a crime was it?" + +"Some one killed a harmless creature that he couldn't eat. Such an act +is accounted a crime in Liberty Forest." + +"Who could have done such a cowardly thing?" wondered Grayskin. + +"They say that an elk did it, and we were just going to ask if you knew +who it was." + +"No," said Grayskin, "I have never heard of an elk killing a harmless +creature." + +Grayskin parted from the four old elk, and went on with Karr. He was +silent and walked with lowered head. They happened to pass Crawlie, the +adder, who lay on his shelf of rock. + +"There goes Grayskin, who has destroyed the whole forest!" hissed +Crawlie, like all the rest. + +By that time Grayskin's patience was exhausted. He walked up to the +snake, and raised a forefoot. + +"Do you think of crushing me as you crushed the old water-snake?" hissed +Crawlie. + +"Did I kill a water-snake?" asked Grayskin, astonished. + +"The first day you were in the forest you killed the wife of poor old +Helpless," said Crawlie. + +Grayskin turned quickly from the adder, and continued his walk with +Karr. Suddenly he stopped. + +"Karr, it was I who committed that crime! I killed a harmless creature; +therefore it is on my account that the forest is being destroyed." + +"What are you saying?" Karr interrupted. + +"You may tell the water-snake, Helpless, that Grayskin goes into exile +to-night!" + +"That I shall never tell him!" protested Karr. "The Far North is a +dangerous country for elk." + +"Do you think that I wish to remain here, when I have caused a disaster +like this?" protested Grayskin. + +"Don't be rash! Sleep over it before you do anything!" + +"It was you who taught me that the elk are one with the forest," said +Grayskin, and so saying he parted from Karr. + +The dog went home alone; but this talk with Grayskin troubled him, and +the next morning he returned to the forest to seek him, but Grayskin was +not to be found, and the dog did not search long for him. He realized +that the elk had taken the snake at his word, and had gone into exile. + +On his walk home Karr was too unhappy for words! He could not understand +why Grayskin should allow that wretch of a water-snake to trick him +away. He had never heard of such folly! "What power can that old +Helpless have?" + +As Karr walked along, his mind full of these thoughts, he happened to +see the game-keeper, who stood pointing up at a tree. + +"What are you looking at?" asked a man who stood beside him. + +"Sickness has come among the caterpillars," observed the game-keeper. + +Karr was astonished, but he was even more angered at the snake's having +the power to keep his word. Grayskin would have to stay away a long long +time, for, of course, that water-snake would never die. + +At the very height of his grief a thought came to Karr which comforted +him a little. + +"Perhaps the water-snake won't live so long, after all!" he thought. +"Surely he cannot always lie protected under a tree root. As soon as he +has cleaned out the caterpillars, I know some one who is going to bite +his head off!" + +It was true that an illness had made its appearance among the +caterpillars. The first summer it did not spread much. It had only just +broken out when it was time for the larvae to turn into pupae. From the +latter came millions of moths. They flew around in the trees like a +blinding snowstorm, and laid countless numbers of eggs. An even greater +destruction was prophesied for the following year. + +The destruction came not only to the forest, but also to the +caterpillars. The sickness spread quickly from forest to forest. The +sick caterpillars stopped eating, crawled up to the branches of the +trees, and died there. + +There was great rejoicing among the people when they saw them die, but +there was even greater rejoicing among the forest animals. + +From day to day the dog Karr went about with savage glee, thinking of +the hour when he might venture to kill Helpless. + +But the caterpillars, meanwhile, had spread over miles of pine woods. +Not in one summer did the disease reach them all. Many lived to become +pupas and moths. + +Grayskin sent messages to his friend Karr by the birds of passage, to +say that he was alive and faring well. But the birds told Karr +confidentially that on several occasions Grayskin had been pursued by +poachers, and that only with the greatest difficulty had he escaped. + +Karr lived in a state of continual grief, yearning, and anxiety. Yet he +had to wait two whole summers more before there was an end of the +caterpillars! + +Karr no sooner heard the game-keeper say that the forest was out of +danger than he started on a hunt for Helpless. But when he was in the +thick of the forest he made a frightful discovery: He could not hunt any +more, he could not run, he could not track his enemy, and he could not +see at all! + +During the long years of waiting, old age had overtaken Karr. He had +grown old without having noticed it. He had not the strength even to +kill a water-snake. He was not able to save his friend Grayskin from his +enemy. + +RETRIBUTION + +One afternoon Akka from Kebnekaise and her flock alighted on the shore +of a forest lake. + +Spring was backward--as it always is in the mountain districts. Ice +covered all the lake save a narrow strip next the land. The geese at +once plunged into the water to bathe and hunt for food. In the morning +Nils Holgersson had dropped one of his wooden shoes, so he went down by +the elms and birches that grew along the shore, to look for something to +bind around his foot. + +The boy walked quite a distance before he found anything that he could +use. He glanced about nervously, for he did not fancy being in the +forest. + +"Give me the plains and the lakes!" he thought. "There you can see what +you are likely to meet. Now, if this were a grove of little birches, it +would be well enough, for then the ground would be almost bare; but how +people can like these wild, pathless forests is incomprehensible to me. +If I owned this land I would chop down every tree." + +At last he caught sight of a piece of birch bark, and just as he was +fitting it to his foot he heard a rustle behind him. He turned quickly. +A snake darted from the brush straight toward him! + +The snake was uncommonly long and thick, but the boy soon saw that it +had a white spot on each cheek. + +"Why, it's only a water-snake," he laughed; "it can't harm me." + +But the next instant the snake gave him a powerful blow on the chest +that knocked him down. The boy was on his feet in a second and running +away, but the snake was after him! The ground was stony and scrubby; the +boy could not proceed very fast; and the snake was close at his heels. + +Then the boy saw a big rock in front of him, and began to scale it. + +"I do hope the snake can't follow me here!" he thought, but he had no +sooner reached the top of the rock than he saw that the snake was +following him. + +Quite close to the boy, on a narrow ledge at the top of the rock, lay a +round stone as large as a man's head. As the snake came closer, the boy +ran behind the stone, and gave it a push. It rolled right down on the +snake, drawing it along to the ground, where it landed on its head. + +"That stone did its work well!" thought the boy with a sigh of relief, +as he saw the snake squirm a little, and then lie perfectly still. + +"I don't think I've been in greater peril on the whole journey," he +said. + +He had hardly recovered from the shock when he heard a rustle above him, +and saw a bird circling through the air to light on the ground right +beside the snake. The bird was like a crow in size and form, but was +dressed in a pretty coat of shiny black feathers. + +The boy cautiously retreated into a crevice of the rock. His adventure +in being kidnapped by crows was still fresh in his memory, and he did +not care to show himself when there was no need of it. + +The bird strode back and forth beside the snake's body, and turned it +over with his beak. Finally he spread his wings and began to shriek in +ear-splitting tones: + +"It is certainly Helpless, the water-snake, that lies dead here!" Once +more he walked the length of the snake; then he stood in a deep study, +and scratched his neck with his foot. + +"It isn't possible that there can be two such big snakes in the forest," +he pondered. "It must surely be Helpless!" + +He was just going to thrust his beak into the snake, but suddenly +checked himself. + +"You mustn't be a numbskull, Bataki!" he remarked to himself. "Surely +you cannot be thinking of eating the snake until you have called Karr! +He wouldn't believe that Helpless was dead unless he could see it with +his own eyes." + +The boy tried to keep quiet, but the bird was so ludicrously solemn, as +he stalked back and forth chattering to himself, that he had to laugh. + +The bird heard him, and, with a flap of his wings, he was up on the +rock. The boy rose quickly and walked toward him. + +"Are you not the one who is called Bataki, the raven? and are you not a +friend of Akka from Kebnekaise?" asked the boy. + +The bird regarded him intently; then nodded three times. + +"Surely, you're not the little chap who flies around with the wild +geese, and whom they call Thumbietot?" + +"Oh, you're not so far out of the way," said the boy. + +"What luck that I should have run across you! Perhaps you can tell me +who killed this water-snake?" + +"The stone which I rolled down on him killed him," replied the boy, and +related how the whole thing happened. + +"That was cleverly done for one who is as tiny as you are!" said the +raven. "I have a friend in these parts who will be glad to know that +this snake has been killed, and I should like to render you a service in +return." + +"Then tell me why you are glad the water-snake is dead," responded the +boy. + +"It's a long story," said the raven; "you wouldn't have the patience to +listen to it." + +But the boy insisted that he had, and then the raven told him the whole +story about Karr and Grayskin and Helpless, the water-snake. When he had +finished, the boy sat quietly for a moment, looking straight ahead. Then +he spoke: + +"I seem to like the forest better since hearing this. I wonder if there +is anything left of the old Liberty Forest." + +"Most of it has been destroyed," said Bataki. "The trees look as if they +had passed through a fire. They'll have to be cleared away, and it will +take many years before the forest will be what it once was." + +"That snake deserved his death!" declared the boy. "But I wonder if it +could be possible that he was so wise he could send sickness to the +caterpillars?" + +"Perhaps he knew that they frequently became sick in that way," +intimated Bataki. + +"Yes, that may be; but all the same, I must say that he was a very wily +snake." + +The boy stopped talking because he saw the raven was not listening to +him, but sitting with gaze averted. "Hark!" he said. "Karr is in the +vicinity. Won't he be happy when he sees that Helpless is dead!" + +The boy turned his head in the direction of the sound. + +"He's talking with the wild geese," he said. + +"Oh, you may be sure that he has dragged himself down to the strand to +get the latest news about Grayskin!" + +Both the boy and the raven jumped to the ground, and hastened down to +the shore. All the geese had come out of the lake, and stood talking +with an old dog, who was so weak and decrepit that it seemed as if he +might drop dead at any moment. + +"There's Karr," said Bataki to the boy. "Let him hear first what the +wild geese have to say to him; later we shall tell him that the +water-snake is dead." + +Presently they heard Akka talking to Karr. + +"It happened last year while we were making our usual spring trip," +remarked the leader-goose. "We started out one morning--Yksi, Kaksi, and +I, and we flew over the great boundary forests between Dalecarlia and +Hälsingland. Under us we, saw only thick pine forests. The snow was +still deep among the trees, and the creeks were mostly frozen. + +"Suddenly we noticed three poachers down in the forest! They were on +skis, had dogs in leash, carried knives in their belts, but had no guns. + +"As there was a hard crust on the snow, they did not bother to take the +winding forest paths, but skied straight ahead. Apparently they knew +very well where they must go to find what they were seeking. + +"We wild geese flew on, high up in the air, so that the whole forest +under us was visible. When we sighted the poachers we wanted to find out +where the game was, so we circled up and down, peering through the +trees. Then, in a dense thicket, we saw something that looked like big, +moss-covered rocks, but couldn't be rocks, for there was no snow on +them. + +"We shot down, suddenly, and lit in the centre of the thicket. The three +rocks moved. They were three elk--a bull and two cows--resting in the +bleak forest. + +"When we alighted, the elk bull rose and came toward us. He was the +most superb animal we had ever seen. When he saw that it was only some +poor wild geese that had awakened him, he lay down again. + +"'No, old granddaddy, you mustn't go back to sleep!' I cried. 'Flee as +fast as you can! There are poachers in the forest, and they are bound +for this very deer fold.' + +"'Thank you, goose mother!' said the elk. He seemed to be dropping to +sleep while he was speaking. 'But surely you must know that we elk are +under the protection of the law at this time of the year. Those poachers +are probably out for fox,' he yawned. + +"'There are plenty of fox trails in the forest, but the poachers are not +looking for them. Believe me, old granddaddy! They know that you are +lying here, and are coming to attack you. They have no guns with +them--only spears and knives--for they dare not fire a shot at this +season.' + +"The elk bull lay there calmly, but the elk cows seemed to feel uneasy. + +"'It may be as the geese say,' they remarked, beginning to bestir +themselves. + +"'You just lie down!' said the elk bull. 'There are no poachers coming +here; of that you may be certain.' + +"There was nothing more to be done, so we wild geese rose again into the +air. But we continued to circle over the place, to see how it would turn +out for the elk. + +"We had hardly reached our regular flying altitude, when we saw the elk +bull come out from the thicket. He sniffed the air a little, then walked +straight toward the poachers. As he strode along he stepped upon dry +twigs that crackled noisily. A big barren marsh lay just beyond him. +Thither he went and took his stand in the middle, where there was +nothing to hide him from view. + +"There he stood until the poachers emerged from the woods. Then he +turned and fled in the opposite direction. The poachers let loose the +dogs, and they themselves skied after him at full speed. + +"The elk threw back his head and loped as fast as he could. He kicked up +snow until it flew like a blizzard about him. Both dogs and men were +left far behind. Then the elk stopped, as if to await their approach. +When they were within sight he dashed ahead again. We understood that he +was purposely tempting the hunters away from the place where the cows +were. We thought it brave of him to face danger himself, in order that +those who were dear to him might be left in safety. None of us wanted to +leave the place until we had seen how all this was to end. + +"Thus the chase continued for two hours or more. We wondered that the +poachers went to the trouble of pursuing the elk when they were not +armed with rifles. They couldn't have thought that they could succeed in +tiring out a runner like him! + +"Then we noticed that the elk no longer ran so rapidly. He stepped on +the snow more carefully, and every time he lifted his feet, blood could +be seen in his tracks. + +"We understood why the poachers had been so persistent! They had +counted on help from the snow. The elk was heavy, and with every step he +sank to the bottom of the drift. The hard crust on the snow was scraping +his legs. It scraped away the fur, and tore out pieces of flesh, so that +he was in torture every time he put his foot down. + +"The poachers and the dogs, who were so light that the ice crust could +hold their weight, pursued him all the while. He ran on and on--his +steps becoming more and more uncertain and faltering. He gasped for +breath. Not only did he suffer intense pain, but he was also exhausted +from wading through the deep snowdrifts. + +"At last he lost all patience. He paused to let poachers and dogs come +upon him, and was ready to fight them. As he stood there waiting, he +glanced upward. When he saw us wild geese circling above him, he cried +out: + +"'Stay here, wild geese, until all is over! And the next time you fly +over Kolmården, look up Karr, and ask him if he doesn't think that his +friend Grayskin has met with a happy end?'" + +When Akka had gone so far in her story the old dog rose and walked +nearer to her. + +"Grayskin led a good life," he said. "He understands me. He knows that +I'm a brave dog, and that I shall be glad to hear that he had a happy +end. Now tell me how--" + +He raised his tail and threw back his head, as if to give himself a bold +and proud bearing--then he collapsed. + +"Karr! Karr!" called a man's voice from the forest. + +The old dog rose obediently. + +"My master is calling me," he said, "and I must not tarry longer. I just +saw him load his gun. Now we two are going into the forest for the last +time. + +"Many thanks, wild goose! I know everything that I need know to die +content!" + + +THE WIND WITCH + + +IN NÄRKE + +In bygone days there was something in Närke the like of which was not to +be found elsewhere: it was a witch, named Ysätter-Kaisa. + +The name Kaisa had been given her because she had a good deal to do with +wind and storm--and these wind witches are always so called. The surname +was added because she was supposed to have come from Ysätter swamp in +Asker parish. + +It seemed as though her real abode must have been at Asker; but she used +also to appear at other places. Nowhere in all Närke could one be sure +of not meeting her. + +She was no dark, mournful witch, but gay and frolicsome; and what she +loved most of all was a gale of wind. As soon as there was wind enough, +off she would fly to the Närke plain for a good dance. On days when a +whirlwind swept the plain, Ysätter-Kaisa had fun! She would stand right +in the wind and spin round, her long hair flying up among the clouds and +the long trail of her robe sweeping the ground, like a dust cloud, while +the whole plain lay spread out under her, like a ballroom floor. + +Of a morning Ysätter-Kaisa would sit up in some tall pine at the top of +a precipice, and look across the plain. If it happened to be winter and +she saw many teams on the roads she hurriedly blew up a blizzard, piling +the drifts so high that people could barely get back to their homes by +evening. If it chanced to be summer and good harvest weather, +Ysätter-Kaisa would sit quietly until the first hayricks had been +loaded, then down she would come with a couple of heavy showers, which +put an end to the work for that day. + +It was only too true that she seldom thought of anything else than +raising mischief. The charcoal burners up in the Kil mountains hardly +dared take a cat-nap, for as soon as she saw an unwatched kiln, she +stole up and blew on it until it began to burn in a great flame. If the +metal drivers from Laxå and Svartå were out late of an evening, +Ysätter-Kaisa would veil the roads and the country round about in such +dark clouds that both men and horses lost their way and drove the heavy +trucks down into swamps and morasses. + +If, on a summer's day, the dean's wife at Glanshammar had spread the tea +table in the garden and along would come a gust of wind that lifted the +cloth from the table and turned over cups and saucers, they knew who had +raised the mischief! If the mayor of Örebro's hat blew off, so that he +had to run across the whole square after it; if the wash on the line +blew away and got covered with dirt, or if the smoke poured into the +cabins and seemed unable to find its way out through the chimney, it was +easy enough to guess who was out making merry! + +Although Ysätter-Kaisa was fond of all sorts of tantalizing games, there +was nothing really bad about her. One could see that she was hardest on +those who were quarrelsome, stingy, or wicked; while honest folk and +poor little children she would take under her wing. Old people say of +her that, once, when Asker church was burning, Ysätter-Kaisa swept +through the air, lit amid fire and smoke on the church roof, and averted +the disaster. + +All the same the Närke folk were often rather tired of Ysätter-Kaisa, +but she never tired of playing her tricks on them. As she sat on the +edge of a cloud and looked down upon Närke, which rested so peacefully +and comfortably beneath her, she must have thought: "The inhabitants +would fare much too well if I were not in existence. They would grow +sleepy and dull. There must be some one like myself to rouse them and +keep them in good spirits." + +Then she would laugh wildly and, chattering like a magpie, would rush +off, dancing and spinning from one end of the plain to the other. When a +Närke man saw her come dragging her dust trail over the plain, he could +not help smiling. Provoking and tiresome she certainly was, but she had +a merry spirit. It was just as refreshing for the peasants to meet +Ysätter-Kaisa as it was for the plain to be lashed by the windstorm. + +Nowadays 'tis said that Ysätter-Kaisa is dead and gone, like all other +witches, but this one can hardly believe. It is as if some one were to +come and tell you that henceforth the air would always be still on the +plain, and the wind would never more dance across it with blustering +breezes and drenching showers. + +He who fancies that Ysätter-Kaisa is dead and gone may as well hear what +occurred in Närke the year that Nils Holgersson travelled over that part +of the country. Then let him tell what he thinks about it. + +MARKET EVE + +_Wednesday, April twenty-seventh_. + +It was the day before the big Cattle Fair at Örebro; it rained in +torrents and people thought: "This is exactly as in Ysätter-Kaisa's +time! At fairs she used to be more prankish than usual. It was quite in +her line to arrange a downpour like this on a market eve." + +As the day wore on, the rain increased, and toward evening came regular +cloud-bursts. The roads were like bottomless swamps. The farmers who had +started from home with their cattle early in the morning, that they +might arrive at a seasonable hour, fared badly. Cows and oxen were so +tired they could hardly move, and many of the poor beasts dropped down +in the middle of the road, to show that they were too exhausted to go +any farther. All who lived along the roadside had to open their doors to +the market-bound travellers, and harbour them as best they could. Farm +houses, barns, and sheds were soon crowded to their limit. + +Meanwhile, those who could struggle along toward the inn did so; but +when they arrived they wished they had stopped at some cabin along the +road. All the cribs in the barn and all the stalls in the stable were +already occupied. There was no other choice than to let horses and +cattle stand out in the rain. Their masters could barely manage to get +under cover. + +The crush and mud and slush in the barn yard were frightful! Some of the +animals were standing in puddles and could not even lie down. There were +thoughtful masters, of course, who procured straw for their animals to +lie on, and spread blankets over them; but there were those, also, who +sat in the inn, drinking and gambling, entirely forgetful of the dumb +creatures which they should have protected. + +The boy and the wild geese had come to a little wooded island in Hjälmar +Lake that evening. The island was separated from the main land by a +narrow and shallow stream, and at low tide one could pass over it +dry-shod. + +It rained just as hard on the island as it did everywhere else. The boy +could not sleep for the water that kept dripping down on him. Finally he +got up and began to walk. He fancied that he felt the rain less when he +moved about. + +He had hardly circled the island, when he heard a splashing in the +stream. Presently he saw a solitary horse tramping among the trees. +Never in all his life had he seen such a wreck of a horse! He was +broken-winded and stiff-kneed and so thin that every rib could be seen +under the hide. He bore neither harness nor saddle--only an old bridle, +from which dangled a half-rotted rope-end. Obviously he had had no +difficulty in breaking loose. + +The horse walked straight toward the spot where the wild geese were +sleeping. The boy was afraid that he would step on them. + +"Where are you going? Feel your ground!" shouted the boy. + +"Oh, there you are!" exclaimed the horse. "I've walked miles to meet +you!" + +"Have you heard of me?" asked the boy, astonished. + +"I've got ears, even if I am old! There are many who talk of you +nowadays." + +As he spoke, the horse bent his head that he might see better, and the +boy noticed that he had a small head, beautiful eyes, and a soft, +sensitive nose. + +"He must have been a good horse at the start, though he has come to +grief in his old age," he thought. + +"I wish you would come with me and help me with something," pleaded the +horse. + +The boy thought it would be embarrassing to accompany a creature who +looked so wretched, and excused himself on account of the bad weather. + +"You'll be no worse off on my back than you are lying here," said the +horse. "But perhaps you don't dare to go with an old tramp of a horse +like me." + +"Certainly I dare!" said the boy. + +"Then wake the geese, so that we can arrange with them where they shall +come for you to-morrow," said the horse. + +The boy was soon seated on the animal's back. The old nag trotted along +better than he had thought possible. It was a long ride in the rain and +darkness before they halted near a large inn, where everything looked +terribly uninviting! The wheel tracks were so deep in the road that the +boy feared he might drown should he fall down into them. Alongside the +fence, which enclosed the yard, some thirty or forty horses and cattle +were tied, with no protection against the rain, and in the yard were +wagons piled with packing cases, where sheep, calves, hogs, and chickens +were shut in. + +The horse walked over to the fence and stationed himself. The boy +remained seated upon his back, and, with his good night eyes, plainly +saw how badly the animals fared. + +"How do you happen to be standing out here in the rain?" he asked. + +"We're on our way to a fair at Örebro, but we were obliged to put up +here on account of the rain. This is an inn; but so many travellers have +already arrived that there's no room for us in the barns." + +The boy made no reply, but sat quietly looking about him. Not many of +the animals were asleep, and on all sides he heard complaints and +indignant protests. They had reason enough for grumbling, for the +weather was even worse than it had been earlier in the day. A freezing +wind had begun to blow, and the rain which came beating down on them +was turning to snow. It was easy enough to understand what the horse +wanted the boy to help him with. + +"Do you see that fine farm yard directly opposite the inn?" remarked the +horse. + +"Yes, I see it," answered the boy, "and I can't comprehend why they +haven't tried to find shelter for all of you in there. They are already +full, perhaps?" + +"No, there are no strangers in that place," said the horse. "The people +who live on that farm are so stingy and selfish that it would be useless +for any one to ask them for harbour." + +"If that's the case, I suppose you'll have to stand where you are." + +"I was born and raised on that farm," said the horse; "I know that there +is a large barn and a big cow shed, with many empty stalls and mangers, +and I was wondering if you couldn't manage in some way or other to get +us in over there." + +"I don't think I could venture--" hesitated the boy. But he felt so +sorry for the poor beasts that he wanted at least to try. + +He ran into the strange barn yard and saw at once that all the outhouses +were locked and the keys gone. He stood there, puzzled and helpless, +when aid came to him from an unexpected source. A gust of wind came +sweeping along with terrific force and flung open a shed door right in +front of him. + +The boy was not long in getting back to the horse. + +"It isn't possible to get into the barn or the cow house," he said, "but +there's a big, empty hay shed that they have forgotten to bolt. I can +lead you into that." + +"Thank you!" said the horse. "It will seem good to sleep once more on +familiar ground. It's the only happiness I can expect in this life." + +Meanwhile, at the flourishing farm opposite the inn, the family sat up +much later than usual that evening. + +The master of the place was a man of thirty-five, tall and dignified, +with a handsome but melancholy face. During the day he had been out in +the rain and had got wet, like every one else, and at supper he asked +his old mother, who was still mistress of the place, to light a fire on +the hearth that he might dry his clothes. The mother kindled a feeble +blaze--for in that house they were not wasteful with wood--and the +master hung his coat on the back of a chair, and placed it before the +fire. With one foot on top of the andiron and a hand resting on his +knee, he stood gazing into the embers. Thus he stood for two whole +hours, making no move other than to cast a log on the fire now and then. + +The mistress removed the supper things and turned down his bed for the +night before she went to her own room and seated herself. At intervals +she came to the door and looked wonderingly at her son. + +"It's nothing, mother. I'm only thinking," he said. + +His thoughts were on something that had occurred shortly before: When he +passed the inn a horse dealer had asked him if he would not like to +purchase a horse, and had shown him an old nag so weather-beaten that he +asked the dealer if he took him for a fool, since he wished to palm off +such a played-out beast on him. + +"Oh, no!" said the horse dealer. "I only thought that, inasmuch as the +horse once belonged to you, you might wish to give him a comfortable +home in his old age; he has need of it." + +Then he looked at the horse and recognized it as one which he himself +had raised and broken in; but it did not occur to him to purchase such +an old and useless creature on that account. No, indeed! He was not one +who squandered his money. + +All the same, the sight of the horse had awakened many, memories--and it +was the memories that kept him awake. + +That horse had been a fine animal. His father had let him tend it from +the start. He had broken it in and had loved it above everything else. +His father had complained that he used to feed it too well, and often he +had been obliged to steal out and smuggle oats to it. + +Once, when he ventured to talk with his father about letting him buy a +broadcloth suit, or having the cart painted, his father stood as if +petrified, and he thought the old man would have a stroke. He tried to +make his father understand that, when he had a fine horse to drive, he +should look presentable himself. + +The father made no reply, but two days later he took the horse to Örebro +and sold it. + +It was cruel of him. But it was plain that his father had feared that +this horse might lead him into vanity and extravagance. And now, so long +afterward, he had to admit that his father was right. A horse like that +surely would have been a temptation. At first he had grieved terribly +over his loss. Many a time he had gone down to Örebro, just to stand on +a street corner and see the horse pass by, or to steal into the stable +and give him a lump of sugar. He thought: "If I ever get the farm, the +first thing I do will be to buy back my horse." + +Now his father was gone and he himself had been master for two years, +but he had not made a move toward buying the horse. He had not thought +of him for ever so long, until to-night. + +It was strange that he should have forgotten the beast so entirely! + +His father had been a very headstrong, domineering man. When his son was +grown and the two had worked together, the father had gained absolute +power over him. The boy had come to think that everything his father did +was right, and, after he became the master, he only tried to do exactly +as his father would have done. + +He knew, of course, that folk said his father was stingy; but it was +well to keep a tight hold on one's purse and not throw away money +needlessly. The goods one has received should not be wasted. It was +better to live on a debt-free place and be called stingy, than to carry +heavy mortgages, like other farm owners. + +He had gone so far in his mind when he was called back by a strange +sound. It was as if a shrill, mocking voice were repeating his thoughts: +"It's better to keep a firm hold on one's purse and be called stingy, +than to be in debt, like other farm owners." + +It sounded as if some one was trying to make sport of his wisdom and he +was about to lose his temper, when he realized that it was all a +mistake. The wind was beginning to rage, and he had been standing there +getting so sleepy that he mistook the howling of the wind in the chimney +for human speech. + +He glanced up at the wall clock, which just then struck eleven. + +"It's time that you were in bed," he remarked to himself. Then he +remembered that he had not yet gone the rounds of the farm yard, as it +was his custom to do every night, to make sure that all doors were +closed and all lights extinguished. This was something he had never +neglected since he became master. He drew on his coat and went out in +the storm. + +He found everything as it should be, save that the door to the empty hay +shed had been blown open by the wind. He stepped inside for the key, +locked the shed door and put the key into his coat pocket. Then he went +back to the house, removed his coat, and hung it before the fire. Even +now he did not retire, but began pacing the floor. The storm without, +with its biting wind and snow-blended rain, was terrible, and his old +horse was standing in this storm without so much as a blanket to protect +him! He should at least have given his old friend a roof over his head, +since he had come such a long distance. + +At the inn across the way the boy heard an old wall clock strike eleven +times. Just then he was untying the animals to lead them to the shed in +the farm yard opposite. It took some time to rouse them and get them +into line. When all were ready, they marched in a long procession into +the stingy farmer's yard, with the boy as their guide. While the boy had +been assembling them, the farmer had gone the rounds of the farm yard +and locked the hay shed, so that when the animals came along the door +was closed. The boy stood there dismayed. He could not let the creatures +stand out there! He must go into the house and find the key. + +"Keep them quiet out here while I go in and fetch the key!" he said to +the old horse, and off he ran. + +On the path right in front of the house he paused to think out how he +should get inside. As he stood there he noticed two little wanderers +coming down the road, who stopped before the inn. + +The boy saw at once that they were two little girls, and ran toward +them. + +"Come now, Britta Maja!" said one, "you mustn't cry any more. Now we are +at the inn. Here they will surely take us in." + +The girl had but just said this when the boy called to her: + +"No, you mustn't try to get in there. It is simply impossible. But at +the farm house opposite there are no guests. Go there instead." + +The little girls heard the words distinctly, though they could not see +the one who spoke to them. They did not wonder much at that, however, +for the night was as black as pitch. The larger of the girls promptly +answered: + +"We don't care to enter that place, because those who live there are +stingy and cruel. It is their fault that we two must go out on the +highways and beg." + +"That may be so," said the boy, "but all the same you should go there. +You shall see that it will be well for you." + +"We can try, but it is doubtful that they will even let us enter," +observed the two little girls as they walked up to the house and +knocked. + +The master was standing by the fire thinking of the horse when he heard +the knocking. He stepped to the door to see what was up, thinking all +the while that he would not let himself be tempted into admitting any +wayfarer. As he fumbled the lock, a gust of wind came along, wrenched +the door from his hand and swung it open. To close it, he had to step +out on the porch, and, when he stepped back into the house, the two +little girls were standing within. + +They were two poor beggar girls, ragged, dirty, and starving--two little +tots bent under the burden of their beggar's packs, which were as large +as themselves. + +"Who are you that go prowling about at this hour of the night?" said the +master gruffly. + +The two children did not answer immediately, but first removed their +packs. Then they walked up to the man and stretched forth their tiny +hands in greeting. + +"We are Anna and Britta Maja from the Engärd," said the elder, "and we +were going to ask for a night's lodging." + +He did not take the outstretched hands and was just about to drive out +the beggar children, when a fresh recollection faced him. Engärd--was +not that a little cabin where a poor widow with five children had lived? +The widow had owed his father a few hundred kroner and in order to get +back his money he had sold her cabin. After that the widow, with her +three eldest children, went to Norrland to seek employment, and the two +youngest became a charge on the parish. + +As he called this to mind he grew bitter. He knew that his father had +been severely censured for squeezing out that money, which by right +belonged to him. + +"What are you doing nowadays?" he asked in a cross tone. "Didn't the +board of charities take charge of you? Why do you roam around and beg?" + +"It's not our fault," replied the larger girl. "The people with whom we +are living have sent us out to beg." + +"Well, your packs are filled," the farmer observed, "so you can't +complain. Now you'd better take out some of the food you have with you +and eat your fill, for here you'll get no food, as all the women folk +are in bed. Later you may lie down in the corner by the hearth, so you +won't have to freeze." + +He waved his hand, as if to ward them off, and his eyes took on a hard +look. He was thankful that he had had a father who had been careful of +his property. Otherwise, he might perhaps have been forced in childhood +to run about and beg, as these children now did. + +No sooner had he thought this out to the end than the shrill, mocking +voice he had heard once before that evening repeated it, word for word. + +He listened, and at once understood that it was nothing--only the wind +roaring in the chimney. But the queer thing about it was, when the wind +repeated his thoughts, they seemed so strangely stupid and hard and +false! + +The children meanwhile had stretched themselves, side by side, on the +floor. They were not quiet, but lay there muttering. + +"Do be still, won't you?" he growled, for he was in such an irritable +mood that he could have beaten them. + +But the mumbling continued, and again he called for silence. + +"When mother went away," piped a clear little voice, "she made me +promise that every night I would say my evening prayer. I must do this, +and Britta Maja too. As soon as we have said 'God who cares for little +children--' we'll be quiet." + +The master sat quite still while the little ones said their prayers, +then he rose and began pacing back and forth, back and forth, wringing +his hands all the while, as though he had met with some great sorrow. + +"The horse driven out and wrecked, these two children turned into road +beggars--both father's doings! Perhaps father did not do right after +all?" he thought. + +He sat down again and buried his head in his hands. Suddenly his lips +began to quiver and into his eyes came tears, which he hastily wiped +away. Fresh tears came, and he was just as prompt to brush these away; +but it was useless, for more followed. + +When his mother stepped into the room, he swung his chair quickly and +turned his back to her. She must have noticed something unusual, for she +stood quietly behind him a long while, as if waiting for him to speak. +She realized how difficult it always is for men to talk of the things +they feel most deeply. She must help him of course. + +From her bedroom she had observed all that had taken place in the living +room, so that she did not have to ask questions. She walked very softly +over to the two sleeping children, lifted them, and bore them to her own +bed. Then she went back to her son. + +"Lars," she said, as if she did not see that he was weeping, "you had +better let me keep these children." + +"What, mother?" he gasped, trying to smother the sobs. + +"I have been suffering for years--ever since father took the cabin from +their mother, and so have you." + +"Yes, but--" + +"I want to keep them here and make something of them; they are too good +to beg." + +He could not speak, for now the tears were beyond his control; but he +took his old mother's withered hand and patted it. + +Then he jumped up, as if something had frightened him. + +"What would father have said of this?" + +"Father had his day at ruling," retorted the mother. "Now it is your +day. As long as father lived we had to obey him. Now is the time to show +what you are." + +Her son was so astonished that he ceased crying. + +"But I have just shown what I am!" he returned. + +"No, you haven't," protested the mother. "You only try to be like him. +Father experienced hard times, which made him fear poverty. He believed +that he had to think of himself first. But you have never had any +difficulties that should make you hard. You have more than you need, and +it would be unnatural of you not to think of others." + +When the two little girls entered the house the boy slipped in behind +them and secreted himself in a dark corner. He had not been there long +before he caught a glimpse of the shed key, which the farmer had thrust +into his coat pocket. + +"When the master of the house drives the children out, I'll take the key +and ran," he thought. + +But the children were not driven out and the boy crouched in the corner, +not knowing what he should do next. + +The mother talked long with her son, and while she was speaking he +stopped weeping. Gradually his features softened; he looked like another +person. All the while he was stroking the wasted old hand. + +"Now we may as well retire," said the old lady when she saw that he was +calm again. + +"No," he said, suddenly rising, "I cannot retire yet. There's a stranger +without whom I must shelter to-night!" + +He said nothing further, but quickly drew on his coat, lit the lantern +and went out. There were the same wind and chill without, but as he +stepped to the porch he began to sing softly. He wondered if the horse +would know him, and if he would be glad to come back to his old stable. + +As he crossed the house yard he heard a door slam. + +"That shed door has blown open again," he thought, and went over to +close it. + +A moment later he stood by the shed and was just going to shut the door, +when he heard a rustling within. + +The boy, who had watched his opportunity, had run directly to the shed, +where he left the animals, but they were no longer out in the rain: A +strong wind had long since thrown open the door and helped them to get a +roof over their heads. The patter which the master heard was occasioned +by the boy running into the shed. + +By the light of the lantern the man could see into the shed. The whole +floor was covered with sleeping cattle. There was no human being to be +seen; the animals were not bound, but were lying, here and there, in the +straw. + +He was enraged at the intrusion and began storming and shrieking to +rouse the sleepers and drive them out. But the creatures lay still and +would not let themselves be disturbed. The only one that rose was an old +horse that came slowly toward him. + +All of a sudden the man became silent. He recognized the beast by its +gait. He raised the lantern, and the horse came over and laid its head +on his shoulder. The master patted and stroked it. + +"My old horsy, my old horsy!" he said. "What have they done to you? Yes, +dear, I'll buy you back. You'll never again have to leave this place. +You shall do whatever you like, horsy mine! Those whom you have brought +with you may remain here, but you shall come with me to the stable. Now +I can give you all the oats you are able to eat, without having to +smuggle them. And you're not all used up, either! The handsomest horse +on the church knoll--that's what you shall be once more! There, there! +There, there!" + + +THE BREAKING UP OF THE ICE + + +_Thursday, April twenty-eighth_. + +The following day the weather was clear and beautiful. There was a +strong west wind; people were glad of that, for it dried up the roads, +which had been soaked by the heavy rains of the day before. + +Early in the morning the two Småland children, Osa, the goose girl, and +little Mats, were out on the highway leading from Sörmland to Närke. The +road ran alongside the southern shore of Hjälmar Lake and the children +were walking along looking at the ice, which covered the greater part of +it. The morning sun darted its clear rays upon the ice, which did not +look dark and forbidding, like most spring ice, but sparkled temptingly. +As far as they could see, the ice was firm and dry. The rain had run +down into cracks and hollows, or been absorbed by the ice itself. The +children saw only the sound ice. + +Osa, the goose girl, and little Mats were on their way North, and they +could not help thinking of all the steps they would be saved if they +could cut straight across the lake instead of going around it. They +knew, to be sure, that spring ice is treacherous, but this looked +perfectly secure. They could see that it was several inches thick near +the shore. They saw a path which they might follow, and the opposite +shore appeared to be so near that they ought to be able to get there in +an hour. + +"Come, let's try!" said little Mats. "If we only look before us, so that +we don't go down into some hole, we can do it." + +So they went out on the lake. The ice was not very slippery, but rather +easy to walk upon. There was more water on it than they expected to see, +and here and there were cracks, where the water purled up. One had to +watch out for such places; but that was easy to do in broad daylight, +with the sun shining. + +The children advanced rapidly, and talked only of how sensible they were +to have gone out on the ice instead of tramping the slushy road. + +When they had been walking a while they came to Vin Island, where an old +woman had sighted them from her window. She rushed from her cabin, waved +them back, and shouted something which they could not hear. They +understood perfectly well that she was warning them not to come any +farther; but they thought there was no immediate danger. It would be +stupid for them to leave the ice when all was going so well! + +Therefore they went on past Vin Island and had a stretch of seven miles +of ice ahead of them. + +Out there was so much water that the children were obliged to take +roundabout ways; but that was sport to them. They vied with each other +as to which could find the soundest ice. They were neither tired nor +hungry. The whole day was before them, and they laughed at each obstacle +they met. + +Now and then they cast a glance ahead at the farther shore. It still +appeared far away, although they had been walking a good hour. They were +rather surprised that the lake was so broad. + +"The shore seems to be moving farther away from us," little Mats +observed. + +Out there the children were not protected against the wind, which was +becoming stronger and stronger every minute, and was pressing their +clothing so close to their bodies that they could hardly go on. The cold +wind was the first disagreeable thing they had met with on the journey. + +But the amazing part of it was that the wind came sweeping along with a +loud roar--as if it brought with it the noise of a large mill or +factory, though nothing of the kind was to be found out there on the +ice. They had walked to the west of the big island, Valen; now they +thought they were nearing the north shore. Suddenly the wind began to +blow more and more, while the loud roaring increased so rapidly that +they began to feel uneasy. + +All at once it occurred to them that the roar was caused by the foaming +and rushing of the waves breaking against a shore. Even this seemed +improbable, since the lake was still covered with ice. + +At all events, they paused and looked about. They noticed far in the +west a white bank which stretched clear across the lake. At first they +thought it was a snowbank alongside a road. Later they realized it was +the foam-capped waves dashing against the ice! They took hold of hands +and ran without saying a word. Open sea lay beyond in the west, and +suddenly the streak of foam appeared to be moving eastward. They +wondered if the ice was going to break all over. What was going to +happen? They felt now that they were in great danger. + +All at once it seemed as if the ice under their feet rose--rose and +sank, as if some one from below were pushing it. Presently they heard a +hollow boom, and then there were cracks in the ice all around them. The +children could see how they crept along under the ice-covering. + +The next moment all was still, then the rising and sinking began again. +Thereupon the cracks began to widen into crevices through which the +water bubbled up. By and by the crevices became gaps. Soon after that +the ice was divided into large floes. + +"Osa," said little Mats, "this must be the breaking up of the ice!" + +"Why, so it is, little Mats," said Osa, "but as yet we can get to land. +Run for your life!" + +As a matter of fact, the wind and waves had a good deal of work to do +yet to clear the ice from the lake. The hardest part was done when the +ice-cake burst into pieces, but all these pieces must be broken and +hurled against each other, to be crushed, worn down, and dissolved. +There was still a great deal of hard and sound ice left, which formed +large, unbroken surfaces. + +The greatest danger for the children lay in the fact that they had no +general view of the ice. They did not see the places where the gaps were +so wide that they could not possibly jump over them, nor did they know +where to find any floes that would hold them, so they wandered aimlessly +back and forth, going farther out on the lake instead of nearer land. At +last, confused and terrified, they stood still and wept. + +Then a flock of wild geese in rapid flight came rushing by. They +shrieked loudly and sharply; but the strange thing was that above the +geese-cackle the little children heard these words: + +"You must go to the right, the right, the right!" They began at once to +follow the advice; but before long they were again standing irresolute, +facing another broad gap. + +Again they heard the geese shrieking above them, and again, amid the +geese-cackle, they distinguished a few words: + +"Stand where you are! Stand where you are!" + +The children did not say a word to each other, but obeyed and stood +still. Soon after that the ice-floes floated together, so that they +could cross the gap. Then they took hold of hands again and ran. They +were afraid not only of the peril, but of the mysterious help that had +come to them. + +Soon they had to stop again, and immediately the sound of the voice +reached them. + +"Straight ahead, straight ahead!" it said. + +This leading continued for about half an hour; by that time they had +reached Ljunger Point, where they left the ice and waded to shore. They +were still terribly frightened, even though they were on firm land. They +did not stop to look back at the lake--where the waves were pitching the +ice-floes faster and faster--but ran on. When they had gone a short +distance along the point, Osa paused suddenly. + +"Wait here, little Mats," she said; "I have forgotten something." + +Osa, the goose girl, went down to the strand again, where she stopped to +rummage in her bag. Finally she fished out a little wooden shoe, which +she placed on a stone where it could be plainly seen. Then she ran to +little Mats without once looking back. + +But the instant her back was turned, a big white goose shot down from +the sky, like a streak of lightning, snatched the wooden shoe, and flew +away with it. + + +THUMBIETOT AND THE BEARS + + +THE IRONWORKS + +_Thursday, April twenty-eighth_. + +When the wild geese and Thumbietot had helped Osa, the goose girl, and +little Mats across the ice, they flew into Westmanland, where they +alighted in a grain field to feed and rest. + +A strong west wind blew almost the entire day on which the wild geese +travelled over the mining districts, and as soon as they attempted to +direct their course northward they were buffeted toward the east. Now, +Akka thought that Smirre Fox was at large in the eastern part of the +province; therefore she would not fly in that direction, but turned +back, time and again, struggling westward with great difficulty. At this +rate the wild geese advanced very slowly, and late in the afternoon they +were still in the Westmanland mining districts. Toward evening the wind +abated suddenly, and the tired travellers hoped that they would have an +interval of easy flight before sundown. Then along came a violent gust +of wind, which tossed the geese before it, like balls, and the boy, who +was sitting comfortably, with no thought of peril, was lifted from the +goose's back and hurled into space. + +Little and light as he was, he could not fall straight to the ground in +such a wind; so at first he was carried along with it, drifting down +slowly and spasmodically, as a leaf falls from a tree. + +"Why, this isn't so bad!" thought the boy as he fell. "I'm tumbling as +easily as if I were only a scrap of paper. Morten Goosey-Gander will +doubtless hurry along and pick me up." + +The first thing the boy did when he landed was to tear off his cap and +wave it, so that the big white gander should see where he was. + +"Here am I, where are you? Here am I, where are you?" he called, and was +rather surprised that Morten Goosey-Gander was not already at his side. + +But the big white gander was not to be seen, nor was the wild goose +flock outlined against the sky. It had entirely disappeared. + +He thought this rather singular, but he was neither worried nor +frightened. Not for a second did it occur to him that folk like Akka and +Morten Goosey-Gander would abandon him. The unexpected gust of wind had +probably borne them along with it. As soon as they could manage to turn, +they would surely come back and fetch him. + +But what was this? Where on earth was he anyway? He had been standing +gazing toward the sky for some sign of the geese, but now he happened to +glance about him. He had not come down on even ground, but had dropped +into a deep, wide mountain cave--or whatever it might be. It was as +large as a church, with almost perpendicular walls on all four sides, +and with no roof at all. On the ground were some huge rocks, between +which moss and lignon-brush and dwarfed birches grew. Here and there in +the wall were projections, from which swung rickety ladders. At one side +there was a dark passage, which apparently led far into the mountain. + +The boy had not been travelling over the mining districts a whole day +for nothing. He comprehended at once that the big cleft had been made by +the men who had mined ore in this place. + +"I must try and climb back to earth again," he thought, "otherwise I +fear that my companions won't find me!" + +He was about to go over to the wall when some one seized him from +behind, and he heard a gruff voice growl in his ear: "Who are you?" + +The boy turned quickly, and, in the confusion of the moment, he thought +he was facing a huge rock, covered with brownish moss. Then he noticed +that the rock had broad paws to walk with, a head, two eyes, and a +growling mouth. + +He could not pull himself together to answer, nor did the big beast +appear to expect it of him, for it knocked him down, rolled him back and +forth with its paws, and nosed him. It seemed just about ready to +swallow him, when it changed its mind and called: + +"Brumme and Mulle, come here, you cubs, and you shall have something +good to eat!" + +A pair of frowzy cubs, as uncertain on their feet and as woolly as +puppies, came tumbling along. + +"What have you got, Mamma Bear? May we see, oh, may we see?" shrieked +the cubs excitedly. + +"Oho! so I've fallen in with bears," thought the boy to himself. "Now +Smirre Fox won't have to trouble himself further to chase after me!" + +The mother bear pushed the boy along to the cubs. One of them nabbed him +quickly and ran off with him; but he did not bite hard. He was playful +and wanted to amuse himself awhile with Thumbietot before eating him. +The other cub was after the first one to snatch the boy for himself, and +as he lumbered along he managed to tumble straight down on the head of +the one that carried the boy. So the two cubs rolled over each other, +biting, clawing, and snarling. + +During the tussle the boy got loose, ran over to the wall, and started +to scale it. Then both cubs scurried after him, and, nimbly scaling the +cliff, they caught up with him and tossed him down on the moss, like a +ball. + +"Now I know how a poor little mousie fares when it falls into the cat's +claws," thought the boy. + +He made several attempts to get away. He ran deep down into the old +tunnel and hid behind the rocks and climbed the birches, but the cubs +hunted him out, go where he would. The instant they caught him they let +him go, so that he could run away again and they should have the fun of +recapturing him. + +At last the boy got so sick and tired of it all that he threw himself +down on the ground. + +"Run away," growled the cubs, "or we'll eat you up!" + +"You'll have to eat me then," said the boy, "for I can't run any more." + +Immediately both cubs rushed over to the mother bear and complained: + +"Mamma Bear, oh, Mamma Bear, he won't play any more." + +"Then you must divide him evenly between you," said Mother Bear. + +When the boy heard this he was so scared that he jumped up instantly and +began playing again. + +As it was bedtime, Mother Bear called to the cubs that they must come +now and cuddle up to her and go to sleep. They had been having such a +good time that they wished to continue their play next day; so they took +the boy between them and laid their paws over him. They did not want him +to move without waking them. They went to sleep immediately. The boy +thought that after a while he would try to steal away. But never in all +his life had he been so tumbled and tossed and hunted and rolled! And he +was so tired out that he too fell asleep. + +By and by Father Bear came clambering down the mountain wall. The boy +was wakened by his tearing away stone and gravel as he swung himself +into the old mine. The boy was afraid to move much; but he managed to +stretch himself and turn over, so that he could see the big bear. He was +a frightfully coarse, huge old beast, with great paws, large, glistening +tusks, and wicked little eyes! The boy could not help shuddering as he +looked at this old monarch of the forest. + +"It smells like a human being around here," said Father Bear the instant +he came up to Mother Bear, and his growl was as the rolling of thunder. + +"How can you imagine anything so absurd?" said Mother Bear without +disturbing herself. "It has been settled for good and all that we are +not to harm mankind any more; but if one of them were to put in an +appearance here, where the cubs and I have our quarters, there wouldn't +be enough left of him for you to catch even a scent of him!" + +Father Bear lay down beside Mother Bear. "You ought to know me well +enough to understand that I don't allow anything dangerous to come near +the cubs. Talk, instead, of what you have been doing. I haven't seen you +for a whole week!" + +"I've been looking about for a new residence," said Father Bear. "First +I went over to Vermland, to learn from our kinsmen at Ekshärad how they +fared in that country; but I had my trouble for nothing. There wasn't a +bear's den left in the whole forest." + +"I believe the humans want the whole earth to themselves," said Mother +Bear. "Even if we leave people and cattle in peace and live solely upon +lignon and insects and green things, we cannot remain unmolested in the +forest! I wonder where we could move to in order to live in peace?" + +"We've lived comfortably for many years in this pit," observed Father +Bear. "But I can't be content here now since the big noise-shop has been +built right in our neighbourhood. Lately I have been taking a look at +the land east of Dal River, over by Garpen Mountain. Old mine pits are +plentiful there, too, and other fine retreats. I thought it looked as if +one might be fairly protected against men--" + +The instant Father Bear said this he sat up and began to sniff. + +"It's extraordinary that whenever I speak of human beings I catch that +queer scent again," he remarked. + +"Go and see for yourself if you don't believe me!" challenged Mother +Bear. "I should just like to know where a human being could manage to +hide down here?" + +The bear walked all around the cave, and nosed. Finally he went back and +lay down without a word. + +"What did I tell you?" said Mother Bear. "But of course you think that +no one but yourself has any nose or ears!" + +"One can't be too careful, with such neighbours as we have," said Father +Bear gently. Then he leaped up with a roar. As luck would have it, one +of the cubs had moved a paw over to Nils Holgersson's face and the poor +little wretch could not breathe, but began to sneeze. It was impossible +for Mother Bear to keep Father Bear back any longer. He pushed the young +ones to right and left and caught sight of the boy before he had time to +sit up. + +He would have swallowed him instantly if Mother Bear had not cast +herself between them. + +"Don't touch him! He belongs to the cubs," she said. "They have had +such fun with him the whole evening that they couldn't bear to eat him +up, but wanted to save him until morning." + +Father Bear pushed Mother Bear aside. + +"Don't meddle with what you don't understand!" he roared. "Can't you +scent that human odour about him from afar? I shall eat him at once, or +he will play us some mean trick." + +He opened his jaws again; but meanwhile the boy had had time to think, +and, quick as a flash, he dug into his knapsack and brought forth some +matches--his sole weapon of defence--struck one on his leather breeches, +and stuck the burning match into the bear's open mouth. + +Father Bear snorted when he smelled the sulphur, and with that the flame +went out. The boy was ready with another match, but, curiously enough, +Father Bear did not repeat his attack. + +"Can you light many of those little blue roses?" asked Father Bear. + +"I can light enough to put an end to the whole forest," replied the boy, +for he thought that in this way he might be able to scare Father Bear. + +"Oh, that would be no trick for me!" boasted the boy, hoping that this +would make the bear respect him. + +"Good!" exclaimed the bear. "You shall render me a service. Now I'm very +glad that I did not eat you!" + +Father Bear carefully took the boy between his tusks and climbed up from +the pit. He did this with remarkable ease and agility, considering that +he was so big and heavy. As soon as he was up, he speedily made for the +woods. It was evident that Father Bear was created to squeeze through +dense forests. The heavy body pushed through the brushwood as a boat +does through the water. + +Father Bear ran along till he came to a hill at the skirt of the forest, +where he could see the big noise-shop. Here he lay down and placed the +boy in front of him, holding him securely between his forepaws. + +"Now look down at that big noise-shop!" he commanded. The great +ironworks, with many tall buildings, stood at the edge of a waterfall. +High chimneys sent forth dark clouds of smoke, blasting furnaces were in +full blaze, and light shone from all the windows and apertures. Within +hammers and rolling mills were going with such force that the air rang +with their clatter and boom. All around the workshops proper were +immense coal sheds, great slag heaps, warehouses, wood piles, and tool +sheds. Just beyond were long rows of workingmen's homes, pretty villas, +schoolhouses, assembly halls, and shops. But there all was quiet and +apparently everybody was asleep. The boy did not glance in that +direction, but gazed intently at the ironworks. The earth around them +was black; the sky above them was like a great fiery dome; the rapids, +white with foam, rushed by; while the buildings themselves were sending +out light and smoke, fire and sparks. It was the grandest sight the boy +had ever seen! + +"Surely you don't mean to say you can set fire to a place like that?" +remarked the bear doubtingly. + +The boy stood wedged between the beast's paws thinking the only thing +that might save him would be that the bear should have a high opinion of +his capability and power. + +"It's all the same to me," he answered with a superior air. "Big or +little, I can burn it down." + +"Then I'll tell you something," said Father Bear. "My forefathers lived +in this region from the time that the forests first sprang up. From +them I inherited hunting grounds and pastures, lairs and retreats, and +have lived here in peace all my life. In the beginning I wasn't troubled +much by the human kind. They dug in the mountains and picked up a little +ore down here, by the rapids; they had a forge and a furnace, but the +hammers sounded only a few hours during the day, and the furnace was not +fired more than two moons at a stretch. It wasn't so bad but that I +could stand it; but these last years, since they have built this +noise-shop, which keeps up the same racket both day and night, life here +has become intolerable. Formerly only a manager and a couple of +blacksmiths lived here, but now there are so many people that I can +never feel safe from them. I thought that I should have to move away, +but I have discovered something better!" + +The boy wondered what Father Bear had hit upon, but no opportunity was +afforded him to ask, as the bear took him between his tusks again and +lumbered down the hill. The boy could see nothing, but knew by the +increasing noise that they were approaching the rolling mills. + +Father Bear was well informed regarding the ironworks. He had prowled +around there on many a dark night, had observed what went on within, and +had wondered if there would never be any cessation of the work. He had +tested the walls with his paws and wished that he were only strong +enough to knock down the whole structure with a single blow. + +He was not easily distinguishable against the dark ground, and when, in +addition, he remained in the shadow of the walls, there was not much +danger of his being discovered. Now he walked fearlessly between the +workshops and climbed to the top of a slag heap. There he sat up on his +haunches, took the boy between his forepaws and held him up. + +"Try to look into the house!" he commanded. A strong current of air was +forced into a big cylinder which was suspended from the ceiling and +filled with molten iron. As this current rushed into the mess of iron +with an awful roar, showers of sparks of all colours spurted up in +bunches, in sprays, in long clusters! They struck against the wall and +came splashing down over the whole big room. Father Bear let the boy +watch the gorgeous spectacle until the blowing was over and the flowing +and sparkling red steel had been poured into ingot moulds. + +The boy was completely charmed by the marvellous display and almost +forgot that he was imprisoned between a bear's two paws. + +Father Bear let him look into the rolling mill. He saw a workman take a +short, thick bar of iron at white heat from a furnace opening and place +it under a roller. When the iron came out from under the roller, it was +flattened and extended. Immediately another workman seized it and placed +it beneath a heavier roller, which made it still longer and thinner. +Thus it was passed from roller to roller, squeezed and drawn out until, +finally, it curled along the floor, like a long red thread. + +But while the first bar of iron was being pressed, a second was taken +from the furnace and placed under the rollers, and when this was a +little along, a third was brought. Continuously fresh threads came +crawling over the floor, like hissing snakes. The boy was dazzled by the +iron. But he found it more splendid to watch the workmen who, +dexterously and delicately, seized the glowing snakes with their tongs +and forced them under the rollers. It seemed like play for them to +handle the hissing iron. + +"I call that real man's work!" the boy remarked to himself. + +The bear then let the boy have a peep at the furnace and the forge, and +he became more and more astonished as he saw how the blacksmiths handled +iron and fire. + +"Those men have no fear of heat and flames," he thought. The workmen +were sooty and grimy. He fancied they were some sort of firefolk--that +was why they could bend and mould the iron as they wished. He could not +believe that they were just ordinary men, since they had such power! + +"They keep this up day after day, night after night," said Father Bear, +as he dropped wearily down on the ground. "You can understand that one +gets rather tired of that kind of thing. I'm mighty glad that at last I +can put an end to it!" + +"Indeed!" said the boy. "How will you go about it?" + +"Oh, I thought that you were going to set fire to the buildings!" said +Father Bear. "That would put an end to all this work, and I could remain +in my old home." + +The boy was all of a shiver. + +So it was for this that Father Bear had brought him here! + +"If you will set fire to the noise-works, I'll promise to spare your +life," said Father Bear. "But if you don't do it, I'll make short work +of you!" The huge workshops were built of brick, and the boy was +thinking to himself that Father Bear could command as much as he liked, +it was impossible to obey him. Presently he saw that it might not be +impossible after all. Just beyond them lay a pile of chips and shavings +to which he could easily set fire, and beside it was a wood pile that +almost reached the coal shed. The coal shed extended over to the +workshops, and if that once caught fire, the flames would soon fly over +to the roof of the iron foundry. Everything combustible would burn, the +walls would fall from the heat, and the machinery would be destroyed. +"Will you or won't you?" demanded Father Bear. The boy knew that he +ought to answer promptly that he would not, but he also knew that then +the bear's paws would squeeze him to death; therefore he replied: + +"I shall have to think it over." + +"Very well, do so," assented Father Bear. "Let me say to you that iron +is the thing that has given men the advantage over us bears, which is +another reason for my wishing to put an end to the work here." + +The boy thought he would use the delay to figure out some plan of +escape, but he was so worried he could not direct his thoughts where he +would; instead he began to think of the great help that iron had been to +mankind. They needed iron for everything. There was iron in the plough +that broke up the field, in the axe that felled the tree for building +houses, in the scythe that mowed the grain, and in the knife, which +could be turned to all sorts of uses. There was iron in the horse's bit, +in the lock on the door, in the nails that held furniture together, in +the sheathing that covered the roof. The rifle which drove away wild +beasts was made of iron, also the pick that had broken up the mine. Iron +covered the men-of-war he had seen at Karlskrona; the locomotives +steamed through the country on iron rails; the needle that had stitched +his coat was of iron; the shears that clipped the sheep and the kettle +that cooked the food. Big and little alike--much that was indispensable +was made from iron. Father Bear was perfectly right in saying that it +was the iron that had given men their mastery over the bears. + +"Now will you or won't you?" Father Bear repeated. + +The boy was startled from his musing. Here he stood thinking of matters +that were entirely unnecessary, and had not yet found a way to save +himself! + +"You mustn't be so impatient," he said. "This is a serious matter for +me, and I've got to have time to consider." + +"Well, then, consider another moment," said Father Bear. "But let me +tell you that it's because of the iron that men have become so much +wiser than we bears. For this alone, if for nothing else, I should like +to put a stop to the work here." + +Again the boy endeavoured to think out a plan of escape, but his +thoughts wandered, willy nilly. They were taken up with the iron. And +gradually he began to comprehend how much thinking and calculating men +must have done before they discovered how to produce iron from ore, and +he seemed to see sooty blacksmiths of old bending over the forge, +pondering how they should properly handle it. Perhaps it was because +they had thought so much about the iron that intelligence had been +developed in mankind, until finally they became so advanced that they +were able to build great works like these. The fact was that men owed +more to the iron than they themselves knew. + +"Well, what say you? Will you or won't you?" insisted Father Bear. + +The boy shrank back. Here he stood thinking needless thoughts, and had +no idea as to what he should do to save himself. + +"It's not such an easy matter to decide as you think," he answered. "You +must give me time for reflection." + +"I can wait for you a little longer," said Father Bear. "But after that +you'll get no more grace. You must know that it's the fault of the iron +that the human kind can live here on the property of the bears. And now +you understand why I would be rid of the work." + +The boy meant to use the last moment to think out some way to save +himself, but, anxious and distraught as he was, his thoughts wandered +again. Now he began thinking of all that he had seen when he flew over +the mining districts. It was strange that there should be so much life +and activity and so much work back there in the wilderness. + +"Just think how poor and desolate this place would be had there been no +iron here! + +"This very foundry gave employment to many, and had gathered around it +many homes filled with people, who, in turn, had attracted hither +railways and telegraph wires and--" + +"Come, come!" growled the bear. "Will you or won't you?" + +The boy swept his hand across his forehead. No plan of escape had as yet +come to his mind, but this much he knew--he did not wish to do any harm +to the iron, which was so useful to rich and poor alike, and which gave +bread to so many people in this land. + +"I won't!" he said. + +Father Bear squeezed him a little harder, but said nothing. + +"You'll not get me to destroy the ironworks!" defied the boy. "The iron +is so great a blessing that it will never do to harm it." + +"Then of course you don't expect to be allowed to live very long?" said +the bear. + +"No, I don't expect it," returned the boy, looking the bear straight in +the eye. + +Father Bear gripped him still harder. It hurt so that the boy could not +keep the tears back, but he did not cry out or say a word. + +"Very well, then," said Father Bear, raising his paw very slowly, hoping +that the boy would give in at the last moment. + +But just then the boy heard something click very close to them, and saw +the muzzle of a rifle two paces away. Both he and Father Bear had been +so engrossed in their own affairs they had not observed that a man had +stolen right upon them. + +"Father Bear! Don't you hear the clicking of a trigger?" cried the boy. +"Run, or you'll be shot!" + +Father Bear grew terribly hurried. However, he allowed himself time +enough to pick up the boy and carry him along. As he ran, a couple of +shots sounded, and the bullets grazed his ears, but, luckily, he +escaped. + +The boy thought, as he was dangling from the bear's mouth, that never +had he been so stupid as he was to-night. If he had only kept still, the +bear would have been shot, and he himself would have been freed. But he +had become so accustomed to helping the animals that he did it +naturally, and as a matter of course. + +When Father Bear had run some distance into the woods, he paused and set +the boy down on the ground. + +"Thank you, little one!" he said. "I dare say those bullets would have +caught me if you hadn't been there. And now I want to do you a service +in return. If you should ever meet with another bear, just say to him +this--which I shall whisper to you--and he won't touch you." + +Father Bear whispered a word or two into the boy's ear and hurried away, +for he thought he heard hounds and hunters pursuing him. + +The boy stood in the forest, free and unharmed, and could hardly +understand how it was possible. + +The wild geese had been flying back and forth the whole evening, peering +and calling, but they had been unable to find Thumbietot. They searched +long after the sun had set, and, finally, when it had grown so dark that +they were forced to alight somewhere for the night, they were very +downhearted. There was not one among them but thought the boy had been +killed by the fall and was lying dead in the forest, where they could +not see him. + +But the next morning, when the sun peeped over the hills and awakened +the wild geese, the boy lay sleeping, as usual, in their midst. When he +woke and heard them shrieking and cackling their astonishment, he could +not help laughing. + +They were so eager to know what had happened to him that they did not +care to go to breakfast until he had told them the whole story. The boy +soon narrated his entire adventure with the bears, but after that he +seemed reluctant to continue. + +"How I got back to you perhaps you already know?" he said. + +"No, we know nothing. We thought you were killed." + +"That's curious!" remarked the boy. "Oh, yes!--when Father Bear left me +I climbed up into a pine and fell asleep. At daybreak I was awakened by +an eagle hovering over me. He picked me up with his talons and carried +me away. He didn't hurt me, but flew straight here to you and dropped me +down among you." + +"Didn't he tell you who he was?" asked the big white gander. + +"He was gone before I had time even to thank him. I thought that Mother +Akka had sent him after me." + +"How extraordinary!" exclaimed the white goosey-gander. "But are you +certain that it was an eagle?" + +"I had never before seen an eagle," said the boy, "but he was so big +and splendid that I can't give him a lowlier name!" + +Morten Goosey-Gander turned to the wild geese to hear what they thought +of this; but they stood gazing into the air, as though they were +thinking of something else. + +"We must not forget entirely to eat breakfast today," said Akka, quickly +spreading her wings. + + +THE FLOOD + + +THE SWANS + +_May first to fourth_. + +There was a terrible storm raging in the district north of Lake Mälar, +which lasted several days. The sky was a dull gray, the wind whistled, +and the rain beat. Both people and animals knew the spring could not be +ushered in with anything short of this; nevertheless they thought it +unbearable. + +After it had been raining for a whole day, the snowdrifts in the pine +forests began to melt in earnest, and the spring brooks grew lively. All +the pools on the farms, the standing water in the ditches, the water +that oozed between the tufts in marshes and swamps--all were in motion +and tried to find their way to creeks, that they might be borne along to +the sea. + +The creeks rushed as fast as possible down to the rivers, and the rivers +did their utmost to carry the water to Lake Mälar. + +All the lakes and rivers in Uppland and the mining district quickly +threw off their ice covers on one and the same day, so that the creeks +filled with ice-floes which rose clear up to their banks. + +Swollen as they were, they emptied into Lake Mälar, and it was not long +before the lake had taken in as much water as it could well hold. Down +by the outlet was a raging torrent. Norrström is a narrow channel, and +it could not let out the water quickly enough. Besides, there was a +strong easterly wind that lashed against the land, obstructing the +stream when it tried to carry the fresh water into the East Sea. Since +the rivers kept running to Mälaren with more water than it could dispose +of, there was nothing for the big lake to do but overflow its banks. + +It rose very slowly, as if reluctant to injure its beautiful shores; but +as they were mostly low and gradually sloping, it was not long before +the water had flooded several acres of land, and that was enough to +create the greatest alarm. + +Lake Mälar is unique in its way, being made up of a succession of narrow +fiords, bays, and inlets. In no place does it spread into a storm +centre, but seems to have been created only for pleasure trips, yachting +tours, and fishing. Nowhere does it present barren, desolate, wind-swept +shores. It looks as if it never thought that its shores could hold +anything but country seats, summer villas, manors, and amusement +resorts. But, because it usually presents a very agreeable and friendly +appearance, there is all the more havoc whenever it happens to drop its +smiling expression in the spring, and show that it can be serious. + +At that critical time Smirre Fox happened to come sneaking through a +birch grove just north of Lake Mälar. As usual, he was thinking of +Thumbietot and the wild geese, and wondering how he should ever find +them again. He had lost all track of them. + +As he stole cautiously along, more discouraged than usual, he caught +sight of Agar, the carrier-pigeon, who had perched herself on a birch +branch. + +"My, but I'm in luck to run across you, Agar!" exclaimed Smirre. "Maybe +you can tell me where Akka from Kebnekaise and her flock hold forth +nowadays?" + +"It's quite possible that I know where they are," Agar hinted, "but I'm +not likely to tell you!" + +"Please yourself!" retorted Smirre. "Nevertheless, you can take a +message that I have for them. You probably know the present condition of +Lake Mälar? There's a great overflow down there and all the swans who +live in Hjälsta Bay are about to see their nests, with all their eggs, +destroyed. Daylight, the swan-king, has heard of the midget who travels +with the wild geese and knows a remedy for every ill. He has sent me to +ask Akka if she will bring Thumbietot down to Hjälsta Bay." + +"I dare say I can convey your message," Agar replied, "but I can't +understand how the little boy will be able to help the swans." + +"Nor do I," said Smirre, "but he can do almost everything, it seems." + +"It's surprising to me that Daylight should send his messages by a fox," +Agar remarked. + +"Well, we're not exactly what you'd call good friends," said Smirre +smoothly, "but in an emergency like this we must help each other. +Perhaps it would be just as well not to tell Akka that you got the +message from a fox. Between you and me, she's inclined to be a little +suspicious." + +The safest refuge for water-fowl in the whole Mälar district is Hjälsta +Bay. It has low shores, shallow water and is also covered with reeds. + +It is by no means as large as Lake Tåkern, but nevertheless Hjälsta is a +good retreat for birds, since it has long been forbidden territory to +hunters. + +It is the home of a great many swans, and the owner of the old castle +nearby has prohibited all shooting on the bay, so that they might be +unmolested. + +As soon as Akka received word that the swans needed her help, she +hastened down to Hjälsta Bay. She arrived with her flock one evening and +saw at a glance that there had been a great disaster. The big swans' +nests had been torn away, and the strong wind was driving them down the +bay. Some had already fallen apart, two or three had capsized, and the +eggs lay at the bottom of the lake. + +When Akka alighted on the bay, all the swans living there were gathered +near the eastern shore, where they were protected from the wind. + +Although they had suffered much by the flood, they were too proud to let +any one see it. + +"It is useless to cry," they said. "There are plenty of root-fibres and +stems here; we can soon build new nests." + +None had thought of asking a stranger to help them, and the swans had no +idea that Smirre Fox had sent for the wild geese! + +There were several hundred swans resting on the water. They had placed +themselves according to rank and station. The young and inexperienced +were farthest out, the old and wise nearer the middle of the group, and +right in the centre sat Daylight, the swan-king, and Snow-White, the +swan-queen, who were older than any of the others and regarded the rest +of the swans as their children. + +The geese alighted on the west shore of the bay; but when Akka saw where +the swans were, she swam toward them at once. She was very much +surprised at their having sent for her, but she regarded it as an honour +and did not wish to lose a moment in coming to their aid. + +As Akka approached the swans she paused to see if the geese who followed +her swam in a straight line, and at even distances apart. + +"Now, swim along quickly!" she ordered. "Don't stare at the swans as if +you had never before seen anything beautiful, and don't mind what they +may say to you!" + +This was not the first time that Akka had called on the aristocratic +swans. They had always received her in a manner befitting a great +traveller like herself. + +But still she did not like the idea of swimming in among them. She never +felt so gray and insignificant as when she happened upon swans. One or +another of them was sure to drop a remark about "common gray-feathers" +and "poor folk." But it is always best to take no notice of such things. + +This time everything passed off uncommonly well. The swans politely made +way for the wild geese, who swam forward through a kind of passageway, +which formed an avenue bordered by shimmering, white birds. + +It was a beautiful sight to watch them as they spread their wings, like +sails, to appear well before the strangers. They refrained from making +comments, which rather surprised Akka. + +Evidently Daylight had noted their misbehaviour in the past and had told +the swans that they must conduct themselves in a proper manner--so +thought the leader-goose. + +But just as the swans were making an effort to observe the rules of +etiquette, they caught sight of the goosey-gander, who swam last in the +long goose-line. Then there was a murmur of disapproval, even of +threats, among the swans, and at once there was an end to their good +deportment! + +"What's this?" shrieked one. "Do the wild geese intend to dress up in +white feathers?" + +"They needn't think that will make swans of them," cried another. + +They began shrieking--one louder than another--in their strong, resonant +voices. It was impossible to explain that a tame goosey-gander had come +with the wild geese. + +"That must be the goose-king himself coming along," they said +tauntingly. "There's no limit to their audacity!" + +"That's no goose, it's only a tame duck." + +The big white gander remembered Akka's admonition to pay no attention, +no matter what he might hear. He kept quiet and swam ahead as fast he +could, but it did no good. The swans became more and more impertinent. + +"What kind of a frog does he carry on his back?" asked one. "They must +think we don't see it's a frog because it is dressed like a human +being." + +The swans, who but a moment before had been resting in such perfect +order, now swam up and down excitedly. All tried to crowd forward to get +a glimpse of the white wild goose. + +"That white goosey-gander ought to be ashamed to come here and parade +before swans!" + +"He's probably as gray as the rest of them. He has only been in a flour +barrel at some farm house!" + +Akka had just come up to Daylight and was about to ask him what kind of +help he wanted of her, when the swan-king noticed the uproar among the +swans. + +"What do I see? Haven't I taught you to be polite to strangers?" he said +with a frown. + +Snow-White, the swan-queen, swam out to restore order among her +subjects, and again Daylight turned to Akka. + +Presently Snow-White came back, appearing greatly agitated. + +"Can't you keep them quiet?" shouted Daylight. + +"There's a white wild goose over there," answered Snow-White. "Is it not +shameful? I don't wonder they are furious!" + +"A white wild goose?" scoffed Daylight. "That's too ridiculous! There +can't be such a thing. You must be mistaken." + +The crowds around Morten Goosey-Gander grew larger and larger. Akka and +the other wild geese tried to swim over to him, but were jostled hither +and thither and could not get to him. + +The old swan-king, who was the strongest among them, swam off quickly, +pushed all the others aside, and made his way over to the big white +gander. But when he saw that there really was a white goose on the +water, he was just as indignant as the rest. + +He hissed with rage, flew straight at Morten Goosey-Gander and tore out +a few feathers. + +"I'll teach you a lesson, wild goose," he shrieked, "so that you'll not +come again to the swans, togged out in this way!" + +"Fly, Morten Goosey-Gander! Fly, fly!" cried Akka, for she knew that +otherwise the swans would pull out every feather the goosey-gander had. + +"Fly, fly!" screamed Thumbietot, too. + +But the goosey-gander was so hedged in by the swans that he had not +room enough to spread his wings. All around him the swans stretched +their long necks, opened their strong bills, and plucked his feathers. + +Morten Goosey-Gander defended himself as best he could, by striking and +biting. The wild geese also began to fight the swans. + +It was obvious how this would have ended had the geese not received help +quite unexpectedly. + +A red-tail noticed that they were being roughly treated by the swans. +Instantly he cried out the shrill call that little birds use when they +need help to drive off a hawk or a falcon. + +Three calls had barely sounded when all the little birds in the vicinity +came shooting down to Hjälsta Bay, as if on wings of lightning. + +These delicate little creatures swooped down upon the swans, screeched +in their ears, and obstructed their view with the flutter of their tiny +wings. They made them dizzy with their fluttering and drove them to +distraction with their cries of "Shame, shame, swans!" + +The attack of the small birds lasted but a moment. When they were gone +and the swans came to their senses, they saw that the geese had risen +and flown over to the other end of the bay. + +THE NEW WATCH-DOG + +There was this at least to be said in the swans' favour--when they saw +that the wild geese had escaped, they were too proud to chase them. +Moreover, the geese could stand on a clump of reeds with perfect +composure, and sleep. + +Nils Holgersson was too hungry to sleep. + +"It is necessary for me to get something to eat," he said. + +At that time, when all kinds of things were floating on the water, it +was not difficult for a little boy like Nils Holgersson to find a craft. +He did not stop to deliberate, but hopped down on a stump that had +drifted in amongst the reeds. Then he picked up a little stick and began +to pole toward shore. + +Just as he was landing, he heard a splash in the water. He stopped +short. First he saw a lady swan asleep in her big nest quite close to +him, then he noticed that a fox had taken a few steps into the water and +was sneaking up to the swan's nest. + +"Hi, hi, hi! Get up, get up!" cried the boy, beating the water with his +stick. + +The lady swan rose, but not so quickly but that the fox could have +pounced upon her had he cared to. However, he refrained and instead +hurried straight toward the boy. + +Thumbietot saw the fox coming and ran for his life. + +Wide stretches of meadow land spread before him. He saw no tree that he +could climb, no hole where he might hide; he just had to keep running. + +The boy was a good runner, but it stands to reason that he could not +race with a fox! + +Not far from the bay there were a number of little cabins, with candle +lights shining through the windows. Naturally the boy ran in that +direction, but he realized that long before he could reach the nearest +cabin the fox would catch up to him. + +Once the fox was so close that it looked as if the boy would surely be +his prey, but Nils quickly sprang aside and turned back toward the bay. +By that move the fox lost time, and before he could reach the boy the +latter had run up to two men who were on their way home from work. + +The men were tired and sleepy; they had noticed neither boy nor fox, +although both had been running right in front of them. Nor did the boy +ask help of the men; he was content to walk close beside them. + +"Surely the fox won't venture to come up to the men," he thought. + +But presently the fox came pattering along. He probably counted on the +men taking him for a dog, for he went straight up to them. + +"Whose dog can that be sneaking around here?" queried one. "He looks as +though he were ready to bite." + +The other paused and glanced back. + +"Go along with you!" he said, and gave the fox a kick that sent it to +the opposite side of the road. "What are you doing here?" + +After that the fox kept at a safe distance, but followed all the while. + +Presently the men reached a cabin and entered it. The boy intended to go +in with them; but when he got to the stoop he saw a big, shaggy +watch-dog rush out from his kennel to greet his master. Suddenly the boy +changed his mind and remained out in the open. + +"Listen, watch-dog!" whispered the boy as soon as the men had shut the +door. "I wonder if you would like to help me catch a fox to-night?" + +The dog had poor eyesight and had become irritable and cranky from being +chained. + +"What, I catch a fox?" he barked angrily. "Who are you that makes fun of +me? You just come within my reach and I'll teach you not to fool with +me!" + +"You needn't think that I'm afraid to come near you!" said the boy, +running up to the dog. + +When the dog saw him he was so astonished that he could not speak. + +"I'm the one they call Thumbietot, who travels with the wild geese," +said the boy, introducing himself. "Haven't you heard of me?" + +"I believe the sparrows have twittered a little about you," the dog +returned. "They say that you have done wonderful things for one of your +size." + +"I've been rather lucky up to the present," admitted the boy. "But now +it's all up with me unless you help me! There's a fox at my heels. He's +lying in wait for me around the corner." + +"Don't you suppose I can smell him?" retorted the dog. "But we'll soon +be rid of him!" With that the dog sprang as far as the chain would +allow, barking and growling for ever so long. "Now I don't think he will +show his face again to-night!" said the dog. + +"It will take something besides a fine bark to scare that fox!" the boy +remarked. "He'll soon be here again, and that is precisely what I wish, +for I have set my heart on your catching him." + +"Are you poking fun at me now?" asked the dog. + +"Only come with me into your kennel, and I'll tell you what to do." + +The boy and the watch-dog crept into the kennel and crouched there, +whispering. + +By and by the fox stuck his nose out from his hiding place. When all was +quiet he crept along cautiously. He scented the boy all the way to the +kennel, but halted at a safe distance and sat down to think of some way +to coax him out. + +Suddenly the watch-dog poked his head out and growled at him: + +"Go away, or I'll catch you!" + +"I'll sit here as long as I please for all of you!" defied the fox. + +"Go away!" repeated the dog threateningly, "or there will be no more +hunting for you after to-night." + +But the fox only grinned and did not move an inch. + +"I know how far your chain can reach," he said. + +"I have warned you twice," said the dog, coming out from his kennel. +"Now blame yourself!" + +With that the dog sprang at the fox and caught him without the least +effort, for he was loose. The boy had unbuckled his collar. + +There was a hot struggle, but it was soon over. The dog was the victor. +The fox lay on the ground and dared not move. + +"Don't stir or I'll kill you!" snarled the dog. Then he took the fox by +the scruff of the neck and dragged him to the kennel. There the boy was +ready with the chain. He placed the dog collar around the neck of the +fox, tightening it so that he was securely chained. During all this the +fox had to lie still, for he was afraid to move. + +"Now, Smirre Fox, I hope you'll make a good watch-dog," laughed the boy +when he had finished. + + +DUNFIN + + +THE CITY THAT FLOATS ON THE WATER + +_Friday, May sixth_. + +No one could be more gentle and kind than the little gray goose Dunfin. +All the wild geese loved her, and the tame white goosey-gander would +have died for her. When Dunfin asked for anything not even Akka could +say no. + +As soon as Dunfin came to Lake Mälar the landscape looked familiar to +her. Just beyond the lake lay the sea, with many wooded islands, and +there, on a little islet, lived her parents and her brothers and +sisters. She begged the wild geese to fly to her home before travelling +farther north, that she might let her family see that she was still +alive. It would be such a joy to them. + +Akka frankly declared that she thought Dunfin's parents and brothers and +sisters had shown no great love for her when they abandoned her at +Öland, but Dunfin would not admit that Akka was in the right. "What else +was there to do, when they saw that I could not fly?" she protested. +"Surely they couldn't remain at Öland on my account!" + +Dunfin began telling the wild geese all about her home in the +archipelago, to try to induce them to make the trip. Her family lived on +a rock island. Seen from a distance, there appeared to be nothing but +stone there; but when one came closer, there were to be found the +choicest goose tidbits in clefts and hollows, and one might search long +for better nesting places than those that were hidden in the mountain +crevices or among the osier bushes. But the best of all was the old +fisherman who lived there. Dunfin had heard that in his youth he had +been a great shot and had always lain in the offing and hunted birds. +But now, in his old age--since his wife had died and the children had +gone from home, so that he was alone in the hut--he had begun to care +for the birds on his island. He never fired a shot at them, nor would he +permit others to do so. He walked around amongst the birds' nests, and +when the mother birds were sitting he brought them food. Not one was +afraid of him. They all loved him. + +Dunfin had been in his hut many times, and he had fed her with bread +crumbs. Because he was kind to the birds, they flocked to his island in +such great numbers that it was becoming overcrowded. If one happened to +arrive a little late in the spring, all the nesting places were +occupied. That was why Dunfin's family had been obliged to leave her. + +Dunfin begged so hard that she finally had her way, although the wild +geese felt that they were losing time and really should be going +straight north. But a little trip like this to the cliff island would +not delay them more than a day. + +So they started off one morning, after fortifying themselves with a good +breakfast, and flew eastward over Lake Mälar. The boy did not know for +certain where they were going; but he noticed that the farther east they +flew, the livelier it was on the lake and the more built up were the +shores. + +Heavily freighted barges and sloops, boats and fishing smacks were on +their way east, and these were met and passed by many pretty white +steamers. Along the shores ran country roads and railway tracks--all in +the same direction. There was some place beyond in the east where all +wished to go to in the morning. + +On one of the islands the boy saw a big, white castle, and to the east +of it the shores were dotted with villas. At the start these lay far +apart, then they became closer and closer, and, presently, the whole +shore was lined with them. They were of every variety--here a castle, +there a cottage; then a low manor house appeared, or a mansion, with +many small towers. Some stood in gardens, but most of them were in the +wild woods which bordered the shores. Despite their dissimilarity, they +had one point of resemblance--they were not plain and sombre-looking, +like other buildings, but were gaudily painted in striking greens and +blues, reds and white, like children's playhouses. + +As the boy sat on the goose's back and glanced down at the curious shore +mansions, Dunfin cried out with delight: "Now I know where I am! Over +there lies the City that Floats on the Water." + +The boy looked ahead. At first he saw nothing but some light clouds and +mists rolling forward over the water, but soon he caught sight of some +tall spires, and then one and another house with many rows of windows. +They appeared and disappeared--rolling hither and thither--but not a +strip of shore did he see! Everything over there appeared to be resting +on the water. + +Nearer to the city he saw no more pretty playhouses along the +shores--only dingy factories. Great heaps of coal and wood were stacked +behind tall planks, and alongside black, sooty docks lay bulky freight +steamers; but over all was spread a shimmering, transparent mist, which +made everything appear so big and strong and wonderful that it was +almost beautiful. + +The wild geese flew past factories and freight steamers and were +nearing the cloud-enveloped spires. Suddenly all the mists sank to the +water, save the thin, fleecy ones that circled above their heads, +beautifully tinted in blues and pinks. The other clouds rolled over +water and land. They entirely obscured the lower portions of the houses: +only the upper stories and the roofs and gables were visible. Some of +the buildings appeared to be as high as the Tower of Babel. The boy no +doubt knew that they were built upon hills and mountains, but these he +did not see--only the houses that seemed to float among the white, +drifting clouds. In reality the buildings were dark and dingy, for the +sun in the east was not shining on them. + +The boy knew that he was riding above a large city, for he saw spires +and house roofs rising from the clouds in every direction. Sometimes an +opening was made in the circling mists, and he looked down into a +running, tortuous stream; but no land could he see. All this was +beautiful to look upon, but he felt quite distraught--as one does when +happening upon something one cannot understand. + +When he had gone beyond the city, he found that the ground was no longer +hidden by clouds, but that shores, streams, and islands were again +plainly visible. He turned to see the city better, but could not, for +now it looked quite enchanted. The mists had taken on colour from the +sunshine and were rolling forward in the most brilliant reds, blues, and +yellows. The houses were white, as if built of light, and the windows +and spires sparkled like fire. All things floated on the water as +before. + +The geese were travelling straight east. They flew over factories and +workshops; then over mansions edging the shores. Steamboats and tugs +swarmed on the water; but now they came from the east and were steaming +westward toward the city. + +The wild geese flew on, but instead of the narrow Mälar fiords and the +little islands, broader waters and larger islands spread under them. At +last the land was left behind and seen no more. + +They flew still farther out, where they found no more large inhabited +islands--only numberless little rock islands were scattered on the +water. Now the fiords were not crowded by the land. The sea lay before +them, vast and limitless. + +Here the wild geese alighted on a cliff island, and as soon as their +feet touched the ground the boy turned to Dunfin. + +"What city did we fly over just now?" he asked. + +"I don't know what human beings have named it," said Dunfin. "We gray +geese call it the 'City that Floats on the Water'." + +THE SISTERS + +Dunfin had two sisters, Prettywing and Goldeye. They were strong and +intelligent birds, but they did not have such a soft and shiny feather +dress as Dunfin, nor did they have her sweet and gentle disposition. +From the time they had been little, yellow goslings, their parents and +relatives and even the old fisherman had plainly shown them that they +thought more of Dunfin than of them. Therefore the sisters had always +hated her. + +When the wild geese landed on the cliff island, Prettywing and Goldeye +were feeding on a bit of grass close to the strand, and immediately +caught sight of the strangers. + +"See, Sister Goldeye, what fine-looking geese have come to our island!" +exclaimed Prettywing, "I have rarely seen such graceful birds. Do you +notice that they have a white goosey-gander among them? Did you ever set +eyes on a handsomer bird? One could almost take him for a swan!" + +Goldeye agreed with her sister that these were certainly very +distinguished strangers that had come to the island, but suddenly she +broke off and called: "Sister Prettywing! Oh, Sister Prettywing! Don't +you see whom they bring with them?" + +Prettywing also caught sight of Dunfin and was so astounded that she +stood for a long time with her bill wide open, and only hissed. + +"It can't be possible that it is she! How did she manage to get in with +people of that class? Why, we left her at Öland to freeze and starve." + +"The worse of it is she will tattle to father and mother that we flew +so close to her that we knocked her wing out of joint," said Goldeye. +"You'll see that it will end in our being driven from the island!" + +"We have nothing but trouble in store for us, now that that young one +has come back!" snapped Prettywing. "Still I think it would be best for +us to appear as pleased as possible over her return. She is so stupid +that perhaps she didn't even notice that we gave her a push on purpose." + +While Prettywing and Goldeye were talking in this strain, the wild geese +had been standing on the strand, pluming their feathers after the +flight. Now they marched in a long line up the rocky shore to the cleft +where Dunfin's parents usually stopped. + +Dunfin's parents were good folk. They had lived on the island longer +than any one else, and it was their habit to counsel and aid all +newcomers. They too had seen the geese approach, but they had not +recognized Dunfin in the flock. + +"It is strange to see wild geese land on this island," remarked the +goose-master. "It is a fine flock--that one can see by their flight." + +"But it won't be easy to find pasturage for so many," said the +goose-wife, who was gentle and sweet-tempered, like Dunfin. + +When Akka came marching with her company, Dunfin's parents went out to +meet her and welcome her to the island. Dunfin flew from her place at +the end of the line and lit between her parents. + +"Mother and father, I'm here at last!" she cried joyously. "Don't you +know Dunfin?" + +At first the old goose-parents could not quite make out what they saw, +but when they recognized Dunfin they were absurdly happy, of course. + +While the wild geese and Morten Goosey-Gander and Dunfin were chattering +excitedly, trying to tell how she had been rescued, Prettywing and +Goldeye came running. They cried "_welcome"_ and pretended to be so +happy because Dunfin was at home that she was deeply moved. + +The wild geese fared well on the island and decided not to travel +farther until the following morning. After a while the sisters asked +Dunfin if she would come with them and see the places where they +intended to build their nests. She promptly accompanied them, and saw +that they had picked out secluded and well protected nesting places. + +"Now where will you settle down, Dunfin?" they asked. + +"I? Why I don't intend to remain on the island," she said. "I'm going +with the wild geese up to Lapland." + +"What a pity that you must leave us!" said the sisters. + +"I should have been very glad to remain here with father and mother and +you," said Dunfin, "had I not promised the big, white--" + +"What!" shrieked Prettywing. "Are you to have the handsome +goosey-gander? Then it is--" But here Goldeye gave her a sharp nudge, +and she stopped short. + +The two cruel sisters had much to talk about all the afternoon. They +were furious because Dunfin had a suitor like the white goosey-gander. +They themselves had suitors, but theirs were only common gray geese, +and, since they had seen Morten Goosey-Gander, they thought them so +homely and low-bred that they did not wish even to look at them. + +"This will grieve me to death!" whimpered Goldeye. "If at least it had +been you, Sister Prettywing, who had captured him!" + +"I would rather see him dead than to go about here the entire summer +thinking of Dunfin's capturing a white goosey-gander!" pouted +Prettywing. + +However, the sisters continued to appear very friendly toward Dunfin, +and in the afternoon Goldeye took Dunfin with her, that she might see +the one she thought of marrying. + +"He's not as attractive as the one you will have," said Goldeye. "But to +make up for it, one can be certain that he is what he is." + +"What do you mean, Goldeye?" questioned Dunfin. At first Goldeye would +not explain what she had meant, but at last she came out with it. + +"We have never seen a white goose travel with wild geese," said the +sister, "and we wonder if he can be bewitched." + +"You are very stupid," retorted Dunfin indignantly. "He is a tame goose, +of course." + +"He brings with him one who is bewitched," said Goldeye, "and, under the +circumstances, he too must be bewitched. Are you not afraid that he may +be a black cormorant?" She was a good talker and succeeded in +frightening Dunfin thoroughly. + +"You don't mean what you are saying," pleaded the little gray goose. +"You only wish to frighten me!" + +"I wish what is for your good, Dunfin," said Goldeye. "I can't imagine +anything worse than for you to fly away with a black cormorant! But now +I shall tell you something--try to persuade him to eat some of the roots +I have gathered here. If he is bewitched, it will be apparent at once. +If he is not, he will remain as he is." + +The boy was sitting amongst the wild geese, listening to Akka and the +old goose-master, when Dunfin came flying up to him. "Thumbietot, +Thumbietot!" she cried. "Morten Goosey-Gander is dying! I have killed +him!" + +"Let me get up on your back, Dunfin, and take me to him!" Away they +flew, and Akka and the other wild geese followed them. When they got to +the goosey-gander, he was lying prostrate on the ground. He could not +utter a word--only gasped for breath. + +"Tickle him under the gorge and slap him on the back!" commanded Akka. +The boy did so and presently the big, white gander coughed up a large, +white root, which had stuck in his gorge. "Have you been eating of +these?" asked Akka, pointing to some roots that lay on the ground. + +"Yes," groaned the goosey-gander. + +"Then it was well they stuck in your throat," said Akka, "for they are +poisonous. Had you swallowed them, you certainly should have died." + +"Dunfin bade me eat them," said the goosey-gander. + +"My sister gave them to me," protested Dunfin, and she told everything. + +"You must beware of those sisters of yours, Dunfin!" warned Akka, "for +they wish you no good, depend upon it!" + +But Dunfin was so constituted that she could not think evil of any one +and, a moment later, when Prettywing asked her to come and meet her +intended, she went with her immediately. + +"Oh, he isn't as handsome as yours," said the sister, "but he's much +more courageous and daring!" + +"How do you know he is?" challenged Dunfin. + +"For some time past there has been weeping and wailing amongst the sea +gulls and wild ducks on the island. Every morning at daybreak a strange +bird of prey comes and carries off one of them." + +"What kind of a bird is it?" asked Dunfin. + +"We don't know," replied the sister. "One of his kind has never before +been seen on the island, and, strange to say, he has never attacked one +of us geese. But now my intended has made up his mind to challenge him +to-morrow morning, and drive him away." + +"Oh, I hope he'll succeed!" said Dunfin. + +"I hardly think he will," returned the sister. "If my goosey-gander were +as big and strong as yours, I should have hope." + +"Do you wish me to ask Morten Goosey-Gander to meet the strange bird?" +asked Dunfin. + +"Indeed, I do!" exclaimed Prettywing excitedly. "You couldn't render me +a greater service." + +The next morning the goosey-gander was up before the sun. He stationed +himself on the highest point of the island and peered in all directions. +Presently he saw a big, dark bird coming from the west. His wings were +exceedingly large, and it was easy to tell that he was an eagle. The +goosey-gander had not expected a more dangerous adversary than an owl, +and how he understood that he could not escape this encounter with his +life. But it did not occur to him to avoid a struggle with a bird who +was many times stronger than himself. + +The great bird swooped down on a sea gull and dug his talons into it. +Before the eagle could spread his wings, Morten Goosey-Gander rushed up +to him. "Drop that!" he shouted, "and don't come here again or you'll +have me to deal with!" "What kind of a lunatic are you?" said the eagle. +"It's lucky for you that I never fight with geese, or you would soon be +done for!" + +Morten Goosey-Gander thought the eagle considered himself too good to +fight with him and flew at him, incensed, biting him on the throat and +beating him with his wings. This, naturally, the eagle would not +tolerate and he began to fight, but not with his full strength. + +The boy lay sleeping in the quarters where Akka and the other wild geese +slept, when Dunfin called: "Thumbietot, Thumbietot! Morten Goosey-Gander +is being torn to pieces by an eagle." + +"Let me get up on your back, Dunfin, and take me to him!" said the boy. + +When they arrived on the scene Morten Goosey-Gander was badly torn, and +bleeding, but he was still fighting. The boy could not battle with the +eagle; all that he could do was to seek more efficient help. + +"Hurry, Dunfin, and call Akka and the wild geese!" he cried. The instant +he said that, the eagle flew back and stopped fighting. + +"Who's speaking of Akka?" he asked. He saw Thumbietot and heard the wild +geese honking, so he spread his wings. + +"Tell Akka I never expected to run across her or any of her flock out +here in the sea!" he said, and soared away in a rapid and graceful +flight. + +"That is the self-same eagle who once brought me back to the wild +geese," the boy remarked, gazing after the bird in astonishment. + +The geese had decided to leave the island at dawn, but first they wanted +to feed awhile. As they walked about and nibbled, a mountain duck came +up to Dunfin. + +"I have a message for you from your sisters," said the duck. "They dare +not show themselves among the wild geese, but they asked me to remind +you not to leave the island without calling on the old fisherman." + +"That's so!" exclaimed Dunfin, but she was so frightened now that she +would not go alone, and asked the goosey-gander and Thumbietot to +accompany her to the hut. + +The door was open, so Dunfin entered, but the others remained outside. +After a moment they heard Akka give the signal to start, and called +Dunfin. A gray goose came out and flew with the wild geese away from the +island. + +They had travelled quite a distance along the archipelago when the boy +began to wonder at the goose who accompanied them. Dunfin always flew +lightly and noiselessly, but this one laboured with heavy and noisy +wing-strokes. "We are in the wrong company. It is Prettywing that +follows us!" + +The boy had barely spoken when the goose uttered such an ugly and angry +shriek that all knew who she was. Akka and the others turned to her, but +the gray goose did not fly away at once. Instead she bumped against the +big goosey-gander, snatched Thumbietot, and flew off with him in her +bill. + +There was a wild chase over the archipelago. Prettywing flew fast, but +the wild geese were close behind her, and there was no chance for her to +escape. + +Suddenly they saw a puff of smoke rise up from the sea, and heard an +explosion. In their excitement they had not noticed that they were +directly above a boat in which a lone fisherman was seated. + +However, none of the geese was hurt; but just there, above the boat, +Prettywing opened her bill and dropped Thumbietot into the sea. + + +STOCKHOLM + + +SKANSEN + +A few years ago, at Skansen--the great park just outside of Stockholm +where they have collected so many wonderful things--there lived a little +old man, named Clement Larsson. He was from Hälsingland and had come to +Skansen with his fiddle to play folk dances and other old melodies. As a +performer, he appeared mostly in the evening. During the day it was his +business to sit on guard in one of the many pretty peasant cottages +which have been moved to Skansen from all parts of the country. + +In the beginning Clement thought that he fared better in his old age +than he had ever dared dream; but after a time he began to dislike the +place terribly, especially while he was on watch duty. It was all very +well when visitors came into the cottage to look around, but some days +Clement would sit for many hours all alone. Then he felt so homesick +that he feared he would have to give up his place. He was very poor and +knew that at home he would become a charge on the parish. Therefore he +tried to hold out as long as he could, although he felt more unhappy +from day to day. + +One beautiful evening in the beginning of May Clement had been granted a +few hours' leave of absence. He was on his way down the steep hill +leading out of Skansen, when he met an island fisherman coming along +with his game bag. The fisherman was an active young man who came to +Skansen with seafowl that he had managed to capture alive. Clement had +met him before, many times. + +The fisherman stopped Clement to ask if the superintendent at Skansen +was at home. When Clement had replied, he, in turn, asked what choice +thing the fisherman had in his bag. "You can see what I have," the +fisherman answered, "if in return you will give me an idea as to what I +should ask for it." + +He held open the bag and Clement peeped into it once--and again--then +quickly drew back a step or two. "Good gracious, Ashbjörn!" he +exclaimed. "How did you catch that one?" + +He remembered that when he was a child his mother used to talk of the +tiny folk who lived under the cabin floor. He was not permitted to cry +or to be naughty, lest he provoke these small people. After he was grown +he believed his mother had made up these stories about the elves to make +him behave himself. But it had been no invention of his mother's, it +seemed; for there, in Ashbjörn's bag, lay one of the tiny folk. + +There was a little of the terror natural to childhood left in Clement, +and he felt a shudder run down his spinal column as he peeped into the +bag. Ashbjörn saw that he was frightened and began to laugh; but +Clement took the matter seriously. "Tell me, Ashbjörn, where you came +across him?" he asked. "You may be sure that I wasn't lying in wait for +him!" said Ashbjörn. "He came to me. I started out early this morning +and took my rifle along into the boat. I had just poled away from the +shore when I sighted some wild geese coming from the east, shrieking +like mad. I sent them a shot, but hit none of them. Instead this +creature came tumbling down into the water--so close to the boat that I +only had to put my hand out and pick him up." + +"I hope you didn't shoot him, Ashbjörn?" + +"Oh, no! He is well and sound; but when he came down, he was a little +dazed at first, so I took advantage of that fact to wind the ends of two +sail threads around his ankles and wrists, so that he couldn't run away. +'Ha! Here's something for Skansen,' I thought instantly." + +Clement grew strangely troubled as the fisherman talked. All that he had +heard about the tiny folk in his childhood--of their vindictiveness +toward enemies and their benevolence toward friends--came back to him. +It had never gone well with those who had attempted to hold one of them +captive. + +"You should have let him go at once, Ashbjörn," said Clement. + +"I came precious near being forced to set him free," returned the +fisherman. "You may as well know, Clement, that the wild geese followed +me all the way home, and they criss-crossed over the island the whole +morning, honk-honking as if they wanted him back. Not only they, but the +entire population--sea gulls, sea swallows, and many others who are not +worth a shot of powder, alighted on the island and made an awful racket. +When I came out they fluttered about me until I had to turn back. My +wife begged me to let him go, but I had made up my mind that he should +come here to Skansen, so I placed one of the children's dolls in the +window, hid the midget in the bottom of my bag, and started away. The +birds must have fancied that it was he who stood in the window, for they +permitted me to leave without pursuing me." + +"Does it say anything?" asked Clement. + +"Yes. At first he tried to call to the birds, but I wouldn't have it and +put a gag in his mouth." + +"Oh, Ashbjörn!" protested Clement. "How can you treat him so! Don't you +see that he is something supernatural!" + +"I don't know what he is," said Ashbjörn calmly. "Let others consider +that. I'm satisfied if only I can get a good sum for him. Now tell me, +Clement, what you think the doctor at Skansen would give me." + +There was a long pause before Clement replied. He felt very sorry for +the poor little chap. He actually imagined that his mother was standing +beside him telling him that he must always be kind to the tiny folk. + +"I have no idea what the doctor up there would care to give you, +Ashbjörn," he said finally. "But if you will leave him with me, I'll pay +you twenty kroner for him." + +Ashbjörn stared at the fiddler in amazement when he heard him name so +large a sum. He thought that Clement believed the midget had some +mysterious power and might be of service for him. He was by no means +certain that the doctor would think him such a great find or would offer +to pay so high a sum for him; so he accepted Clement's proffer. + +The fiddler poked his purchase into one of his wide pockets, turned back +to Skansen, and went into a moss-covered hut, where there were neither +visitors nor guards. He closed the door after him, took out the midget, +who was still bound hand and foot and gagged, and laid him down gently +on a bench. + +"Now listen to what I say!" said Clement. "I know of course that such as +you do not like to be seen of men, but prefer to go about and busy +yourselves in your own way. Therefore I have decided to give you your +liberty--but only on condition that you will remain in this park until I +permit you to leave. If you agree to this, nod your head three times." + +Clement gazed at the midget with confident expectation, but the latter +did not move a muscle. + +"You shall not fare badly," continued Clement. "I'll see to it that you +are fed every day, and you will have so much to do there that the time +will not seem long to you. But you mustn't go elsewhere till I give you +leave. Now we'll agree as to a signal. So long as I set your food out in +a white bowl you are to stay. When I set it out in a blue one you may +go." + +Clement paused again, expecting the midget to give the sign of approval, +but he did not stir. + +"Very well," said Clement, "then there's no choice but to show you to +the master of this place. Then you'll be put in a glass case, and all +the people in the big city of Stockholm will come and stare at you." + +This scared the midget, and he promptly gave the signal. + +"That was right," said Clement as he cut the cord that bound the +midget's hands. Then he hurried toward the door. + +The boy unloosed the bands around his ankles and tore away the gag +before thinking of anything else. When he turned to Clement to thank +him, he had gone. + +Just outside the door Clement met a handsome, noble-looking gentleman, +who was on his way to a place close by from which there was a beautiful +outlook. Clement could not recall having seen the stately old man +before, but the latter must surely have noticed Clement sometime when he +was playing the fiddle, because he stopped and spoke to him. + +"Good day, Clement!" he said. "How do you do? You are not ill, are you? +I think you have grown a bit thin of late." + +There was such an expression of kindliness about the old gentleman that +Clement plucked up courage and told him of his homesickness. + +"What!" exclaimed the old gentleman. "Are you homesick when you are in +Stockholm? It can't be possible!" He looked almost offended. Then he +reflected that it was only an ignorant old peasant from Hälsingland that +he talked with--and so resumed his friendly attitude. + +"Surely you have never heard how the city of Stockholm was founded? If +you had, you would comprehend that your anxiety to get away is only a +foolish fancy. Come with me to the bench over yonder and I will tell you +something about Stockholm." + +When the old gentleman was seated on the bench he glanced down at the +city, which spread in all its glory below him, and he drew a deep +breath, as if he wished to drink in all the beauty of the landscape. +Thereupon he turned to the fiddler. + +"Look, Clement!" he said, and as he talked he traced with his cane a +little map in the sand in front of them. "Here lies Uppland, and here, +to the south, a point juts out, which is split up by a number of bays. +And here we have Sörmland with another point, which is just as cut up +and points straight north. Here, from the west, comes a lake filled with +islands: It is Lake Mälar. From the east comes another body of water, +which can barely squeeze in between the islands and islets. It is the +East Sea. Here, Clement, where Uppland joins Sörmland and Mälaren joins +the East Sea, comes a short river, in the centre of which lie four +little islets that divide the river into several tributaries--one of +which is called Norriström but was formerly Stocksund. + +"In the beginning these islets were common wooded islands, such as one +finds in plenty on Lake Mälar even to-day, and for ages they were +entirely uninhabited. They were well located between two bodies of water +and two bodies of land; but this no one remarked. Year after year +passed; people settled along Lake Mälar and in the archipelago, but +these river islands attracted no settlers. Sometimes it happened that a +seafarer put into port at one of them and pitched his tent for the +night; but no one remained there long. + +"One day a fisherman, who lived on Liding Island, out in Salt Fiord, +steered his boat toward Lake Mälar, where he had such good luck with his +fishing that he forgot to start for home in time. He got no farther than +the four islets, and the best he could do was to land on one and wait +until later in the night, when there would be bright moonlight. + +"It was late summer and warm. The fisherman hauled his boat on land, lay +down beside it, his head resting upon a stone, and fell asleep. When he +awoke the moon had been up a long while. It hung right above him and +shone with such splendour that it was like broad daylight. + +"The man jumped to his feet and was about to push his boat into the +water, when he saw a lot of black specks moving out in the stream. A +school of seals was heading full speed for the island. When the +fisherman saw that they intended to crawl up on land, he bent down for +his spear, which he always took with him in the boat. But when he +straightened up, he saw no seals. Instead, there stood on the strand the +most beautiful young maidens, dressed in green, trailing satin robes, +with pearl crowns upon their heads. The fisherman understood that these +were mermaids who lived on desolate rock islands far out at sea and had +assumed seal disguises in order to come up on land and enjoy the +moonlight on the green islets. + +"He laid down the spear very cautiously, and when the young maidens came +up on the island to play, he stole behind and surveyed them. He had +heard that sea-nymphs were so beautiful and fascinating that no one +could see them and not be enchanted by their charms; and he had to admit +that this was not too much to say of them. + +"When he had stood for a while under the shadow of the trees and watched +the dance, he went down to the strand, took one of the seal skins lying +there, and hid it under a stone. Then he went back to his boat, lay down +beside it, and pretended to be asleep. + +"Presently he saw the young maidens trip down to the strand to don their +seal skins. At first all was play and laughter, which was changed to +weeping and wailing when one of the mermaids could not find her seal +robe. Her companions ran up and down the strand and helped her search +for it, but no trace could they find. While they were seeking they +noticed that the sky was growing pale and the day was breaking, so they +could tarry no longer, and they all swam away, leaving behind the one +whose seal skin was missing. She sat on the strand and wept. + +"The fisherman felt sorry for her, of course, but he forced himself to +lie still till daybreak. Then he got up, pushed the boat into the water, +and stepped into it to make it appear that he saw her by chance after he +had lifted the oars. + +"'Who are you?' he called out. 'Are you shipwrecked?' + +"She ran toward him and asked if he had seen her seal skin. The +fisherman looked as if he did not know what she was talking about. She +sat down again and wept. Then he determined to take her with him in the +boat. 'Come with me to my cottage,' he commanded, 'and my mother will +take care of you. You can't stay here on the island, where you have +neither food nor shelter!' He talked so convincingly that she was +persuaded to step into his boat. + +"Both the fisherman and his mother were very kind to the poor mermaid, +and she seemed to be happy with them. She grew more contented every day +and helped the older woman with her work, and was exactly like any other +island lass--only she was much prettier. One day the fisherman asked her +if she would be his wife, and she did not object, but at once said yes. + +"Preparations were made for the wedding. The mermaid dressed as a bride +in her green, trailing robe with the shimmering pearl crown she had worn +when the fisherman first saw her. There was neither church nor parson on +the island at that time, so the bridal party seated themselves in the +boats to row up to the first church they should find. + +"The fisherman had the mermaid and his mother in his boat, and he rowed +so well that he was far ahead of all the others. When he had come so far +that he could see the islet in the river, where he won his bride, he +could not help smiling. + +"'What are you smiling at?' she asked. + +"'Oh, I'm thinking of that night when I hid your seal skin,' answered +the fisherman; for he felt so sure of her that he thought there was no +longer any need for him to conceal anything. + +"'What are you saying?' asked the bride, astonished. 'Surely I have +never possessed a seal skin!' It appeared she had forgotten everything. + +"'Don't you recollect how you danced with the mermaids?' he asked. + +"'I don't know what you mean,' said the bride. 'I think that you must +have dreamed a strange dream last night.' + +"If I show you your seal skin, you'll probably believe me!' laughed the +fisherman, promptly turning the boat toward the islet. They stepped +ashore and he brought the seal skin out from under the stone where he +had hidden it. + +"But the instant the bride set eyes on the seal skin she grasped it and +drew it over her head. It snuggled close to her--as if there was life in +it--and immediately she threw herself into the stream. + +"The bridegroom saw her swim away and plunged into the water after her; +but he could not catch up to her. When he saw that he couldn't stop her +in any other way, in his grief he seized his spear and hurled it. He +aimed better than he had intended, for the poor mermaid gave a piercing +shriek and disappeared in the depths. + +"The fisherman stood on the strand waiting for her to appear again. He +observed that the water around him began to take on a soft sheen, a +beauty that he had never seen before. It shimmered in pink and white, +like the colour-play on the inside of sea shells. + +"As the glittering water lapped the shores, the fisherman thought that +they too were transformed. They began to blossom and waft their +perfumes. A soft sheen spread over them and they also took on a beauty +which they had never possessed before. + +"He understood how all this had come to pass. For it is thus with +mermaids: one who beholds them must needs find them more beautiful than +any one else, and the mermaid's blood being mixed with the water that +bathed the shores, her beauty was transferred to both. All who saw them +must love them and yearn for them. This was their legacy from the +mermaid." + +When the stately old gentleman had got thus far in his narrative he +turned to Clement and looked at him. Clement nodded reverently but made +no comment, as he did not wish to cause a break in the story. + +"Now you must bear this in mind, Clement," the old gentleman continued, +with a roguish glint in his eyes. "From that time on people emigrated to +the islands. At first only fishermen and peasants settled there, but +others, too, were attracted to them. One day the king and his earl +sailed up the stream. They started at once to talk of these islands, +having observed they were so situated that every vessel that sailed +toward Lake Mälar had to pass them. The earl suggested that there ought +to be a lock put on the channel which could be opened or closed at will, +to let in merchant vessels and shut out pirates. + +"This idea was carried out," said the old gentleman, as he rose and +began to trace in the sand again with his cane. "On the largest of these +islands the earl erected a fortress with a strong tower, which was +called 'Kärnan.' And around the island a wall was built. Here, at the +north and south ends of the wall, they made gates and placed strong +towers over them. Across the other islands they built bridges; these +were likewise equipped with high towers. Out in the water, round about, +they put a wreath of piles with bars that could open and close, so that +no vessel could sail past without permission. + +"Therefore you see, Clement, the four islands which had lain so long +unnoticed were soon strongly fortified. But this was not all, for the +shores and the sound tempted people, and before long they came from all +quarters to settle there. They built a church, which has since been +called 'Storkyrkan.' Here it stands, near the castle. And here, within +the walls, were the little huts the pioneers built for themselves. They +were primitive, but they served their purpose. More was not needed at +that time to make the place pass for a city. And the city was named +Stockholm. + +"There came a day, Clement, when the earl who had begun the work went to +his final rest, and Stockholm was without a master builder. Monks called +the Gray Friars came to the country. Stockholm attracted them. They +asked permission to erect a monastery there, so the king gave them an +island--one of the smaller ones--this one facing Lake Mälar. There they +built, and the place was called Gray Friars' Island. Other monks came, +called the Black Friars. They, too, asked for right to build in +Stockholm, near the south gate. On this, the larger of the islands north +of the city, a 'Holy Ghost House,' or hospital, was built; while on the +smaller one thrifty men put up a mill, and along the little islands +close by the monks fished. As you know, there is only one island now, +for the canal between the two has filled up; but it is still called Holy +Ghost Island. + +"And now, Clement, all the little wooded islands were dotted with +houses, but still people kept streaming in; for these shores and waters +have the power to draw people to them. Hither came pious women of the +Order of Saint Clara and asked for ground to build upon. For them there +was no choice but to settle on the north shore, at Norrmalm, as it is +called. You may be sure that they were not over pleased with this +location, for across Norrmalm ran a high ridge, and on that the city had +its gallows hill, so that it was a detested spot. Nevertheless the Poor +Clares erected their church and their convent on the strand below the +ridge. After they were established there they soon found plenty of +followers. Upon the ridge itself were built a hospital and a church, +consecrated to Saint Goran, and just below the ridge a church was +erected to Saint Jacob. + +"And even at Södermalm, where the mountain rises perpendicularly from +the strand, they began to build. There they raised a church to Saint +Mary. + +"But you must not think that only cloister folk moved to Stockholm! +There were also many others--principally German tradesmen and artisans. +These were more skilled than the Swedes, and were well received. They +settled within the walls of the city where they pulled down the wretched +little cabins that stood there and built high, magnificent stone houses. +But space was not plentiful within the walls, therefore they had to +build the houses close together, with gables facing the narrow by-lanes. +So you see, Clement, that Stockholm could attract people!" + +At this point in the narrative another gentleman appeared and walked +rapidly down the path toward the man who was talking to Clement, but he +waved his hand, and the other remained at a distance. The dignified old +gentleman still sat on the bench beside the fiddler. + +"Now, Clement, you must render me a service," he said. "I have no time +to talk more with you, but I will send you a book about Stockholm and +you must read it from cover to cover. I have, so to speak, laid the +foundations of Stockholm for you. Study the rest out for yourself and +learn how the city has thrived and changed. Read how the little, narrow, +wall-enclosed city on the islands has spread into this great sea of +houses below us. Read how, on the spot where the dark tower Kärnan once +stood, the beautiful, light castle below us was erected and how the Gray +Friars' church has been turned into the burial place of the Swedish +kings; read how islet after islet was built up with factories; how the +ridge was lowered and the sound filled in; how the truck gardens at the +south and north ends of the city have been converted into beautiful +parks or built-up quarters; how the King's private deer park has become +the people's favourite pleasure resort. You must make yourself at home +here, Clement. This city does not belong exclusively to the +Stockholmers. It belongs to you and to all Swedes. + +"As you read about Stockholm, remember that I have spoken the truth, for +the city has the power to draw every one to it. First the King moved +here, then the nobles built their palaces here, and then one after +another was attracted to the place, so that now, as you see, Stockholm +is not a city unto itself or for nearby districts; it has grown into a +city for the whole kingdom. + +"You know, Clement, that there are judicial courts in every parish +throughout the land, but in Stockholm they have jurisdiction for the +whole nation. You know that there are judges in every district court in +the country, but at Stockholm there is only one court, to which all the +others are accountable. You know that there are barracks and troops in +every part of the land, but those at Stockholm command the whole army. +Everywhere in the country you will find railroads, but the whole great +national system is controlled and managed at Stockholm; here you will +find the governing boards for the clergy, for teachers, for physicians, +for bailiffs and jurors. This is the heart of your country, Clement. All +the change you have in your pocket is coined here, and the postage +stamps you stick on your letters are made here. There is something here +for every Swede. Here no one need feel homesick, for here all Swedes are +at home. + +"And when you read of all that has been brought here to Stockholm, think +too of the latest that the city has attracted to itself: these old-time +peasant cottages here at Skansen; the old dances; the old costumes and +house-furnishings; the musicians and story-tellers. Everything good of +the old times Stockholm has tempted here to Skansen to do it honour, +that it may, in turn, stand before the people with renewed glory. + +"But, first and last, remember as you read about Stockholm that you are +to sit in this place. You must see how the waves sparkle in joyous play +and how the shores shimmer with beauty. You will come under the spell of +their witchery, Clement." + +The handsome old gentleman had raised his voice, so that it rang out +strong and commanding, and his eyes shone. Then he rose, and, with a +wave of his hand to Clement, walked away. Clement understood that the +one who had been talking to him was a great man, and he bowed to him as +low as he could. + +The next day came a royal lackey with a big red book and a letter for +Clement, and in the letter it said that the book was from the King. + +After that the little old man, Clement Larsson, was lightheaded for +several days, and it was impossible to get a sensible word out of him. +When a week had gone by, he went to the superintendent and gave in his +notice. He simply had to go home. + +"Why must you go home? Can't you learn to be content here?" asked the +doctor. + +"Oh, I'm contented here," said Clement. "That matter troubles me no +longer, but I must go home all the same." + +Clement was quite perturbed because the King had said that he should +learn all about Stockholm and be happy there. But he could not rest +until he had told every one at home that the King had said those words +to him. He could not renounce the idea of standing on the church knoll +at home and telling high and low that the King had been so kind to him, +that he had sat beside him on the bench, and had sent him a book, and +had taken the time to talk to him--a poor fiddler--for a whole hour, in +order to cure him of his homesickness. It was good to relate this to the +Laplanders and Dalecarlian peasant girls at Skansen, but what was that +compared to being able to tell of it at home? + +Even if Clement were to end in the poorhouse, it wouldn't be so hard +after this. He was a totally different man from what he had been, and he +would be respected and honoured in a very different way. + +This new yearning took possession of Clement. He simply had to go up to +the doctor and say that he must go home. + + +GORGO, THE EAGLE + + +IN THE MOUNTAIN GLEN + +Far up among the mountains of Lapland there was an old eagle's nest on a +ledge which projected from a high cliff. The nest was made of dry twigs +of pine and spruce, interlaced one with another until they formed a +perfect network. Year by year the nest had been repaired and +strengthened. It was about two metres wide, and nearly as high as a +Laplander's hut. + +The cliff on which the eagle's nest was situated towered above a big +glen, which was inhabited in summer by a flock of wild geese, as it was +an excellent refuge for them. It was so secluded between cliffs that not +many knew of it, even among the Laplanders themselves. + +In the heart of this glen there was a small, round lake in which was an +abundance of food for the tiny goslings, and on the tufted lake shores +which were covered with osier bushes and dwarfed birches the geese found +fine nesting places. + +In all ages eagles had lived on the mountain, and geese in the glen. +Every year the former carried off a few of the latter, but they were +very careful not to take so many that the wild geese would be afraid to +remain in the glen. The geese, in their turn, found the eagles quite +useful. They were robbers, to be sure, but they kept other robbers away. + +Two years before Nils Holgersson travelled with the wild geese the old +leader-goose, Akka from Kebnekaise, was standing at the foot of the +mountain slope looking toward the eagle's nest. + +The eagles were in the habit of starting on their chase soon after +sunrise; during the summers that Akka had lived in the glen she had +watched every morning for their departure to find if they stopped in the +glen to hunt, or if they flew beyond it to other hunting grounds. + +She did not have to wait long before the two eagles left the ledge on +the cliff. Stately and terror-striking they soared into the air. They +directed their course toward the plain, and Akka breathed a sigh of +relief. + +The old leader-goose's days of nesting and rearing of young were over, +and during the summer she passed the time going from one goose range to +another, giving counsel regarding the brooding and care of the young. +Aside from this she kept an eye out not only for eagles but also for +mountain fox and owls and all other enemies who were a menace to the +wild geese and their young. + +About noontime Akka began to watch for the eagles again. This she had +done every day during all the summers that she had lived in the glen. +She could tell at once by their flight if their hunt had been +successful, and in that event she felt relieved for the safety of those +who belonged to her. But on this particular day she had not seen the +eagles return. "I must be getting old and stupid," she thought, when she +had waited a time for them. "The eagles have probably been home this +long while." + +In the afternoon she looked toward the cliff again, expecting to see the +eagles perched on the rocky ledge where they usually took their +afternoon rest; toward evening, when they took their bath in the dale +lake, she tried again to get sight of them, but failed. Again she +bemoaned the fact that she was growing old. She was so accustomed to +having the eagles on the mountain above her that she could not imagine +the possibility of their not having returned. + +The following morning Akka was awake in good season to watch for the +eagles; but she did not see them. On the other hand, she heard in the +morning stillness a cry that sounded both angry and plaintive, and it +seemed to come from the eagles' nest. "Can there possibly be anything +amiss with the eagles?" she wondered. She spread her wings quickly, and +rose so high that she could perfectly well look down into the nest. + +There she saw neither of the eagles. There was no one in the nest save a +little half-fledged eaglet who was screaming for food. + +Akka sank down toward the eagles' nest, slowly and reluctantly. It was a +gruesome place to come to! It was plain what kind of robber folk lived +there! In the nest and on the cliff ledge lay bleached bones, bloody +feathers, pieces of skin, hares' heads, birds' beaks, and the tufted +claws of grouse. The eaglet, who was lying in the midst of this, was +repulsive to look upon, with his big, gaping bill, his awkward, +down-clad body, and his undeveloped wings where the prospective quills +stuck out like thorns. + +At last Akka conquered her repugnance and alighted on the edge of the +nest, at the same time glancing about her anxiously in every direction, +for each second she expected to see the old eagles coming back. + +"It is well that some one has come at last," cried the baby eagle. +"Fetch me some food at once!" + +"Well, well, don't be in such haste," said Akka. "Tell me first where +your father and mother are." + +"That's what I should like to know myself. They went off yesterday +morning and left me a lemming to live upon while they were away. You can +believe that was eaten long ago. It's a shame for mother to let me +starve in this way!" + +Akka began to think that the eagles had really been shot, and she +reasoned that if she were to let the eaglet starve she might perhaps be +rid of the whole robber tribe for all time. But it went very much +against her not to succour a deserted young one so far as she could. + +"Why do you sit there and stare?" snapped the eaglet. "Didn't you hear +me say I want food?" + +Akka spread her wings and sank down to the little lake in the glen. A +moment later she returned to the eagles' nest with a salmon trout in her +bill. + +The eaglet flew into a temper when she dropped the fish in front of him. + +"Do you think I can eat such stuff?" he shrieked, pushing it aside, and +trying to strike Akka with his bill. "Fetch me a willow grouse or a +lemming, do you hear?" + +Akka stretched her head forward, and gave the eaglet a sharp nip in the +neck. "Let me say to you," remarked the old goose, "that if I'm to +procure food for you, you must be satisfied with what I give you. Your +father and mother are dead, and from them you can get no help; but if +you want to lie here and starve to death while you wait for grouse and +lemming, I shall not hinder you." + +When Akka had spoken her mind she promptly retired, and did not show her +face in the eagles' nest again for some time. But when she did return, +the eaglet had eaten the fish, and when she dropped another in front of +him he swallowed it at once, although it was plain that he found it very +distasteful. + +Akka had imposed upon herself a tedious task. The old eagles never +appeared again, and she alone had to procure for the eaglet all the food +he needed. She gave him fish and frogs and he did not seem to fare badly +on this diet, but grew big and strong. He soon forgot his parents, the +eagles, and fancied that Akka was his real mother. Akka, in turn, loved +him as if he had been her own child. She tried to give him a good +bringing up, and to cure him of his wildness and overbearing ways. + +After a fortnight Akka observed that the time was approaching for her to +moult and put on a new feather dress so as to be ready to fly. For a +whole moon she would be unable to carry food to the baby eaglet, and he +might starve to death. + +So Akka said to him one day: "Gorgo, I can't come to you any more with +fish. Everything depends now upon your pluck--which means can you dare +to venture into the glen, so I can continue to procure food for you? You +must choose between starvation and flying down to the glen, but that, +too, may cost you your life." + +Without a second's hesitation the eaglet stepped upon the edge of the +nest. Barely taking the trouble to measure the distance to the bottom, +he spread his tiny wings and started away. He rolled over and over in +space, but nevertheless made enough use of his wings to reach the ground +almost unhurt. + +Down there in the glen Gorgo passed the summer in company with the +little goslings, and was a good comrade for them. Since he regarded +himself as a gosling, he tried to live as they lived; when they swam in +the lake he followed them until he came near drowning. It was most +embarrassing to him that he could not learn to swim, and he went to Akka +and complained of his inability. + +"Why can't I swim like the others?" he asked. + +"Your claws grew too hooked, and your toes too large while you were up +there on the cliff," Akka replied. "But you'll make a fine bird all the +same." + +The eaglet's wings soon grew so large that they could carry him; but not +until autumn, when the goslings learned to fly, did it dawn upon him +that he could use them for flight. There came a proud time for him, for +at this sport he was the peer of them all. His companions never stayed +up in the air any longer than they had to, but he stayed there nearly +the whole day, and practised the art of flying. So far it had not +occurred to him that he was of another species than the geese, but he +could not help noting a number of things that surprised him, and he +questioned Akka constantly. + +"Why do grouse and lemming run and hide when they see my shadow on the +cliff?" he queried. "They don't show such fear of the other goslings." + +"Your wings grew too big when you were on the cliff," said Akka. "It is +that which frightens the little wretches. But don't be unhappy because +of that. You'll be a fine bird all the same." + +After the eagle had learned to fly, he taught himself to fish, and to +catch frogs. But by and by he began to ponder this also. + +"How does it happen that I live on fish and frogs?" he asked. "The other +goslings don't." + +"This is due to the fact that I had no other food to give you when you +were on the cliff," said Akka. "But don't let that make you sad. You'll +be a fine bird all the same." + +When the wild geese began their autumn moving, Gorgo flew along with the +flock, regarding himself all the while as one of them. The air was +filled with birds who were on their way south, and there was great +excitement among them when Akka appeared with an eagle in her train. The +wild goose flock was continually surrounded by swarms of the curious who +loudly expressed their astonishment. Akka bade them be silent, but it +was impossible to stop so many wagging tongues. + +"Why do they call me an eagle?" Gorgo asked repeatedly, growing more and +more exasperated. "Can't they see that I'm a wild goose? I'm no +bird-eater who preys upon his kind. How dare they give me such an ugly +name?" + +One day they flew above a barn yard where many chickens walked on a dump +heap and picked. "An eagle! An eagle!" shrieked the chickens, and +started to run for shelter. But Gorgo, who had heard the eagles spoken +of as savage criminals, could not control his anger. He snapped his +wings together and shot down to the ground, striking his talons into one +of the hens. "I'll teach you, I will, that I'm no eagle!" he screamed +furiously, and struck with his beak. + +That instant he heard Akka call to him from the air, and rose +obediently. The wild goose flew toward him and began to reprimand him. +"What are you trying to do?" she cried, beating him with her bill. "Was +it perhaps your intention to tear that poor hen to pieces?" But when the +eagle took his punishment from the wild goose without a protest, there +arose from the great bird throng around them a perfect storm of taunts +and gibes. The eagle heard this, and turned toward Akka with flaming +eyes, as though he would have liked to attack her. But he suddenly +changed his mind, and with quick wing strokes bounded into the air, +soaring so high that no call could reach him; and he sailed around up +there as long as the wild geese saw him. + +Two days later he appeared again in the wild goose flock. + +"I know who I am," he said to Akka. "Since I am an eagle, I must live +as becomes an eagle; but I think that we can be friends all the same. +You or any of yours I shall never attack." + +But Akka had set her heart on successfully training an eagle into a mild +and harmless bird, and she could not tolerate his wanting to do as he +chose. + +"Do you think that I wish to be the friend of a bird-eater?" she asked. +"Live as I have taught you to live, and you may travel with my flock as +heretofore." + +Both were proud and stubborn, and neither of them would yield. It ended +in Akka's forbidding the eagle to show his face in her neighbourhood, +and her anger toward him was so intense that no one dared speak his name +in her presence. + +After that Gorgo roamed around the country, alone and shunned, like all +great robbers. He was often downhearted, and certainly longed many a +time for the days when he thought himself a wild goose, and played with +the merry goslings. + +Among the animals he had a great reputation for courage. They used to +say of him that he feared no one but his foster-mother, Akka. And they +could also say of him that he never used violence against a wild goose. + +IN CAPTIVITY + +Gorgo was only three years old, and had not as yet thought about +marrying and procuring a home for himself, when he was captured one day +by a hunter, and sold to the Skansen Zoölogical Garden, where there were +already two eagles held captive in a cage built of iron bars and steel +wires. The cage stood out in the open, and was so large that a couple of +trees had easily been moved into it, and quite a large cairn was piled +up in there. Notwithstanding all this, the birds were unhappy. They sat +motionless on the same spot nearly all day. Their pretty, dark feather +dresses became rough and lustreless, and their eyes were riveted with +hopeless longing on the sky without. + +During the first week of Gorgo's captivity he was still awake and full +of life, but later a heavy torpor came upon him. He perched himself on +one spot, like the other eagles, and stared at vacancy. He no longer +knew how the days passed. + +One morning when Gorgo sat in his usual torpor, he heard some one call +to him from below. He was so drowsy that he could barely rouse himself +enough to lower his glance. + +"Who is calling me?" he asked. + +"Oh, Gorgo! Don't you know me? It's Thumbietot who used to fly around +with the wild geese." + +"Is Akka also captured?" asked Gorgo in the tone of one who is trying to +collect his thoughts after a long sleep. + +"No; Akka, the white goosey-gander, and the whole flock are probably +safe and sound up in Lapland at this season," said the boy. "It's only I +who am a prisoner here." + +As the boy was speaking he noticed that Gorgo averted his glance, and +began to stare into space again. + +"Golden eagle!" cried the boy; "I have not forgotten that once you +carried me back to the wild geese, and that you spared the white +goosey-gander's life! Tell me if I can be of any help to you!" + +Gorgo scarcely raised his head. "Don't disturb me, Thumbietot," he +yawned. "I'm sitting here dreaming that I am free, and am soaring away +up among the clouds. I don't want to be awake." + +"You must rouse yourself, and see what goes on around you," the boy +admonished, "or you will soon look as wretched as the other eagles." + +"I wish I were as they are! They are so lost in their dreams that +nothing more can trouble them," said the eagle. + +When night came, and all three eagles were asleep, there was a light +scraping on the steel wires stretched across the top of the cage. The +two listless old captives did not allow themselves to be disturbed by +the noise, but Gorgo awakened. + +"Who's there? Who is moving up on the roof?" he asked. + +"It's Thumbietot, Gorgo," answered the boy. "I'm sitting here filing +away at the steel wires so that you can escape." + +The eagle raised his head, and saw in the night light how the boy sat +and filed the steel wires at the top of the cage. He felt hopeful for an +instant, but soon discouragement got the upper hand. + +"I'm a big bird, Thumbietot," said Gorgo; "how can you ever manage to +file away enough wires for me to come out? You'd better quit that, and +leave me in peace." + +"Oh, go to sleep, and don't bother about me!" said the boy. "I'll not be +through to-night nor to-morrow night, but I shall try to free you in +time for here you'll become a total wreck." + +Gorgo fell asleep. When he awoke the next morning he saw at a glance +that a number of wires had been filed. That day he felt less drowsy than +he had done in the past. He spread his wings, and fluttered from branch +to branch to get the stiffness out of his joints. + +One morning early, just as the first streak of sunlight made its +appearance, Thumbietot awakened the eagle. + +"Try now, Gorgo!" he whispered. + +The eagle looked up. The boy had actually filed off so many wires that +now there was a big hole in the wire netting. Gorgo flapped his wings +and propelled himself upward. Twice he missed and fell back into the +cage; but finally he succeeded in getting out. + +With proud wing strokes he soared into the clouds. Little Thumbietot sat +and gazed after him with a mournful expression. He wished that some one +would come and give him his freedom too. + +The boy was domiciled now at Skansen. He had become acquainted with all +the animals there, and had made many friends among them. He had to admit +that there was so much to see and learn there that it was not difficult +for him to pass the time. To be sure his thoughts went forth every day +to Morten Goosey-Gander and his other comrades, and he yearned for them. +"If only I weren't bound by my promise," he thought, "I'd find some bird +to take me to them!" + +It may seem strange that Clement Larsson had not restored the boy's +liberty, but one must remember how excited the little fiddler had been +when he left Skansen. The morning of his departure he had thought of +setting out the midget's food in a blue bowl, but, unluckily, he had +been unable to find one. All the Skansen folk--Lapps, peasant girls, +artisans, and gardeners--had come to bid him good-bye, and he had had no +time to search for a blue bowl. It was time to start, and at the last +moment he had to ask the old Laplander to help him. + +"One of the tiny folk happens to be living here at Skansen," said +Clement, "and every morning I set out a little food for him. Will you do +me the favour of taking these few coppers and purchasing a blue bowl +with them? Put a little gruel and milk in it, and to-morrow morning set +it out under the steps of Bollnäs cottage." + +The old Laplander looked surprised, but there was no time for Clement to +explain further, as he had to be off to the railway station. + +The Laplander went down to the zoölogical village to purchase the bowl. +As he saw no blue one that he thought appropriate, he bought a white +one, and this he conscientiously filled and set out every morning. + +That was why the boy had not been released from his pledge. He knew that +Clement had gone away, but _he_ was not allowed to leave. + +That night the boy longed more than ever for his freedom. This was +because summer had come now in earnest. During his travels he had +suffered much in cold and stormy weather, and when he first came to +Skansen he had thought that perhaps it was just as well that he had been +compelled to break the journey. He would have been frozen to death had +he gone to Lapland in the month of May. But now it was warm; the earth +was green-clad, birches and poplars were clothed in their satiny +foliage, and the cherry trees--in fact all the fruit trees--were covered +with blossoms. The berry bushes had green berries on their stems; the +oaks had carefully unfolded their leaves, and peas, cabbages, and beans +were growing in the vegetable garden at Skansen. + +"Now it must be warm up in Lapland," thought the boy. "I should like to +be seated on Morten Goosey-Gander's back on a fine morning like this! It +would be great fun to ride around in the warm, still air, and look down +at the ground, as it now lies decked with green grass, and embellished +with pretty blossoms." + +He sat musing on this when the eagle suddenly swooped down from the sky, +and perched beside the boy, on top of the cage. + +"I wanted to try my wings to see if they were still good for anything," +said Gorgo. "You didn't suppose that I meant to leave you here in +captivity? Get up on my back, and I'll take you to your comrades." + +"No, that's impossible!" the boy answered. "I have pledged my word that +I would stay here till I am liberated." + +"What sort of nonsense are you talking?" protested Gorgo. "In the first +place they brought you here against your will; then they forced you to +promise that you would remain here. Surely you must understand that such +a promise one need not keep?" + +"Oh, no, I must keep it," said the boy. "I thank you all the same for +your kind intention, but you can't help me." + +"Oh, can't I?" said Gorgo. "We'll see about that!" In a twinkling he +grasped Nils Holgersson in his big talons, and rose with him toward the +skies, disappearing in a northerly direction. + + +ON OVER GÄSTRIKLAND + + +THE PRECIOUS GIRDLE + +_Wednesday, June fifteenth_. + +The eagle kept on flying until he was a long distance north of +Stockholm. Then he sank to a wooded hillock where he relaxed his hold on +the boy. + +The instant Thumbietot was out of Gorgo's clutches he started to run +back to the city as fast as he could. + +The eagle made a long swoop, caught up to the boy, and stopped him with +his claw. + +"Do you propose to go back to prison?" he demanded. + +"That's my affair. I can go where I like, for all of you!" retorted the +boy, trying to get away. Thereupon the eagle gripped him with his strong +talons, and rose in the air. + +Now Gorgo circled over the entire province of Uppland and did not stop +again until he came to the great water-falls at Älvkarleby where he +alighted on a rock in the middle of the rushing rapids below the roaring +falls. Again he relaxed his hold on the captive. + +The boy saw that here there was no chance of escape from the eagle. +Above them the white scum wall of the water-fall came tumbling down, and +round about the river rushed along in a mighty torrent. Thumbietot was +very indignant to think that in this way he had been forced to become a +promise-breaker. He turned his back to the eagle and would not speak to +him. + +Now that the bird had set the boy down in a place from which he could +not run away, he told him confidentially that he had been brought up by +Akka from Kebnekaise, and that he had quarrelled with his foster-mother. + +"Now, Thumbietot, perhaps you understand why I wish to take you back to +the wild geese," he said. "I have heard that you are in great favour +with Akka, and it was my purpose to ask you to make peace between us." + +As soon as the boy comprehended that the eagle had not carried him off +in a spirit of contrariness, he felt kindly toward him. + +"I should like very much to help you," he returned, "but I am bound by +my promise." Thereupon he explained to the eagle how he had fallen into +captivity and how Clement Larsson had left Skansen without setting him +free. + +Nevertheless the eagle would not relinquish his plan. + +"Listen to me, Thumbietot," he said. "My wings can carry you wherever +you wish to go, and my eyes can search out whatever you wish to find. +Tell me how the man looks who exacted this promise from you, and I will +find him and take you to him. Then it is for you to do the rest." + +Thumbietot approved of the proposition. + +"I can see, Gorgo, that you have had a wise bird like Akka for a +foster-mother," the boy remarked. + +He gave a graphic description of Clement Larsson, and added that he had +heard at Skansen that the little fiddler was from Hälsingland. + +"We'll search for him through the whole of Hälsingland--from Ljungby to +Mellansjö; from Great Mountain to Hornland," said the eagle. "To-morrow +before sundown you shall have a talk with the man!" + +"I fear you are promising more than you can perform," doubted the boy. + +"I should be a mighty poor eagle if I couldn't do that much," said +Gorgo. + +So when Gorgo and Thumbietot left Älvkarleby they were good friends, and +the boy willingly took his mount for a ride on the eagle's back. Thus he +had an opportunity to see much of the country. + +When clutched in the eagle's talons he had seen nothing. Perhaps it was +just as well, for in the forenoon he had travelled over Upsala, +Österby's big factories, the Dannemora Mine, and the ancient castle of +Örbyhus, and he would have been sadly disappointed at not seeing them +had he known of their proximity. + +The eagle bore him speedily over Gästrikland. In the southern part of +the province there was very little to tempt the eye. But as they flew +northward, it began to be interesting. + +"This country is clad in a spruce skirt and a gray-stone jacket," +thought the boy. "But around its waist it wears a girdle which has not +its match in value, for it is embroidered with blue lakes and green +groves. The great ironworks adorn it like a row of precious stones, and +its buckle is a whole city with castles and cathedrals and great +clusters of houses." + +When the travellers arrived in the northern forest region, Gorgo +alighted on top of a mountain. As the boy dismounted, the eagle said: + +"There's game in this forest, and I can't forget my late captivity and +feel really free until I have gone a-hunting. You won't mind my leaving +you for a while?" + +"No, of course, I won't," the boy assured him. + +"You may go where you like if only you are back here by sundown," said +the eagle, as he flew off. + +The boy sat on a stone gazing across the bare, rocky ground and the +great forests round about. + +He felt rather lonely. But soon he heard singing in the forest below, +and saw something bright moving amongst the trees. Presently he saw a +blue and yellow banner, and he knew by the songs and the merry chatter +that it was being borne at the head of a procession. On it came, up the +winding path; he wondered where it and those who followed it were going. +He couldn't believe that anybody would come up to such an ugly, desolate +waste as the place where he sat. But the banner was nearing the forest +border, and behind it marched many happy people for whom it had led the +way. Suddenly there was life and movement all over the mountain plain; +after that there was so much for the boy to see that he didn't have a +dull moment. + +FOREST DAY + +On the mountain's broad back, where Gorgo left Thumbietot, there had +been a forest fire ten years before. Since that time the charred trees +had been felled and removed, and the great fire-swept area had begun to +deck itself with green along the edges, where it skirted the healthy +forest. However, the larger part of the top was still barren and +appallingly desolate. Charred stumps, standing sentinel-like between the +rock ledges, bore witness that once there had been a fine forest here; +but no fresh roots sprang from the ground. + +One day in the early summer all the children in the parish had assembled +in front of the schoolhouse near the fire-swept mountain. Each child +carried either a spade or a hoe on its shoulder, and a basket of food in +its hand. As soon as all were assembled, they marched in a long +procession toward the forest. The banner came first, with the teachers +on either side of it; then followed a couple of foresters and a wagon +load of pine shrubs and spruce seeds; then the children. + +The procession did not pause in any of the birch groves near the +settlements, but marched on deep into the forest. As it moved along, the +foxes stuck their heads out of the lairs in astonishment, and wondered +what kind of backwoods people these were. As they marched past old coal +pits where charcoal kilns were fired every autumn, the cross-beaks +twisted their hooked bills, and asked one another what kind of coalers +these might be who were now thronging the forest. + +Finally, the procession reached the big, burnt mountain plain. The rocks +had been stripped of the fine twin-flower creepers that once covered +them; they had been robbed of the pretty silver moss and the attractive +reindeer moss. Around the dark water gathered in clefts and hollows +there was now no wood-sorrel. The little patches of soil in crevices and +between stones were without ferns, without star-flowers, without all the +green and red and light and soft and soothing things which usually +clothe the forest ground. + +It was as if a bright light flashed upon the mountain when all the +parish children covered it. Here again was something sweet and delicate; +something fresh and rosy; something young and growing. Perhaps these +children would bring to the poor abandoned forest a little new life. + +When the children had rested and eaten their luncheon, they seized hoes +and spades and began to work. The foresters showed them what to do. They +set out shrub after shrub on every clear spot of earth they could find. + +As they worked, they talked quite knowingly among themselves of how the +little shrubs they were planting would bind the soil so that it could +not get away, and of how new soil would form under the trees. By and by +seeds would drop, and in a few years they would be picking both +strawberries and raspberries where now there were only bare rocks. The +little shrubs which they were planting would gradually become tall +trees. Perhaps big houses and great splendid ships would be built from +them! + +If the children had not come here and planted while there was still a +little soil in the clefts, all the earth would have been carried away by +wind and water, and the mountain could never more have been clothed in +green. + +"It was well that we came," said the children. "We were just in the nick +of time!" They felt very important. + +While they were working on the mountain, their parents were at home. By +and by they began to wonder how the children were getting along. Of +course it was only a joke about their planting a forest, but it might be +amusing to see what they were trying to do. + +So presently both fathers and mothers were on their way to the forest. +When they came to the outlying stock farms they met some of their +neighbours. + +"Are you going to the fire-swept mountain?" they asked. + +"That's where we're bound for." + +"To have a look at the children?" + +"Yes, to see what they're up to." + +"It's only play, of course." + +"It isn't likely that there will be many forest trees planted by the +youngsters. We have brought the coffee pot along so that we can have +something warm to drink, since we must stay there all day with only +lunch-basket provisions." + +So the parents of the children went on up the mountain. At first they +thought only of how pretty it looked to see all the rosy-cheeked little +children scattered over the gray hills. Later, they observed how the +children were working--how some were setting out shrubs, while others +were digging furrows and sowing seeds. Others again were pulling up +heather to prevent its choking the young trees. They saw that the +children took the work seriously and were so intent upon what they were +doing that they scarcely had time to glance up. + +The fathers and mothers stood for a moment and looked on; then they too +began to pull up heather--just for the fun of it. The children were the +instructors, for they were already trained, and had to show their elders +what to do. + +Thus it happened that all the grown-ups who had come to watch the +children took part in the work. Then, of course, it became greater fun +than before. By and by the children had even more help. Other implements +were needed, so a couple of long-legged boys were sent down to the +village for spades and hoes. As they ran past the cabins, the +stay-at-homes came out and asked: "What's wrong? Has there been an +accident?" + +"No, indeed! But the whole parish is up on the fire-swept mountain +planting a forest." + +"If the whole parish is there, we can't stay at home!" + +So party after party of peasants went crowding to the top of the burnt +mountain. They stood a moment and looked on. The temptation to join the +workers was irresistible. + +"It's a pleasure to sow one's own acres in the spring, and to think of +the grain that will spring up from the earth, but this work is even more +alluring," they thought. + +Not only slender blades would come from that sowing, but mighty trees +with tall trunks and sturdy branches. It meant giving birth not merely +to a summer's grain, but to many years' growths. It meant the awakening +hum of insects, the song of the thrush, the play of grouse and all kinds +of life on the desolate mountain. Moreover, it was like raising a +memorial for coming generations. They could have left a bare, treeless +height as a heritage. Instead they were to leave a glorious forest. + +Coming generations would know their forefathers had been a good and wise +folk and they would remember them with reverence and gratitude. + + +A DAY IN HÄLSINGLAND + + +A LARGE GREEN LEAF + +_Thursday, June sixteenth_. + +The following day the boy travelled over Hälsingland. It spread beneath +him with new, pale-green shoots on the pine trees, new birch leaves in +the groves, new green grass in the meadows, and sprouting grain in the +fields. It was a mountainous country, but directly through it ran a +broad, light valley from either side of which branched other +valleys--some short and narrow, some broad and long. + +"This land resembles a leaf," thought the boy, "for it's as green as a +leaf, and the valleys subdivide it in about the same way as the veins of +a leaf are foliated." + +The branch valleys, like the main one, were filled with lakes, rivers, +farms, and villages. They snuggled, light and smiling, between the dark +mountains until they were gradually squeezed together by the hills. +There they were so narrow that they could not hold more than a little +brook. + +On the high land between the valleys there were pine forests which had +no even ground to grow upon. There were mountains standing all about, +and the forest covered the whole, like a woolly hide stretched over a +bony body. + +It was a picturesque country to look down upon, and the boy saw a good +deal of it, because the eagle was trying to find the old fiddler, +Clement Larsson, and flew from ravine to ravine looking for him. + +A little later in the morning there was life and movement on every farm. +The doors of the cattle sheds were thrown wide open and the cows were +let out. They were prettily coloured, small, supple and sprightly, and +so sure-footed that they made the most comic leaps and bounds. After +them came the calves and sheep, and it was plainly to be seen that they, +too, were in the best of spirits. + +It grew livelier every moment in the farm yards. A couple of young girls +with knapsacks on their backs walked among the cattle; a boy with a long +switch kept the sheep together, and a little dog ran in and out among +the cows, barking at the ones that tried to gore him. The farmer hitched +a horse to a cart loaded with tubs of butter, boxes of cheese, and all +kinds of eatables. The people laughed and chattered. They and the beasts +were alike merry--as if looking forward to a day of real pleasure. + +A moment later all were on their way to the forest. One of the girls +walked in the lead and coaxed the cattle with pretty, musical calls. The +animals followed in a long line. The shepherd boy and the sheep-dog ran +hither and thither, to see that no creature turned from the right +course; and last came the farmer and his hired man. They walked beside +the cart to prevent its being upset, for the road they followed was a +narrow, stony forest path. + +It may have been the custom for all the peasants in Hälsingland to send +their cattle into the forests on the same day--or perhaps it only +happened so that year; at any rate the boy saw how processions of happy +people and cattle wandered out from every valley and every farm and +rushed into the lonely forest, filling it with life. From the depths of +the dense woods the boy heard the shepherd maidens' songs and the tinkle +of the cow bells. Many of the processions had long and difficult roads +to travel; and the boy saw how they tramped through marshes, how they +had to take roundabout ways to get past windfalls, and how, time and +again, the carts bumped against stones and turned over with all their +contents. But the people met all the obstacles with jokes and laughter. + +In the afternoon they came to a cleared space where cattle sheds and a +couple of rude cabins had been built. The cows mooed with delight as +they tramped on the luscious green grass in the yards between the +cabins, and at once began grazing. The peasants, with merry chatter and +banter, carried water and wood and all that had been brought in the +carts into the larger cabin. Presently smoke rose from the chimney and +then the dairymaids, the shepherd boy, and the men squatted upon a flat +rock and ate their supper. + +Gorgo, the eagle, was certain that he should find Clement Larsson among +those who were off for the forest. Whenever he saw a stock farm +procession, he sank down and scrutinized it with his sharp eyes; but +hour after hour passed without his finding the one he sought. + +After much circling around, toward evening they came to a stony and +desolate tract east of the great main valley. There the boy saw another +outlying stock farm under him. The people and the cattle had arrived. +The men were splitting wood, and the dairymaids were milking the cows. + +"Look there!" said Gorgo. "I think we've got him." + +He sank, and, to his great astonishment, the boy saw that the eagle was +right. There indeed stood little Clement Larsson chopping wood. + +Gorgo alighted on a pine tree in the thick woods a little away from the +house. + +"I have fulfilled my obligation," said the eagle, with a proud toss of +his head. "Now you must try and have a word with the man. I'll perch +here at the top of the thick pine and wait for you." + +THE ANIMALS' NEW YEAR'S EVE + +The day's work was done at the forest ranches, supper was over, and the +peasants sat about and chatted. It was a long time since they had been +in the forest of a summer's night, and they seemed reluctant to go to +bed and sleep. It was as light as day, and the dairymaids were busy with +their needle-work. Ever and anon they raised their heads, looked toward +the forest and smiled. "Now we are here again!" they said. The town, +with its unrest, faded from their minds, and the forest, with its +peaceful stillness, enfolded them. When at home they had wondered how +they should ever be able to endure the loneliness of the woods; but +once there, they felt that they were having their best time. + +Many of the young girls and young men from neighbouring ranches had come +to call upon them, so that there were quite a lot of folk seated on the +grass before the cabins, but they did not find it easy to start +conversation. The men were going home the next day, so the dairymaids +gave them little commissions and bade them take greetings to their +friends in the village. This was nearly all that had been said. + +Suddenly the eldest of the dairy girls looked up from her work and said +laughingly: + +"There's no need of our sitting here so silent to-night, for we have two +story-tellers with us. One is Clement Larsson, who sits beside me, and +the other is Bernhard from Sunnasjö, who stands back there gazing toward +Black's Ridge. I think that we should ask each of them to tell us a +story. To the one who entertains us the better I shall give the muffler +I am knitting." + +This proposal won hearty applause. The two competitors offered lame +excuses, naturally, but were quickly persuaded. Clement asked Bernhard +to begin, and he did not object. He knew little of Clement Larsson, but +assumed that he would come out with some story about ghosts and trolls. +As he knew that people liked to listen to such things, he thought it +best to choose something of the same sort. + +"Some centuries ago," he began, "a dean here in Delsbo township was +riding through the dense forest on a New Year's Eve. He was on +horseback, dressed in fur coat and cap. On the pommel of his saddle hung +a satchel in which he kept the communion service, the Prayer-book, and +the clerical robe. He had been summoned on a parochial errand to a +remote forest settlement, where he had talked with a sick person until +late in the evening. Now he was on his way home, but feared that he +should not get back to the rectory until after midnight. + +"As he had to sit in the saddle when he should have been at home in his +bed, he was glad it was not a rough night. The weather was mild, the air +still and the skies overcast. Behind the clouds hung a full round moon +which gave some light, although it was out of sight. But for that faint +light it would have been impossible for him to distinguish paths from +fields, for that was a snowless winter, and all things had the same +grayish-brown colour. + +"The horse the dean rode was one he prized very highly. He was strong +and sturdy, and quite as wise as a human being. He could find his way +home from any place in the township. The dean had observed this on +several occasions, and he relied upon it with such a sense of security +that he never troubled himself to think where he was going when he rode +that horse. So he came along now in the gray night, through the +bewildering forest, with the reins dangling and his thoughts far away. + +"He was thinking of the sermon he had to preach on the morrow, and of +much else besides, and it was a long time before it occurred to him to +notice how far along he was on his homeward way. When he did glance up, +he saw that the forest was as dense about him as at the beginning, and +he was somewhat surprised, for he had ridden so long that he should have +come to the inhabited portion of the township. + +"Delsbo was about the same then as now. The church and parsonage and all +the large farms and villages were at the northern end of the township, +while at the southern part there were only forests and mountains. The +dean saw that he was still in the unpopulated district and knew that he +was in the southern part and must ride to the north to get home. There +were no stars, nor was there a moon to guide him; but he was a man who +had the four cardinal points in his head. He had the positive feeling +that he was travelling southward, or possibly eastward. + +"He intended to turn the horse at once, but hesitated. The animal had +never strayed, and it did not seem likely that he would do so now. It +was more likely that the dean was mistaken. He had been far away in +thought and had not looked at the road. So he let the horse continue in +the same direction, and again lost himself in his reverie. + +"Suddenly a big branch struck him and almost swept him off the horse. +Then he realized that he must find out where he was. + +"He glanced down and saw that he was riding over a soft marsh, where +there was no beaten path. The horse trotted along at a brisk pace and +showed no uncertainty. Again the dean was positive that he was going in +the wrong direction, and now he did not hesitate to interfere. He seized +the reins and turned the horse about, guiding him back to the roadway. +No sooner was he there than he turned again and made straight for the +woods. + +"The dean was certain that he was going wrong, but because the beast was +so persistent he thought that probably he was trying to find a better +road, and let him go along. + +"The horse did very well, although he had no path to follow. If a +precipice obstructed his way, he climbed it as nimbly as a goat, and +later, when they had to descend, he bunched his hoofs and slid down the +rocky inclines. + +"'May he only find his way home before church hour!' thought the dean. +'I wonder how the Delsbo folk would take it if I were not at my church +on time?' + +"He did not have to brood over this long, for soon he came to a place +that was familiar to him. It was a little creek where he had fished the +summer before. Now he saw it was as he had feared--he was in the depths +of the forest, and the horse was plodding along in a south-easterly +direction. He seemed determined to carry the dean as far from church and +rectory as he could. + +"The clergyman dismounted. He could not let the horse carry him into the +wilderness. He must go home. And, since the animal persisted in going in +the wrong direction, he decided to walk and lead him until they came to +more familiar roads. The dean wound the reins around his arm and began +to walk. It was not an easy matter to tramp through the forest in a +heavy fur coat; but the dean was strong and hardy and had little fear of +overexertion. + +"The horse, meanwhile, caused him fresh anxiety. He would not follow but +planted his hoofs firmly on the ground. + +"At last the dean was angry. He had never beaten that horse, nor did he +wish to do so now. Instead, he threw down the reins and walked away. + +"'We may as well part company here, since you want to go your own way,' +he said. + +"He had not taken more than two steps before the horse came after him, +took a cautious grip on his coat sleeve and stopped him. The dean turned +and looked the horse straight in the eyes, as if to search out why he +behaved so strangely. + +"Afterward the dean could not quite understand how this was possible, +but it is certain that, dark as it was, he plainly saw the horse's face +and read it like that of a human being. He realized that the animal was +in a terrible state of apprehension and fear. He gave his master a look +that was both imploring and reproachful. + +"'I have served you day after day and done your bidding,' he seemed to +say. 'Will you not follow me this one night?' + +"The dean was touched by the appeal in the animal's eyes. It was clear +that the horse needed his help to-night, in one way or another. Being a +man through and through, the dean promptly determined to follow him. +Without further delay he sprang into the saddle. 'Go on!' he said. 'I +will not desert you since you want me. No one shall say of the dean in +Delsbo that he refused to accompany any creature who was in trouble.' + +"He let the horse go as he wished and thought only of keeping his seat. +It proved to be a hazardous and troublesome journey--uphill most of the +way. The forest was so thick that he could not see two feet ahead, but +it appeared to him that they were ascending a high mountain. The horse +climbed perilous steeps. Had the dean been guiding, he should not have +thought of riding over such ground. + +"'Surely you don't intend to go up to Black's Ridge, do you?' laughed +the dean, who knew that was one of the highest peaks in Hälsingland. + +"During the ride he discovered that he and the horse were not the only +ones who were out that night. He heard stones roll down and branches +crackle, as if animals were breaking their way through the forest. He +remembered that wolves were plentiful in that section and wondered if +the horse wished to lead him to an encounter with wild beasts. + +"They mounted up and up, and the higher they went the more scattered +were the trees. At last they rode on almost bare highland, where the +dean could look in every direction. He gazed out over immeasurable +tracts of land, which went up and down in mountains and valleys covered +with sombre forests. It was so dark that he had difficulty in seeing any +orderly arrangement; but presently he could make out where he was. + +"'Why of course it's Black's Ridge that I've come to!' he remarked to +himself. 'It can't be any other mountain, for there, in the west, I see +Jarv Island, and to the east the sea glitters around Ag Island. Toward +the north also I see something shiny. It must be Dellen. In the depths +below me I see white smoke from Nian Falls. Yes, I'm up on Black's +Ridge. What an adventure!' + +"When they were at the summit the horse stopped behind a thick pine, as +if to hide. The dean bent forward and pushed aside the branches, that he +might have an unobstructed view. + +"The mountain's bald plate confronted him. It was not empty and +desolate, as he had anticipated. In the middle of the open space was an +immense boulder around which many wild beasts had gathered. Apparently +they were holding a conclave of some sort. + +"Near to the big rock he saw bears, so firmly and heavily built that +they seemed like fur-clad blocks of stone. They were lying down and +their little eyes blinked impatiently; it was obvious that they had come +from their winter sleep to attend court, and that they could hardly keep +awake. Behind them, in tight rows, were hundreds of wolves. They were +not sleepy, for wolves are more alert in winter than in summer. They sat +upon their haunches, like dogs, whipping the ground with their tails and +panting--their tongues lolling far out of their jaws. Behind the wolves +the lynx skulked, stiff-legged and clumsy, like misshapen cats. They +were loath to be among the other beasts, and hissed and spat when one +came near them. The row back of the lynx was occupied by the wolverines, +with dog faces and bear coats. They were not happy on the ground, and +they stamped their pads impatiently, longing to get into the trees. +Behind them, covering the entire space to the forest border, leaped the +foxes, the weasels, and the martens. These were small and perfectly +formed, but they looked even more savage and bloodthirsty than the +larger beasts. + +"All this the dean plainly saw, for the whole place was illuminated. +Upon the huge rock at the centre was the Wood-nymph, who held in her +hand a pine torch which burned in a big red flame. The Nymph was as tall +as the tallest tree in the forest. She wore a spruce-brush mantle and +had spruce-cone hair. She stood very still, her face turned toward the +forest. She was watching and listening. + +"The dean saw everything as plain as plain could be, but his +astonishment was so great that he tried to combat it, and would not +believe the evidence of his own eyes. + +"'Such things cannot possibly happen!' he thought. 'I have ridden much +too long in the bleak forest. This is only an optical illusion.' + +"Nevertheless he gave the closest attention to the spectacle, and +wondered what was about to be done. + +"He hadn't long to wait before he caught the sound of a familiar bell, +coming from the depths of the forest, and the next moment he heard +footfalls and crackling of branches--as when many animals break through +the forest. + +"A big herd of cattle was climbing the mountain. They came through the +forest in the order in which they had marched to the mountain ranches. +First came the bell cow followed by the bull, then the other cows and +the calves. The sheep, closely herded, followed. After them came the +goats, and last were the horses and colts. The sheep-dog trotted along +beside the sheep; but neither shepherd nor shepherdess attended them. + +"The dean thought it heart-rending to see the tame animals coming +straight toward the wild beasts. He would gladly have blocked their way +and called 'Halt!' but he understood that it was not within human power +to stop the march of the cattle on this night; therefore he made no +move. + +"The domestic animals were in a state of torment over that which they +had to face. If it happened to be the bell cow's turn, she advanced with +drooping head and faltering step. The goats had no desire either to play +or to butt. The horses tried to bear up bravely, but their bodies were +all of a quiver with fright. The most pathetic of all was the sheep-dog. +He kept his tail between his legs and crawled on the ground. + +"The bell cow led the procession all the way up to the Wood-nymph, who +stood on the boulder at the top of the mountain. The cow walked around +the rock and then turned toward the forest without any of the wild +beasts touching her. In the same way all the cattle walked unmolested +past the wild beasts. + +"As the creatures filed past, the dean saw the Wood-nymph lower her pine +torch over one and another of them. + +"Every time this occurred the beasts of prey broke into loud, exultant +roars--particularly when it was lowered over a cow or some other large +creature. The animal that saw the torch turning toward it uttered a +piercing shriek, as if it had received a knife thrust in its flesh, +while the entire herd to which it belonged bellowed their lamentations. + +"Then the dean began to comprehend the meaning of what he saw. Surely he +had heard that the animals in Delsbo assembled on Black's Ridge every +New Year's Eve, that the Wood-nymph might mark out which among the tame +beasts would that year be prey for the wild beasts. The dean pitied the +poor creatures that were at the mercy of savage beasts, when in reality +they should have no master but man. + +"The leading herd had only just left when another bell tinkled, and the +cattle from another farm tramped to the mountain top. These came in the +same order as the first and marched past the Wood-nymph, who stood +there, stern and solemn, indicating animal after animal for death. + +"Herd upon herd followed, without a break in the line of procession. +Some were so small that they included only one cow and a few sheep; +others consisted of only a pair of goats. It was apparent that these +were from very humble homes, but they too were compelled to pass in +review. + +"The dean thought of the Delsbo farmers, who had so much love for their +beasts. 'Did they but know of it, surely they would not allow a +repetition of this!' he thought. 'They would risk their own lives rather +than let their cattle wander amongst bears and wolves, to be doomed by +the Wood-nymph!' + +"The last herd to appear was the one from the rectory farm. The dean +heard the sound of the familiar bell a long way off. The horse, too, +must have heard it, for he began to shake in every limb, and was bathed +in sweat. + +"'So it is your turn now to pass before the Wood-nymph to receive your +sentence,' the dean said to the horse. 'Don't be afraid! Now I know why +you brought me here, and I shall not leave you.' + +"The fine cattle from the parsonage farm emerged from the forest and +marched to the Wood-nymph and the wild beasts. Last in the line was the +horse that had brought his master to Black's Ridge. The dean did not +leave the saddle, but let the animal take him to the Wood-nymph. + +"He had neither knife nor gun for his defence, but he had taken out the +Prayer-book and sat pressing it to his heart as he exposed himself to +battle against evil. + +"At first it appeared as if none had observed him. The dean's cattle +filed past the Wood-nymph in the same order as the others had done. She +did not wave the torch toward any of these, but as soon as the +intelligent horse stepped forward, she made a movement to mark him for +death. + +"Instantly the dean held up the Prayer-book, and the torchlight fell +upon the cross on its cover. The Wood-nymph uttered a loud, shrill cry +and let the torch drop from her hand. + +"Immediately the flame was extinguished. In the sudden transition from +light to darkness the dean saw nothing, nor did he hear anything. About +him reigned the profound stillness of a wilderness in winter. + +"Then the dark clouds parted, and through the opening stepped the full +round moon to shed its light upon the ground. The dean saw that he and +the horse were alone on the summit of Black's Ridge. Not one of the many +wild beasts was there. The ground had not been trampled by the herds +that had passed over it; but the dean himself sat with his Prayer-book +before him, while the horse under him stood trembling and foaming. + +"By the time the dean reached home he no longer knew whether or not it +had been a dream, a vision, or reality--this that he had seen; but he +took it as a warning to him to remember the poor creatures who were at +the mercy of wild beasts. He preached so powerfully to the Delsbo +peasants that in his day all the wolves and bears were exterminated from +that section of the country, although they may have returned since his +time." + +Here Bernhard ended his story. He received praise from all sides and it +seemed to be a foregone conclusion that he would get the prize. The +majority thought it almost a pity that Clement had to compete with him. + +But Clement, undaunted, began: + +"One day, while I was living at Skansen, just outside of Stockholm, and +longing for home--" Then he told about the tiny midget he had ransomed +so that he would not have to be confined in a cage, to be stared at by +all the people. He told, also, that no sooner had he performed this act +of mercy than he was rewarded for it. He talked and talked, and the +astonishment of his hearers grew greater and greater; but when he came +to the royal lackey and the beautiful book, all the dairymaids dropped +their needle-work and sat staring at Clement in open-eyed wonder at his +marvellous experiences. + +As soon as Clement had finished, the eldest of the dairymaids announced +that he should have the muffler. + +"Bernhard related only things that happened to another, but Clement has +himself been the hero of a true story, which I consider far more +important." + +In this all concurred. They regarded Clement with very different eyes +after hearing that he had talked with the King, and the little fiddler +was afraid to show how proud he felt. But at the very height of his +elation some one asked him what had become of the midget. + +"I had no time to set out the blue bowl for him myself," said Clement, +"so I asked the old Laplander to do it. What has become of him since +then I don't know." + +No sooner had he spoken than a little pine cone came along and struck +him on the nose. It did not drop from a tree, and none of the peasants +had thrown it. It was simply impossible to tell whence it had come. + +"Aha, Clement!" winked the dairymaid, "it appears as if the tiny folk +were listening to us. You should not have left it to another to set out +that blue bowl!" + + +IN MEDELPAD + + +_Friday, June seventeenth_. + +The boy and the eagle were out bright and early the next morning. Gorgo +hoped that he would get far up into West Bothnia that day. As luck would +have it, he heard the boy remark to himself that in a country like the +one through which they were now travelling it must be impossible for +people to live. + +The land which spread below them was Southern Medelpad. When the eagle +heard the boy's remark, he replied: + +"Up here they have forests for fields." + +The boy thought of the contrast between the light, golden-rye fields +with their delicate blades that spring up in one summer, and the dark +spruce forest with its solid trees which took many years to ripen for +harvest. + +"One who has to get his livelihood from such a field must have a deal of +patience!" he observed. + +Nothing more was said until they came to a place where the forest had +been cleared, and the ground was covered with stumps and lopped-off +branches. As they flew over this ground, the eagle heard the boy mutter +to himself that it was a mighty ugly and poverty-stricken place. + +"This field was cleared last winter," said the eagle. + +The boy thought of the harvesters at home, who rode on their reaping +machines on fine summer mornings, and in a short time mowed a large +field. But the forest field was harvested in winter. The lumbermen went +out in the wilderness when the snow was deep, and the cold most severe. +It was tedious work to fell even one tree, and to hew down a forest such +as this they must have been out in the open many weeks. + +"They have to be hardy men to mow a field of this kind," he said. + +When the eagle had taken two more wing strokes, they sighted a log cabin +at the edge of the clearing. It had no windows and only two loose boards +for a door. The roof had been covered with bark and twigs, but now it +was gaping, and the boy could see that inside the cabin there were only +a few big stones to serve as a fireplace, and two board benches. When +they were above the cabin the eagle suspected that the boy was wondering +who could have lived in such a wretched hut as that. + +"The reapers who mowed the forest field lived there," the eagle said. + +The boy remembered how the reapers in his home had returned from their +day's work, cheerful and happy, and how the best his mother had in the +larder was always spread for them; while here, after the arduous work of +the day, they must rest on hard benches in a cabin that was worse than +an outhouse. And what they had to eat he could not imagine. + +"I wonder if there are any harvest festivals for these labourers?" he +questioned. + +A little farther on they saw below them a wretchedly bad road winding +through the forest. It was narrow and zigzag, hilly and stony, and cut +up by brooks in many places. As they flew over it the eagle knew that +the boy was wondering what was carted over a road like that. + +"Over this road the harvest was conveyed to the stack," the eagle said. + +The boy recalled what fun they had at home when the harvest wagons +drawn by two sturdy horses, carried the grain from the field. The man +who drove sat proudly on top of the load; the horses danced and pricked +up their ears, while the village children, who were allowed to climb +upon the sheaves, sat there laughing and shrieking, half-pleased, +half-frightened. But here the great logs were drawn up and down steep +hills; here the poor horses must be worked to their limit, and the +driver must often be in peril. "I'm afraid there has been very little +cheer along this road," the boy observed. + +The eagle flew on with powerful wing strokes, and soon they came to a +river bank covered with logs, chips, and bark. The eagle perceived that +the boy wondered why it looked so littered up down there. + +"Here the harvest has been stacked," the eagle told him. + +The boy thought of how the grain stacks in his part of the country were +piled up close to the farms, as if they were their greatest ornaments, +while here the harvest was borne to a desolate river strand, and left +there. + +"I wonder if any one out in this wilderness counts his stacks, and +compares them with his neighbour's?" he said. + +A little later they came to Ljungen, a river which glides through a +broad valley. Immediately everything was so changed that they might well +think they had come to another country. The dark spruce forest had +stopped on the inclines above the valley, and the slopes were clad in +light-stemmed birches and aspens. The valley was so broad that in many +places the river widened into lakes. Along the shores lay a large +flourishing town. + +As they soared above the valley the eagle realized that the boy was +wondering if the fields and meadows here could provide a livelihood for +so many people. + +"Here live the reapers who mow the forest fields," the eagle said. + +The boy was thinking of the lowly cabins and the hedged-in farms down in +Skåne when he exclaimed: + +"Why, here the peasants live in real manors. It looks as if it might be +worth one's while to work in the forest!" + +The eagle had intended to travel straight north, but when he had flown +out over the river he understood that the boy wondered who handled the +timber after it was stacked on the river bank. + +The boy recollected how careful they had been at home never to let a +grain be wasted, while here were great rafts of logs floating down the +river, uncared for. He could not believe that more than half of the logs +ever reached their destination. Many were floating in midstream, and for +them all went smoothly; others moved close to the shore, bumping against +points of land, and some were left behind in the still waters of the +creeks. On the lakes there were so many logs that they covered the +entire surface of the water. These appeared to be lodged for an +indefinite period. At the bridges they stuck; in the falls they were +bunched, then they were pyramided and broken in two; afterward, in the +rapids, they were blocked by the stones and massed into great heaps. + +"I wonder how long it takes for the logs to get to the mill?" said the +boy. + +The eagle continued his slow flight down River Ljungen. Over many places +he paused in the air on outspread wings, that the boy might see how this +kind of harvest work was done. + +Presently they came to a place where the loggers were at work. The eagle +marked that the boy wondered what they were doing. + +"They are the ones who take care of all the belated harvest," the eagle +said. + +The boy remembered the perfect ease with which his people at home had +driven their grain to the mill. Here the men ran alongside the shores +with long boat-hooks, and with toil and effort urged the logs along. +They waded out in the river and were soaked from top to toe. They jumped +from stone to stone far out into the rapids, and they tramped on the +rolling log heaps as calmly as though they were on flat ground. They +were daring and resolute men. + +"As I watch this, I'm reminded of the iron-moulders in the mining +districts, who juggle with fire as if it were perfectly harmless," +remarked the boy. "These loggers play with water as if they were its +masters. They seem to have subjugated it so that it dare not harm them." + +Gradually they neared the mouth of the river, and Bothnia Bay was beyond +them. Gorgo flew no farther straight ahead, but went northward along the +coast. Before they had travelled very far they saw a lumber camp as +large as a small city. While the eagle circled back and forth above it, +he heard the boy remark that this place looked interesting. + +"Here you have the great lumber camp called Svartvik," the eagle said. + +The boy thought of the mill at home, which stood peacefully embedded in +foliage, and moved its wings very slowly. This mill, where they grind +the forest harvest, stood on the water. + +The mill pond was crowded with logs. One by one the helpers seized them +with their cant-hooks, crowded them into the chutes and hurried them +along to the whirling saws. What happened to the logs inside, the boy +could not see, but he heard loud buzzing and roaring, and from the other +end of the house small cars ran out, loaded with white planks. The cars +ran on shining tracks down to the lumber yard, where the planks were +piled in rows, forming streets--like blocks of houses in a city. In one +place they were building new piles; in another they were pulling down +old ones. These were carried aboard two large vessels which lay waiting +for cargo. The place was alive with workmen, and in the woods, back of +the yard, they had their homes. + +"They'll soon manage to saw up all the forests in Medelpad the way they +work here," said the boy. + +The eagle moved his wings just a little, and carried the boy above +another large camp, very much like the first, with the mill, yard, +wharf, and the homes of the workmen. + +"This is called Kukikenborg," the eagle said. + +He flapped his wings slowly, flew past two big lumber camps, and +approached a large city. When the eagle heard the boy ask the name of +it, he cried; "This is Sundsvall, the manor of the lumber districts." + +The boy remembered the cities of Skåne, which looked so old and gray and +solemn; while here in the bleak North the city of Sundsvall faced a +beautiful bay, and looked young and happy and beaming. There was +something odd about the city when one saw it from above, for in the +middle stood a cluster of tall stone structures which looked so imposing +that their match was hardly to be found in Stockholm. Around the stone +buildings there was a large open space, then came a wreath of frame +houses which looked pretty and cosy in their little gardens; but they +seemed to be conscious of the fact that they were very much poorer than +the stone houses, and dared not venture into their neighbourhood. + +"This must be both a wealthy and powerful city," remarked the boy. "Can +it be possible that the poor forest soil is the source of all this?" + +The eagle flapped his wings again, and went over to Aln Island, which +lies opposite Sundsvall. The boy was greatly surprised to see all the +sawmills that decked the shores. On Aln Island they stood, one next +another, and on the mainland opposite were mill upon mill, lumber yard +upon lumber yard. He counted forty, at least, but believed there were +many more. + +"How wonderful it all looks from up here!" he marvelled. "So much life +and activity I have not seen in any place save this on the whole trip. +It is a great country that we have! Wherever I go, there is always +something new for people to live upon." + + +A MORNING IN ÅNGERMANLAND + + +THE BREAD + +_Saturday, June eighteenth_. + +Next morning, when the eagle had flown some distance into Ångermanland, +he remarked that to-day he was the one who was hungry, and must find +something to eat! He set the boy down in an enormous pine on a high +mountain ridge, and away he flew. + +The boy found a comfortable seat in a cleft branch from which he could +look down over Ångermanland. It was a glorious morning! The sunshine +gilded the treetops; a soft breeze played in the pine needles; the +sweetest fragrance was wafted through the forest; a beautiful landscape +spread before him; and the boy himself was happy and care-free. He felt +that no one could be better off. + +He had a perfect outlook in every direction. The country west of him was +all peaks and table-land, and the farther away they were, the higher and +wilder they looked. To the east there were also many peaks, but these +sank lower and lower toward the sea, where the land became perfectly +flat. Everywhere he saw shining rivers and brooks which were having a +troublesome journey with rapids and falls so long as they ran between +mountains, but spread out clear and broad as they neared the shore of +the coast. Bothnia Bay was dotted with islands and notched with points, +but farther out was open, blue water, like a summer sky. + +When the boy had had enough of the landscape he unloosed his knapsack, +took out a morsel of fine white bread, and began to eat. + +"I don't think I've ever tasted such good bread," said he. "And how much +I have left! There's enough to last me for a couple of days." As he +munched he thought of how he had come by the bread. + +"It must be because I got it in such a nice way that it tastes so good +to me," he said. + +The golden eagle had left Medelpad the evening before. He had hardly +crossed the border into Ångermanland when the boy caught a glimpse of a +fertile valley and a river, which surpassed anything of the kind he had +seen before. + +As the boy glanced down at the rich valley, he complained of feeling +hungry. He had had no food for two whole days, he said, and now he was +famished. Gorgo did not wish to have it said that the boy had fared +worse in his company than when he travelled with the wild geese, so he +slackened his speed. + +"Why haven't you spoken of this before?" he asked. "You shall have all +the food you want. There's no need of your starving when you have an +eagle for a travelling companion." + +Just then the eagle sighted a farmer who was sowing a field near the +river strand. The man carried the seeds in a basket suspended from his +neck, and each time that it was emptied he refilled it from a seed sack +which stood at the end of the furrow. The eagle reasoned it out that the +sack must be filled with the best food that the boy could wish for, so +he darted toward it. But before the bird could get there a terrible +clamour arose about him. Sparrows, crows, and swallows came rushing up +with wild shrieks, thinking that the eagle meant to swoop down upon some +bird. + +"Away, away, robber! Away, away, bird-killer!" they cried. They made +such a racket that it attracted the farmer, who came running, so that +Gorgo had to flee, and the boy got no seed. + +The small birds behaved in the most extraordinary manner. Not only did +they force the eagle to flee, they pursued him a long distance down the +valley, and everywhere the people heard their cries. Women came out and +clapped their hands so that it sounded like a volley of musketry, and +the men rushed out with rifles. + +The same thing was repeated every time the eagle swept toward the +ground. The boy abandoned the hope that the eagle could procure any food +for him. It had never occurred to him before that Gorgo was so much +hated. He almost pitied him. + +In a little while they came to a homestead where the housewife had just +been baking. She had set a platter of sugared buns in the back yard to +cool and was standing beside it, watching, so that the cat and dog +should not steal the buns. + +The eagle circled down to the yard, but dared not alight right under the +eyes of the peasant woman. He flew up and down, irresolute; twice he +came down as far as the chimney, then rose again. + +The peasant woman noticed the eagle. She raised her head and followed +him with her glance. + +"How peculiarly he acts!" she remarked. "I believe he wants one of my +buns." + +She was a beautiful woman, tall and fair, with a cheery, open +countenance. Laughing heartily, she took a bun from the platter, and +held it above her head. + +"If you want it, come and take it!" she challenged. + +While the eagle did not understand her language, he knew at once that +she was offering him the bun. With lightning speed, he swooped to the +bread, snatched it, and flew toward the heights. + +When the boy saw the eagle snatch the bread he wept for joy--not because +he would escape suffering hunger for a few days, but because he was +touched by the peasant woman's sharing her bread with a savage bird of +prey. + +Where he now sat on the pine branch he could recall at will the tall, +fair woman as she stood in the yard and held up the bread. + +She must have known that the large bird was a golden eagle--a plunderer, +who was usually welcomed with loud shots; doubtless she had also seen +the queer changeling he bore on his back. But she had not thought of +what they were. As soon as she understood that they were hungry, she +shared her good bread with them. + +"If I ever become human again," thought the boy, "I shall look up the +pretty woman who lives near the great river, and thank her for her +kindness to us." + +THE FOREST FIRE + +While the boy was still at his breakfast he smelled a faint odour of +smoke coming from the north. He turned and saw a tiny spiral, white as a +mist, rise from a forest ridge--not from the one nearest him, but from +the one beyond it. It looked strange to see smoke in the wild forest, +but it might be that a mountain stock farm lay over yonder, and the +women were boiling their morning coffee. + +It was remarkable the way that smoke increased and spread! It could not +come from a ranch, but perhaps there were charcoal kilns in the forest. + +The smoke increased every moment. Now it curled over the whole mountain +top. It was not possible that so much smoke could come from a charcoal +kiln. There must be a conflagration of some sort, for many birds flew +over to the nearest ridge. Hawks, grouse, and other birds, who were so +small that it was impossible to recognize them at such a distance, fled +from the fire. + +The tiny white spiral of smoke grew to a thick white cloud which rolled +over the edge of the ridge and sank toward the valley. Sparks and flakes +of soot shot up from the clouds, and here and there one could see a red +flame in the smoke. A big fire was raging over there, but what was +burning? Surely there was no large farm hidden in the forest. + +The source of such a fire must be more than a farm. Now the smoke came +not only from the ridge, but from the valley below it, which the boy +could not see, because the next ridge obstructed his view. Great clouds +of smoke ascended; the forest itself was burning! + +It was difficult for him to grasp the idea that the fresh, green pines +could burn. If it really were the forest that was burning, perhaps the +fire might spread all the way over to him. It seemed improbable; but he +wished the eagle would soon return. It would be best to be away from +this. The mere smell of the smoke which he drew in with every breath was +a torture. + +All at once he heard a terrible crackling and sputtering. It came from +the ridge nearest him. There, on the highest point, stood a tall pine +like the one in which he sat. A moment before it had been a gorgeous red +in the morning light. Now all the needles flashed, and the pine caught +fire. Never before had it looked so beautiful! But this was the last +time it could exhibit any beauty, for the pine was the first tree on the +ridge to burn. It was impossible to tell how the flames had reached it. +Had the fire flown on red wings, or crawled along the ground like a +snake? It was not easy to say, but there it was at all events. The great +pine burned like a birch stem. + +Ah, look! Now smoke curled up in many places on the ridge. The forest +fire was both bird and snake. It could fly in the air over wide +stretches, or steal along the ground. The whole ridge was ablaze! + +There was a hasty flight of birds that circled up through the smoke like +big flakes of soot. They flew across the valley and came to the ridge +where the boy sat. A horned owl perched beside him, and on a branch just +above him a hen hawk alighted. These would have been dangerous +neighbours at any other time, but now they did not even glance in his +direction--only stared at the fire. Probably they could not make out +what was wrong with the forest. A marten ran up the pine to the tip of a +branch, and looked at the burning heights. Close beside the marten sat a +squirrel, but they did not appear to notice each other. + +Now the fire came rushing down the slope, hissing and roaring like a +tornado. Through the smoke one could see the flames dart from tree to +tree. Before a branch caught fire it was first enveloped in a thin veil +of smoke, then all the needles grew red at one time, and it began to +crackle and blaze. + +In the glen below ran a little brook, bordered by elms and small +birches. It appeared as if the flames would halt there. Leafy trees are +not so ready to take fire as fir trees. The fire did pause as if before +a gate that could stop it. It glowed and crackled and tried to leap +across the brook to the pine woods on the other side, but could not +reach them. + +For a short time the fire was thus restrained, then it shot a long +flame over to the large, dry pine that stood on the slope, and this was +soon ablaze. The fire had crossed the brook! The heat was so intense +that every tree on the mountain was ready to burn. With the roar and +rush of the maddest storm and the wildest torrent the forest fire flew +over to the ridge. + +Then the hawk and the owl rose and the marten dashed down the tree. In a +few seconds more the fire would reach the top of the pine, and the boy, +too, would have to be moving. It was not easy to slide down the long, +straight pine trunk. He took as firm a hold of it as he could, and slid +in long stretches between the knotty branches; finally he tumbled +headlong to the ground. He had no time to find out if he was hurt--only +to hurry away. The fire raced down the pine like a raging tempest; the +ground under his feet was hot and smouldering. On either side of him ran +a lynx and an adder, and right beside the snake fluttered a mother +grouse who was hurrying along with her little downy chicks. + +When the refugees descended the mountain to the glen they met people +fighting the fire. They had been there for some time, but the boy had +been gazing so intently in the direction of the fire that he had not +noticed them before. + +In this glen there was a brook, bordered by a row of leaf trees, and +back of these trees the people worked. They felled the fir trees nearest +the elms, dipped water from the brook and poured it over the ground, +washing away heather and myrtle to prevent the fire from stealing up to +the birch brush. + +They, too, thought only of the fire which was now rushing toward them. +The fleeing animals ran in and out among the men's feet, without +attracting attention. No one struck at the adder or tried to catch the +mother grouse as she ran back and forth with her little peeping +birdlings. They did not even bother about Thumbietot. In their hands +they held great, charred pine branches which had dropped into the brook, +and it appeared as if they intended to challenge the fire with these +weapons. There were not many men, and it was strange to see them stand +there, ready to fight, when all other living creatures were fleeing. + +As the fire came roaring and rushing down the slope with its intolerable +heat and suffocating smoke, ready to hurl itself over brook and +leaf-tree wall in order to reach the opposite shore without having to +pause, the people drew back at first as if unable to withstand it; but +they did not flee far before they turned back. + +The conflagration raged with savage force, sparks poured like a rain of +fire over the leaf trees, and long tongues of flame shot hissingly out +from the smoke, as if the forest on the other side were sucking them in. + +But the leaf-tree wall was an obstruction behind which the men worked. +When the ground began to smoulder they brought water in their vessels +and dampened it. When a tree became wreathed in smoke they felled it at +once, threw it down and put out the flames. Where the fire crept along +the heather, they beat it with the wet pine branches and smothered it. + +The smoke was so dense that it enveloped everything. One could not +possibly see how the battle was going, but it was easy enough to +understand that it was a hard fight, and that several times the fire +came near penetrating farther. + +But think! After a while the loud roar of the flames decreased, and the +smoke cleared. By that time the leaf trees had lost all their foliage, +the ground under them was charred, the faces of the men were blackened +by smoke and dripping with sweat; but the forest fire was conquered. It +had ceased to flame up. Soft white smoke crept along the ground, and +from it peeped out a lot of black stumps. This was all there was left of +the beautiful forest! + +The boy scrambled up on a rock, so that he might see how the fire had +been quenched. But now that the forest was saved, his peril began. The +owl and the hawk simultaneously turned their eyes toward him. Just then +he heard a familiar voice calling to him. + +Gorgo, the golden eagle, came sweeping through the forest, and soon the +boy was soaring among the clouds--rescued from every peril. + + +WESTBOTTOM AND LAPLAND + + +THE FIVE SCOUTS + +Once, at Skansen, the boy had sat under the steps at Bollnäs cottage and +had overheard Clement Larsson and the old Laplander talk about Norrland. +Both agreed that it was the most beautiful part of Sweden. Clement +thought that the southern part was the best, while the Laplander +favoured the northern part. + +As they argued, it became plain that Clement had never been farther +north than Härnösand. The Laplander laughed at him for speaking with +such assurance of places that he had never seen. + +"I think I shall have to tell you a story, Clement, to give you some +idea of Lapland, since you have not seen it," volunteered the Laplander. + +"It shall not be said of me that I refuse to listen to a story," +retorted Clement, and the old Laplander began: + +"It once happened that the birds who lived down in Sweden, south of the +great Saméland, thought that they were overcrowded there and suggested +moving northward. + +"They came together to consider the matter. The young and eager birds +wished to start at once, but the older and wiser ones passed a +resolution to send scouts to explore the new country. + +"'Let each of the five great bird families send out a scout,' said the +old and wise birds, 'to learn if there is room for us all up there--food +and hiding places.' + +"Five intelligent and capable birds were immediately appointed by the +five great bird families. + +"The forest birds selected a grouse, the field birds a lark, the sea +birds a gull, the fresh-water birds a loon, and the cliff birds a snow +sparrow. + +"When the five chosen ones were ready to start, the grouse, who was the +largest and most commanding, said: + +"'There are great stretches of land ahead. If we travel together, it +will be long before we cover all the territory that we must explore. If, +on the other hand, we travel singly--each one exploring his special +portion of the country--the whole business can be accomplished in a few +days.' + +"The other scouts thought the suggestion a good one, and agreed to act +upon it. + +"It was decided that the grouse should explore the midlands. The lark +was to travel to the eastward, the sea gull still farther east, where +the land bordered on the sea, while the loon should fly over the +territory west of the midlands, and the snow sparrow to the extreme +west. + +"In accordance with this plan, the five birds flew over the whole +Northland. Then they turned back and told the assembly of birds what +they had discovered. + +"The gull, who had travelled along the sea-coast, spoke first. + +"'The North is a fine country,' he said. 'The sounds are full of fish, +and there are points and islands without number. Most of these are +uninhabited, and the birds will find plenty of room there. The humans +do a little fishing and sailing in the sounds, but not enough to disturb +the birds. If the sea birds follow my advice, they will move north +immediately.' + +"When the gull had finished, the lark, who had explored the land back +from the coast, spoke: + +"'I don't know what the gull means by his islands and points,' said the +lark. I have travelled only over great fields and flowery meadows. I +have never before seen a country crossed by some large streams. Their +shores are dotted with homesteads, and at the mouth of the rivers are +cities; but for the most part the country is very desolate. If the field +birds follow my advice, they will move north immediately.' + +"After the lark came the grouse, who had flown over the midlands. + +"'I know neither what the lark means with his meadows nor the gull with +his islands and points,' said he. 'I have seen only pine forests on this +whole trip. There are also many rushing streams and great stretches of +moss-grown swamp land; but all that is not river or swamp is forest. If +the forest birds follow my advice, they will move north immediately.' + +"After the grouse came the loon, who had explored the borderland to the +west. + +"I don't know what the grouse means by his forests, nor do I know where +the eyes of the lark and the gull could have been,' remarked the loon. +There's hardly any land up there--only big lakes. Between beautiful +shores glisten clear, blue mountain lakes, which pour into roaring +water-falls. If the fresh-water birds follow my advice, they will move +north immediately.' + +"The last speaker was the snow sparrow, who had flown along the western +boundary. + +"'I don't know what the loon means by his lakes, nor do I know what +countries the grouse, the lark, and the gull can have seen,' he said. 'I +found one vast mountainous region up north. I didn't run across any +fields or any pine forests, but peak after peak and highlands. I have +seen ice fields and snow and mountain brooks, with water as white as +milk. No farmers nor cattle nor homesteads have I seen, but only Lapps +and reindeer and huts met my eyes. If the cliff birds follow my advice, +they will move north immediately.' + +"When the five scouts had presented their reports to the assembly, they +began to call one another liars, and were ready to fly at each other to +prove the truth of their arguments. + +"But the old and wise birds who had sent them out, listened to their +accounts with joy, and calmed their fighting propensities. + +"'You mustn't quarrel among yourselves,' they said. 'We understand from +your reports that up north there are large mountain tracts, a big lake +region, great forest lands, a wide plain, and a big group of islands. +This is more than we have expected--more than many a mighty kingdom can +boast within its borders.'" + +THE MOVING LANDSCAPE + +_Saturday, June eighteenth_. + +The boy had been reminded of the old Laplander's story because he +himself was now travelling over the country of which he had spoken. The +eagle told him that the expanse of coast which spread beneath them was +Westbottom, and that the blue ridges far to the west were in Lapland. + +Only to be once more seated comfortably on Gorgo's back, after all that +he had suffered during the forest fire, was a pleasure. Besides, they +were having a fine trip. The flight was so easy that at times it seemed +as if they were standing still in the air. The eagle beat and beat his +wings, without appearing to move from the spot; on the other hand, +everything under them seemed in motion. The whole earth and all things +on it moved slowly southward. The forests, the fields, the fences, the +rivers, the cities, the islands, the sawmills--all were on the march. +The boy wondered whither they were bound. Had they grown tired of +standing so far north, and wished to move toward the south? + +Amid all the objects in motion there was only one that stood still: that +was a railway train. It stood directly under them, for it was with the +train as with Gorgo--it could not move from the spot. The locomotive +sent forth smoke and sparks. The clatter of the wheels could be heard +all the way up to the boy, but the train did not seem to move. The +forests rushed by; the flag station rushed by; fences and telegraph +poles rushed by; but the train stood still. A broad river with a long +bridge came toward it, but the river and the bridge glided along under +the train with perfect ease. Finally a railway station appeared. The +station master stood on the platform with his red flag, and moved slowly +toward the train. + +When he waved his little flag, the locomotive belched even darker smoke +curls than before, and whistled mournfully because it had to stand +still. All of a sudden it began to move toward the south, like +everything else. + +The boy saw all the coach doors open and the passengers step out while +both cars and people were moving southward. + +He glanced away from the earth and tried to look straight ahead. Staring +at the queer railway train had made him dizzy; but after he had gazed +for a moment at a little white cloud, he was tired of that and looked +down again--thinking all the while that the eagle and himself were quite +still and that everything else was travelling on south. Fancy! Suppose +the grain field just then running along under him--which must have been +newly sown for he had seen a green blade on it--were to travel all the +way down to Skåne where the rye was in full bloom at this season! + +Up here the pine forests were different: the trees were bare, the +branches short and the needles were almost black. Many trees were bald +at the top and looked sickly. If a forest like that were to journey down +to Kolmården and see a real forest, how inferior it would feel! + +The gardens which he now saw had some pretty bushes, but no fruit trees +or lindens or chestnut trees--only mountain ash and birch. There were +some vegetable beds, but they were not as yet hoed or planted. + +"If such an apology for a garden were to come trailing into Sörmland, +the province of gardens, wouldn't it think itself a poor wilderness by +comparison?" + +Imagine an immense plain like the one now gliding beneath him, coming +under the very eyes of the poor Småland peasants! They would hurry away +from their meagre garden plots and stony fields, to begin plowing and +sowing. + +There was one thing, however, of which this Northland had more than +other lands, and that was light. Night must have set in, for the cranes +stood sleeping on the morass; but it was as light as day. The sun had +not travelled southward, like every other thing. Instead, it had gone so +far north that it shone in the boy's face. To all appearance, it had no +notion of setting that night. + +If this light and this sun were only shining on West Vemmenhög! It would +suit the boy's father and mother to a dot to have a working day that +lasted twenty-four hours. + +_Sunday, June nineteenth_. + +The boy raised his head and looked around, perfectly bewildered. It was +mighty queer! Here he lay sleeping in some place where he had not been +before. No, he had never seen this glen nor the mountains round about; +and never had he noticed such puny and shrunken birches as those under +which he now lay. + +Where was the eagle? The boy could see no sign of him. Gorgo must have +deserted him. Well, here was another adventure! + +The boy lay down again, closed his eyes, and tried to recall the +circumstances under which he had dropped to sleep. + +He remembered that as long as he was travelling over Westbottom he had +fancied that the eagle and he were at a standstill in the air, and that +the land under them was moving southward. As the eagle turned northwest, +the wind had come from that side, and again he had felt a current of +air, so that the land below had stopped moving and he had noticed that +the eagle was bearing him onward with terrific speed. + +"Now we are flying into Lapland," Gorgo had said, and the boy had bent +forward, so that he might see the country of which he had heard so much. + +But he had felt rather disappointed at not seeing anything but great +tracts of forest land and wide marshes. Forest followed marsh and marsh +followed forest. The monotony of the whole finally made him so sleepy +that he had nearly dropped to the ground. + +He said to the eagle that he could not stay on his back another minute, +but must sleep awhile. Gorgo had promptly swooped to the ground, where +the boy had dropped down on a moss tuft. Then Gorgo put a talon around +him and soared into the air with him again. + +"Go to sleep, Thumbietot!" he cried. "The sunshine keeps me awake and I +want to continue the journey." + +Although the boy hung in this uncomfortable position, he actually dozed +and dreamed. + +He dreamed that he was on a broad road in southern Sweden, hurrying +along as fast as his little legs could carry him. He was not alone, many +wayfarers were tramping in the same direction. Close beside him marched +grain-filled rye blades, blossoming corn flowers, and yellow daisies. +Heavily laden apple trees went puffing along, followed by vine-covered +bean stalks, big clusters of white daisies, and masses of berry bushes. +Tall beeches and oaks and lindens strolled leisurely in the middle of +the road, their branches swaying, and they stepped aside for none. +Between the boy's tiny feet darted the little flowers--wild strawberry +blossoms, white anemones, clover, and forget-me-nots. At first he +thought that only the vegetable family was on the march, but presently +he saw that animals and people accompanied them. The insects were +buzzing around advancing bushes, the fishes were swimming in moving +ditches, the birds were singing in strolling trees. Both tame and wild +beasts were racing, and amongst all this people moved along--some with +spades and scythes, others with axes, and others, again, with fishing +nets. + +The procession marched with gladness and gayety, and he did not wonder +at that when he saw who was leading it. It was nothing less than the Sun +itself that rolled on like a great shining head with hair of many-hued +rays and a countenance beaming with merriment and kindliness! + +"Forward, march!" it kept calling out. "None need feel anxious whilst I +am here. Forward, march!" + +"I wonder where the Sun wants to take us to?" remarked the boy. A rye +blade that walked beside him heard him, and immediately answered: + +"He wants to take us up to Lapland to fight the Ice Witch." + +Presently the boy noticed that some of the travellers hesitated, slowed +up, and finally stood quite still. He saw that the tall beech tree +stopped, and that the roebuck and the wheat blade tarried by the +wayside, likewise the blackberry bush, the little yellow buttercup, the +chestnut tree, and the grouse. + +He glanced about him and tried to reason out why so many stopped. Then +he discovered that they were no longer in southern Sweden. The march had +been so rapid that they were already in Svealand. + +Up there the oak began to move more cautiously. It paused awhile to +consider, took a few faltering steps, then came to a standstill. + +"Why doesn't the oak come along?" asked the boy. + +"It's afraid of the Ice Witch," said a fair young birch that tripped +along so boldly and cheerfully that it was a joy to watch it. The crowd +hurried on as before. In a short time they were in Norrland, and now it +mattered not how much the Sun cried and coaxed--the apple tree stopped, +the cherry tree stopped, the rye blade stopped! + +The boy turned to them and asked: + +"Why don't you come along? Why do you desert the Sun?" + +"We dare not! We're afraid of the Ice Witch, who lives in Lapland," they +answered. + +The boy comprehended that they were far north, as the procession grew +thinner and thinner. The rye blade, the barley, the wild strawberry, the +blueberry bush, the pea stalk, the currant bush had come along as far as +this. The elk and the domestic cow had been walking side by side, but +now they stopped. The Sun no doubt would have been almost deserted if +new followers had not happened along. Osier bushes and a lot of brushy +vegetation joined the procession. Laps and reindeer, mountain owl and +mountain fox and willow grouse followed. + +Then the boy heard something coming toward them. He saw great rivers and +creeks sweeping along with terrible force. + +"Why are they in such a hurry?" he asked. + +"They are running away from the Ice Witch, who lives up in the +mountains." + +All of a sudden the boy saw before him a high, dark, turreted wall. +Instantly the Sun turned its beaming face toward this wall and flooded +it with light. Then it became apparent that it was no wall, but the most +glorious mountains, which loomed up--one behind another. Their peaks +were rose-coloured in the sunlight, their slopes azure and gold-tinted. + +"Onward, onward!" urged the Sun as it climbed the steep cliffs. "There's +no danger so long as I am with you." + +But half way up, the bold young birch deserted--also the sturdy pine and +the persistent spruce, and there, too, the Laplander, and the willow +brush deserted. At last, when the Sun reached the top, there was no one +but the little tot, Nils Holgersson, who had followed it. + +The Sun rolled into a cave, where the walls were bedecked with ice, and +Nils Holgersson wanted to follow, but farther than the opening of the +cave he dared not venture, for in there he saw something dreadful. + +Far back in the cave sat an old witch with an ice body, hair of icicles, +and a mantle of snow! + +At her feet lay three black wolves, who rose and opened their jaws when +the Sun approached. From the mouth of one came a piercing cold, from the +second a blustering north wind, and from the third came impenetrable +darkness. + +"That must be the Ice Witch and her tribe," thought the boy. + +He understood that now was the time for him to flee, but he was so +curious to see the outcome of the meeting between the Sun and the Ice +Witch that he tarried. + +The Ice Witch did not move--only turned her hideous face toward the Sun. +This continued for a short time. It appeared to the boy that the witch +was beginning to sigh and tremble. Her snow mantle fell, and the three +ferocious wolves howled less savagely. + +Suddenly the Sun cried: + +"Now my time is up!" and rolled out of the cave. + +Then the Ice Witch let loose her three wolves. Instantly the North Wind, +Cold, and Darkness rushed from the cave and began to chase the Sun. + +"Drive him out! Drive him back!" shrieked the Ice Witch. "Chase him so +far that he can never come back! Teach him that Lapland is MINE!" + +But Nils Holgersson felt so unhappy when he saw that the Sun was to be +driven from Lapland that he awakened with a cry. When he recovered his +senses, he found himself at the bottom of a ravine. + +But where was Gorgo? How was he to find out where he himself was? + +He arose and looked all around him. Then he happened to glance upward +and saw a peculiar structure of pine twigs and branches that stood on a +cliff-ledge. + +"That must be one of those eagle nests that Gorgo--" But this was as far +as he got. He tore off his cap, waved it in the air, and cheered. + +Now he understood where Gorgo had brought him. This was the very glen +where the wild geese lived in summer, and just above it was the eagles' +cliff. + +HE HAD ARRIVED! + +He would meet Morten Goosey-Gander and Akka and all the other comrades +in a few moments. Hurrah! + +THE MEETING + +All was still in the glen. The sun had not yet stepped above the cliffs, +and Nils Holgersson knew that it was too early in the morning for the +geese to be awake. + +The boy walked along leisurely and searched for his friends. Before he +had gone very far, he paused with a smile, for he saw such a pretty +sight. A wild goose was sleeping in a neat little nest, and beside her +stood her goosey-gander. He too, slept, but it was obvious that he had +stationed himself thus near her that he might be on hand in the possible +event of danger. + +The boy went on without disturbing them and peeped into the willow brush +that covered the ground. It was not long before he spied another goose +couple. These were strangers, not of his flock, but he was so happy that +he began to hum--just because he had come across wild geese. + +He peeped into another bit of brushwood. There at last he saw two that +were familiar. + +It was certainly Neljä that was nesting there, and the goosey-gander +who stood beside her was surely Kolme. Why, of course! The boy had a +good mind to awaken them, but he let them sleep on, and walked away. + +In the next brush he saw Viisi and Kuusi, and not far from them he found +Yksi and Kaksi. All four were asleep, and the boy passed by without +disturbing them. As he approached the next brush, he thought he saw +something white shimmering among the bushes, and the heart of him +thumped with joy. Yes, it was as he expected. In there sat the dainty +Dunfin on an egg-filled nest. Beside her stood her white goosey-gander. +Although he slept, it was easy to see how proud he was to watch over his +wife up here among the Lapland mountains. The boy did not care to waken +the goosey-gander, so he walked on. + +He had to seek a long time before he came across any more wild geese. +Finally, he saw on a little hillock something that resembled a small, +gray moss tuft, and he knew that there was Akka from Kebnekaise. She +stood, wide awake, looking about as if she were keeping watch over the +whole glen. + +"Good morning, Mother Akka!" said the boy. "Please don't waken the other +geese yet awhile, for I wish to speak with you in private." + +The old leader-goose came rushing down the hill and up to the boy. + +First she seized hold of him and shook him, then she stroked him with +her bill before she shook him again. But she did not say a word, since +he asked her not to waken the others. + +Thumbietot kissed old Mother Akka on both cheeks, then he told her how +he had been carried off to Skansen and held captive there. + +"Now I must tell you that Smirre Fox, short of an ear, sat imprisoned in +the foxes' cage at Skansen," said the boy. "Although he was very mean to +us, I couldn't help feeling sorry for him. There were many other foxes +in the cage; and they seemed quite contented there, but Smirre sat all +the while looking dejected, longing for liberty. + +"I made many good friends at Skansen, and I learned one day from the +Lapp dog that a man had come to Skansen to buy foxes. He was from some +island far out in the ocean. All the foxes had been exterminated there, +and the rats were about to get the better of the inhabitants, so they +wished the foxes back again. + +"As soon as I learned of this, I went to Smirre's cage and said to him: + +"'To-morrow some men are coming here to get a pair of foxes. Don't hide, +Smirre, but keep well in the foreground and see to it that you are +chosen. Then you'll be free again.' + +"He followed my suggestion, and now he is running at large on the +island. What say you to this, Mother Akka? If you had been in my place, +would you not have done likewise?" + +"You have acted in a way that makes me wish I had done that myself," +said the leader-goose proudly. + +"It's a relief to know that you approve," said the boy. "Now there is +one thing more I wish to ask you about: + +"One day I happened to see Gorgo, the eagle--the one that fought with +Morten Goosey-Gander--a prisoner at Skansen. He was in the eagles' cage +and looked pitifully forlorn. I was thinking of filing down the wire +roof over him and letting him out, but I also thought of his being a +dangerous robber and bird-eater, and wondered if I should be doing right +in letting loose such a plunderer, and if it were not better, perhaps, +to let him stay where he was. What say you, Mother Akka? Was it right +to think thus?" + +"No, it was not right!" retorted Akka. "Say what you will about the +eagles, they are proud birds and greater lovers of freedom than all +others. It is not right to keep them in captivity. Do you know what I +would suggest? This: that, as soon as you are well rested, we two make +the trip together to the big bird prison, and liberate Gorgo." + +"That is just the word I was expecting from you, Mother Akka," returned +the boy eagerly. + +"There are those who say that you no longer have any love in your heart +for the one you reared so tenderly, because he lives as eagles must +live. But I know now that it isn't true. And now I want to see if +Morten Goosey-Gander is awake. + +"Meanwhile, if you wish to say a 'thank you' to the one who brought me +here to you, I think you'll find him up there on the cliff ledge, where +once you found a helpless eaglet." + + +OSA, THE GOOSE GIRL, AND LITTLE MATS + + +The year that Nils Holgersson travelled with the wild geese everybody +was talking about two little children, a boy and a girl, who tramped +through the country. They were from Sunnerbo township, in Småland, and +had once lived with their parents and four brothers and sisters in a +little cabin on the heath. + +While the two children, Osa and Mats, were still small, a poor, homeless +woman came to their cabin one night and begged for shelter. Although the +place could hardly hold the family, she was taken in and the mother +spread a bed for her on the floor. In the night she coughed so hard that +the children fancied the house shook. By morning she was too ill to +continue her wanderings. The children's father and mother were as kind +to her as could be. They gave up their bed to her and slept on the +floor, while the father went to the doctor and brought her medicine. + +The first few days the sick woman behaved like a savage; she demanded +constant attention and never uttered a word of thanks. Later she became +more subdued and finally begged to be carried out to the heath and left +there to die. + +When her hosts would not hear of this, she told them that the last few +years she had roamed about with a band of gipsies. She herself was not +of gipsy blood, but was the daughter of a well-to-do farmer. She had run +away from home and gone with the nomads. She believed that a gipsy woman +who was angry at her had brought this sickness upon her. Nor was that +all: The gipsy woman had also cursed her, saying that all who took her +under their roof or were kind to her should suffer a like fate. She +believed this, and therefore begged them to cast her out of the house +and never to see her again. She did not want to bring misfortune down +upon such good people. But the peasants refused to do her bidding. It +was quite possible that they were alarmed, but they were not the kind of +folk who could turn out a poor, sick person. + +Soon after that she died, and then along came the misfortunes. Before, +there had never been anything but happiness in that cabin. Its inmates +were poor, yet not so very poor. The father was a maker of weavers' +combs, and mother and children helped him with the work. Father made the +frames, mother and the older children did the binding, while the smaller +ones planed the teeth and cut them out. They worked from morning until +night, but the time passed pleasantly, especially when father talked of +the days when he travelled about in foreign lands and sold weavers' +combs. Father was so jolly that sometimes mother and the children would +laugh until their sides ached at his funny quips and jokes. + +The weeks following the death of the poor vagabond woman lingered in the +minds of the children like a horrible nightmare. They knew not if the +time had been long or short, but they remembered that they were always +having funerals at home. One after another they lost their brothers and +sisters. At last it was very still and sad in the cabin. + +The mother kept up some measure of courage, but the father was not a bit +like himself. He could no longer work nor jest, but sat from morning +till night, his head buried in his hands, and only brooded. + +Once--that was after the third burial--the father had broken out into +wild talk, which frightened the children. He said that he could not +understand why such misfortunes should come upon them. They had done a +kindly thing in helping the sick woman. Could it be true, then, that the +evil in this world was more powerful than the good? + +The mother tried to reason with him, but she was unable to soothe him. + +A few days later the eldest was stricken. She had always been the +father's favourite, so when he realized that she, too, must go, he fled +from all the misery. The mother never said anything, but she thought it +was best for him to be away, as she feared that he might lose his +reason. He had brooded too long over this one idea: that God had allowed +a wicked person to bring about so much evil. + +After the father went away they became very poor. For awhile he sent +them money, but afterward things must have gone badly with him, for no +more came. + +The day of the eldest daughter's burial the mother closed the cabin and +left home with the two remaining children, Osa and Mats. She went down +to Skåne to work in the beet fields, and found a place at the Jordberga +sugar refinery. She was a good worker and had a cheerful and generous +nature. Everybody liked her. Many were astonished because she could be +so calm after all that she had passed through, but the mother was very +strong and patient. When any one spoke to her of her two sturdy +children, she only said: "I shall soon lose them also," without a quaver +in her voice or a tear in her eye. She had accustomed herself to expect +nothing else. + +But it did not turn out as she feared. Instead, the sickness came upon +herself. She had gone to Skane in the beginning of summer; before autumn +she was gone, and the children were left alone. + +While their mother was ill she had often said to the children they must +remember that she never regretted having let the sick woman stop with +them. It was not hard to die when one had done right, she said, for then +one could go with a clear conscience. + +Before the mother passed away, she tried to make some provision for her +children. She asked the people with whom she lived to let them remain in +the room which she had occupied. If the children only had a shelter they +would not become a burden to any one. She knew that they could take care +of themselves. + +Osa and Mats were allowed to keep the room on condition that they would +tend the geese, as it was always hard to find children willing to do +that work. It turned out as the mother expected: they did maintain +themselves. The girl made candy, and the boy carved wooden toys, which +they sold at the farm houses. They had a talent for trading and soon +began buying eggs and butter from the farmers, which they sold to the +workers at the sugar refinery. Osa was the older, and, by the time she +was thirteen, she was as responsible as a grown woman. She was quiet and +serious, while Mats was lively and talkative. His sister used to say to +him that he could outcackle the geese. + +When the children had been at Jordberga for two years, there was a +lecture given one evening at the schoolhouse. Evidently it was meant for +grown-ups, but the two Småland children were in the audience. They did +not regard themselves as children, and few persons thought of them as +such. The lecturer talked about the dread disease called the White +Plague, which every year carried off so many people in Sweden. He spoke +very plainly and the children understood every word. + +After the lecture they waited outside the schoolhouse. When the lecturer +came out they took hold of hands and walked gravely up to him, asking if +they might speak to him. + +The stranger must have wondered at the two rosy, baby-faced children +standing there talking with an earnestness more in keeping with people +thrice their age; but he listened graciously to them. They related what +had happened in their home, and asked the lecturer if he thought their +mother and their sisters and brothers had died of the sickness he had +described. + +"Very likely," he answered. "It could hardly have been any other +disease." + +If only the mother and father had known what the children learned that +evening, they might have protected themselves. If they had burned the +clothing of the vagabond woman; if they had scoured and aired the cabin +and had not used the old bedding, all whom the children mourned might +have been living yet. The lecturer said he could not say positively, but +he believed that none of their dear ones would have been sick had they +understood how to guard against the infection. + +Osa and Mats waited awhile before putting the next question, for that +was the most important of all. It was not true then that the gipsy woman +had sent the sickness because they had befriended the one with whom she +was angry. It was not something special that had stricken only them. The +lecturer assured them that no person had the power to bring sickness +upon another in that way. + +Thereupon the children thanked him and went to their room. They talked +until late that night. + +The next day they gave notice that they could not tend geese another +year, but must go elsewhere. Where were they going? Why, to try to find +their father. They must tell him that their mother and the other +children had died of a common ailment and not something special brought +upon them by an angry person. They were very glad that they had found +out about this. Now it was their duty to tell their father of it, for +probably he was still trying to solve the mystery. + +Osa and Mats set out for their old home on the heath. When they arrived +they were shocked to find the little cabin in flames. They went to the +parsonage and there they learned that a railroad workman had seen their +father at Malmberget, far up in Lapland. He had been working in a mine +and possibly was still there. When the clergyman heard that the children +wanted to go in search of their father he brought forth a map and showed +them how far it was to Malmberget and tried to dissuade them from making +the journey, but the children insisted that they must find their father. +He had left home believing something that was not true. They must find +him and tell him that it was all a mistake. + +They did not want to spend their little savings buying railway tickets, +therefore they decided to go all the way on foot, which they never +regretted, as it proved to be a remarkably beautiful journey. + +Before they were out of Småland, they stopped at a farm house to buy +food. The housewife was a kind, motherly soul who took an interest in +the children. She asked them who they were and where they came from, and +they told her their story. "Dear, dear! Dear, dear!" she interpolated +time and again when they were speaking. Later she petted the children +and stuffed them with all kinds of goodies, for which she would not +accept a penny. When they rose to thank her and go, the woman asked them +to stop at her brother's farm in the next township. Of course the +children were delighted. + +"Give him my greetings and tell him what has happened to you," said the +peasant woman. + +This the children did and were well treated. From every farm after that +it was always: "If you happen to go in such and such a direction, stop +there or there and tell them what has happened to you." + +In every farm house to which they were sent there was always a +consumptive. So Osa and Mats went through the country unconsciously +teaching the people how to combat that dreadful disease. + +Long, long ago, when the black plague was ravaging the country, 'twas +said that a boy and a girl were seen wandering from house to house. The +boy carried a rake, and if he stopped and raked in front of a house, it +meant that there many should die, but not all; for the rake has coarse +teeth and does not take everything with it. The girl carried a broom, +and if she came along and swept before a door, it meant that all who +lived within must die; for the broom is an implement that makes a clean +sweep. + +It seems quite remarkable that in our time two children should wander +through the land because of a cruel sickness. But these children did not +frighten people with the rake and the broom. They said rather: "We will +not content ourselves with merely raking the yard and sweeping the +floors, we will use mop and brush, water and soap. We will keep clean +inside and outside of the door and we ourselves will be clean in both +mind and body. In this way we will conquer the sickness." + +One day, while still in Lapland, Akka took the boy to Malmberget, where +they discovered little Mats lying unconscious at the mouth of the pit. +He and Osa had arrived there a short time before. That morning he had +been roaming about, hoping to come across his father. He had ventured +too near the shaft and been hurt by flying rocks after the setting off +of a blast. + +Thumbietot ran to the edge of the shaft and called down to the miners +that a little boy was injured. + +Immediately a number of labourers came rushing up to little Mats. Two of +them carried him to the hut where he and Osa were staying. They did all +they could to save him, but it was too late. + +Thumbietot felt so sorry for poor Osa. He wanted to help and comfort +her; but he knew that if he were to go to her now, he would only +frighten her--such as he was! + +The night after the burial of little Mats, Osa straightway shut herself +in her hut. + +She sat alone recalling, one after another, things her brother had said +and done. There was so much to think about that she did not go straight +to bed, but sat up most of the night. The more she thought of her +brother the more she realized how hard it would be to live without him. +At last she dropped her head on the table and wept. + +"What shall I do now that little Mats is gone?" she sobbed. + +It was far along toward morning and Osa, spent by the strain of her hard +day, finally fell asleep. + +She dreamed that little Mats softly opened the door and stepped into the +room. + +"Osa, you must go and find father," he said. + +"How can I when I don't even know where he is?" she replied in her +dream. + +"Don't worry about that," returned little Mats in his usual, cheery way. +"I'll send some one to help you." + +Just as Osa, the goose girl, dreamed that little Mats had said this, +there was a knock at the door. It was a real knock--not something she +heard in the dream, but she was so held by the dream that she could not +tell the real from the unreal. As she went on to open the door, she +thought: + +"This must be the person little Mats promised to send me." + +She was right, for it was Thumbietot come to talk to her about her +father. + +When he saw that she was not afraid of him, he told her in a few words +where her father was and how to reach him. + +While he was speaking, Osa, the goose girl, gradually regained +consciousness; when he had finished she was wide awake. + +Then she was so terrified at the thought of talking with an elf that she +could not say thank you or anything else, but quickly shut the door. + +As she did that she thought she saw an expression of pain flash across +the elf's face, but she could not help what she did, for she was beside +herself with fright. She crept into bed as quickly as she could and drew +the covers over her head. + +Although she was afraid of the elf, she had a feeling that he meant well +by her. So the next day she made haste to do as he had told her. + + +WITH THE LAPLANDERS + + +One afternoon in July it rained frightfully up around Lake Luossajaure. +The Laplanders, who lived mostly in the open during the summer, had +crawled under the tent and were squatting round the fire drinking +coffee. + +The new settlers on the east shore of the lake worked diligently to have +their homes in readiness before the severe Arctic winter set in. They +wondered at the Laplanders, who had lived in the far north for centuries +without even thinking that better protection was needed against cold and +storm than thin tent covering. + +The Laplanders, on the other hand, wondered at the new settlers giving +themselves so much needless, hard work, when nothing more was necessary +to live comfortably than a few reindeer and a tent. + +They only had to drive the poles into the ground and spread the covers +over them, and their abodes were ready. They did not have to trouble +themselves about decorating or furnishing. The principal thing was to +scatter some spruce twigs on the floor, spread a few skins, and hang the +big kettle, in which they cooked their reindeer meat, on a chain +suspended from the top of the tent poles. + +While the Laplanders were chatting over their coffee cups, a row boat +coming from the Kiruna side pulled ashore at the Lapps' quarters. + +A workman and a young girl, between thirteen and fourteen, stepped from +the boat. The girl was Osa. The Lapp dogs bounded down to them, barking +loudly, and a native poked his head out of the tent opening to see what +was going on. + +He was glad when he saw the workman, for he was a friend of the +Laplanders--a kindly and sociable man, who could speak their native +tongue. The Lapp called to him to crawl under the tent. + +"You're just in time, Söderberg!" he said. "The coffee pot is on the +fire. No one can do any work in this rain, so come in and tell us the +news." + +The workman went in, and, with much ado and amid a great deal of +laughter and joking, places were made for Söderberg and Osa, though the +tent was already crowded to the limit with natives. Osa understood none +of the conversation. She sat dumb and looked in wonderment at the kettle +and coffee pot; at the fire and smoke; at the Lapp men and Lapp women; +at the children and dogs; the walls and floor; the coffee cups and +tobacco pipes; the multi-coloured costumes and crude implements. All +this was new to her. + +Suddenly she lowered her glance, conscious that every one in the tent +was looking at her. Söderberg must have said something about her, for +now both Lapp men and Lapp women took the short pipes from their mouths +and stared at her in open-eyed wonder and awe. The Laplander at her side +patted her shoulder and nodded, saying in Swedish, "bra, bra!" (good, +good!) A Lapp woman filled a cup to the brim with coffee and passed it +under difficulties, while a Lapp boy, who was about her own age, +wriggled and crawled between the squatters over to her. + +Osa felt that Söderberg was telling the Laplanders that she had just +buried her little brother, Mats. She wished he would find out about her +father instead. + +The elf had said that he lived with the Lapps, who camped west of Lake +Luossajaure, and she had begged leave to ride up on a sand truck to seek +him, as no regular passenger trains came so far. Both labourers and +foremen had assisted her as best they could. An engineer had sent +Söderberg across the lake with her, as he spoke Lappish. She had hoped +to meet her father as soon as she arrived. Her glance wandered anxiously +from face to face, but she saw only natives. Her father was not there. + +She noticed that the Lapps and the Swede, Söderberg, grew more and more +earnest as they talked among themselves. The Lapps shook their heads and +tapped their foreheads, as if they were speaking of some one that was +not quite right in his mind. + +She became so uneasy that she could no longer endure the suspense and +asked Söderberg what the Laplanders knew of her father. + +"They say he has gone fishing," said the workman. "They're not sure that +he can get back to the camp to-night; but as soon as the weather clears, +one of them will go in search of him." + +Thereupon he turned to the Lapps and went on talking to them. He did not +wish to give Osa an opportunity to question him further about Jon +Esserson. + +THE NEXT MORNING + +Ola Serka himself, who was the most distinguished man among the Lapps, +had said that he would find Osa's father, but he appeared to be in no +haste and sat huddled outside the tent, thinking of Jon Esserson and +wondering how best to tell him of his daughter's arrival. It would +require diplomacy in order that Jon Esserson might not become alarmed +and flee. He was an odd sort of man who was afraid of children. He used +to say that the sight of them made him so melancholy that he could not +endure it. + +While Ola Serka deliberated, Osa, the goose girl, and Aslak, the young +Lapp boy who had stared so hard at her the night before, sat on the +ground in front of the tent and chatted. + +Aslak had been to school and could speak Swedish. He was telling Osa +about the life of the "Saméfolk," assuring her that they fared better +than other people. + +Osa thought that they lived wretchedly, and told him so. + +"You don't know what you are talking about!" said Aslak curtly. "Only +stop with us a week and you shall see that we are the happiest people on +earth." + +"If I were to stop here a whole week, I should be choked by all the +smoke in the tent," Osa retorted. + +"Don't say that!" protested the boy. "You know nothing of us. Let me +tell you something which will make you understand that the longer you +stay with us the more contented you will become." + +Thereupon Aslak began to tell Osa how a sickness called "The Black +Plague" once raged throughout the land. He was not certain as to whether +it had swept through the real "Saméland," where they now were, but in +Jämtland it had raged so brutally that among the Saméfolk, who lived in +the forests and mountains there, all had died except a boy of fifteen. +Among the Swedes, who lived in the valleys, none was left but a girl, +who was also fifteen years old. + +The boy and girl separately tramped the desolate country all winter in +search of other human beings. Finally, toward spring, the two met. +Aslak continued: "The Swedish girl begged the Lapp boy to accompany her +southward, where she could meet people of her own race. She did not wish +to tarry longer in Jämtland, where there were only vacant homesteads. +I'll take you wherever you wish to go,' said the boy, 'but not before +winter. It's spring now, and my reindeer go westward toward the +mountains. You know that we who are of the Saméfolk must go where our +reindeer take us.' The Swedish girl was the daughter of wealthy parents. +She was used to living under a roof, sleeping in a bed, and eating at a +table. She had always despised the poor mountaineers and thought that +those who lived under the open sky were most unfortunate; but she was +afraid to return to her home, where there were none but the dead. 'At +least let me go with you to the mountains,' she said to the boy, 'so +that I sha'n't have to tramp about here all alone and never hear the +sound of a human voice.' + +"The boy willingly assented, so the girl went with the reindeer to the +mountains. + +"The herd yearned for the good pastures there, and every day tramped +long distances to feed on the moss. There was not time to pitch tents. +The children had to lie on the snowy ground and sleep when the reindeer +stopped to graze. The girl often sighed and complained of being so tired +that she must turn back to the valley. Nevertheless she went along to +avoid being left without human companionship. + +"When they reached the highlands the boy pitched a tent for the girl on +a pretty hill that sloped toward a mountain brook. + +"In the evening he lassoed and milked the reindeer, and gave the girl +milk to drink. He brought forth dried reindeer meat and reindeer cheese, +which his people had stowed away on the heights when they were there the +summer before. + +"Still the girl grumbled all the while, and was never satisfied. She +would eat neither reindeer meat nor reindeer cheese, nor would she drink +reindeer milk. She could not accustom herself to squatting in the tent +or to lying on the ground with only a reindeer skin and some spruce +twigs for a bed. + +"The son of the mountains laughed at her woes and continued to treat her +kindly. + +"After a few days, the girl went up to the boy when he was milking and +asked if she might help him. She next undertook to make the fire under +the kettle, in which the reindeer meat was to be cooked, then to carry +water and to make cheese. So the time passed pleasantly. The weather was +mild and food was easily procured. Together they set snares for game, +fished for salmon-trout in the rapids and picked cloud-berries in the +swamp. + +"When the summer was gone, they moved farther down the mountains, where +pine and leaf forests meet. There they pitched their tent. They had to +work hard every day, but fared better, for food was even more plentiful +than in the summer because of the game. + +"When the snow came and the lakes began to freeze, they drew farther +east toward the dense pine forests. + +"As soon as the tent was up, the winter's work began. The boy taught the +girl to make twine from reindeer sinews, to treat skins, to make shoes +and clothing of hides, to make combs and tools of reindeer horn, to +travel on skis, and to drive a sledge drawn by reindeer. + +"When they had lived through the dark winter and the sun began to shine +all day and most of the night, the boy said to the girl that now he +would accompany her southward, so that she might meet some of her own +race. + +"Then the girl looked at him astonished. + +"'Why do you want to send me away?' she asked. 'Do you long to be alone +with your reindeer?' + +"'I thought that you were the one that longed to get away?' said the +boy. + +"'I have lived the life of the Saméfolk almost a year now,' replied the +girl. I can't return to my people and live the shut-in life after having +wandered freely on mountains and in forests. Don't drive me away, but +let me stay here. Your way of living is better than ours.' + +"The girl stayed with the boy for the rest of her life, and never again +did she long for the valleys. And you, Osa, if you were to stay with us +only a month, you could never again part from us." + +With these words, Aslak, the Lapp boy, finished his story. Just then his +father, Ola Serka, took the pipe from his mouth and rose. + +Old Ola understood more Swedish than he was willing to have any one +know, and he had overheard his son's remarks. While he was listening, it +had suddenly flashed on him how he should handle this delicate matter of +telling Jon Esserson that his daughter had come in search of him. + +Ola Serka went down to Lake Luossajaure and had walked a short distance +along the strand, when he happened upon a man who sat on a rock fishing. + +The fisherman was gray-haired and bent. His eyes blinked wearily and +there was something slack and helpless about him. He looked like a man +who had tried to carry a burden too heavy for him, or to solve a problem +too difficult for him, who had become broken and despondent over his +failure. + +"You must have had luck with your fishing, Jon, since you've been at it +all night?" said the mountaineer in Lappish, as he approached. + +The fisherman gave a start, then glanced up. The bait on his hook was +gone and not a fish lay on the strand beside him. He hastened to rebait +the hook and throw out the line. In the meantime the mountaineer +squatted on the grass beside him. + +"There's a matter that I wanted to talk over with you," said Ola. "You +know that I had a little daughter who died last winter, and we have +always missed her in the tent." + +"Yes, I know," said the fisherman abruptly, a cloud passing over his +face--as though he disliked being reminded of a dead child. + +"It's not worth while to spend one's life grieving," said the Laplander. + +"I suppose it isn't." + +"Now I'm thinking of adopting another child. Don't you think it would be +a good idea?" + +"That depends on the child, Ola." + +"I will tell you what I know of the girl," said Ola. Then he told the +fisherman that around midsummer-time, two strange children--a boy and a +girl--had come to the mines to look for their father, but as their +father was away, they had stayed to await his return. While there, the +boy had been killed by a blast of rock. + +Thereupon Ola gave a beautiful description of how brave the little girl +had been, and of how she had won the admiration and sympathy of +everyone. + +"Is that the girl you want to take into your tent?" asked the +fisherman. + +"Yes," returned the Lapp. "When we heard her story we were all deeply +touched and said among ourselves that so good a sister would also make a +good daughter, and we hoped that she would come to us." + +The fisherman sat quietly thinking a moment. It was plain that he +continued the conversation only to please his friend, the Lapp. + +"I presume the girl is one of your race?" + +"No," said Ola, "she doesn't belong to the Saméfolk." + +"Perhaps she's the daughter of some new settler and is accustomed to the +life here?" + +"No, she's from the far south," replied Ola, as if this was of small +importance. + +The fisherman grew more interested. + +"Then I don't believe that you can take her," he said. "It's doubtful if +she could stand living in a tent in winter, since she was not brought up +that way." + +"She will find kind parents and kind brothers and sisters in the tent," +insisted Ola Serka. "It's worse to be alone than to freeze." + +The fisherman became more and more zealous to prevent the adoption. It +seemed as if he could not bear the thought of a child of Swedish parents +being taken in by Laplanders. + +"You said just now that she had a father in the mine." + +"He's dead," said the Lapp abruptly. + +"I suppose you have thoroughly investigated this matter, Ola?" + +"What's the use of going to all that trouble?" disdained the Lapp. "I +ought to know! Would the girl and her brother have been obliged to roam +about the country if they had a father living? Would two children have +been forced to care for themselves if they had a father? The girl +herself thinks he's alive, but I say that he must be dead." + +The man with the tired eyes turned to Ola. + +"What is the girl's name, Ola?" he asked. + +The mountaineer thought awhile, then said: + +"I can't remember it. I must ask her." + +"Ask her! Is she already here?" + +"She's down at the camp." + +"What, Ola! Have you taken her in before knowing her father's wishes?" + +"What do I care for her father! If he isn't dead, he's probably the kind +of man who cares nothing for his child. He may be glad to have another +take her in hand." + +The fisherman threw down his rod and rose with an alertness in his +movements that bespoke new life. + +"I don't think her father can be like other folk," continued the +mountaineer. "I dare say he is a man who is haunted by gloomy +forebodings and therefore can not work steadily. What kind of a father +would that be for the girl?" + +While Ola was talking the fisherman started up the strand. + +"Where are you going?" queried the Lapp. + +"I'm going to have a look at your foster-daughter, Ola." + +"Good!" said the Lapp. "Come along and meet her. I think you'll say +that she will be a good daughter to me." + +The Swede rushed on so rapidly that the Laplander could hardly keep pace +with him. + +After a moment Ola said to his companion: + +"Now I recall that her name is Osa--this girl I'm adopting." + +The other man only kept hurrying along and old Ola Serka was so well +pleased that he wanted to laugh aloud. + +When they came in sight of the tents, Ola said a few words more. + +"She came here to us Saméfolk to find her father and not to become my +foster-child. But if she doesn't find him, I shall be glad to keep her +in my tent." + +The fisherman hastened all the faster. + +"I might have known that he would be alarmed when I threatened to take +his daughter into the Lapps' quarters," laughed Ola to himself. + +When the man from Kiruna, who had brought Osa to the tent, turned back +later in the day, he had two people with him in the boat, who sat close +together, holding hands--as if they never again wanted to part. + +They were Jon Esserson and his daughter. Both were unlike what they had +been a few hours earlier. + +The father looked less bent and weary and his eyes were clear and good, +as if at last he had found the answer to that which had troubled him so +long. + +Osa, the goose girl, did not glance longingly about, for she had found +some one to care for her, and now she could be a child again. + + +HOMEWARD BOUND! + + +THE FIRST TRAVELLING DAY + +_Saturday, October first_. + +The boy sat on the goosey-gander's back and rode up amongst the clouds. +Some thirty geese, in regular order, flew rapidly southward. There was a +rustling of feathers and the many wings beat the air so noisily that one +could scarcely hear one's own voice. Akka from Kebnekaise flew in the +lead; after her came Yksi and Kaksi, Kolme and Neljä, Viisi and Kuusi, +Morten Goosey-Gander and Dunfin. The six goslings which had accompanied +the flock the autumn before had now left to look after themselves. +Instead, the old geese were taking with them twenty-two goslings that +had grown up in the glen that summer. Eleven flew to the right, eleven +to the left; and they did their best to fly at even distances, like the +big birds. + +The poor youngsters had never before been on a long trip and at first +they had difficulty in keeping up with the rapid flight. + +"Akka from Kebnekaise! Akka from Kebnekaise!" they cried in plaintive +tones. + +"What's the matter?" said the leader-goose sharply. + +"Our wings are tired of moving, our wings are tired of moving!" wailed +the young ones. + +"The longer you keep it up, the better it will go," answered the +leader-goose, without slackening her speed. And she was quite right, for +when the goslings had flown two hours longer, they complained no more of +being tired. + +But in the mountain glen they had been in the habit of eating all day +long, and very soon they began to feel hungry. + +"Akka, Akka, Akka from Kebnekaise!" wailed the goslings pitifully. + +"What's the trouble now?" asked the leader-goose. + +"We're so hungry, we can't fly any more!" whimpered the goslings. "We're +so hungry, we can't fly any more!" + +"Wild geese must learn to eat air and drink wind," said the +leader-goose, and kept right on flying. + +It actually seemed as if the young ones were learning to live on wind +and air, for when they had flown a little longer, they said nothing more +about being hungry. + +The goose flock was still in the mountain regions, and the old geese +called out the names of all the peaks as they flew past, so that the +youngsters might learn them. When they had been calling out a while: + +"This is Porsotjokko, this is Särjaktjokko, this is Sulitelma," and so +on, the goslings became impatient again. + +"Akka, Akka, Akka!" they shrieked in heart-rending tones. + +"What's wrong?" said the leader-goose. + +"We haven't room in our heads for any more of those awful names!" +shrieked the goslings. + +"The more you put into your heads the more you can get into them," +retorted the leader-goose, and continued to call out the queer names. + +The boy sat thinking that it was about time the wild geese betook +themselves southward, for so much snow had fallen that the ground was +white as far as the eye could see. There was no use denying that it had +been rather disagreeable in the glen toward the last. Rain and fog had +succeeded each other without any relief, and even if it did clear up +once in a while, immediately frost set in. Berries and mushrooms, upon +which the boy had subsisted during the summer, were either frozen or +decayed. Finally he had been compelled to eat raw fish, which was +something he disliked. The days had grown short and the long evenings +and late mornings were rather tiresome for one who could not sleep the +whole time that the sun was away. + +Now, at last, the goslings' wings had grown, so that the geese could +start for the south. The boy was so happy that he laughed and sang as he +rode on the goose's back. It was not only on account of the darkness and +cold that he longed to get away from Lapland; there were other reasons +too. + +The first weeks of his sojourn there the boy had not been the least bit +homesick. He thought he had never before seen such a glorious country. +The only worry he had had was to keep the mosquitoes from eating him up. + +The boy had seen very little of the goosey-gander, because the big, +white gander thought only of his Dunfin and was unwilling to leave her +for a moment. On the other hand, Thumbietot had stuck to Akka and Gorgo, +the eagle, and the three of them had passed many happy hours together. + +The two birds had taken him with them on long trips. He had stood on +snow-capped Mount Kebnekaise, had looked down at the glaciers and +visited many high cliffs seldom tramped by human feet. Akka had shown +him deep-hidden mountain dales and had let him peep into caves where +mother wolves brought up their young. He had also made the acquaintance +of the tame reindeer that grazed in herds along the shores of the +beautiful Torne Lake, and he had been down to the great falls and +brought greetings to the bears that lived thereabouts from their friends +and relatives in Westmanland. + +Ever since he had seen Osa, the goose girl, he longed for the day when +he might go home with Morten Goosey-Gander and be a normal human being +once more. He wanted to be himself again, so that Osa would not be +afraid to talk to him and would not shut the door in his face. + +Yes, indeed, he was glad that at last they were speeding southward. He +waved his cap and cheered when he saw the first pine forest. In the same +manner he greeted the first gray cabin, the first goat, the first cat, +and the first chicken. + +They were continually meeting birds of passage, flying now in greater +flocks than in the spring. + +"Where are you bound for, wild geese?" called the passing birds. "Where +are you bound for?" + +"We, like yourselves, are going abroad," answered the geese. + +"Those goslings of yours aren't ready to fly," screamed the others. +"They'll never cross the sea with those puny wings!" + +Laplander and reindeer were also leaving the mountains. When the wild +geese sighted the reindeer, they circled down and called out: + +"Thanks for your company this summer!" + +"A pleasant journey to you and a welcome back!" returned the reindeer. + +But when the bears saw the wild geese, they pointed them out to the cubs +and growled: + +"Just look at those geese; they are so afraid of a little cold they +don't dare to stay at home in winter." + +But the old geese were ready with a retort and cried to their goslings: + +"Look at those beasts that stay at home and sleep half the year rather +than go to the trouble of travelling south!" + +Down in the pine forest the young grouse sat huddled together and gazed +longingly after the big bird flocks which, amid joy and merriment, +proceeded southward. + +"When will our turn come?" they asked the mother grouse. + +"You will have to stay at home with mamma and papa," she said. + + +LEGENDS FROM HÄRJEDALEN + + +_Tuesday, October fourth_. + +The boy had had three days' travel in the rain and mist and longed for +some sheltered nook, where he might rest awhile. + +At last the geese alighted to feed and ease their wings a bit. To his +great relief the boy saw an observation tower on a hill close by, and +dragged himself to it. + +When he had climbed to the top of the tower he found a party of tourists +there, so he quickly crawled into a dark corner and was soon sound +asleep. + +When the boy awoke, he began to feel uneasy because the tourists +lingered so long in the tower telling stories. He thought they would +never go. Morten Goosey-Gander could not come for him while they were +there and he knew, of course, that the wild geese were in a hurry to +continue the journey. In the middle of a story he thought he heard +honking and the beating of wings, as if the geese were flying away, but +he did not dare to venture over to the balustrade to find out if it was +so. + +At last, when the tourists were gone, and the boy could crawl from his +hiding place, he saw no wild geese, and no Morten Goosey-Gander came to +fetch him. He called, "Here am I, where are you?" as loud as he could, +but his travelling companions did not appear. Not for a second did he +think they had deserted him; but he feared that they had met with some +mishap and was wondering what he should do to find them, when Bataki, +the raven, lit beside him. + +The boy never dreamed that he should greet Bataki with such a glad +welcome as he now gave him. + +"Dear Bataki," he burst forth. "How fortunate that you are here! Maybe +you know what has become of Morten Goosey-Gander and the wild geese?" + +"I've just come with a greeting from them," replied the raven. "Akka saw +a hunter prowling about on the mountain and therefore dared not stay to +wait for you, but has gone on ahead. Get up on my back and you shall +soon be with your friends." + +The boy quickly seated himself on the raven's back and Bataki would soon +have caught up with the geese had he not been hindered by a fog. It was +as if the morning sun had awakened it to life. Little light veils of +mist rose suddenly from the lake, from fields, and from the forest. They +thickened and spread with marvellous rapidity, and soon the entire +ground was hidden from sight by white, rolling mists. + +Bataki flew along above the fog in clear air and sparkling sunshine, but +the wild geese must have circled down among the damp clouds, for it was +impossible to sight them. The boy and the raven called and shrieked, but +got no response. + +"Well, this is a stroke of ill luck!" said Bataki finally. "But we know +that they are travelling toward the south, and of course I'll find them +as soon as the mist clears." + +The boy was distressed at the thought of being parted from Morten +Goosey-Gander just now, when the geese were on the wing, and the big +white one might meet with all sorts of mishaps. After Thumbietot had +been sitting worrying for two hours or more, he remarked to himself +that, thus far, there had been no mishap, and it was not worth while to +lose heart. + +Just then he heard a rooster crowing down on the ground, and instantly +he bent forward on the raven's back and called out: + +"What's the name of the country I'm travelling over?" + +"It's called Härjedalen, Härjedalen, Härjedalen," crowed the rooster. + +"How does it look down there where you are?" the boy asked. + +"Cliffs in the west, woods in the east, broad valleys across the whole +country," replied the rooster. + +"Thank you," cried the boy. "You give a clear account of it." + +When they had travelled a little farther, he heard a crow cawing down in +the mist. + +"What kind of people live in this country?" shouted the boy. + +"Good, thrifty peasants," answered the crow. "Good, thrifty peasants." + +"What do they do?" asked the boy. "What do they do?" + +"They raise cattle and fell forests," cawed the crow. + +"Thanks," replied the boy. "You answer well." + +A bit farther on he heard a human voice yodeling and singing down in the +mist. + +"Is there any large city in this part of the country?" the boy asked. + +"What--what--who is it that calls?" cried the human voice. + +"Is there any large city in this region?" the boy repeated. + +"I want to know who it is that calls," shouted the human voice. + +"I might have known that I could get no information when I asked a human +being a civil question," the boy retorted. + +It was not long before the mist went away as suddenly as it had come. +Then the boy saw a beautiful landscape, with high cliffs as in Jämtland, +but there were no large, flourishing settlements on the mountain slopes. +The villages lay far apart, and the farms were small. Bataki followed +the stream southward till they came within sight of a village. There he +alighted in a stubble field and let the boy dismount. + +"In the summer grain grew on this ground," said Bataki. "Look around and +see if you can't find something eatable." + +The boy acted upon the suggestion and before long he found a blade of +wheat. As he picked out the grains and ate them, Bataki talked to him. + +"Do you see that mountain towering directly south of us?" he asked. + +"Yes, of course, I see it," said the boy. + +"It is called Sonfjället," continued the raven; "you can imagine that +wolves were plentiful there once upon a time." + +"It must have been an ideal place for wolves," said the boy. + +"The people who lived here in the valley were frequently attacked by +them," remarked the raven. + +"Perhaps you remember a good wolf story you could tell me?" said the +boy. + +"I've been told that a long, long time ago the wolves from Sonfjället +are supposed to have waylaid a man who had gone out to peddle his +wares," began Bataki. "He was from Hede, a village a few miles down the +valley. It was winter time and the wolves made for him as he was driving +over the ice on Lake Ljusna. There were about nine or ten, and the man +from Hede had a poor old horse, so there was very little hope of his +escaping. + +"When the man heard the wolves howl and saw how many there were after +him, he lost his head, and it did not occur to him that he ought to dump +his casks and jugs out of the sledge, to lighten the load. He only +whipped up the horse and made the best speed he could, but he soon +observed that the wolves were gaining on him. The shores were desolate +and he was fourteen miles from the nearest farm. He thought that his +final hour had come, and was paralyzed with fear. + +"While he sat there, terrified, he saw something move in the brush, +which had been set in the ice to mark out the road; and when he +discovered who it was that walked there, his fear grew more and more +intense. + +"Wild beasts were not coming toward him, but a poor old woman, named +Finn-Malin, who was in the habit of roaming about on highways and +byways. She was a hunchback, and slightly lame, so he recognized her at +a distance. + +"The old woman was walking straight toward the wolves. The sledge had +hidden them from her view, and the man comprehended at once that, if he +were to drive on without warning her, she would walk right into the jaws +of the wild beasts, and while they were rending her, he would have time +enough to get away. + +"The old woman walked slowly, bent over a cane. It was plain that she +was doomed if he did not help her, but even if he were to stop and take +her into the sledge, it was by no means certain that she would be safe. +More than likely the wolves would catch up with them, and he and she and +the horse would all be killed. He wondered if it were not better to +sacrifice one life in order that two might be spared--this flashed upon +him the minute he saw the old woman. He had also time to think how it +would be with him afterward--if perchance he might not regret that he +had not succoured her; or if people should some day learn of the meeting +and that he had not tried to help her. It was a terrible temptation. + +"'I would rather not have seen her,' he said to himself. + +"Just then the wolves howled savagely. The horse reared, plunged +forward, and dashed past the old beggar woman. She, too, had heard the +howling of the wolves, and, as the man from Hede drove by, he saw that +the old woman knew what awaited her. She stood motionless, her mouth +open for a cry, her arms stretched out for help. But she neither cried +nor tried to throw herself into the sledge. Something seemed to have +turned her to stone. 'It was I,' thought the man. 'I must have looked +like a demon as I passed.' + +"He tried to feel satisfied, now that he was certain of escape; but at +that very moment his heart reproached him. Never before had he done a +dastardly thing, and he felt now that his whole life was blasted. + +"'Let come what may,' he said, and reined in the horse, 'I cannot leave +her alone with the wolves!' + +"It was with great difficulty that he got the horse to turn, but in the +end he managed it and promptly drove back to her. + +"'Be quick and get into the sledge,' he said gruffly; for he was mad +with himself for not leaving the old woman to her fate. + +"'You might stay at home once in awhile, you old hag!' he growled. 'Now +both my horse and I will come to grief on your account.' + +"The old woman did not say a word, but the man from Hede was in no mood +to spare her. + +"'The horse has already tramped thirty-five miles to-day, and the load +hasn't lightened any since you got up on it!' he grumbled, 'so that you +must understand he'll soon be exhausted.' + +"The sledge runners crunched on the ice, but for all that he heard how +the wolves panted, and knew that the beasts were almost upon him. + +"'It's all up with us!' he said. 'Much good it was, either to you or to +me, this attempt to save you, Finn-Malin!' + +"Up to this point the old woman had been silent--like one who is +accustomed to take abuse--but now she said a few words. + +"'I can't understand why you don't throw out your wares and lighten the +load. You can come back again to-morrow and gather them up.' + +"The man realized that this was sound advice and was surprised that he +had not thought of it before. He tossed the reins to the old woman, +loosed the ropes that bound the casks, and pitched them out. The wolves +were right upon them, but now they stopped to examine that which was +thrown on the ice, and the travellers again had the start of them. + +"'If this does not help you,' said the old woman, 'you understand, of +course, that I will give myself up to the wolves voluntarily, that you +may escape.' + +"While she was speaking the man was trying to push a heavy brewer's vat +from the long sledge. As he tugged at this he paused, as if he could not +quite make up his mind to throw it out; but, in reality, his mind was +taken up with something altogether different. + +"'Surely a man and a horse who have no infirmities need not let a feeble +old woman be devoured by wolves for their sakes!' he thought. 'There +must be some other way of salvation. Why, of course, there is! It's only +my stupidity that hinders me from finding the way.' + +"Again he started to push the vat, then paused once more and burst out +laughing. + +"The old woman was alarmed and wondered if he had gone mad, but the man +from Hede was laughing at himself because he had been so stupid all the +while. It was the simplest thing in the world to save all three of them. +He could not imagine why he had not thought of it before. + +"'Listen to what I say to you, Malin!' he said. 'It was splendid of you +to be willing to throw yourself to the wolves. But you won't have to do +that because I know how we can all three be helped without endangering +the life of any. Remember, whatever I may do, you are to sit still and +drive down to Linsäll. There you must waken the townspeople and tell +them that I'm alone out here on the ice, surrounded by wolves, and ask +them to come and help me.' + +"The man waited until the wolves were almost upon the sledge. Then he +rolled out the big brewer's vat, jumped down, and crawled in under it. + +"It was a huge vat, large enough to hold a whole Christmas brew. The +wolves pounced upon it and bit at the hoops, but the vat was too heavy +for them to move. They could not get at the man inside. + +"He knew that he was safe and laughed at the wolves. After a bit he was +serious again. + +"'For the future, when I get into a tight place, I shall remember this +vat, and I shall bear in mind that I need never wrong either myself or +others, for there is always a third way out of a difficulty if only one +can hit upon it.'" + +With this Bataki closed his narrative. + +The boy noticed that the raven never spoke unless there was some special +meaning back of his words, and the longer he listened to him, the more +thoughtful he became. + +"I wonder why you told me that story?" remarked the boy. + +"I just happened to think of it as I stood here, gazing up at +Sonfjället," replied the raven. + +Now they had travelled farther down Lake Ljusna and in an hour or so +they came to Kolsätt, close to the border of Hälsingland. Here the raven +alighted near a little hut that had no windows--only a shutter. From the +chimney rose sparks and smoke, and from within the sound of heavy +hammering was heard. + +"Whenever I see this smithy," observed the raven, "I'm reminded that, in +former times, there were such skilled blacksmiths here in Härjedalen, +more especially in this village--that they couldn't be matched in the +whole country." + +"Perhaps you also remember a story about them?" said the boy. + +"Yes," returned Bataki, "I remember one about a smith from Härjedalen +who once invited two other master blacksmiths--one from Dalecarlia and +one from Vermland--to compete with him at nail-making. The challenge was +accepted and the three blacksmiths met here at Kolsätt. The Dalecarlian +began. He forged a dozen nails, so even and smooth and sharp that they +couldn't be improved upon. After him came the Vermlander. He, too, +forged a dozen nails, which were quite perfect and, moreover, he +finished them in half the time that it took the Dalecarlian. When the +judges saw this they said to the Härjedal smith that it wouldn't be +worth while for him to try, since he could not forge better than the +Dalecarlian or faster than the Vermlander. + +"'I sha'n't give up! There must be still another way of excelling,' +insisted the Härjedal smith. + +"He placed the iron on the anvil without heating it at the forge; he +simply hammered it hot and forged nail after nail, without the use of +either anvil or bellows. None of the judges had ever seen a blacksmith +wield a hammer more masterfully, and the Härjedal smith was proclaimed +the best in the land." + +With these remarks Bataki subsided, and the boy grew even more +thoughtful. + +"I wonder what your purpose was in telling me that?" he queried. + +"The story dropped into my mind when I saw the old smithy again," said +Bataki in an offhand manner. + +The two travellers rose again into the air and the raven carried the boy +southward till they came to Lillhärdal Parish, where he alighted on a +leafy mound at the top of a ridge. + +"I wonder if you know upon what mound you are standing?" said Bataki. + +The boy had to confess that he did not know. + +"This is a grave," said Bataki. "Beneath this mound lies the first +settler in Härjedalen." + +"Perhaps you have a story to tell of him too?" said the boy. + +"I haven't heard much about him, but I think he was a Norwegian. He had +served with a Norwegian king, got into his bad graces, and had to flee +the country. + +"Later he went over to the Swedish king, who lived at Upsala, and took +service with him. But, after a time, he asked for the hand of the king's +sister in marriage, and when the king wouldn't give him such a high-born +bride, he eloped with her. By that time he had managed to get himself +into such disfavour that it wasn't safe for him to live either in Norway +or Sweden, and he did not wish to move to a foreign country. 'But there +must still be a course open to me,' he thought. With his servants and +treasures, he journeyed through Dalecarlia until he arrived in the +desolate forests beyond the outskirts of the province. There he settled, +built houses and broke up land. Thus, you see, he was the first man to +settle in this part of the country." + +As the boy listened to the last story, he looked very serious. + +"I wonder what your object is in telling me all this?" he repeated. + +Bataki twisted and turned and screwed up his eyes, and it was some time +before he answered the boy. + +"Since we are here alone," he said finally, "I shall take this +opportunity to question you regarding a certain matter. + +"Have you ever tried to ascertain upon what terms the elf who +transformed you was to restore you to a normal human being?" + +"The only stipulation I've heard anything about was that I should take +the white goosey-gander up to Lapland and bring him back to Skåne, safe +and sound." + +"I thought as much," said Bataki; "for when last we met, you talked +confidently of there being nothing more contemptible than deceiving a +friend who trusts one. You'd better ask Akka about the terms. You know, +I dare say, that she was at your home and talked with the elf." + +"Akka hasn't told me of this," said the boy wonderingly. + +"She must have thought that it was best for you not to know just what +the elf _did_ say. Naturally she would rather help you than Morten +Goosey-Gander." + +"It is singular, Bataki, that you always have a way of making me feel +unhappy and anxious," said the boy. + +"I dare say it might seem so," continued the raven, "but this time I +believe that you will be grateful to me for telling you that the elf's +words were to this effect: You were to become a normal human being again +if you would bring back Morten Goosey-Gander that your mother might lay +him on the block and chop his head off." + +The boy leaped up. + +"That's only one of your base fabrications," he cried indignantly. + +"You can ask Akka yourself," said Bataki. "I see her coming up there +with her whole flock. And don't forget what I have told you to-day. +There is usually a way out of all difficulties, if only one can find it. +I shall be interested to see what success you have." + + +VERMLAND AND DALSLAND + + +_Wednesday, October fifth_. + +To-day the boy took advantage of the rest hour, when Akka was feeding +apart from the other wild geese, to ask her if that which Bataki had +related was true, and Akka could not deny it. The boy made the +leader-goose promise that she would not divulge the secret to Morten +Goosey-Gander. The big white gander was so brave and generous that he +might do something rash were he to learn of the elf's stipulations. + +Later the boy sat on the goose-back, glum and silent, and hung his head. +He heard the wild geese call out to the goslings that now they were in +Dalarne, they could see Städjan in the north, and that now they were +flying over Österdal River to Horrmund Lake and were coming to Vesterdal +River. But the boy did not care even to glance at all this. + +"I shall probably travel around with wild geese the rest of my life," he +remarked to himself, "and I am likely to see more of this land than I +wish." + +He was quite as indifferent when the wild geese called out to him that +now they had arrived in Vermland and that the stream they were following +southward was Klarälven. + +"I've seen so many rivers already," thought the boy, "why bother to look +at one more?" + +Even had he been more eager for sight-seeing, there was not very much to +be seen, for northern Vermland is nothing but vast, monotonous forest +tracts, through which Klarälven winds--narrow and rich in rapids. Here +and there one can see a charcoal kiln, a forest clearing, or a few low, +chimneyless huts, occupied by Finns. But the forest as a whole is so +extensive one might fancy it was far up in Lapland. + +A LITTLE HOMESTEAD + +_Thursday, October sixth_. + +The wild geese followed Klarälven as far as the big iron foundries at +Monk Fors. Then they proceeded westward to Fryksdalen. Before they got +to Lake Fryken it began to grow dusky, and they lit in a little wet +morass on a wooded hill. The morass was certainly a good night quarter +for the wild geese, but the boy thought it dismal and rough, and wished +for a better sleeping place. While he was still high in the air, he had +noticed that below the ridge lay a number of farms, and with great haste +he proceeded to seek them out. + +They were farther away than he had fancied and several times he was +tempted to turn back. Presently the woods became less dense, and he came +to a road skirting the edge of the forest. From it branched a pretty +birch-bordered lane, which led down to a farm, and immediately he +hastened toward it. + +First the boy entered a farm yard as large as a city marketplace and +enclosed by a long row of red houses. As he crossed the yard, he saw +another farm where the dwelling-house faced a gravel path and a wide +lawn. Back of the house there was a garden thick with foliage. The +dwelling itself was small and humble, but the garden was edged by a row +of exceedingly tall mountain-ash trees, so close together that they +formed a real wall around it. It appeared to the boy as if he were +coming into a great, high-vaulted chamber, with the lovely blue sky for +a ceiling. The mountain-ash were thick with clusters of red berries, the +grass plots were still green, of course, but that night there was a full +moon, and as the bright moonlight fell upon the grass it looked as white +as silver. + +No human being was in sight and the boy could wander freely wherever he +wished. When he was in the garden he saw something which almost put him +in good humour. He had climbed a mountain-ash to eat berries, but before +he could reach a cluster he caught sight of a barberry bush, which was +also full of berries. He slid along the ash branch and clambered up into +the barberry bush, but he was no sooner there than he discovered a +currant bush, on which still hung long red clusters. Next he saw that +the garden was full of gooseberries and raspberries and dog-rose bushes; +that there were cabbages and turnips in the vegetable beds and berries +on every bush, seeds on the herbs and grain-filled ears on every blade. +And there on the path--no, of course he could not mistake it--was a big +red apple which shone in the moonlight. + +The boy sat down at the side of the path, with the big red apple in +front of him, and began cutting little pieces from it with his sheath +knife. + +"It wouldn't be such a serious matter to be an elf all one's life if it +were always as easy to get good food as it is here," he thought. + +He sat and mused as he ate, wondering finally if it would not be as well +for him to remain here and let the wild geese travel south without him. + +"I don't know for the life of me how I can ever explain to Morten +Goosey-Gander that I cannot go home," thought he. "It would be better +were I to leave him altogether. I could gather provisions enough for the +winter, as well as the squirrels do, and if I were to live in a dark +corner of the stable or the cow shed, I shouldn't freeze to death." + +Just as he was thinking this, he heard a light rustle over his head, +and a second later something which resembled a birch stump stood on the +ground beside him. + +The stump twisted and turned, and two bright dots on top of it glowed +like coals of fire. It looked like some enchantment. However, the boy +soon remarked that the stump had a hooked beak and big feather wreaths +around its glowing eyes. Then he knew that this was no enchantment. + +"It is a real pleasure to meet a living creature," remarked the boy. +"Perhaps you will be good enough to tell me the name of this place, Mrs. +Brown Owl, and what sort of folk live here." + +That evening, as on all other evenings, the owl had perched on a rung of +the big ladder propped against the roof, from which she had looked down +toward the gravel walks and grass plots, watching for rats. Very much to +her surprise, not a single grayskin had appeared. She saw instead +something that looked like a human being, but much, much smaller, moving +about in the garden. + +"That's the one who is scaring away the rats!" thought the owl. "What in +the world can it be? It's not a squirrel, nor a kitten, nor a weasel," +she observed. "I suppose that a bird who has lived on an old place like +this as long as I have ought to know about everything in the world; but +this is beyond my comprehension," she concluded. + +She had been staring at the object that moved on the gravel path until +her eyes burned. Finally curiosity got the better of her and she flew +down to the ground to have a closer view of the stranger. + +When the boy began to speak, the owl bent forward and looked him up and +down. + +"He has neither claws nor horns," she remarked to herself, "yet who +knows but he may have a poisonous fang or some even more dangerous +weapon. I must try to find out what he passes for before I venture to +touch him." + +"The place is called Mårbacka," said the owl, "and gentlefolk lived here +once upon a time. But you, yourself, who are you?" + +"I think of moving in here," volunteered the boy without answering the +owl's question. "Would it be possible, do you think?" + +"Oh, yes--but it's not much of a place now compared to what it was +once," said the owl. "You can weather it here I dare say. It all depends +upon what you expect to live on. Do you intend to take up the rat +chase?" + +"Oh, by no means!" declared the boy. "There is more fear of the rats +eating me than that I shall do them any harm." + +"It can't be that he is as harmless as he says," thought the brown owl. +"All the same I believe I'll make an attempt...." She rose into the air, +and in a second her claws were fastened in Nils Holgersson's shoulder +and she was trying to hack at his eyes. + +The boy shielded both eyes with one hand and tried to free himself with +the other, at the same time calling with all his might for help. He +realized that he was in deadly peril and thought that this time, surely, +it was all over with him! + + +Now I must tell you of a strange coincidence: The very year that Nils +Holgersson travelled with the wild geese there was a woman who thought +of writing a book about Sweden, which would be suitable for children to +read in the schools. She had thought of this from Christmas time until +the following autumn; but not a line of the book had she written. At +last she became so tired of the whole thing that she said to herself: +"You are not fitted for such work. Sit down and compose stories and +legends, as usual, and let another write this book, which has got to be +serious and instructive, and in which there must not be one untruthful +word." + +It was as good as settled that she would abandon the idea. But she +thought, very naturally, it would have been agreeable to write something +beautiful about Sweden, and it was hard for her to relinquish her work. +Finally, it occurred to her that maybe it was because she lived in a +city, with only gray streets and house walls around her, that she could +make no headway with the writing. Perhaps if she were to go into the +country, where she could see woods and fields, that it might go better. + +She was from Vermland, and it was perfectly clear to her that she +wished to begin the book with that province. First of all she would +write about the place where she had grown up. It was a little homestead, +far removed from the great world, where many old-time habits and customs +were retained. She thought that it would be entertaining for children to +hear of the manifold duties which had succeeded one another the year +around. She wanted to tell them how they celebrated Christmas and New +Year and Easter and Midsummer Day in her home; what kind of house +furnishings they had; what the kitchen and larder were like, and how the +cow shed, stable, lodge, and bath house had looked. But when she was to +write about it the pen would not move. Why this was she could not in the +least understand; nevertheless it was so. + +True, she remembered it all just as distinctly as if she were still +living in the midst of it. She argued with herself that since she was +going into the country anyway, perhaps she ought to make a little trip +to the old homestead that she might see it again before writing about +it. She had not been there in many years and did not think it half bad +to have a reason for the journey. In fact she had always longed to be +there, no matter in what part of the world she happened to be. She had +seen many places that were more pretentious and prettier. But nowhere +could she find such comfort and protection as in the home of her +childhood. + +It was not such an easy matter for her to go home as one might think, +for the estate had been sold to people she did not know. She felt, to be +sure, that they would receive her well, but she did not care to go to +the old place to sit and talk with strangers, for she wanted to recall +how it had been in times gone by. That was why she planned it so as to +arrive there late in the evening, when the day's work was done and the +people were indoors. + +She had never imagined that it would be so wonderful to come home! As +she sat in the cart and drove toward the old homestead she fancied that +she was growing younger and younger every minute, and that soon she +would no longer be an oldish person with hair that was turning gray, +but a little girl in short skirts with a long flaxen braid. As she +recognized each farm along the road, she could not picture anything else +than that everything at home would be as in bygone days. Her father and +mother and brothers and sisters would be standing on the porch to +welcome her; the old housekeeper would run to the kitchen window to see +who was coming, and Nero and Freja and another dog or two would come +bounding and jumping up on her. + +The nearer she approached the place the happier she felt. It was autumn, +which meant a busy time with a round of duties. It must have been all +these varying duties which prevented home from ever being monotonous. +All along the way the farmers were digging potatoes, and probably they +would be doing likewise at her home. That meant that they must begin +immediately to grate potatoes and make potato flour. The autumn had been +a mild one; she wondered if everything in the garden had already been +stored. The cabbages were still out, but perhaps the hops had been +picked, and all the apples. + +It would be well if they were not having house cleaning at home. Autumn +fair time was drawing nigh, everywhere the cleaning and scouring had to +be done before the fair opened. That was regarded as a great event--more +especially by the servants. It was a pleasure to go into the kitchen on +Market Eve and see the newly scoured floor strewn with juniper twigs, +the whitewashed walls and the shining copper utensils which were +suspended from the ceiling. + +Even after the fair festivities were over there would not be much of a +breathing spell, for then came the work on the flax. During dog days the +flax had been spread out on a meadow to mould. Now it was laid in the +old bath house, where the stove was lighted to dry it out. When it was +dry enough to handle all the women in the neighbourhood were called +together. They sat outside the bath house and picked the flax to pieces. +Then they beat it with swingles, to separate the fine white fibres from +the dry stems. As they worked, the women grew gray with dust; their hair +and clothing were covered with flax seed, but they did not seem to mind +it. All day the swingles pounded, and the chatter went on, so that when +one went near the old bath house it sounded as if a blustering storm had +broken loose there. + +After the work with the flax, came the big hard-tack baking, the sheep +shearing, and the servants' moving time. In November there were busy +slaughter days, with salting of meats, sausage making, baking of blood +pudding, and candle steeping. The seamstress who used to make up their +homespun dresses had to come at this time, of course, and those were +always two pleasant weeks--when the women folk sat together and busied +themselves with sewing. The cobbler, who made shoes for the entire +household, sat working at the same time in the men-servants' quarters, +and one never tired of watching him as he cut the leather and soled and +heeled the shoes and put eyelets in the shoestring holes. + +But the greatest rush came around Christmas time. Lucia Day--when the +housemaid went about dressed in white, with candles in her hair, and +served coffee to everybody at five in the morning--came as a sort of +reminder that for the next two weeks they could not count on much sleep. +For now they must brew the Christmas ale, steep the Christmas fish in +lye, and do their Christmas baking and Christmas scouring. + +She was in the middle of the baking, with pans of Christmas buns and +cooky platters all around her, when the driver drew in the reins at the +end of the lane as she had requested. She started like one suddenly +awakened from a sound sleep. It was dismal for her who had just dreamed +herself surrounded by all her people to be sitting alone in the late +evening. As she stepped from the wagon and started to walk up the long +lane that she might come unobserved to her old home, she felt so keenly +the contrast between then and now that she would have preferred to turn +back. + +"Of what use is it to come here?" she sighed. "It can't be the same as +in the old days!" + +On the other hand she felt that since she had travelled such a long +distance, she would see the place at all events, so continued to walk +on, although she was more depressed with every step that she took. + +She had heard that it was very much changed; and it certainly was! But +she did not observe this now in the evening. She thought, rather, that +everything was quite the same. There was the pond, which in her youth +had been full of carp and where no one dared fish, because it was +father's wish that the carp should be left in peace. Over there were the +men-servants' quarters, the larder and barn, with the farm yard bell +over one gable and the weather-vane over the other. The house yard was +like a circular room, with no outlook in any direction, as it had been +in her father's time--for he had not the heart to cut down as much as a +bush. + +She lingered in the shadow under the big mountain-ash at the entrance to +the farm, and stood looking about her. As she stood there a strange +thing happened; a flock of doves came and lit beside her. + +She could hardly believe that they were real birds, for doves are not in +the habit of moving about after sundown. It must have been the beautiful +moonlight that had awakened these. They must have thought it was dawn +and flown from their dove-cotes, only to become confused, hardly knowing +where they were. When they saw a human being they flew over to her, as +if she would set them right. + +There had been many flocks of doves at the manor when her parents lived +there, for the doves were among the creatures which her father had taken +under his special care. If one ever mentioned the killing of a dove, it +put him in a bad humour. She was pleased that the pretty birds had come +to meet her in the old home. Who could tell but the doves had flown out +in the night to show her they had not forgotten that once upon a time +they had a good home there. + +Perhaps her father had sent his birds with a greeting to her, so that +she would not feel so sad and lonely when she came to her former home. + +As she thought of this, there welled up within her such an intense +longing for the old times that her eyes filled with tears. Life had +been beautiful in this place. They had had weeks of work broken by many +holiday festivities. They had toiled hard all day, but at evening they +had gathered around the lamp and read Tegner and Runeberg, "_Fru"_ +Lenngren and "_Mamsell"_ Bremer. They had cultivated grain, but also +roses and jasmine. They had spun flax, but had sung folk-songs as they +spun. They had worked hard at their history and grammar, but they had +also played theatre and written verses. They had stood at the kitchen +stove and prepared food, but had learned, also, to play the flute and +guitar, the violin and piano. They had planted cabbages and turnips, +peas and beans in one garden, but they had another full of apples and +pears and all kinds of berries. They had lived by themselves, and this +was why so many stories and legends were stowed away in their memories. +They had worn homespun clothes, but they had also been able to lead +care-free and independent lives. + +"Nowhere else in the world do they know how to get so much out of life +as they did at one of these little homesteads in my childhood!" she +thought. "There was just enough work and just enough play, and every day +there was a joy. How I should love to come back here again! Now that I +have seen the place, it is hard to leave it." + +Then she turned to the flock of doves and said to them--laughing at +herself all the while: + +"Won't you fly to father and tell him that I long to come home? I have +wandered long enough in strange places. Ask him if he can't arrange it +so that I may soon turn back to my childhood's home." + +The moment she had said this the flock of doves rose and flew away. She +tried to follow them with her eyes, but they vanished instantly. It was +as if the whole white company had dissolved in the shimmering air. + +The doves had only just gone when she heard a couple of piercing cries +from the garden, and as she hastened thither she saw a singular sight. +There stood a tiny midget, no taller than a hand's breadth, struggling +with a brown owl. At first she was so astonished that she could not +move. But when the midget cried more and more pitifully, she stepped up +quickly and parted the fighters. The owl swung herself into a tree, but +the midget stood on the gravel path, without attempting either to hide +or to run away. + +"Thanks for your help," he said. "But it was very stupid of you to let +the owl escape. I can't get away from here, because she is sitting up in +the tree watching me." + +"It was thoughtless of me to let her go. But to make amends, can't I +accompany you to your home?" asked she who wrote stories, somewhat +surprised to think that in this unexpected fashion she had got into +conversation with one of the tiny folk. Still she was not so much +surprised after all. It was as if all the while she had been awaiting +some extraordinary experience, while she walked in the moonlight outside +her old home. + +"The fact is, I had thought of stopping here over night," said the +midget. "If you will only show me a safe sleeping place, I shall not be +obliged to return to the forest before daybreak." + +"Must I show you a place to sleep? Are you not at home here?" + +"I understand that you take me for one of the tiny folk," said the +midget, "but I'm a human being, like yourself, although I have been +transformed by an elf." + +"That is the most remarkable thing I have ever heard! Wouldn't you like +to tell me how you happened to get into such a plight?" + +The boy did not mind telling her of his adventures, and, as the +narrative proceeded, she who listened to him grew more and more +astonished and happy. + +"What luck to run across one who has travelled all over Sweden on the +back of a goose!" thought she. "Just this which he is relating I shall +write down in my book. Now I need worry no more over that matter. It was +well that I came home. To think that I should find such help as soon as +I came to the old place!" + +Instantly another thought flashed into her mind. She had sent word to +her father by the doves that she longed for home, and almost immediately +she had received help in the matter she had pondered so long. Might not +this be the father's answer to her prayer? + + +THE TREASURE ON THE ISLAND + + +ON THEIR WAY TO THE SEA + +_Friday, October seventh_. + +From the very start of the autumn trip the wild geese had flown straight +south; but when they left Fryksdalen they veered in another direction, +travelling over western Vermland and Dalsland, toward Bohuslän. + +That was a jolly trip! The goslings were now so used to flying that they +complained no more of fatigue, and the boy was fast recovering his good +humour. He was glad that he had talked with a human being. He felt +encouraged when she said to him that if he were to continue doing good +to all whom he met, as heretofore, it could not end badly for him. She +was not able to tell him how to get back his natural form, but she had +given him a little hope and assurance, which inspired the boy to think +out a way to prevent the big white gander from going home. + +"Do you know, Morten Goosey-Gander, that it will be rather monotonous +for us to stay at home all winter after having been on a trip like +this," he said, as they were flying far up in the air. "I'm sitting here +thinking that we ought to go abroad with the geese." + +"Surely you are not in earnest!" said the goosey-gander. Since he had +proved to the wild geese his ability to travel with them all the way to +Lapland, he was perfectly satisfied to get back to the goose pen in +Holger Nilsson's cow shed. + +The boy sat silently a while and gazed down on Vermland, where the birch +woods, leafy groves, and gardens were clad in red and yellow autumn +colours. + +"I don't think I've ever seen the earth beneath us as lovely as it is +to-day!" he finally remarked. "The lakes are like blue satin bands. +Don't you think it would be a pity to settle down in West Vemminghög and +never see any more of the world?" + +"I thought you wanted to go home to your mother and father and show them +what a splendid boy you had become?" said the goosey-gander. + +All summer he had been dreaming of what a proud moment it would be for +him when he should alight in the house yard before Holger Nilsson's +cabin and show Dunfin and the six goslings to the geese and chickens, +the cows and the cat, and to Mother Holger Nilsson herself, so that he +was not very happy over the boy's proposal. + +"Now, Morten Goosey-Gander, don't you think yourself that it would be +hard never to see anything more that is beautiful!" said the boy. + +"I would rather see the fat grain fields of Söderslätt than these lean +hills," answered the goosey-gander. "But you must know very well that +if you really wish to continue the trip, I can't be parted from you." + +"That is just the answer I had expected from you," said the boy, and his +voice betrayed that he was relieved of a great anxiety. + +Later, when they travelled over Bohuslän, the boy observed that the +mountain stretches were more continuous, the valleys were more like +little ravines blasted in the rock foundation, while the long lakes at +their base were as black as if they had come from the underworld. This, +too, was a glorious country, and as the boy saw it, with now a strip of +sun, now a shadow, he thought that there was something strange and wild +about it. He knew not why, but the idea came to him that once upon a +time there were many strong and brave heroes in these mystical regions +who had passed through many dangerous and daring adventures. The old +passion of wanting to share in all sorts of wonderful adventures awoke +in him. + +"I might possibly miss not being in danger of my life at least once +every day or two," he thought. "Anyhow it's best to be content with +things as they are." + +He did not speak of this idea to the big white gander, because the geese +were now flying over Bohuslän with all the speed they could muster, and +the goosey-gander was puffing so hard that he would not have had the +strength to reply. + +The sun was far down on the horizon, and disappeared every now and then +behind a hill; still the geese kept forging ahead. + +Finally, in the west, they saw a shining strip of light, which grew +broader and broader with every wing stroke. Soon the sea spread before +them, milk white with a shimmer of rose red and sky blue, and when they +had circled past the coast cliffs they saw the sun again, as it hung +over the sea, big and red and ready to plunge into the waves. + +As the boy gazed at the broad, endless sea and the red evening sun, +which had such a kindly glow that he dared to look straight at it, he +felt a sense of peace and calm penetrate his soul. + +"It's not worth while to be sad, Nils Holgersson," said the Sun. "This +is a beautiful world to live in both for big and little. It is also good +to be free and happy, and to have a great dome of open sky above you." + +THE GIFT OF THE WILD GEESE + +The geese stood sleeping on a little rock islet just beyond Fjällbacka. +When it drew on toward midnight, and the moon hung high in the heavens, +old Akka shook the sleepiness out of her eyes. After that she walked +around and awakened Yksi and Kaksi, Kolme and Neljä, Viisi and Kuusi, +and, last of all, she gave Thumbietot a nudge with her bill that +startled him. + +"What is it, Mother Akka?" he asked, springing up in alarm. + +"Nothing serious," assured the leader-goose. "It's just this: we seven +who have been long together want to fly a short distance out to sea +to-night, and we wondered if you would care to come with us." + +The boy knew that Akka would not have proposed this move had there not +been something important on foot, so he promptly seated himself on her +back. The flight was straight west. The wild geese first flew over a +belt of large and small islands near the coast, then over a broad +expanse of open sea, till they reached the large cluster known as the +Väder Islands. All of them were low and rocky, and in the moonlight one +could see that they were rather large. + +Akka looked at one of the smallest islands and alighted there. It +consisted of a round, gray stone hill, with a wide cleft across it, into +which the sea had cast fine, white sea sand and a few shells. + +As the boy slid from the goose's back he noticed something quite close +to him that looked like a jagged stone. But almost at once he saw that +it was a big vulture which had chosen the rock island for a night +harbour. Before the boy had time to wonder at the geese recklessly +alighting so near a dangerous enemy, the bird flew up to them and the +boy recognized Gorgo, the eagle. + +Evidently Akka and Gorgo had arranged the meeting, for neither of them +was taken by surprise. + +"This was good of you, Gorgo," said Akka. "I didn't expect that you +would be at the meeting place ahead of us. Have you been here long?" + +"I came early in the evening," replied Gorgo. "But I fear that the only +praise I deserve is for keeping my appointment with you. I've not been +very successful in carrying out the orders you gave me." + +"I'm sure, Gorgo, that you have done more than you care to admit," +assured Akka. "But before you relate your experiences on the trip, I +shall ask Thumbietot to help me find something which is supposed to be +buried on this island." + +The boy stood gazing admiringly at two beautiful shells, but when Akka +spoke his name, he glanced up. + +"You must have wondered, Thumbietot, why we turned out of our course to +fly here to the West Sea," said Akka. + +"To be frank, I did think it strange," answered the boy. "But I knew, of +course, that you always have some good reason for whatever you do." + +"You have a good opinion of me," returned Akka, "but I almost fear you +will lose it now, for it's very probable that we have made this journey +in vain. + +"Many years ago it happened that two of the other old geese and myself +encountered frightful storms during a spring flight and were wind-driven +to this island. When we discovered that there was only open sea before +us, we feared we should be swept so far out that we should never find +our way back to land, so we lay down on the waves between these bare +cliffs, where the storm compelled us to remain for several days. + +"We suffered terribly from hunger; once we ventured up to the cleft on +this island in search of food. We couldn't find a green blade, but we +saw a number of securely tied bags half buried in the sand. We hoped to +find grain in the bags and pulled and tugged at them till we tore the +cloth. However, no grain poured out, but shining gold pieces. For such +things we wild geese had no use, so we left them where they were. We +haven't thought of the find in all these years; but this autumn +something has come up to make us wish for gold. + +"We do not know that the treasure is still here, but we have travelled +all this way to ask you to look into the matter." + +With a shell in either hand the boy jumped down into the cleft and began +to scoop up the sand. He found no bags, but when he had made a deep hole +he heard the clink of metal and saw that he had come upon a gold piece. +Then he dug with his fingers and felt many coins in the sand. So he +hurried back to Akka. + +"The bags have rotted and fallen apart," he exclaimed, "and the money +lies scattered all through the sand." + +"That's well!" said Akka. "Now fill in the hole and smooth it over so no +one will notice the sand has been disturbed." + +The boy did as he was told, but when he came up from the cleft he was +astonished to see that the wild geese were lined up, with Akka in the +lead, and were marching toward him with great solemnity. + +The geese paused in front of him, and all bowed their heads many times, +looking so grave that he had to doff his cap and make an obeisance to +them. + +"The fact is," said Akka, "we old geese have been thinking that if +Thumbietot had been in the service of human beings and had done as much +for them as he has for us they would not let him go without rewarding +him well." + +"I haven't helped you; it is you who have taken good care of me," +returned the boy. + +"We think also," continued Akka, "that when a human being has attended +us on a whole journey he shouldn't be allowed to leave us as poor as +when he came." + +"I know that what I have learned this year with you is worth more to me +than gold or lands," said the boy. + +"Since these gold coins have been lying unclaimed in the cleft all these +years, I think that you ought to have them," declared the wild goose. + +"I thought you said something about needing this money yourselves," +reminded the boy. + +"We do need it, so as to be able to give you such recompense as will +make your mother and father think you have been working as a goose boy +with worthy people." + +The boy turned half round and cast a glance toward the sea, then faced +about and looked straight into Akka's bright eyes. + +"I think it strange, Mother Akka, that you turn me away from your +service like this and pay me off before I have given you notice," he +said. + +"As long as we wild geese remain in Sweden, I trust that you will stay +with us," said Akka. "I only wanted to show you where the treasure was +while we could get to it without going too far out of our course." + +"All the same it looks as if you wished to be rid of me before I want to +go," argued Thumbietot. "After all the good times we have had together, +I think you ought to let me go abroad with you." + +When the boy said this, Akka and the other wild geese stretched their +long necks straight up and stood a moment, with bills half open, +drinking in air. + +"That is something I haven't thought about," said Akka, when she +recovered herself. "Before you decide to come with us, we had better +hear what Gorgo has to say. You may as well know that when we left +Lapland the agreement between Gorgo and myself was that he should travel +to your home down in Skåne to try to make better terms for you with the +elf." + +"That is true," affirmed Gorgo, "but as I have already told you, luck +was against me. I soon hunted up Holger Nilsson's croft and after +circling up and down over the place a couple of hours, I caught sight of +the elf, skulking along between the sheds. + +"Immediately I swooped down upon him and flew off with him to a meadow +where we could talk together without interruption. + +"I told him that I had been sent by Akka from Kebnekaise to ask if he +couldn't give Nils Holgersson easier terms. + +"'I only wish I could!' he answered, 'for I have heard that he has +conducted himself well on the trip; but it is not in my power to do so.' + +"Then I was wrathy and said that I would bore out his eyes unless he +gave in. + +"'You may do as you like,' he retorted, 'but as to Nils Holgersson, it +will turn out exactly as I have said. You can tell him from me that he +would do well to return soon with his goose, for matters on the farm are +in a bad shape. His father has had to forfeit a bond for his brother, +whom he trusted. He has bought a horse with borrowed money, and the +beast went lame the first time he drove it. Since then it has been of no +earthly use to him. Tell Nils Holgersson that his parents have had to +sell two of the cows and that they must give up the croft unless they +receive help from somewhere." + +When the boy heard this he frowned and clenched his fists so hard that +the nails dug into his flesh. + +"It is cruel of the elf to make the conditions so hard for me that I can +not go home and relieve my parents, but he sha'n't turn me into a +traitor to a friend! My father and mother are square and upright folk. I +know they would rather forfeit my help than have me come back to them +with a guilty conscience." + + +THE JOURNEY TO VEMMINGHÖG + + +_Thursday, November third_. + +One day in the beginning of November the wild geese flew over Halland +Ridge and into Skåne. For several weeks they had been resting on the +wide plains around Falköping. As many other wild goose flocks also +stopped there, the grown geese had had a pleasant time visiting with old +friends, and there had been all kinds of games and races between the +younger birds. + +Nils Holgersson had not been happy over the delay in Westergötland. He +had tried to keep a stout heart; but it was hard for him to reconcile +himself to his fate. + +"If I were only well out of Skåne and in some foreign land," he had +thought, "I should know for certain that I had nothing to hope for, and +would feel easier in my mind." + +Finally, one morning, the geese started out and flew toward Halland. + +In the beginning the boy took very little interest in that province. He +thought there was nothing new to be seen there. But when the wild geese +continued the journey farther south, along the narrow coast-lands, the +boy leaned over the goose's neck and did not take his glance from the +ground. + +He saw the hills gradually disappear and the plain spread under him, at +the same time he noticed that the coast became less rugged, while the +group of islands beyond thinned and finally vanished and the broad, open +sea came clear up to firm land. Here there were no more forests: here +the plain was supreme. It spread all the way to the horizon. A land that +lay so exposed, with field upon field, reminded the boy of Skåne. He +felt both happy and sad as he looked at it. + +"I can't be very far from home," he thought. + +Many times during the trip the goslings had asked the old geese: + +"How does it look in foreign lands?" + +"Wait, wait! You shall soon see," the old geese had answered. + +When the wild geese had passed Halland Ridge and gone a distance into +Skåne, Akka called out: + +"Now look down! Look all around! It is like this in foreign lands." + +Just then they flew over Söder Ridge. The whole long range of hills was +clad in beech woods, and beautiful, turreted castles peeped out here and +there. + +Among the trees grazed roe-buck, and on the forest meadow romped the +hares. Hunters' horns sounded from the forests; the loud baying of dogs +could be heard all the way up to the wild geese. Broad avenues wound +through the trees and on these ladies and gentlemen were driving in +polished carriages or riding fine horses. At the foot of the ridge lay +Ring Lake with the ancient Bosjö Cloister on a narrow peninsula. + +"Does it look like this in foreign lands?" asked the goslings. + +"It looks exactly like this wherever there are forest-clad ridges," +replied Akka, "only one doesn't see many of them. Wait! You shall see +how it looks in general." + +Akka led the geese farther south to the great Skåne plain. There it +spread, with grain fields; with acres and acres of sugar beets, where +the beet-pickers were at work; with low whitewashed farm- and outhouses; +with numberless little white churches; with ugly, gray sugar refineries +and small villages near the railway stations. Little beech-encircled +meadow lakes, each of them adorned by its own stately manor, shimmered +here and there. + +"Now look down! Look carefully!" called the leader-goose. "Thus it is in +foreign lands, from the Baltic coast all the way down to the high Alps. +Farther than that I have never travelled." + +When the goslings had seen the plain, the leader-goose flew down the +Öresund coast. Swampy meadows sloped gradually toward the sea. In some +places were high, steep banks, in others drift-sand fields, where the +sand lay heaped in banks and hills. Fishing hamlets stood all along the +coast, with long rows of low, uniform brick houses, with a lighthouse at +the edge of the breakwater, and brown fishing nets hanging in the drying +yard. + +"Now look down! Look well! This is how it looks along the coasts in +foreign lands." + +After Akka had been flying about in this manner a long time she alighted +suddenly on a marsh in Vemminghög township and the boy could not help +thinking that she had travelled over Skåne just to let him see that his +was a country which could compare favourably with any in the world. This +was unnecessary, for the boy was not thinking of whether the country was +rich or poor. + +From the moment that he had seen the first willow grove his heart ached +with homesickness. + +HOME AT LAST + + +_Tuesday, November eighth_. + +The atmosphere was dull and hazy. The wild geese had been feeding on the +big meadow around Skerup church and were having their noonday rest when +Akka came up to the boy. + +"It looks as if we should have calm weather for awhile," she remarked, +"and I think we'll cross the Baltic to-morrow." + +"Indeed!" said the boy abruptly, for his throat contracted so that he +could hardly speak. All along he had cherished the hope that he would be +released from the enchantment while he was still in Skåne. + +"We are quite near West Vemminghög now," said Akka, "and I thought that +perhaps you might like to go home for awhile. It may be some time before +you have another opportunity to see your people." + +"Perhaps I had better not," said the boy hesitatingly, but something in +his voice betrayed that he was glad of Akka's proposal. + +"If the goosey-gander remains with us, no harm can come to him," Akka +assured. "I think you had better find out how your parents are getting +along. You might be of some help to them, even if you're not a normal +boy." + +"You are right, Mother Akka. I should have thought of that long ago," +said the boy impulsively. + +The next second he and the leader-goose were on their way to his home. +It was not long before Akka alighted behind the stone hedge encircling +the little farm. + +"Strange how natural everything looks around here!" the boy remarked, +quickly clambering to the top of the hedge, so that he could look about. + +"It seems to me only yesterday that I first saw you come flying through +the air." + +"I wonder if your father has a gun," said Akka suddenly. + +"You may be sure he has," returned the boy. "It was just the gun that +kept me at home that Sunday morning when I should have been at church." + +"Then I don't dare to stand here and wait for you," said Akka. "You had +better meet us at Smygahök early to-morrow morning, so that you may stay +at home over night." + +"Oh, don't go yet, Mother Akka!" begged the boy, jumping from the hedge. + +He could not tell just why it was, but he felt as if something would +happen, either to the wild goose or to himself, to prevent their future +meeting. + +"No doubt you see that I'm distressed because I cannot get back my +right form; but I want to say to you that I don't regret having gone +with you last spring," he added. "I would rather forfeit the chance of +ever being human again than to have missed that trip." + +Akka breathed quickly before she answered. + +"There's a little matter I should have mentioned to you before this, but +since you are not going back to your home for good, I thought there was +no hurry about it. Still it may as well be said now." + +"You know very well that I am always glad to do your bidding," said the +boy. + +"If you have learned anything at all from us, Thumbietot, you no longer +think that the humans should have the whole earth to themselves," said +the wild goose, solemnly. "Remember you have a large country and you can +easily afford to leave a few bare rocks, a few shallow lakes and swamps, +a few desolate cliffs and remote forests to us poor, dumb creatures, +where we can be allowed to live in peace. All my days I have been +hounded and hunted. It would be a comfort to know that there is a refuge +somewhere for one like me." + +"Indeed, I should be glad to help if I could," said the boy, "but it's +not likely that I shall ever again have any influence among human +beings." + +"Well, we're standing here talking as if we were never to meet again," +said Akka, "but we shall see each other to-morrow, of course. Now I'll +return to my flock." + +She spread her wings and started to fly, but came back and stroked +Thumbietot up and down with her bill before she flew away. + +It was broad daylight, but no human being moved on the farm and the boy +could go where he pleased. He hastened to the cow shed, because he knew +that he could get the best information from the cows. + +It looked rather barren in their shed. In the spring there had been +three fine cows there, but now there was only one--Mayrose. It was quite +apparent that she yearned for her comrades. Her head drooped sadly, and +she had hardly touched the feed in her crib. + +"Good day, Mayrose!" said the boy, running fearlessly into her stall. + +"How are mother and father? How are the cat and the chickens? What has +become of Star and Gold-Lily?" + +When Mayrose heard the boy's voice she started, and appeared as if she +were going to gore him. But she was not so quick-tempered now as +formerly, and took time to look well at Nils Holgersson. + +He was just as little now as when he went away, and wore the same +clothes; yet he was completely changed. The Nils Holgersson that went +away in the spring had a heavy, slow gait, a drawling speech, and sleepy +eyes. The one that had come back was lithe and alert, ready of speech, +and had eyes that sparkled and danced. He had a confident bearing that +commanded respect, little as he was. Although he himself did not look +happy, he inspired happiness in others. + +"Moo!" bellowed Mayrose. "They told me that he was changed, but I +couldn't believe it. Welcome home, Nils Holgersson! Welcome home! This +is the first glad moment I have known for ever so long!" + +"Thank you, Mayrose!" said the boy, who was very happy to be so well +received. + +"Now tell me all about father and mother." + +"They have had nothing but hardship ever since you went away," said +Mayrose. "The horse has been a costly care all summer, for he has stood +in the stable the whole time and not earned his feed. Your father is too +soft-hearted to shoot him and he can't sell him. It was on account of +the horse that both Star and Gold-Lily had to be sold." + +There was something else the boy wanted badly to know, but he was +diffident about asking the question point blank. Therefore he said: + +"Mother must have felt very sorry when she discovered that Morten +Goosey-Gander had flown?" + +"She wouldn't have worried much about Morten Goosey-Gander had she +known the way he came to leave. She grieves most at the thought of her +son having run away from home with a goosey-gander." + +"Does she really think that I _stole_ the goosey-gander?" said the boy. + +"What else could she think?" + +"Father and mother must fancy that I've been roaming about the country, +like a common tramp?" + +"They think that you've gone to the dogs," said Mayrose. "They have +mourned you as one mourns the loss of the dearest thing on earth." + +As soon as the boy heard this, he rushed from the cow shed and down to +the stable. + +It was small, but clean and tidy. Everything showed that his father had +tried to make the place comfortable for the new horse. In the stall +stood a strong, fine animal that looked well fed and well cared for. + +"Good day to you!" said the boy. "I have heard that there's a sick horse +in here. Surely it can't be you, who look so healthy and strong." + +The horse turned his head and stared fixedly at the boy. + +"Are you the son?" he queried. "I have heard many bad reports of him. +But you have such a good face, I couldn't believe that you were he, did +I not know that he was transformed into an elf." + +"I know that I left a bad name behind me when I went away from the +farm," admitted Nils Holgersson. "My own mother thinks I am a thief. But +what matters it--I sha'n't tarry here long. Meanwhile, I want to know +what ails you." + +"Pity you're not going to stay," said the horse, "for I have the feeling +that you and I might become good friends. I've got something in my +foot--the point of a knife, or something sharp--that's all that ails me. +It has gone so far in that the doctor can't find it, but it cuts so that +I can't walk. If you would only tell your father what's wrong with me, +I'm sure that he could help me. I should like to be of some use. I +really feel ashamed to stand here and feed without doing any work." + +"It's well that you have no real illness," remarked Nils Holgersson. "I +must attend to this at once, so that you will be all right again. You +don't mind if I do a little scratching on your hoof with my knife, do +you?" + +Nils Holgersson had just finished, when he heard the sound of voices. He +opened the stable door a little and peeped out. + +His father and mother were coming down the lane. It was easy to see that +they were broken by many sorrows. His mother had many lines on her face +and his father's hair had turned gray. She was talking with him about +getting a loan from her brother-in-law. + +"No, I don't want to borrow any more money," his father said, as they +were passing the stable. "There's nothing quite so hard as being in +debt. It would be better to sell the cabin." + +"If it were not for the boy, I shouldn't mind selling it," his mother +demurred. "But what will become of him, if he returns some day, wretched +and poor--as he's likely to be--and we not here?" + +"You're right about that," the father agreed. "But we shall have to ask +the folks who take the place to receive him kindly and to let him know +that he's welcome back to us. We sha'n't say a harsh word to him, no +matter what he may be, shall we mother?" + +"No, indeed! If I only had him again, so that I could be certain he is +not starving and freezing on the highways, I'd ask nothing more!" + +Then his father and mother went in, and the boy heard no more of their +conversation. + +He was happy and deeply moved when he knew that they loved him so +dearly, although they believed he had gone astray. He longed to rush +into their arms. + +"But perhaps it would be an even greater sorrow were they to see me as I +now am." + +While he stood there, hesitating, a cart drove up to the gate. The boy +smothered a cry of surprise, for who should step from the cart and go +into the house yard but Osa, the goose girl, and her father! + +They walked hand in hand toward the cabin. When they were about half +way there, Osa stopped her father and said: + +"Now remember, father, you are not to mention the wooden shoe or the +geese or the little brownie who was so like Nils Holgersson that if it +was not himself it must have had some connection with him." + +"Certainly not!" said Jon Esserson. "I shall only say that their son has +been of great help to you on several occasions--when you were trying to +find me--and that therefore we have come to ask if we can't do them a +service in return, since I'm a rich man now and have more than I need, +thanks to the mine I discovered up in Lapland." + +"I know, father, that you can say the right thing in the right way," Osa +commended. "It is only that one particular thing that I don't wish you +to mention." + +They went into the cabin, and the boy would have liked to hear what they +talked about in there; but he dared not venture near the house. It was +not long before they came out again, and his father and mother +accompanied them as far as the gate. + +His parents were strangely happy. They appeared to have gained a new +hold on life. + +When the visitors were gone, father and mother lingered at the gate +gazing after them. + +"I don't feel unhappy any longer, since I've heard so much that is good +of our Nils," said his mother. + +"Perhaps he got more praise than he really deserved," put in his father +thoughtfully. + +"Wasn't it enough for you that they came here specially to say they +wanted to help us because our Nils had served them in many ways? I +think, father, that you should have accepted their offer." + +"No, mother, I don't wish to accept money from any one, either as a gift +or a loan. In the first place I want to free myself from all debt, then +we will work our way up again. We're not so very old, are we, mother?" +The father laughed heartily as he said this. + +"I believe you think it will be fun to sell this place, upon which we +have expended such a lot of time and hard work," protested the mother. + +"Oh, you know why I'm laughing," the father retorted. "It was the +thought of the boy's having gone to the bad that weighed me down until I +had no strength or courage left in me. Now that I know he still lives +and has turned out well, you'll see that Holger Nilsson has some grit +left." + +The mother went in alone, and the boy made haste to hide in a corner, +for his father walked into the stable. He went over to the horse and +examined its hoof, as usual, to try to discover what was wrong with it. + +"What's this!" he cried, discovering some letters scratched on the +hoof. + +"Remove the sharp piece of iron from the foot," he read and glanced +around inquiringly. However, he ran his fingers along the under side of +the hoof and looked at it carefully. + +"I verily believe there is something sharp here!" he said. + +While his father was busy with the horse and the boy sat huddled in a +corner, it happened that other callers came to the farm. + +The fact was that when Morten Goosey-Gander found himself so near his +old home he simply could not resist the temptation of showing his wife +and children to his old companions on the farm. So he took Dunfin and +the goslings along, and made for home. + +There was not a soul in the barn yard when the goosey-gander came along. +He alighted, confidently walked all around the place, and showed Dunfin +how luxuriously he had lived when he was a tame goose. + +When they had viewed the entire farm, he noticed that the door of the +cow shed was open. + +"Look in here a moment," he said, "then you will see how I lived in +former days. It was very different from camping in swamps and morasses, +as we do now." + +The goosey-gander stood in the doorway and looked into the cow shed. + +"There's not a soul in here," he said. "Come along, Dunfin, and you +shall see the goose pen. Don't be afraid; there's no danger." + +Forthwith the goosey-gander, Dunfin, and all six goslings waddled into +the goose pen, to have a look at the elegance and comfort in which the +big white gander had lived before he joined the wild geese. + +"This is the way it used to be: here was my place and over there was the +trough, which was always filled with oats and water," explained the +goosey-gander. + +"Wait! there's some fodder in it now." With that he rushed to the trough +and began to gobble up the oats. + +But Dunfin was nervous. + +"Let's go out again!" she said. + +"Only two more grains," insisted the goosey-gander. The next second he +let out a shriek and ran for the door, but it was too late! The door +slammed, the mistress stood without and bolted it. They were locked in! + +The father had removed a sharp piece of iron from the horse's hoof and +stood contentedly stroking the animal when the mother came running into +the stable. + +"Come, father, and see the capture I've made!" + +"No, wait a minute!" said the father. "Look here, first. I have +discovered what ailed the horse." + +"I believe our luck has turned," said the mother. "Only fancy! the big +white goosey-gander that disappeared last spring must have gone off with +the wild geese. He has come back to us in company with seven wild geese. +They walked straight into the goose pen, and I've shut them all in." + +"That's extraordinary," remarked the father. "But best of all is that we +don't have to think any more that our boy stole the goosey-gander when +he went away." + +"You're quite right, father," she said. "But I'm afraid we'll have to +kill them to-night. In two days is Morten Gooseday[1] and we must make +haste if we expect to get them to market in time." + +[Footnote 1: In Sweden the 10th of November is called Morten Gooseday +and corresponds to the American Thanksgiving Day.] + +"I think it would be outrageous to butcher the goosey-gander, now that +he has returned to us with such a large family," protested Holger +Nilsson. + +"If times were easier we'd let him live; but since we're going to move +from here, we can't keep geese. Come along now and help me carry them +into the kitchen," urged the mother. + +They went out together and in a few moments the boy saw his father +coming along with Morten Goosey-Gander and Dunfin--one under each arm. +He and his wife went into the cabin. + +The goosey-gander cried: + +"Thumbietot, come and help me!"--as he always did when in +peril--although he was not aware that the boy was at hand. + +Nils Holgersson heard him, yet he lingered at the door of the cow shed. + +He did not hesitate because he knew that it would be well for him if the +goosey-gander were beheaded--at that moment he did not even remember +this--but because he shrank from being seen by his parents. + +"They have a hard enough time of it already," he thought. "Must I bring +them a new sorrow?" + +But when the door closed on the goosey-gander, the boy was aroused. + +He dashed across the house yard, sprang up on the board-walk leading to +the entrance door and ran into the hallway, where he kicked off his +wooden shoes in the old accustomed way, and walked toward the door. + +All the while it went so much against the grain to appear before his +father and mother that he could not raise his hand to knock. + +"But this concerns the life of the goosey-gander," he said to +himself--"he who has been my best friend ever since I last stood here." + +In a twinkling the boy remembered all that he and the goosey-gander had +suffered on ice-bound lakes and stormy seas and among wild beasts of +prey. His heart swelled with gratitude; he conquered himself and knocked +on the door. + +"Is there some one who wishes to come in?" asked his father, opening the +door. + +"Mother, you sha'n't touch the goosey-gander!" cried the boy. + +Instantly both the goosey-gander and Dunfin, who lay on a bench with +their feet tied, gave a cry of joy, so that he was sure they were alive. + +Some one else gave a cry of joy--his _mother_! + +"My, but you have grown tall and handsome!" she exclaimed. + +The boy had not entered the cabin, but was standing on the doorstep, +like one who is not quite certain how he will be received. + +"The Lord be praised that I have you back again!" said his mother, +laughing and crying. "Come in, my boy! Come in!" + +"Welcome!" added his father, and not another word could he utter. + +But the boy still lingered at the threshold. He could not comprehend why +they were so glad to see him--such as he was. Then his mother came and +put her arms around him and drew him into the room, and he knew that he +was all right. + +"Mother and father!" he cried. "I'm a big boy. I am a human being +again!" + + +THE PARTING WITH THE WILD GEESE + + +_Wednesday, November ninth_. + +The boy arose before dawn and wandered down to the coast. He was +standing alone on the strand east of Smyge fishing hamlet before +sunrise. He had already been in the pen with Morten Goosey-Gander to try +to rouse him, but the big white gander had no desire to leave home. He +did not say a word, but only stuck his bill under his wing and went to +sleep again. + +To all appearances the weather promised to be almost as perfect as it +had been that spring day when the wild geese came to Skåne. There was +hardly a ripple on the water; the air was still and the boy thought of +the good passage the geese would have. He himself was as yet in a kind +of daze--sometimes thinking he was an elf, sometimes a human being. When +he saw a stone hedge alongside the road, he was afraid to go farther +until he had made sure that no wild animal or vulture lurked behind it. +Very soon he laughed to himself and rejoiced because he was big and +strong and did not have to be afraid of anything. + +When he reached the coast he stationed himself, big as he was, at the +very edge of the strand, so that the wild geese could see him. + +It was a busy day for the birds of passage. Bird calls sounded on the +air continuously. The boy smiled as he thought that no one but himself +understood what the birds were saying to one another. Presently wild +geese came flying; one big flock following another. + +"Just so it's not my geese that are going away without bidding me +farewell," he thought. He wanted so much to tell them how everything had +turned out, and to show them that he was no longer an elf but a human +being. + +There came a flock that flew faster and cackled louder than the others, +and something told him that this must be _the_ flock, but now he was not +quite so sure about it as he would have been the day before. + +The flock slackened its flight and circled up and down along the coast. + +The boy knew it was the right one, but he could not understand why the +geese did not come straight down to him. They could not avoid seeing him +where he stood. He tried to give a call that would bring them down to +him, but only think! his tongue would not obey him. He could not make +the right sound! He heard Akka's calls, but did not understand what she +said. + +"What can this mean? Have the wild geese changed their language?" he +wondered. + +He waved his cap to them and ran along the shore calling. + +"Here am I, where are you?" + +But this seemed only to frighten the geese. They rose and flew farther +out to sea. At last he understood. They did not know that he was human, +had not recognized him. He could not call them to him because human +beings can not speak the language of birds. He could not speak their +language, nor could he understand it. + +Although the boy was very glad to be released from the enchantment, +still he thought it hard that because of this he should be parted from +his old comrades. + +He sat down on the sands and buried his face in his hands. What was the +use of his gazing after them any more? + +Presently he heard the rustle of wings. Old mother Akka had found it +hard to fly away from Thumbietot, and turned back, and now that the boy +sat quite still she ventured to fly nearer to him. Suddenly something +must have told her who he was, for she lit close beside him. + +Nils gave a cry of joy and took old Akka in his arms. The other wild +geese crowded round him and stroked him with their bills. They cackled +and chattered and wished him all kinds of good luck, and he, too, talked +to them and thanked them for the wonderful journey which he had been +privileged to make in their company. + +All at once the wild geese became strangely quiet and withdrew from him, +as if to say: + +"Alas! he is a man. He does not understand us: we do not understand +him!" + +Then the boy rose and went over to Akka; he stroked her and patted her. +He did the same to Yksi and Kaksi, Kolme and Neljä, Viisi and Kuusi--the +old birds who had been his companions from the very start. + +After that he walked farther up the strand. He knew perfectly well that +the sorrows of the birds do not last long, and he wanted to part with +them while they were still sad at losing him. + +As he crossed the shore meadows he turned and watched the many flocks of +birds that were flying over the sea. All were shrieking their coaxing +calls--only one goose flock flew silently on as long as he could follow +it with his eyes. The wedge was perfect, the speed good, and the wing +strokes strong and certain. + +The boy felt such a yearning for his departing comrades that he almost +wished he were Thumbietot again and could travel over land and sea with +a flock of wild geese. + + +TABLE OF PRONUNCIATION + + +The final _e_ is sounded in Skåne, Sirle, Gripe, etc. + +The _å_ in Skåne and Småland is pronounced like _o_ in ore. + +_j_ is like the English _y_. Nuolja, Oviksfjällen, Sjangeli, Jarro, +etc., should sound as if they were spelled like this: Nuolya, +Oviksfyellen, Syang [one syllable] elee, Yarro, etc. + +_g_, when followed by _e, i, y, ä, ö_, is also like _y_. Example, Göta +is pronounced Yöta. + +When _g_ is followed by _a, o, u_, or _å_, it is hard, as in go. + +_k_ in Norrköping, Linköping, Kivik (pronounced Cheeveek), etc., is like +_ch_ in cheer. + +_k_ is hard when it precedes _a, o, u_, or _å_. Example, Kaksi, Kolmi, +etc. + +_ä_ is pronounced like _ä_ in fare. Example, Färs. + +There is no sound in the English language which corresponds to the +Swedish _ö_. It is like the French _eu_ in jeu. + +Gripe is pronounced Greep-e. + +In Sirle, the first syllable has the same sound as _sir_, in sirup. + +The names which Miss Lagerlöf has given to the animals are descriptive. + +Smirre Fox, is cunning fox. + +Sirle Squirrel, is graceful, or nimble squirrel. + +Gripe Otter, means grabbing or clutching otter. + +Mons is a pet name applied to cats; like our tommy or pussy. Monsie +house-cat is equivalent to Tommy house-cat. + +Mårten gåskarl (Morten Goosie-gander) is a pet name for a tame gander, +just as we use Dickie-bird for a pet bird. + +Fru is the Swedish for Mrs. This title is usually applied to gentlewomen +only. The author has used this meaning of "fru." + +A Goa-Nisse is an elf-king, and corresponds to the English Puck or Robin +Goodfellow. + +VELMA SWANSTON HOWARD. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Wonderful Adventures of Nils +by Selma Lagerloef + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WONDERFUL ADVENTURES OF NILS *** + +***** This file should be named 10935-8.txt or 10935-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/0/9/3/10935/ + +Produced by David Schaal and PG Distributed Proofreaders + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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For +example an eBook of filename 10234 would be found at: + + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/0/2/3/10234 + +or filename 24689 would be found at: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/4/6/8/24689 + +An alternative method of locating eBooks: + https://www.gutenberg.org/GUTINDEX.ALL + + diff --git a/old/10935-8.zip b/old/10935-8.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..65cfaf0 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/10935-8.zip diff --git a/old/10935.txt b/old/10935.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..48763a9 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/10935.txt @@ -0,0 +1,16919 @@ +Project Gutenberg's The Wonderful Adventures of Nils, by Selma Lagerloef + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Wonderful Adventures of Nils + +Author: Selma Lagerloef + +Release Date: February 4, 2004 [EBook #10935] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WONDERFUL ADVENTURES OF NILS *** + + + + +Produced by David Schaal and PG Distributed Proofreaders + + + + +[Transcriber's note: The inconsistent orthography of the original is +retained in this etext.] + + +THE WONDERFUL ADVENTURES of NILS + +by + +SELMA LAGERLOeF + + +TRANSLATED FROM THE SWEDISH +BY VELMA SWANSTON HOWARD + + + +CONTENTS + +The Boy + +Akka from Kebnekaise + +The Wonderful Journey of Nils + +Glimminge Castle + +The Great Crane Dance on Kullaberg + +In Rainy Weather + +The Stairway with the Three Steps + +By Ronneby River + +Karlskrona + +The Trip to Oeland + +Oeland's Southern Point + +The Big Butterfly + +Little Karl's Island + +Two Cities + +The Legend of Smaland + +The Crows + +The Old Peasant Woman + +From Taberg to Huskvarna + +The Big Bird Lake + +Ulvasa-Lady + +The Homespun Cloth + +The Story of Karr and Grayskin + +The Wind Witch + +The Breaking Up of the Ice + +Thumbietot and the Bears + +The Flood + +Dunfin + +Stockholm + +Gorgo the Eagle + +On Over Gaestrikland + +A Day in Haelsingland + +In Medelpad + +A Morning in Angermanland + +Westbottom and Lapland + +Osa, the Goose Girl, and Little Mats + +With the Laplanders + +Homeward Bound + +Legends from Haerjedalen + +Vermland and Dalsland + +The Treasure on the Island + +The Journey to Vemminghoeg + +Home at Last + +The Parting with the Wild Geese + + +_Some of the purely geographical matter in the Swedish original of the +"Further Adventures of Nils" has been eliminated from the English +version. + +The author has rendered valuable assistance in cutting certain chapters +and abridging others. Also, with the author's approval, cuts have been +made where the descriptive matter was merely of local interest. + +But the story itself is intact. + +V.S.H_. + + + +THE BOY + + +THE ELF + +_Sunday, March twentieth_. + +Once there was a boy. He was--let us say--something like fourteen years +old; long and loose-jointed and towheaded. He wasn't good for much, that +boy. His chief delight was to eat and sleep; and after that--he liked +best to make mischief. + +It was a Sunday morning and the boy's parents were getting ready to go +to church. The boy sat on the edge of the table, in his shirt sleeves, +and thought how lucky it was that both father and mother were going +away, and the coast would be clear for a couple of hours. "Good! Now I +can take down pop's gun and fire off a shot, without anybody's meddling +interference," he said to himself. + +But it was almost as if father should have guessed the boy's thoughts, +for just as he was on the threshold--ready to start--he stopped short, +and turned toward the boy. "Since you won't come to church with mother +and me," he said, "the least you can do, is to read the service at home. +Will you promise to do so?" "Yes," said the boy, "that I can do easy +enough." And he thought, of course, that he wouldn't read any more than +he felt like reading. + +The boy thought that never had he seen his mother so persistent. In a +second she was over by the shelf near the fireplace, and took down +Luther's Commentary and laid it on the table, in front of the +window--opened at the service for the day. She also opened the New +Testament, and placed it beside the Commentary. Finally, she drew up the +big arm-chair, which was bought at the parish auction the year before, +and which, as a rule, no one but father was permitted to occupy. + +The boy sat thinking that his mother was giving herself altogether too +much trouble with this spread; for he had no intention of reading more +than a page or so. But now, for the second time, it was almost as if his +father were able to see right through him. He walked up to the boy, and +said in a severe tone: "Now, remember, that you are to read carefully! +For when we come back, I shall question you thoroughly; and if you have +skipped a single page, it will not go well with you." + +"The service is fourteen and a half pages long," said his mother, just +as if she wanted to heap up the measure of his misfortune. "You'll have +to sit down and begin the reading at once, if you expect to get through +with it." + +With that they departed. And as the boy stood in the doorway watching +them, he thought that he had been caught in a trap. "There they go +congratulating themselves, I suppose, in the belief that they've hit +upon something so good that I'll be forced to sit and hang over the +sermon the whole time that they are away," thought he. + +But his father and mother were certainly not congratulating themselves +upon anything of the sort; but, on the contrary, they were very much +distressed. They were poor farmers, and their place was not much bigger +than a garden-plot. When they first moved there, the place couldn't feed +more than one pig and a pair of chickens; but they were uncommonly +industrious and capable folk--and now they had both cows and geese. +Things had turned out very well for them; and they would have gone to +church that beautiful morning--satisfied and happy--if they hadn't had +their son to think of. Father complained that he was dull and lazy; he +had not cared to learn anything at school, and he was such an all-round +good-for-nothing, that he could barely be made to tend geese. Mother did +not deny that this was true; but she was most distressed because he was +wild and bad; cruel to animals, and ill-willed toward human beings. "May +God soften his hard heart, and give him a better disposition!" said the +mother, "or else he will be a misfortune, both to himself and to us." + +The boy stood for a long time and pondered whether he should read the +service or not. Finally, he came to the conclusion that, this time, it +was best to be obedient. He seated himself in the easy chair, and began +to read. But when he had been rattling away in an undertone for a little +while, this mumbling seemed to have a soothing effect upon him--and he +began to nod. + +It was the most beautiful weather outside! It was only the twentieth of +March; but the boy lived in West Vemminghoeg Township, down in Southern +Skane, where the spring was already in full swing. It was not as yet +green, but it was fresh and budding. There was water in all the +trenches, and the colt's-foot on the edge of the ditch was in bloom. All +the weeds that grew in among the stones were brown and shiny. The +beech-woods in the distance seemed to swell and grow thicker with every +second. The skies were high--and a clear blue. The cottage door stood +ajar, and the lark's trill could be heard in the room. The hens and +geese pattered about in the yard, and the cows, who felt the spring air +away in their stalls, lowed their approval every now and then. + +The boy read and nodded and fought against drowsiness. "No! I don't want +to fall asleep," thought he, "for then I'll not get through with this +thing the whole forenoon." + +But--somehow--he fell asleep. + +He did not know whether he had slept a short while, or a long while; but +he was awakened by hearing a slight noise back of him. + +On the window-sill, facing the boy, stood a small looking-glass; and +almost the entire cottage could be seen in this. As the boy raised his +head, he happened to look in the glass; and then he saw that the cover +to his mother's chest had been opened. + +His mother owned a great, heavy, iron-bound oak chest, which she +permitted no one but herself to open. Here she treasured all the things +she had inherited from her mother, and of these she was especially +careful. Here lay a couple of old-time peasant dresses, of red homespun +cloth, with short bodice and plaited shirt, and a pearl-bedecked breast +pin. There were starched white-linen head-dresses, and heavy silver +ornaments and chains. Folks don't care to go about dressed like that in +these days, and several times his mother had thought of getting rid of +the old things; but somehow, she hadn't had the heart to do it. + +Now the boy saw distinctly--in the glass--that the chest-lid was open. +He could not understand how this had happened, for his mother had closed +the chest before she went away. She never would have left that precious +chest open when he was at home, alone. + +He became low-spirited and apprehensive. He was afraid that a thief had +sneaked his way into the cottage. He didn't dare to move; but sat still +and stared into the looking-glass. + +While he sat there and waited for the thief to make his appearance, he +began to wonder what that dark shadow was which fell across the edge of +the chest. He looked and looked--and did not want to believe his eyes. +But the thing, which at first seemed shadowy, became more and more +clear to him; and soon he saw that it was something real. It was no less +a thing than an elf who sat there--astride the edge of the chest! + +To be sure, the boy had heard stories about elves, but he had never +dreamed that they were such tiny creatures. He was no taller than a +hand's breadth--this one, who sat on the edge of the chest. He had an +old, wrinkled and beardless face, and was dressed in a black frock coat, +knee-breeches and a broad-brimmed black hat. He was very trim and smart, +with his white laces about the throat and wrist-bands, his buckled +shoes, and the bows on his garters. He had taken from the chest an +embroidered piece, and sat and looked at the old-fashioned handiwork +with such an air of veneration, that he did not observe the boy had +awakened. + +The boy was somewhat surprised to see the elf, but, on the other hand, +he was not particularly frightened. It was impossible to be afraid of +one who was so little. And since the elf was so absorbed in his own +thoughts that he neither saw nor heard, the boy thought that it would be +great fun to play a trick on him; to push him over into the chest and +shut the lid on him, or something of that kind. + +But the boy was not so courageous that he dared to touch the elf with +his hands, instead he looked around the room for something to poke him +with. He let his gaze wander from the sofa to the leaf-table; from the +leaf-table to the fireplace. He looked at the kettles, then at the +coffee-urn, which stood on a shelf, near the fireplace; on the water +bucket near the door; and on the spoons and knives and forks and saucers +and plates, which could be seen through the half-open cupboard door. He +looked at his father's gun, which hung on the wall, beside the portrait +of the Danish royal family, and on the geraniums and fuchsias, which +blossomed in the window. And last, he caught sight of an old +butterfly-snare that hung on the window frame. He had hardly set eyes on +that butterfly-snare, before he reached over and snatched it and jumped +up and swung it alongside the edge of the chest. He was himself +astonished at the luck he had. He hardly knew how he had managed it--but +he had actually snared the elf. The poor little chap lay, head downward, +in the bottom of the long snare, and could not free himself. + +The first moment the boy hadn't the least idea what he should do with +his prize. He was only particular to swing the snare backward and +forward; to prevent the elf from getting a foothold and clambering up. + +The elf began to speak, and begged, oh! so pitifully, for his freedom. +He had brought them good luck--these many years--he said, and deserved +better treatment. Now, if the boy would set him free, he would give him +an old coin, a silver spoon, and a gold penny, as big as the case on his +father's silver watch. + +The boy didn't think that this was much of an offer; but it so +happened--that after he had gotten the elf in his power, he was afraid +of him. He felt that he had entered into an agreement with something +weird and uncanny; something which did not belong to his world, and he +was only too glad to get rid of the horrid thing. + +For this reason he agreed at once to the bargain, and held the snare +still, so the elf could crawl out of it. But when the elf was almost out +of the snare, the boy happened to think that he ought to have bargained +for large estates, and all sorts of good things. He should at least have +made this stipulation: that the elf must conjure the sermon into his +head. "What a fool I was to let him go!" thought he, and began to shake +the snare violently, so the elf would tumble down again. + +But the instant the boy did this, he received such a stinging box on the +ear, that he thought his head would fly in pieces. He was dashed--first +against one wall, then against the other; he sank to the floor, and lay +there--senseless. + +When he awoke, he was alone in the cottage. The chest-lid was down, and +the butterfly-snare hung in its usual place by the window. If he had not +felt how the right cheek burned, from that box on the ear, he would have +been tempted to believe the whole thing had been a dream. "At any rate, +father and mother will be sure to insist that it was nothing else," +thought he. "They are not likely to make any allowances for that old +sermon, on account of the elf. It's best for me to get at that reading +again," thought he. + +But as he walked toward the table, he noticed something remarkable. It +couldn't be possible that the cottage had grown. But why was he obliged +to take so many more steps than usual to get to the table? And what was +the matter with the chair? It looked no bigger than it did a while ago; +but now he had to step on the rung first, and then clamber up in order +to reach the seat. It was the same thing with the table. He could not +look over the top without climbing to the arm of the chair. + +"What in all the world is this?" said the boy. "I believe the elf has +bewitched both the armchair and the table--and the whole cottage." + +The Commentary lay on the table and, to all appearances, it was not +changed; but there must have been something queer about that too, for he +could not manage to read a single word of it, without actually standing +right in the book itself. + +He read a couple of lines, and then he chanced to look up. With that, +his glance fell on the looking-glass; and then he cried aloud: "Look! +There's another one!" + +For in the glass he saw plainly a little, little creature who was +dressed in a hood and leather breeches. + +"Why, that one is dressed exactly like me!" said the boy, and clasped +his hands in astonishment. But then he saw that the thing in the mirror +did the same thing. Then he began to pull his hair and pinch his arms +and swing round; and instantly he did the same thing after him; he, who +was seen in the mirror. + +The boy ran around the glass several times, to see if there wasn't a +little man hidden behind it, but he found no one there; and then he +began to shake with terror. For now he understood that the elf had +bewitched him, and that the creature whose image he saw in the +glass--was he, himself. + +THE WILD GEESE + +The boy simply could not make himself believe that he had been +transformed into an elf. "It can't be anything but a dream--a queer +fancy," thought he. "If I wait a few moments, I'll surely be turned back +into a human being again." + +He placed himself before the glass and closed his eyes. He opened them +again after a couple of minutes, and then expected to find that it had +all passed over--but it hadn't. He was--and remained--just as little. In +other respects, he was the same as before. The thin, straw-coloured +hair; the freckles across his nose; the patches on his leather breeches +and the darns on his stockings, were all like themselves, with this +exception--that they had become diminished. + +No, it would do no good for him to stand still and wait, of this he was +certain. He must try something else. And he thought the wisest thing +that he could do was to try and find the elf, and make his peace with +him. + +And while he sought, he cried and prayed and promised everything he +could think of. Nevermore would he break his word to anyone; never again +would he be naughty; and never, never would he fall asleep again over +the sermon. If he might only be a human being once more, he would be +such a good and helpful and obedient boy. But no matter how much he +promised--it did not help him the least little bit. + +Suddenly he remembered that he had heard his mother say, all the tiny +folk made their home in the cowsheds; and, at once, he concluded to go +there, and see if he couldn't find the elf. It was a lucky thing that +the cottage-door stood partly open, for he never could have reached the +bolt and opened it; but now he slipped through without any difficulty. + +When he came out in the hallway, he looked around for his wooden shoes; +for in the house, to be sure, he had gone about in his stocking-feet. He +wondered how he should manage with these big, clumsy wooden shoes; but +just then, he saw a pair of tiny shoes on the doorstep. When he observed +that the elf had been so thoughtful that he had also bewitched the +wooden shoes, he was even more troubled. It was evidently his intention +that this affliction should last a long time. + +On the wooden board-walk in front of the cottage, hopped a gray sparrow. +He had hardly set eyes on the boy before he called out: "Teetee! Teetee! +Look at Nils goosey-boy! Look at Thumbietot! Look at Nils Holgersson +Thumbietot!" + +Instantly, both the geese and the chickens turned and stared at the boy; +and then they set up a fearful cackling. "Cock-el-i-coo," crowed the +rooster, "good enough for him! Cock-el-i-coo, he has pulled my comb." +"Ka, ka, kada, serves him right!" cried the hens; and with that they +kept up a continuous cackle. The geese got together in a tight group, +stuck their heads together and asked: "Who can have done this? Who can +have done this?" + +But the strangest thing of all was, that the boy understood what they +said. He was so astonished, that he stood there as if rooted to the +doorstep, and listened. "It must be because I am changed into an elf," +said he. "This is probably why I understand bird-talk." + +He thought it was unbearable that the hens would not stop saying that it +served him right. He threw a stone at them and shouted: + +"Shut up, you pack!" + +But it hadn't occurred to him before, that he was no longer the sort of +boy the hens need fear. The whole henyard made a rush for him, and +formed a ring around him; then they all cried at once: "Ka, ka, kada, +served you right! Ka, ka, kada, served you right!" + +The boy tried to get away, but the chickens ran after him and screamed, +until he thought he'd lose his hearing. It is more than likely that he +never could have gotten away from them, if the house cat hadn't come +along just then. As soon as the chickens saw the cat, they quieted down +and pretended to be thinking of nothing else than just to scratch in the +earth for worms. + +Immediately the boy ran up to the cat. "You dear pussy!" said he, "you +must know all the corners and hiding places about here? You'll be a good +little kitty and tell me where I can find the elf." + +The cat did not reply at once. He seated himself, curled his tail into +a graceful ring around his paws--and stared at the boy. It was a large +black cat with one white spot on his chest. His fur lay sleek and soft, +and shone in the sunlight. The claws were drawn in, and the eyes were a +dull gray, with just a little narrow dark streak down the centre. The +cat looked thoroughly good-natured and inoffensive. + +"I know well enough where the elf lives," he said in a soft voice, "but +that doesn't say that I'm going to tell _you_ about it." + +"Dear pussy, you must tell me where the elf lives!" said the boy. "Can't +you see how he has bewitched me?" + +The cat opened his eyes a little, so that the green wickedness began to +shine forth. He spun round and purred with satisfaction before he +replied. "Shall I perhaps help you because you have so often grabbed me +by the tail?" he said at last. + +Then the boy was furious and forgot entirely how little and helpless he +was now. "Oh! I can pull your tail again, I can," said he, and ran +toward the cat. + +The next instant the cat was so changed that the boy could scarcely +believe it was the same animal. Every separate hair on his body stood on +end. The back was bent; the legs had become elongated; the claws scraped +the ground; the tail had grown thick and short; the ears were laid back; +the mouth was frothy; and the eyes were wide open and glistened like +sparks of red fire. + +The boy didn't want to let himself be scared by a cat, and he took a +step forward. Then the cat made one spring and landed right on the boy; +knocked him down and stood over him--his forepaws on his chest, and his +jaws wide apart--over his throat. + +The boy felt how the sharp claws sank through his vest and shirt and +into his skin; and how the sharp eye-teeth tickled his throat. He +shrieked for help, as loudly as he could, but no one came. He thought +surely that his last hour had come. Then he felt that the cat drew in +his claws and let go the hold on his throat. + +"There!" he said, "that will do now. I'll let you go this time, for my +mistress's sake. I only wanted you to know which one of us two has the +power now." + +With that the cat walked away--looking as smooth and pious as he did +when he first appeared on the scene. The boy was so crestfallen that he +didn't say a word, but only hurried to the cowhouse to look for the elf. + +There were not more than three cows, all told. But when the boy came in, +there was such a bellowing and such a kick-up, that one might easily +have believed that there were at least thirty. + +"Moo, moo, moo," bellowed Mayrose. "It is well there is such a thing as +justice in this world." + +"Moo, moo, moo," sang the three of them in unison. He couldn't hear what +they said, for each one tried to out-bellow the others. + +The boy wanted to ask after the elf, but he couldn't make himself heard +because the cows were in full uproar. They carried on as they used to do +when he let a strange dog in on them. They kicked with their hind legs, +shook their necks, stretched their heads, and measured the distance with +their horns. + +"Come here, you!" said Mayrose, "and you'll get a kick that you won't +forget in a hurry!" + +"Come here," said Gold Lily, "and you shall dance on my horns!" + +"Come here, and you shall taste how it felt when you threw your wooden +shoes at me, as you did last summer!" bawled Star. + +"Come here, and you shall be repaid for that wasp you let loose in my +ear!" growled Gold Lily. + +Mayrose was the oldest and the wisest of them, and she was the very +maddest. "Come here!" said she, "that I may pay you back for the many +times that you have jerked the milk pail away from your mother; and for +all the snares you laid for her, when she came carrying the milk pails; +and for all the tears when she has stood here and wept over you!" + +The boy wanted to tell them how he regretted that he had been unkind to +them; and that never, never--from now on--should he be anything but +good, if they would only tell him where the elf was. But the cows didn't +listen to him. They made such a racket that he began to fear one of them +would succeed in breaking loose; and he thought that the best thing for +him to do was to go quietly away from the cowhouse. + +When he came out, he was thoroughly disheartened. He could understand +that no one on the place wanted to help him find the elf. And little +good would it do him, probably, if the elf were found. + +He crawled up on the broad hedge which fenced in the farm, and which was +overgrown with briers and lichen. There he sat down to think about how +it would go with him, if he never became a human being again. When +father and mother came home from church, there would be a surprise for +them. Yes, a surprise--it would be all over the land; and people would +come flocking from East Vemminghoeg, and from Torp, and from Skerup. The +whole Vemminghoeg township would come to stare at him. Perhaps father and +mother would take him with them, and show him at the market place in +Kivik. + +No, that was too horrible to think about. He would rather that no human +being should ever see him again. + +His unhappiness was simply frightful! No one in all the world was so +unhappy as he. He was no longer a human being--but a freak. + +Little by little he began to comprehend what it meant--to be no longer +human. He was separated from everything now; he could no longer play +with other boys, he could not take charge of the farm after his parents +were gone; and certainly no girl would think of marrying _him_. + +He sat and looked at his home. It was a little log house, which lay as +if it had been crushed down to earth, under the high, sloping roof. The +outhouses were also small; and the patches of ground were so narrow that +a horse could barely turn around on them. But little and poor though the +place was, it was much too good for him _now_. He couldn't ask for any +better place than a hole under the stable floor. + +It was wondrously beautiful weather! It budded, and it rippled, and it +murmured, and it twittered--all around him. But he sat there with such a +heavy sorrow. He should never be happy any more about anything. + +Never had he seen the skies as blue as they were to-day. Birds of +passage came on their travels. They came from foreign lands, and had +travelled over the East sea, by way of Smygahuk, and were now on their +way North. They were of many different kinds; but he was only familiar +with the wild geese, who came flying in two long rows, which met at an +angle. + +Several flocks of wild geese had already flown by. They flew very high, +still he could hear how they shrieked: "To the hills! Now we're off to +the hills!" + +When the wild geese saw the tame geese, who walked about the farm, they +sank nearer the earth, and called: "Come along! Come along! We're off to +the hills!" + +The tame geese could not resist the temptation to raise their heads and +listen, but they answered very sensibly: "We're pretty well off where we +are. We're pretty well off where we are." + +It was, as we have said, an uncommonly fine day, with an atmosphere that +it must have been a real delight to fly in, so light and bracing. And +with each new wild geese-flock that flew by, the tame geese became more +and more unruly. A couple of times they flapped their wings, as if they +had half a mind to fly along. But then an old mother-goose would always +say to them: "Now don't be silly. Those creatures will have to suffer +both hunger and cold." + +There was a young gander whom the wild geese had fired with a passion +for adventure. "If another flock comes this way, I'll follow them," said +he. + +Then there came a new flock, who shrieked like the others, and the young +gander answered: "Wait a minute! Wait a minute! I'm coming." + +He spread his wings and raised himself into the air; but he was so +unaccustomed to flying, that he fell to the ground again. + +At any rate, the wild geese must have heard his call, for they turned +and flew back slowly to see if he was coming. + +"Wait, wait!" he cried, and made another attempt to fly. + +All this the boy heard, where he lay on the hedge. "It would be a great +pity," thought he, "if the big goosey-gander should go away. It would be +a big loss to father and mother if he was gone when they came home from +church." + +When he thought of this, once again he entirely forgot that he was +little and helpless. He took one leap right down into the goose-flock, +and threw his arms around the neck of the goosey-gander. "Oh, no! You +don't fly away this time, sir!" cried he. + +But just about then, the gander was considering how he should go to +work to raise himself from the ground. He couldn't stop to shake the boy +off, hence he had to go along with him--up in the air. + +They bore on toward the heights so rapidly, that the boy fairly gasped. +Before he had time to think that he ought to let go his hold around the +gander's neck, he was so high up that he would have been killed +instantly, if he had fallen to the ground. + +The only thing that he could do to make himself a little more +comfortable, was to try and get upon the gander's back. And there he +wriggled himself forthwith; but not without considerable trouble. And it +was not an easy matter, either, to hold himself secure on the slippery +back, between two swaying wings. He had to dig deep into feathers and +down with both hands, to keep from tumbling to the ground. + +THE BIG CHECKED CLOTH + +The boy had grown so giddy that it was a long while before he came to +himself. The winds howled and beat against him, and the rustle of +feathers and swaying of wings sounded like a whole storm. Thirteen geese +flew around him, flapping their wings and honking. They danced before +his eyes and they buzzed in his ears. He didn't know whether they flew +high or low, or in what direction they were travelling. + +After a bit, he regained just enough sense to understand that he ought +to find out where the geese were taking him. But this was not so easy, +for he didn't know how he should ever muster up courage enough to look +down. He was sure he'd faint if he attempted it. + +The wild geese were not flying very high because the new travelling +companion could not breathe in the very thinnest air. For his sake they +also flew a little slower than usual. + +At last the boy just made himself cast one glance down to earth. Then he +thought that a great big rug lay spread beneath him, which was made up +of an incredible number of large and small checks. + +"Where in all the world am I now?" he wondered. + +He saw nothing but check upon check. Some were broad and ran crosswise, +and some were long and narrow--all over, there were angles and corners. +Nothing was round, and nothing was crooked. + +"What kind of a big, checked cloth is this that I'm looking down on?" +said the boy to himself without expecting anyone to answer him. + +But instantly the wild geese who flew about him called out: "Fields and +meadows. Fields and meadows." + +Then he understood that the big, checked cloth he was travelling over +was the flat land of southern Sweden; and he began to comprehend why it +looked so checked and multi-coloured. The bright green checks he +recognised first; they were rye fields that had been sown in the fall, +and had kept themselves green under the winter snows. The yellowish-gray +checks were stubble-fields--the remains of the oat-crop which had grown +there the summer before. The brownish ones were old clover meadows: and +the black ones, deserted grazing lands or ploughed-up fallow pastures. +The brown checks with the yellow edges were, undoubtedly, beech-tree +forests; for in these you'll find the big trees which grow in the heart +of the forest--naked in winter; while the little beech-trees, which grow +along the borders, keep their dry, yellowed leaves way into the spring. +There were also dark checks with gray centres: these were the large, +built-up estates encircled by the small cottages with their blackening +straw roofs, and their stone-divided land-plots. And then there were +checks green in the middle with brown borders: these were the orchards, +where the grass-carpets were already turning green, although the trees +and bushes around them were still in their nude, brown bark. + +The boy could not keep from laughing when he saw how checked everything +looked. + +But when the wild geese heard him laugh, they called out--kind o' +reprovingly: "Fertile and good land. Fertile and good land." + +The boy had already become serious. "To think that you can laugh; you, +who have met with the most terrible misfortune that can possibly happen +to a human being!" thought he. And for a moment he was pretty serious; +but it wasn't long before he was laughing again. + +Now that he had grown somewhat accustomed to the ride and the speed, so +that he could think of something besides holding himself on the gander's +back, he began to notice how full the air was of birds flying northward. +And there was a shouting and a calling from flock to flock. "So you came +over to-day?" shrieked some. "Yes," answered the geese. "How do you +think the spring's getting on?" "Not a leaf on the trees and ice-cold +water in the lakes," came back the answer. + +When the geese flew over a place where they saw any tame, half-naked +fowl, they shouted: "What's the name of this place? What's the name of +this place?" Then the roosters cocked their heads and answered: "Its +name's Lillgarde this year--the same as last year." + +Most of the cottages were probably named after their owners--which is +the custom in Skane. But instead of saying this is "Per Matssons," or +"Ola Bossons," the roosters hit upon the kind of names which, to their +way of thinking, were more appropriate. Those who lived on small farms, +and belonged to poor cottagers, cried: "This place is called +Grainscarce." And those who belonged to the poorest hut-dwellers +screamed: "The name of this place is Little-to-eat, Little-to-eat, +Little-to-eat." + +The big, well-cared-for farms got high-sounding names from the +roosters--such as Luckymeadows, Eggberga and Moneyville. + +But the roosters on the great landed estates were too high and mighty to +condescend to anything like jesting. One of them crowed and called out +with such gusto that it sounded as if he wanted to be heard clear up to +the sun: "This is Herr Dybeck's estate; the same this year as last year; +this year as last year." + +A little further on strutted one rooster who crowed: "This is Swanholm, +surely all the world knows that!" + +The boy observed that the geese did not fly straight forward; but +zigzagged hither and thither over the whole South country, just as +though they were glad to be in Skane again and wanted to pay their +respects to every separate place. + +They came to one place where there were a number of big, clumsy-looking +buildings with great, tall chimneys, and all around these were a lot of +smaller houses. "This is Jordberga Sugar Refinery," cried the roosters. +The boy shuddered as he sat there on the goose's back. He ought to have +recognised this place, for it was not very far from his home. + +Here he had worked the year before as a watch boy; but, to be sure, +nothing was exactly like itself when one saw it like that--from up +above. + +And think! Just think! Osa the goose girl and little Mats, who were his +comrades last year! Indeed the boy would have been glad to know if they +still were anywhere about here. Fancy what they would have said, had +they suspected that he was flying over their heads! + +Soon Jordberga was lost to sight, and they travelled towards Svedala and +Skaber Lake and back again over Goerringe Cloister and Haeckeberga. The +boy saw more of Skane in this one day than he had ever seen before--in +all the years that he had lived. + +Whenever the wild geese happened across any tame geese, they had the +best fun! They flew forward very slowly and called down: "We're off to +the hills. Are you coming along? Are you coming along?" + +But the tame geese answered: "It's still winter in this country. You're +out too soon. Fly back! Fly back!" + +The wild geese lowered themselves that they might be heard a little +better, and called: "Come along! We'll teach you how to fly and swim." + +Then the tame geese got mad and wouldn't answer them with a single honk. + +The wild geese sank themselves still lower--until they almost touched +the ground--then, quick as lightning, they raised themselves, just as if +they'd been terribly frightened. "Oh, oh, oh!" they exclaimed. "Those +things were not geese. They were only sheep, they were only sheep." + +The ones on the ground were beside themselves with rage and shrieked: +"May you be shot, the whole lot o' you! The whole lot o' you!" + +When the boy heard all this teasing he laughed. Then he remembered how +badly things had gone with him, and he cried. But the next second, he +was laughing again. + +Never before had he ridden so fast; and to ride fast and +recklessly--that he had always liked. And, of course, he had never +dreamed that it could be as fresh and bracing as it was, up in the air; +or that there rose from the earth such a fine scent of resin and soil. +Nor had he ever dreamed what it could be like--to ride so high above the +earth. It was just like flying away from sorrow and trouble and +annoyances of every kind that could be thought of. + + +AKKA FROM KEBNEKAISE + + +EVENING + +The big tame goosey-gander that had followed them up in the air, felt +very proud of being permitted to travel back and forth over the South +country with the wild geese, and crack jokes with the tame birds. But in +spite of his keen delight, he began to tire as the afternoon wore on. He +tried to take deeper breaths and quicker wing-strokes, but even so he +remained several goose-lengths behind the others. + +When the wild geese who flew last, noticed that the tame one couldn't +keep up with them, they began to call to the goose who rode in the +centre of the angle and led the procession: "Akka from Kebnekaise! Akka +from Kebnekaise!" "What do you want of me?" asked the leader. "The white +one will be left behind; the white one will be left behind." "Tell him +it's easier to fly fast than slow!" called the leader, and raced on as +before. + +The goosey-gander certainly tried to follow the advice, and increase his +speed; but then he became so exhausted that he sank away down to the +drooping willows that bordered the fields and meadows. + +"Akka, Akka, Akka from Kebnekaise!" cried those who flew last and saw +what a hard time he was having. "What do you want now?" asked the +leader--and she sounded awfully angry. "The white one sinks to the +earth; the white one sinks to the earth." "Tell him it's easier to fly +high than low!" shouted the leader, and she didn't slow up the least +little bit, but raced on as before. + +The goosey-gander tried also to follow this advice; but when he wanted +to raise himself, he became so winded that he almost burst his breast. + +"Akka, Akka!" again cried those who flew last. "Can't you let me fly in +peace?" asked the leader, and she sounded even madder than before. + +"The white one is ready to collapse." "Tell him that he who has not the +strength to fly with the flock, can go back home!" cried the leader. She +certainly had no idea of decreasing her speed--but raced on as before. + +"Oh! is that the way the wind blows," thought the goosey-gander. He +understood at once that the wild geese had never intended to take him +along up to Lapland. They had only lured him away from home in sport. + +He felt thoroughly exasperated. To think that his strength should fail +him now, so he wouldn't be able to show these tramps that even a tame +goose was good for something! But the most provoking thing of all was +that he had fallen in with Akka from Kebnekaise. Tame goose that he was, +he had heard about a leader goose, named Akka, who was more than a +hundred years old. She had such a big name that the best wild geese in +the world followed her. But no one had such a contempt for tame geese +as Akka and her flock, and gladly would he have shown them that he was +their equal. + +He flew slowly behind the rest, while he deliberated whether he should +turn back or continue. Finally, the little creature that he carried on +his back said: "Dear Morten Goosey-gander, you know well enough that it +is simply impossible for you, who have never flown, to go with the wild +geese all the way up to Lapland. Won't you turn back before you kill +yourself?" + +But the farmer's lad was about the worst thing the goosey-gander knew +anything about, and as soon as it dawned on him that this puny creature +actually believed that he couldn't make the trip, he decided to stick it +out. "If you say another word about this, I'll drop you into the first +ditch we ride over!" said he, and at the same time his fury gave him so +much strength that he began to fly almost as well as any of the others. + +It isn't likely that he could have kept this pace up very long, neither +was it necessary; for, just then, the sun sank quickly; and at sunset +the geese flew down, and before the boy and the goosey-gander knew what +had happened, they stood on the shores of Vomb Lake. + +"They probably intend that we shall spend the night here," thought the +boy, and jumped down from the goose's back. + +He stood on a narrow beach by a fair-sized lake. It was ugly to look +upon, because it was almost entirely covered with an ice-crust that was +blackened and uneven and full of cracks and holes--as spring ice +generally is. + +The ice was already breaking up. It was loose and floating and had a +broad belt of dark, shiny water all around it; but there was still +enough of it left to spread chill and winter terror over the place. + +On the other side of the lake there appeared to be an open and light +country, but where the geese had lighted there was a thick pine-growth. +It looked as if the forest of firs and pines had the power to bind the +winter to itself. Everywhere else the ground was bare; but beneath the +sharp pine-branches lay snow that had been melting and freezing, melting +and freezing, until it was hard as ice. + +The boy thought he had struck an arctic wilderness, and he was so +miserable that he wanted to scream. He was hungry too. He hadn't eaten a +bite the whole day. But where should he find any food? Nothing eatable +grew on either ground or tree in the month of March. + +Yes, where was he to find food, and who would give him shelter, and who +would fix his bed, and who would protect him from the wild beasts? + +For now the sun was away and frost came from the lake, and darkness sank +down from heaven, and terror stole forward on the twilight's trail, and +in the forest it began to patter and rustle. + +Now the good humour which the boy had felt when he was up in the air, +was gone, and in his misery he looked around for his travelling +companions. He had no one but them to cling to now. + +Then he saw that the goosey-gander was having even a worse time of it +than he. He was lying prostrate on the spot where he had alighted; and +it looked as if he were ready to die. His neck lay flat against the +ground, his eyes were closed, and his breathing sounded like a feeble +hissing. + +"Dear Morten Goosey-Gander," said the boy, "try to get a swallow of +water! It isn't two steps to the lake." + +But the goosey-gander didn't stir. + +The boy had certainly been cruel to all animals, and to the +goosey-gander in times gone by; but now he felt that the goosey-gander +was the only comfort he had left, and he was dreadfully afraid of losing +him. + +At once the boy began to push and drag him, to get him into the water, +but the goosey-gander was big and heavy, and it was mighty hard work for +the boy; but at last he succeeded. + +The goosey-gander got in head first. For an instant he lay motionless in +the slime, but soon he poked up his head, shook the water from his eyes +and sniffed. Then he swam, proudly, between reeds and seaweed. + +The wild geese were in the lake before him. They had not looked around +for either the goosey-gander or for his rider, but had made straight +for the water. They had bathed and primped, and now they lay and gulped +half-rotten pond-weed and water-clover. + +The white goosey-gander had the good fortune to spy a perch. He grabbed +it quickly, swam ashore with it, and laid it down in front of the boy. +"Here's a thank you for helping me into the water," said he. + +It was the first time the boy had heard a friendly word that day. He was +so happy that he wanted to throw his arms around the goosey-gander's +neck, but he refrained; and he was also thankful for the gift. At first +he must have thought that it would be impossible to eat raw fish, and +then he had a notion to try it. + +He felt to see if he still had his sheath-knife with him; and, sure +enough, there it hung--on the back button of his trousers, although it +was so diminished that it was hardly as long as a match. Well, at any +rate, it served to scale and cleanse fish with; and it wasn't long +before the perch was eaten. + +When the boy had satisfied his hunger, he felt a little ashamed because +he had been able to eat a raw thing. "It's evident that I'm not a human +being any longer, but a real elf," thought he. + +While the boy ate, the goosey-gander stood silently beside him. But when +he had swallowed the last bite, he said in a low voice: "It's a fact +that we have run across a stuck-up goose folk who despise all tame +birds." + +"Yes, I've observed that," said the boy. + +"What a triumph it would be for me if I could follow them clear up to +Lapland, and show them that even a tame goose can do things!" + +"Y-e-e-s," said the boy, and drawled it out because he didn't believe +the goosey-gander could ever do it; yet he didn't wish to contradict +him. "But I don't think I can get along all alone on such a journey," +said the goosey-gander. "I'd like to ask if you couldn't come along and +help me?" The boy, of course, hadn't expected anything but to return to +his home as soon as possible, and he was so surprised that he hardly +knew what he should reply. "I thought that we were enemies, you and I," +said he. But this the goosey-gander seemed to have forgotten entirely. +He only remembered that the boy had but just saved his life. + +"I suppose I really ought to go home to father and mother," said the +boy. "Oh! I'll get you back to them some time in the fall," said the +goosey-gander. "I shall not leave you until I put you down on your own +doorstep." + +The boy thought it might be just as well for him if he escaped showing +himself before his parents for a while. He was not disinclined to favour +the scheme, and was just on the point of saying that he agreed to +it--when they heard a loud rumbling behind them. It was the wild geese +who had come up from the lake--all at one time--and stood shaking the +water from their backs. After that they arranged themselves in a long +row--with the leader-goose in the centre--and came toward them. + +As the white goosey-gander sized up the wild geese, he felt ill at ease. +He had expected that they should be more like tame geese, and that he +should feel a closer kinship with them. They were much smaller than he, +and none of them were white. They were all gray with a sprinkling of +brown. He was almost afraid of their eyes. They were yellow, and shone +as if a fire had been kindled back of them. The goosey-gander had always +been taught that it was most fitting to move slowly and with a rolling +motion, but these creatures did not walk--they half ran. He grew most +alarmed, however, when he looked at their feet. These were large, and +the soles were torn and ragged-looking. It was evident that the wild +geese never questioned what they tramped upon. They took no by-paths. +They were very neat and well cared for in other respects, but one could +see by their feet that they were poor wilderness-folk. + +The goosey-gander only had time to whisper to the boy: "Speak up quickly +for yourself, but don't tell them who you are!"--before the geese were +upon them. + +When the wild geese had stopped in front of them, they curtsied with +their necks many times, and the goosey-gander did likewise many more +times. As soon as the ceremonies were over, the leader-goose said: "Now +I presume we shall hear what kind of creatures you are." + +"There isn't much to tell about me," said the goosey-gander. "I was born +in Skanor last spring. In the fall I was sold to Holger Nilsson of West +Vemminghoeg, and there I have lived ever since." "You don't seem to have +any pedigree to boast of," said the leader-goose. "What is it, then, +that makes you so high-minded that you wish to associate with wild +geese?" "It may be because I want to show you wild geese that we tame +ones may also be good for something," said the goosey-gander. "Yes, it +would be well if you could show us that," said the leader-goose. "We +have already observed how much you know about flying; but you are more +skilled, perhaps, in other sports. Possibly you are strong in a swimming +match?" "No, I can't boast that I am," said the goosey-gander. It seemed +to him that the leader-goose had already made up her mind to send him +home, so he didn't much care how he answered. "I never swam any farther +than across a marl-ditch," he continued. "Then I presume you're a crack +sprinter," said the goose. "I have never seen a tame goose run, nor have +I ever done it myself," said the goosey-gander; and he made things +appear much worse than they really were. + +The big white one was sure now that the leader-goose would say that +under no circumstances could they take him along. He was very much +astonished when she said: "You answer questions courageously; and he who +has courage can become a good travelling companion, even if he is +ignorant in the beginning. What do you say to stopping with us for a +couple of days, until we can see what you are good for?" "That suits +me!" said the goosey-gander--and he was thoroughly happy. + +Thereupon the leader-goose pointed with her bill and said: "But who is +that you have with you? I've never seen anything like him before." +"That's my comrade," said the goosey-gander. "He's been a goose-tender +all his life. He'll be useful all right to take with us on the trip." +"Yes, he may be all right for a tame goose," answered the wild one. +"What do you call him?" "He has several names," said the +goosey-gander--hesitantly, not knowing what he should hit upon in a +hurry, for he didn't want to reveal the fact that the boy had a human +name. "Oh! his name is Thumbietot," he said at last. "Does he belong to +the elf family?" asked the leader-goose. "At what time do you wild geese +usually retire?" said the goosey-gander quickly--trying to evade that +last question. "My eyes close of their own accord about this time." + +One could easily see that the goose who talked with the gander was very +old. Her entire feather outfit was ice-gray, without any dark streaks. +The head was larger, the legs coarser, and the feet were more worn than +any of the others. The feathers were stiff; the shoulders knotty; the +neck thin. All this was due to age. It was only upon the eyes that time +had had no effect. They shone brighter--as if they were younger--than +any of the others! + +She turned, very haughtily, toward the goosey-gander. "Understand, Mr. +Tame-goose, that I am Akka from Kebnekaise! And that the goose who flies +nearest me--to the right--is Iksi from Vassijaure, and the one to the +left, is Kaksi from Nuolja! Understand, also, that the second right-hand +goose is Kolmi from Sarjektjakko, and the second, left, is Neljae from +Svappavaara; and behind them fly Viisi from Oviksfjaellen and Kuusi from +Sjangeli! And know that these, as well as the six goslings who fly +last--three to the right, and three to the left--are all high mountain +geese of the finest breed! You must not take us for land-lubbers who +strike up a chance acquaintance with any and everyone! And you must not +think that we permit anyone to share our quarters, that will not tell us +who his ancestors were." + +When Akka, the leader-goose, talked in this way, the boy stepped briskly +forward. It had distressed him that the goosey-gander, who had spoken up +so glibly for himself, should give such evasive answers when it +concerned him. "I don't care to make a secret of who I am," said he. "My +name is Nils Holgersson. I'm a farmer's son, and, until to-day, I have +been a human being; but this morning--" He got no further. As soon as he +had said that he was human the leader-goose staggered three steps +backward, and the rest of them even farther back. They all extended +their necks and hissed angrily at him. + +"I have suspected this ever since I first saw you here on these shores," +said Akka; "and now you can clear out of here at once. We tolerate no +human beings among us." + +"It isn't possible," said the goosey-gander, meditatively, "that you +wild geese can be afraid of anyone who is so tiny! By to-morrow, of +course, he'll turn back home. You can surely let him stay with us +overnight. None of us can afford to let such a poor little creature +wander off by himself in the night--among weasels and foxes!" + +The wild goose came nearer. But it was evident that it was hard for her +to master her fear. "I have been taught to fear everything in human +shape--be it big or little," said she. "But if you will answer for this +one, and swear that he will not harm us, he can stay with us to-night. +But I don't believe our night quarters are suitable either for him or +you, for we intend to roost on the broken ice out here." + +She thought, of course, that the goosey-gander would be doubtful when +he heard this, but he never let on. "She is pretty wise who knows how to +choose such a safe bed," said he. + +"You will be answerable for his return to his own to-morrow." + +"Then I, too, will have to leave you," said the goosey-gander. "I have +sworn that I would not forsake him." + +"You are free to fly whither you will," said the leader-goose. + +With this, she raised her wings and flew out over the ice and one after +another the wild geese followed her. + +The boy was very sad to think that his trip to Lapland would not come +off, and, in the bargain, he was afraid of the chilly night quarters. +"It will be worse and worse," said he. "In the first place, we'll freeze +to death on the ice." + +But the gander was in a good humour. "There's no danger," said he. "Only +make haste, I beg of you, and gather together as much grass and litter +as you can well carry." + +When the boy had his arms full of dried grass, the goosey-gander grabbed +him by the shirt-band, lifted him, and flew out on the ice, where the +wild geese were already fast asleep, with their bills tucked under their +wings. + +"Now spread out the grass on the ice, so there'll be something to stand +on, to keep me from freezing fast. You help me and I'll help you," said +the goosey-gander. + +This the boy did. And when he had finished, the goosey-gander picked +him up, once again, by the shirt-band, and tucked him under his wing. "I +think you'll lie snug and warm there," said the goosey-gander as he +covered him with his wing. + +The boy was so imbedded in down that he couldn't answer, and he was nice +and comfy. Oh, but he was tired!--And in less than two winks he was fast +asleep. + +NIGHT + +It is a fact that ice is always treacherous and not to be trusted. In +the middle of the night the loosened ice-cake on Vomb Lake moved about, +until one corner of it touched the shore. Now it happened that Mr. +Smirre Fox, who lived at this time in Oevid Cloister Park--on the east +side of the lake--caught a glimpse of that one corner, while he was out +on his night chase. Smirre had seen the wild geese early in the evening, +and hadn't dared to hope that he might get at one of them, but now he +walked right out on the ice. + +When Smirre was very near to the geese, his claws scraped the ice, and +the geese awoke, flapped their wings, and prepared for flight. But +Smirre was too quick for them. He darted forward as though he'd been +shot; grabbed a goose by the wing, and ran toward land again. + +But this night the wild geese were not alone on the ice, for they had a +human being among them--little as he was. The boy had awakened when the +goosey-gander spread his wings. He had tumbled down on the ice and was +sitting there, dazed. He hadn't grasped the whys and wherefores of all +this confusion, until he caught sight of a little long-legged dog who +ran over the ice with a goose in his mouth. + +In a minute the boy was after that dog, to try and take the goose away +from him. He must have heard the goosey-gander call to him: "Have a +care, Thumbietot! Have a care!" But the boy thought that such a little +runt of a dog was nothing to be afraid of and he rushed ahead. + +The wild goose that Smirre Fox tugged after him, heard the clatter as +the boy's wooden shoes beat against the ice, and she could hardly +believe her ears. "Does that infant think he can take me away from the +fox?" she wondered. And in spite of her misery, she began to cackle +right merrily, deep down in her windpipe. It was almost as if she had +laughed. + +"The first thing he knows, he'll fall through a crack in the ice," +thought she. + +But dark as the night was, the boy saw distinctly all the cracks and +holes there were, and took daring leaps over them. This was because he +had the elf's good eyesight now, and could see in the dark. He saw both +lake and shore just as clearly as if it had been daylight. + +Smirre Fox left the ice where it touched the shore. And just as he was +working his way up to the land-edge, the boy shouted: "Drop that goose, +you sneak!" + +Smirre didn't know who was calling to him, and wasted no time in looking +around, but increased his pace. The fox made straight for the forest and +the boy followed him, with never a thought of the danger he was running. +All he thought about was the contemptuous way in which he had been +received by the wild geese; and he made up his mind to let them see that +a human being was something higher than all else created. + +He shouted, again and again, to that dog, to make him drop his game. +"What kind of a dog are you, who can steal a whole goose and not feel +ashamed of yourself? Drop her at once! or you'll see what a beating +you'll get. Drop her, I say, or I'll tell your master how you behave!" + +When Smirre Fox saw that he had been mistaken for a scary dog, he was so +amused that he came near dropping the goose. Smirre was a great +plunderer who wasn't satisfied with only hunting rats and pigeons in the +fields, but he also ventured into the farmyards to steal chickens and +geese. He knew that he was feared throughout the district; and anything +as idiotic as this he had not heard since he was a baby. + +The boy ran so fast that the thick beech-trees appeared to be running +past him--backward, but he caught up with Smirre. Finally, he was so +close to him that he got a hold on his tail. "Now I'll take the goose +from you anyway," cried he, and held on as hard as ever he could, but he +hadn't strength enough to stop Smirre. The fox dragged him along until +the dry foliage whirled around him. + +But now it began to dawn on Smirre how harmless the thing was that +pursued him. He stopped short, put the goose on the ground, and stood on +her with his forepaws, so she couldn't fly away. He was just about to +bite off her neck--but then he couldn't resist the desire to tease the +boy a little. "Hurry off and complain to the master, for now I'm going +to bite the goose to death!" said he. + +Certainly the one who was surprised when he saw what a pointed nose, and +heard what a hoarse and angry voice that dog which he was pursuing +had,--was the boy! But now he was so enraged because the fox had made +fun of him, that he never thought of being frightened. He took a firmer +hold on the tail, braced himself against a beech trunk; and just as the +fox opened his jaws over the goose's throat, he pulled as hard as he +could. Smirre was so astonished that he let himself be pulled backward a +couple of steps--and the wild goose got away. She fluttered upward +feebly and heavily. One wing was so badly wounded that she could barely +use it. In addition to this, she could not see in the night darkness of +the forest but was as helpless as the blind. Therefore she could in no +way help the boy; so she groped her way through the branches and flew +down to the lake again. + +Then Smirre made a dash for the boy. "If I don't get the one, I shall +certainly have the other," said he; and you could tell by his voice how +mad he was. "Oh, don't you believe it!" said the boy, who was in the +best of spirits because he had saved the goose. He held fast by the +fox-tail, and swung with it--to one side--when the fox tried to catch +him. + +There was such a dance in that forest that the dry beech-leaves fairly +flew! Smirre swung round and round, but the tail swung too; while the +boy kept a tight grip on it, so the fox could not grab him. + +The boy was so gay after his success that in the beginning, he laughed +and made fun of the fox. But Smirre was persevering--as old hunters +generally are--and the boy began to fear that he should be captured in +the end. Then he caught sight of a little, young beech-tree that had +shot up as slender as a rod, that it might soon reach the free air above +the canopy of branches which the old beeches spread above it. + +Quick as a flash, he let go of the fox-tail and climbed the beech tree. +Smirre Fox was so excited that he continued to dance around after his +tail. + +"Don't bother with the dance any longer!" said the boy. + +But Smirre couldn't endure the humiliation of his failure to get the +better of such a little tot, so he lay down under the tree, that he +might keep a close watch on him. + +The boy didn't have any too good a time of it where he sat, astride a +frail branch. The young beech did not, as yet, reach the high +branch-canopy, so the boy couldn't get over to another tree, and he +didn't dare to come down again. He was so cold and numb that he almost +lost his hold around the branch; and he was dreadfully sleepy; but he +didn't dare fall asleep for fear of tumbling down. + +My! but it was dismal to sit in that way the whole night through, out in +the forest! He never before understood the real meaning of "night." It +was just as if the whole world had become petrified, and never could +come to life again. + +Then it commenced to dawn. The boy was glad that everything began to +look like itself once more; although the chill was even sharper than it +had been during the night. + +Finally, when the sun got up, it wasn't yellow but red. The boy thought +it looked as though it were angry and he wondered what it was angry +about. Perhaps it was because the night had made it so cold and gloomy +on earth, while the sun was away. + +The sunbeams came down in great clusters, to see what the night had been +up to. It could be seen how everything blushed--as if they all had +guilty consciences. The clouds in the skies; the satiny beech-limbs; the +little intertwined branches of the forest-canopy; the hoar-frost that +covered the foliage on the ground--everything grew flushed and red. More +and more sunbeams came bursting through space, and soon the night's +terrors were driven away, and such a marvellous lot of living things +came forward. The black woodpecker, with the red neck, began to hammer +with its bill on the branch. The squirrel glided from his nest with a +nut, and sat down on a branch and began to shell it. The starling came +flying with a worm, and the bulfinch sang in the tree-top. + +Then the boy understood that the sun had said to all these tiny +creatures: "Wake up now, and come out of your nests! I'm here! Now you +need be afraid of nothing." + +The wild-goose call was heard from the lake, as they were preparing for +flight; and soon all fourteen geese came flying through the forest. The +boy tried to call to them, but they flew so high that his voice couldn't +reach them. They probably believed the fox had eaten him up; and they +didn't trouble themselves to look for him. + +The boy came near crying with regret; but the sun stood up +there--orange-coloured and happy--and put courage into the whole world. +"It isn't worth while, Nils Holgersson, for you to be troubled about +anything, as long as I'm here," said the sun. + +GOOSE-PLAY + +_Monday, March twenty-first_. + +Everything remained unchanged in the forest--about as long as it takes a +goose to eat her breakfast. But just as the morning was verging on +forenoon, a goose came flying, all by herself, under the thick +tree-canopy. She groped her way hesitatingly, between the stems and +branches, and flew very slowly. As soon as Smirre Fox saw her, he left +his place under the beech tree, and sneaked up toward her. The wild +goose didn't avoid the fox, but flew very close to him. Smirre made a +high jump for her but he missed her; and the goose went on her way down +to the lake. + +It was not long before another goose came flying. She took the same +route as the first one; and flew still lower and slower. She, too, flew +close to Smirre Fox, and he made such a high spring for her, that his +ears brushed her feet. But she, too, got away from him unhurt, and went +her way toward the lake, silent as a shadow. + +A little while passed and then there came another wild goose. She flew +still slower and lower; and it seemed even more difficult for her to +find her way between the beech-branches. Smirre made a powerful spring! +He was within a hair's breadth of catching her; but that goose also +managed to save herself. + +Just after she had disappeared, came a fourth. She flew so slowly, and +so badly, that Smirre Fox thought he could catch her without much +effort, but he was afraid of failure now, and concluded to let her fly +past--unmolested. She took the same direction the others had taken; and +just as she was come right above Smirre, she sank down so far that he +was tempted to jump for her. He jumped so high that he touched her with +his tail. But she flung herself quickly to one side and saved her life. + +Before Smirre got through panting, three more geese came flying in a +row. They flew just like the rest, and Smirre made high springs for them +all, but he did not succeed in catching any one of them. + +After that came five geese; but these flew better than the others. And +although it seemed as if they wanted to lure Smirre to jump, he +withstood the temptation. After quite a long time came one single goose. +It was the thirteenth. This one was so old that she was gray all over, +without a dark speck anywhere on her body. She didn't appear to use one +wing very well, but flew so wretchedly and crookedly, that she almost +touched the ground. Smirre not only made a high leap for her, but he +pursued her, running and jumping all the way down to the lake. But not +even this time did he get anything for his trouble. + +When the fourteenth goose came along, it looked very pretty because it +was white. And as its great wings swayed, it glistened like a light, in +the dark forest. When Smirre Fox saw this one, he mustered all his +resources and jumped half-way up to the tree-canopy. But the white one +flew by unhurt like the rest. + +Now it was quiet for a moment under the beeches. It looked as if the +whole wild-goose-flock had travelled past. + +Suddenly Smirre remembered his prisoner and raised his eyes toward the +young beech-tree. And just as he might have expected--the boy had +disappeared. + +But Smirre didn't have much time to think about him; for now the first +goose came back again from the lake and flew slowly under the canopy. In +spite of all his ill luck, Smirre was glad that she came back, and +darted after her with a high leap. But he had been in too much of a +hurry, and hadn't taken the time to calculate the distance, and he +landed at one side of the goose. Then there came still another goose; +then a third; a fourth; a fifth; and so on, until the angle closed in +with the old ice-gray one, and the big white one. They all flew low and +slow. Just as they swayed in the vicinity of Smirre Fox, they sank +down--kind of inviting-like--for him to take them. Smirre ran after them +and made leaps a couple of fathoms high--but he couldn't manage to get +hold of a single one of them. + +It was the most awful day that Smirre Fox had ever experienced. The wild +geese kept on travelling over his head. They came and went--came and +went. Great splendid geese who had eaten themselves fat on the German +heaths and grain fields, swayed all day through the woods, and so close +to him that he touched them many times; yet he was not permitted to +appease his hunger with a single one of them. + +The winter was hardly gone yet, and Smirre recalled nights and days when +he had been forced to tramp around in idleness, with not so much as a +hare to hunt, when the rats hid themselves under the frozen earth; and +when the chickens were all shut up. But all the winter's hunger had not +been as hard to endure as this day's miscalculations. + +Smirre was no young fox. He had had the dogs after him many a time, and +had heard the bullets whizz around his ears. He had lain in hiding, down +in the lair, while the dachshunds crept into the crevices and all but +found him. But all the anguish that Smirre Fox had been forced to suffer +under this hot chase, was not to be compared with what he suffered every +time that he missed one of the wild geese. + +In the morning, when the play began, Smirre Fox had looked so stunning +that the geese were amazed when they saw him. Smirre loved display. His +coat was a brilliant red; his breast white; his nose black; and his tail +was as bushy as a plume. But when the evening of this day was come, +Smirre's coat hung in loose folds. He was bathed in sweat; his eyes were +without lustre; his tongue hung far out from his gaping jaws; and froth +oozed from his mouth. + +In the afternoon Smirre was so exhausted that he grew delirious. He saw +nothing before his eyes but flying geese. He made leaps for sun-spots +which he saw on the ground; and for a poor little butterfly that had +come out of his chrysalis too soon. + +The wild geese flew and flew, unceasingly. All day long they continued +to torment Smirre. They were not moved to pity because Smirre was done +up, fevered, and out of his head. They continued without a let-up, +although they understood that he hardly saw them, and that he jumped +after their shadows. + +When Smirre Fox sank down on a pile of dry leaves, weak and powerless +and almost ready to give up the ghost, they stopped teasing him. + +"Now you know, Mr. Fox, what happens to the one who dares to come near +Akka of Kebnekaise!" they shouted in his ear; and with that they left +him in peace. + + +THE WONDERFUL JOURNEY OF NILS + + +ON THE FARM + +_Thursday, March twenty-fourth_. + +Just at that time a thing happened in Skane which created a good deal of +discussion and even got into the newspapers but which many believed to +be a fable, because they had not been able to explain it. + +It was about like this: A lady squirrel had been captured in the +hazelbrush that grew on the shores of Vomb Lake, and was carried to a +farmhouse close by. All the folks on the farm--both young and old--were +delighted with the pretty creature with the bushy tail, the wise, +inquisitive eyes, and the natty little feet. They intended to amuse +themselves all summer by watching its nimble movements; its ingenious +way of shelling nuts; and its droll play. They immediately put in order +an old squirrel cage with a little green house and a wire-cylinder +wheel. The little house, which had both doors and windows, the lady +squirrel was to use as a dining room and bedroom. For this reason they +placed therein a bed of leaves, a bowl of milk and some nuts. The +cylinder wheel, on the other hand, she was to use as a play-house, where +she could run and climb and swing round. + +The people believed that they had arranged things very comfortably for +the lady squirrel, and they were astonished because she didn't seem to +be contented; but, instead, she sat there, downcast and moody, in a +corner of her room. Every now and again, she would let out a shrill, +agonised cry. She did not touch the food; and not once did she swing +round on the wheel. "It's probably because she's frightened," said the +farmer folk. "To-morrow, when she feels more at home, she will both eat +and play." + +Meanwhile, the women folk on the farm were making preparations for a +feast; and just on that day when the lady squirrel had been captured, +they were busy with an elaborate bake. They had had bad luck with +something: either the dough wouldn't rise, or else they had been +dilatory, for they were obliged to work long after dark. + +Naturally there was a great deal of excitement and bustle in the +kitchen, and probably no one there took time to think about the +squirrel, or to wonder how she was getting on. But there was an old +grandma in the house who was too aged to take a hand in the baking; this +she herself understood, but just the same she did not relish the idea of +being left out of the game. She felt rather downhearted; and for this +reason she did not go to bed but seated herself by the sitting-room +window and looked out. + +They had opened the kitchen door on account of the heat; and through it +a clear ray of light streamed out on the yard; and it became so well +lighted out there that the old woman could see all the cracks and holes +in the plastering on the wall opposite. She also saw the squirrel cage +which hung just where the light fell clearest. And she noticed how the +squirrel ran from her room to the wheel, and from the wheel to her room, +all night long, without stopping an instant. She thought it was a +strange sort of unrest that had come over the animal; but she believed, +of course, that the strong light kept her awake. + +Between the cow-house and the stable there was a broad, handsome +carriage-gate; this too came within the light-radius. As the night wore +on, the old grandma saw a tiny creature, no bigger than a hand's +breadth, cautiously steal his way through the gate. He was dressed in +leather breeches and wooden shoes like any other working man. The old +grandma knew at once that it was the elf, and she was not the least bit +frightened. She had always heard that the elf kept himself somewhere +about the place, although she had never seen him before; and an elf, to +be sure, brought good luck wherever he appeared. + +As soon as the elf came into the stone-paved yard, he ran right up to +the squirrel cage. And since it hung so high that he could not reach it, +he went over to the store-house after a rod; placed it against the cage, +and swung himself up--in the same way that a sailor climbs a rope. When +he had reached the cage, he shook the door of the little green house as +if he wanted to open it; but the old grandma didn't move; for she knew +that the children had put a padlock on the door, as they feared that the +boys on the neighbouring farms would try to steal the squirrel. The old +woman saw that when the boy could not get the door open, the lady +squirrel came out to the wire wheel. There they held a long conference +together. And when the boy had listened to all that the imprisoned +animal had to say to him, he slid down the rod to the ground, and ran +out through the carriage-gate. + +The old woman didn't expect to see anything more of the elf that night, +nevertheless, she remained at the window. After a few moments had gone +by, he returned. He was in such a hurry that it seemed to her as though +his feet hardly touched the ground; and he rushed right up to the +squirrel cage. The old woman, with her far-sighted eyes, saw him +distinctly; and she also saw that he carried something in his hands; but +what it was she couldn't imagine. The thing he carried in his left hand +he laid down on the pavement; but that which he held in his right hand +he took with him to the cage. He kicked so hard with his wooden shoes on +the little window that the glass was broken. He poked in the thing which +he held in his hand to the lady squirrel. Then he slid down again, and +took up that which he had laid upon the ground, and climbed up to the +cage with that also. The next instant he ran off again with such haste +that the old woman could hardly follow him with her eyes. + +But now it was the old grandma who could no longer sit still in the +cottage; but who, very slowly, went out to the back yard and stationed +herself in the shadow of the pump to await the elf's return. And there +was one other who had also seen him and had become curious. This was the +house cat. He crept along slyly and stopped close to the wall, just two +steps away from the stream of light. They both stood and waited, long +and patiently, on that chilly March night, and the old woman was just +beginning to think about going in again, when she heard a clatter on the +pavement, and saw that the little mite of an elf came trotting along +once more, carrying a burden in each hand, as he had done before. That +which he bore squealed and squirmed. And now a light dawned on the old +grandma. She understood that the elf had hurried down to the hazel-grove +and brought back the lady squirrel's babies; and that he was carrying +them to her so they shouldn't starve to death. + +The old grandma stood very still, so as not to disturb them; and it did +not look as if the elf had noticed her. He was just going to lay one of +the babies on the ground so that he could swing himself up to the cage +with the other one--when he saw the house cat's green eyes glisten close +beside him. He stood there, bewildered, with a young one in each hand. + +He turned around and looked in all directions; then he became aware of +the old grandma's presence. Then he did not hesitate long; but walked +forward, stretched his arms as high as he could reach, for her to take +one of the baby squirrels. + +The old grandma did not wish to prove herself unworthy of the +confidence, so she bent down and took the baby squirrel, and stood there +and held it until the boy had swung himself up to the cage with the +other one. Then he came back for the one he had entrusted to her care. + +The next morning, when the farm folk had gathered together for +breakfast, it was impossible for the old woman to refrain from telling +them of what she had seen the night before. They all laughed at her, of +course, and said that she had been only dreaming. There were no baby +squirrels this early in the year. + +But she was sure of her ground, and begged them to take a look into the +squirrel cage and this they did. And there lay on the bed of leaves, +four tiny half-naked, half blind baby squirrels, who were at least a +couple of days old. + +When the farmer himself saw the young ones, he said: "Be it as it may +with this; but one thing is certain, we, on this farm, have behaved in +such a manner that we are shamed before both animals and human beings." +And, thereupon, he took the mother squirrel and all her young ones from +the cage, and laid them in the old grandma's lap. "Go thou out to the +hazel-grove with them," said he, "and let them have their freedom back +again!" + +It was this event that was so much talked about, and which even got into +the newspapers, but which the majority would not credit because they +were not able to explain how anything like that could have happened. + +VITTSKOeVLE + +_Saturday, March twenty-sixth_. + +Two days later, another strange thing happened. A flock of wild geese +came flying one morning, and lit on a meadow down in Eastern Skane not +very far from Vittskoevle manor. In the flock were thirteen wild geese, +of the usual gray variety, and one white goosey-gander, who carried on +his back a tiny lad dressed in yellow leather breeches, green vest, and +a white woollen toboggan hood. + +They were now very near the Eastern sea; and on the meadow where the +geese had alighted the soil was sandy, as it usually is on the +sea-coast. It looked as if, formerly, there had been flying sand in this +vicinity which had to be held down; for in several directions large, +planted pine-woods could be seen. + +When the wild geese had been feeding a while, several children came +along, and walked on the edge of the meadow. The goose who was on guard +at once raised herself into the air with noisy wing-strokes, so the +whole flock should hear that there was danger on foot. All the wild +geese flew upward; but the white one trotted along on the ground +unconcerned. When he saw the others fly he raised his head and called +after them: "You needn't fly away from these! They are only a couple of +children!" + +The little creature who had been riding on his back, sat down upon a +knoll on the outskirts of the wood and picked a pine-cone in pieces, +that he might get at the seeds. The children were so close to him that +he did not dare to run across the meadow to the white one. He concealed +himself under a big, dry thistle-leaf, and at the same time gave a +warning-cry. But the white one had evidently made up his mind not to let +himself be scared. He walked along on the ground all the while; and not +once did he look to see in what direction they were going. + +Meanwhile, they turned from the path, walked across the field, getting +nearer and nearer to the goosey-gander. When he finally did look up, +they were right upon him. He was so dumfounded, and became so confused, +he forgot that he could fly, and tried to get out of their reach by +running. But the children followed, chasing him into a ditch, and there +they caught him. The larger of the two stuck him under his arm and +carried him off. + +When the boy, who lay under the thistle-leaf saw this, he sprang up as +if he wanted to take the goosey-gander away from them; then he must have +remembered how little and powerless he was, for he threw himself on the +knoll and beat upon the ground with his clenched fists. + +The goosey-gander cried with all his might for help: "Thumbietot, come +and help me! Oh, Thumbietot, come and help me!" The boy began to laugh +in the midst of his distress. "Oh, yes! I'm just the right one to help +anybody, I am!" said he. + +Anyway he got up and followed the goosey-gander. "I can't help him," +said he, "but I shall at least find out where they are taking him." + +The children had a good start; but the boy had no difficulty in keeping +them within sight until they came to a hollow where a brook gushed +forth. But here he was obliged to run alongside of it for some little +time, before he could find a place narrow enough for him to jump over. + +When he came up from the hollow the children had disappeared. He could +see their footprints on a narrow path which led to the woods, and these +he continued to follow. + +Soon he came to a cross-road. Here the children must have separated, for +there were footprints in two directions. The boy looked now as if all +hope had fled. Then he saw a little white down on a heather-knoll, and +he understood that the goosey-gander had dropped this by the wayside to +let him know in which direction he had been carried; and therefore he +continued his search. He followed the children through the entire wood. +The goosey-gander he did not see; but wherever he was likely to miss his +way, lay a little white down to put him right. + +The boy continued faithfully to follow the bits of down. They led him +out of the wood, across a couple of meadows, up on a road, and finally +through the entrance of a broad _allee_. At the end of the _allee_ there +were gables and towers of red tiling, decorated with bright borders and +other ornamentations that glittered and shone. When the boy saw that +this was some great manor, he thought he knew what had become of the +goosey-gander. "No doubt the children have carried the goosey-gander to +the manor and sold him there. By this time he's probably butchered," he +said to himself. But he did not seem to be satisfied with anything less +than proof positive, and with renewed courage he ran forward. He met no +one in the _allee_--and that was well, for such as he are generally +afraid of being seen by human beings. + +The mansion which he came to was a splendid, old-time structure with +four great wings which inclosed a courtyard. On the east wing, there was +a high arch leading into the courtyard. This far the boy ran without +hesitation, but when he got there he stopped. He dared not venture +farther, but stood still and pondered what he should do now. + +There he stood, with his finger on his nose, thinking, when he heard +footsteps behind him; and as he turned around he saw a whole company +march up the _allee_. In haste he stole behind a water-barrel which +stood near the arch, and hid himself. + +Those who came up were some twenty young men from a folk-high-school, +out on a walking tour. They were accompanied by one of the instructors. +When they were come as far as the arch, the teacher requested them to +wait there a moment, while he went in and asked if they might see the +old castle of Vittskoevle. + +The newcomers were warm and tired; as if they had been on a long tramp. +One of them was so thirsty that he went over to the water-barrel and +stooped down to drink. He had a tin box such as botanists use hanging +about his neck. He evidently thought that this was in his way, for he +threw it down on the ground. With this, the lid flew open, and one could +see that there were a few spring flowers in it. + +The botanist's box dropped just in front of the boy; and he must have +thought that here was his opportunity to get into the castle and find +out what had become of the goosey-gander. He smuggled himself quickly +into the box and concealed himself as well as he could under the +anemones and colt's-foot. + +He was hardly hidden before the young man picked the box up, hung it +around his neck, and slammed down the cover. + +Then the teacher came back, and said that they had been given +permission to enter the castle. At first he conducted them no farther +than the courtyard. There he stopped and began to talk to them about +this ancient structure. + +He called their attention to the first human beings who had inhabited +this country, and who had been obliged to live in mountain-grottoes and +earth-caves; in the dens of wild beasts, and in the brushwood; and that +a very long period had elapsed before they learned to build themselves +huts from the trunks of trees. And afterward how long had they not been +forced to labour and struggle, before they had advanced from the log +cabin, with its single room, to the building of a castle with a hundred +rooms--like Vittskoevle! + +It was about three hundred and fifty years ago that the rich and +powerful built such castles for themselves, he said. It was very evident +that Vittskoevle had been erected at a time when wars and robbers made it +unsafe in Skane. All around the castle was a deep trench filled with +water; and across this there had been a bridge in bygone days that could +be hoisted up. Over the gate-arch there is, even to this day, a +watch-tower; and all along the sides of the castle ran sentry-galleries, +and in the corners stood towers with walls a metre thick. Yet the castle +had not been erected in the most savage war time; for Jens Brahe, who +built it, had also studied to make of it a beautiful and decorative +ornament. If they could see the big, solid stone structure at Glimminge, +which had been built only a generation earlier, they would readily see +that Jans Holgersen Ulfstand, the builder, hadn't figured upon anything +else--only to build big and strong and secure, without bestowing a +thought upon making it beautiful and comfortable. If they visited such +castles as Marsvinsholm, Snogeholm and Oevid's Cloister--which were +erected a hundred years or so later--they would find that the times had +become less warlike. The gentlemen who built these places, had not +furnished them with fortifications; but had only taken pains to provide +themselves with great, splendid dwelling houses. + +The teacher talked at length--and in detail; and the boy who lay shut up +in the box was pretty impatient; but he must have lain very still, for +the owner of the box hadn't the least suspicion that he was carrying him +along. + +Finally the company went into the castle. But if the boy had hoped for +a chance to crawl out of that box, he was deceived; for the student +carried it upon him all the while, and the boy was obliged to accompany +him through all the rooms. It was a tedious tramp. The teacher stopped +every other minute to explain and instruct. + +In one room he found an old fireplace, and before this he stopped to +talk about the different kinds of fireplaces that had been used in the +course of time. The first indoors fireplace had been a big, flat stone +on the floor of the hut, with an opening in the roof which let in both +wind and rain. The next had been a big stone hearth with no opening in +the roof. This must have made the hut very warm, but it also filled it +with soot and smoke. When Vittskoevle was built, the people had advanced +far enough to open the fireplace, which, at that time, had a wide +chimney for the smoke; but it also took most of the warmth up in the air +with it. + +If that boy had ever in his life been cross and impatient, he was given +a good lesson in patience that day. It must have been a whole hour now +that he had lain perfectly still. + +In the next room they came to, the teacher stopped before an old-time +bed with its high canopy and rich curtains. Immediately he began to talk +about the beds and bed places of olden days. + +The teacher didn't hurry himself; but then he did not know, of course, +that a poor little creature lay shut up in a botanist's box, and only +waited for him to get through. When they came to a room with gilded +leather hangings, he talked to them about how the people had dressed +their walls and ceilings ever since the beginning of time. And when he +came to an old family portrait, he told them all about the different +changes in dress. And in the banquet halls he described ancient customs +of celebrating weddings and funerals. + +Thereupon, the teacher talked a little about the excellent men and women +who had lived in the castle; about the old Brahes, and the old +Barnekows; of Christian Barnekow, who had given his horse to the king to +help him escape; of Margareta Ascheberg who had been married to Kjell +Barnekow and who, when a widow, had managed the estates and the whole +district for fifty-three years; of banker Hageman, a farmer's son from +Vittskoevle, who had grown so rich that he had bought the entire estate; +about the Stjernsvaerds, who had given the people of Skane better +ploughs, which enabled them to discard the ridiculous old wooden ploughs +that three oxen were hardly able to drag. During all this, the boy lay +still. If he had ever been mischievous and shut the cellar door on his +father or mother, he understood now how they had felt; for it was hours +and hours before that teacher got through. + +At last the teacher went out into the courtyard again. And there he +discoursed upon the tireless labour of mankind to procure for themselves +tools and weapons, clothes and houses and ornaments. He said that such +an old castle as Vittskoevle was a mile-post on time's highway. Here one +could see how far the people had advanced three hundred and fifty years +ago; and one could judge for oneself whether things had gone forward or +backward since their time. + +But this dissertation the boy escaped hearing; for the student who +carried him was thirsty again, and stole into the kitchen to ask for a +drink of water. When the boy was carried into the kitchen, he should +have tried to look around for the goosey-gander. He had begun to move; +and as he did this, he happened to press too hard against the lid--and +it flew open. As botanists' box-lids are always flying open, the student +thought no more about the matter but pressed it down again. Then the +cook asked him if he had a snake in the box. + +"No, I have only a few plants," the student replied. "It was certainly +something that moved there," insisted the cook. The student threw back +the lid to show her that she was mistaken. "See for yourself--if--" + +But he got no further, for now the boy dared not stay in the box any +longer, but with one bound he stood on the floor, and out he rushed. +The maids hardly had time to see what it was that ran, but they hurried +after it, nevertheless. + +The teacher still stood and talked when he was interrupted by shrill +cries. "Catch him, catch him!" shrieked those who had come from the +kitchen; and all the young men raced after the boy, who glided away +faster than a rat. They tried to intercept him at the gate, but it was +not so easy to get a hold on such a little creature, so, luckily, he got +out in the open. + +The boy did not dare to run down toward the open _allee,_ but turned in +another direction. He rushed through the garden into the back yard. All +the while the people raced after him, shrieking and laughing. The poor +little thing ran as hard as ever he could to get out of their way; but +still it looked as though the people would catch up with him. + +As he rushed past a labourer's cottage, he heard a goose cackle, and saw +a white down lying on the doorstep. There, at last, was the +goosey-gander! He had been on the wrong track before. He thought no more +of housemaids and men, who were hounding him, but climbed up the +steps--and into the hallway. Farther he couldn't come, for the door was +locked. He heard how the goosey-gander cried and moaned inside, but he +couldn't get the door open. The hunters that were pursuing him came +nearer and nearer, and, in the room, the goosey-gander cried more and +more pitifully. In this direst of needs the boy finally plucked up +courage and pounded on the door with all his might. + +A child opened it, and the boy looked into the room. In the middle of +the floor sat a woman who held the goosey-gander tight to clip his +quill-feathers. It was her children who had found him, and she didn't +want to do him any harm. It was her intention to let him in among her +own geese, had she only succeeded in clipping his wings so he couldn't +fly away. But a worse fate could hardly have happened to the +goosey-gander, and he shrieked and moaned with all his might. + +And a lucky thing it was that the woman hadn't started the clipping +sooner. Now only two quills had fallen under the shears' when the door +was opened--and the boy stood on the door-sill. But a creature like +that the woman had never seen before. She couldn't believe anything else +but that it was Goa-Nisse himself; and in her terror she dropped the +shears, clasped her hands--and forgot to hold on to the goosey-gander. + +As soon as he felt himself freed, he ran toward the door. He didn't give +himself time to stop; but, as he ran past him, he grabbed the boy by the +neck-band and carried him along with him. On the stoop he spread his +wings and flew up in the air; at the same time he made a graceful sweep +with his neck and seated the boy on his smooth, downy back. + +And off they flew--while all Vittskoevle stood and stared after them. + +IN OeVID CLOISTER PARK + +All that day, when the wild geese played with the fox, the boy lay and +slept in a deserted squirrel nest. When he awoke, along toward evening, +he felt very uneasy. "Well, now I shall soon be sent home again! Then +I'll have to exhibit myself before father and mother," thought he. But +when he looked up and saw the wild geese, who lay and bathed in Vomb +Lake--not one of them said a word about his going. "They probably think +the white one is too tired to travel home with me to-night," thought the +boy. + +The next morning the geese were awake at daybreak, long before sunrise. +Now the boy felt sure that he'd have to go home; but, curiously enough, +both he and the white goosey-gander were permitted to follow the wild +ones on their morning tour. The boy couldn't comprehend the reason for +the delay, but he figured it out in this way, that the wild geese did +not care to send the goosey-gander on such a long journey until they had +both eaten their fill. Come what might, he was only glad for every +moment that should pass before he must face his parents. + +The wild geese travelled over Oevid's Cloister estate which was situated +in a beautiful park east of the lake, and looked very imposing with its +great castle; its well planned court surrounded by low walls and +pavilions; its fine old-time garden with covered arbours, streams and +fountains; its wonderful trees, trimmed bushes, and its evenly mown +lawns with their beds of beautiful spring flowers. + +When the wild geese rode over the estate in the early morning hour there +was no human being about. When they had carefully assured themselves of +this, they lowered themselves toward the dog kennel, and shouted: "What +kind of a little hut is this? What kind of a little hut is this?" + +Instantly the dog came out of his kennel--furiously angry--and barked at +the air. + +"Do you call this a hut, you tramps! Can't you see that this is a great +stone castle? Can't you see what fine terraces, and what a lot of pretty +walls and windows and great doors it has, bow, wow, wow, wow? Don't you +see the grounds, can't you see the garden, can't you see the +conservatories, can't you see the marble statues? You call this a hut, +do you? Do huts have parks with beech-groves and hazel-bushes and +trailing vines and oak trees and firs and hunting-grounds filled with +game, wow, wow, wow? Do you call this a hut? Have you seen huts with so +many outhouses around them that they look like a whole village? You must +know of a lot of huts that have their own church and their own +parsonage; and that rule over the district and the peasant homes and the +neighbouring farms and barracks, wow, wow, wow? Do you call this a hut? +To this hut belong the richest possessions in Skane, you beggars! You +can't see a bit of land, from where you hang in the clouds, that does +not obey commands from this hut, wow, wow, wow!" + +All this the dog managed to cry out in one breath; and the wild geese +flew back and forth over the estate, and listened to him until he was +winded. But then they cried: "What are you so mad about? We didn't ask +about the castle; we only wanted to know about your kennel, stupid!" + +When the boy heard this joke, he laughed; then a thought stole in on him +which at once made him serious. "Think how many of these amusing things +you would hear, if you could go with the wild geese through the whole +country, all the way up to Lapland!" said he to himself. "And just now, +when you are in such a bad fix, a trip like that would be the best thing +you could hit upon." + +The wild geese travelled to one of the wide fields, east of the estate, +to eat grass-roots, and they kept this up for hours. In the meantime, +the boy wandered in the great park which bordered the field. He hunted +up a beech-nut grove and began to look up at the bushes, to see if a +nut from last fall still hung there. But again and again the thought of +the trip came over him, as he walked in the park. He pictured to himself +what a fine time he would have if he went with the wild geese. To freeze +and starve: that he believed he should have to do often enough; but as a +recompense, he would escape both work and study. + +As he walked there, the old gray leader-goose came up to him, and asked +if he had found anything eatable. No, that he hadn't, he replied, and +then she tried to help him. She couldn't find any nuts either, but she +discovered a couple of dried blossoms that hung on a brier-bush. These +the boy ate with a good relish. But he wondered what mother would say, +if she knew that he had lived on raw fish and old winter-dried blossoms. + +When the wild geese had finally eaten themselves full, they bore off +toward the lake again, where they amused themselves with games until +almost dinner time. + +The wild geese challenged the white goosey-gander to take part in all +kinds of sports. They had swimming races, running races, and flying +races with him. The big tame one did his level best to hold his own, but +the clever wild geese beat him every time. All the while, the boy sat on +the goosey-gander's back and encouraged him, and had as much fun as the +rest. They laughed and screamed and cackled, and it was remarkable that +the people on the estate didn't hear them. + +When the wild geese were tired of play, they flew out on the ice and +rested for a couple of hours. The afternoon they spent in pretty much +the same way as the forenoon. First, a couple of hours feeding, then +bathing and play in the water near the ice-edge until sunset, when they +immediately arranged themselves for sleep. + +"This is just the life that suits me," thought the boy when he crept in +under the gander's wing. "But to-morrow, I suppose I'll be sent home." + +Before he fell asleep, he lay and thought that if he might go along with +the wild geese, he would escape all scoldings because he was lazy. Then +he could cut loose every day, and his only worry would be to get +something to eat. But he needed so little nowadays; and there would +always be a way to get that. + +So he pictured the whole scene to himself; what he should see, and all +the adventures that he would be in on. Yes, it would be something +different from the wear and tear at home. "If I could only go with the +wild geese on their travels, I shouldn't grieve because I'd been +transformed," thought the boy. + +He wasn't afraid of anything--except being sent home; but not even on +Wednesday did the geese say anything to him about going. That day passed +in the same way as Tuesday; and the boy grew more and more contented +with the outdoor life. He thought that he had the lovely Oevid Cloister +park--which was as large as a forest--all to himself; and he wasn't +anxious to go back to the stuffy cabin and the little patch of ground +there at home. + +On Wednesday he believed that the wild geese thought of keeping him with +them; but on Thursday he lost hope again. + +Thursday began just like the other days; the geese fed on the broad +meadows, and the boy hunted for food in the park. After a while Akka +came to him, and asked if he had found anything to eat. No, he had not; +and then she looked up a dry caraway herb, that had kept all its tiny +seeds intact. + +When the boy had eaten, Akka said that she thought he ran around in the +park altogether too recklessly. She wondered if he knew how many enemies +he had to guard against--he, who was so little. No, he didn't know +anything at all about that. Then Akka began to enumerate them for him. + +Whenever he walked in the park, she said, that he must look out for the +fox and the marten; when he came to the shores of the lake, he must +think of the otters; as he sat on the stone wall, he must not forget the +weasels, who could creep through the smallest holes; and if he wished to +lie down and sleep on a pile of leaves, he must first find out if the +adders were not sleeping their winter sleep in the same pile. As soon as +he came out in the open fields, he should keep an eye out for hawks and +buzzards; for eagles and falcons that soared in the air. In the +bramble-bush he could be captured by the sparrow-hawks; magpies and +crows were found everywhere and in these he mustn't place any too much +confidence. As soon as it was dusk, he must keep his ears open and +listen for the big owls, who flew along with such soundless wing-strokes +that they could come right up to him before he was aware of their +presence. + +When the boy heard that there were so many who were after his life, he +thought that it would be simply impossible for him to escape. He was not +particularly afraid to die, but he didn't like the idea of being eaten +up, so he asked Akka what he should do to protect himself from the +carnivorous animals. + +Akka answered at once that the boy should try to get on good terms with +all the small animals in the woods and fields: with the squirrel-folk, +and the hare-family; with bullfinches and the titmice and woodpeckers +and larks. If he made friends with them, they could warn him against +dangers, find hiding places for him, and protect him. + +But later in the day, when the boy tried to profit by this counsel, and +turned to Sirle Squirrel to ask for his protection, it was evident that +he did not care to help him. "You surely can't expect anything from me, +or the rest of the small animals!" said Sirle. "Don't you think we know +that you are Nils the goose boy, who tore down the swallow's nest last +year, crushed the starling's eggs, threw baby crows in the marl-ditch, +caught thrushes in snares, and put squirrels in cages? You just help +yourself as well as you can; and you may be thankful that we do not form +a league against you, and drive you back to your own kind!" + +This was just the sort of answer the boy would not have let go +unpunished, in the days when he was Nils the goose boy. But now he was +only fearful lest the wild geese, too, had found out how wicked he could +be. He had been so anxious for fear he wouldn't be permitted to stay +with the wild geese, that he hadn't dared to get into the least little +mischief since he joined their company. It was true that he didn't have +the power to do much harm now, but, little as he was, he could have +destroyed many birds' nests, and crushed many eggs, if he'd been in a +mind to. Now he had been good. He hadn't pulled a feather from a +goose-wing, or given anyone a rude answer; and every morning when he +called upon Akka he had always removed his cap and bowed. + +All day Thursday he thought it was surely on account of his wickedness +that the wild geese did not care to take him along up to Lapland. And in +the evening, when he heard that Sirle Squirrel's wife had been stolen, +and her children were starving to death, he made up his mind to help +them. And we have already been told how well he succeeded. + +When the boy came into the park on Friday, he heard the bulfinches sing +in every bush, of how Sirle Squirrel's wife had been carried away from +her children by cruel robbers, and how Nils, the goose boy, had risked +his life among human beings, and taken the little squirrel children to +her. + +"And who is so honoured in Oevid Cloister park now, as Thumbietot!" sang +the bullfinch; "he, whom all feared when he was Nils the goose boy? +Sirle Squirrel will give him nuts; the poor hares are going to play with +him; the small wild animals will carry him on their backs, and fly away +with him when Smirre Fox approaches. The titmice are going to warn him +against the hawk, and the finches and larks will sing of his valour." + +The boy was absolutely certain that both Akka and the wild geese had +heard all this. But still Friday passed and not one word did they say +about his remaining with them. + +Until Saturday the wild geese fed in the fields around Oevid, undisturbed +by Smirre Fox. + +But on Saturday morning, when they came out in the meadows, he lay in +wait for them, and chased them from one field to another, and they were +not allowed to eat in peace. When Akka understood that he didn't intend +to leave them in peace, she came to a decision quickly, raised herself +into the air and flew with her flock several miles away, over Faers' +plains and Linderoedsosen's hills. They did not stop before they had +arrived in the district of Vittskoevle. + +But at Vittskoevle the goosey-gander was stolen, and how it happened has +already been related. If the boy had not used all his powers to help him +he would never again have been found. + +On Saturday evening, as the boy came back to Vomb Lake with the +goosey-gander, he thought that he had done a good day's work; and he +speculated a good deal on what Akka and the wild geese would say to him. +The wild geese were not at all sparing in their praises, but they did +not say the word he was longing to hear. + +Then Sunday came again. A whole week had gone by since the boy had been +bewitched, and he was still just as little. + +But he didn't appear to be giving himself any extra worry on account of +this thing. On Sunday afternoon he sat huddled together in a big, fluffy +osier-bush, down by the lake, and blew on a reed-pipe. All around him +there sat as many finches and bullfinches and starlings as the bush +could well hold--who sang songs which he tried to teach himself to play. +But the boy was not at home in this art. He blew so false that the +feathers raised themselves on the little music-masters and they shrieked +and fluttered in their despair. The boy laughed so heartily at their +excitement, that he dropped his pipe. + +He began once again, and that went just as badly. Then all the little +birds wailed: "To-day you play worse than usual, Thumbietot! You don't +take one true note! Where are your thoughts, Thumbietot?" + +"They are elsewhere," said the boy--and this was true. He sat there and +pondered how long he would be allowed to remain with the wild geese; or +if he should be sent home perhaps to-day. + +Finally the boy threw down his pipe and jumped from the bush. He had +seen Akka, and all the wild geese, coming toward him in a long row. They +walked so uncommonly slow and dignified-like, that the boy immediately +understood that now he should learn what they intended to do with him. + +When they stopped at last, Akka said: "You may well have reason to +wonder at me, Thumbietot, who have not said thanks to you for saving me +from Smirre Fox. But I am one of those who would rather give thanks by +deeds than words. I have sent word to the elf that bewitched you. At +first he didn't want to hear anything about curing you; but I have sent +message upon message to him, and told him how well you have conducted +yourself among us. He greets you, and says, that as soon as you turn +back home, you shall be human again." + +But think of it! Just as happy as the boy had been when the wild geese +began to speak, just that miserable was he when they had finished. He +didn't say a word, but turned away and wept. + +"What in all the world is this?" said Akka. "It looks as though you had +expected more of me than I have offered you." + +But the boy was thinking of the care-free days and the banter; and of +adventure and freedom and travel, high above the earth, that he should +miss, and he actually bawled with grief. "I don't want to be human," +said he. "I want to go with you to Lapland." "I'll tell you something," +said Akka. "That elf is very touchy, and I'm afraid that if you do not +accept his offer now, it will be difficult for you to coax him another +time." + +It was a strange thing about that boy--as long as he had lived, he had +never cared for anyone. He had not cared for his father or mother; not +for the school teacher; not for his school-mates; nor for the boys in +the neighbourhood. All that they had wished to have him do--whether it +had been work or play--he had only thought tiresome. Therefore there was +no one whom he missed or longed for. + +The only ones that he had come anywhere near agreeing with, were Osa, +the goose girl, and little Mats--a couple of children who had tended +geese in the fields, like himself. But he didn't care particularly for +them either. No, far from it! "I don't want to be human," bawled the +boy. "I want to go with you to Lapland. That's why I've been good for a +whole week!" "I don't want to forbid you to come along with us as far as +you like," said Akka, "but think first if you wouldn't rather go home +again. A day may come when you will regret this." + +"No," said the boy, "that's nothing to regret. I have never been as well +off as here with you." + +"Well then, let it be as you wish," said Akka. + +"Thanks!" said the boy, and he felt so happy that he had to cry for very +joy--just as he had cried before from sorrow. + + +GLIMMINGE CASTLE + + +BLACK RATS AND GRAY RATS + +In south-eastern Skane--not far from the sea there is an old castle +called Glimminge. It is a big and substantial stone house; and can be +seen over the plain for miles around. It is not more than four stories +high; but it is so ponderous that an ordinary farmhouse, which stands on +the same estate, looks like a little children's playhouse in comparison. + +The big stone house has such thick ceilings and partitions that there is +scarcely room in its interior for anything but the thick walls. The +stairs are narrow, the entrances small; and the rooms few. That the +walls might retain their strength, there are only the fewest number of +windows in the upper stories, and none at all are found in the lower +ones. In the old war times, the people were just as glad that they could +shut themselves up in a strong and massive house like this, as one is +nowadays to be able to creep into furs in a snapping cold winter. But +when the time of peace came, they did not care to live in the dark and +cold stone halls of the old castle any longer. They have long since +deserted the big Glimminge castle, and moved into dwelling places where +the light and air can penetrate. + +At the time when Nils Holgersson wandered around with the wild geese, +there were no human beings in Glimminge castle; but for all that, it was +not without inhabitants. Every summer there lived a stork couple in a +large nest on the roof. In a nest in the attic lived a pair of gray +owls; in the secret passages hung bats; in the kitchen oven lived an old +cat; and down in the cellar there were hundreds of old black rats. + +Rats are not held in very high esteem by other animals; but the black +rats at Glimminge castle were an exception. They were always mentioned +with respect, because they had shown great valour in battle with their +enemies; and much endurance under the great misfortunes which had +befallen their kind. They nominally belong to a rat-folk who, at one +time, had been very numerous and powerful, but who were now dying out. +During a long period of time, the black rats owned Skane and the whole +country. They were found in every cellar; in every attic; in larders and +cowhouses and barns; in breweries and flour-mills; in churches and +castles; in every man-constructed building. But now they were banished +from all this--and were almost exterminated. Only in one and another old +and secluded place could one run across a few of them; and nowhere were +they to be found in such large numbers as in Glimminge castle. + +When an animal folk die out, it is generally the human kind who are the +cause of it; but that was not the case in this instance. The people had +certainly struggled with the black rats, but they had not been able to +do them any harm worth mentioning. Those who had conquered them were an +animal folk of their own kind, who were called gray rats. + +These gray rats had not lived in the land since time immemorial, like +the black rats, but descended from a couple of poor immigrants who +landed in Malmoe from a Libyan sloop about a hundred years ago. They were +homeless, starved-out wretches who stuck close to the harbour, swam +among the piles under the bridges, and ate refuse that was thrown in the +water. They never ventured into the city, which was owned by the black +rats. + +But gradually, as the gray rats increased in number they grew bolder. +At first they moved over to some waste places and condemned old houses +which the black rats had abandoned. They hunted their food in gutters +and dirt heaps, and made the most of all the rubbish that the black rats +did not deign to take care of. They were hardy, contented and fearless; +and within a few years they had become so powerful that they undertook +to drive the black rats out of Malmoe. They took from them attics, +cellars and storerooms, starved them out or bit them to death for they +were not at all afraid of fighting. + +When Malmoe was captured, they marched forward in small and large +companies to conquer the whole country. It is almost impossible to +comprehend why the black rats did not muster themselves into a great, +united war-expedition to exterminate the gray rats, while these were +still few in numbers. But the black rats were so certain of their power +that they could not believe it possible for them to lose it. They sat +still on their estates, and in the meantime the gray rats took from them +farm after farm, city after city. They were starved out, forced out, +rooted out. In Skane they had not been able to maintain themselves in a +single place except Glimminge castle. + +The old castle had such secure walls and such few rat passages led +through these, that the black rats had managed to protect themselves, +and to prevent the gray rats from crowding in. Night after night, year +after year, the struggle had continued between the aggressors and the +defenders; but the black rats had kept faithful watch, and had fought +with the utmost contempt for death, and, thanks to the fine old house, +they had always conquered. + +It will have to be acknowledged that as long as the black rats were in +power they were as much shunned by all other living creatures as the +gray rats are in our day--and for just cause; they had thrown themselves +upon poor, fettered prisoners, and tortured them; they had ravished the +dead; they had stolen the last turnip from the cellars of the poor; +bitten off the feet of sleeping geese; robbed eggs and chicks from the +hens; and committed a thousand depredations. But since they had come to +grief, all this seemed to have been forgotten; and no one could help but +marvel at the last of a race that had held out so long against its +enemies. + +The gray rats that lived in the courtyard at Glimminge and in the +vicinity, kept up a continuous warfare and tried to watch out for every +possible chance to capture the castle. One would fancy that they should +have allowed the little company of black rats to occupy Glimminge castle +in peace, since they themselves had acquired all the rest of the +country; but you may be sure this thought never occurred to them. They +were wont to say that it was a point of honour with them to conquer the +black rats at some time or other. But those who were acquainted with the +gray rats must have known that it was because the human kind used +Glimminge castle as a grain store-house that the gray ones could not +rest before they had taken possession of the place. + +THE STORK + +_Monday, March twenty-eighth_. + +Early one morning the wild geese who stood and slept on the ice in Vomb +Lake were awakened by long calls from the air. "Trirop, Trirop!" it +sounded, "Trianut, the crane, sends greetings to Akka, the wild goose, +and her flock. To-morrow will be the day of the great crane dance on +Kullaberg." + +Akka raised her head and answered at once: "Greetings and thanks! +Greetings and thanks!" + +With that, the cranes flew farther; and the wild geese heard them for a +long while--where they travelled and called out over every field, and +every wooded hill: "Trianut sends greetings. To-morrow will be the day +of the great crane dance on Kullaberg." + +The wild geese were very happy over this invitation. "You're in luck," +they said to the white goosey-gander, "to be permitted to attend the +great crane dance on Kullaberg!" "Is it then so remarkable to see cranes +dance?" asked the goosey-gander. "It is something that you have never +even dreamed about!" replied the wild geese. + +"Now we must think out what we shall do with Thumbietot to-morrow--so +that no harm can come to him, while we run over to Kullaberg," said +Akka. "Thumbietot shall not be left alone!" said the goosey-gander. "If +the cranes won't let him see their dance, then I'll stay with him." + +"No human being has ever been permitted to attend the Animal's Congress, +at Kullaberg," said Akka, "and I shouldn't dare to take Thumbietot +along. But we'll discuss this more at length later in the day. Now we +must first and foremost think about getting something to eat." + +With that Akka gave the signal to adjourn. On this day she also sought +her feeding-place a good distance away, on Smirre Fox's account, and she +didn't alight until she came to the swampy meadows a little south of +Glimminge castle. + +All that day the boy sat on the shores of a little pond, and blew on +reed-pipes. He was out of sorts because he shouldn't see the crane +dance, and he just couldn't say a word, either to the goosey-gander, or +to any of the others. + +It was pretty hard that Akka should still doubt him. When a boy had +given up being human, just to travel around with a few wild geese, they +surely ought to understand that he had no desire to betray them. Then, +too, they ought to understand that when he had renounced so much to +follow them, it was their duty to let him see all the wonders they could +show him. + +"I'll have to speak my mind right out to them," thought he. But hour +after hour passed, still he hadn't come round to it. It may sound +remarkable--but the boy had actually acquired a kind of respect for the +old leader-goose. He felt that it was not easy to pit his will against +hers. + +On one side of the swampy meadow, where the wild geese fed, there was a +broad stone hedge. Toward evening when the boy finally raised his head, +to speak to Akka, his glance happened to rest on this hedge. He uttered +a little cry of surprise, and all the wild geese instantly looked up, +and stared in the same direction. At first, both the geese and the boy +thought that all the round, gray stones in the hedge had acquired legs, +and were starting on a run; but soon they saw that it was a company of +rats who ran over it. They moved very rapidly, and ran forward, tightly +packed, line upon line, and were so numerous that, for some time, they +covered the entire stone hedge. + +The boy had been afraid of rats, even when he was a big, strong human +being. Then what must his feelings be now, when he was so tiny that two +or three of them could overpower him? One shudder after another +travelled down his spinal column as he stood and stared at them. + +But strangely enough, the wild geese seemed to feel the same aversion +toward the rats that he did. They did not speak to them; and when they +were gone, they shook themselves as if their feathers had been +mud-spattered. + +"Such a lot of gray rats abroad!" said Iksi from Vassipaure. "That's not +a good omen." + +The boy intended to take advantage of this opportunity to say to Akka +that he thought she ought to let him go with them to Kullaberg, but he +was prevented anew, for all of a sudden a big bird came down in the +midst of the geese. + +One could believe, when one looked at this bird, that he had borrowed +body, neck and head from a little white goose. But in addition to this, +he had procured for himself large black wings, long red legs, and a +thick bill, which was too large for the little head, and weighed it down +until it gave him a sad and worried look. + +Akka at once straightened out the folds of her wings, and curtsied many +times as she approached the stork. She wasn't specially surprised to see +him in Skane so early in the spring, because she knew that the male +storks are in the habit of coming in good season to take a look at the +nest, and see that it hasn't been damaged during the winter, before the +female storks go to the trouble of flying over the East sea. But she +wondered very much what it might signify that he sought her out, since +storks prefer to associate with members of their own family. + +"I can hardly believe that there is anything wrong with your house, Herr +Ermenrich," said Akka. + +It was apparent now that it is true what they say: a stork can seldom +open his bill without complaining. But what made the thing he said sound +even more doleful was that it was difficult for him to speak out. He +stood for a long time and only clattered with his bill; afterward he +spoke in a hoarse and feeble voice. He complained about everything: the +nest--which was situated at the very top of the roof-tree at Glimminge +castle--had been totally destroyed by winter storms; and no food could +he get any more in Skane. The people of Skane were appropriating all his +possessions. They dug out his marshes and laid waste his swamps. He +intended to move away from this country, and never return to it again. + +While the stork grumbled, Akka, the wild goose who had neither home nor +protection, could not help thinking to herself: "If I had things as +comfortable as you have, Herr Ermenrich, I should be above complaining. +You have remained a free and wild bird; and still you stand so well with +human beings that no one will fire a shot at you, or steal an egg from +your nest." But all this she kept to herself. To the stork she only +remarked, that she couldn't believe he would be willing to move from a +house where storks had resided ever since it was built. + +Then the stork suddenly asked the geese if they had seen the gray rats +who were marching toward Glimminge castle. When Akka replied that she +had seen the horrid creatures, he began to tell her about the brave +black rats who, for years, had defended the castle. "But this night +Glimminge castle will fall into the gray rats' power," sighed the stork. + +"And why just this night, Herr Ermenrich?" asked Akka. + +"Well, because nearly all the black rats went over to Kullaberg last +night," said the stork, "since they had counted on all the rest of the +animals also hurrying there. But you see that the gray rats have stayed +at home; and now they are mustering to storm the castle to-night, when +it will be defended by only a few old creatures who are too feeble to go +over to Kullaberg. They'll probably accomplish their purpose. But I have +lived here in harmony with the black rats for so many years, that it +does not please me to live in a place inhabited by their enemies." + +Akka understood now that the stork had become so enraged over the gray +rats' mode of action, that he had sought her out as an excuse to +complain about them. But after the manner of storks, he certainly had +done nothing to avert the disaster. "Have you sent word to the black +rats, Herr Ermenrich?" she asked. "No," replied the stork, "that +wouldn't be of any use. Before they can get back, the castle will be +taken." "You mustn't be so sure of that, Herr Ermenrich," said Akka. "I +know an old wild goose, I do, who will gladly prevent outrages of this +kind." + +When Akka said this, the stork raised his head and stared at her. And it +was not surprising, for Akka had neither claws nor bill that were fit +for fighting; and, in the bargain, she was a day bird, and as soon as it +grew dark she fell helplessly asleep, while the rats did their fighting +at night. + +But Akka had evidently made up her mind to help the black rats. She +called Iksi from Vassijaure, and ordered him to take the wild geese over +to Vonib Lake; and when the geese made excuses, she said +authoritatively: "I believe it will be best for us all that you obey me. +I must fly over to the big stone house, and if you follow me, the people +on the place will be sure to see us, and shoot us down. The only one +that I want to take with me on this trip is Thumbietot. He can be of +great service to me because he has good eyes, and can keep awake at +night." + +The boy was in his most contrary mood that day. And when he heard what +Akka said, he raised himself to his full height and stepped forward, his +hands behind him and his nose in the air, and he intended to say that +he, most assuredly, did not wish to take a hand in the fight with gray +rats. She might look around for assistance elsewhere. + +But the instant the boy was seen, the stork began to move. He had stood +before, as storks generally stand, with head bent downward and the bill +pressed against the neck. But now a gurgle was heard deep down in his +windpipe; as though he would have laughed. Quick as a flash, he lowered +the bill, grabbed the boy, and tossed him a couple of metres in the +air. This feat he performed seven times, while the boy shrieked and the +geese shouted: "What are you trying to do, Herr Ermenrich? That's not a +frog. That's a human being, Herr Ermenrich." + +Finally the stork put the boy down entirely unhurt. Thereupon he said to +Akka, "I'll fly back to Glimminge castle now, mother Akka. All who live +there were very much worried when I left. You may be sure they'll be +very glad when I tell them that Akka, the wild goose, and Thumbietot, +the human elf, are on their way to rescue them." With that the stork +craned his neck, raised his wings, and darted off like an arrow when it +leaves a well-drawn bow. Akka understood that he was making fun of her, +but she didn't let it bother her. She waited until the boy had found his +wooden shoes, which the stork had shaken off; then she put him on her +back and followed the stork. On his own account, the boy made no +objection, and said not a word about not wanting to go along. He had +become so furious with the stork, that he actually sat and puffed. That +long, red-legged thing believed he was of no account just because he was +little; but he would show him what kind of a man Nils Holgersson from +West Vemminghoeg was. + +A couple of moments later Akka stood in the storks' nest. It had a wheel +for foundation, and over this lay several grass-mats, and some twigs. +The nest was so old that many shrubs and plants had taken root up there; +and when the mother stork sat on her eggs in the round hole in the +middle of the nest, she not only had the beautiful outlook over a goodly +portion of Skane to enjoy, but she had also the wild brier-blossoms and +house-leeks to look upon. + +Both Akka and the boy saw immediately that something was going on here +which turned upside down the most regular order. On the edge of the +stork-nest sat two gray owls, an old, gray-streaked cat, and a dozen +old, decrepit rats with protruding teeth and watery eyes. They were not +exactly the sort of animals one usually finds living peaceably together. + +Not one of them turned around to look at Akka, or to bid her welcome. +They thought of nothing except to sit and stare at some long, gray +lines, which came into sight here and there--on the winter-naked +meadows. + +All the black rats were silent. One could see that they were in deep +despair, and probably knew that they could neither defend their own +lives nor the castle. The two owls sat and rolled their big eyes, and +twisted their great, encircling eyebrows, and talked in hollow, +ghost-like voices, about the awful cruelty of the gray rats, and that +they would have to move away from their nest, because they had heard it +said of them that they spared neither eggs nor baby birds. The old +gray-streaked cat was positive that the gray rats would bite him to +death, since they were coming into the castle in such great numbers, and +he scolded the black rats incessantly. "How could you be so idiotic as +to let your best fighters go away?" said he. "How could you trust the +gray rats? It is absolutely unpardonable!" + +The twelve black rats did not say a word. But the stork, despite his +misery, could not refrain from teasing the cat. "Don't worry so, Monsie +house-cat!" said he. "Can't you see that mother Akka and Thumbietot have +come to save the castle? You can be certain that they'll succeed. Now I +must stand up to sleep--and I do so with the utmost calm. To-morrow, +when I awaken, there won't be a single gray rat in Glimminge castle." + +The boy winked at Akka, and made a sign--as the stork stood upon the +very edge of the nest, with one leg drawn up, to sleep--that he wanted +to push him down to the ground; but Akka restrained him. She did not +seem to be the least bit angry. Instead, she said in a confident tone of +voice: "It would be pretty poor business if one who is as old as I am +could not manage to get out of worse difficulties than this. If only Mr. +and Mrs. Owl, who can stay awake all night, will fly off with a couple +of messages for me, I think that all will go well." + +Both owls were willing. Then Akka bade the gentleman owl that he should +go and seek the black rats who had gone off, and counsel them to hurry +home immediately. The lady owl she sent to Flammea, the steeple-owl, +who lived in Lund cathedral, with a commission which was so secret that +Akka only dared to confide it to her in a whisper. + +THE RAT CHARMER + +It was getting on toward midnight when the gray rats after a diligent +search succeeded in finding an open air-hole in the cellar. This was +pretty high upon the wall; but the rats got up on one another's +shoulders, and it wasn't long before the most daring among them sat in +the air-hole, ready to force its way into Glimminge castle, outside +whose walls so many of its forebears had fallen. + +The gray rat sat still for a moment in the hole, and waited for an +attack from within. The leader of the defenders was certainly away, but +she assumed that the black rats who were still in the castle wouldn't +surrender without a struggle. With thumping heart she listened for the +slightest sound, but everything remained quiet. Then the leader of the +gray rats plucked up courage and jumped down in the coal-black cellar. + +One after another of the gray rats followed the leader. They all kept +very quiet; and all expected to be ambushed by the black rats. Not until +so many of them had crowded into the cellar that the floor couldn't hold +any more, did they venture farther. + +Although they had never before been inside the building, they had no +difficulty in finding their way. They soon found the passages in the +walls which the black rats had used to get to the upper floors. Before +they began to clamber up these narrow and steep steps, they listened +again with great attention. They felt more frightened because the black +rats held themselves aloof in this way, than if they had met them in +open battle. They could hardly believe their luck when they reached the +first story without any mishaps. + +Immediately upon their entrance the gray rats caught the scent of the +grain, which was stored in great bins on the floor. But it was not as +yet time for them to begin to enjoy their conquest. They searched first, +with the utmost caution, through the sombre, empty rooms. They ran up in +the fireplace, which stood on the floor in the old castle kitchen, and +they almost tumbled into the well, in the inner room. Not one of the +narrow peep-holes did they leave uninspected, but they found no black +rats. When this floor was wholly in their possession, they began, with +the same caution, to acquire the next. Then they had to venture on a +bold and dangerous climb through the walls, while, with breathless +anxiety, they awaited an assault from the enemy. And although they were +tempted by the most delicious odour from the grain bins, they forced +themselves most systematically to inspect the old-time warriors' +pillar-propped kitchen; their stone table, and fireplace; the deep +window-niches, and the hole in the floor--which in olden time had been +opened to pour down boiling pitch on the intruding enemy. + +All this time the black rats were invisible. The gray ones groped their +way to the third story, and into the lord of the castle's great banquet +hall--which stood there cold and empty, like all the other rooms in the +old house. They even groped their way to the upper story, which had but +one big, barren room. The only place they did not think of exploring was +the big stork-nest on the roof--where, just at this time, the lady owl +awakened Akka, and informed her that Flammea, the steeple owl, had +granted her request, and had sent her the thing she wished for. + +Since the gray rats had so conscientiously inspected the entire castle, +they felt at ease. They took it for granted that the black rats had +flown, and didn't intend to offer any resistance; and, with light +hearts, they ran up into the grain bins. + +But the gray rats had hardly swallowed the first wheat-grains, before +the sound of a little shrill pipe was heard from the yard. The gray rats +raised their heads, listened anxiously, ran a few steps as if they +intended to leave the bin, then they turned back and began to eat once +more. + +Again the pipe sounded a sharp and piercing note--and now something +wonderful happened. One rat, two rats--yes, a whole lot of rats left the +grain, jumped from the bins and hurried down cellar by the shortest cut, +to get out of the house. Still there were many gray rats left. These +thought of all the toil and trouble it had cost them to win Glimminge +castle, and they did not want to leave it. But again they caught the +tones from the pipe, and had to follow them. With wild excitement they +rushed up from the bins, slid down through the narrow holes in the +walls, and tumbled over each other in their eagerness to get out. + +In the middle of the courtyard stood a tiny creature, who blew upon a +pipe. All round him he had a whole circle of rats who listened to him, +astonished and fascinated; and every moment brought more. Once he took +the pipe from his lips--only for a second--put his thumb to his nose and +wiggled his fingers at the gray rats; and then it looked as if they +wanted to throw themselves on him and bite him to death; but as soon as +he blew on his pipe they were in his power. + +When the tiny creature had played all the gray rats out of Glimminge +castle, he began to wander slowly from the courtyard out on the highway; +and all the gray rats followed him, because the tones from that pipe +sounded so sweet to their ears that they could not resist them. + +The tiny creature walked before them and charmed them along with him, +on the road to Vallby. He led them into all sorts of crooks and turns +and bends--on through hedges and down into ditches--and wherever he went +they had to follow. He blew continuously on his pipe, which appeared to +be made from an animal's horn, although the horn was so small that, in +our days, there were no animals from whose foreheads it could have been +broken. No one knew, either, who had made it. Flammea, the steeple-owl, +had found it in a niche, in Lund cathedral. She had shown it to Bataki, +the raven; and they had both figured out that this was the kind of horn +that was used in former times by those who wished to gain power over +rats and mice. But the raven was Akka's friend; and it was from him she +had learned that Flammea owned a treasure like this. And it was true +that the rats could not resist the pipe. The boy walked before them and +played as long as the starlight lasted--and all the while they followed +him. He played at daybreak; he played at sunrise; and the whole time the +entire procession of gray rats followed him, and were enticed farther +and farther away from the big grain loft at Glimminge castle. + + +THE GREAT CRANE DANCE ON KULLABERG + + +_Tuesday, March twenty-ninth_. + +Although there are many magnificent buildings in Skane, it must be +acknowledged that there's not one among them that has such pretty walls +as old Kullaberg. + +Kullaberg is low and rather long. It is not by any means a big or +imposing mountain. On its broad summit you'll find woods and grain +fields, and one and another heather-heath. Here and there, round +heather-knolls and barren cliffs rise up. It is not especially pretty up +there. It looks a good deal like all the other upland places in Skane. + +He who walks along the path which runs across the middle of the +mountain, can't help feeling a little disappointed. Then he happens, +perhaps, to turn away from the path, and wanders off toward the +mountain's sides and looks down over the bluffs; and then, all at once, +he will discover so much that is worth seeing, he hardly knows how he'll +find time to take in the whole of it. For it happens that Kullaberg +does not stand on the land, with plains and valleys around it, like +other mountains; but it has plunged into the sea, as far out as it could +get. Not even the tiniest strip of land lies below the mountain to +protect it against the breakers; but these reach all the way up to the +mountain walls, and can polish and mould them to suit themselves. This +is why the walls stand there as richly ornamented as the sea and its +helpmeet, the wind, have been able to effect. You'll find steep ravines +that are deeply chiselled in the mountain's sides; and black crags that +have become smooth and shiny under the constant lashing of the winds. +There are solitary rock-columns that spring right up out of the water, +and dark grottoes with narrow entrances. There are barren, perpendicular +precipices, and soft, leaf-clad inclines. There are small points, and +small inlets, and small rolling stones that are rattlingly washed up and +down with every dashing breaker. There are majestic cliff-arches that +project over the water. There are sharp stones that are constantly +sprayed by a white foam; and others that mirror themselves in +unchangeable dark-green still water. There are giant troll-caverns +shaped in the rock, and great crevices that lure the wanderer to venture +into the mountain's depths--all the way to Kullman's Hollow. + +And over and around all these cliffs and rocks crawl entangled tendrils +and weeds. Trees grow there also, but the wind's power is so great that +trees have to transform themselves into clinging vines, that they may +get a firm hold on the steep precipices. The oaks creep along on the +ground, while their foliage hangs over them like a low ceiling; and +long-limbed beeches stand in the ravines like great leaf-tents. + +These remarkable mountain walls, with the blue sea beneath them, and the +clear penetrating air above them, is what makes Kullaberg so dear to the +people that great crowds of them haunt the place every day as long as +the summer lasts. But it is more difficult to tell what it is that makes +it so attractive to animals, that every year they gather there for a big +play-meeting. This is a custom that has been observed since time +immemorial; and one should have been there when the first sea-wave was +dashed into foam against the shore, to be able to explain just why +Kullaberg was chosen as a rendezvous, in preference to all other places. + +When the meeting is to take place, the stags and roebucks and hares and +foxes and all the other four-footers make the journey to Kullaberg the +night before, so as not to be observed by the human beings. Just before +sunrise they all march up to the playground, which is a heather-heath on +the left side of the road, and not very far from the mountain's most +extreme point. The playground is inclosed on all sides by round knolls, +which conceal it from any and all who do not happen to come right upon +it. And in the month of March it is not at all likely that any +pedestrians will stray off up there. All the strangers who usually +stroll around on the rocks, and clamber up the mountain's sides the fall +storms have driven away these many months past. And the lighthouse +keeper out there on the point; the old fru on the mountain farm, and the +mountain peasant and his house-folk go their accustomed ways, and do not +run about on the desolate heather-fields. + +When the four-footers have arrived on the playground, they take their +places on the round knolls. Each animal family keeps to itself, although +it is understood that, on a day like this, universal peace reigns, and +no one need fear attack. On this day a little hare might wander over to +the foxes' hill, without losing as much as one of his long ears. But +still the animals arrange themselves into separate groups. This is an +old custom. + +After they have all taken their places, they begin to look around for +the birds. It is always beautiful weather on this day. The cranes are +good weather prophets, and would not call the animals together if they +expected rain. Although the air is clear, and nothing obstructs the +vision, the four-footers see no birds. This is strange. The sun stands +high in the heavens, and the birds should already be on their way. + +But what the animals, on the other hand, observe, is one and another +little dark cloud that comes slowly forward over the plain. And look! +one of these clouds comes gradually along the coast of Oeresund, and up +toward Kullaberg. When the cloud has come just over the playground it +stops, and, simultaneously, the entire cloud begins to ring and chirp, +as if it was made of nothing but tone. It rises and sinks, rises and +sinks, but all the while it rings and chirps. At last the whole cloud +falls down over a knoll--all at once--and the next instant the knoll is +entirely covered with gray larks, pretty red-white-gray bulfinches, +speckled starlings and greenish-yellow titmice. + +Soon after that, another cloud comes over the plain. This stops over +every bit of land; over peasant cottage and palace; over towns and +cities; over farms and railway stations; over fishing hamlets and sugar +refineries. Every time it stops, it draws to itself a little whirling +column of gray dust-grains from the ground. In this way it grows and +grows. And at last, when it is all gathered up and heads for Kullaberg, +it is no longer a cloud but a whole mist, which is so big that it throws +a shadow on the ground all the way from Hoeganaes to Moelle. When it stops +over the playground it hides the sun; and for a long while it had to +rain gray sparrows on one of the knolls, before those who had been +flying in the innermost part of the mist could again catch a glimpse of +the daylight. + +But still the biggest of these bird-clouds is the one which now appears. +This has been formed of birds who have travelled from every direction to +join it. It is dark bluish-gray, and no sun-ray can penetrate it. It is +full of the ghastliest noises, the most frightful shrieks, the grimmest +laughter, and most ill-luck-boding croaking! All on the playground are +glad when it finally resolves itself into a storm of fluttering and +croaking: of crows and jackdaws and rooks and ravens. + +Thereupon not only clouds are seen in the heavens, but a variety of +stripes and figures. Then straight, dotted lines appear in the East and +Northeast. These are forest-birds from Goeinge districts: black grouse +and wood grouse who come flying in long lines a couple of metres apart. +Swimming-birds that live around Maklaeppen, just out of Falsterbo, now +come floating over Oeresund in many extraordinary figures: in triangular +and long curves; in sharp hooks and semicircles. + +To the great reunion held the year that Nils Holgersson travelled +around with the wild geese, came Akka and her flock--later than all the +others. And that was not to be wondered at, for Akka had to fly over the +whole of Skane to get to Kullaberg. Beside, as soon as she awoke, she +had been obliged to go out and hunt for Thumbietot, who, for many hours, +had gone and played to the gray rats, and lured them far away from +Glimminge castle. Mr. Owl had returned with the news that the black rats +would be at home immediately after sunrise; and there was no longer any +danger in letting the steeple-owl's pipe be hushed, and to give the gray +rats the liberty to go where they pleased. + +But it was not Akka who discovered the boy where he walked with his long +following, and quickly sank down over him and caught him with the bill +and swung into the air with him, but it was Herr Ermenrich, the stork! +For Herr Ermenrich had also gone out to look for him; and after he had +borne him up to the stork-nest, he begged his forgiveness for having +treated him with disrespect the evening before. + +This pleased the boy immensely, and the stork and he became good +friends. Akka, too, showed him that she felt very kindly toward him; she +stroked her old head several times against his arms, and commended him +because he had helped those who were in trouble. + +But this one must say to the boy's credit: that he did not want to +accept praise which he had not earned. "No, mother Akka," he said, "you +mustn't think that I lured the gray rats away to help the black ones. I +only wanted to show Herr Ermenrich that I was of some consequence." + +He had hardly said this before Akka turned to the stork and asked if he +thought it was advisable to take Thumbietot along to Kullaberg. "I mean, +that we can rely on him as upon ourselves," said she. The stork at once +advised, most enthusiastically, that Thumbietot be permitted to come +along. "Certainly you shall take Thumbietot along to Kullaberg, mother +Akka," said he. "It is fortunate for us that we can repay him for all +that he has endured this night for our sakes. And since it still grieves +me to think that I did not conduct myself in a becoming manner toward +him the other evening, it is I who will carry him on my back--all the +way to the meeting place." + +There isn't much that tastes better than to receive praise from those +who are themselves wise and capable; and the boy had certainly never +felt so happy as he did when the wild goose and the stork talked about +him in this way. + +Thus the boy made the trip to Kullaberg, riding stork-back. Although he +knew that this was a great honour, it caused him much anxiety, for Herr +Ermenrich was a master flyer, and started off at a very different pace +from the wild geese. While Akka flew her straight way with even +wing-strokes, the stork amused himself by performing a lot of flying +tricks. Now he lay still in an immeasurable height, and floated in the +air without moving his wings, now he flung himself downward with such +sudden haste that it seemed as though he would fall to the ground, +helpless as a stone; now he had lots of fun flying all around Akka, in +great and small circles, like a whirlwind. The boy had never been on a +ride of this sort before; and although he sat there all the while in +terror, he had to acknowledge to himself that he had never before known +what a good flight meant. + +Only a single pause was made during the journey, and that was at Vomb +Lake when Akka joined her travelling companions, and called to them that +the gray rats had been vanquished. After that, the travellers flew +straight to Kullaberg. + +There they descended to the knoll reserved for the wild geese; and as +the boy let his glance wander from knoll to knoll, he saw on one of them +the many-pointed antlers of the stags; and on another, the gray herons' +neck-crests. One knoll was red with foxes, one was gray with rats; one +was covered with black ravens who shrieked continually, one with larks +who simply couldn't keep still, but kept on throwing themselves in the +air and singing for very joy. + +Just as it has ever been the custom on Kullaberg, it was the crows who +began the day's games and frolics with their flying-dance. They divided +themselves into two flocks, that flew toward each other, met, turned, +and began all over again. This dance had many repetitions, and appeared +to the spectators who were not familiar with the dance as altogether too +monotonous. The crows were very proud of their dance, but all the others +were glad when it was over. It appeared to the animals about as gloomy +and meaningless as the winter-storms' play with the snow-flakes. It +depressed them to watch it, and they waited eagerly for something that +should give them a little pleasure. + +They did not have to wait in vain, either; for as soon as the crows had +finished, the hares came running. They dashed forward in a long row, +without any apparent order. In some of the figures, one single hare +came; in others, they ran three and four abreast. They had all raised +themselves on two legs, and they rushed forward with such rapidity that +their long ears swayed in all directions. As they ran, they spun round, +made high leaps and beat their forepaws against their hind-paws so that +they rattled. Some performed a long succession of somersaults, others +doubled themselves up and rolled over like wheels; one stood on one leg +and swung round; one walked upon his forepaws. There was no regulation +whatever, but there was much that was droll in the hares' play; and the +many animals who stood and watched them began to breathe faster. Now it +was spring; joy and rapture were advancing. Winter was over; summer was +coming. Soon it was only play to live. + +When the hares had romped themselves out, it was the great forest birds' +turn to perform. Hundreds of wood-grouse in shining dark-brown array, +and with bright red eyebrows, flung themselves up into a great oak that +stood in the centre of the playground. The one who sat upon the topmost +branch fluffed up his feathers, lowered his wings, and lifted his tail +so that the white covert-feathers were seen. Thereupon he stretched his +neck and sent forth a couple of deep notes from his thick throat. +"Tjack, tjack, tjack," it sounded. More than this he could not utter. It +only gurgled a few times way down in the throat. Then he closed his eyes +and whispered: "Sis, sis, sis. Hear how pretty! Sis, sis, sis." At the +same time he fell into such an ecstasy that he no longer knew what was +going on around him. + +While the first wood grouse was sissing, the three nearest--under +him--began to sing; and before they had finished their song, the ten who +sat lower down joined in; and thus it continued from branch to branch, +until the entire hundred grouse sang and gurgled and sissed. They all +fell into the same ecstasy during their song, and this affected the +other animals like a contagious transport. Lately the blood had flowed +lightly and agreeably; now it began to grow heavy and hot. "Yes, this is +surely spring," thought all the animal folk. "Winter chill has vanished. +The fires of spring burn over the earth." + +When the black grouse saw that the brown grouse were having such +success, they could no longer keep quiet. As there was no tree for them +to light on, they rushed down on the playground, where the heather stood +so high that only their beautifully turned tail-feathers and their +thick bills were visible--and they began to sing: "Orr, orr, orr." + +Just as the black grouse began to compete with the brown grouse, +something unprecedented happened. While all the animals thought of +nothing but the grouse-game, a fox stole slowly over to the wild geese's +knoll. He glided very cautiously, and came way up on the knoll before +anyone noticed him. Suddenly a goose caught sight of him; and as she +could not believe that a fox had sneaked in among the geese for any good +purpose, she began to cry: "Have a care, wild geese! Have a care!" The +fox struck her across the throat--mostly, perhaps, because he wanted to +make her keep quiet--but the wild geese had already heard the cry and +they all raised themselves in the air. And when they had flown up, the +animals saw Smirre Fox standing on the wild geese's knoll, with a dead +goose in his mouth. + +But because he had in this way broken the play-day's peace, such a +punishment was meted out to Smirre Fox that, for the rest of his days, +he must regret he had not been able to control his thirst for revenge, +but had attempted to approach Akka and her flock in this manner. + +He was immediately surrounded by a crowd of foxes, and doomed in +accordance with an old custom, which demands that whosoever disturbs the +peace on the great play-day, must go into exile. Not a fox wished to +lighten the sentence, since they all knew that the instant they +attempted anything of the sort, they would be driven from the +playground, and would nevermore be permitted to enter it. Banishment was +pronounced upon Smirre without opposition. He was forbidden to remain in +Skane. He was banished from wife and kindred; from hunting grounds, +home, resting places and retreats, which he had hitherto owned; and he +must tempt fortune in foreign lands. So that all foxes in Skane should +know that Smirre was outlawed in the district, the oldest of the foxes +bit off his right earlap. As soon as this was done, all the young foxes +began to yowl from blood-thirst, and threw themselves on Smirre. For him +there was no alternative except to take flight; and with all the young +foxes in hot pursuit, he rushed away from Kullaberg. + +All this happened while black grouse and brown grouse were going on with +their games. But these birds lose themselves so completely in their +song, that they neither hear nor see. Nor had they permitted themselves +to be disturbed. + +The forest birds' contest was barely over, before the stags from +Haeckeberga came forward to show their wrestling game. There were several +pairs of stags who fought at the same time. They rushed at each other +with tremendous force, struck their antlers dashingly together, so that +their points were entangled; and tried to force each other backward. The +heather-heaths were torn up beneath their hoofs; the breath came like +smoke from their nostrils; out of their throats strained hideous +bellowings, and the froth oozed down on their shoulders. + +On the knolls round about there was breathless silence while the skilled +stag-wrestlers clinched. In all the animals new emotions were awakened. +Each and all felt courageous and, strong; enlivened by returning powers; +born again with the spring; sprightly, and ready for all kinds of +adventures. They felt no enmity toward each other, although, everywhere, +wings were lifted, neck-feathers raised and claws sharpened. If the +stags from Haeckeberga had continued another instant, a wild struggle +would have arisen on the knolls, for all had been gripped with a burning +desire to show that they too were full of life because the winter's +impotence was over and strength surged through their bodies. + +But the stags stopped wrestling just at the right moment, and instantly +a whisper went from knoll to knoll: "The cranes are coming!" + +And then came the gray, dusk-clad birds with plumes in their wings, and +red feather-ornaments on their necks. The big birds with their tall +legs, their slender throats, their small heads, came gliding down the +knoll with an abandon that was full of mystery. As they glided forward +they swung round--half flying, half dancing. With wings gracefully +lifted, they moved with an inconceivable rapidity. There was something +marvellous and strange about their dance. It was as though gray shadows +had played a game which the eye could scarcely follow. It was as if +they had learned it from the mists that hover over desolate morasses. +There was witchcraft in it. All those who had never before been on +Kullaberg understood why the whole meeting took its name from the +crane's dance. There was wildness in it; but yet the feeling which it +awakened was a delicious longing. No one thought any more about +struggling. Instead, both the winged and those who had no wings, all +wanted to raise themselves eternally, lift themselves above the clouds, +seek that which was hidden beyond them, leave the oppressive body that +dragged them down to earth and soar away toward the infinite. + +Such longing after the unattainable, after the hidden mysteries back of +this life, the animals felt only once a year; and this was on the day +when they beheld the great crane dance. + + +IN RAINY WEATHER + + +_Wednesday, March thirtieth_. + +It was the first rainy day of the trip. As long as the wild geese had +remained in the vicinity of Vomb Lake, they had had beautiful weather; +but on the day when they set out to travel farther north, it began to +rain, and for several hours the boy had to sit on the goose-back, +soaking wet, and shivering with the cold. + +In the morning when they started, it had been clear and mild. The wild +geese had flown high up in the air--evenly, and without haste--with Akka +at the head maintaining strict discipline, and the rest in two oblique +lines back of her. They had not taken the time to shout any witty +sarcasms to the animals on the ground; but, as it was simply impossible +for them to keep perfectly silent, they sang out continually--in rhythm +with the wing-strokes--their usual coaxing call: "Where are you? Here +am I. Where are you? Here am I." + +They all took part in this persistent calling, and only stopped, now and +then, to show the goosey-gander the landmarks they were travelling over. +The places on this route included Linderoedsosen's dry hills, Ovesholm's +manor, Christianstad's church steeple, Baeckaskog's royal castle on the +narrow isthmus between Oppmann's lake and Ivoe's lake, Ryss mountain's +steep precipice. + +It had been a monotonous trip, and when the rain-clouds made their +appearance the boy thought it was a real diversion. In the old days, +when he had only seen a rain-cloud from below, he had imagined that they +were gray and disagreeable; but it was a very different thing to be up +amongst them. Now he saw distinctly that the clouds were enormous carts, +which drove through the heavens with sky-high loads. Some of them were +piled up with huge, gray sacks, some with barrels; some were so large +that they could hold a whole lake; and a few were filled with big +utensils and bottles which were piled up to an immense height. And when +so many of them had driven forward that they filled the whole sky, it +appeared as though someone had given a signal, for all at once, water +commenced to pour down over the earth, from utensils, barrels, bottles +and sacks. + +Just as the first spring-showers pattered against the ground, there +arose such shouts of joy from all the small birds in groves and +pastures, that the whole air rang with them and the boy leaped high +where he sat. "Now we'll have rain. Rain gives us spring; spring gives +us flowers and green leaves; green leaves and flowers give us worms and +insects; worms and insects give us food; and plentiful and good food is +the best thing there is," sang the birds. + +The wild geese, too, were glad of the rain which came to awaken the +growing things from their long sleep, and to drive holes in the +ice-roofs on the lakes. They were not able to keep up that seriousness +any longer, but began to send merry calls over the neighbourhood. + +When they flew over the big potato patches, which are so plentiful in +the country around Christianstad--and which still lay bare and +black--they screamed: "Wake up and be useful! Here comes something that +will awaken you. You have idled long enough now." + +When they saw people who hurried to get out of the rain, they reproved +them saying: "What are you in such a hurry about? Can't you see that +it's raining rye-loaves and cookies?" + +It was a big, thick mist that moved northward briskly, and followed +close upon the geese. They seemed to think that they dragged the mist +along with them; and, just now, when they saw great orchards beneath +them, they called out proudly: "Here we come with anemones; here we come +with roses; here we come with apple blossoms and cherry buds; here we +come with peas and beans and turnips and cabbages. He who wills can take +them. He who wills can take them." + +Thus it had sounded while the first showers fell, and when all were +still glad of the rain. But when it continued to fall the whole +afternoon, the wild geese grew impatient, and cried to the thirsty +forests around Ivoes lake: "Haven't you got enough yet? Haven't you got +enough yet?" + +The heavens were growing grayer and grayer and the sun hid itself so +well that one couldn't imagine where it was. The rain fell faster and +faster, and beat harder and harder against the wings, as it tried to +find its way between the oily outside feathers, into their skins. The +earth was hidden by fogs; lakes, mountains, and woods floated together +in an indistinct maze, and the landmarks could not be distinguished. The +flight became slower and slower; the joyful cries were hushed; and the +boy felt the cold more and more keenly. + +But still he had kept up his courage as long as he had ridden through +the air. And in the afternoon, when they had lighted under a little +stunted pine, in the middle of a large morass, where all was wet, and +all was cold; where some knolls were covered with snow, and others stood +up naked in a puddle of half-melted ice-water, even then, he had not +felt discouraged, but ran about in fine spirits, and hunted for +cranberries and frozen whortleberries. But then came evening, and +darkness sank down on them so close, that not even such eyes as the +boy's could see through it; and all the wilderness became so strangely +grim and awful. The boy lay tucked in under the goosey-gander's wing, +but could not sleep because he was cold and wet. He heard such a lot of +rustling and rattling and stealthy steps and menacing voices, that he +was terror-stricken and didn't know where he should go. He must go +somewhere, where there was light and heat, if he wasn't going to be +entirely scared to death. + +"If I should venture where there are human beings, just for this night?" +thought the boy. "Only so I could sit by a fire for a moment, and get a +little food. I could go back to the wild geese before sunrise." + +He crept from under the wing and slid down to the ground. He didn't +awaken either the goosey-gander or any of the other geese, but stole, +silently and unobserved, through the morass. + +He didn't know exactly where on earth he was: if he was in Skane, in +Smaland, or in Blekinge. But just before he had gotten down in the +morass, he had caught a glimpse of a large village, and thither he +directed his steps. It wasn't long, either, before he discovered a road; +and soon he was on the village street, which was long, and had planted +trees on both sides, and was bordered with garden after garden. + +The boy had come to one of the big cathedral towns, which are so common +on the uplands, but can hardly be seen at all down in the plain. + +The houses were of wood, and very prettily constructed. Most of them had +gables and fronts, edged with carved mouldings, and glass doors, with +here and there a coloured pane, opening on verandas. The walls were +painted in light oil-colours; the doors and window-frames shone in blues +and greens, and even in reds. While the boy walked about and viewed the +houses, he could hear, all the way out to the road, how the people who +sat in the warm cottages chattered and laughed. The words he could not +distinguish, but he thought it was just lovely to hear human voices. "I +wonder what they would say if I knocked and begged to be let in," +thought he. + +This was, of course, what he had intended to do all along, but now that +he saw the lighted windows, his fear of the darkness was gone. Instead, +he felt again that shyness which always came over him now when he was +near human beings. "I'll take a look around the town for a while +longer," thought he, "before I ask anyone to take me in." + +On one house there was a balcony. And just as the boy walked by, the +doors were thrown open, and a yellow light streamed through the fine, +sheer curtains. Then a pretty young fru came out on the balcony and +leaned over the railing. "It's raining; now we shall soon have spring," +said she. When the boy saw her he felt a strange anxiety. It was as +though he wanted to weep. For the first time he was a bit uneasy because +he had shut himself out from the human kind. + +Shortly after that he walked by a shop. Outside the shop stood a red +corn-drill. He stopped and looked at it; and finally crawled up to the +driver's place, and seated himself. When he had got there, he smacked +with his lips and pretended that he sat and drove. He thought what fun +it would be to be permitted to drive such a pretty machine over a +grainfield. For a moment he forgot what he was like now; then he +remembered it, and jumped down quickly from the machine. Then a greater +unrest came over him. After all, human beings were very wonderful and +clever. + +He walked by the post-office, and then he thought of all the newspapers +which came every day, with news from all the four corners of the earth. +He saw the apothecary's shop and the doctor's home, and he thought about +the power of human beings, which was so great that they were able to +battle with sickness and death. He came to the church. Then he thought +how human beings had built it, that they might hear about another world +than the one in which they lived, of God and the resurrection and +eternal life. And the longer he walked there, the better he liked human +beings. + +It is so with children that they never think any farther ahead than the +length of their noses. That which lies nearest them, they want +promptly, without caring what it may cost them. Nils Holgersson had not +understood what he was losing when he chose to remain an elf; but now he +began to be dreadfully afraid that, perhaps, he should never again get +back to his right form. + +How in all the world should he go to work in order to become human? This +he wanted, oh! so much, to know. + +He crawled up on a doorstep, and seated himself in the pouring rain and +meditated. He sat there one whole hour--two whole hours, and he thought +so hard that his forehead lay in furrows; but he was none the wiser. It +seemed as though the thoughts only rolled round and round in his head. +The longer he sat there, the more impossible it seemed to him to find +any solution. + +"This thing is certainly much too difficult for one who has learned as +little as I have," he thought at last. "It will probably wind up by my +having to go back among human beings after all. I must ask the minister +and the doctor and the schoolmaster and others who are learned, and may +know a cure for such things." + +This he concluded that he would do at once, and shook himself--for he +was as wet as a dog that has been in a water-pool. + +Just about then he saw that a big owl came flying along, and alighted on +one of the trees that bordered the village street. The next instant a +lady owl, who sat under the cornice of the house, began to call out: +"Kivitt, Kivitt! Are you at home again, Mr. Gray Owl? What kind of a +time did you have abroad?" + +"Thank you, Lady Brown Owl. I had a very comfortable time," said the +gray owl. "Has anything out of the ordinary happened here at home during +my absence?" + +"Not here in Blekinge, Mr. Gray Owl; but in Skane a marvellous thing has +happened! A boy has been transformed by an elf into a goblin no bigger +than a squirrel; and since then he has gone to Lapland with a tame +goose." + +"That's a remarkable bit of news, a remarkable bit of news. Can he never +be human again, Lady Brown Owl? Can he never be human again?" + +"That's a secret, Mr. Gray Owl; but you shall hear it just the same. +The elf has said that if the boy watches over the goosey-gander, so that +he comes home safe and sound, and--" + +"What more, Lady Brown Owl? What more? What more?" + +"Fly with me up to the church tower, Mr. Gray Owl, and you shall hear +the whole story! I fear there may be someone listening down here in the +street." With that, the owls flew their way; but the boy flung his cap +in the air, and shouted: "If I only watch over the goosey-gander, so +that he gets back safe and sound, then I shall become a human being +again. Hurrah! Hurrah! Then I shall become a human being again!" + +He shouted "hurrah" until it was strange that they did not hear him in +the houses--but they didn't, and he hurried back to the wild geese, out +in the wet morass, as fast as his legs could carry him. + + +THE STAIRWAY WITH THE THREE STEPS + + +_Thursday, March thirty-first_. + +The following day the wild geese intended to travel northward through +Allbo district, in Smaland. They sent Iksi and Kaksi to spy out the +land. But when they returned, they said that all the water was frozen, +and all the land was snow-covered. "We may as well remain where we are," +said the wild geese. "We cannot travel over a country where there is +neither water nor food." "If we remain where we are, we may have to wait +here until the next moon," said Akka. "It is better to go eastward, +through Blekinge, and see if we can't get to Smaland by way of Moere, +which lies near the coast, and has an early spring." + +Thus the boy came to ride over Blekinge the next day. Now, that it was +light again, he was in a merry mood once more, and could not comprehend +what had come over him the night before. He certainly didn't want to +give up the journey and the outdoor life now. + +There lay a thick fog over Blekinge. The boy couldn't see how it looked +out there. "I wonder if it is a good, or a poor country that I'm riding +over," thought he, and tried to search his memory for the things which +he had heard about the country at school. But at the same time he knew +well enough that this was useless, as he had never been in the habit of +studying his lessons. + +At once the boy saw the whole school before him. The children sat by the +little desks and raised their hands; the teacher sat in the lectern and +looked displeased; and he himself stood before the map and should answer +some question about Blekinge, but he hadn't a word to say. The +schoolmaster's face grew darker and darker for every second that passed, +and the boy thought the teacher was more particular that they should +know their geography, than anything else. Now he came down from the +lectern, took the pointer from the boy, and sent him back to his seat. +"This won't end well," the boy thought then. + +But the schoolmaster had gone over to a window, and had stood there for +a moment and looked out, and then he had whistled to himself once. Then +he had gone up into the lectern and said that he would tell them +something about Blekinge. And that which he then talked about had been +so amusing that the boy had listened. When he only stopped and thought +for a moment, he remembered every word. + +"Smaland is a tall house with spruce trees on the roof," said the +teacher, "and leading up to it is a broad stairway with three big steps; +and this stairway is called Blekinge. It is a stairway that is well +constructed. It stretches forty-two miles along the frontage of Smaland +house, and anyone who wishes to go all the way down to the East sea, by +way of the stairs, has twenty-four miles to wander. + +"A good long time must have elapsed since the stairway was +built. Both days and years have gone by since the steps were hewn from +gray stones and laid down--evenly and smoothly--for a convenient track +between Smaland and the East sea. + +"Since the stairway is so old, one can, of course, understand that it +doesn't look just the same now, as it did when it was new. I don't know +how much they troubled themselves about such matters at that time; but +big as it was, no broom could have kept it clean. After a couple of +years, moss and lichen began to grow on it. In the autumn dry leaves and +dry grass blew down over it; and in the spring it was piled up with +falling stones and gravel. And as all these things were left there to +mould, they finally gathered so much soil on the steps that not only +herbs and grass, but even bushes and trees could take root there. + +"But, at the same time, a great disparity has arisen between the three +steps. The topmost step, which lies nearest Smaland, is mostly covered +with poor soil and small stones, and no trees except birches and +bird-cherry and spruce--which can stand the cold on the heights, and are +satisfied with little--can thrive up there. One understands best how +poor and dry it is there, when one sees how small the field-plots are, +that are ploughed up from the forest lands; and how many little cabins +the people build for themselves; and how far it is between the churches. +But on the middle step there is better soil, and it does not lie bound +down under such severe cold, either. This one can see at a glance, since +the trees are both higher and of finer quality. There you'll find maple +and oak and linden and weeping-birch and hazel trees growing, but no +cone-trees to speak of. And it is still more noticeable because of the +amount of cultivated land that you will find there; and also because the +people have built themselves great and beautiful houses. On the middle +step, there are many churches, with large towns around them; and in +every way it makes a better and finer appearance than the top step. + +"But the very lowest step is the best of all. It is covered with good +rich soil; and, where it lies and bathes in the sea, it hasn't the +slightest feeling of the Smaland chill. Beeches and chestnut +and walnut trees thrive down here; and they grow so big that they tower +above the church-roofs. Here lie also the largest grain-fields; but the +people have not only timber and farming to live upon, but they are also +occupied with fishing and trading and seafaring. For this reason you +will find the most costly residences and the prettiest churches here; +and the parishes have developed into villages and cities. + +"But this is not all that is said of the three steps. For one must +realise that when it rains on the roof of the big Smaland house, or when +the snow melts up there, the water has to go somewhere; and then, +naturally, a lot of it is spilled over the big stairway. In the +beginning it probably oozed over the whole stairway, big as it was; then +cracks appeared in it, and, gradually, the water has accustomed itself +to flow alongside of it, in well dug-out grooves. And water is water, +whatever one does with it. It never has any rest. In one place it cuts +and files away, and in another it adds to. Those grooves it has dug into +vales, and the walls of the vales it has decked with soil; and bushes +and trees and vines have clung to them ever since--so thick, and in such +profusion, that they almost hide the stream of water that winds its way +down there in the deep. But when the streams come to the landings between +the steps, they throw themselves headlong over them; this is why the +water comes with such a seething rush, that it gathers strength with +which to move mill-wheels and machinery--these, too, have sprung up by +every waterfall. + +"But this does not tell all that is said of the land with the three +steps. It must also be told that up in the big house in Smaland there +lived once upon a time a giant, who had grown very old. And it fatigued +him in his extreme age, to be forced to walk down that long stairway in +order to catch salmon from the sea. To him it seemed much more suitable +that the salmon should come up to him, where he lived. + +"Therefore, he went up on the roof of his great house; and there he +stood and threw stones down into the East sea. He threw them with such +force that they flew over the whole of Blekinge and dropped into the +sea. And when the stones came down, the salmon got so scared that they +came up from the sea and fled toward the Blekinge streams; ran through +the rapids; flung themselves with high leaps over the waterfalls, and +stopped. + +"How true this is, one can see by the number of islands and points that +lie along the coast of Blekinge, and which are nothing in the world but +the big stones that the giant threw. + +"One can also tell because the salmon always go up in the Blekinge +streams and work their way up through rapids and still water, all the +way to Smaland. + +"That giant is worthy of great thanks and much honour from the Blekinge +people; for salmon in the streams, and stone-cutting on the island--that +means work which gives food to many of them even to this day." + + +BY RONNEBY RIVER + + +_Friday, April first_. + +Neither the wild geese nor Smirre Fox had believed that they should ever +run across each other after they had left Skane. But now it turned out +so that the wild geese happened to take the route over Blekinge and +thither Smirre Fox had also gone. + +So far he had kept himself in the northern parts of the province; and +since he had not as yet seen any manor parks, or hunting grounds filled +with game and dainty young deer, he was more disgruntled than he could +say. + +One afternoon, when Smirre tramped around in the desolate forest +district of Mellanbygden, not far from Ronneby River, he saw a flock of +wild geese fly through the air. Instantly he observed that one of the +geese was white and then he knew, of course, with whom he had to deal. + +Smirre began immediately to hunt the geese--just as much for the +pleasure of getting a good square meal, as for the desire to be avenged +for all the humiliation that they had heaped upon him. He saw that they +flew eastward until they came to Ronneby River. Then they changed their +course, and followed the river toward the south. He understood that they +intended to seek a sleeping-place along the river-banks, and he thought +that he should be able to get hold of a pair of them without much +trouble. But when Smirre finally discovered the place where the wild +geese had taken refuge, he observed they had chosen such a +well-protected spot, that he couldn't get near. + +Ronneby River isn't any big or important body of water; nevertheless, it +is just as much talked of, for the sake of its pretty shores. At several +points it forces its way forward between steep mountain-walls that stand +upright out of the water, and are entirely overgrown with honeysuckle +and bird-cherry, mountain-ash and osier; and there isn't much that can +be more delightful than to row out on the little dark river on a +pleasant summer day, and look upward on all the soft green that fastens +itself to the rugged mountain-sides. + +But now, when the wild geese and Smirre came to the river, it was cold +and blustery spring-winter; all the trees were nude, and there was +probably no one who thought the least little bit about whether the shore +was ugly or pretty. The wild geese thanked their good fortune that they +had found a sand-strip large enough for them to stand upon, on a steep +mountain wall. In front of them rushed the river, which was strong and +violent in the snow-melting time; behind them they had an impassable +mountain rock wall, and overhanging branches screened them. They +couldn't have it better. + +The geese were asleep instantly; but the boy couldn't get a wink of +sleep. As soon as the sun had disappeared he was seized with a fear of +the darkness, and a wilderness-terror, and he longed for human beings. +Where he lay--tucked in under the goose-wing--he could see nothing, and +only hear a little; and he thought if any harm came to the +goosey-gander, he couldn't save him. + +Noises and rustlings were heard from all directions, and he grew so +uneasy that he had to creep from under the wing and seat himself on the +ground, beside the goose. + +Long-sighted Smirre stood on the mountain's summit and looked down upon +the wild geese. "You may as well give this pursuit up first as last," he +said to himself. "You can't climb such a steep mountain; you can't swim +in such a wild torrent; and there isn't the tiniest strip of land below +the mountain which leads to the sleeping-place. Those geese are too wise +for you. Don't ever bother yourself again to hunt them!" + +But Smirre, like all foxes, had found it hard to give up an undertaking +already begun, and so he lay down on the extremest point of the mountain +edge, and did not take his eyes off the wild geese. While he lay and +watched them, he thought of all the harm they had done him. Yes, it was +their fault that he had been driven from Skane, and had been obliged to +move to poverty-stricken Blekinge. He worked himself up to such a pitch, +as he lay there, that he wished the wild geese were dead, even if he, +himself, should not have the satisfaction of eating them. + +When Smirre's resentment had reached this height, he heard rasping in a +large pine that grew close to him, and saw a squirrel come down from the +tree, hotly pursued by a marten. Neither of them noticed Smirre; and he +sat quietly and watched the chase, which went from tree to tree. He +looked at the squirrel, who moved among the branches as lightly as +though he'd been able to fly. He looked at the marten, who was not as +skilled at climbing as the squirrel, but who still ran up and along the +branches just as securely as if they had been even paths in the forest. +"If I could only climb half as well as either of them," thought the fox, +"those things down there wouldn't sleep in peace very long!" + +As soon as the squirrel had been captured, and the chase was ended, +Smirre walked over to the marten, but stopped two steps away from him, +to signify that he did not wish to cheat him of his prey. He greeted the +marten in a very friendly manner, and wished him good luck with his +catch. Smirre chose his words well--as foxes always do. The marten, on +the contrary, who, with his long and slender body, his fine head, his +soft skin, and his light brown neck-piece, looked like a little marvel +of beauty--but in reality was nothing but a crude forest dweller--hardly +answered him. "It surprises me," said Smirre, "that such a fine hunter +as you are should be satisfied with chasing squirrels when there is much +better game within reach." Here he paused; but when the marten only +grinned impudently at him, he continued: "Can it be possible that you +haven't seen the wild geese that stand under the mountain wall? or are +you not a good enough climber to get down to them?" + +This time he had no need to wait for an answer. The marten rushed up to +him with back bent, and every separate hair on end. "Have you seen wild +geese?" he hissed. "Where are they? Tell me instantly, or I'll bite your +neck off!" "No! you must remember that I'm twice your size--so be a +little polite. I ask nothing better than to show you the wild geese." + +The next instant the marten was on his way down the steep; and while +Smirre sat and watched how he swung his snake-like body from branch to +branch, he thought: "That pretty tree-hunter has the wickedest heart in +all the forest. I believe that the wild geese will have me to thank for +a bloody awakening." + +But just as Smirre was waiting to hear the geese's death-rattle, he saw +the marten tumble from branch to branch--and plump into the river so the +water splashed high. Soon thereafter, wings beat loudly and strongly and +all the geese went up in a hurried flight. + +Smirre intended to hurry after the geese, but he was so curious to know +how they had been saved, that he sat there until the marten came +clambering up. That poor thing was soaked in mud, and stopped every now +and then to rub his head with his forepaws. "Now wasn't that just what I +thought--that you were a booby, and would go and tumble into the river?" +said Smirre, contemptuously. + +"I haven't acted boobyishly. You don't need to scold me," said the +marten. "I sat--all ready--on one of the lowest branches and thought how +I should manage to tear a whole lot of geese to pieces, when a little +creature, no bigger than a squirrel, jumped up and threw a stone at my +head with such force, that I fell into the water; and before I had time +to pick myself up--" + +The marten didn't have to say any more. He had no audience. Smirre was +already a long way off in pursuit of the wild geese. + +In the meantime Akka had flown southward in search of a new +sleeping-place. There was still a little daylight; and, beside, the +half-moon stood high in the heavens, so that she could see a little. +Luckily, she was well acquainted in these parts, because it had +happened more than once that she had been wind-driven to Blekinge when +she travelled over the East sea in the spring. + +She followed the river as long as she saw it winding through the +moon-lit landscape like a black, shining snake. In this way she came way +down to Djupafors--where the river first hides itself in an underground +channel--and then clear and transparent, as though it were made of +glass, rushes down in a narrow cleft, and breaks into bits against its +bottom in glittering drops and flying foam. Below the white falls lay a +few stones, between which the water rushed away in a wild torrent +cataract. Here mother Akka alighted. This was another good +sleeping-place--especially this late in the evening, when no human +beings moved about. At sunset the geese would hardly have been able to +camp there, for Djupafors does not lie in any wilderness. On one side of +the falls is a paper factory; on the other--which is steep, and +tree-grown--is Djupadal's park, where people are always strolling about +on the steep and slippery paths to enjoy the wild stream's rushing +movement down in the ravine. + +It was about the same here as at the former place; none of the +travellers thought the least little bit that they had come to a pretty +and well-known place. They thought rather that it was ghastly and +dangerous to stand and sleep on slippery, wet stones, in the middle of a +rumbling waterfall. But they had to be content, if only they were +protected from carnivorous animals. + +The geese fell asleep instantly, while the boy could find no rest in +sleep, but sat beside them that he might watch over the goosey-gander. + +After a while, Smirre came running along the river-shore. He spied the +geese immediately where they stood out in the foaming whirlpools, and +understood that he couldn't get at them here, either. Still he couldn't +make up his mind to abandon them, but seated himself on the shore and +looked at them. He felt very much humbled, and thought that his entire +reputation as a hunter was at stake. + +All of a sudden, he saw an otter come creeping up from the falls with a +fish in his mouth. Smirre approached him but stopped within two steps of +him, to show him that he didn't wish to take his game from him. + +"You're a remarkable one, who can content yourself with catching a fish, +while the stones are covered with geese!" said Smirre. He was so eager, +that he hadn't taken the time to arrange his words as carefully as he +was wont to do. The otter didn't turn his head once in the direction of +the river. He was a vagabond--like all otters--and had fished many times +by Vomb Lake, and probably knew Smirre Fox. "I know very well how you +act when you want to coax away a salmon-trout, Smirre," said he. + +"Oh! is it you, Gripe?" said Smirre, and was delighted; for he knew that +this particular otter was a quick and accomplished swimmer. "I don't +wonder that you do not care to look at the wild geese, since you can't +manage to get out to them." But the otter, who had swimming-webs between +his toes, and a stiff tail--which was as good as an oar--and a skin that +was water-proof, didn't wish to have it said of him that there was a +waterfall that he wasn't able to manage. He turned toward the stream; +and as soon as he caught sight of the wild geese, he threw the fish +away, and rushed down the steep shore and into the river. + +If it had been a little later in the spring, so that the nightingales in +Djupafors had been at home, they would have sung for many a day of +Gripe's struggle with the rapid. For the otter was thrust back by the +waves many times, and carried down river; but he fought his way steadily +up again. He swam forward in still water; he crawled over stones, and +gradually came nearer the wild geese. It was a perilous trip, which +might well have earned the right to be sung by the nightingales. + +Smirre followed the otter's course with his eyes as well as he could. At +last he saw that the otter was in the act of climbing up to the wild +geese. But just then it shrieked shrill and wild. The otter tumbled +backward into the water, and dashed away as if he had been a blind +kitten. An instant later, there was a great crackling of geese's wings. +They raised themselves and flew away to find another sleeping-place. + +The otter soon came on land. He said nothing, but commenced to lick one +of his forepaws. When Smirre sneered at him because he hadn't succeeded, +he broke out: "It was not the fault of my swimming-art, Smirre. I had +raced all the way over to the geese, and was about to climb up to them, +when a tiny creature came running, and jabbed me in the foot with some +sharp iron. It hurt so, I lost my footing, and then the current took +me." + +He didn't have to say any more. Smirre was already far away on his way +to the wild geese. + +Once again Akka and her flock had to take a night fly. Fortunately, the +moon had not gone down; and with the aid of its light, she succeeded in +finding another of those sleeping-places which she knew in that +neighbourhood. Again she followed the shining river toward the south. +Over Djupadal's manor, and over Ronneby's dark roofs and white +waterfalls she swayed forward without alighting. But a little south of +the city and not far from the sea, lies Ronneby health-spring, with its +bath house and spring house; with its big hotel and summer cottages for +the spring's guests. All these stand empty and desolate in winter--which +the birds know perfectly well; and many are the bird-companies who seek +shelter on the deserted buildings' balustrades and balconies during hard +storm-times. + +Here the wild geese lit on a balcony, and, as usual, they fell asleep at +once. The boy, on the contrary, could not sleep because he hadn't cared +to creep in under the goosey-gander's wing. + +The balcony faced south, so the boy had an outlook over the sea. And +since he could not sleep, he sat there and saw how pretty it looked when +sea and land meet, here in Blekinge. + +You see that sea and land can meet in many different ways. In many +places the land comes down toward the sea with flat, tufted meadows, and +the sea meets the land with flying sand, which piles up in mounds and +drifts. It appears as though they both disliked each other so much that +they only wished to show the poorest they possessed. But it can also +happen that, when the land comes toward the sea, it raises a wall of +hills in front of it--as though the sea were something dangerous. When +the land does this, the sea comes up to it with fiery wrath, and beats +and roars and lashes against the rocks, and looks as if it would tear +the land-hill to pieces. + +But in Blekinge it is altogether different when sea and land meet. There +the land breaks itself up into points and islands and islets; and the +sea divides itself into fiords and bays and sounds; and it is, perhaps, +this which makes it look as if they must meet in happiness and harmony. + +Think now first and foremost of the sea! Far out it lies desolate and +empty and big, and has nothing else to do but to roll its gray billows. +When it comes toward the land, it happens across the first obstacle. +This it immediately overpowers; tears away everything green, and makes +it as gray as itself. Then it meets still another obstacle. With this it +does the same thing. And still another. Yes, the same thing happens to +this also. It is stripped and plundered, as if it had fallen into +robbers' hands. Then the obstacles come nearer and nearer together, and +then the sea must understand that the land sends toward it her littlest +children, in order to move it to pity. It also becomes more friendly the +farther in it comes; rolls its waves less high; moderates its storms; +lets the green things stay in cracks and crevices; separates itself into +small sounds and inlets, and becomes at last so harmless in the land, +that little boats dare venture out on it. It certainly cannot recognise +itself--so mild and friendly has it grown. + +And then think of the hillside! It lies uniform, and looks the same +almost everywhere. It consists of flat grain-fields, with one and +another birch-grove between them; or else of long stretches of forest +ranges. It appears as if it had thought about nothing but grain and +turnips and potatoes and spruce and pine. Then comes a sea-fiord that +cuts far into it. It doesn't mind that, but borders it with birch and +alder, just as if it was an ordinary fresh-water lake. Then still +another wave comes driving in. Nor does the hillside bother itself about +cringing to this, but it, too, gets the same covering as the first one. +Then the fiords begin to broaden and separate, they break up fields and +woods and then the hillside cannot help but notice them. "I believe it +is the sea itself that is coming," says the hillside, and then it begins +to adorn itself. It wreathes itself with blossoms, travels up and down +in hills and throws islands into the sea. It no longer cares about pines +and spruces, but casts them off like old every day clothes, and parades +later with big oaks and lindens and chestnuts, and with blossoming leafy +bowers, and becomes as gorgeous as a manor-park. And when it meets the +sea, it is so changed that it doesn't know itself. All this one cannot +see very well until summertime; but, at any rate, the boy observed how +mild and friendly nature was; and he began to feel calmer than he had +been before, that night. Then, suddenly, he heard a sharp and ugly yowl +from the bath-house park; and when he stood up he saw, in the white +moonlight, a fox standing on the pavement under the balcony. For Smirre +had followed the wild geese once more. But when he had found the place +where they were quartered, he had understood that it was impossible to +get at them in any way; then he had not been able to keep from yowling +with chagrin. + +When the fox yowled in this manner, old Akka, the leader-goose, was +awakened. Although she could see nothing, she thought she recognised the +voice. "Is it you who are out to-night, Smirre?" said she. "Yes," said +Smirre, "it is I; and I want to ask what you geese think of the night +that I have given you?" + +"Do you mean to say that it is you who have sent the marten and otter +against us?" asked Akka. "A good turn shouldn't be denied," said Smirre. +"You once played the goose-game with me, now I have begun to play the +fox-game with you; and I'm not inclined to let up on it so long as a +single one of you still lives even if I have to follow you the world +over!" + +"You, Smirre, ought at least to think whether it is right for you, who +are weaponed with both teeth and claws, to hound us in this way; we, who +are without defence," said Akka. + +Smirre thought that Akka sounded scared, and he said quickly: "If you, +Akka, will take that Thumbietot--who has so often opposed me--and throw +him down to me, I'll promise to make peace with you. Then I'll never +more pursue you or any of yours." "I'm not going to give you +Thumbietot," said Akka. "From the youngest of us to the oldest, we would +willingly give our lives for his sake!" "Since you're so fond of him," +said Smirre, "I'll promise you that he shall be the first among you that +I will wreak vengeance upon." + +Akka said no more, and after Smirre had sent up a few more yowls, all +was still. The boy lay all the while awake. Now it was Akka's words to +the fox that prevented him from sleeping. Never had he dreamed that he +should hear anything so great as that anyone was willing to risk life +for his sake. From that moment, it could no longer be said of Nils +Holgersson that he did not care for anyone. + + +KARLSKRONA + + +_Saturday, April second_. + +It was a moonlight evening in Karlskrona--calm and beautiful. But +earlier in the day, there had been rain and wind; and the people must +have thought that the bad weather still continued, for hardly one of +them had ventured out on the streets. + +While the city lay there so desolate, Akka, the wild goose, and her +flock, came flying toward it over Vemmoen and Pantarholmen. They were out +in the late evening to seek a sleeping place on the islands. They +couldn't remain inland because they were disturbed by Smirre Fox +wherever they lighted. + +When the boy rode along high up in the air, and looked at the sea and +the islands which spread themselves before him, he thought that +everything appeared so strange and spook-like. The heavens were no +longer blue, but encased him like a globe of green glass. The sea was +milk-white, and as far as he could see rolled small white waves tipped +with silver ripples. In the midst of all this white lay numerous little +islets, absolutely coal black. Whether they were big or little, whether +they were as even as meadows, or full of cliffs, they looked just as +black. Even dwelling houses and churches and windmills, which at other +times are white or red, were outlined in black against the green sky. +The boy thought it was as if the earth had been transformed, and he was +come to another world. + +He thought that just for this one night he wanted to be brave, and not +afraid--when he saw something that really frightened him. It was a high +cliff island, which was covered with big, angular blocks; and between +the blocks shone specks of bright, shining gold. He couldn't keep from +thinking of Maglestone, by Trolle-Ljungby, which the trolls sometimes +raised upon high gold pillars; and he wondered if this was something +like that. + +But with the stones and the gold it might have gone fairly well, if such +a lot of horrid things had not been lying all around the island. It +looked like whales and sharks and other big sea-monsters. But the boy +understood that it was the sea-trolls, who had gathered around the +island and intended to crawl up on it, to fight with the land-trolls who +lived there. And those on the land were probably afraid, for he saw how +a big giant stood on the highest point of the island and raised his +arms--as if in despair over all the misfortune that should come to him +and his island. + +The boy was not a little terrified when he noticed that Akka began to +descend right over that particular island! "No, for pity's sake! We +must not light there," said he. + +But the geese continued to descend, and soon the boy was astonished that +he could have seen things so awry. In the first place, the big stone +blocks were nothing but houses. The whole island was a city; and the +shining gold specks were street lamps and lighted window-panes. The +giant, who stood highest up on the island, and raised his arms, was a +church with two cross-towers; all the sea-trolls and monsters, which he +thought he had seen, were boats and ships of every description, that lay +anchored all around the island. On the side which lay toward the land +were mostly row-boats and sailboats and small coast steamers; but on the +side that faced the sea lay armour-clad battleships; some were broad, +with very thick, slanting smokestacks; others were long and narrow, and +so constructed that they could glide through the water like fishes. + +Now what city might this be? That, the boy could figure out because he +saw all the battleships. All his life he had loved ships, although he +had had nothing to do with any, except the galleys which he had sailed +in the road ditches. He knew very well that this city--where so many +battleships lay--couldn't be any place but Karlskrona. + +The boy's grandfather had been an old marine; and as long as he had +lived, he had talked of Karlskrona every day; of the great warship dock, +and of all the other things to be seen in that city. The boy felt +perfectly at home, and he was glad that he should see all this of which +he had heard so much. + +But he only had a glimpse of the towers and fortifications which barred +the entrance to the harbour, and the many buildings, and the +shipyard--before Akka came down on one of the flat church-towers. + +This was a pretty safe place for those who wanted to get away from a +fox, and the boy began to wonder if he couldn't venture to crawl in +under the goosey-gander's wing for this one night. Yes, that he might +safely do. It would do him good to get a little sleep. He should try to +see a little more of the dock and the ships after it had grown light. + +The boy himself thought it was strange that he could keep still and wait +until the next morning to see the ships. He certainly had not slept five +minutes before he slipped out from under the wing and slid down the +lightning-rod and the waterspout all the way down to the ground. + +Soon he stood on a big square which spread itself in front of the +church. It was covered with round stones, and was just as difficult for +him to travel over, as it is for big people to walk on a tufted meadow. +Those who are accustomed to live in the open--or way out in the +country--always feel uneasy when they come into a city, where the houses +stand straight and forbidding, and the streets are open, so that +everyone can see who goes there. And it happened in the same way with +the boy. When he stood on the big Karlskrona square, and looked at the +German church, and town hall, and the cathedral from which he had just +descended, he couldn't do anything but wish that he was back on the +tower again with the geese. + +It was a lucky thing that the square was entirely deserted. There wasn't +a human being about--unless he counted a statue that stood on a high +pedestal. The boy gazed long at the statue, which represented a big, +brawny man in a three-cornered hat, long waistcoat, knee-breeches and +coarse shoes, and wondered what kind of a one he was. He held a long +stick in his hand, and he looked as if he would know how to make use of +it, too--for he had an awfully severe countenance, with a big, hooked +nose and an ugly mouth. + +"What is that long-lipped thing doing here?" said the boy at last. He +had never felt so small and insignificant as he did that night. He tried +to jolly himself up a bit by saying something audacious. Then he thought +no more about the statue, but betook himself to a wide street which led +down to the sea. + +But the boy hadn't gone far before he heard that someone was following +him. Someone was walking behind him, who stamped on the stone pavement +with heavy footsteps, and pounded on the ground with a hard stick. It +sounded as if the bronze man up in the square had gone out for a +promenade. + +The boy listened after the steps, while he ran down the street, and he +became more and more convinced that it was the bronze man. The ground +trembled, and the houses shook. It couldn't be anyone but he, who walked +so heavily, and the boy grew panic-stricken when he thought of what he +had just said to him. He did not dare to turn his head to find out if it +really was he. + +"Perhaps he is only out walking for recreation," thought the boy. +"Surely he can't be offended with me for the words I spoke. They were +not at all badly meant." + +Instead of going straight on, and trying to get down to the dock, the +boy turned into a side street which led east. First and foremost, he +wanted to get away from the one who tramped after him. + +But the next instant he heard that the bronze man had switched off to +the same street; and then the boy was so scared that he didn't know what +he would do with himself. And how hard it was to find any hiding places +in a city where all the gates were closed! Then he saw on his right an +old frame church, which lay a short distance away from the street in the +centre of a large grove. Not an instant did he pause to consider, but +rushed on toward the church. "If I can only get there, then I'll surely +be shielded from all harm," thought he. + +As he ran forward, he suddenly caught sight of a man who stood on a +gravel path and beckoned to him. "There is certainly someone who will +help me!" thought the boy; he became intensely happy, and hurried off in +that direction. He was actually so frightened that the heart of him +fairly thumped in his breast. + +But when he came up to the man who stood on the edge of the gravel path, +upon a low pedestal, he was absolutely thunderstruck. "Surely, it can't +have been that one who beckoned to me!" thought he; for he saw that the +entire man was made of wood. + +He stood there and stared at him. He was a thick-set man on short legs, +with a broad, ruddy countenance, shiny, black hair and full black beard. +On his head he wore a wooden hat; on his body, a brown wooden coat; +around his waist, a black wooden belt; on his legs he had wide wooden +knee-breeches and wooden stockings; and on his feet black wooden shoes. +He was newly painted and newly varnished, so that he glistened and shone +in the moonlight. This undoubtedly had a good deal to do with giving him +such a good-natured appearance, that the boy at once placed confidence +in him. + +In his left hand he held a wooden slate, and there the boy read: + +_Most humbly I beg you, + Though voice I may lack: +Come drop a penny, do; + But lift my hat!_ + +Oh ho! the man was only a poor-box. The boy felt that he had been done. +He had expected that this should be something really remarkable. And now +he remembered that grandpa had also spoken of the wooden man, and said +that all the children in Karlskrona were so fond of him. And that must +have been true, for he, too, found it hard to part with the wooden man. +He had something so old-timy about him, that one could well take him to +be many hundred years old; and at the same time, he looked so strong and +bold, and animated--just as one might imagine that folks looked in olden +times. + +The boy had so much fun looking at the wooden man, that he entirely +forgot the one from whom he was fleeing. But now he heard him. He turned +from the street and came into the churchyard. He followed him here too! +Where should the boy go? + +Just then he saw the wooden man bend down to him and stretch forth his +big, broad hand. It was impossible to believe anything but good of him; +and with one jump, the boy stood in his hand. The wooden man lifted him +to his hat--and stuck him under it. + +The boy was just hidden, and the wooden man had just gotten his arm in +its right place again, when the bronze man stopped in front of him and +banged the stick on the ground, so that the wooden man shook on his +pedestal. Thereupon the bronze man said in a strong and resonant voice: +"Who might this one be?" + +The wooden man's arm went up, so that it creaked in the old woodwork, +and he touched his hat brim as he replied: "Rosenbom, by Your Majesty's +leave. Once upon a time boatswain on the man-of-war, _Dristigheten_; +after completed service, sexton at the Admiral's church--and, lately, +carved in wood and exhibited in the churchyard as a poor-box." + +The boy gave a start when he heard that the wooden man said "Your +Majesty." For now, when he thought about it, he knew that the statue on +the square represented the one who had founded the city. It was probably +no less an one than Charles the Eleventh himself, whom he had +encountered. + +"He gives a good account of himself," said the bronze man. "Can he also +tell me if he has seen a little brat who runs around in the city +to-night? He's an impudent rascal, if I get hold of him, I'll teach him +manners!" With that, he again pounded on the ground with his stick, and +looked fearfully angry. + +"By Your Majesty's leave, I have seen him," said the wooden man; and the +boy was so scared that he commenced to shake where he sat under the hat +and looked at the bronze man through a crack in the wood. But he calmed +down when the wooden man continued: "Your Majesty is on the wrong track. +That youngster certainly intended to run into the shipyard, and conceal +himself there." + +"Does he say so, Rosenbom? Well then, don't stand still on the pedestal +any longer but come with me and help me find him. Four eyes are better +than two, Rosenbom." + +But the wooden man answered in a doleful voice: "I would most humbly beg +to be permitted to stay where I am. I look well and sleek because of the +paint, but I'm old and mouldy, and cannot stand moving about." + +The bronze man was not one of those who liked to be contradicted. "What +sort of notions are these? Come along, Rosenbom!" Then he raised his +stick and gave the other one a resounding whack on the shoulder. "Does +Rosenbom not see that he holds together?" + +With that they broke off and walked forward on the streets of +Karlskrona--large and mighty--until they came to a high gate, which led +to the shipyard. Just outside and on guard walked one of the navy's +jack-tars, but the bronze man strutted past him and kicked the gate open +without the jack-tar's pretending to notice it. + +As soon as they had gotten into the shipyard, they saw before them a +wide, expansive harbor separated by pile-bridges. In the different +harbour basins, lay the warships, which looked bigger, and more +awe-inspiring close to, like this, than lately, when the boy had seen +them from up above. "Then it wasn't so crazy after all, to imagine that +they were sea-trolls," thought he. + +"Where does Rosenbom think it most advisable for us to begin the +search?" said the bronze man. + +"Such an one as he could most easily conceal himself in the hall of +models," replied the wooden man. + +On a narrow land-strip which stretched to the right from the gate, all +along the harbour, lay ancient structures. The bronze man walked over to +a building with low walls, small windows, and a conspicuous roof. He +pounded on the door with his stick until it burst open; and tramped up a +pair of worn-out steps. Soon they came into a large hall, which was +filled with tackled and full-rigged little ships. The boy understood +without being told, that these were models for the ships which had been +built for the Swedish navy. + +There were ships of many different varieties. There were old men-of-war, +whose sides bristled with cannon, and which had high structures fore and +aft, and their masts weighed down with a network of sails and ropes. +There were small island-boats with rowing-benches along the sides; there +were undecked cannon sloops and richly gilded frigates, which were +models of the ones the kings had used on their travels. Finally, there +were also the heavy, broad armour-plated ships with towers and cannon +on deck--such as are in use nowadays; and narrow, shining torpedo boats +which resembled long, slender fishes. + +When the boy was carried around among all this, he was awed. "Fancy that +such big, splendid ships have been built here in Sweden!" he thought to +himself. + +He had plenty of time to see all that was to be seen in there; for when +the bronze man saw the models, he forgot everything else. He examined +them all, from the first to the last, and asked about them. And +Rosenbom, the boatswain on the _Dristigheten_, told as much as he knew +of the ships' builders, and of those who had manned them; and of the +fates they had met. He told them about Chapman and Puke and Trolle; of +Hoagland and Svensksund--all the way along until 1809--after that he had +not been there. + +Both he and the bronze man had the most to say about the fine old wooden +ships. The new battleships they didn't exactly appear to understand. + +"I can hear that Rosenbom doesn't know anything about these new-fangled +things," said the bronze man. "Therefore, let us go and look at +something else; for this amuses me, Rosenbom." + +By this time he had entirely given up his search for the boy, who felt +calm and secure where he sat in the wooden hat. + +Thereupon both men wandered through the big establishment: sail-making +shops, anchor smithy, machine and carpenter shops. They saw the mast +sheers and the docks; the large magazines, the arsenal, the rope-bridge +and the big discarded dock, which had been blasted in the rock. They +went out upon the pile-bridges, where the naval vessels lay moored, +stepped on board and examined them like two old sea-dogs; wondered; +disapproved; approved; and became indignant. + +The boy sat in safety under the wooden hat, and heard all about how they +had laboured and struggled in this place, to equip the navies which had +gone out from here. He heard how life and blood had been risked; how the +last penny had been sacrificed to build the warships; how skilled men +had strained all their powers, in order to perfect these ships which +had been their fatherland's safeguard. A couple of times the tears came +to the boy's eyes, as he heard all this. + +And the very last, they went into an open court, where the galley models +of old men-of-war were grouped; and a more remarkable sight the boy had +never beheld; for these models had inconceivably powerful and +terror-striking faces. They were big, fearless and savage: filled with +the same proud spirit that had fitted out the great ships. They were +from another time than his. He thought that he shrivelled up before +them. + +But when they came in here, the bronze man said to the wooden man: +"Take off thy hat, Rosenbom, for those that stand here! They have all +fought for the fatherland." + +And Rosenbom--like the bronze man--had forgotten why they had begun this +tramp. Without thinking, he lifted the wooden hat from his head and +shouted: + +"I take off my hat to the one who chose the harbour and founded the +shipyard and recreated the navy; to the monarch who has awakened all +this into life!" + +"Thanks, Rosenbom! That was well spoken. Rosenbom is a fine man. But +what is this, Rosenbom?" + +For there stood Nils Holgersson, right on the top of Rosenbom's bald +pate. He wasn't afraid any longer; but raised his white toboggan hood, +and shouted: "Hurrah for you, Longlip!" + +The bronze man struck the ground hard with his stick; but the boy never +learned what he had intended to do for now the sun ran up, and, at the +same time, both the bronze man and the wooden man vanished--as if they +had been made of mists. While he still stood and stared after them, the +wild geese flew up from the church tower, and swayed back and forth over +the city. Instantly they caught sight of Nils Holgersson; and then the +big white one darted down from the sky and fetched him. + + +THE TRIP TO OeLAND + + +_Sunday, April third_. + +The wild geese went out on a wooded island to feed. There they happened +to run across a few gray geese, who were surprised to see them--since +they knew very well that their kinsmen, the wild geese, usually travel +over the interior of the country. + +They were curious and inquisitive, and wouldn't be satisfied with less +than that the wild geese should tell them all about the persecution +which they had to endure from Smirre Fox. When they had finished, a +gray goose, who appeared to be as old and as wise as Akka herself, said: +"It was a great misfortune for you that Smirre Fox was declared an +outlaw in his own land. He'll be sure to keep his word, and follow you +all the way up to Lapland. If I were in your place, I shouldn't travel +north over Smaland, but would take the outside route over Oeland instead, +so that he'll be thrown off the track entirely. To really mislead him, +you must remain for a couple of days on Oeland's southern point. There +you'll find lots of food and lots of company. I don't believe you'll +regret it, if you go over there." + +It was certainly very sensible advice, and the wild geese concluded to +follow it. As soon as they had eaten all they could hold, they started +on the trip to Oeland. None of them had ever been there before, but the +gray goose had given them excellent directions. They only had to travel +direct south until they came to a large bird-track, which extended all +along the Blekinge coast. All the birds who had winter residences by the +West sea, and who now intended to travel to Finland and Russia, flew +forward there--and, in passing, they were always in the habit of +stopping at Oeland to rest. The wild geese would have no trouble in +finding guides. + +That day it was perfectly still and warm--like a summer's day--the best +weather in the world for a sea trip. The only grave thing about it was +that it was not quite clear, for the sky was gray and veiled. Here and +there were enormous mist-clouds which hung way down to the sea's outer +edge, and obstructed the view. + +When the travellers had gotten away from the wooded island, the sea +spread itself so smooth and mirror-like, that the boy as he looked down +thought the water had disappeared. There was no longer any earth under +him. He had nothing but mist and sky around him. He grew very dizzy, and +held himself tight on the goose-back, more frightened than when he sat +there for the first time. It seemed as though he couldn't possibly hold +on; he must fall in some direction. + +It was even worse when they reached the big bird-track, of which the +gray goose had spoken. Actually, there came flock after flock flying in +exactly the same direction. They seemed to follow a fixed route. There +were ducks and gray geese, surf-scoters and guillemots, loons and +pin-tail ducks and mergansers and grebes and oyster-catchers and +sea-grouse. But now, when the boy leaned forward, and looked in the +direction where the sea ought to lie, he saw the whole bird procession +reflected in the water. But he was so dizzy that he didn't understand +how this had come about: he thought that the whole bird procession flew +with their bellies upside down. Still he didn't wonder at this so much, +for he did not himself know which was up, and which was down. + +The birds were tired out and impatient to get on. None of them shrieked +or said a funny thing, and this made everything seem peculiarly unreal. + +"Think, if we have travelled away from the earth!" he said to himself. +"Think, if we are on our way up to heaven!" + +He saw nothing but mists and birds around him, and began to look upon it +as reasonable that they were travelling heaven-ward. He was glad, and +wondered what he should see up there. The dizziness passed all at once. +He was so exceedingly happy at the thought that he was on his way to +heaven and was leaving this earth. + +Just about then he heard a couple of loud shots, and saw two white +smoke-columns ascend. + +There was a sudden awakening, and an unrest among the birds. "Hunters! +Hunters!" they cried. "Fly high! Fly away!" + +Then the boy saw, finally, that they were travelling all the while over +the sea-coast, and that they certainly were not in heaven. In a long row +lay small boats filled with hunters, who fired shot upon shot. The +nearest bird-flocks hadn't noticed them in time. They had flown too low. +Several dark bodies sank down toward the sea; and for every one that +fell, there arose cries of anguish from the living. + +It was strange for one who had but lately believed himself in heaven, to +wake up suddenly to such fear and lamentation. Akka shot toward the +heights as fast as she could, and the flock followed with the greatest +possible speed. The wild geese got safely out of the way, but the boy +couldn't get over his amazement. "To think that anyone could wish to +shoot upon such as Akka and Yksi and Kaksi and the goosey-gander and the +others! Human beings had no conception of what they did." + +So it bore on again, in the still air, and everything was as quiet as +heretofore--with the exception that some of the tired birds called out +every now and then: "Are we not there soon? Are you sure we're on the +right track?" Hereupon, those who flew in the centre answered: "We are +flying straight to Oeland; straight to Oeland." + +The gray geese were tired out, and the loons flew around them. "Don't be +in such a rush!" cried the ducks. "You'll eat up all the food before we +get there." "Oh! there'll be enough for both you and us," answered the +loons. + +Before they had gotten so far that they saw Oeland, there came a light +wind against them. It brought with it something that resembled immense +clouds of white smoke--just as if there was a big fire somewhere. + +When the birds saw the first white spiral haze, they became uneasy and +increased their speed. But that which resembled smoke blew thicker and +thicker, and at last it enveloped them altogether. They smelled no +smoke; and the smoke was not dark and dry, but white and damp. Suddenly +the boy understood that it was nothing but a mist. + +When the mist became so thick that one couldn't see a goose-length +ahead, the birds began to carry on like real lunatics. All these, who +before had travelled forward in such perfect order, began to play in the +mist. They flew hither and thither, to entice one another astray. "Be +careful!" they cried. "You're only travelling round and round. Turn +back, for pity's sake! You'll never get to Oeland in this way." + +They all knew perfectly well where the island was, but they did their +best to lead each other astray. "Look at those wagtails!" rang out in +the mist. "They are going back toward the North Sea!" "Have a care, wild +geese!" shrieked someone from another direction. "If you continue like +this, you'll get clear up to Ruegen." + +There was, of course, no danger that the birds who were accustomed to +travel here would permit themselves to be lured in a wrong direction. +But the ones who had a hard time of it were the wild geese. The jesters +observed that they were uncertain as to the way, and did all they could +to confuse them. + +"Where do you intend to go, good people?" called a swan. He came right +up to Akka, and looked sympathetic and serious. + +"We shall travel to Oeland; but we have never been there before," said +Akka. She thought that this was a bird to be trusted. + +"It's too bad," said the swan. "They have lured you in the wrong +direction. You're on the road to Blekinge. Now come with me, and I'll +put you right!" + +And so he flew off with them; and when he had taken them so far away +from the track that they heard no calls, he disappeared in the mist. + +They flew around for a while at random. They had barely succeeded in +finding the birds again, when a duck approached them. "It's best that +you lie down on the water until the mist clears," said the duck. "It is +evident that you are not accustomed to look out for yourselves on +journeys." + +Those rogues succeeded in making Akka's head swim. As near as the boy +could make out, the wild geese flew round and round for a long time. + +"Be careful! Can't you see that you are flying up and down?" shouted a +loon as he rushed by. The boy positively clutched the goosey-gander +around the neck. This was something which he had feared for a long time. + +No one can tell when they would have arrived, if they hadn't heard a +rolling and muffled sound in the distance. + +Then Akka craned her neck, snapped hard with her wings, and rushed on at +full speed. Now she had something to go by. The gray goose had told her +not to light on Oeland's southern point, because there was a cannon +there, which the people used to shoot the mist with. Now she knew the +way, and now no one in the world should lead her astray again. + + +OeLAND'S SOUTHERN POINT + + +_April third to sixth_. + +On the most southerly part of Oeland lies a royal demesne, which is +called Ottenby. It is a rather large estate which extends from shore to +shore, straight across the island; and it is remarkable because it has +always been a haunt for large bird-companies. In the seventeenth +century, when the kings used to go over to Oeland to hunt, the entire +estate was nothing but a deer park. In the eighteenth century there was +a stud there, where blooded race-horses were bred; and a sheep farm, +where several hundred sheep were maintained. In our days you'll find +neither blooded horses nor sheep at Ottenby. In place of them live +great herds of young horses, which are to be used by the cavalry. + +In all the land there is certainly no place that could be a better abode +for animals. Along the extreme eastern shore lies the old sheep meadow, +which is a mile and a half long, and the largest meadow in all Oeland, +where animals can graze and play and run about, as free as if they were +in a wilderness. And there you will find the celebrated Ottenby grove +with the hundred-year-old oaks, which give shade from the sun, and +shelter from the severe Oeland winds. And we must not forget the long +Ottenby wall, which stretches from shore to shore, and separates Ottenby +from the rest of the island, so that the animals may know how far the +old royal demesne extends, and be careful about getting in on other +ground, where they are not so well protected. + +You'll find plenty of tame animals at Ottenby, but that isn't all. One +could almost believe that the wild ones also felt that on an old crown +property both the wild and the tame ones can count upon shelter and +protection--since they venture there in such great numbers. + +Besides, there are still a few stags of the old descent left; and +burrow-ducks and partridges love to live there, and it offers a resting +place, in the spring and late summer, for thousands of migratory birds. +Above all, it is the swampy eastern shore below the sheep meadow, where +the migratory birds alight, to rest and feed. + +When the wild geese and Nils Holgersson had finally found their way to +Oeland, they came down, like all the rest, on the shore near the sheep +meadow. The mist lay thick over the island, just as it had over the sea. +But still the boy was amazed at all the birds which he discerned, only +on the little narrow stretch of shore which he could see. + +It was a low sand-shore with stones and pools, and a lot of cast-up +sea-weed. If the boy had been permitted to choose, it isn't likely that +he would have thought of alighting there; but the birds probably looked +upon this as a veritable paradise. Ducks and geese walked about and fed +on the meadow; nearer the water, ran snipe, and other coast-birds. The +loons lay in the sea and fished, but the life and movement was upon the +long sea-weed banks along the coast. There the birds stood side by side +close together and picked grub-worms--which must have been found there +in limitless quantities for it was very evident that there was never any +complaint over a lack of food. + +The great majority were going to travel farther, and had only alighted +to take a short rest; and as soon as the leader of a flock thought that +his comrades had recovered themselves sufficiently he said, "If you are +ready now, we may as well move on." + +"No, wait, wait! We haven't had anything like enough," said the +followers. + +"You surely don't believe that I intend to let you eat so much that you +will not be able to move?" said the leader, and flapped his wings and +started off. Along the outermost sea-weed banks lay a flock of swans. +They didn't bother about going on land, but rested themselves by lying +and rocking on the water. Now and then they dived down with their necks +and brought up food from the sea-bottom. When they had gotten hold of +anything very good, they indulged in loud shouts that sounded like +trumpet calls. + +When the boy heard that there were swans on the shoals, he hurried out +to the sea-weed banks. He had never before seen wild swans at close +range. He had luck on his side, so that he got close up to them. + +The boy was not the only one who had heard the swans. Both the wild +geese and the gray geese and the loons swam out between the banks, laid +themselves in a ring around the swans and stared at them. The swans +ruffled their feathers, raised their wings like sails, and lifted their +necks high in the air. Occasionally one and another of them swam up to a +goose, or a great loon, or a diving-duck, and said a few words. And then +it appeared as though the one addressed hardly dared raise his bill to +reply. + +But then there was a little loon--a tiny mischievous baggage--who +couldn't stand all this ceremony. He dived suddenly, and disappeared +under the water's edge. Soon after that, one of the swans let out a +scream, and swam off so quickly that the water foamed. Then he stopped +and began to look majestic once more. But soon, another one shrieked in +the same way as the first one, and then a third. + +The little loon wasn't able to stay under water any longer, but appeared +on the water's edge, little and black and venomous. The swans rushed +toward him; but when they saw what a poor little thing it was, they +turned abruptly--as if they considered themselves too good to quarrel +with him. Then the little loon dived again, and pinched their feet. It +certainly must have hurt; and the worst of it was, that they could not +maintain their dignity. At once they took a decided stand. They began to +beat the air with their wings so that it thundered; came forward a +bit--as though they were running on the water--got wind under their +wings, and raised themselves. + +When the swans were gone they were greatly missed; and those who had +lately been amused by the little loon's antics scolded him for his +thoughtlessness. + +The boy walked toward land again. There he stationed himself to see how +the pool-snipe played. They resembled small storks; like these, they had +little bodies, long legs and necks, and light, swaying movements; only +they were not gray, but brown. They stood in a long row on the shore +where it was washed by waves. As soon as a wave rolled in, the whole row +ran backward; as soon as it receded, they followed it. And they kept +this up for hours. + +The showiest of all the birds were the burrow-ducks. They were +undoubtedly related to the ordinary ducks; for, like these, they too had +a thick-set body, broad bill, and webbed feet; but they were much more +elaborately gotten up. The feather dress, itself, was white; around +their necks they wore a broad gold band; the wing-mirror shone in green, +red, and black; and the wing-edges were black, and the head was dark +green and shimmered like satin. + +As soon as any of these appeared on the shore, the others said: "Now, +just look at those things! They know how to tog themselves out." "If +they were not so conspicuous, they wouldn't have to dig their nests in +the earth, but could lay above ground, like anyone else," said a brown +mallard-duck. "They may try as much as they please, still they'll never +get anywhere with such noses," said a gray goose. And this was actually +true. The burrow-ducks had a big knob on the base of the bill, which +spoiled their appearance. + +Close to the shore, sea-gulls and sea-swallows moved forward on the +water and fished. "What kind of fish are you catching?" asked a wild +goose. "It's a stickleback. It's Oeland stickleback. It's the best +stickleback in the world," said a gull. "Won't you taste of it?" And he +flew up to the goose, with his mouth full of the little fishes, and +wanted to give her some. "Ugh! Do you think that I eat such filth?" said +the wild goose. + +The next morning it was just as cloudy. The wild geese walked about on +the meadow and fed; but the boy had gone to the seashore to gather +mussels. There were plenty of them; and when he thought that the next +day, perhaps, they would be in some place where they couldn't get any +food at all, he concluded that he would try to make himself a little +bag, which he could fill with mussels. He found an old sedge on the +meadow, which was strong and tough; and out of this he began to braid a +knapsack. He worked at this for several hours, but he was well satisfied +with it when it was finished. + +At dinner time all the wild geese came running and asked him if he had +seen anything of the white goosey-gander. "No, he has not been with me," +said the boy. "We had him with us all along until just lately," said +Akka, "but now we no longer know where he's to be found." + +The boy jumped up, and was terribly frightened. He asked if any fox or +eagle had put in an appearance, or if any human being had been seen in +the neighbourhood. But no one had noticed anything dangerous. The +goosey-gander had probably lost his way in the mist. + +But it was just as great a misfortune for the boy, in whatever way the +white one had been lost, and he started off immediately to hunt for him. +The mist shielded him, so that he could run wherever he wished without +being seen, but it also prevented him from seeing. He ran southward +along the shore--all the way down to the lighthouse and the mist cannon +on the island's extreme point. It was the same bird confusion +everywhere, but no goosey-gander. He ventured over to Ottenby estate, +and he searched every one of the old, hollow oaks in Ottenby grove, but +he saw no trace of the goosey-gander. + +He searched until it began to grow dark. Then he had to turn back again +to the eastern shore. He walked with heavy steps, and was fearfully +blue. He didn't know what would become of him if he couldn't find the +goosey-gander. There was no one whom he could spare less. + +But when he wandered over the sheep meadow, what was that big, white +thing that came toward him in the mist if it wasn't the goosey-gander? +He was all right, and very glad that, at last, he had been able to find +his way back to the others. The mist had made him so dizzy, he said, +that he had wandered around on the big meadow all day long. The boy +threw his arms around his neck, for very joy, and begged him to take +care of himself, and not wander away from the others. And he promised, +positively, that he never would do this again. No, never again. + +But the next morning, when the boy went down to the beach and hunted for +mussels, the geese came running and asked if he had seen the +goosey-gander. No, of course he hadn't. "Well, then the goosey-gander +was lost again. He had gone astray in the mist, just as he had done the +day before." + +The boy ran off in great terror and began to search. He found one place +where the Ottenby wall was so tumble-down that he could climb over it. +Later, he went about, first on the shore which gradually widened and +became so large that there was room for fields and meadows and +farms--then up on the flat highland, which lay in the middle of the +island, and where there were no buildings except windmills, and where +the turf was so thin that the white cement shone under it. + +Meanwhile, he could not find the goosey-gander; and as it drew on toward +evening, and the boy must return to the beach, he couldn't believe +anything but that his travelling companion was lost. He was so +depressed, he did not know what to do with himself. + +He had just climbed over the wall again when he heard a stone crash down +close beside him. As he turned to see what it was, he thought that he +could distinguish something that moved on a stone pile which lay close +to the wall. He stole nearer, and saw the goosey-gander come trudging +wearily over the stone pile, with several long fibres in his mouth. The +goosey-gander didn't see the boy, and the boy did not call to him, but +thought it advisable to find out first why the goosey-gander time and +again disappeared in this manner. + +And he soon learned the reason for it. Up in the stone pile lay a young +gray goose, who cried with joy when the goosey-gander came. The boy +crept near, so that he heard what they said; then he found out that the +gray goose had been wounded in one wing, so that she could not fly, and +that her flock had travelled away from her, and left her alone. She had +been near death's door with hunger, when the white goosey-gander had +heard her call, the other day, and had sought her out. Ever since, he +had been carrying food to her. They had both hoped that she would be +well before they left the island, but, as yet, she could neither fly nor +walk. She was very much worried over this, but he comforted her with the +thought that he shouldn't travel for a long time. At last he bade her +good-night, and promised to come the next day. + +The boy let the goosey-gander go; and as soon as he was gone, he stole, +in turn, up to the stone heap. He was angry because he had been +deceived, and now he wanted to say to that gray goose that the +goosey-gander was his property. He was going to take the boy up to +Lapland, and there would be no talk of his staying here on her account. +But now, when he saw the young gray goose close to, he understood, not +only why the goosey-gander had gone and carried food to her for two +days, but also why he had not wished to mention that he had helped her. +She had the prettiest little head; her feather-dress was like soft +satin, and the eyes were mild and pleading. + +When she saw the boy, she wanted to run away; but the left wing was out +of joint and dragged on the ground, so that it interfered with her +movements. + +"You mustn't be afraid of me," said the boy, and didn't look nearly so +angry as he had intended to appear. "I'm Thumbietot, Morten +Goosey-gander's comrade," he continued. Then he stood there, and didn't +know what he wanted to say. + +Occasionally one finds something among animals which makes one wonder +what sort of creatures they really are. One is almost afraid that they +may be transformed human beings. It was something like this with the +gray goose. As soon as Thumbietot said who he was, she lowered her neck +and head very charmingly before him, and said in a voice that was so +pretty that he couldn't believe it was a goose who spoke: "I am very +glad that you have come here to help me. The white goosey-gander has +told me that no one is as wise and as good as you." + +She said this with such dignity, that the boy grew really embarrassed. +"This surely can't be any bird," thought he. "It is certainly some +bewitched princess." + +He was filled with a desire to help her, and ran his hand under the +feathers, and felt along the wing-bone. The bone was not broken, but +there was something wrong with the joint. He got his finger down into +the empty cavity. "Be careful, now!" he said; and got a firm grip on the +bone-pipe and fitted it into the place where it ought to be. He did it +very quickly and well, considering it was the first time that he had +attempted anything of the sort. But it must have hurt very much, for the +poor young goose uttered a single shrill cry, and then sank down among +the stones without showing a sign of life. + +The boy was terribly frightened. He had only wished to help her, and now +she was dead. He made a big jump from the stone pile, and ran away. He +thought it was as though he had murdered a human being. + +The next morning it was clear and free from mist, and Akka said that now +they should continue their travels. All the others were willing to go, +but the white goosey-gander made excuses. The boy understood well enough +that he didn't care to leave the gray goose. Akka did not listen to him, +but started off. + +The boy jumped up on the goosey-gander's back, and the white one +followed the flock--albeit slowly and unwillingly. The boy was mighty +glad that they could fly away from the island. He was conscience-stricken +on account of the gray goose, and had not cared to tell the goosey-gander +how it had turned out when he had tried to cure her. It would probably be +best if Morten goosey-gander never found out about this, he thought, +though he wondered, at the same time, how the white one had the heart to +leave the gray goose. + +But suddenly the goosey-gander turned. The thought of the young gray +goose had overpowered him. It could go as it would with the Lapland +trip: he couldn't go with the others when he knew that she lay alone and +ill, and would starve to death. + +With a few wing-strokes he was over the stone pile; but then, there lay +no young gray goose between the stones. "Dunfin! Dunfin! Where art +thou?" called the goosey-gander. + +"The fox has probably been here and taken her," thought the boy. But at +that moment he heard a pretty voice answer the goosey-gander. "Here am +I, goosey-gander; here am I! I have only been taking a morning bath." +And up from the water came the little gray goose--fresh and in good +trim--and told how Thumbietot had pulled her wing into place, and that +she was entirely well, and ready to follow them on the journey. + +The drops of water lay like pearl-dew on her shimmery satin-like +feathers, and Thumbietot thought once again that she was a real little +princess. + + +THE BIG BUTTERFLY + + +_Wednesday, April sixth_. + +The geese travelled alongside the coast of the long island, which lay +distinctly visible under them. The boy felt happy and light of heart +during the trip. He was just as pleased and well satisfied as he had +been glum and depressed the day before, when he roamed around down on +the island, and hunted for the goosey-gander. + +He saw now that the interior of the island consisted of a barren high +plain, with a wreath of fertile land along the coast; and he began to +comprehend the meaning of something which he had heard the other +evening. + +He had just seated himself to rest a bit by one of the many windmills on +the highland, when a couple of shepherds came along with the dogs beside +them, and a large herd of sheep in their train. The boy had not been +afraid because he was well concealed under the windmill stairs. But as +it turned out, the shepherds came and seated themselves on the same +stairway, and then there was nothing for him to do but to keep perfectly +still. + +One of the shepherds was young, and looked about as folks do mostly; the +other was an old queer one. His body was large and knotty, but the head +was small, and the face had sensitive and delicate features. It appeared +as though the body and head didn't want to fit together at all. + +One moment he sat silent and gazed into the mist, with an unutterably +weary expression. Then he began to talk to his companion. Then the other +one took out some bread and cheese from his knapsack, to eat his evening +meal. He answered scarcely anything, but listened very patiently, just +as if he were thinking: "I might as well give you the pleasure of +letting you chatter a while." + +"Now I shall tell you something, Eric," said the old shepherd. "I have +figured out that in former days, when both human beings and animals were +much larger than they are now, that the butterflies, too, must have been +uncommonly large. And once there was a butterfly that was many miles +long, and had wings as wide as seas. Those wings were blue, and shone +like silver, and so gorgeous that, when the butterfly was out flying, +all the other animals stood still and stared at it. It had this +drawback, however, that it was too large. The wings had hard work to +carry it. But probably all would have gone very well, if the butterfly +had been wise enough to remain on the hillside. But it wasn't; it +ventured out over the East sea. And it hadn't gotten very far before the +storm came along and began to tear at its wings. Well, it's easy to +understand, Eric, how things would go when the East sea storm commenced +to wrestle with frail butterfly-wings. It wasn't long before they were +torn away and scattered; and then, of course, the poor butterfly fell +into the sea. At first it was tossed backward and forward on the +billows, and then it was stranded upon a few cliff-foundations outside +of Smaland. And there it lay--as large and long as it was. + +"Now I think, Eric, that if the butterfly had dropped on land, it would +soon have rotted and fallen apart. But since it fell into the sea, it +was soaked through and through with lime, and became as hard as a stone. +You know, of course, that we have found stones on the shore which were +nothing but petrified worms. Now I believe that it went the same way +with the big butterfly-body. I believe that it turned where it lay into +a long, narrow mountain out in the East sea. Don't you?" + +He paused for a reply, and the other one nodded to him. "Go on, so I may +hear what you are driving at," said he. + +"And mark you, Eric, that this very Oeland, upon which you and I live, is +nothing else than the old butterfly-body. If one only thinks about it, +one can observe that the island is a butterfly. Toward the north, the +slender fore-body and the round head can be seen, and toward the south, +one sees the back-body--which first broadens out, and then narrows to a +sharp point." + +Here he paused once more and looked at his companion rather anxiously to +see how he would take this assertion. But the young man kept on eating +with the utmost calm, and nodded to him to continue. + +"As soon as the butterfly had been changed into a limestone rock, many +different kinds of seeds of herbs and trees came travelling with the +winds, and wanted to take root on it. It was a long time before anything +but sedge could grow there. Then came sheep sorrel, and the rock-rose +and thorn-brush. But even to-day there is not so much growth on Alvaret, +that the mountain is well covered, but it shines through here and there. +And no one can think of ploughing and sowing up here, where the +earth-crust is so thin. But if you will admit that Alvaret and the +strongholds around it, are made of the butterfly-body, then you may well +have the right to question where that land which lies beneath the +strongholds came from." + +"Yes, it is just that," said he who was eating. "That I should indeed +like to know." + +"Well, you must remember that Oeland has lain in the sea for a good many +years, and in the course of time all the things which tumble around with +the waves--sea-weed and sand and clams--have gathered around it, and +remained lying there. And then, stone and gravel have fallen down from +both the eastern and western strongholds. In this way the island has +acquired broad shores, where grain and flowers and trees can grow. + +"Up here, on the hard butterfly-back, only sheep and cows and little +horses go about. Only lapwings and plover live here, and there are no +buildings except windmills and a few stone huts, where we shepherds +crawl in. But down on the coast lie big villages and churches and +parishes and fishing hamlets and a whole city." + +He looked questioningly at the other one. This one had finished his +meal, and was tying the food-sack together. "I wonder where you will end +with all this," said he. + +"It is only this that I want to know," said the shepherd, as he lowered +his voice so that he almost whispered the words, and looked into the +mist with his small eyes, which appeared to be worn out from spying +after all that which does not exist. "Only this I want to know: if the +peasants who live on the built-up farms beneath the strongholds, or the +fishermen who take the small herring from the sea, or the merchants in +Borgholm, or the bathing guests who come here every summer, or the +tourists who wander around in Borgholm's old castle ruin, or the +sportsmen who come here in the fall to hunt partridges, or the painters +who sit here on Alvaret and paint the sheep and windmills--I should like +to know if any of them understand that this island has been a butterfly +which flew about with great shimmery wings." + +"Ah!" said the young shepherd, suddenly. "It should have occurred to +some of them, as they sat on the edge of the stronghold of an evening, +and heard the nightingales trill in the groves below them, and looked +over Kalmar Sound, that this island could not have come into existence +in the same way as the others." + +"I want to ask," said the old one, "if no one has had the desire to give +wings to the windmills--so large that they could reach to heaven, so +large that they could lift the whole island out of the sea and let it +fly like a butterfly among butterflies." + +"It may be possible that there is something in what you say," said the +young one; "for on summer nights, when the heavens widen and open over +the island, I have sometimes thought that it was as if it wanted to +raise itself from the sea, and fly away." + +But when the old one had finally gotten the young one to talk, he didn't +listen to him very much. "I would like to know," the old one said in a +low tone, "if anyone can explain why one feels such a longing up here on +Alvaret. I have felt it every day of my life; and I think it preys upon +each and every one who must go about here. I want to know if no one else +has understood that all this wistfulness is caused by the fact that the +whole island is a butterfly that longs for its wings." + + +LITTLE KARL'S ISLAND + + +THE STORM + +_Friday, April eighth_. + +The wild geese had spent the night on Oeland's northern point, and were +now on their way to the continent. A strong south wind blew over Kalmar +Sound, and they had been thrown northward. Still they worked their way +toward land with good speed. But when they were nearing the first +islands a powerful rumbling was heard, as if a lot of strong-winged +birds had come flying; and the water under them, all at once, became +perfectly black. Akka drew in her wings so suddenly that she almost +stood still in the air. Thereupon, she lowered herself to light on the +edge of the sea. But before the geese had reached the water, the west +storm caught up with them. Already, it drove before it fogs, salt scum +and small birds; it also snatched with it the wild geese, threw them on +end, and cast them toward the sea. + +It was a rough storm. The wild geese tried to turn back, time and again, +but they couldn't do it and were driven out toward the East sea. The +storm had already blown them past Oeland, and the sea lay before +them--empty and desolate. There was nothing for them to do but to keep +out of the water. + +When Akka observed that they were unable to turn back she thought that +it was needless to let the storm drive them over the entire East sea. +Therefore she sank down to the water. Now the sea was raging, and +increased in violence with every second. The sea-green billows rolled +forward, with seething foam on their crests. Each one surged higher than +the other. It was as though they raced with each other, to see which +could foam the wildest. But the wild geese were not afraid of the +swells. On the contrary, this seemed to afford them much pleasure. They +did not strain themselves with swimming, but lay and let themselves be +washed up with the wave-crests, and down in the water-dales, and had +just as much fun as children in a swing. Their only anxiety was that the +flock should be separated. The few land-birds who drove by, up in the +storm, cried with envy: "There is no danger for you who can swim." + +But the wild geese were certainly not out of all danger. In the first +place, the rocking made them helplessly sleepy. They wished continually +to turn their heads backward, poke their bills under their wings, and go +to sleep. Nothing can be more dangerous than to fall asleep in this way; +and Akka called out all the while: "Don't go to sleep, wild geese! He +that falls asleep will get away from the flock. He that gets away from +the flock is lost." + +Despite all attempts at resistance one after another fell asleep; and +Akka herself came pretty near dozing off, when she suddenly saw +something round and dark rise on the top of a wave. "Seals! Seals! +Seals!" cried Akka in a high, shrill voice, and raised herself up in the +air with resounding wing-strokes. It was just at the crucial moment. +Before the last wild goose had time to come up from the water, the seals +were so close to her that they made a grab for her feet. + +Then the wild geese were once more up in the storm which drove them +before it out to sea. No rest did it allow either itself or the wild +geese; and no land did they see--only desolate sea. + +They lit on the water again, as soon as they dared venture. But when +they had rocked upon the waves for a while, they became sleepy again. +And when they fell asleep, the seals came swimming. If old Akka had not +been so wakeful, not one of them would have escaped. + +All day the storm raged; and it caused fearful havoc among the crowds of +little birds, which at this time of year were migrating. Some were +driven from their course to foreign lands, where they died of +starvation; others became so exhausted that they sank down in the sea +and were drowned. Many were crushed against the cliff-walls, and many +became a prey for the seals. + +The storm continued all day, and, at last, Akka began to wonder if she +and her flock would perish. They were now dead tired, and nowhere did +they see any place where they might rest. Toward evening she no longer +dared to lie down on the sea, because now it filled up all of a sudden +with large ice-cakes, which struck against each other, and she feared +they should be crushed between these. A couple of times the wild geese +tried to stand on the ice-crust; but one time the wild storm swept them +into the water; another time, the merciless seals came creeping up on +the ice. + +At sundown the wild geese were once more up in the air. They flew +on--fearful for the night. The darkness seemed to come upon them much +too quickly this night--which was so full of dangers. + +It was terrible that they, as yet, saw no land. How would it go with +them if they were forced to stay out on the sea all night? They would +either be crushed between the ice-cakes or devoured by seals or +separated by the storm. + +The heavens were cloud-bedecked, the moon hid itself, and the darkness +came quickly. At the same time all nature was filled with a horror which +caused the most courageous hearts to quail. Distressed bird-travellers' +cries had sounded over the sea all day long, without anyone having paid +the slightest attention to them; but now, when one no longer saw who it +was that uttered them, they seemed mournful and terrifying. Down on the +sea, the ice-drifts crashed against each other with a loud rumbling +noise. The seals tuned up their wild hunting songs. It was as though +heaven and earth were, about to clash. + +THE SHEEP + +The boy sat for a moment and looked down into the sea. Suddenly he +thought that it began to roar louder than ever. He looked up. Right in +front of him--only a couple of metres away--stood a rugged and bare +mountain-wall. At its base the waves dashed into a foaming spray. The +wild geese flew straight toward the cliff, and the boy did not see how +they could avoid being dashed to pieces against it. Hardly had he +wondered that Akka hadn't seen the danger in time, when they were over +by the mountain. Then he also noticed that in front of them was the +half-round entrance to a grotto. Into this the geese steered; and the +next moment they were safe. + +The first thing the wild geese thought of--before they gave themselves +time to rejoice over their safety--was to see if all their comrades were +also harboured. Yes, there were Akka, Iksi, Kolmi, Nelja, Viisi, Knusi, +all the six goslings, the goosey-gander, Dunfin and Thumbietot; but +Kaksi from Nuolja, the first left-hand goose, was missing--and no one +knew anything about her fate. + +When the wild geese discovered that no one but Kaksi had been separated +from the flock, they took the matter lightly. Kaksi was old and wise. +She knew all their byways and their habits, and she, of course, would +know how to find her way back to them. + +Then the wild geese began to look around in the cave. Enough daylight +came in through the opening, so that they could see the grotto was both +deep and wide. They were delighted to think they had found such a fine +night harbour, when one of them caught sight of some shining, green +dots, which glittered in a dark corner. "These are eyes!" cried Akka. +"There are big animals in here." They rushed toward the opening, but +Thumbietot called to them: "There is nothing to run away from! It's only +a few sheep who are lying alongside the grotto wall." + +When the wild geese had accustomed themselves to the dim daylight in the +grotto, they saw the sheep very distinctly. The grown-up ones might be +about as many as there were geese; but beside these there were a few +little lambs. An old ram with long, twisted horns appeared to be the +most lordly one of the flock. The wild geese went up to him with much +bowing and scraping. "Well met in the wilderness!" they greeted, but the +big ram lay still, and did not speak a word of welcome. + +Then the wild geese thought that the sheep were displeased because they +had taken shelter in their grotto. "It is perhaps not permissible that +we have come in here?" said Akka. "But we cannot help it, for we are +wind-driven. We have wandered about in the storm all day, and it would +be very good to be allowed to stop here to-night." After that a long +time passed before any of the sheep answered with words; but, on the +other hand, it could be heard distinctly that a pair of them heaved deep +sighs. Akka knew, to be sure, that sheep are always shy and peculiar; +but these seemed to have no idea of how they should conduct themselves. +Finally an old ewe, who had a long and pathetic face and a doleful +voice, said: "There isn't one among us that refuses to let you stay; but +this is a house of mourning, and we cannot receive guests as we did in +former days." "You needn't worry about anything of that sort," said +Akka. "If you knew what we have endured this day, you would surely +understand that we are satisfied if we only get a safe spot to sleep +on." + +When Akka said this, the old ewe raised herself. "I believe that it +would be better for you to fly about in the worst storm than to stop +here. But, at least, you shall not go from here before we have had the +privilege of offering you the best hospitality which the house affords." + +She conducted them to a hollow in the ground, which was filled with +water. Beside it lay a pile of bait and husks and chaff; and she bade +them make the most of these. "We have had a severe snow-winter this +year, on the island," she said. "The peasants who own us came out to us +with hay and oaten straw, so we shouldn't starve to death. And this +trash is all there is left of the good cheer." + +The geese rushed to the food instantly. They thought that they had fared +well, and were in their best humour. They must have observed, of course, +that the sheep were anxious; but they knew how easily scared sheep +generally are, and didn't believe there was any actual danger on foot. +As soon as they had eaten, they intended to stand up to sleep as usual. +But then the big ram got up, and walked over to them. The geese thought +that they had never seen a sheep with such big and coarse horns. In +other respects, also, he was noticeable. He had a high, rolling +forehead, intelligent eyes, and a good bearing--as though he were a +proud and courageous animal. + +"I cannot assume the responsibility of letting you geese remain, without +telling you that it is unsafe here," said he. "We cannot receive night +guests just now." At last Akka began to comprehend that this was +serious. "We shall go away, since you really wish it," said she. "But +won't you tell us first, what it is that troubles you? We know nothing +about it. We do not even know where we are." "This is Little Karl's +Island!" said the ram. "It lies outside of Gottland, and only sheep and +seabirds live here." "Perhaps you are wild sheep?" said Akka. "We're not +far removed from it," replied the ram. "We have nothing to do with human +beings. It's an old agreement between us and some peasants on a farm in +Gottland, that they shall supply us with fodder in case we have +snow-winter; and as a recompense they are permitted to take away those +of us who become superfluous. The island is small, so it cannot feed +very many of us. But otherwise we take care of ourselves all the year +round, and we do not live in houses with doors and locks, but we reside +in grottoes like these." + +"Do you stay out here in the winter as well?" asked Akka, surprised. "We +do," answered the ram. "We have good fodder up here on the mountain, all +the year around." "I think it sounds as if you might have it better than +other sheep," said Akka. "But what is the misfortune that has befallen +you?" "It was bitter cold last winter. The sea froze, and then three +foxes came over here on the ice, and here they have been ever since. +Otherwise, there are no dangerous animals here on the island." "Oh, oh! +do foxes dare to attack such as you?" "Oh, no! not during the day; then +I can protect myself and mine," said the ram, shaking his horns. "But +they sneak upon us at night when we sleep in the grottoes. We try to +keep awake, but one must sleep some of the time; and then they come upon +us. They have already killed every sheep in the other grottoes, and +there were herds that were just as large as mine." + +"It isn't pleasant to tell that we are so helpless," said the old ewe. +"We cannot help ourselves any better than if we were tame sheep." "Do +you think that they will come here to-night?" asked Akka. "There is +nothing else in store for us," answered the old ewe. "They were here +last night, and stole a lamb from us. They'll be sure to come again, as +long as there are any of us alive. This is what they have done in the +other places." "But if they are allowed to keep this up, you'll become +entirely exterminated," said Akka. "Oh! it won't be long before it is +all over with the sheep on Little Karl's Island," said the ewe. + +Akka stood there hesitatingly. It was not pleasant, by any means, to +venture out in the storm again, and it wasn't good to remain in a house +where such guests were expected. When she had pondered a while, she +turned to Thumbietot. "I wonder if you will help us, as you have done so +many times before," said she. Yes, that he would like to do, he replied. +"It is a pity for you not to get any sleep!" said the wild goose, "but I +wonder if you are able to keep awake until the foxes come, and then to +awaken us, so we may fly away." The boy was so very glad of this--for +anything was better than to go out in the storm again--so he promised +to keep awake. He went down to the grotto opening, crawled in behind a +stone, that he might be shielded from the storm, and sat down to watch. + +When the boy had been sitting there a while, the storm seemed to abate. +The sky grew clear, and the moonlight began to play on the waves. The +boy stepped to the opening to look out. The grotto was rather high up on +the mountain. A narrow path led to it. It was probably here that he must +await the foxes. + +As yet he saw no foxes; but, on the other hand, there was something +which, for the moment, terrified him much more. On the land-strip below +the mountain stood some giants, or other stone-trolls--or perhaps they +were actual human beings. At first he thought that he was dreaming, but +now he was positive that he had not fallen asleep. He saw the big men so +distinctly that it couldn't be an illusion. Some of them stood on the +land-strip, and others right on the mountain just as if they intended to +climb it. Some had big, thick heads; others had no heads at all. Some +were one-armed, and some had humps both before and behind. He had never +seen anything so extraordinary. + +The boy stood and worked himself into a state of panic because of those +trolls, so that he almost forgot to keep his eye peeled for the foxes. +But now he heard a claw scrape against a stone. He saw three foxes +coming up the steep; and as soon as he knew that he had something real +to deal with, he was calm again, and not the least bit scared. It struck +him that it was a pity to awaken only the geese, and to leave the sheep +to their fate. He thought he would like to arrange things some other +way. + +He ran quickly to the other end of the grotto, shook the big ram's horns +until he awoke, and, at the same time, swung himself upon his back. "Get +up, sheep, and well try to frighten the foxes a bit!" said the boy. + +He had tried to be as quiet as possible, but the foxes must have heard +some noise; for when they came up to the mouth of the grotto they +stopped and deliberated. "It was certainly someone in there that +moved," said one. "I wonder if they are awake." "Oh, go ahead, you!" +said another. "At all events, they can't do anything to us." + +When they came farther in, in the grotto, they stopped and sniffed. "Who +shall we take to-night?" whispered the one who went first. "To-night we +will take the big ram," said the last. "After that, we'll have easy work +with the rest." + +The boy sat on the old ram's back and saw how they sneaked along. "Now +butt straight forward!" whispered the boy. The ram butted, and the first +fox was thrust--top over tail--back to the opening. "Now butt to the +left!" said the boy, and turned the big ram's head in that direction. +The ram measured a terrific assault that caught the second fox in the +side. He rolled around several times before he got to his feet again and +made his escape. The boy had wished that the third one, too, might have +gotten a bump, but this one had already gone. + +"Now I think that they've had enough for to-night," said the boy. "I +think so too," said the big ram. "Now lie down on my back, and creep +into the wool! You deserve to have it warm and comfortable, after all +the wind and storm that you have been out in." + +HELL'S HOLE + +The next day the big ram went around with the boy on his back, and +showed him the island. It consisted of a single massive mountain. It was +like a large house with perpendicular walls and a flat roof. First the +ram walked up on the mountain-roof and showed the boy the good grazing +lands there, and he had to admit that the island seemed to be especially +created for sheep. There wasn't much else than sheep-sorrel and such +little spicy growths as sheep are fond of that grew on the mountain. + +But indeed there was something beside sheep fodder to look at, for one +who had gotten well up on the steep. To begin with, the largest part of +the sea--which now lay blue and sunlit, and rolled forward in glittering +swells--was visible. Only upon one and another point, did the foam spray +up. To the east lay Gottland, with even and long-stretched coast; and to +the southwest lay Great Karl's Island, which was built on the same plan +as the little island. When the ram walked to the very edge of the +mountain roof, so the boy could look down the mountain walls, he noticed +that they were simply filled with birds' nests; and in the blue sea +beneath him, lay surf-scoters and eider-ducks and kittiwakes and +guillemots and razor-bills--so pretty and peaceful--busying themselves +with fishing for small herring. + +"This is really a favoured land," said the boy. "You live in a pretty +place, you sheep." "Oh, yes! it's pretty enough here," said the big ram. +It was as if he wished to add something; but he did not, only sighed. +"If you go about here alone you must look out for the crevices which run +all around the mountain," he continued after a little. And this was a +good warning, for there were deep and broad crevices in several places. +The largest of them was called Hell's Hole. That crevice was many +fathoms deep and nearly one fathom wide. "If anyone fell down there, it +would certainly be the last of him," said the big ram. The boy thought +it sounded as if he had a special meaning in what he said. + +Then he conducted the boy down to the narrow strip of shore. Now he +could see those giants which had frightened him the night before, at +close range. They were nothing but tall rock-pillars. The big ram called +them "cliffs." The boy couldn't see enough of them. He thought that if +there had ever been any trolls who had turned into stone they ought to +look just like that. + +Although it was pretty down on the shore, the boy liked it still better +on the mountain height. It was ghastly down here; for everywhere they +came across dead sheep. It was here that the foxes had held their +orgies. He saw skeletons whose flesh had been eaten, and bodies that +were half-eaten, and others which they had scarcely tasted, but had +allowed to lie untouched. It was heart-rending to see how the wild +beasts had thrown themselves upon the sheep just for sport--just to +hunt them and tear them to death. + +The big ram did not pause in front of the dead, but walked by them in +silence. But the boy, meanwhile, could not help seeing all the horror. + +Then the big ram went up on the mountain height again; but when he was +there he stopped and said: "If someone who is capable and wise could see +all the misery which prevails here, he surely would not be able to rest +until these foxes had been punished." "The foxes must live, too," said +the boy. "Yes," said the big ram, "those who do not tear in pieces more +animals than they need for their sustenance, they may as well live. But +these are felons." "The peasants who own the island ought to come here +and help you," insisted the boy. "They have rowed over a number of +times," replied the ram, "but the foxes always hid themselves in the +grottoes and crevices, so they could not get near them, to shoot them." +"You surely cannot mean, father, that a poor little creature like me +should be able to get at them, when neither you nor the peasants have +succeeded in getting the better of them." "He that is little and spry +can put many things to rights," said the big ram. + +They talked no more about this, and the boy went over and seated himself +among the wild geese who fed on the highland. Although he had not cared +to show his feelings before the ram, he was very sad on the sheep's +account, and he would have been glad to help them. "I can at least talk +with Akka and Morten goosey-gander about the matter," thought he. +"Perhaps they can help me with a good suggestion." + +A little later the white goosey-gander took the boy on his back and went +over the mountain plain, and in the direction of Hell's Hole at that. + +He wandered, care-free, on the open mountain roof--apparently +unconscious of how large and white he was. He didn't seek protection +behind tufts, or any other protuberances, but went straight ahead. It +was strange that he was not more careful, for it was apparent that he +had fared badly in yesterday's storm. He limped on his right leg, and +the left wing hung and dragged as if it might be broken. + +He acted as if there were no danger, pecked at a grass-blade here and +another there, and did not look about him in any direction. The boy lay +stretched out full length on the goose-back, and looked up toward the +blue sky. He was so accustomed to riding now, that he could both stand +and lie down on the goose-back. + +When the goosey-gander and the boy were so care-free, they did not +observe, of course, that the three foxes had come up on the mountain +plain. + +And the foxes, who knew that it was well-nigh impossible to take the +life of a goose on an open plain, thought at first that they wouldn't +chase after the goosey-gander. But as they had nothing else to do, they +finally sneaked down on one of the long passes, and tried to steal up to +him. They went about it so cautiously that the goosey-gander couldn't +see a shadow of them. + +They were not far off when the goosey-gander made an attempt to raise +himself into the air. He spread his wings, but he did not succeed in +lifting himself. When the foxes seemed to grasp the fact that he +couldn't fly, they hurried forward with greater eagerness than before. +They no longer concealed themselves in the cleft, but came up on the +highland. They hurried as fast as they could, behind tufts and hollows, +and came nearer and nearer the goosey-gander--without his seeming to +notice that he was being hunted. At last the foxes were so near that +they could make the final leap. Simultaneously, all three threw +themselves with one long jump at the goosey-gander. + +But still at the last moment he must have noticed something, for he ran +out of the way, so the foxes missed him. This, at any rate, didn't mean +very much, for the goosey-gander only had a couple of metres headway, +and, in the bargain, he limped. Anyway, the poor thing ran ahead as fast +as he could. + +The boy sat upon the goose-back--backward--and shrieked and called to +the foxes. "You have eaten yourselves too fat on mutton, foxes. You +can't catch up with a goose even." He teased them so that they became +crazed with rage and thought only of rushing forward. + +The white one ran right straight to the big cleft. When he was there, he +made one stroke with his wings, and got over. Just then the foxes were +almost upon him. + +The goosey-gander hurried on with the same haste as before, even after +he had gotten across Hell's Hole. But he had hardly been running two +metres before the boy patted him on the neck, and said: "Now you can +stop, goosey-gander." + +At that instant they heard a number of wild howls behind them, and a +scraping of claws, and heavy falls. But of the foxes they saw nothing +more. + +The next morning the lighthouse keeper on Great Karl's Island found a +bit of bark poked under the entrance-door, and on it had been cut, in +slanting, angular letters: "The foxes on the little island have fallen +down into Hell's Hole. Take care of them!" + +And this the lighthouse keeper did, too. + + +TWO CITIES + + +THE CITY AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA + +_Saturday, April ninth_. + +It was a calm and clear night. The wild geese did not trouble themselves +to seek shelter in any of the grottoes, but stood and slept upon the +mountain top; and the boy had lain down in the short, dry grass beside +the geese. + +It was bright moonlight that night; so bright that it was difficult for +the boy to go to sleep. He lay there and thought about just how long he +had been away from home; and he figured out that it was three weeks +since he had started on the trip. At the same time he remembered that +this was Easter-eve. + +"It is to-night that all the witches come home from Blakulla," thought +he, and laughed to himself. For he was just a little afraid of both the +sea-nymph and the elf, but he didn't believe in witches the least little +bit. + +If there had been any witches out that night, he should have seen them, +to be sure. It was so light in the heavens that not the tiniest black +speck could move in the air without his seeing it. + +While the boy lay there with his nose in the air and thought about this, +his eye rested on something lovely! The moon's disc was whole and round, +and rather high, and over it a big bird came flying. He did not fly past +the moon, but he moved just as though he might have flown out from it. +The bird looked black against the light background, and the wings +extended from one rim of the disc to the other. He flew on, evenly, in +the same direction, and the boy thought that he was painted on the +moon's disc. The body was small, the neck long and slender, the legs +hung down, long and thin. It couldn't be anything but a stork. + +A couple of seconds later Herr Ermenrich, the stork, lit beside the boy. +He bent down and poked him with his bill to awaken him. + +Instantly the boy sat up. "I'm not asleep, Herr Ermenrich," he said. +"How does it happen that you are out in the middle of the night, and how +is everything at Glimminge castle? Do you want to speak with mother +Akka?" + +"It's too light to sleep to-night," answered Herr Ermenrich. "Therefore +I concluded to travel over here to Karl's Island and hunt you up, friend +Thumbietot. I learned from the seamew that you were spending the night +here. I have not as yet moved over to Glimminge castle, but am still +living at Pommern." + +The boy was simply overjoyed to think that Herr Ermenrich had sought him +out. They chatted about all sorts of things, like old friends. At last +the stork asked the boy if he wouldn't like to go out riding for a while +on this beautiful night. + +Oh, yes! that the boy wanted to do, if the stork would manage it so that +he got back to the wild geese before sunrise. This he promised, so off +they went. + +Again Herr Ermenrich flew straight toward the moon. They rose and rose; +the sea sank deep down, but the flight went so light and easy that it +seemed almost as if the boy lay still in the air. + +When Herr Ermenrich began to descend, the boy thought that the flight +had lasted an unreasonably short time. + +They landed on a desolate bit of seashore, which was covered with fine, +even sand. All along the coast ran a row of flying-sand drifts, with +lyme-grass on their tops. They were not very high, but they prevented +the boy from seeing any of the island. + +Herr Ermenrich stood on a sand-hill, drew up one leg and bent his head +backward, so he could stick his bill under the wing. "You can roam +around on the shore for a while," he said to Thumbietot, "while I rest +myself. But don't go so far away but what you can find your way back to +me again!" + +To start with, the boy intended to climb a sand-hill and see how the +land behind it looked. But when he had walked a couple of paces, he +stubbed the toe of his wooden shoe against something hard. He stooped +down, and saw that a small copper coin lay on the sand, and was so worn +with verdigris that it was almost transparent. It was so poor that he +didn't even bother to pick it up, but only kicked it out of the way. + +But when he straightened himself up once more he was perfectly +astounded, for two paces away from him stood a high, dark wall with a +big, turreted gate. + +The moment before, when the boy bent down, the sea lay there--shimmering +and smooth, while now it was hidden by a long wall with towers and +battlements. Directly in front of him, where before there had been only +a few sea-weed banks, the big gate of the wall opened. + +The boy probably understood that it was a spectre-play of some sort; but +this was nothing to be afraid of, thought he. It wasn't any dangerous +trolls, or any other evil--such as he always dreaded to encounter at +night. Both the wall and the gate were so beautifully constructed that +he only desired to see what there might be back of them. "I must find +out what this can be," thought he, and went in through the gate. + +In the deep archway there were guards, dressed in brocaded and purred +suits, with long-handled spears beside them, who sat and threw dice. +They thought only of the game, and took no notice of the boy who hurried +past them quickly. + +Just within the gate he found an open space, paved with large, even +stone blocks. All around this were high and magnificent buildings; and +between these opened long, narrow streets. On the square--facing the +gate--it fairly swarmed with human beings. The men wore long, +fur-trimmed capes over satin suits; plume-bedecked hats sat obliquely on +their heads; on their chests hung superb chains. They were all so +regally gotten up that the whole lot of them might have been kings. + +The women went about in high head-dresses and long robes with +tight-fitting sleeves. They, too, were beautifully dressed, but their +splendour was not to be compared with that of the men. + +This was exactly like the old story-book which mother took from the +chest--only once--and showed to him. The boy simply couldn't believe his +eyes. + +But that which was even more wonderful to look upon than either the men +or the women, was the city itself. Every house was built in such a way +that a gable faced the street. And the gables were so highly ornamented, +that one could believe they wished to compete with each other as to +which one could show the most beautiful decorations. + +When one suddenly sees so much that is new, he cannot manage to treasure +it all in his memory. But at least the boy could recall that he had seen +stairway gables on the various landings, which bore images of the Christ +and his Apostles; gables, where there were images in niche after niche +all along the wall; gables that were inlaid with multi-coloured bits of +glass, and gables that were striped and checked with white and black +marble. As the boy admired all this, a sudden sense of haste came over +him. "Anything like this my eyes have never seen before. Anything like +this, they would never see again," he said to himself. And he began to +run in toward the city--up one street, and down another. + +The streets were straight and narrow, but not empty and gloomy, as they +were in the cities with which he was familiar. There were people +everywhere. Old women sat by their open doors and spun without a +spinning-wheel--only with the help of a shuttle. The merchants' shops +were like market-stalls--opening on the street. All the hand-workers did +their work out of doors. In one place they were boiling crude oil; in +another tanning hides; in a third there was a long rope-walk. + +If only the boy had had time enough he could have learned how to make +all sorts of things. Here he saw how armourers hammered out thin +breast-plates; how turners tended their irons; how the shoemakers soled +soft, red shoes; how the gold-wire drawers twisted gold thread, and how +the weavers inserted silver and gold into their weaving. + +But the boy did not have the time to stay. He just rushed on, so that he +could manage to see as much as possible before it would all vanish +again. + +The high wall ran all around the city and shut it in, as a hedge shuts +in a field. He saw it at the end of every street--gable-ornamented and +crenelated. On the top of the wall walked warriors in shining armour; +and when he had run from one end of the city to the other, he came to +still another gate in the wall. Outside of this lay the sea and +harbour. The boy saw olden-time ships, with rowing-benches straight +across, and high structures fore and aft. Some lay and took on cargo, +others were just casting anchor. Carriers and merchants hurried around +each other. All over, it was life and bustle. + +But not even here did he seem to have the time to linger. He rushed into +the city again; and now he came up to the big square. There stood the +cathedral with its three high towers and deep vaulted arches filled with +images. The walls had been so highly decorated by sculptors that there +was not a stone without its own special ornamentation. And what a +magnificent display of gilded crosses and gold-trimmed altars and +priests in golden vestments, shimmered through the open gate! Directly +opposite the church there was a house with a notched roof and a single +slender, sky-high tower. That was probably the courthouse. And between +the courthouse and the cathedral, all around the square, stood the +beautiful gabled houses with their multiplicity of adornments. + +The boy had run himself both warm and tired. He thought that now he had +seen the most remarkable things, and therefore he began to walk more +leisurely. The street which he had turned into now was surely the one +where the inhabitants purchased their fine clothing. He saw crowds of +people standing before the little stalls where the merchants spread +brocades, stiff satins, heavy gold cloth, shimmery velvet, delicate +veiling, and laces as sheer as a spider's web. + +Before, when the boy ran so fast, no one had paid any attention to him. +The people must have thought that it was only a little gray rat that +darted by them. But now, when he walked down the street, very slowly, +one of the salesmen caught sight of him, and began to beckon to him. + +At first the boy was uneasy and wanted to hurry out of the way, but the +salesman only beckoned and smiled, and spread out on the counter a +lovely piece of satin damask as if he wanted to tempt him. + +The boy shook his head. "I will never be so rich that I can buy even a +metre of that cloth," thought he. + +But now they had caught sight of him in every stall, all along the +street. Wherever he looked stood a salesman and beckoned to him. They +left their costly wares, and thought only of him. He saw how they +hurried into the most hidden corner of the stall to fetch the best that +they had to sell, and how their hands trembled with eagerness and haste +as they laid it upon the counter. + +When the boy continued to go on, one of the merchants jumped over the +counter, caught hold of him, and spread before him silver cloth and +woven tapestries, which shone with brilliant colours. + +The boy couldn't do anything but laugh at him. The salesman certainly +must understand that a poor little creature like him couldn't buy such +things. He stood still and held out his two empty hands, so they would +understand that he had nothing and let him go in peace. + +But the merchant raised a finger and nodded and pushed the whole pile of +beautiful things over to him. + +"Can he mean that he will sell all this for a gold piece?" wondered the +boy. + +The merchant brought out a tiny worn and poor coin--the smallest that +one could see--and showed it to him. And he was so eager to sell that +he increased his pile with a pair of large, heavy, silver goblets. + +Then the boy began to dig down in his pockets. He knew, of course, that +he didn't possess a single coin, but he couldn't help feeling for it. + +All the other merchants stood still and tried to see how the sale would +come off, and when they observed that the boy began to search in his +pockets, they flung themselves over the counters, filled their hands +full of gold and silver ornaments, and offered them to him. And they all +showed him that what they asked in payment was just one little penny. + +But the boy turned both vest and breeches pockets inside out, so they +should see that he owned nothing. Then tears filled the eyes of all +these regal merchants, who were so much richer than he. At last he was +moved because they looked so distressed, and he pondered if he could not +in some way help them. And then he happened to think of the rusty coin, +which he had but lately seen on the strand. + +He started to run down the street, and luck was with him so that he came +to the self-same gate which he had happened upon first. He dashed +through it, and commenced to search for the little green copper penny +which lay on the strand a while ago. + +He found it too, very promptly; but when he had picked it up, and wanted +to run back to the city with it--he saw only the sea before him. No city +wall, no gate, no sentinels, no streets, no houses could now be +seen--only the sea. + +The boy couldn't help that the tears came to his eyes. He had believed +in the beginning, that that which he saw was nothing but an +hallucination, but this he had already forgotten. He only thought about +how pretty everything was. He felt a genuine, deep sorrow because the +city had vanished. + +That moment Herr Ermenrich awoke, and came up to him. But he didn't hear +him, and the stork had to poke the boy with his bill to attract +attention to himself. "I believe that you stand here and sleep just as I +do," said Herr Ermenrich. + +"Oh, Herr Ermenrich!" said the boy. "What was that city which stood +here just now?" + +"Have you seen a city?" said the stork. "You have slept and dreamt, as I +say." + +"No! I have not dreamt," said Thumbietot, and he told the stork all that +he had experienced. + +Then Herr Ermenrich said: "For my part, Thumbietot, I believe that you +fell asleep here on the strand and dreamed all this. + +"But I will not conceal from you that Bataki, the raven, who is the most +learned of all birds, once told me that in former times there was a city +on this shore, called Vineta. It was so rich and so fortunate, that no +city has ever been more glorious; but its inhabitants, unluckily, gave +themselves up to arrogance and love of display. As a punishment for +this, says Bataki, the city of Vineta was overtaken by a flood, and sank +into the sea. But its inhabitants cannot die, neither is their city +destroyed. And one night in every hundred years, it rises in all its +splendour up from the sea, and remains on the surface just one hour." + +"Yes, it must be so," said Thumbietot, "for this I have seen." + +"But when the hour is up, it sinks again into the sea, if, during that +time, no merchant in Vineta has sold anything to a single living +creature. If you, Thumbietot, only had had an ever so tiny coin, to pay +the merchants, Vineta might have remained up here on the shore; and its +people could have lived and died like other human beings." + +"Herr Ermenrich," said the boy, "now I understand why you came and +fetched me in the middle of the night. It was because you believed that +I should be able to save the old city. I am so sorry it didn't turn out +as you wished, Herr Ermenrich." + +He covered his face with his hands and wept. It wasn't easy to say which +one looked the more disconsolate--the boy, or Herr Ermenrich. + +THE LIVING CITY + +_Monday, April eleventh_. + +On the afternoon of Easter Monday, the wild geese and Thumbietot were on +the wing. They travelled over Gottland. + +The large island lay smooth and even beneath them. The ground was +checked just as it was in Skane and there were many churches and farms. +But there was this difference, however, that there were more leafy +meadows between the fields here, and then the farms were not built up +with small houses. And there were no large manors with ancient +tower-ornamented castles. + +The wild geese had taken the route over Gottland on account of +Thumbietot. He had been altogether unlike himself for two days, and +hadn't spoken a cheerful word. This was because he had thought of +nothing but that city which had appeared to him in such a strange way. +He had never seen anything so magnificent and royal, and he could not be +reconciled with himself for having failed to save it. Usually he was not +chicken-hearted, but now he actually grieved for the beautiful buildings +and the stately people. + +Both Akka and the goosey-gander tried to convince Thumbietot that he had +been the victim of a dream, or an hallucination, but the boy wouldn't +listen to anything of that sort. He was so positive that he had really +seen what he had seen, that no one could move him from this conviction. +He went about so disconsolate that his travelling companions became +uneasy for him. + +Just as the boy was the most depressed, old Kaksi came back to the +flock. She had been blown toward Gottland, and had been compelled to +travel over the whole island before she had learned through some crows +that her comrades were on Little Karl's Island. When Kaksi found out +what was wrong with Thumbietot, she said impulsively: + +"If Thumbietot is grieving over an old city, we'll soon be able to +comfort him. Just come along, and I'll take you to a place that I saw +yesterday! You will not need to be distressed very long." + +Thereupon the geese had taken farewell of the sheep, and were on their +way to the place which Kaksi wished to show Thumbietot. As blue as he +was, he couldn't keep from looking at the land over which he travelled, +as usual. + +He thought it looked as though the whole island had in the beginning +been just such a high, steep cliff as Karl's Island--though much bigger +of course. But afterward, it had in some way been flattened out. Someone +had taken a big rolling-pin and rolled over it, as if it had been a lump +of dough. Not that the island had become altogether flat and even, like +a bread-cake, for it wasn't like that. While they had travelled along +the coast, he had seen white lime walls with grottoes and crags, in +several directions; but in most of the places they were levelled, and +sank inconspicuously down toward the sea. + +In Gottland they had a pleasant and peaceful holiday afternoon. It +turned out to be mild spring weather; the trees had large buds; spring +blossoms dressed the ground in the leafy meadows; the poplars' long, +thin pendants swayed; and in the little gardens, which one finds around +every cottage, the gooseberry bushes were green. + +The warmth and the spring-budding had tempted the people out into the +gardens and roads, and wherever a number of them were gathered together +they were playing. It was not the children alone who played, but the +grown-ups also. They were throwing stones at a given point, and they +threw balls in the air with such exact aim that they almost touched the +wild geese. It looked cheerful and pleasant to see big folks at play; +and the boy certainly would have enjoyed it, if he had been able to +forget his grief because he had failed to save the city. + +Anyway, he had to admit that this was a lovely trip. There was so much +singing and sound in the air. Little children played ring games, and +sang as they played. The Salvation Army was out. He saw a lot of people +dressed in black and red--sitting upon a wooded hill, playing on guitars +and brass instruments. On one road came a great crowd of people. They +were Good Templars who had been on a pleasure trip. He recognized them +by the big banners with the gold inscriptions which waved above them. +They sang song after song as long as he could hear them. + +After that the boy could never think of Gottland without thinking of the +games and songs at the same time. + +He had been sitting and looking down for a long while; but now he +happened to raise his eyes. No one can describe his amazement. Before he +was aware of it, the wild geese had left the interior of the island and +gone westward--toward the sea-coast. Now the wide, blue sea lay before +him. However, it was not the sea that was remarkable, but a city which +appeared on the sea-shore. + +The boy came from the east, and the sun had just begun to go down in the +west. When he came nearer the city, its walls and towers and high, +gabled houses and churches stood there, perfectly black, against the +light evening sky. He couldn't see therefore what it really looked like, +and for a couple of moments he believed that this city was just as +beautiful as the one he had seen on Easter night. + +When he got right up to it, he saw that it was both like and unlike that +city from the bottom of the sea. There was the same contrast between +them, as there is between a man whom one sees arrayed in purple and +jewels one day, and on another day one sees him dressed in rags. + +Yes, this city had probably, once upon a time, been like the one which +he sat and thought about. This one, also, was enclosed by a wall with +towers and gates. But the towers in this city, which had been allowed to +remain on land, were roofless, hollow and empty. The gates were without +doors; sentinels and warriors had disappeared. All the glittering +splendour was gone. There was nothing left but the naked, gray stone +skeleton. + +When the boy came farther into the city, he saw that the larger part of +it was made up of small, low houses; but here and there were still a few +high gabled houses and a few cathedrals, which were from the olden time. +The walls of the gabled houses were whitewashed, and entirely without +ornamentation; but because the boy had so lately seen the buried city, +he seemed to understand how they had been decorated: some with statues, +and others with black and white marble. And it was the same with the old +cathedrals; the majority of them were roofless with bare interiors. The +window openings were empty, the floors were grass-grown, and ivy +clambered along the walls. But now he knew how they had looked at one +time; that they had been covered with images and paintings; that the +chancel had had trimmed altars and gilded crosses, and that their +priests had moved about, arrayed in gold vestments. + +The boy saw also the narrow streets, which were almost deserted on +holiday afternoons. He knew, he did, what a stream of stately people had +once upon a time sauntered about on them. He knew that they had been +like large workshops--filled with all sorts of workmen. + +But that which Nils Holgersson did not see was, that the city--even +to-day--was both beautiful and remarkable. He saw neither the cheery +cottages on the side streets, with their black walls, and white bows and +red pelargoniums behind the shining window-panes, nor the many pretty +gardens and avenues, nor the beauty in the weed-clad ruins. His eyes +were so filled with the preceding glory, that he could not see anything +good in the present. + +The wild geese flew back and forth over the city a couple of times, so +that Thumbietot might see everything. Finally they sank down on the +grass-grown floor of a cathedral ruin to spend the night. + +When they had arranged themselves for sleep, Thumbietot was still awake +and looked up through the open arches, to the pale pink evening sky. +When he had been sitting there a while, he thought he didn't want to +grieve any more because he couldn't save the buried city. + +No, that he didn't want to do, now that he had seen this one. If that +city, which he had seen, had not sunk into the sea again, then it would +perhaps become as dilapidated as this one in a little while. Perhaps it +could not have withstood time and decay, but would have stood there with +roofless churches and bare houses and desolate, empty streets--just like +this one. Then it was better that it should remain in all its glory down +in the deep. + +"It was best that it happened as it happened," thought he. "If I had the +power to save the city, I don't believe that I should care to do it." +Then he no longer grieved over that matter. + +And there are probably many among the young who think in the same way. +But when people are old, and have become accustomed to being satisfied +with little, then they are more happy over the Visby that exists, than +over a magnificent Vineta at the bottom of the sea. + + +THE LEGEND OF SMALAND + + +_Tuesday, April twelfth_. + +The wild geese had made a good trip over the sea, and had lighted in +Tjust Township, in northern Smaland. That township didn't seem able to +make up its mind whether it wanted to be land or sea. Fiords ran in +everywhere, and cut the land up into islands and peninsulas and points +and capes. The sea was so forceful that the only things which could hold +themselves above it were hills and mountains. All the lowlands were +hidden away under the water exterior. + +It was evening when the wild geese came in from the sea; and the land +with the little hills lay prettily between the shimmering fiords. Here +and there, on the islands, the boy saw cabins and cottages; and the +farther inland he came, the bigger and better became the dwelling +houses. Finally, they grew into large, white manors. Along the shores +there was generally a border of trees; and within this lay field-plots, +and on the tops of the little hills there were trees again. He could not +help but think of Blekinge. Here again was a place where land and sea +met, in such a pretty and peaceful sort of way, just as if they tried to +show each other the best and loveliest which they possessed. + +The wild geese alighted upon a limestone island a good way in on +Goose-fiord. With the first glance at the shore they observed that +spring had made rapid strides while they had been away on the islands. +The big, fine trees were not as yet leaf-clad, but the ground under them +was brocaded with white anemones, gagea, and blue anemones. + +When the wild geese saw the flower-carpet they feared that they had +lingered too long in the southern part of the country. Akka said +instantly that there was no time in which to hunt up any of the stopping +places in Smaland. By the next morning they must travel northward, over +Oestergoetland. + +The boy should then see nothing of Smaland, and this grieved him. He had +heard more about Smaland than he had about any other province, and he +had longed to see it with his own eyes. + +The summer before, when he had served as goose-boy with a farmer in the +neighbourhood of Jordberga, he had met a pair of Smaland children, +almost every day, who also tended geese. These children had irritated +him terribly with their Smaland. + +It wasn't fair to say that Osa, the goose-girl, had annoyed him. She was +much too wise for that. But the one who could be aggravating with a +vengeance was her brother, little Mats. + +"Have you heard, Nils Goose-boy, how it went when Smaland and Skane were +created?" he would ask, and if Nils Holgersson said no, he began +immediately to relate the old joke-legend. + +"Well, it was at that time when our Lord was creating the world. While +he was doing his best work, Saint Peter came walking by. He stopped and +looked on, and then he asked if it was hard to do. 'Well, it isn't +exactly easy,' said our Lord. Saint Peter stood there a little longer, +and when he noticed how easy it was to lay out one landscape after +another, he too wanted to try his hand at it. 'Perhaps you need to rest +yourself a little,' said Saint Peter, 'I could attend to the work in +the meantime for you.' But this our Lord did not wish. 'I do not know if +you are so much at home in this art that I can trust you to take hold +where I leave off,' he answered. Then Saint Peter was angry, and said +that he believed he could create just as fine countries as our Lord +himself. + +"It happened that our Lord was just then creating Smaland. It wasn't +even half-ready but it looked as though it would be an indescribably +pretty and fertile land. It was difficult for our Lord to say no to +Saint Peter, and aside from this, he thought very likely that a thing so +well begun no one could spoil. Therefore he said: If you like, we will +prove which one of us two understands this sort of work the better. You, +who are only a novice, shall go on with this which I have begun, and I +will create a new land.' To this Saint Peter agreed at once; and so they +went to work--each one in his place. + +"Our Lord moved southward a bit, and there he undertook to create Skane. +It wasn't long before he was through with it, and soon he asked if Saint +Peter had finished, and would come and look at his work. 'I had mine +ready long ago,' said Saint Peter; and from the sound of his voice it +could be heard how pleased he was with what he had accomplished. + +"When Saint Peter saw Skane, he had to acknowledge that there was +nothing but good to be said of that land. It was a fertile land and easy +to cultivate, with wide plains wherever one looked, and hardly a sign of +hills. It was evident that our Lord had really contemplated making it +such that people should feel at home there. 'Yes, this is a good +country,' said Saint Peter, 'but I think that mine is better.' 'Then +we'll take a look at it,' said our Lord. + +"The land was already finished in the north and east when Saint Peter +began the work, but the southern and western parts; and the whole +interior, he had created all by himself. Now when our Lord came up +there, where Saint Peter had been at work, he was so horrified that he +stopped short and exclaimed: 'What on earth have you been doing with +this land, Saint Peter?' + +"Saint Peter, too, stood and looked around--perfectly astonished. He +had had the idea that nothing could be so good for a land as a great +deal of warmth. Therefore he had gathered together an enormous mass of +stones and mountains, and erected a highland, and this he had done so +that it should be near the sun, and receive much help from the sun's +heat. Over the stone-heaps he had spread a thin layer of soil, and then +he had thought that everything was well arranged. + +"But while he was down in Skane, a couple of heavy showers had come up, +and more was not needed to show what his work amounted to. When our +Lord came to inspect the land, all the soil had been washed away, and +the naked mountain foundation shone forth all over. Where it was about +the best, lay clay and heavy gravel over the rocks, but it looked so +poor that it was easy to understand that hardly anything except spruce +and juniper and moss and heather could grow there. But what there was +plenty of was water. It had filled up all the clefts in the mountain; +and lakes and rivers and brooks; these one saw everywhere, to say +nothing of swamps and morasses, which spread over large tracts. And the +most exasperating thing of all was, that while some tracts had too much +water, it was so scarce in others, that whole fields lay like dry moors, +where sand and earth whirled up in clouds with the least little breeze. + +"'What can have been your meaning in creating such a land as this?' said +our Lord. Saint Peter made excuses, and declared he had wished to build +up a land so high that it should have plenty of warmth from the sun. +'But then you will also get much of the night chill,' said our Lord, +'for that too comes from heaven. I am very much afraid the little that +can grow here will freeze.' + +"This, to be sure, Saint Peter hadn't thought about. + +"'Yes, here it will be a poor and frost-bound land,' said our Lord, 'it +can't be helped.'" + +When little Mats had gotten this far in his story, Osa, the goose-girl, +protested: "I cannot bear, little Mats, to hear you say that it is so +miserable in Smaland," said she. "You forget entirely how much good soil +there is there. Only think of Moere district, by Kalmar Sound! I wonder +where you'll find a richer grain region. There are fields upon fields, +just like here in Skane. The soil is so good that I cannot imagine +anything that couldn't grow there." + +"I can't help that," said little Mats. "I'm only relating what others +have said before." + +"And I have heard many say that there is not a more beautiful coast land +than Tjust. Think of the bays and islets, and the manors, and the +groves!" said Osa. "Yes, that's true enough," little Mats admitted. "And +don't you remember," continued Osa, "the school teacher said that such +a lively and picturesque district as that bit of Smaland which lies +south of Lake Vettern is not to be found in all Sweden? Think of the +beautiful sea and the yellow coast-mountains, and of Grenna and +Joenkoeping, with its match factory, and think of Huskvarna, and all the +big establishments there!" "Yes, that's true enough," said little Mats +once again. "And think of Visingsoe, little Mats, with the ruins and the +oak forests and the legends! Think of the valley through which Eman +flows, with all the villages and flour-mills and sawmills, and the +carpenter shops!" "Yes, that is true enough," said little Mats, and +looked troubled. + +All of a sudden he had looked up. "Now we are pretty stupid," said he. +"All this, of course, lies in our Lord's Smaland, in that part of the +land which was already finished when Saint Peter undertook the job. It's +only natural that it should be pretty and fine there. But in Saint +Peter's Smaland it looks as it says in the legend. And it wasn't +surprising that our Lord was distressed when he saw it," continued +little Mats, as he took up the thread of his story again. "Saint Peter +didn't lose his courage, at all events, but tried to comfort our Lord. +'Don't be so grieved over this!' said he. 'Only wait until I have +created people who can till the swamps and break up fields from the +stone hills.' + +"That was the end of our Lord's patience--and he said: 'No! you can go +down to Skane and make the Skaninge, but the Smalander I will create +myself.' And so our Lord created the Smalander, and made him +quick-witted and contented and happy and thrifty and enterprising and +capable, that he might be able to get his livelihood in his poor +country." + +Then little Mats was silent; and if Nils Holgersson had also kept still, +all would have gone well; but he couldn't possibly refrain from asking +how Saint Peter had succeeded in creating the Skaninge. + +"Well, what do you think yourself?" said little Mats, and looked so +scornful that Nils Holgersson threw himself upon him, to thrash him. But +Mats was only a little tot, and Osa, the goose-girl, who was a year +older than he, ran forward instantly to help him. Good-natured though +she was, she sprang like a lion as soon as anyone touched her brother. +And Nils Holgersson did not care to fight a girl, but turned his back, +and didn't look at those Smaland children for the rest of the day. + + +THE CROWS + + +THE EARTHEN CROCK + +In the southwest corner of Smaland lies a township called Sonnerbo. It +is a rather smooth and even country. And one who sees it in winter, when +it is covered with snow, cannot imagine that there is anything under the +snow but garden-plots, rye-fields and clover-meadows as is generally the +case in flat countries. But, in the beginning of April when the snow +finally melts away in Sonnerbo, it is apparent that that which lies +hidden under it is only dry, sandy heaths, bare rocks, and big, marshy +swamps. There are fields here and there, to be sure, but they are so +small that they are scarcely worth mentioning; and one also finds a few +little red or gray farmhouses hidden away in some beech-coppice--almost +as if they were afraid to show themselves. + +Where Sonnerbo township touches the boundaries of Halland, there is a +sandy heath which is so far-reaching that he who stands upon one edge of +it cannot look across to the other. Nothing except heather grows on the +heath, and it wouldn't be easy either to coax other growths to thrive +there. To start with one would have to uproot the heather; for it is +thus with heather: although it has only a little shrunken root, small +shrunken branches, and dry, shrunken leaves it fancies that it's a tree. +Therefore it acts just like real trees--spreads itself out in forest +fashion over wide areas; holds together faithfully, and causes all +foreign growths that wish to crowd in upon its territory to die out. + +The only place on the heath where the heather is not all-powerful, is a +low, stony ridge which passes over it. There you'll find juniper bushes, +mountain ash, and a few large, fine oaks. At the time when Nils +Holgersson travelled around with the wild geese, a little cabin stood +there, with a bit of cleared ground around it. But the people who had +lived there at one time, had, for some reason or other, moved away. The +little cabin was empty, and the ground lay unused. + +When the tenants left the cabin they closed the damper, fastened the +window-hooks, and locked the door. But no one had thought of the broken +window-pane which was only stuffed with a rag. After the showers of a +couple of summers, the rag had moulded and shrunk, and, finally, a crow +had succeeded in poking it out. + +The ridge on the heather-heath was really not as desolate as one might +think, for it was inhabited by a large crow-folk. Naturally, the crows +did not live there all the year round. They moved to foreign lands in +the winter; in the autumn they travelled from one grain-field to another +all over Goetaland, and picked grain; during the summer, they spread +themselves over the farms in Sonnerbo township, and lived upon eggs and +berries and birdlings; but every spring, when nesting time came, they +came back to the heather-heath. + +The one who had poked the rag from the window was a crow-cock named Garm +Whitefeather; but he was never called anything but Fumle or Drumle, or +out and out Fumle-Drumle, because he always acted awkwardly and +stupidly, and wasn't good for anything except to make fun of. +Fumle-Drumle was bigger and stronger than any of the other crows, but +that didn't help him in the least; he was--and remained--a butt for +ridicule. And it didn't profit him, either, that he came from very good +stock. If everything had gone smoothly, he should have been leader for +the whole flock, because this honour had, from time immemorial, belonged +to the oldest Whitefeather. But long before Fumle-Drumle was born, the +power had gone from his family, and was now wielded by a cruel wild +crow, named Wind-Rush. + +This transference of power was due to the fact that the crows on +crow-ridge desired to change their manner of living. Possibly there are +many who think that everything in the shape of crow lives in the same +way; but this is not so. There are entire crow-folk who lead honourable +lives--that is to say, they only eat grain, worms, caterpillars, and +dead animals; and there are others who lead a regular bandit's life, who +throw themselves upon baby-hares and small birds, and plunder every +single bird's nest they set eyes on. + +The ancient Whitefeathers had been strict and temperate; and as long as +they had led the flock, the crows had been compelled to conduct +themselves in such a way that other birds could speak no ill of them. +But the crows were numerous, and poverty was great among them. They +didn't care to go the whole length of living a strictly moral life, so +they rebelled against the Whitefeathers, and gave the power to +Wind-Rush, who was the worst nest-plunderer and robber that could be +imagined--if his wife, Wind-Air, wasn't worse still. Under their +government the crows had begun to lead such a life that now they were +more feared than pigeon-hawks and leech-owls. + +Naturally, Fumle-Drumle had nothing to say in the flock. The crows were +all of the opinion that he did not in the least take after his +forefathers, and that he wouldn't suit as a leader. No one would have +mentioned him, if he hadn't constantly committed fresh blunders. A few, +who were quite sensible, sometimes said perhaps it was lucky for +Fumle-Drumle that he was such a bungling idiot, otherwise Wind-Rush and +Wind-Air would hardly have allowed him--who was of the old chieftain +stock--to remain with the flock. + +Now, on the other hand, they were rather friendly toward him, and +willingly took him along with them on their hunting expeditions. There +all could observe how much more skilful and daring they were than he. + +None of the crows knew that it was Fumle-Drumle who had pecked the rag +out of the window; and had they known of this, they would have been very +much astonished. Such a thing as daring to approach a human being's +dwelling, they had never believed of him. He kept the thing to himself +very carefully; and he had his own good reasons for it. Wind-Rush always +treated him well in the daytime, and when the others were around; but +one very dark night, when the comrades sat on the night branch, he was +attacked by a couple of crows and nearly murdered. After that he moved +every night, after dark, from his usual sleeping quarters into the empty +cabin. + +Now one afternoon, when the crows had put their nests in order on +crow-ridge, they happened upon a remarkable find. Wind-Rush, +Fumle-Drumle, and a couple of others had flown down into a big hollow in +one corner of the heath. The hollow was nothing but a gravel-pit, but +the crows could not be satisfied with such a simple explanation; they +flew down in it continually, and turned every single sand-grain to get +at the reason why human beings had digged it. While the crows were +pottering around down there, a mass of gravel fell from one side. They +rushed up to it, and had the good fortune to find amongst the fallen +stones and stubble--a large earthen crock, which was locked with a +wooden clasp! Naturally they wanted to know if there was anything in it, +and they tried both to peck holes in the crock, and to bend up the +clasp, but they had no success. + +They stood perfectly helpless and examined the crock, when they heard +someone say: "Shall I come down and assist you crows?" They glanced up +quickly. On the edge of the hollow sat a fox and blinked down at them. +He was one of the prettiest foxes--both in colour and form--that they +had ever seen. The only fault with him was that he had lost an ear. + +"If you desire to do us a service," said Wind-Rush, "we shall not say +nay." At the same time, both he and the others flew up from the hollow. +Then the fox jumped down in their place, bit at the jar, and pulled at +the lock--but he couldn't open it either. + +"Can you make out what there is in it?" said Wind-Rush. The fox rolled +the jar back and forth, and listened attentively. "It must be silver +money," said he. + +This was more than the crows had expected. "Do you think it can be +silver?" said they, and their eyes were ready to pop out of their heads +with greed; for remarkable as it may sound, there is nothing in the +world which crows love as much as silver money. + +"Hear how it rattles!" said the fox and rolled the crock around once +more. "Only I can't understand how we shall get at it." "That will +surely be impossible," said the crows. The fox stood and rubbed his head +against his left leg, and pondered. Now perhaps he might succeed, with +the help of the crows, in becoming master of that little imp who always +eluded him. "Oh! I know someone who could open the crock for you," said +the fox. "Then tell us! Tell us!" cried the crows; and they were so +excited that they tumbled down into the pit. "That I will do, if you'll +first promise me that you will agree to my terms," said he. + +Then the fox told the crows about Thumbietot, and said that if they +could bring him to the heath he would open the crock for them. But in +payment for this counsel, he demanded that they should deliver +Thumbietot to him, as soon as he had gotten the silver money for them. +The crows had no reason to spare Thumbietot, so agreed to the compact at +once. It was easy enough to agree to this; but it was harder to find out +where Thumbietot and the wild geese were stopping. + +Wind-Rush himself travelled away with fifty crows, and said that he +should soon return. But one day after another passed without the crows +on crow-ridge seeing a shadow of him. + +KIDNAPPED BY CROWS + +_Wednesday, April thirteenth_. + +The wild geese were up at daybreak, so they should have time to get +themselves a bite of food before starting out on the journey toward +Oestergoetland. The island in Goosefiord, where they had slept, was small +and barren, but in the water all around it were growths which they could +eat their fill upon. It was worse for the boy, however. He couldn't +manage to find anything eatable. + +As he stood there hungry and drowsy, and looked around in all +directions, his glance fell upon a pair of squirrels, who played upon +the wooded point, directly opposite the rock island. He wondered if the +squirrels still had any of their winter supplies left, and asked the +white goosey-gander to take him over to the point, that he might beg +them for a couple of hazelnuts. + +Instantly the white one swam across the sound with him; but as luck +would have it the squirrels had so much fun chasing each other from tree +to tree, that they didn't bother about listening to the boy. They drew +farther into the grove. He hurried after them, and was soon out of the +goosey-gander's sight--who stayed behind and waited on the shore. + +The boy waded forward between some white anemone-stems--which were so +high they reached to his chin--when he felt that someone caught hold of +him from behind, and tried to lift him up. He turned round and saw that +a crow had grabbed him by the shirt-band. He tried to break loose, but +before this was possible, another crow ran up, gripped him by the +stocking, and knocked him over. + +If Nils Holgersson had immediately cried for help, the white +goosey-gander certainly would have been able to save him; but the boy +probably thought that he could protect himself, unaided, against a +couple of crows. He kicked and struck out, but the crows didn't let go +their hold, and they soon succeeded in raising themselves into the air +with him. To make matters worse, they flew so recklessly that his head +struck against a branch. He received a hard knock over the head, it grew +black before his eyes, and he lost consciousness. + +When he opened his eyes once more, he found himself high above the +ground. He regained his senses slowly; at first he knew neither where he +was, nor what he saw. When he glanced down, he saw that under him was +spread a tremendously big woolly carpet, which was woven in greens and +reds, and in large irregular patterns. The carpet was very thick and +fine, but he thought it was a pity that it had been so badly used. It +was actually ragged; long tears ran through it; in some places large +pieces were torn away. And the strangest of all was that it appeared to +be spread over a mirror floor; for under the holes and tears in the +carpet shone bright and glittering glass. + +The next thing the boy observed was that the sun unrolled itself in the +heavens. Instantly, the mirror-glass under the holes and tears in the +carpet began to shimmer in red and gold. It looked very gorgeous, and +the boy was delighted with the pretty colour-scheme, although he didn't +exactly understand what it was that he saw. But now the crows descended, +and he saw at once that the big carpet under him was the earth, which +was dressed in green and brown cone-trees and naked leaf-trees, and that +the holes and tears were shining fiords and little lakes. + +He remembered that the first time he had travelled up in the air, he +had thought that the earth in Skane looked like a piece of checked +cloth. But this country which resembled a torn carpet--what might this +be? + +He began to ask himself a lot of questions. Why wasn't he sitting on the +goosey-gander's back? Why did a great swarm of crows fly around him? And +why was he being pulled and knocked hither and thither so that he was +about to break to pieces? + +Then, all at once, the whole thing dawned on him. He had been kidnapped +by a couple of crows. The white goosey-gander was still on the shore, +waiting, and to-day the wild geese were going to travel to Oestergoetland. +He was being carried southwest; this he understood because the sun's +disc was behind him. The big forest-carpet which lay beneath him was +surely Smaland. + +"What will become of the goosey-gander now, when I cannot look after +him?" thought the boy, and began to call to the crows to take him back +to the wild geese instantly. He wasn't at all uneasy on his own account. +He believed that they were carrying him off simply in a spirit of +mischief. + +The crows didn't pay the slightest attention to his exhortations, but +flew on as fast as they could. After a bit, one of them flapped his +wings in a manner which meant: "Look out! Danger!" Soon thereafter they +came down in a spruce forest, pushed their way between prickly branches +to the ground, and put the boy down under a thick spruce, where he was +so well concealed that not even a falcon could have sighted him. + +Fifty crows surrounded him, with bills pointed toward him to guard him. +"Now perhaps I may hear, crows, what your purpose is in carrying me +off", said he. But he was hardly permitted to finish the sentence before +a big crow hissed at him: "Keep still! or I'll bore your eyes out." + +It was evident that the crow meant what she said; and there was nothing +for the boy to do but obey. So he sat there and stared at the crows, and +the crows stared at him. + +The longer he looked at them, the less he liked them. It was dreadful +how dusty and unkempt their feather dresses were--as though they knew +neither baths nor oiling. Their toes and claws were grimy with dried-in +mud, and the corners of their mouths were covered with food drippings. +These were very different birds from the wild geese--that he observed. +He thought they had a cruel, sneaky, watchful and bold appearance, just +like cut-throats and vagabonds. + +"It is certainly a real robber-band that I've fallen in with," thought +he. + +Just then he heard the wild geese's call above him. "Where are you? Here +am I. Where are you? Here am I." + +He understood that Akka and the others had gone out to search for him; +but before he could answer them the big crow who appeared to be the +leader of the band hissed in his ear: "Think of your eyes!" And there +was nothing else for him to do but to keep still. + +The wild geese may not have known that he was so near them, but had just +happened, incidentally, to travel over this forest. He heard their call +a couple of times more, then it died away. "Well, now you'll have to get +along by yourself, Nils Holgersson," he said to himself. "Now you must +prove whether you have learned anything during these weeks in the open." + +A moment later the crows gave the signal to break up; and since it was +still their intention, apparently, to carry him along in such a way that +one held on to his shirt-band, and one to a stocking, the boy said: "Is +there not one among you so strong that he can carry me on his back? You +have already travelled so badly with me that I feel as if I were in +pieces. Only let me ride! I'll not jump from the crow's back, that I +promise you." + +"Oh! you needn't think that we care how you have it," said the leader. +But now the largest of the crows--a dishevelled and uncouth one, who had +a white feather in his wing--came forward and said: "It would certainly +be best for all of us, Wind-Rush, if Thumbietot got there whole, rather +than half, and therefore, I shall carry him on my back." "If you can do +it, Fumle-Drumle, I have no objection," said Wind-Rush. "But don't lose +him!" + +With this, much was already gained, and the boy actually felt pleased +again. "There is nothing to be gained by losing my grit because I have +been kidnapped by the crows," thought he. "I'll surely be able to manage +those poor little things." + +The crows continued to fly southwest, over Smaland. It was a glorious +morning--sunny and calm; and the birds down on the earth were singing +their best love songs. In a high, dark forest sat the thrush himself +with drooping wings and swelling throat, and struck up tune after tune. +"How pretty you are! How pretty you are! How pretty you are!" sang he. +"No one is so pretty. No one is so pretty. No one is so pretty." As soon +as he had finished this song, he began it all over again. + +But just then the boy rode over the forest; and when he had heard the +song a couple of times, and marked that the thrush knew no other, he put +both hands up to his mouth as a speaking trumpet, and called down: +"We've heard all this before. We've heard all this before." "Who is it? +Who is it? Who is it? Who makes fun of me?" asked the thrush, and tried +to catch a glimpse of the one who called. "It is Kidnapped-by-Crows who +makes fun of your song," answered the boy. At that, the crow-chief +turned his head and said: "Be careful of your eyes, Thumbietot!" But the +boy thought, "Oh! I don't care about that. I want to show you that I'm +not afraid of you!" + +Farther and farther inland they travelled; and there were woods and +lakes everywhere. In a birch-grove sat the wood-dove on a naked branch, +and before him stood the lady-dove. He blew up his feathers, cocked his +head, raised and lowered his body, until the breast-feathers rattled +against the branch. All the while he cooed: "Thou, thou, thou art the +loveliest in all the forest. No one in the forest is so lovely as thou, +thou, thou!" + +But up in the air the boy rode past, and when he heard Mr. Dove he +couldn't keep still. "Don't you believe him! Don't you believe him!" +cried he. + +"Who, who, who is it that lies about me?" cooed Mr. Dove, and tried to +get a sight of the one who shrieked at him. "It is Caught-by-Crows that +lies about you," replied the boy. Again Wind-Rush turned his head toward +the boy and commanded him to shut up, but Fumle-Drumle, who was carrying +him, said: "Let him chatter, then all the little birds will think that +we crows have become quick-witted and funny birds." "Oh! they're not +such fools, either," said Wind-Rush; but he liked the idea just the +same, for after that he let the boy call out as much as he liked. + +They flew mostly over forests and woodlands, but there were churches and +parishes and little cabins in the outskirts of the forest. In one place +they saw a pretty old manor. It lay with the forest back of it, and the +sea in front of it; had red walls and a turreted roof; great sycamores +about the grounds, and big, thick gooseberry-bushes in the orchard. On +the top of the weathercock sat the starling, and sang so loud that every +note was heard by the wife, who sat on an egg in the heart of a pear +tree. "We have four pretty little eggs," sang the starling. "We have +four pretty little round eggs. We have the whole nest filled with fine +eggs." + +When the starling sang the song for the thousandth time, the boy rode +over the place. He put his hands up to his mouth, as a pipe, and called: +"The magpie will get them. The magpie will get them." + +"Who is it that wants to frighten me?" asked the starling, and flapped +his wings uneasily. "It is Captured-by-Crows that frightens you," said +the boy. This time the crow-chief didn't attempt to hush him up. +Instead, both he and his flock were having so much fun that they cawed +with satisfaction. + +The farther inland they came, the larger were the lakes, and the more +plentiful were the islands and points. And on a lake-shore stood a drake +and kowtowed before the duck. "I'll be true to you all the days of my +life. I'll be true to you all the days of my life," said the drake. "It +won't last until the summer's end," shrieked the boy. "Who are you?" +called the drake. "My name's Stolen-by-Crows," shrieked the boy. + +At dinner time the crows lighted in a food-grove. They walked about and +procured food for themselves, but none of them thought about giving the +boy anything. Then Fumle-Drumle came riding up to the chief with a +dog-rose branch, with a few dried buds on it. "Here's something for you, +Wind-Rush," said he. "This is pretty food, and suitable for you." +Wind-Rush sniffed contemptuously. "Do you think that I want to eat old, +dry buds?" said he. "And I who thought that you would be pleased with +them!" said Fumle-Drumle; and threw away the dog-rose branch as if in +despair. But it fell right in front of the boy, and he wasn't slow about +grabbing it and eating until he was satisfied. + +When the crows had eaten, they began to chatter. "What are you thinking +about, Wind-Rush? You are so quiet to-day," said one of them to the +leader. "I'm thinking that in this district there lived, once upon a +time, a hen, who was very fond of her mistress; and in order to really +please her, she went and laid a nest full of eggs, which she hid under +the store-house floor. The mistress of the house wondered, of course, +where the hen was keeping herself such a long time. She searched for +her, but did not find her. Can you guess, Longbill, who it was that +found her and the eggs?" + +"I think I can guess it, Wind-Rush, but when you have told about this, I +will tell you something like it. Do you remember the big, black cat in +Hinneryd's parish house? She was dissatisfied because they always took +the new-born kittens from her, and drowned them. Just once did she +succeed in keeping them concealed, and that was when she had laid them +in a haystack, out doors. She was pretty well pleased with those young +kittens, but I believe that I got more pleasure out of them than she +did." + +Now they became so excited that they all talked at once. "What kind of +an accomplishment is that--to steal little kittens?" said one. "I once +chased a young hare who was almost full-grown. That meant to follow him +from covert to covert." He got no further before another took the words +from him. "It may be fun, perhaps, to annoy hens and cats, but I find it +still more remarkable that a crow can worry a human being. I once stole +a silver spoon--" + +But now the boy thought he was too good to sit and listen to such +gabble. "Now listen to me, you crows!" said he. "I think you ought to +be ashamed of yourselves to talk about all your wickedness. I have lived +amongst wild geese for three weeks, and of them I have never heard or +seen anything but good. You must have a bad chief, since he permits you +to rob and murder in this way. You ought to begin to lead new lives, for +I can tell you that human beings have grown so tired of your wickedness +they are trying with all their might to root you out. And then there +will soon be an end of you." + +When Wind-Rush and the crows heard this, they were so furious that they +intended to throw themselves upon him and tear him in pieces. But +Fumle-Drumle laughed and cawed, and stood in front of him. "Oh, no, no!" +said he, and seemed absolutely terrified. "What think you that Wind-Air +will say if you tear Thumbietot in pieces before he has gotten that +silver money for us?" "It has to be you, Fumle-Drumle, that's afraid of +women-folk," said Rush. But, at any rate, both he and the others left +Thumbietot in peace. + +Shortly after that the crows went further. Until now the boy thought +that Smaland wasn't such a poor country as he had heard. Of course it +was woody and full of mountain-ridges, but alongside the islands and +lakes lay cultivated grounds, and any real desolation he hadn't come +upon. But the farther inland they came, the fewer were the villages and +cottages. Toward the last, he thought that he was riding over a +veritable wilderness where he saw nothing but swamps and heaths and +juniper-hills. + +The sun had gone down, but it was still perfect daylight when the crows +reached the large heather-heath. Wind-Rush sent a crow on ahead, to say +that he had met with success; and when it was known, Wind-Air, with +several hundred crows from Crow-Ridge, flew to meet the arrivals. In the +midst of the deafening cawing which the crows emitted, Fumle-Drumle said +to the boy: "You have been so comical and so jolly during the trip that +I am really fond of you. Therefore I want to give you some good advice. +As soon as we light, you'll be requested to do a bit of work which may +seem very easy to you; but beware of doing it!" + +Soon thereafter Fumle-Drumle put Nils Holgersson down in the bottom of +a sandpit. The boy flung himself down, rolled over, and lay there as +though he was simply done up with fatigue. Such a lot of crows fluttered +about him that the air rustled like a wind-storm, but he didn't look up. + +"Thumbietot," said Wind-Rush, "get up now! You shall help us with a +matter which will be very easy for you." + +The boy didn't move, but pretended to be asleep. Then Wind-Rush took him +by the arm, and dragged him over the sand to an earthen crock of +old-time make, that was standing in the pit. "Get up, Thumbietot," said +he, "and open this crock!" "Why can't you let me sleep?" said the boy. +"I'm too tired to do anything to-night. Wait until to-morrow!" + +"Open the crock!" said Wind-Rush, shaking him. "How shall a poor little +child be able to open such a crock? Why, it's quite as large as I am +myself." "Open it!" commanded Wind-Rush once more, "or it will be a +sorry thing for you." The boy got up, tottered over to the crock, +fumbled the clasp, and let his arms fall. "I'm not usually so weak," +said he. "If you will only let me sleep until morning, I think that I'll +be able to manage with that clasp." + +But Wind-Rush was impatient, and he rushed forward and pinched the boy +in the leg. That sort of treatment the boy didn't care to suffer from a +crow. He jerked himself loose quickly, ran a couple of paces backward, +drew his knife from the sheath, and held it extended in front of him. +"You'd better be careful!" he cried to Wind-Rush. + +This one too was so enraged that he didn't dodge the danger. He rushed +at the boy, just as though he'd been blind, and ran so straight against +the knife, that it entered through his eye into the head. The boy drew +the knife back quickly, but Wind-Rush only struck out with his wings, +then he fell down--dead. + +"Wind-Rush is dead! The stranger has killed our chieftain, Wind-Rush!" +cried the nearest crows, and then there was a terrible uproar. Some +wailed, others cried for vengeance. They all ran or fluttered up to the +boy, with Fumle-Drumle in the lead. But he acted badly as usual. He only +fluttered and spread his wings over the boy, and prevented the others +from coming forward and running their bills into him. + +The boy thought that things looked very bad for him now. He couldn't run +away from the crows, and there was no place where he could hide. Then he +happened to think of the earthen crock. He took a firm hold on the +clasp, and pulled it off. Then he hopped into the crock to hide in it. +But the crock was a poor hiding place, for it was nearly filled to the +brim with little, thin silver coins. The boy couldn't get far enough +down, so he stooped and began to throw out the coins. + +Until now the crows had fluttered around him in a thick swarm and pecked +at him, but when he threw out the coins they immediately forgot their +thirst for vengeance, and hurried to gather the money. The boy threw out +handfuls of it, and all the crows--yes, even Wind-Air herself--picked +them up. And everyone who succeeded in picking up a coin ran off to the +nest with the utmost speed to conceal it. + +When the boy had thrown out all the silver pennies from the crock he +glanced up. Not more than a single crow was left in the sandpit. That +was Fumle-Drumle, with the white feather in his wing; he who had carried +Thumbietot. "You have rendered me a greater service than you +understand," said the crow--with a very different voice, and a different +intonation than the one he had used heretofore--"and I want to save your +life. Sit down on my back, and I'll take you to a hiding place where you +can be secure for to-night. To-morrow, I'll arrange it so that you will +get back to the wild geese." + +THE CABIN + +_Thursday, April fourteenth_. + +The following morning when the boy awoke, he lay in a bed. When he saw +that he was in a house with four walls around him, and a roof over him, +he thought that he was at home. "I wonder if mother will come soon with +some coffee," he muttered to himself where he lay half-awake. Then he +remembered that he was in a deserted cabin on the crow-ridge, and that +Fumle-Drumle with the white feather had borne him there the night +before. + +The boy was sore all over after the journey he had made the day before, +and he thought it was lovely to lie still while he waited for +Fumle-Drumle who had promised to come and fetch him. + +Curtains of checked cotton hung before the bed, and he drew them aside +to look out into the cabin. It dawned upon him instantly that he had +never seen the mate to a cabin like this. The walls consisted of nothing +but a couple of rows of logs; then the roof began. There was no interior +ceiling, so he could look clear up to the roof-tree. The cabin was so +small that it appeared to have been built rather for such as he than for +real people. However, the fireplace and chimney were so large, he +thought that he had never seen larger. The entrance door was in a +gable-wall at the side of the fireplace, and was so narrow that it was +more like a wicket than a door. In the other gable-wall he saw a low and +broad window with many panes. There was scarcely any movable furniture +in the cabin. The bench on one side, and the table under the window, +were also stationary--also the big bed where he lay, and the +many-coloured cupboard. + +The boy could not help wondering who owned the cabin, and why it was +deserted. It certainly looked as though the people who had lived there +expected to return. The coffee-urn and the gruel-pot stood on the +hearth, and there was some wood in the fireplace; the oven-rake and +baker's peel stood in a corner; the spinning wheel was raised on a +bench; on the shelf over the window lay oakum and flax, a couple of +skeins of yarn, a candle, and a bunch of matches. + +Yes, it surely looked as if those who had lived there had intended to +come back. There were bed-clothes on the bed; and on the walls there +still hung long strips of cloth, upon which three riders named Kasper, +Melchior, and Baltasar were painted. The same horses and riders were +pictured many times. They rode around the whole cabin, and continued +their ride even up toward the joists. + +But in the roof the boy saw something which brought him to his senses in +a jiffy. It was a couple of loaves of big bread-cakes that hung there +upon a spit. They looked old and mouldy, but it was bread all the same. +He gave them a knock with the oven-rake and one piece fell to the floor. +He ate, and stuffed his bag full. It was incredible how good bread was, +anyway. + +He looked around the cabin once more, to try and discover if there was +anything else which he might find useful to take along. "I may as well +take what I need, since no one else cares about it," thought he. But +most of the things were too big and heavy. The only things that he +could carry might be a few matches perhaps. + +He clambered up on the table, and swung with the help of the curtains up +to the window-shelf. While he stood there and stuffed the matches into +his bag, the crow with the white feather came in through the window. +"Well here I am at last," said Fumle-Drumle as he lit on the table. "I +couldn't get here any sooner because we crows have elected a new +chieftain in Wind-Rush's place." "Whom have you chosen?" said the boy. +"Well, we have chosen one who will not permit robbery and injustice. We +have elected Garm Whitefeather, lately called Fumle-Drumle," answered +he, drawing himself up until he looked absolutely regal. "That was a +good choice," said the boy and congratulated him. "You may well wish me +luck," said Garm; then he told the boy about the time they had had with +Wind-Rush and Wind-Air. + +During this recital the boy heard a voice outside the window which he +thought sounded familiar. "Is he here?"--inquired the fox. "Yes, he's +hidden in there," answered a crow-voice. "Be careful, Thumbietot!" cried +Garm. "Wind-Air stands without with that fox who wants to eat you." More +he didn't have time to say, for Smirre dashed against the window. The +old, rotten window-frame gave way, and the next second Smirre stood upon +the window-table. Garm Whitefeather, who didn't have time to fly away, +he killed instantly. Thereupon he jumped down to the floor, and looked +around for the boy. He tried to hide behind a big oakum-spiral, but +Smirre had already spied him, and was crouched for the final spring. The +cabin was so small, and so low, the boy understood that the fox could +reach him without the least difficulty. But just at that moment the boy +was not without weapons of defence. He struck a match quickly, touched +the curtains, and when they were in flames, he threw them down upon +Smirre Fox. When the fire enveloped the fox, he was seized with a mad +terror. He thought no more about the boy, but rushed wildly out of the +cabin. + +But it looked as if the boy had escaped one danger to throw himself into +a greater one. From the tuft of oakum which he had flung at Smirre the +fire had spread to the bed-hangings. He jumped down and tried to smother +it, but it blazed too quickly now. The cabin was soon filled with smoke, +and Smirre Fox, who had remained just outside the window, began to grasp +the state of affairs within. "Well, Thumbietot," he called out, "which +do you choose now: to be broiled alive in there, or to come out here to +me? Of course, I should prefer to have the pleasure of eating you; but +in whichever way death meets you it will be dear to me." + +The boy could not think but what the fox was right, for the fire was +making rapid headway. The whole bed was now in a blaze, and smoke rose +from the floor; and along the painted wall-strips the fire crept from +rider to rider. The boy jumped up in the fireplace, and tried to open +the oven door, when he heard a key which turned around slowly in the +lock. It must be human beings coming. And in the dire extremity in which +he found himself, he was not afraid, but only glad. He was already on +the threshold when the door opened. He saw a couple of children facing +him; but how they looked when they saw the cabin in flames, he took no +time to find out; but rushed past them into the open. + +He didn't dare run far. He knew, of course, that Smirre Fox lay in wait +for him, and he understood that he must remain near the children. He +turned round to see what sort of folk they were, but he hadn't looked at +them a second before he ran up to them and cried: "Oh, good-day, Osa +goose-girl! Oh, good-day, little Mats!" + +For when the boy saw those children he forgot entirely where he was. +Crows and burning cabin and talking animals had vanished from his +memory. He was walking on a stubble-field, in West Vemminghoeg, tending a +goose-flock; and beside him, on the field, walked those same Smaland +children, with their geese. As soon as he saw them, he ran up on the +stone-hedge and shouted: "Oh, good-day, Osa goose-girl! Oh, good-day, +little Mats!" + +But when the children saw such a little creature coming up to them with +outstretched hands, they grabbed hold of each other, took a couple of +steps backward, and looked scared to death. + +When the boy noticed their terror he woke up and remembered who he was. +And then it seemed to him that nothing worse could happen to him than +that those children should see how he had been bewitched. Shame and +grief because he was no longer a human being overpowered him. He turned +and fled. He knew not whither. + +But a glad meeting awaited the boy when he came down to the heath. For +there, in the heather, he spied something white, and toward him came the +white goosey-gander, accompanied by Dunfin. When the white one saw the +boy running with such speed, he thought that dreadful fiends were +pursuing him. He flung him in all haste upon his back and flew off with +him. + + +THE OLD PEASANT WOMAN + + +_Thursday, April fourteenth_. + +Three tired wanderers were out in the late evening in search of a night +harbour. They travelled over a poor and desolate portion of northern +Smaland. But the sort of resting place which they wanted, they should +have been able to find; for they were no weaklings who asked for soft +beds or comfortable rooms. "If one of these long mountain-ridges had a +peak so high and steep that a fox couldn't in any way climb up to it, +then we should have a good sleeping-place," said one of them. "If a +single one of the big swamps was thawed out, and was so marshy and wet +that a fox wouldn't dare venture out on it, this, too, would be a right +good night harbour," said the second. "If the ice on one of the large +lakes we travel past were loose, so that a fox could not come out on +it, then we should have found just what we are seeking," said the third. + +The worst of it was that when the sun had gone down, two of the +travellers became so sleepy that every second they were ready to fall to +the ground. The third one, who could keep himself awake, grew more and +more uneasy as night approached. "Then it was a misfortune that we came +to a land where lakes and swamps are frozen, so that a fox can get +around everywhere. In other places the ice has melted away; but now +we're well up in the very coldest Smaland, where spring has not as yet +arrived. I don't know how I shall ever manage to find a good +sleeping-place! Unless I find some spot that is well protected, Smirre +Fox will be upon us before morning." + +He gazed in all directions, but he saw no shelter where he could lodge. +It was a dark and chilly night, with wind and drizzle. It grew more +terrible and disagreeable around him every second. + +This may sound strange, perhaps, but the travellers didn't seem to have +the least desire to ask for house-room on any farm. They had already +passed many parishes without knocking at a single door. Little hillside +cabins on the outskirts of the forests, which all poor wanderers are +glad to run across, they took no notice of either. One might almost be +tempted to say they deserved to have a hard time of it, since they did +not seek help where it was to be had for the asking. + +But finally, when it was so dark that there was scarcely a glimmer of +light left under the skies and the two who needed sleep journeyed on in +a kind of half-sleep, they happened into a farmyard which was a long way +off from all neighbours. And not only did it lie there desolate, but it +appeared to be uninhabited as well. No smoke rose from the chimney; no +light shone through the windows; no human being moved on the place. When +the one among the three who could keep awake, saw the place, he thought: +"Now come what may, we must try to get in here. Anything better we are +not likely to find." + +Soon after that, all three stood in the house-yard. Two of them fell +asleep the instant they stood still, but the third looked about him +eagerly, to find where they could get under cover. It was not a small +farm. Beside the dwelling house and stable and smoke-house, there were +long ranges with granaries and storehouses and cattlesheds. But it all +looked awfully poor and dilapidated. The houses had gray, moss-grown, +leaning walls, which seemed ready to topple over. In the roofs were +yawning holes, and the doors hung aslant on broken hinges. It was +apparent that no one had taken the trouble to drive a nail into a wall +on this place for a long time. + +Meanwhile, he who was awake had figured out which house was the cowshed. +He roused his travelling companions from their sleep, and conducted them +to the cowshed door. Luckily, this was not fastened with anything but a +hook, which he could easily push up with a rod. He heaved a sigh of +relief at the thought that they should soon be in safety. But when the +cowshed door swung open with a sharp creaking, he heard a cow begin to +bellow. "Are you coming at last, mistress?" said she. "I thought that +you didn't propose to give me any supper to-night." + +The one who was awake stopped in the doorway, absolutely terrified when +he discovered that the cowshed was not empty. But he soon saw that there +was not more than one cow, and three or four chickens; and then he took +courage again. "We are three poor travellers who want to come in +somewhere, where no fox can assail us, and no human being capture us," +said he. "We wonder if this can be a good place for us." "I cannot +believe but what it is," answered the cow. "To be sure the walls are +poor, but the fox does not walk through them as yet; and no one lives +here except an old peasant woman, who isn't at all likely to make a +captive of anyone. But who are you?" she continued, as she twisted in +her stall to get a sight of the newcomers. "I am Nils Holgersson from +Vemminghoeg, who has been transformed into an elf," replied the first of +the incomers, "and I have with me a tame goose, whom I generally ride, +and a gray goose." "Such rare guests have never before been within my +four walls," said the cow, "and you shall be welcome, although I would +have preferred that it had been my mistress, come to give me my supper." + +The boy led the geese into the cowshed, which was rather large, and +placed them in an empty manger, where they fell asleep instantly. For +himself, he made a little bed of straw and expected that he, too, should +go to sleep at once. + +But this was impossible, for the poor cow, who hadn't had her supper, +wasn't still an instant. She shook her flanks, moved around in the +stall, and complained of how hungry she was. The boy couldn't get a wink +of sleep, but lay there and lived over all the things that had happened +to him during these last days. + +He thought of Osa, the goose-girl, and little Mats, whom he had +encountered so unexpectedly; and he fancied that the little cabin which +he had set on fire must have been their old home in Smaland. Now he +recalled that he had heard them speak of just such a cabin, and of the +big heather-heath which lay below it. Now Osa and Mats had wandered back +there to see their old home again, and then, when they had reached it, +it was in flames. + +It was indeed a great sorrow which he had brought upon them, and it hurt +him very much. If he ever again became a human being, he would try to +compensate them for the damage and miscalculation. + +Then his thoughts wandered to the crows. And when he thought of +Fumle-Drumle who had saved his life, and had met his own death so soon +after he had been elected chieftain, he was so distressed that tears +filled his eyes. He had had a pretty rough time of it these last few +days. But, anyway, it was a rare stroke of luck that the goosey-gander +and Dunfin had found him. The goosey-gander had said that as soon as the +geese discovered that Thumbietot had disappeared, they had asked all +the small animals in the forest about him. They soon learned that a +flock of Smaland crows had carried him off. But the crows were already +out of sight, and whither they had directed their course no one had been +able to say. That they might find the boy as soon as possible, Akka had +commanded the wild geese to start out--two and two--in different +directions, to search for him. But after a two days' hunt, whether or +not they had found him, they were to meet in northwestern Smaland on a +high mountain-top, which resembled an abrupt, chopped-off tower, and was +called Taberg. After Akka had given them the best directions, and +described carefully how they should find Taberg, they had separated. + +The white goosey-gander had chosen Dunfin as travelling companion, and +they had flown about hither and thither with the greatest anxiety for +Thumbietot. During this ramble they had heard a thrush, who sat in a +tree-top, cry and wail that someone, who called himself +Kidnapped-by-Crows, had made fun of him. They had talked with the +thrush, and he had shown them in which direction that Kidnapped-by-Crows +had travelled. Afterward, they had met a dove-cock, a starling and a +drake; they had all wailed about a little culprit who had disturbed +their song, and who was named Caught-by-Crows, Captured-by-Crows, and +Stolen-by-Crows. In this way, they were enabled to trace Thumbietot all +the way to the heather-heath in Sonnerbo township. + +As soon as the goosey-gander and Dunfin had found Thumbietot, they had +started toward the north, in order to reach Taberg. But it had been a +long road to travel, and the darkness was upon them before they had +sighted the mountain top. "If we only get there by to-morrow, surely all +our troubles will be over," thought the boy, and dug down into the straw +to have it warmer. All the while the cow fussed and fumed in the stall. +Then, all of a sudden, she began to talk to the boy. "Everything is +wrong with me," said the cow. "I am neither milked nor tended. I have no +night fodder in my manger, and no bed has been made under me. My +mistress came here at dusk, to put things in order for me, but she felt +so ill, that she had to go in soon again, and she has not returned." + +"It's distressing that I should be little and powerless," said the boy. +"I don't believe that I am able to help you." "You can't make me believe +that you are powerless because you are little," said the cow. "All the +elves that I've ever heard of, were so strong that they could pull a +whole load of hay and strike a cow dead with one fist." The boy couldn't +help laughing at the cow. "They were a very different kind of elf from +me," said he. "But I'll loosen your halter and open the door for you, so +that you can go out and drink in one of the pools on the place, and then +I'll try to climb up to the hayloft and throw down some hay in your +manger." "Yes, that would be some help," said the cow. + +The boy did as he had said; and when the cow stood with a full manger in +front of her, he thought that at last he should get some sleep. But he +had hardly crept down in the bed before she began, anew, to talk to him. + +"You'll be clean put out with me if I ask you for one thing more," said +the cow. "Oh, no I won't, if it's only something that I'm able to do," +said the boy. "Then I will ask you to go into the cabin, directly +opposite, and find out how my mistress is getting along. I fear some +misfortune has come to her." "No! I can't do that," said the boy. "I +dare not show myself before human beings." "'Surely you're not afraid of +an old and sick woman," said the cow. "But you do not need to go into +the cabin. Just stand outside the door and peep in through the crack!" +"Oh! if that is all you ask of me, I'll do it of course," said the boy. + +With that he opened the cowshed door and went out in the yard. It was a +fearful night! Neither moon nor stars shone; the wind blew a gale, and +the rain came down in torrents. And the worst of all was that seven +great owls sat in a row on the eaves of the cabin. It was awful just to +hear them, where they sat and grumbled at the weather; but it was even +worse to think what would happen to him if one of them should set eyes +on him. That would be the last of him. + +"Pity him who is little!" said the boy as he ventured out in the yard. +And he had a right to say this, for he was blown down twice before he +got to the house: once the wind swept him into a pool, which was so deep +that he came near drowning. But he got there nevertheless. + +He clambered up a pair of steps, scrambled over a threshold, and came +into the hallway. The cabin door was closed, but down in one corner a +large piece had been cut away, that the cat might go in and out. It was +no difficulty whatever for the boy to see how things were in the cabin. + +He had hardly cast a glance in there before he staggered back and turned +his head away. An old, gray-haired woman lay stretched out on the floor +within. She neither moved nor moaned; and her face shone strangely +white. It was as if an invisible moon had thrown a feeble light over it. + +The boy remembered that when his grandfather had died, his face had also +become so strangely white-like. And he understood that the old woman who +lay on the cabin floor must be dead. Death had probably come to her so +suddenly that she didn't even have time to lie down on her bed. + +As he thought of being alone with the dead in the middle of the dark +night, he was terribly afraid. He threw himself headlong down the steps, +and rushed back to the cowshed. + +When he told the cow what he had seen in the cabin, she stopped eating. +"So my mistress is dead," said she. "Then it will soon be over for me +as well." "There will always be someone to look out for you," said the +boy comfortingly. "Ah! you don't know," said the cow, "that I am already +twice as old as a cow usually is before she is laid upon the +slaughter-bench. But then I do not care to live any longer, since she, +in there, can come no more to care for me." + +She said nothing more for a while, but the boy observed, no doubt, that +she neither slept nor ate. It was not long before she began to speak +again. "Is she lying on the bare floor?" she asked. "She is," said the +boy. "She had a habit of coming out to the cowshed," she continued, "and +talking about everything that troubled her. I understood what she said, +although I could not answer her. These last few days she talked of how +afraid she was lest there would be no one with her when she died. She +was anxious for fear no one should close her eyes and fold her hands +across her breast, after she was dead. Perhaps you'll go in and do +this?" The boy hesitated. He remembered that when his grandfather had +died, mother had been very careful about putting everything to rights. +He knew this was something which had to be done. But, on the other hand, +he felt that he didn't care go to the dead, in the ghastly night. He +didn't say no; neither did he take a step toward the cowshed door. For a +couple of seconds the old cow was silent--just as if she had expected an +answer. But when the boy said nothing, she did not repeat her request. +Instead, she began to talk with him of her mistress. + +There was much to tell, first and foremost, about all the children which +she had brought up. They had been in the cowshed every day, and in the +summer they had taken the cattle to pasture on the swamp and in the +groves, so the old cow knew all about them. They had been splendid, all +of them, and happy and industrious. A cow knew well enough what her +caretakers were good for. + +There was also much to be said about the farm. It had not always been as +poor as it was now. It was very large--although the greater part of it +consisted of swamps and stony groves. There was not much room for +fields, but there was plenty of good fodder everywhere. At one time +there had been a cow for every stall in the cowshed; and the oxshed, +which was now empty, had at one time been filled with oxen. And then +there was life and gayety, both in cabin and cowhouse. When the mistress +opened the cowshed door she would hum and sing, and all the cows lowed +with gladness when they heard her coming. + +But the good man had died when the children were so small that they +could not be of any assistance, and the mistress had to take charge of +the farm, and all the work and responsibility. She had been as strong as +a man, and had both ploughed and reaped. In the evenings, when she came +into the cowshed to milk, sometimes she was so tired that she wept. Then +she dashed away her tears, and was cheerful again. "It doesn't matter. +Good times are coming again for me too, if only my children grow up. +Yes, if they only grow up." + +But as soon as the children were grown, a strange longing came over +them. They didn't want to stay at home, but went away to a strange +country. Their mother never got any help from them. A couple of her +children were married before they went away, and they had left their +children behind, in the old home. And now these children followed the +mistress in the cowshed, just as her own had done. They tended the cows, +and were fine, good folk. And, in the evenings, when the mistress was so +tired out that she could fall asleep in the middle of the milking, she +would rouse herself again to renewed courage by thinking of them. "Good +times are coming for me, too," said she--and shook off sleep--"when once +they are grown." + +But when these children grew up, they went away to their parents in the +strange land. No one came back--no one stayed at home--the old mistress +was left alone on the farm. + +Probably she had never asked them to remain with her. "Think you, +Roedlinna, that I would ask them to stay here with me, when they can go +out in the world and have things comfortable?" she would say as she +stood in the stall with the old cow. "Here in Smaland they have only +poverty to look forward to." + +But when the last grandchild was gone, it was all up with the mistress. +All at once she became bent and gray, and tottered as she walked; as if +she no longer had the strength to move about. She stopped working. She +did not care to look after the farm, but let everything go to rack and +ruin. She didn't repair the houses; and she sold both the cows and the +oxen. The only one that she kept was the old cow who now talked with +Thumbietot. Her she let live because all the children had tended her. + +She could have taken maids and farm-hands into her service, who would +have helped her with the work, but she couldn't bear to see strangers +around her, since her own had deserted her. Perhaps she was better +satisfied to let the farm go to ruin, since none of her children were +coming back to take it after she was gone. She did not mind that she +herself became poor, because she didn't value that which was only hers. +But she was troubled lest the children should find out how hard she had +it. "If only the children do not hear of this! If only the children do +not hear of this!" she sighed as she tottered through the cowhouse. + +The children wrote constantly, and begged her to come out to them; but +this she did not wish. She didn't want to see the land that had taken +them from her. She was angry with it. "It's foolish of me, perhaps, that +I do not like that land which has been so good for them," said she. "But +I don't want to see it." + +She never thought of anything but the children, and of this--that they +must needs have gone. When summer came, she led the cow out to graze in +the big swamp. All day she would sit on the edge of the swamp, her hands +in her lap; and on the way home she would say: "You see, Roedlinna, if +there had been large, rich fields here, in place of these barren swamps, +then there would have been no need for them to leave." + +She could become furious with the swamp which spread out so big, and did +no good. She could sit and talk about how it was the swamp's fault that +the children had left her. + +This last evening she had been more trembly and feeble than ever before. +She could not even do the milking. She had leaned against the manger +and talked about two strangers who had been to see her, and had asked if +they might buy the swamp. They wanted to drain it, and sow and raise +grain on it. This had made her both anxious and glad. "Do you hear, +Roedlinna," she had said, "do you hear they said that grain can grow on +the swamp? Now I shall write to the children to come home. Now they'll +not have to stay away any longer; for now they can get their bread here +at home." It was this that she had gone into the cabin to do-- + +The boy heard no more of what the old cow said. He had opened the +cowhouse door and gone across the yard, and in to the dead whom he had +but lately been so afraid of. + +It was not so poor in the cabin as he had expected. It was well supplied +with the sort of things one generally finds among those who have +relatives in America. In a corner there was an American rocking chair; +on the table before the window lay a brocaded plush cover; there was a +pretty spread on the bed; on the walls, in carved-wood frames, hung the +photographs of the children and grandchildren who had gone away; on the +bureau stood high vases and a couple of candlesticks, with thick, spiral +candles in them. + +The boy searched for a matchbox and lighted these candles, not because +he needed more light than he already had; but because he thought that +this was one way to honour the dead. + +Then he went up to her, closed her eyes, folded her hands across her +breast, and stroked back the thin gray hair from her face. + +He thought no more about being afraid of her. He was so deeply grieved +because she had been forced to live out her old age in loneliness and +longing. He, at least, would watch over her dead body this night. + +He hunted up the psalm book, and seated himself to read a couple of +psalms in an undertone. But in the middle of the reading he +paused--because he had begun to think about his mother and father. + +Think, that parents can long so for their children! This he had never +known. Think, that life can be as though it was over for them when the +children are away! Think, if those at home longed for him in the same +way that this old peasant woman had longed! + +This thought made him happy, but he dared not believe in it. He had not +been such a one that anybody could long for him. + +But what he had not been, perhaps he could become. + +Round about him he saw the portraits of those who were away. They were +big, strong men and women with earnest faces. There were brides in long +veils, and gentlemen in fine clothes; and there were children with waved +hair and pretty white dresses. And he thought that they all stared +blindly into vacancy--and did not want to see. + +"Poor you!" said the boy to the portraits. "Your mother is dead. You +cannot make reparation now, because you went away from her. But my +mother is living!" + +Here he paused, and nodded and smiled to himself. "My mother is living," +said he. "Both father and mother are living." + + +FROM TABERG TO HUSKVARNA + + +_Friday, April fifteenth_. + +The boy sat awake nearly all night, but toward morning he fell asleep +and then he dreamed of his father and mother. He could hardly recognise +them. They had both grown gray, and had old and wrinkled faces. He asked +how this had come about, and they answered that they had aged so because +they had longed for him. He was both touched and astonished, for he had +never believed but what they were glad to be rid of him. + +When the boy awoke the morning was come, with fine, clear weather. +First, he himself ate a bit of bread which he found in the cabin; then +he gave morning feed to both geese and cow, and opened the cowhouse door +so that the cow could go over to the nearest farm. When the cow came +along all by herself the neighbours would no doubt understand that +something was wrong with her mistress. They would hurry over to the +desolate farm to see how the old woman was getting along, and then they +would find her dead body and bury it. + +The boy and the geese had barely raised themselves into the air, when +they caught a glimpse of a high mountain, with almost perpendicular +walls, and an abrupt, broken-off top; and they understood that this +must be Taberg. On the summit stood Akka, with Yksi and Kaksi, Kolmi and +Neljae, Viisi and Knusi, and all six goslings and waited for them. There +was a rejoicing, and a cackling, and a fluttering, and a calling which +no one can describe, when they saw that the goosey-gander and Dunfin had +succeeded in finding Thumbietot. + +The woods grew pretty high up on Taberg's sides, but her highest peak +was barren; and from there one could look out in all directions. If one +gazed toward the east, or south, or west, then there was hardly anything +to be seen but a poor highland with dark spruce-trees, brown morasses, +ice-clad lakes, and bluish mountain-ridges. The boy couldn't keep from +thinking it was true that the one who had created this hadn't taken very +great pains with his work, but had thrown it together in a hurry. But if +one glanced to the north, it was altogether different. Here it looked as +if it had been worked out with the utmost care and affection. In this +direction one saw only beautiful mountains, soft valleys, and winding +rivers, all the way to the big Lake Vettern, which lay ice-free and +transparently clear, and shone as if it wasn't filled with water but +with blue light. + +It was Vettern that made it so pretty to look toward the north, because +it looked as though a blue stream had risen up from the lake, and spread +itself over land also. Groves and hills and roofs, and the spires of +Joenkoeping City--which shimmered along Vettern's shores--lay enveloped in +pale blue which caressed the eye. If there were countries in heaven, +they, too, must be blue like this, thought the boy, and imagined that he +had gotten a faint idea of how it must look in Paradise. + +Later in the day, when the geese continued their journey, they flew up +toward the blue valley. They were in holiday humour; shrieked and made +such a racket that no one who had ears could help hearing them. + +This happened to be the first really fine spring day they had had in +this section. Until now, the spring had done its work under rain and +bluster; and now, when it had all of a sudden become fine weather, the +people were filled with such a longing after summer warmth and green +woods that they could hardly perform their tasks. And when the wild +geese rode by, high above the ground, cheerful and free, there wasn't +one who did not drop what he had in hand, and glance at them. + +The first ones who saw the wild geese that day were miners on Taberg, +who were digging ore at the mouth of the mine. When they heard them +cackle, they paused in their drilling for ore, and one of them called to +the birds: "Where are you going? Where are you going?" The geese didn't +understand what he said, but the boy leaned forward over the goose-back, +and answered for them: "Where there is neither pick nor hammer." When +the miners heard the words, they thought it was their own longing that +made the goose-cackle sound like human speech. "Take us along with you! +Take us along with you!" they cried. "Not this year," shrieked the boy. +"Not this year." + +The wild geese followed Taberg River down toward Monk Lake, and all the +while they made the same racket. Here, on the narrow land-strip between +Monk and Vettern lakes, lay Joenkoeping with its great factories. The wild +geese rode first over Monksjoe paper mills. The noon rest hour was just +over, and the big workmen were streaming down to the mill-gate. When +they heard the wild geese, they stopped a moment to listen to them. +"Where are you going? Where are you going?" called the workmen. The wild +geese understood nothing of what they said, but the boy answered for +them: "There, where there are neither machines nor steam-boxes." When +the workmen heard the answer, they believed it was their own longing +that made the goose-cackle sound like human speech. "Take us along with +you!" "Not this year," answered the boy. "Not this year." + +Next, the geese rode over the well-known match factory, which lies on +the shores of Vettern--large as a fortress--and lifts its high chimneys +toward the sky. Not a soul moved out in the yards; but in a large hall +young working-women sat and filled match-boxes. They had opened a window +on account of the beautiful weather, and through it came the wild +geese's call. The one who sat nearest the window, leaned out with a +match-box in her hand, and cried: "Where are you going? Where are you +going?" "To that land where there is no need of either light or +matches," said the boy. The girl thought that what she had heard was +only goose-cackle; but since she thought she had distinguished a couple +of words, she called out in answer: "Take me along with you!" "Not this +year," replied the boy. "Not this year." + +East of the factories rises Joenkoeping, on the most glorious spot that +any city can occupy. The narrow Vettern has high, steep sand-shores, +both on the eastern and western sides; but straight south, the +sand-walls are broken down, just as if to make room for a large gate, +through which one reaches the lake. And in the middle of the gate--with +mountains to the left, and mountains to the right, with Monk Lake behind +it, and Vettern in front of it--lies Joenkoeping. + +The wild geese travelled forward over the long, narrow city, and behaved +themselves here just as they had done in the country. But in the city +there was no one who answered them. It was not to be expected that city +folks should stop out in the streets, and call to the wild geese. + +The trip extended further along Vettern's shores; and after a little +they came to Sanna Sanitarium. Some of the patients had gone out on the +veranda to enjoy the spring air, and in this way they heard the +goose-cackle. "Where are you going?" asked one of them with such a +feeble voice that he was scarcely heard. "To that land where there is +neither sorrow nor sickness," answered the boy. "Take us along with +you!" said the sick ones. "Not this year," answered the boy. "Not this +year." + +When they had travelled still farther on, they came to Huskvarna. It lay +in a valley. The mountains around it were steep and beautifully formed. +A river rushed along the heights in long and narrow falls. Big workshops +and factories lay below the mountain walls; and scattered over the +valley-bottom were the workingmens' homes, encircled by little gardens; +and in the centre of the valley lay the schoolhouse. Just as the wild +geese came along, a bell rang, and a crowd of school children marched +out in line. They were so numerous that the whole schoolyard was filled +with them. "Where are you going? Where are you going?" the children +shouted when they heard the wild geese. "Where there are neither books +nor lessons to be found," answered the boy. "Take us along!" shrieked +the children. "Not this year, but next," cried the boy. "Not this year, +but next." + + +THE BIG BIRD LAKE + + +JARRO, THE WILD DUCK + +On the eastern shore of Vettern lies Mount Omberg; east of Omberg lies +Dagmosse; east of Dagmosse lies Lake Takern. Around the whole of Takern +spreads the big, even Oestergoeta plain. + +Takern is a pretty large lake and in olden times it must have been still +larger. But then the people thought it covered entirely too much of the +fertile plain, so they attempted to drain the water from it, that they +might sow and reap on the lake-bottom. But they did not succeed in +laying waste the entire lake--which had evidently been their +intention--therefore it still hides a lot of land. Since the draining +the lake has become so shallow that hardly at any point is it more than +a couple of metres deep. The shores have become marshy and muddy; and +out in the lake, little mud-islets stick up above the water's surface. + +Now, there is one who loves to stand with his feet in the water, if he +can just keep his body and head in the air, and that is the reed. And it +cannot find a better place to grow upon, than the long, shallow Takern +shores, and around the little mud-islets. It thrives so well that it +grows taller than a man's height, and so thick that it is almost +impossible to push a boat through it. It forms a broad green enclosure +around the whole lake, so that it is only accessible in a few places +where the people have taken away the reeds. + +But if the reeds shut the people out, they give, in return, shelter and +protection to many other things. In the reeds there are a lot of little +dams and canals with green, still water, where duckweed and pondweed run +to seed; and where gnat-eggs and blackfish and worms are hatched out in +uncountable masses. And all along the shores of these little dams and +canals, there are many well-concealed places, where seabirds hatch their +eggs, and bring up their young without being disturbed, either by +enemies or food worries. + +An incredible number of birds live in the Takern reeds; and more and +more gather there every year, as it becomes known what a splendid abode +it is. The first who settled there were the wild ducks; and they still +live there by thousands. But they no longer own the entire lake, for +they have been obliged to share it with swans, grebes, coots, loons, +fen-ducks, and a lot of others. + +Takern is certainly the largest and choicest bird lake in the whole +country; and the birds may count themselves lucky as long as they own +such a retreat. But it is uncertain just how long they will be in +control of reeds and mud-banks, for human beings cannot forget that the +lake extends over a considerable portion of good and fertile soil; and +every now and then the proposition to drain it comes up among them. And +if these propositions were carried out, the many thousands of +water-birds would be forced to move from this quarter. + +At the time when Nils Holgersson travelled around with the wild geese, +there lived at Takern a wild duck named Jarro. He was a young bird, who +had only lived one summer, one fall, and a winter; now, it was his first +spring. He had just returned from South Africa, and had reached Takern +in such good season that the ice was still on the lake. + +One evening, when he and the other young wild ducks played at racing +backward and forward over the lake, a hunter fired a couple of shots at +them, and Jarro was wounded in the breast. He thought he should die; but +in order that the one who had shot him shouldn't get him into his power, +he continued to fly as long as he possibly could. He didn't think +whither he was directing his course, but only struggled to get far +away. When his strength failed him, so that he could not fly any +farther, he was no longer on the lake. He had flown a bit inland, and +now he sank down before the entrance to one of the big farms which lie +along the shores of Takern. + +A moment later a young farm-hand happened along. He saw Jarro, and came +and lifted him up. But Jarro, who asked for nothing but to be let die in +peace, gathered his last powers and nipped the farm-hand in the finger, +so he should let go of him. + +Jarro didn't succeed in freeing himself. The encounter had this good in +it at any rate: the farm-hand noticed that the bird was alive. He +carried him very gently into the cottage, and showed him to the mistress +of the house--a young woman with a kindly face. At once she took Jarro +from the farm-hand, stroked him on the back and wiped away the blood +which trickled down through the neck-feathers. She looked him over very +carefully; and when she saw how pretty he was, with his dark-green, +shining head, his white neck-band, his brownish-red back, and his blue +wing-mirror, she must have thought that it was a pity for him to die. +She promptly put a basket in order, and tucked the bird into it. + +All the while Jarro fluttered and struggled to get loose; but when he +understood that the people didn't intend to kill him, he settled down in +the basket with a sense of pleasure. Now it was evident how exhausted he +was from pain and loss of blood. The mistress carried the basket across +the floor to place it in the corner by the fireplace; but before she put +it down Jarro was already fast asleep. + +In a little while Jarro was awakened by someone who nudged him gently. +When he opened his eyes he experienced such an awful shock that he +almost lost his senses. Now he was lost; for there stood _the_ one who +was more dangerous than either human beings or birds of prey. It was no +less a thing than Caesar himself--the long-haired dog--who nosed around +him inquisitively. + +How pitifully scared had he not been last summer, when he was still a +little yellow-down duckling, every time it had sounded over the +reed-stems: "Caesar is coming! Caesar is coming!" When he had seen the +brown and white spotted dog with the teeth-filled jowls come wading +through the reeds, he had believed that he beheld death itself. He had +always hoped that he would never have to live through that moment when +he should meet Caesar face to face. + +But, to his sorrow, he must have fallen down in the very yard where +Caesar lived, for there he stood right over him. "Who are you?" he +growled. "How did you get into the house? Don't you belong down among +the reed banks?" + +It was with great difficulty that he gained the courage to answer. +"Don't be angry with me, Caesar, because I came into the house!" said +he. "It isn't my fault. I have been wounded by a gunshot. It was the +people themselves who laid me in this basket." + +"Oho! so it's the folks themselves that have placed you here," said +Caesar. "Then it is surely their intention to cure you; although, for my +part, I think it would be wiser for them to eat you up, since you are in +their power. But, at any rate, you are tabooed in the house. You needn't +look so scared. Now, we're not down on Takern." + +With that Caesar laid himself to sleep in front of the blazing log-fire. +As soon as Jarro understood that this terrible danger was past, extreme +lassitude came over him, and he fell asleep anew. + +The next time Jarro awoke, he saw that a dish with grain and water stood +before him. He was still quite ill, but he felt hungry nevertheless, and +began to eat. When the mistress saw that he ate, she came up and petted +him, and looked pleased. After that, Jarro fell asleep again. For +several days he did nothing but eat and sleep. + +One morning Jarro felt so well that he stepped from the basket and +wandered along the floor. But he hadn't gone very far before he keeled +over, and lay there. Then came Caesar, opened his big jaws and grabbed +him. Jarro believed, of course, that the dog was going to bite him to +death; but Caesar carried him back to the basket without harming him. +Because of this, Jarro acquired such a confidence in the dog Caesar, +that on his next walk in the cottage, he went over to the dog and lay +down beside him. Thereafter Caesar and he became good friends, and every +day, for several hours, Jarro lay and slept between Caesar's paws. + +But an even greater affection than he felt for Caesar, did Jarro feel +toward his mistress. Of her he had not the least fear; but rubbed his +head against her hand when she came and fed him. Whenever she went out +of the cottage he sighed with regret; and when she came back he cried +welcome to her in his own language. + +Jarro forgot entirely how afraid he had been of both dogs and humans in +other days. He thought now that they were gentle and kind, and he loved +them. He wished that he were well, so he could fly down to Takern and +tell the wild ducks that their enemies were not dangerous, and that they +need not fear them. + +He had observed that the human beings, as well as Caesar, had calm eyes, +which it did one good to look into. The only one in the cottage whose +glance he did not care to meet, was Clawina, the house cat. She did him +no harm, either, but he couldn't place any confidence in her. Then, too, +she quarrelled with him constantly, because he loved human beings. "You +think they protect you because they are fond of you," said Clawina. "You +just wait until you are fat enough! Then they'll wring the neck off you. +I know them, I do." + +Jarro, like all birds, had a tender and affectionate heart; and he was +unutterably distressed when he heard this. He couldn't imagine that his +mistress would wish to wring the neck off him, nor could he believe any +such thing of her son, the little boy who sat for hours beside his +basket, and babbled and chattered. He seemed to think that both of them +had the same love for him that he had for them. + +One day, when Jarro and Caesar lay on the usual spot before the fire, +Clawina sat on the hearth and began to tease the wild duck. + +"I wonder, Jarro, what you wild ducks will do next year, when Takern is +drained and turned into grain fields?" said Clawina. "What's that you +say, Clawina?" cried Jarro, and jumped up--scared through and through. +"I always forget, Jarro, that you do not understand human speech, like +Caesar and myself," answered the cat. "Or else you surely would have +heard how the men, who were here in the cottage yesterday, said that all +the water was going to be drained from Takern, and that next year the +lake-bottom would be as dry as a house-floor. And now I wonder where you +wild ducks will go." When Jarro heard this talk he was so furious that +he hissed like a snake. "You are just as mean as a common coot!" he +screamed at Clawina. "You only want to incite me against human beings. I +don't believe they want to do anything of the sort. They must know that +Takern is the wild ducks' property. Why should they make so many birds +homeless and unhappy? You have certainly hit upon all this to scare me. +I hope that you may be torn in pieces by Gorgo, the eagle! I hope that +my mistress will chop off your whiskers!" + +But Jarro couldn't shut Clawina up with this outburst. "So you think I'm +lying," said she. "Ask Caesar, then! He was also in the house last +night. Caesar never lies." + +"Caesar," said Jarro, "you understand human speech much better than +Clawina. Say that she hasn't heard aright! Think how it would be if the +people drained Takern, and changed the lake-bottom into fields! Then +there would be no more pondweed or duck-food for the grown wild ducks, +and no blackfish or worms or gnat-eggs for the ducklings. Then the +reed-banks would disappear--where now the ducklings conceal themselves +until they are able to fly. All ducks would be compelled to move away +from here and seek another home. But where shall they find a retreat +like Takern? Caesar, say that Clawina has not heard aright!" + +It was extraordinary to watch Caesar's behaviour during this +conversation. He had been wide-awake the whole time before, but now, +when Jarro turned to him, he panted, laid his long nose on his forepaws, +and was sound asleep within the wink of an eyelid. + +The cat looked down at Caesar with a knowing smile. "I believe that +Caesar doesn't care to answer you," she said to Jarro. "It is with him +as with all dogs; they will never acknowledge that humans can do any +wrong. But you can rely upon my word, at any rate. I shall tell you why +they wish to drain the lake just now. As long as you wild ducks still +had the power on Takern, they did not wish to drain it, for, at least, +they got some good out of you; but now, grebes and coots and other birds +who are no good as food, have infested nearly all the reed-banks, and +the people don't think they need let the lake remain on their account." + +Jarro didn't trouble himself to answer Clawina, but raised his head, and +shouted in Caesar's ear: "Caesar! You know that on Takern there are +still so many ducks left that they fill the air like clouds. Say it +isn't true that human beings intend to make all of these homeless!" + +Then Caesar sprang up with such a sudden outburst at Clawina that she +had to save herself by jumping up on a shelf. "I'll teach you to keep +quiet when I want to sleep," bawled Caesar. "Of course I know that there +is some talk about draining the lake this year. But there's been talk of +this many times before without anything coming of it. And that draining +business is a matter in which I take no stock whatever. For how would it +go with the game if Takern were laid waste. You're a donkey to gloat +over a thing like that. What will you and I have to amuse ourselves +with, when there are no more birds on Takern?" + +THE DECOY-DUCK + +_Sunday, April seventeenth_. + +A couple of days later Jarro was so well that he could fly all about the +house. Then he was petted a good deal by the mistress, and the little +boy ran out in the yard and plucked the first grass-blades for him which +had sprung up. When the mistress caressed him, Jarro thought that, +although he was now so strong that he could fly down to Takern at any +time, he shouldn't care to be separated from the human beings. He had no +objection to remaining with them all his life. + +But early one morning the mistress placed a halter, or noose, over +Jarro, which prevented him from using his wings, and then she turned him +over to the farm-hand who had found him in the yard. The farm-hand poked +him under his arm, and went down to Takern with him. + +The ice had melted away while Jarro had been ill. The old, dry fall +leaves still stood along the shores and islets, but all the +water-growths had begun to take root down in the deep; and the green +stems had already reached the surface. And now nearly all the migratory +birds were at home. The curlews' hooked bills peeped out from the reeds. +The grebes glided about with new feather-collars around the neck; and +the jack-snipes were gathering straws for their nests. + +The farm-hand got into a scow, laid Jarro in the bottom of the boat, and +began to pole himself out on the lake. Jarro, who had now accustomed +himself to expect only good of human beings, said to Caesar, who was +also in the party, that he was very grateful toward the farm-hand for +taking him out on the lake. But there was no need to keep him so closely +guarded, for he did not intend to fly away. To this Caesar made no +reply. He was very close-mouthed that morning. + +The only thing which struck Jarro as being a bit peculiar was that the +farm-hand had taken his gun along. He couldn't believe that any of the +good folk in the cottage would want to shoot birds. And, beside, Caesar +had told him that the people didn't hunt at this time of the year. "It +is a prohibited time," he had said, "although this doesn't concern me, +of course." + +The farm-hand went over to one of the little reed-enclosed mud-islets. +There he stepped from the boat, gathered some old reeds into a pile, +and lay down behind it. Jarro was permitted to wander around on the +ground, with the halter over his wings, and tethered to the boat, with a +long string. + +Suddenly Jarro caught sight of some young ducks and drakes, in whose +company he had formerly raced backward and forward over the lake. They +were a long way off, but Jarro called them to him with a couple of loud +shouts. They responded, and a large and beautiful flock approached. +Before they got there, Jarro began to tell them about his marvellous +rescue, and of the kindness of human beings. Just then, two shots +sounded behind him. Three ducks sank down in the reeds--lifeless--and +Caesar bounced out and captured them. + +Then Jarro understood. The human beings had only saved him that they +might use him as a decoy-duck. And they had also succeeded. Three ducks +had died on his account. He thought he should die of shame. He thought +that even his friend Caesar looked contemptuously at him; and when they +came home to the cottage, he didn't dare lie down and sleep beside the +dog. + +The next morning Jarro was again taken out on the shallows. This time, +too, he saw some ducks. But when he observed that they flew toward him, +he called to them: "Away! Away! Be careful! Fly in another direction! +There's a hunter hidden behind the reed-pile. I'm only a decoy-bird!" +And he actually succeeded in preventing them from coming within shooting +distance. + +Jarro had scarcely had time to taste of a grass-blade, so busy was he in +keeping watch. He called out his warning as soon as a bird drew nigh. He +even warned the grebes, although he detested them because they crowded +the ducks out of their best hiding-places. But he did not wish that any +bird should meet with misfortune on his account. And, thanks to Jarro's +vigilance, the farm-hand had to go home without firing off a single +shot. + +Despite this fact, Caesar looked less displeased than on the previous +day; and when evening came he took Jarro in his mouth, carried him over +to the fireplace, and let him sleep between his forepaws. + +Nevertheless Jarro was no longer contented in the cottage, but was +grievously unhappy. His heart suffered at the thought that humans never +had loved him. When the mistress, or the little boy, came forward to +caress him, he stuck his bill under his wing and pretended that he +slept. + +For several days Jarro continued his distressful watch-service; and +already he was known all over Takern. Then it happened one morning, +while he called as usual: "Have a care, birds! Don't come near me! I'm +only a decoy-duck," that a grebe-nest came floating toward the shallows +where he was tied. This was nothing especially remarkable. It was a nest +from the year before; and since grebe-nests are built in such a way that +they can move on water like boats, it often happens that they drift out +toward the lake. Still Jarro stood there and stared at the nest, because +it came so straight toward the islet that it looked as though someone +had steered its course over the water. + +As the nest came nearer, Jarro saw that a little human being--the +tiniest he had ever seen--sat in the nest and rowed it forward with a +pair of sticks. And this little human called to him: "Go as near the +water as you can, Jarro, and be ready to fly. You shall soon be freed." + +A few seconds later the grebe-nest lay near land, but the little oarsman +did not leave it, but sat huddled up between branches and straw. Jarro +too held himself almost immovable. He was actually paralysed with fear +lest the rescuer should be discovered. + +The next thing which occurred was that a flock of wild geese came along. +Then Jarro woke up to business, and warned them with loud shrieks; but +in spite of this they flew backward and forward over the shallows +several times. They held themselves so high that they were beyond +shooting distance; still the farm-hand let himself be tempted to fire a +couple of shots at them. These shots were hardly fired before the little +creature ran up on land, drew a tiny knife from its sheath, and, with a +couple of quick strokes, cut loose Jarro's halter. "Now fly away, Jarro, +before the man has time to load again!" cried he, while he himself ran +down to the grebe-nest and poled away from the shore. + +The hunter had had his gaze fixed upon the geese, and hadn't observed +that Jarro had been freed; but Caesar had followed more carefully that +which happened; and just as Jarro raised his wings, he dashed forward +and grabbed him by the neck. + +Jarro cried pitifully; and the boy who had freed him said quietly to +Caesar: "If you are just as honourable as you look, surely you cannot +wish to force a good bird to sit here and entice others into trouble." + +When Caesar heard these words, he grinned viciously with his upper lip, +but the next second he dropped Jarro. "Fly, Jarro!" said he. "You are +certainly too good to be a decoy-duck. It wasn't for this that I wanted +to keep you here; but because it will be lonely in the cottage without +you." + +THE LOWERING OF THE LAKE + +_Wednesday, April twentieth_. + +It was indeed very lonely in the cottage without Jarro. The dog and the +cat found the time long, when they didn't have him to wrangle over; and +the housewife missed the glad quacking which he had indulged in every +time she entered the house. But the one who longed most for Jarro, was +the little boy, Per Ola. He was but three years old, and the only child; +and in all his life he had never had a playmate like Jarro. When he +heard that Jarro had gone back to Takern and the wild ducks, he couldn't +be satisfied with this, but thought constantly of how he should get him +back again. + +Per Ola had talked a good deal with Jarro while he lay still in his +basket, and he was certain that the duck understood him. He begged his +mother to take him down to the lake that he might find Jarro, and +persuade him to come back to them. Mother wouldn't listen to this; but +the little one didn't give up his plan on that account. + +The day after Jarro had disappeared, Per Ola was running about in the +yard. He played by himself as usual, but Caesar lay on the stoop; and +when mother let the boy out, she said: "Take care of Per Ola, Caesar!" + +Now if all had been as usual, Caesar would also have obeyed the command, +and the boy would have been so well guarded that he couldn't have run +the least risk. But Caesar was not like himself these days. He knew that +the farmers who lived along Takern had held frequent conferences about +the lowering of the lake; and that they had almost settled the matter. +The ducks must leave, and Caesar should nevermore behold a glorious +chase. He was so preoccupied with thoughts of this misfortune, that he +did not remember to watch over Per Ola. + +And the little one had scarcely been alone in the yard a minute, before +he realised that now the right moment was come to go down to Takern and +talk with Jarro. He opened a gate, and wandered down toward the lake on +the narrow path which ran along the banks. As long as he could be seen +from the house, he walked slowly; but afterward he increased his pace. +He was very much afraid that mother, or someone else, should call to him +that he couldn't go. He didn't wish to do anything naughty, only to +persuade Jarro to come home; but he felt that those at home would not +have approved of the undertaking. + +When Per Ola came down to the lake-shore, he called Jarro several +times. Thereupon he stood for a long time and waited, but no Jarro +appeared. He saw several birds that resembled the wild duck, but they +flew by without noticing him, and he could understand that none among +them was the right one. + +When Jarro didn't come to him, the little boy thought that it would be +easier to find him if he went out on the lake. There were several good +craft lying along the shore, but they were tied. The only one that lay +loose, and at liberty, was an old leaky scow which was so unfit that no +one thought of using it. But Per Ola scrambled up in it without caring +that the whole bottom was filled with water. He had not strength enough +to use the oars, but instead, he seated himself to swing and rock in the +scow. Certainly no grown person would have succeeded in moving a scow +out on Takern in that manner; but when the tide is high--and ill-luck to +the fore--little children have a marvellous faculty for getting out to +sea. Per Ola was soon riding around on Takern, and calling for Jarro. + +When the old scow was rocked like this--out to sea--its Cracks opened +wider and wider, and the water actually streamed into it. Per Ola didn't +pay the slightest attention to this. He sat upon the little bench in +front and called to every bird he saw, and wondered why Jarro didn't +appear. + +At last Jarro caught sight of Per Ola. He heard that someone called him +by the name which he had borne among human beings, and he understood +that the boy had gone out on Takern to search for him. Jarro was +unspeakably happy to find that one of the humans really loved him. He +shot down toward Per Ola, like an arrow, seated himself beside him, and +let him caress him. They were both very happy to see each other again. +But suddenly Jarro noticed the condition of the scow. It was half-filled +with water, and was almost ready to sink. Jarro tried to tell Per Ola +that he, who could neither fly nor swim, must try to get upon land; but +Per Ola didn't understand him. Then Jarro did not wait an instant, but +hurried away to get help. + +Jarro came back in a little while, and carried on his back a tiny thing, +who was much smaller than Per Ola himself. If he hadn't been able to +talk and move, the boy would have believed that it was a doll. +Instantly, the little one ordered Per Ola to pick up a long, slender +pole that lay in the bottom of the scow, and try to pole it toward one +of the reed-islands. Per Ola obeyed him, and he and the tiny creature, +together, steered the scow. With a couple of strokes they were on a +little reed-encircled island, and now Per Ola was told that he must step +on land. And just the very moment that Per Ola set foot on land, the +scow was filled with water, and sank to the bottom. When Per Ola saw +this he was sure that father and mother would be very angry with him. He +would have started in to cry if he hadn't found something else to think +about soon; namely, a flock of big, gray birds, who lighted on the +island. The little midget took him up to them, and told him their names, +and what they said. And this was so funny that Per Ola forgot +everything else. + +Meanwhile the folks on the farm had discovered that the boy had +disappeared, and had started to search for him. They searched the +outhouses, looked in the well, and hunted through the cellar. Then they +went out into the highways and by-paths; wandered to the neighbouring +farm to find out if he had strayed over there, and searched for him also +down by Takern. But no matter how much they sought they did not find +him. + +Caesar, the dog, understood very well that the farmer-folk were looking +for Per Ola, but he did nothing to lead them on the right track; +instead, he lay still as though the matter didn't concern him. + +Later in the day, Per Ola's footprints were discovered down by the +boat-landing. And then came the thought that the old, leaky scow was no +longer on the strand. Then one began to understand how the whole affair +had come about. + +The farmer and his helpers immediately took out the boats and went in +search of the boy. They rowed around on Takern until way late in the +evening, without seeing the least shadow of him. They couldn't help +believing that the old scow had gone down, and that the little one lay +dead on the lake-bottom. + +In the evening, Per Ola's mother hunted around on the strand. Everyone +else was convinced that the boy was drowned, but she could not bring +herself to believe this. She searched all the while. She searched +between reeds and bulrushes; tramped and tramped on the muddy shore, +never thinking of how deep her foot sank, and how wet she had become. +She was unspeakably desperate. Her heart ached in her breast. She did +not weep, but wrung her hands and called for her child in loud piercing +tones. + +Round about her she heard swans' and ducks' and curlews' shrieks. She +thought that they followed her, and moaned and wailed--they too. +"Surely, they, too, must be in trouble, since they moan so," thought +she. Then she remembered: these were only birds that she heard complain. +They surely had no worries. + +It was strange that they did not quiet down after sunset. But she heard +all these uncountable bird-throngs, which lived along Takern, send forth +cry upon cry. Several of them followed her wherever she went; others +came rustling past on light wings. All the air was filled with moans and +lamentations. + +But the anguish which she herself was suffering, opened her heart. She +thought that she was not as far removed from all other living creatures +as people usually think. She understood much better than ever before, +how birds fared. They had their constant worries for home and children; +they, as she. There was surely not such a great difference between them +and her as she had heretofore believed. + +Then she happened to think that it was as good as settled that these +thousands of swans and ducks and loons would lose their homes here by +Takern. "It will be very hard for them," she thought. "Where shall they +bring up their children now?" + +She stood still and mused on this. It appeared to be an excellent and +agreeable accomplishment to change a lake into fields and meadows, but +let it be some other lake than Takern; some other lake, which was not +the home of so many thousand creatures. + +She remembered how on the following day the proposition to lower the +lake was to be decided, and she wondered if this was why her little son +had been lost--just to-day. + +Was it God's meaning that sorrow should come and open her heart--just +to-day--before it was too late to avert the cruel act? + +She walked rapidly up to the house, and began to talk with her husband +about this. She spoke of the lake, and of the birds, and said that she +believed it was God's judgment on them both. And she soon found that he +was of the same opinion. + +They already owned a large place, but if the lake-draining was carried +into effect, such a goodly portion of the lake-bottom would fall to +their share that their property would be nearly doubled. For this reason +they had been more eager for the undertaking than any of the other shore +owners. The others had been worried about expenses, and anxious lest the +draining should not prove any more successful this time than it was the +last. Per Ola's father knew in his heart that it was he who had +influenced them to undertake the work. He had exercised all his +eloquence, so that he might leave to his son a farm as large again as +his father had left to him. + +He stood and pondered if God's hand was back of the fact that Takern had +taken his son from him on the day before he was to draw up the contract +to lay it waste. The wife didn't have to say many words to him, before +he answered: "It may be that God does not want us to interfere with His +order. I'll talk with the others about this to-morrow, and I think we'll +conclude that all may remain as it is." + +While the farmer-folk were talking this over, Caesar lay before the +fire. He raised his head and listened very attentively. When he thought +that he was sure of the outcome, he walked up to the mistress, took her +by the skirt, and led her to the door. "But Caesar!" said she, and +wanted to break loose. "Do you know where Per Ola is?" she exclaimed. +Caesar barked joyfully, and threw himself against the door. She opened +it, and Caesar dashed down toward Takern. The mistress was so positive +he knew where Per Ola was, that she rushed after him. And no sooner had +they reached the shore than they heard a child's cry out on the lake. + +Per Ola had had the best day of his life, in company with Thumbietot and +the birds; but now he had begun to cry because he was hungry and afraid +of the darkness. And he was glad when father and mother and Caesar came +for him. + + +ULVASA-LADY + + +THE PROPHECY + +_Friday, April twenty-second_. + +One night when the boy lay and slept on an island in Takern, he was +awakened by oar-strokes. He had hardly gotten his eyes open before there +fell such a dazzling light on them that he began to blink. + +At first he couldn't make out what it was that shone so brightly out +here on the lake; but he soon saw that a scow with a big burning torch +stuck up on a spike, aft, lay near the edge of the reeds. The red flame +from the torch was clearly reflected in the night-dark lake; and the +brilliant light must have lured the fish, for round about the flame in +the deep a mass of dark specks were seen, that moved continually, and +changed places. + +There were two old men in the scow. One sat at the oars, and the other +stood on a bench in the stern and held in his hand a short spear which +was coarsely barbed. The one who rowed was apparently a poor fisherman. +He was small, dried-up and weather-beaten, and wore a thin, threadbare +coat. One could see that he was so used to being out in all sorts of +weather that he didn't mind the cold. The other was well fed and well +dressed, and looked like a prosperous and self-complacent farmer. + +"Now, stop!" said the farmer, when they were opposite the island where +the boy lay. At the same time he plunged the spear into the water. When +he drew it out again, a long, fine eel came with it. + +"Look at that!" said he as he released the eel from the spear. "That was +one who was worth while. Now I think we have so many that we can turn +back." + +His comrade did not lift the oars, but sat and looked around. "It is +lovely out here on the lake to-night," said he. And so it was. It was +absolutely still, so that the entire water-surface lay in undisturbed +rest with the exception of the streak where the boat had gone forward. +This lay like a path of gold, and shimmered in the firelight. The sky +was clear and dark blue and thickly studded with stars. The shores were +hidden by the reed islands except toward the west. There Mount Omberg +loomed up high and dark, much more impressive than usual, and, cut away +a big, three-cornered piece of the vaulted heavens. + +The other one turned his head to get the light out of his eyes, and +looked about him. "Yes, it is lovely here in Oestergylln," said he. +"Still the best thing about the province is not its beauty." "Then what +is it that's best?" asked the oarsman. "That it has always been a +respected and honoured province." "That may be true enough." "And then +this, that one knows it will always continue to be so." "But how in the +world can one know this?" said the one who sat at the oars. + +The farmer straightened up where he stood and braced himself with the +spear. "There is an old story which has been handed down from father to +son in my family; and in it one learns what will happen to +Oestergoetland." "Then you may as well tell it to me," said the oarsman. +"We do not tell it to anyone and everyone, but I do not wish to keep it +a secret from an old comrade. + +"At Ulvasa, here in Oestergoetland," he continued (and one could tell by +the tone of his voice that he talked of something which he had heard +from others, and knew by heart), "many, many years ago, there lived a +lady who had the gift of looking into the future, and telling people +what was going to happen to them--just as certainly and accurately as +though it had already occurred. For this she became widely noted; and it +is easy to understand that people would come to her, both from far and +near, to find out what they were going to pass through of good or evil. + +"One day, when Ulvasa-lady sat in her hall and spun, as was customary in +former days, a poor peasant came into the room and seated himself on the +bench near the door. + +"'I wonder what you are sitting and thinking about, dear lady,' said the +peasant after a little. + +"'I am sitting and thinking about high and holy things,' answered she. +'Then it is not fitting, perhaps, that I ask you about something which +weighs on my heart,' said the peasant. + +"'It is probably nothing else that weighs on your heart than that you +may reap much grain on your field. But I am accustomed to receive +communications from the Emperor about how it will go with his crown; and +from the Pope, about how it will go with his keys.' 'Such things cannot +be easy to answer,' said the peasant. 'I have also heard that no one +seems to go from here without being dissatisfied with what he has +heard.' + +"When the peasant said this, he saw that Ulvasa-lady bit her lip, and +moved higher up on the bench. 'So this is what you have heard about me,' +said she. 'Then you may as well tempt fortune by asking me about the +thing you wish to know; and you shall see if I can answer so that you +will be satisfied.' + +"After this the peasant did not hesitate to state his errand. He said +that he had come to ask how it would go with Oestergoetland in the future. +There was nothing which was so dear to him as his native province, and +he felt that he should be happy until his dying day if he could get a +satisfactory reply to his query. + +"'Oh! is that all you wish to know,' said the wise lady; 'then I think +that you will be content. For here where I now sit, I can tell you that +it will be like this with Oestergoetland: it will always have something to +boast of ahead of other provinces.' + +"'Yes, that was a good answer, dear lady,' said the peasant, 'and now I +would be entirely at peace if I could only comprehend how such a thing +should be possible.' + +"'Why should it not be possible?' said Ulvasa-lady. 'Don't you know that +Oestergoetland is already renowned? Or think you there is any place in +Sweden that can boast of owning, at the same time, two such cloisters as +the ones in Alvastra and Vreta, and such a beautiful cathedral as the +one in Linkoeping?' + +"'That may be so,' said the peasant. 'But I'm an old man, and I know +that people's minds are changeable. I fear that there will come a time +when they won't want to give us any glory, either for Alvastra or Vreta +or for the cathedral.' + +"'Herein you may be right,' said Ulvasa-lady, 'but you need not doubt +prophecy on that account. I shall now build up a new cloister on +Vadstena, and that will become the most celebrated in the North. Thither +both the high and the lowly shall make pilgrimages, and all shall sing +the praises of the province because it has such a holy place within its +confines.' + +"The peasant replied that he was right glad to know this. But he also +knew, of course, that everything was perishable; and he wondered much +what would give distinction to the province, if Vadstena Cloister should +once fall into disrepute. + +"'You are not easy to satisfy,' said Ulvasa-lady, 'but surely I can see +so far ahead that I can tell you, before Vadstena Cloister shall have +lost its splendour, there will be a castle erected close by, which will +be the most magnificent of its period. Kings and dukes will be guests +there, and it shall be accounted an honour to the whole province, that +it owns such an ornament.' + +"'This I am also glad to hear,' said the peasant. 'But I'm an old man, +and I know how it generally turns out with this world's glories. And if +the castle goes to ruin, I wonder much what there will be that can +attract the people's attention to this province.' + +"'It's not a little that you want to know,' said Ulvasa-lady, 'but, +certainly, I can look far enough into the future to see that there will +be life and movement in the forests around Finspang. I see how cabins +and smithies arise there, and I believe that the whole province shall +be renowned because iron will be moulded within its confines.' + +"The peasant didn't deny that he was delighted to hear this. 'But if it +should go so badly that even Finspang's foundry went down in importance, +then it would hardly be possible that any new thing could arise of which +Oestergoetland might boast.' + +"'You are not easy to please,' said Ulvasa-lady, 'but I can see so far +into the future that I mark how, along the lake-shores, great +manors--large as castles--are built by gentlemen who have carried on +wars in foreign lands. I believe that the manors will bring the province +just as much honour as anything else that I have mentioned.' + +"'But if there comes a time when no one lauds the great manors?' +insisted the peasant. + +"'You need not be uneasy at all events,' said Ulvasa-lady. I see how +health-springs bubble on Medevi meadows, by Vaetter's shores. I believe +that the wells at Medevi will bring the land as much praise as you can +desire.' + +"'That is a mighty good thing to know,' said the peasant. 'But if there +comes a time when people will seek their health at other springs?' + +"'You must not give yourself any anxiety on that account,' answered +Ulvasa-lady. I see how people dig and labour, from Motala to Mem. They +dig a canal right through the country, and then Oestergoetland's praise is +again on everyone's lips.' + +"But, nevertheless, the peasant looked distraught. + +"'I see that the rapids in Motala stream begin to draw wheels,' said +Ulvasa-lady--and now two bright red spots came to her cheeks, for she +began to be impatient--'I hear hammers resound in Motala, and looms +clatter in Norrkoeping.' + +"'Yes, that's good to know,' said the peasant, 'but everything is +perishable, and I'm afraid that even this can be forgotten, and go into +oblivion.' + +"When the peasant was not satisfied even now, there was an end to the +lady's patience. 'You say that everything is perishable,' said she, 'but +now I shall still name something which will always be like itself; and +that is that such arrogant and pig-headed peasants as you will always +be found in this province--until the end of time.' + +"Hardly had Ulvasa-lady said this before the peasant rose--happy and +satisfied--and thanked her for a good answer. Now, at last, he was +satisfied, he said. + +"'Verily, I understand now how you look at it,' then said Ulvasa-lady. + +"'Well, I look at it in this way, dear lady,' said the peasant, 'that +everything which kings and priests and noblemen and merchants build and +accomplish, can only endure for a few years. But when you tell me that +in Oestergoetland there will always be peasants who are honour-loving and +persevering, then I know also that it will be able to keep its ancient +glory. For it is only those who go bent under the eternal labour with +the soil, who can hold this land in good repute and honour--from one +time to another.'" + + +THE HOMESPUN CLOTH + + +_Saturday, April twenty-third_. + +The boy rode forward--way up in the air. He had the great Oestergoetland +plain under him, and sat and counted the many white churches which +towered above the small leafy groves around them. It wasn't long before +he had counted fifty. After that he became confused and couldn't keep +track of the counting. + +Nearly all the farms were built up with large, whitewashed two-story +houses, which looked so imposing that the boy couldn't help admiring +them. "There can't be any peasants in this land," he said to himself, +"since I do not see any peasant farms." + +Immediately all the wild geese shrieked: "Here the peasants live like +gentlemen. Here the peasants live like gentlemen." + +On the plains the ice and snow had disappeared, and the spring work had +begun. "What kind of long crabs are those that creep over the fields?" +asked the boy after a bit. "Ploughs and oxen. Ploughs and oxen," +answered the wild geese. + +The oxen moved so slowly down on the fields, that one could scarcely +perceive they were in motion, and the geese shouted to them: "You won't +get there before next year. You won't get there before next year." But +the oxen were equal to the occasion. They raised their muzzles in the +air and bellowed: "We do more good in an hour than such as you do in a +whole lifetime." + +In a few places the ploughs were drawn by horses. They went along with +much more eagerness and haste than the oxen; but the geese couldn't keep +from teasing these either. "Ar'n't you ashamed to be doing ox-duty?" +cried the wild geese. "Ar'n't you ashamed yourselves to be doing lazy +man's duty?" the horses neighed back at them. + +But while horses and oxen were at work in the fields, the stable ram +walked about in the barnyard. He was newly clipped and touchy, knocked +over the small boys, chased the shepherd dog into his kennel, and then +strutted about as though he alone were lord of the whole place. "Rammie, +rammie, what have you done with your wool?" asked the wild geese, who +rode by up in the air. "That I have sent to Drag's woollen mills in +Norrkoeping," replied the ram with a long, drawn-out bleat. "Rammie, +rammie, what have you done with your horns?" asked the geese. But any +horns the rammie had never possessed, to his sorrow, and one couldn't +offer him a greater insult than to ask after them. He ran around a long +time, and butted at the air, so furious was he. + +On the country road came a man who drove a flock of Skane pigs that were +not more than a few weeks old, and were going to be sold up country. +They trotted along bravely, as little as they were, and kept close +together--as if they sought protection. "Nuff, nuff, nuff, we came away +too soon from father and mother. Nuff, nuff, nuff, how will it go with +us poor children?" said the little pigs. The wild geese didn't have the +heart to tease such poor little creatures. "It will be better for you +than you can ever believe," they cried as they flew past them. + +The wild geese were never so merry as when they flew over a flat +country. Then they did not hurry themselves, but flew from farm to farm, +and joked with the tame animals. + +As the boy rode over the plain, he happened to think of a legend which +he had heard a long time ago. He didn't remember it exactly, but it was +something about a petticoat--half of which was made of gold-woven +velvet, and half of gray homespun cloth. But the one who owned the +petticoat adorned the homespun cloth with such a lot of pearls and +precious stones that it looked richer and more gorgeous than the +gold-cloth. + +He remembered this about the homespun cloth, as he looked down on +Oestergoetland, because it was made up of a large plain, which lay wedged +in between two mountainous forest-tracts--one to the north, the other to +the south. The two forest-heights lay there, a lovely blue, and +shimmered in the morning light, as if they were decked with golden +veils; and the plain, which simply spread out one winter-naked field +after another, was, in and of itself, prettier to look upon than gray +homespun. + +But the people must have been contented on the plain, because it was +generous and kind, and they had tried to decorate it in the best way +possible. High up--where the boy rode by--he thought that cities and +farms, churches and factories, castles and railway stations were +scattered over it, like large and small trinkets. It shone on the roofs, +and the window-panes glittered like jewels. Yellow country roads, +shining railway-tracks and blue canals ran along between the districts +like embroidered loops. Linkoeping lay around its cathedral like a +pearl-setting around a precious stone; and the gardens in the country +were like little brooches and buttons. There was not much regulation in +the pattern, but it was a display of grandeur which one could never tire +of looking at. + +The geese had left Oeberg district, and travelled toward the east along +Goeta Canal. This was also getting itself ready for the summer. Workmen +laid canal-banks, and tarred the huge lock-gates. They were working +everywhere to receive spring fittingly, even in the cities. There, +masons and painters stood on scaffoldings and made fine the exteriors of +the houses while maids were cleaning the windows. Down at the harbour, +sailboats and steamers were being washed and dressed up. + +At Norrkoeping the wild geese left the plain, and flew up toward +Kolmarden. For a time they had followed an old, hilly country road, +which wound around cliffs, and ran forward under wild +mountain-walls--when the boy suddenly let out a shriek. He had been +sitting and swinging his foot back and forth, and one of his wooden +shoes had slipped off. + +"Goosey-gander, goosey-gander, I have dropped my shoe!" cried the boy. +The goosey-gander turned about and sank toward the ground; then the boy +saw that two children, who were walking along the road, had picked up +his shoe. "Goosey-gander, goosey-gander," screamed the boy excitedly, +"fly upward again! It is too late. I cannot get my shoe back again." + +Down on the road stood Osa, the goose-girl, and her brother, little +Mats, looking at a tiny wooden shoe that had fallen from the skies. + +Osa, the goose-girl, stood silent a long while, and pondered over the +find. At last she said, slowly and thoughtfully: "Do you remember, +little Mats, that when we went past Oevid Cloister, we heard that the +folks in a farmyard had seen an elf who was dressed in leather breeches, +and had wooden shoes on his feet, like any other working man? And do you +recollect when we came to Vittskoevle, a girl told us that she had seen a +Goa-Nisse with wooden shoes, who flew away on the back of a goose? And +when we ourselves came home to our cabin, little Mats, we saw a goblin +who was dressed in the same way, and who also straddled the back of a +goose--and flew away. Maybe it was the same one who rode along on his +goose up here in the air and dropped his wooden shoe." + +"Yes, it must have been," said little Mats. + +They turned the wooden shoe about and examined it carefully--for it +isn't every day that one happens across a Goa-Nisse's wooden shoe on the +highway. + +"Wait, wait, little Mats!" said Osa, the goose-girl. "There is something +written on one side of it." + +"Why, so there is! but they are such tiny letters." + +"Let me see! It says--it says: 'Nils Holgersson from W. Vemminghoeg.' +That's the most wonderful thing I've ever heard!" said little Mats. + + +THE STORY OF KARR AND GRAYSKIN + + +KARR + +About twelve years before Nils Holgersson started on his travels with +the wild geese there was a manufacturer at Kolmarden who wanted to be +rid of one of his dogs. He sent for his game-keeper and said to him that +it was impossible to keep the dog because he could not be broken of the +habit of chasing all the sheep and fowl he set eyes on, and he asked the +man to take the dog into the forest and shoot him. + +The game-keeper slipped the leash on the dog to lead him to a spot in +the forest where all the superannuated dogs from the manor were shot and +buried. He was not a cruel man, but he was very glad to shoot that dog, +for he knew that sheep and chickens were not the only creatures he +hunted. Times without number he had gone into the forest and helped +himself to a hare or a grouse-chick. + +The dog was a little black-and-tan setter. His name was Karr, and he was +so wise he understood all that was said. + +As the game-keeper was leading him through the thickets, Karr knew only +too well what was in store for him. But this no one could have guessed +by his behaviour, for he neither hung his head nor dragged his tail, but +seemed as unconcerned as ever. + +It was because they were in the forest that the dog was so careful not +to appear the least bit anxious. + +There were great stretches of woodland on every side of the factory, and +this forest was famed both among animals and human beings because for +many, many years the owners had been so careful of it that they had +begrudged themselves even the trees needed for firewood. Nor had they +had the heart to thin or train them. The trees had been allowed to grow +as they pleased. Naturally a forest thus protected was a beloved refuge +for wild animals, which were to be found there in great numbers. Among +themselves they called it Liberty Forest, and regarded it as the best +retreat in the whole country. + +As the dog was being led through the woods he thought of what a bugaboo +he had been to all the small animals and birds that lived there. + +"Now, Karr, wouldn't they be happy in their lairs if they only knew what +was awaiting you?" he thought, but at the same time he wagged his tail +and barked cheerfully, so that no one should think that he was worried +or depressed. + +"What fun would there have been in living had I not hunted +occasionally?" he reasoned. "Let him who will, regret; it's not going to +be Karr!" + +But the instant the dog said this, a singular change came over him. He +stretched his neck as though he had a mind to howl. He no longer trotted +alongside the game-keeper, but walked behind him. It was plain that he +had begun to think of something unpleasant. + +It was early summer; the elk cows had just given birth to their young, +and, the night before, the dog had succeeded in parting from its mother +an elk calf not more than five days old, and had driven it down into the +marsh. There he had chased it back and forth over the knolls--not with +the idea of capturing it, but merely for the sport of seeing how he +could scare it. The elk cow knew that the marsh was bottomless so soon +after the thaw, and that it could not as yet hold up so large an animal +as herself, so she stood on the solid earth for the longest time, +watching! But when Karr kept chasing the calf farther and farther away, +she rushed out on the marsh, drove the dog off, took the calf with her, +and turned back toward firm land. Elk are more skilled than other +animals in traversing dangerous, marshy ground, and it seemed as if she +would reach solid land in safety; but when she was almost there a knoll +which she had stepped upon sank into the mire, and she went down with +it. She tried to rise, but could get no secure foothold, so she sank and +sank. Karr stood and looked on, not daring to move. When he saw that the +elk could not save herself, he ran away as fast as he could, for he had +begun to think of the beating he would get if it were discovered that he +had brought a mother elk to grief. He was so terrified that he dared not +pause for breath until he reached home. + +It was this that the dog recalled; and it troubled him in a way very +different from the recollection of all his other misdeeds. This was +doubtless because he had not really meant to kill either the elk cow or +her calf, but had deprived them of life without wishing to do so. + +"But maybe they are alive yet!" thought the dog. "They were not dead +when I ran away; perhaps they saved themselves." + +He was seized with an irresistible longing to know for a certainty while +yet there was time for him to find out. He noticed that the game-keeper +did not have a firm hold on the leash; so he made a sudden spring, broke +loose, and dashed through the woods down to the marsh with such speed +that he was out of sight before the game-keeper had time to level his +gun. + +There was nothing for the game-keeper to do but to rush after him. When +he got to the marsh he found the dog standing upon a knoll, howling with +all his might. + +The man thought he had better find out the meaning of this, so he +dropped his gun and crawled out over the marsh on hands and knees. He +had not gone far when he saw an elk cow lying dead in the quagmire. +Close beside her lay a little calf. It was still alive, but so much +exhausted that it could not move. Karr was standing beside the calf, now +bending down and licking it, now howling shrilly for help. + +The game-keeper raised the calf and began to drag it toward land. When +the dog understood that the calf would be saved he was wild with joy. He +jumped round and round the game-keeper, licking his hands and barking +with delight. + +The man carried the baby elk home and shut it up in a calf stall in the +cow shed. Then he got help to drag the mother elk from the marsh. Only +after this had been done did he remember that he was to shoot Karr. He +called the dog to him, and again took him into the forest. + +The game-keeper walked straight on toward the dog's grave; but all the +while he seemed to be thinking deeply. Suddenly he turned and walked +toward the manor. + +Karr had been trotting along quietly; but when the game-keeper turned +and started for home, he became anxious. The man must have discovered +that it was he that had caused the death of the elk, and now he was +going back to the manor to be thrashed before he was shot! + +To be beaten was worse than all else! With that prospect Karr could no +longer keep up his spirits, but hung his head. When he came to the manor +he did not look up, but pretended that he knew no one there. + +The master was standing on the stairs leading to the hall when the +game-keeper came forward. + +"Where on earth did that dog come from?" he exclaimed. "Surely it can't +be Karr? He must be dead this long time!" + +Then the man began to tell his master all about the mother elk, while +Karr made himself as little as he could, and crouched behind the +game-keeper's legs. + +Much to his surprise the man had only praise for him. He said it was +plain the dog knew that the elk were in distress, and wished to save +them. + +"You may do as you like, but I can't shoot that dog!" declared the +game-keeper. + +Karr raised himself and pricked up his ears. He could hardly believe +that he heard aright. Although he did not want to show how anxious he +had been, he couldn't help whining a little. Could it be possible that +his life was to be spared simply because he had felt uneasy about the +elk? + +The master thought that Karr had conducted himself well, but as he did +not want the dog, he could not decide at once what should be done with +him. + +"If you will take charge of him and answer for his good behaviour in the +future, he may as well live," he said, finally. + +This the game-keeper was only too glad to do, and that was how Karr came +to move to the game-keeper's lodge. + +GRAYSKIN'S FLIGHT + +From the day that Karr went to live with the game-keeper he abandoned +entirely his forbidden chase in the forest. This was due not only to his +having been thoroughly frightened, but also to the fact that he did not +wish to make the game-keeper angry at him. Ever since his new master +saved his life the dog loved him above everything else. He thought only +of following him and watching over him. If he left the house, Karr would +run ahead to make sure that the way was clear, and if he sat at home, +Karr would lie before the door and keep a close watch on every one who +came and went. + +When all was quiet at the lodge, when no footsteps were heard on the +road, and the game-keeper was working in his garden, Karr would amuse +himself playing with the baby elk. + +At first the dog had no desire to leave his master even for a moment. +Since he accompanied him everywhere, he went with him to the cow shed. +When he gave the elk calf its milk, the dog would sit outside the stall +and gaze at it. The game-keeper called the calf Grayskin because he +thought it did not merit a prettier name, and Karr agreed with him on +that point. + +Every time the dog looked at it he thought that he had never seen +anything so ugly and misshapen as the baby elk, with its long, shambly +legs, which hung down from the body like loose stilts. The head was +large, old, and wrinkled, and it always drooped to one side. The skin +lay in tucks and folds, as if the animal had put on a coat that had not +been made for him. Always doleful and discontented, curiously enough he +jumped up every time Karr appeared as if glad to see him. + +The elk calf became less hopeful from day to day, did not grow any, and +at last he could not even rise when he saw Karr. Then the dog jumped up +into the crib to greet him, and thereupon a light kindled in the eyes of +the poor creature--as if a cherished longing were fulfilled. + +After that Karr visited the elk calf every day, and spent many hours +with him, licking his coat, playing and racing with him, till he taught +him a little of everything a forest animal should know. + +It was remarkable that, from the time Karr began to visit the elk calf +in his stall, the latter seemed more contented, and began to grow. After +he was fairly started, he grew so rapidly that in a couple of weeks the +stall could no longer hold him, and he had to be moved into a grove. + +When he had been in the grove two months his legs were so long that he +could step over the fence whenever he wished. Then the lord of the manor +gave the game-keeper permission to put up a higher fence and to allow +him more space. Here the elk lived for several years, and grew up into a +strong and handsome animal. Karr kept him company as often as he could; +but now it was no longer through pity, for a great friendship had sprung +up between the two. The elk was always inclined to be melancholy, +listless, and, indifferent, but Karr knew how to make him playful and +happy. + +Grayskin had lived for five summers on the game-keeper's place, when his +owner received a letter from a zooelogical garden abroad asking if the +elk might be purchased. + +The master was pleased with the proposal, the game-keeper was +distressed, but had not the power to say no; so it was decided that the +elk should be sold. Karr soon discovered what was in the air and ran +over to the elk to have a chat with him. The dog was very much +distressed at the thought of losing his friend, but the elk took the +matter calmly, and seemed neither glad nor sorry. + +"Do you think of letting them send you away without offering +resistance?" asked Karr. + +"What good would it do to resist?" asked Grayskin. "I should prefer to +remain where I am, naturally, but if I've been sold, I shall have to go, +of course." + +Karr looked at Grayskin and measured him with his eyes. It was apparent +that the elk was not yet full grown. He did not have the broad antlers, +high hump, and long mane of the mature elk; but he certainly had +strength enough to fight for his freedom. + +"One can see that he has been in captivity all his life," thought Karr, +but said nothing. + +Karr left and did not return to the grove till long past midnight. By +that time he knew Grayskin would be awake and eating his breakfast. + +"Of course you are doing right, Grayskin, in letting them take you +away," remarked Karr, who appeared now to be calm and satisfied. "You +will be a prisoner in a large park and will have no responsibilities. It +seems a pity that you must leave here without having seen the forest. +You know your ancestors have a saying that 'the elk are one with the +forest.' But you haven't even been in a forest!" + +Grayskin glanced up from the clover which he stood munching. + +"Indeed, I should love to see the forest, but how am I to get over the +fence?" he said with his usual apathy. + +"Oh, that is difficult for one who has such short legs!" said Karr. + +The elk glanced slyly at the dog, who jumped the fence many times a +day--little as he was. + +He walked over to the fence, and with one spring he was on the other +side, without knowing how it happened. + +Then Karr and Grayskin went into the forest. It was a beautiful +moonlight night in late summer; but in among the trees it was dark, and +the elk walked along slowly. + +"Perhaps we had better turn back," said Karr. "You, who have never +before tramped the wild forest, might easily break your legs." Grayskin +moved more rapidly and with more courage. + +Karr conducted the elk to a part of the forest where the pines grew so +thickly that no wind could penetrate them. + +"It is here that your kind are in the habit of seeking shelter from cold +and storm," said Karr. "Here they stand under the open skies all winter. +But you will fare much better where you are going, for you will stand in +a shed, with a roof over your head, like an ox." + +Grayskin made no comment, but stood quietly and drank in the strong, +piney air. + +"Have you anything more to show me, or have I now seen the whole +forest?" he asked. + +Then Karr went with him to a big marsh, and showed him clods and +quagmire. + +"Over this marsh the elk take flight when they are in peril," said Karr. +"I don't know how they manage it, but, large and heavy as they are, they +can walk here without sinking. Of course you couldn't hold yourself up +on such dangerous ground, but then there is no occasion for you to do +so, for you will never be hounded by hunters." + +Grayskin made no retort, but with a leap he was out on the marsh, and +happy when he felt how the clods rocked under him. He dashed across the +marsh, and came back again to Karr, without having stepped into a +mudhole. + +"Have we seen the whole forest now?" he asked. + +"No, not yet," said Karr. + +He next conducted the elk to the skirt of the forest, where fine oaks, +lindens, and aspens grew. + +"Here your kind eat leaves and bark, which they consider the choicest +of food; but you will probably get better fare abroad." + +Grayskin was astonished when he saw the enormous leaf-trees spreading +like a great canopy above him. He ate both oak leaves and aspen bark. + +"These taste deliciously bitter and good!" he remarked. "Better than +clover!" + +"Then wasn't it well that you should taste them once?" said the dog. + +Thereupon he took the elk down to a little forest lake. The water was as +smooth as a mirror, and reflected the shores, which were veiled in thin, +light mists. When Grayskin saw the lake he stood entranced. + +"What is this, Karr?" he asked. + +It was the first time that he had seen a lake. + +"It's a large body of water--a lake," said Karr. "Your people swim +across it from shore to shore. One could hardly expect you to be +familiar with this; but at least you should go in and take a swim!" + +Karr, himself, plunged into the water for a swim. Grayskin stayed back +on the shore for some little time, but finally followed. He grew +breathless with delight as the cool water stole soothingly around his +body. He wanted it over his back, too, so went farther out. Then he felt +that the water could hold him up, and began to swim. He swam all around +Karr, ducking and snorting, perfectly at home in the water. + +When they were on shore again, the dog asked if they had not better go +home now. + +"It's a long time until morning," observed Grayskin, "so we can tramp +around in the forest a little longer." + +They went again into the pine wood. Presently they came to an open glade +illuminated by the moonlight, where grass and flowers shimmered beneath +the dew. Some large animals were grazing on this forest meadow--an elk +bull, several elk cows and a number of elk calves. When Grayskin caught +sight of them he stopped short. He hardly glanced at the cows or the +young ones, but stared at the old bull, which had broad antlers with +many taglets, a high hump, and a long-haired fur piece hanging down from +his throat. + +"What kind of an animal is that?" asked Grayskin in wonderment. + +"He is called Antler-Crown," said Karr, "and he is your kinsman. One of +these days you, too, will have broad antlers, like those, and just such +a mane; and if you were to remain in the forest, very likely you, also, +would have a herd to lead." + +"If he is my kinsman, I must go closer and have a look at him," said +Grayskin. "I never dreamed that an animal could be so stately!" + +Grayskin walked over to the elk, but almost immediately he came back to +Karr, who had remained at the edge of the clearing. + +"You were not very well received, were you?" said Karr. + +"I told him that this was the first time I had run across any of my +kinsmen, and asked if I might walk with them on their meadow. But they +drove me back, threatening me with their antlers." + +"You did right to retreat," said Karr. "A young elk bull with only a +taglet crown must be careful about fighting with an old elk. Another +would have disgraced his name in the whole forest by retreating without +resistance, but such things needn't worry you who are going to move to a +foreign land." + +Karr had barely finished speaking when Grayskin turned and walked down +to the meadow. The old elk came toward him, and instantly they began to +fight. Their antlers met and clashed, and Grayskin was driven backward +over the whole meadow. Apparently he did not know how to make use of his +strength; but when he came to the edge of the forest, he planted his +feet on the ground, pushed hard with his antlers, and began to force +Antler-Crown back. + +Grayskin fought quietly, while Antler-Crown puffed and snorted. The old +elk, in his turn, was now being forced backward over the meadow. +Suddenly a loud crash was heard! A taglet in the old elk's antlers had +snapped. He tore himself loose, and dashed into the forest. + +Karr was still standing at the forest border when Grayskin came along. + +"Now that you have seen what there is in the forest," said Karr, "will +you come home with me?" + +"Yes, it's about time," observed the elk. + +Both were silent on the way home. Karr sighed several times, as if he +was disappointed about something; but Grayskin stepped along--his head +in the air--and seemed delighted over the adventure. He walked ahead +unhesitatingly until they came to the enclosure. There he paused. He +looked in at the narrow pen where he had lived up till now; saw the +beaten ground, the stale fodder, the little trough where he had drunk +water, and the dark shed in which he had slept. + +"The elk are one with the forest!" he cried. Then he threw back his +head, so that his neck rested against his back, and rushed wildly into +the woods. + +HELPLESS, THE WATER-SNAKE + +In a pine thicket in the heart of Liberty Forest, every year, in the +month of August, there appeared a few grayish-white moths of the kind +which are called nun moths. They were small and few in number, and +scarcely any one noticed them. When they had fluttered about in the +depth of the forest a couple of nights, they laid a few thousand eggs on +the branches of trees; and shortly afterward dropped lifeless to the +ground. + +When spring came, little prickly caterpillars crawled out from the eggs +and began to eat the pine needles. They had good appetites, but they +never seemed to do the trees any serious harm, because they were hotly +pursued by birds. It was seldom that more than a few hundred +caterpillars escaped the pursuers. + +The poor things that lived to be full grown crawled up on the branches, +spun white webs around themselves, and sat for a couple of weeks as +motionless pupae. During this period, as a rule, more than half of them +were abducted. If a hundred nun moths came forth in August, winged and +perfect, it was reckoned a good year for them. + +This sort of uncertain and obscure existence did the moths lead for many +years in Liberty Forest. There were no insect folk in the whole country +that were so scarce, and they would have remained quite harmless and +powerless had they not, most unexpectedly, received a helper. + +This fact has some connection with Grayskin's flight from the +game-keeper's paddock. Grayskin roamed the forest that he might become +more familiar with the place. Late in the afternoon he happened to +squeeze through some thickets behind a clearing where the soil was muddy +and slimy, and in the centre of it was a murky pool. This open space was +encircled by tall pines almost bare from age and miasmic air. Grayskin +was displeased with the place and would have left it at once had he not +caught sight of some bright green calla leaves which grew near the pool. + +As he bent his head toward the calla stalks, he happened to disturb a +big black snake, which lay sleeping under them. Grayskin had heard Karr +speak of the poisonous adders that were to be found in the forest. So, +when the snake raised its head, shot out its tongue and hissed at him, +he thought he had encountered an awfully dangerous reptile. He was +terrified and, raising his foot, he struck so hard with his hoof that he +crushed the snake's head. Then, away he ran in hot haste! + +As soon as Grayskin had gone, another snake, just as long and as black +as the first, came up from the pool. It crawled over to the dead one, +and licked the poor, crushed-in head. + +"Can it be true that you are dead, old Harmless?" hissed the snake. "We +two have lived together so many years; we two have been so happy with +each other, and have fared so well here in the swamp, that we have lived +to be older than all the other water-snakes in the forest! This is the +worst sorrow that could have befallen me!" + +The snake was so broken-hearted that his long body writhed as if it had +been wounded. Even the frogs, who lived in constant fear of him, were +sorry for him. + +"What a wicked creature he must be to murder a poor water-snake that +cannot defend itself!" hissed the snake. "He certainly deserves a severe +punishment. As sure as my name is Helpless and I'm the oldest +water-snake in the whole forest, I'll be avenged! I shall not rest until +that elk lies as dead on the ground as my poor old snake-wife." + +When the snake had made this vow he curled up into a hoop and began to +ponder. One can hardly imagine anything that would be more difficult for +a poor water-snake than to wreak vengeance upon a big, strong elk; and +old Helpless pondered day and night without finding any solution. + +One night, as he lay there with his vengeance-thoughts, he heard a +slight rustle over his head. He glanced up and saw a few light nun moths +playing in among the trees. + +He followed them with his eyes a long while; then began to hiss loudly +to himself, apparently pleased with the thought that had occurred to +him--then he fell asleep. + +The next morning the water-snake went over to see Crawlie, the adder, +who lived in a stony and hilly part of Liberty Forest. He told him all +about the death of the old water-snake, and begged that he who could +deal such deadly thrusts would undertake the work of vengeance. But +Crawlie was not exactly disposed to go to war with an elk. + +"If I were to attack an elk," said the adder, "he would instantly kill +me. Old Harmless is dead and gone, and we can't bring her back to life, +so why should I rush into danger on her account?" + +When the water-snake got this reply he raised his head a whole foot from +the ground, and hissed furiously: + +"Vish vash! Vish vash!" he said. "It's a pity that you, who have been +blessed with such weapons of defence, should be so cowardly that you +don't dare use them!" + +When the adder heard this, he, too, got angry. + +"Crawl away, old Helpless!" he hissed. "The poison is in my fangs, but I +would rather spare one who is said to be my kinsman." + +But the water-snake did not move from the spot, and for a long time the +snakes lay there hissing abusive epithets at each other. + +When Crawlie was so angry that he couldn't hiss, but could only dart his +tongue out, the water-snake changed the subject, and began to talk in a +very different tone. + +"I had still another errand, Crawlie," he said, lowering his voice to a +mild whisper. "But now I suppose you are so angry that you wouldn't care +to help me?" + +"If you don't ask anything foolish of me, I shall certainly be at your +service." + +"In the pine trees down by the swamp live a moth folk that fly around +all night." + +"I know all about them," remarked Crawlie. "What's up with them now?" + +"They are the smallest insect family in the forest," said Helpless, "and +the most harmless, since the caterpillars content themselves with +gnawing only pine needles." + +"Yes, I know," said Crawlie. + +"I'm afraid those moths will soon be exterminated," sighed the +water-snake. "There are so many who pick off the caterpillars in the +spring." + +Now Crawlie began to understand that the water-snake wanted the +caterpillars for his own purpose, and he answered pleasantly: + +"Do you wish me to say to the owls that they are to leave those pine +tree worms in peace?" + +"Yes, it would be well if you who have some authority in the forest +should do this," said Helpless. + +"I might also drop a good word for the pine needle pickers among the +thrushes?" volunteered the adder. "I will gladly serve you when you do +not demand anything unreasonable." + +"Now you have given me a good promise, Crawlie," said Helpless, "and I'm +glad that I came to you." + +THE NUN MOTHS + +One morning--several years later--Karr lay asleep on the porch. It was +in the early summer, the season of light nights, and it was as bright as +day, although the sun was not yet up. Karr was awakened by some one +calling his name. + +"Is it you, Grayskin?" he asked, for he was accustomed to the elk's +nightly visits. Again he heard the call; then he recognized Grayskin's +voice, and hastened in the direction of the sound. + +Karr heard the elk's footfalls in the distance, as he dashed into the +thickest pine wood, and straight through the brush, following no trodden +path. Karr could not catch up with him, and he had great difficulty in +even following the trail. "Karr, Karri" came the cry, and the voice was +certainly Grayskin's, although it had a ring now which the dog had never +heard before. + +"I'm coming, I'm coming!" the dog responded. "Where are you?" + +"Karr, Karr! Don't you see how it falls and falls?" said Grayskin. + +Then Karr noticed that the pine needles kept dropping and dropping from +the trees, like a steady fall of rain. + +"Yes, I see how it falls," he cried, and ran far into the forest in +search of the elk. + +Grayskin kept running through the thickets, while Karr was about to lose +the trail again. + +"Karr, Karr!" roared Grayskin; "can't you scent that peculiar odour in +the forest?" + +Karr stopped and sniffed. + +He had not thought of it before, but now he remarked that the pines sent +forth a much stronger odour than usual. + +"Yes, I catch the scent," he said. He did not stop long enough to find +out the cause of it, but hurried on after Grayskin. + +The elk ran ahead with such speed that the dog could not catch up with +him. + +"Karr, Karr!" he called; "can't you hear the crunching on the pines?" +Now his tone was so plaintive it would have melted a stone. + +Karr paused to listen. He heard a faint but distinct "tap, tap," on the +trees. It sounded like the ticking of a watch. + +"Yes, I hear how it ticks," cried Karr, and ran no farther. He +understood that the elk did not want him to follow, but to take notice +of something that was happening in the forest. + +Karr was standing beneath the drooping branches of a great pine. He +looked carefully at it; the needles moved. He went closer and saw a mass +of grayish-white caterpillars creeping along the branches, gnawing off +the needles. Every branch was covered with them. The crunch, crunch in +the trees came from the working of their busy little jaws. Gnawed-off +needles fell to the ground in a continuous shower, and from the poor +pines there came such a strong odour that the dog suffered from it. + +"What can be the meaning of this?" wondered Karr. "It's too bad about +the pretty trees! Soon they'll have no beauty left." + +He walked from tree to tree, trying with his poor eyesight to see if all +was well with them. + +"There's a pine they haven't touched," he thought. But they had taken +possession of it, too. "And here's a birch--no, this also! The +game-keeper will not be pleased with this," observed Karr. + +He ran deeper into the thickets, to learn how far the destruction had +spread. Wherever he went, he heard the same ticking; scented the same +odour; saw the same needle rain. There was no need of his pausing to +investigate. He understood it all by these signs. The little +caterpillars were everywhere. The whole forest was being ravaged by +them! + +All of a sudden he came to a tract where there was no odour, and where +all was still. + +"Here's the end of their domain," thought the dog, as he paused and +glanced about. + +But here it was even worse; for the caterpillars had already done their +work, and the trees were needleless. They were like the dead. The only +thing that covered them was a network of ragged threads, which the +caterpillars had spun to use as roads and bridges. + +In there, among the dying trees, Grayskin stood waiting for Karr. + +He was not alone. With him were four old elk--the most respected in the +forest. Karr knew them: They were Crooked-Back, who was a small elk, but +had a larger hump than the others; Antler-Crown, who was the most +dignified of the elk; Rough-Mane, with the thick coat; and an old +long-legged one, who, up till the autumn before, when he got a bullet in +his thigh, had been terribly hot-tempered and quarrelsome. + +"What in the world is happening to the forest?" Karr asked when he came +up to the elk. They stood with lowered heads, far protruding upper lips, +and looked puzzled. + +"No one can tell," answered Grayskin. "This insect family used to be the +least hurtful of any in the forest, and never before have they done any +damage. But these last few years they have been multiplying so fast that +now it appears as if the entire forest would be destroyed." + +"Yes, it looks bad," Karr agreed, "but I see that the wisest animals in +the forest have come together to hold a consultation. Perhaps you have +already found some remedy?" + +When the dog said this, Crooked-Back solemnly raised his heavy head, +pricked up his long ears, and spoke: + +"We have summoned you hither, Karr, that we may learn if the humans know +of this desolation." + +"No," said Karr, "no human being ever comes thus far into the forest +when it's not hunting time. They know nothing of this misfortune." + +Then Antler-Crown said: + +"We who have lived long in the forest do not think that we can fight +this insect pest all by ourselves." + +"After this there will be no peace in the forest!" put in Rough-Mane. + +"But we can't let the whole Liberty Forest go to rack and ruin!" +protested Big-and-Strong. "We'll have to consult the humans; there is no +alternative." + +Karr understood that the elk had difficulty in expressing what they +wished to say, and he tried to help them. + +"Perhaps you want me to let the people know the conditions here?" he +suggested. + +All the old elk nodded their heads. + +"It's most unfortunate that we are obliged to ask help of human beings, +but we have no choice." + +A moment later Karr was on his way home. As he ran ahead, deeply +distressed over all that he had heard and seen, a big black water-snake +approached them. + +"Well met in the forest!" hissed the water-snake. + +"Well met again!" snarled Karr, and rushed by without stopping. + +The snake turned and tried to catch up to him. + +"Perhaps that creature also, is worried about the forest," thought Karr, +and waited. + +Immediately the snake began to talk about the great disaster. + +"There will be an end of peace and quiet in the forest when human beings +are called hither," said the snake. + +"I'm afraid there will," the dog agreed; "but the oldest forest dwellers +know what they're about!" he added. + +"I think I know a better plan," said the snake, "if I can get the reward +I wish." + +"Are you not the one whom every one around here calls old Helpless?" +said the dog, sneeringly. + +"I'm an old inhabitant of the forest," said the snake, "and I know how +to get rid of such plagues." + +"If you clear the forest of that pest, I feel sure you can have anything +you ask for," said Karr. + +The snake did not respond to this until he had crawled under a tree +stump, where he was well protected. Then he said: + +"Tell Grayskin that if he will leave Liberty Forest forever, and go far +north, where no oak tree grows, I will send sickness and death to all +the creeping things that gnaw the pines and spruces!" + +"What's that you say?" asked Karr, bristling up. "What harm has Grayskin +ever done you?" + +"He has slain the one whom I loved best," the snake declared, "and I +want to be avenged." + +Before the snake had finished speaking, Karr made a dash for him; but +the reptile lay safely hidden under the tree stump. + +"Stay where you are!" Karr concluded. "We'll manage to drive out the +caterpillars without your help." + +THE BIG WAR OF THE MOTHS + +The following spring, as Karr was dashing through the forest one +morning, he heard some one behind him calling: "Karr! Karr!" + +He turned and saw an old fox standing outside his lair. + +"You must tell me if the humans are doing anything for the forest," said +the fox. + +"Yes, you may be sure they are!" said Karr. "They are working as hard as +they can." + +"They have killed off all my kinsfolk, and they'll be killing me next," +protested the fox. "But they shall be pardoned for that if only they +save the forest." + +That year Karr never ran into the woods without some animal's asking if +the humans could save the forest. It was not easy for the dog to answer; +the people themselves were not certain that they could conquer the +moths. But considering how feared and hated old Kolmarden had always +been, it was remarkable that every day more than a hundred men went +there, to work. They cleared away the underbrush. They felled dead +trees, lopped off branches from the live ones so that the caterpillars +could not easily crawl from tree to tree; they also dug wide trenches +around the ravaged parts and put up lime-washed fences to keep them out +of new territory. Then they painted rings of lime around the trunks of +trees to prevent the caterpillars leaving those they had already +stripped. The idea was to force them to remain where they were until +they starved to death. + +The people worked with the forest until far into the spring. They were +hopeful, and could hardly wait for the caterpillars to come out from +their eggs, feeling certain that they had shut them in so effectually +that most of them would die of starvation. + +But in the early summer the caterpillars came out, more numerous than +ever. + +They were everywhere! They crawled on the country roads, on fences, on +the walls of the cabins. They wandered outside the confines of Liberty +Forest to other parts of Kolmarden. + +"They won't stop till all our forests are destroyed!" sighed the people, +who were in great despair, and could not enter the forest without +weeping. + +Karr was so sick of the sight of all these creeping, gnawing things that +he could hardly bear to step outside the door. But one day he felt that +he must go and find out how Grayskin was getting on. He took the +shortest cut to the elk's haunts, and hurried along--his nose close to +the earth. When he came to the tree stump where he had met Helpless the +year before, the snake was still there, and called to him: + +"Have you told Grayskin what I said to you when last we met?" asked the +water-snake. + +Karr only growled and tried to get at him. + +"If you haven't told him, by all means do so!" insisted the snake. "You +must see that the humans know of no cure for this plague." + +"Neither do you!" retorted the dog, and ran on. + +Karr found Grayskin, but the elk was so low-spirited that he scarcely +greeted the dog. He began at once to talk of the forest. + +"I don't know what I wouldn't give if this misery were only at an end!" +he said. + +"Now I shall tell you that 'tis said you could save the forest." Then +Karr delivered the water-snake's message. + +"If any one but Helpless had promised this, I should immediately go into +exile," declared the elk. "But how can a poor water-snake have the power +to work such a miracle?" + +"Of course it's only a bluff," said Karr. "Water-snakes always like to +pretend that they know more than other creatures." + +When Karr was ready to go home, Grayskin accompanied him part of the +way. Presently Karr heard a thrush, perched on a pine top, cry: + +"There goes Grayskin, who has destroyed the forest! There goes Grayskin, +who has destroyed the forest!" + +Karr thought that he had not heard correctly, but the next moment a hare +came darting across the path. When the hare saw them, he stopped, +flapped his ears, and screamed: + +"Here comes Grayskin, who has destroyed the forest!" Then he ran as fast +as he could. + +"What do they mean by that?" asked Karr. + +"I really don't know," said Grayskin. "I think that the small forest +animals are displeased with me because I was the one who proposed that +we should ask help of human beings. When the underbrush was cut down, +all their lairs and hiding places were destroyed." + +They walked on together a while longer, and Karr heard the same cry +coming from all directions: + +"There goes Grayskin, who has destroyed the forest!" + +Grayskin pretended not to hear it; but Karr understood why the elk was +so downhearted. + +"I say, Grayskin, what does the water-snake mean by saying you killed +the one he loved best?" + +"How can I tell?" said Grayskin. "You know very well that I never kill +anything." + +Shortly after that they met the four old elk--Crooked-Back, +Antler-Crown, Rough-Mane, and Big-and-Strong, who were coming along +slowly, one after the other. + +"Well met in the forest!" called Grayskin. + +"Well met in turn!" answered the elk. + +"We were just looking for you, Grayskin, to consult with you about the +forest." + +"The fact is," began Crooked-Back, "we have been informed that a crime +has been committed here, and that the whole forest is being destroyed +because the criminal has not been punished." + +"What kind of a crime was it?" + +"Some one killed a harmless creature that he couldn't eat. Such an act +is accounted a crime in Liberty Forest." + +"Who could have done such a cowardly thing?" wondered Grayskin. + +"They say that an elk did it, and we were just going to ask if you knew +who it was." + +"No," said Grayskin, "I have never heard of an elk killing a harmless +creature." + +Grayskin parted from the four old elk, and went on with Karr. He was +silent and walked with lowered head. They happened to pass Crawlie, the +adder, who lay on his shelf of rock. + +"There goes Grayskin, who has destroyed the whole forest!" hissed +Crawlie, like all the rest. + +By that time Grayskin's patience was exhausted. He walked up to the +snake, and raised a forefoot. + +"Do you think of crushing me as you crushed the old water-snake?" hissed +Crawlie. + +"Did I kill a water-snake?" asked Grayskin, astonished. + +"The first day you were in the forest you killed the wife of poor old +Helpless," said Crawlie. + +Grayskin turned quickly from the adder, and continued his walk with +Karr. Suddenly he stopped. + +"Karr, it was I who committed that crime! I killed a harmless creature; +therefore it is on my account that the forest is being destroyed." + +"What are you saying?" Karr interrupted. + +"You may tell the water-snake, Helpless, that Grayskin goes into exile +to-night!" + +"That I shall never tell him!" protested Karr. "The Far North is a +dangerous country for elk." + +"Do you think that I wish to remain here, when I have caused a disaster +like this?" protested Grayskin. + +"Don't be rash! Sleep over it before you do anything!" + +"It was you who taught me that the elk are one with the forest," said +Grayskin, and so saying he parted from Karr. + +The dog went home alone; but this talk with Grayskin troubled him, and +the next morning he returned to the forest to seek him, but Grayskin was +not to be found, and the dog did not search long for him. He realized +that the elk had taken the snake at his word, and had gone into exile. + +On his walk home Karr was too unhappy for words! He could not understand +why Grayskin should allow that wretch of a water-snake to trick him +away. He had never heard of such folly! "What power can that old +Helpless have?" + +As Karr walked along, his mind full of these thoughts, he happened to +see the game-keeper, who stood pointing up at a tree. + +"What are you looking at?" asked a man who stood beside him. + +"Sickness has come among the caterpillars," observed the game-keeper. + +Karr was astonished, but he was even more angered at the snake's having +the power to keep his word. Grayskin would have to stay away a long long +time, for, of course, that water-snake would never die. + +At the very height of his grief a thought came to Karr which comforted +him a little. + +"Perhaps the water-snake won't live so long, after all!" he thought. +"Surely he cannot always lie protected under a tree root. As soon as he +has cleaned out the caterpillars, I know some one who is going to bite +his head off!" + +It was true that an illness had made its appearance among the +caterpillars. The first summer it did not spread much. It had only just +broken out when it was time for the larvae to turn into pupae. From the +latter came millions of moths. They flew around in the trees like a +blinding snowstorm, and laid countless numbers of eggs. An even greater +destruction was prophesied for the following year. + +The destruction came not only to the forest, but also to the +caterpillars. The sickness spread quickly from forest to forest. The +sick caterpillars stopped eating, crawled up to the branches of the +trees, and died there. + +There was great rejoicing among the people when they saw them die, but +there was even greater rejoicing among the forest animals. + +From day to day the dog Karr went about with savage glee, thinking of +the hour when he might venture to kill Helpless. + +But the caterpillars, meanwhile, had spread over miles of pine woods. +Not in one summer did the disease reach them all. Many lived to become +pupas and moths. + +Grayskin sent messages to his friend Karr by the birds of passage, to +say that he was alive and faring well. But the birds told Karr +confidentially that on several occasions Grayskin had been pursued by +poachers, and that only with the greatest difficulty had he escaped. + +Karr lived in a state of continual grief, yearning, and anxiety. Yet he +had to wait two whole summers more before there was an end of the +caterpillars! + +Karr no sooner heard the game-keeper say that the forest was out of +danger than he started on a hunt for Helpless. But when he was in the +thick of the forest he made a frightful discovery: He could not hunt any +more, he could not run, he could not track his enemy, and he could not +see at all! + +During the long years of waiting, old age had overtaken Karr. He had +grown old without having noticed it. He had not the strength even to +kill a water-snake. He was not able to save his friend Grayskin from his +enemy. + +RETRIBUTION + +One afternoon Akka from Kebnekaise and her flock alighted on the shore +of a forest lake. + +Spring was backward--as it always is in the mountain districts. Ice +covered all the lake save a narrow strip next the land. The geese at +once plunged into the water to bathe and hunt for food. In the morning +Nils Holgersson had dropped one of his wooden shoes, so he went down by +the elms and birches that grew along the shore, to look for something to +bind around his foot. + +The boy walked quite a distance before he found anything that he could +use. He glanced about nervously, for he did not fancy being in the +forest. + +"Give me the plains and the lakes!" he thought. "There you can see what +you are likely to meet. Now, if this were a grove of little birches, it +would be well enough, for then the ground would be almost bare; but how +people can like these wild, pathless forests is incomprehensible to me. +If I owned this land I would chop down every tree." + +At last he caught sight of a piece of birch bark, and just as he was +fitting it to his foot he heard a rustle behind him. He turned quickly. +A snake darted from the brush straight toward him! + +The snake was uncommonly long and thick, but the boy soon saw that it +had a white spot on each cheek. + +"Why, it's only a water-snake," he laughed; "it can't harm me." + +But the next instant the snake gave him a powerful blow on the chest +that knocked him down. The boy was on his feet in a second and running +away, but the snake was after him! The ground was stony and scrubby; the +boy could not proceed very fast; and the snake was close at his heels. + +Then the boy saw a big rock in front of him, and began to scale it. + +"I do hope the snake can't follow me here!" he thought, but he had no +sooner reached the top of the rock than he saw that the snake was +following him. + +Quite close to the boy, on a narrow ledge at the top of the rock, lay a +round stone as large as a man's head. As the snake came closer, the boy +ran behind the stone, and gave it a push. It rolled right down on the +snake, drawing it along to the ground, where it landed on its head. + +"That stone did its work well!" thought the boy with a sigh of relief, +as he saw the snake squirm a little, and then lie perfectly still. + +"I don't think I've been in greater peril on the whole journey," he +said. + +He had hardly recovered from the shock when he heard a rustle above him, +and saw a bird circling through the air to light on the ground right +beside the snake. The bird was like a crow in size and form, but was +dressed in a pretty coat of shiny black feathers. + +The boy cautiously retreated into a crevice of the rock. His adventure +in being kidnapped by crows was still fresh in his memory, and he did +not care to show himself when there was no need of it. + +The bird strode back and forth beside the snake's body, and turned it +over with his beak. Finally he spread his wings and began to shriek in +ear-splitting tones: + +"It is certainly Helpless, the water-snake, that lies dead here!" Once +more he walked the length of the snake; then he stood in a deep study, +and scratched his neck with his foot. + +"It isn't possible that there can be two such big snakes in the forest," +he pondered. "It must surely be Helpless!" + +He was just going to thrust his beak into the snake, but suddenly +checked himself. + +"You mustn't be a numbskull, Bataki!" he remarked to himself. "Surely +you cannot be thinking of eating the snake until you have called Karr! +He wouldn't believe that Helpless was dead unless he could see it with +his own eyes." + +The boy tried to keep quiet, but the bird was so ludicrously solemn, as +he stalked back and forth chattering to himself, that he had to laugh. + +The bird heard him, and, with a flap of his wings, he was up on the +rock. The boy rose quickly and walked toward him. + +"Are you not the one who is called Bataki, the raven? and are you not a +friend of Akka from Kebnekaise?" asked the boy. + +The bird regarded him intently; then nodded three times. + +"Surely, you're not the little chap who flies around with the wild +geese, and whom they call Thumbietot?" + +"Oh, you're not so far out of the way," said the boy. + +"What luck that I should have run across you! Perhaps you can tell me +who killed this water-snake?" + +"The stone which I rolled down on him killed him," replied the boy, and +related how the whole thing happened. + +"That was cleverly done for one who is as tiny as you are!" said the +raven. "I have a friend in these parts who will be glad to know that +this snake has been killed, and I should like to render you a service in +return." + +"Then tell me why you are glad the water-snake is dead," responded the +boy. + +"It's a long story," said the raven; "you wouldn't have the patience to +listen to it." + +But the boy insisted that he had, and then the raven told him the whole +story about Karr and Grayskin and Helpless, the water-snake. When he had +finished, the boy sat quietly for a moment, looking straight ahead. Then +he spoke: + +"I seem to like the forest better since hearing this. I wonder if there +is anything left of the old Liberty Forest." + +"Most of it has been destroyed," said Bataki. "The trees look as if they +had passed through a fire. They'll have to be cleared away, and it will +take many years before the forest will be what it once was." + +"That snake deserved his death!" declared the boy. "But I wonder if it +could be possible that he was so wise he could send sickness to the +caterpillars?" + +"Perhaps he knew that they frequently became sick in that way," +intimated Bataki. + +"Yes, that may be; but all the same, I must say that he was a very wily +snake." + +The boy stopped talking because he saw the raven was not listening to +him, but sitting with gaze averted. "Hark!" he said. "Karr is in the +vicinity. Won't he be happy when he sees that Helpless is dead!" + +The boy turned his head in the direction of the sound. + +"He's talking with the wild geese," he said. + +"Oh, you may be sure that he has dragged himself down to the strand to +get the latest news about Grayskin!" + +Both the boy and the raven jumped to the ground, and hastened down to +the shore. All the geese had come out of the lake, and stood talking +with an old dog, who was so weak and decrepit that it seemed as if he +might drop dead at any moment. + +"There's Karr," said Bataki to the boy. "Let him hear first what the +wild geese have to say to him; later we shall tell him that the +water-snake is dead." + +Presently they heard Akka talking to Karr. + +"It happened last year while we were making our usual spring trip," +remarked the leader-goose. "We started out one morning--Yksi, Kaksi, and +I, and we flew over the great boundary forests between Dalecarlia and +Haelsingland. Under us we, saw only thick pine forests. The snow was +still deep among the trees, and the creeks were mostly frozen. + +"Suddenly we noticed three poachers down in the forest! They were on +skis, had dogs in leash, carried knives in their belts, but had no guns. + +"As there was a hard crust on the snow, they did not bother to take the +winding forest paths, but skied straight ahead. Apparently they knew +very well where they must go to find what they were seeking. + +"We wild geese flew on, high up in the air, so that the whole forest +under us was visible. When we sighted the poachers we wanted to find out +where the game was, so we circled up and down, peering through the +trees. Then, in a dense thicket, we saw something that looked like big, +moss-covered rocks, but couldn't be rocks, for there was no snow on +them. + +"We shot down, suddenly, and lit in the centre of the thicket. The three +rocks moved. They were three elk--a bull and two cows--resting in the +bleak forest. + +"When we alighted, the elk bull rose and came toward us. He was the +most superb animal we had ever seen. When he saw that it was only some +poor wild geese that had awakened him, he lay down again. + +"'No, old granddaddy, you mustn't go back to sleep!' I cried. 'Flee as +fast as you can! There are poachers in the forest, and they are bound +for this very deer fold.' + +"'Thank you, goose mother!' said the elk. He seemed to be dropping to +sleep while he was speaking. 'But surely you must know that we elk are +under the protection of the law at this time of the year. Those poachers +are probably out for fox,' he yawned. + +"'There are plenty of fox trails in the forest, but the poachers are not +looking for them. Believe me, old granddaddy! They know that you are +lying here, and are coming to attack you. They have no guns with +them--only spears and knives--for they dare not fire a shot at this +season.' + +"The elk bull lay there calmly, but the elk cows seemed to feel uneasy. + +"'It may be as the geese say,' they remarked, beginning to bestir +themselves. + +"'You just lie down!' said the elk bull. 'There are no poachers coming +here; of that you may be certain.' + +"There was nothing more to be done, so we wild geese rose again into the +air. But we continued to circle over the place, to see how it would turn +out for the elk. + +"We had hardly reached our regular flying altitude, when we saw the elk +bull come out from the thicket. He sniffed the air a little, then walked +straight toward the poachers. As he strode along he stepped upon dry +twigs that crackled noisily. A big barren marsh lay just beyond him. +Thither he went and took his stand in the middle, where there was +nothing to hide him from view. + +"There he stood until the poachers emerged from the woods. Then he +turned and fled in the opposite direction. The poachers let loose the +dogs, and they themselves skied after him at full speed. + +"The elk threw back his head and loped as fast as he could. He kicked up +snow until it flew like a blizzard about him. Both dogs and men were +left far behind. Then the elk stopped, as if to await their approach. +When they were within sight he dashed ahead again. We understood that he +was purposely tempting the hunters away from the place where the cows +were. We thought it brave of him to face danger himself, in order that +those who were dear to him might be left in safety. None of us wanted to +leave the place until we had seen how all this was to end. + +"Thus the chase continued for two hours or more. We wondered that the +poachers went to the trouble of pursuing the elk when they were not +armed with rifles. They couldn't have thought that they could succeed in +tiring out a runner like him! + +"Then we noticed that the elk no longer ran so rapidly. He stepped on +the snow more carefully, and every time he lifted his feet, blood could +be seen in his tracks. + +"We understood why the poachers had been so persistent! They had +counted on help from the snow. The elk was heavy, and with every step he +sank to the bottom of the drift. The hard crust on the snow was scraping +his legs. It scraped away the fur, and tore out pieces of flesh, so that +he was in torture every time he put his foot down. + +"The poachers and the dogs, who were so light that the ice crust could +hold their weight, pursued him all the while. He ran on and on--his +steps becoming more and more uncertain and faltering. He gasped for +breath. Not only did he suffer intense pain, but he was also exhausted +from wading through the deep snowdrifts. + +"At last he lost all patience. He paused to let poachers and dogs come +upon him, and was ready to fight them. As he stood there waiting, he +glanced upward. When he saw us wild geese circling above him, he cried +out: + +"'Stay here, wild geese, until all is over! And the next time you fly +over Kolmarden, look up Karr, and ask him if he doesn't think that his +friend Grayskin has met with a happy end?'" + +When Akka had gone so far in her story the old dog rose and walked +nearer to her. + +"Grayskin led a good life," he said. "He understands me. He knows that +I'm a brave dog, and that I shall be glad to hear that he had a happy +end. Now tell me how--" + +He raised his tail and threw back his head, as if to give himself a bold +and proud bearing--then he collapsed. + +"Karr! Karr!" called a man's voice from the forest. + +The old dog rose obediently. + +"My master is calling me," he said, "and I must not tarry longer. I just +saw him load his gun. Now we two are going into the forest for the last +time. + +"Many thanks, wild goose! I know everything that I need know to die +content!" + + +THE WIND WITCH + + +IN NAeRKE + +In bygone days there was something in Naerke the like of which was not to +be found elsewhere: it was a witch, named Ysaetter-Kaisa. + +The name Kaisa had been given her because she had a good deal to do with +wind and storm--and these wind witches are always so called. The surname +was added because she was supposed to have come from Ysaetter swamp in +Asker parish. + +It seemed as though her real abode must have been at Asker; but she used +also to appear at other places. Nowhere in all Naerke could one be sure +of not meeting her. + +She was no dark, mournful witch, but gay and frolicsome; and what she +loved most of all was a gale of wind. As soon as there was wind enough, +off she would fly to the Naerke plain for a good dance. On days when a +whirlwind swept the plain, Ysaetter-Kaisa had fun! She would stand right +in the wind and spin round, her long hair flying up among the clouds and +the long trail of her robe sweeping the ground, like a dust cloud, while +the whole plain lay spread out under her, like a ballroom floor. + +Of a morning Ysaetter-Kaisa would sit up in some tall pine at the top of +a precipice, and look across the plain. If it happened to be winter and +she saw many teams on the roads she hurriedly blew up a blizzard, piling +the drifts so high that people could barely get back to their homes by +evening. If it chanced to be summer and good harvest weather, +Ysaetter-Kaisa would sit quietly until the first hayricks had been +loaded, then down she would come with a couple of heavy showers, which +put an end to the work for that day. + +It was only too true that she seldom thought of anything else than +raising mischief. The charcoal burners up in the Kil mountains hardly +dared take a cat-nap, for as soon as she saw an unwatched kiln, she +stole up and blew on it until it began to burn in a great flame. If the +metal drivers from Laxa and Svarta were out late of an evening, +Ysaetter-Kaisa would veil the roads and the country round about in such +dark clouds that both men and horses lost their way and drove the heavy +trucks down into swamps and morasses. + +If, on a summer's day, the dean's wife at Glanshammar had spread the tea +table in the garden and along would come a gust of wind that lifted the +cloth from the table and turned over cups and saucers, they knew who had +raised the mischief! If the mayor of Oerebro's hat blew off, so that he +had to run across the whole square after it; if the wash on the line +blew away and got covered with dirt, or if the smoke poured into the +cabins and seemed unable to find its way out through the chimney, it was +easy enough to guess who was out making merry! + +Although Ysaetter-Kaisa was fond of all sorts of tantalizing games, there +was nothing really bad about her. One could see that she was hardest on +those who were quarrelsome, stingy, or wicked; while honest folk and +poor little children she would take under her wing. Old people say of +her that, once, when Asker church was burning, Ysaetter-Kaisa swept +through the air, lit amid fire and smoke on the church roof, and averted +the disaster. + +All the same the Naerke folk were often rather tired of Ysaetter-Kaisa, +but she never tired of playing her tricks on them. As she sat on the +edge of a cloud and looked down upon Naerke, which rested so peacefully +and comfortably beneath her, she must have thought: "The inhabitants +would fare much too well if I were not in existence. They would grow +sleepy and dull. There must be some one like myself to rouse them and +keep them in good spirits." + +Then she would laugh wildly and, chattering like a magpie, would rush +off, dancing and spinning from one end of the plain to the other. When a +Naerke man saw her come dragging her dust trail over the plain, he could +not help smiling. Provoking and tiresome she certainly was, but she had +a merry spirit. It was just as refreshing for the peasants to meet +Ysaetter-Kaisa as it was for the plain to be lashed by the windstorm. + +Nowadays 'tis said that Ysaetter-Kaisa is dead and gone, like all other +witches, but this one can hardly believe. It is as if some one were to +come and tell you that henceforth the air would always be still on the +plain, and the wind would never more dance across it with blustering +breezes and drenching showers. + +He who fancies that Ysaetter-Kaisa is dead and gone may as well hear what +occurred in Naerke the year that Nils Holgersson travelled over that part +of the country. Then let him tell what he thinks about it. + +MARKET EVE + +_Wednesday, April twenty-seventh_. + +It was the day before the big Cattle Fair at Oerebro; it rained in +torrents and people thought: "This is exactly as in Ysaetter-Kaisa's +time! At fairs she used to be more prankish than usual. It was quite in +her line to arrange a downpour like this on a market eve." + +As the day wore on, the rain increased, and toward evening came regular +cloud-bursts. The roads were like bottomless swamps. The farmers who had +started from home with their cattle early in the morning, that they +might arrive at a seasonable hour, fared badly. Cows and oxen were so +tired they could hardly move, and many of the poor beasts dropped down +in the middle of the road, to show that they were too exhausted to go +any farther. All who lived along the roadside had to open their doors to +the market-bound travellers, and harbour them as best they could. Farm +houses, barns, and sheds were soon crowded to their limit. + +Meanwhile, those who could struggle along toward the inn did so; but +when they arrived they wished they had stopped at some cabin along the +road. All the cribs in the barn and all the stalls in the stable were +already occupied. There was no other choice than to let horses and +cattle stand out in the rain. Their masters could barely manage to get +under cover. + +The crush and mud and slush in the barn yard were frightful! Some of the +animals were standing in puddles and could not even lie down. There were +thoughtful masters, of course, who procured straw for their animals to +lie on, and spread blankets over them; but there were those, also, who +sat in the inn, drinking and gambling, entirely forgetful of the dumb +creatures which they should have protected. + +The boy and the wild geese had come to a little wooded island in Hjaelmar +Lake that evening. The island was separated from the main land by a +narrow and shallow stream, and at low tide one could pass over it +dry-shod. + +It rained just as hard on the island as it did everywhere else. The boy +could not sleep for the water that kept dripping down on him. Finally he +got up and began to walk. He fancied that he felt the rain less when he +moved about. + +He had hardly circled the island, when he heard a splashing in the +stream. Presently he saw a solitary horse tramping among the trees. +Never in all his life had he seen such a wreck of a horse! He was +broken-winded and stiff-kneed and so thin that every rib could be seen +under the hide. He bore neither harness nor saddle--only an old bridle, +from which dangled a half-rotted rope-end. Obviously he had had no +difficulty in breaking loose. + +The horse walked straight toward the spot where the wild geese were +sleeping. The boy was afraid that he would step on them. + +"Where are you going? Feel your ground!" shouted the boy. + +"Oh, there you are!" exclaimed the horse. "I've walked miles to meet +you!" + +"Have you heard of me?" asked the boy, astonished. + +"I've got ears, even if I am old! There are many who talk of you +nowadays." + +As he spoke, the horse bent his head that he might see better, and the +boy noticed that he had a small head, beautiful eyes, and a soft, +sensitive nose. + +"He must have been a good horse at the start, though he has come to +grief in his old age," he thought. + +"I wish you would come with me and help me with something," pleaded the +horse. + +The boy thought it would be embarrassing to accompany a creature who +looked so wretched, and excused himself on account of the bad weather. + +"You'll be no worse off on my back than you are lying here," said the +horse. "But perhaps you don't dare to go with an old tramp of a horse +like me." + +"Certainly I dare!" said the boy. + +"Then wake the geese, so that we can arrange with them where they shall +come for you to-morrow," said the horse. + +The boy was soon seated on the animal's back. The old nag trotted along +better than he had thought possible. It was a long ride in the rain and +darkness before they halted near a large inn, where everything looked +terribly uninviting! The wheel tracks were so deep in the road that the +boy feared he might drown should he fall down into them. Alongside the +fence, which enclosed the yard, some thirty or forty horses and cattle +were tied, with no protection against the rain, and in the yard were +wagons piled with packing cases, where sheep, calves, hogs, and chickens +were shut in. + +The horse walked over to the fence and stationed himself. The boy +remained seated upon his back, and, with his good night eyes, plainly +saw how badly the animals fared. + +"How do you happen to be standing out here in the rain?" he asked. + +"We're on our way to a fair at Oerebro, but we were obliged to put up +here on account of the rain. This is an inn; but so many travellers have +already arrived that there's no room for us in the barns." + +The boy made no reply, but sat quietly looking about him. Not many of +the animals were asleep, and on all sides he heard complaints and +indignant protests. They had reason enough for grumbling, for the +weather was even worse than it had been earlier in the day. A freezing +wind had begun to blow, and the rain which came beating down on them +was turning to snow. It was easy enough to understand what the horse +wanted the boy to help him with. + +"Do you see that fine farm yard directly opposite the inn?" remarked the +horse. + +"Yes, I see it," answered the boy, "and I can't comprehend why they +haven't tried to find shelter for all of you in there. They are already +full, perhaps?" + +"No, there are no strangers in that place," said the horse. "The people +who live on that farm are so stingy and selfish that it would be useless +for any one to ask them for harbour." + +"If that's the case, I suppose you'll have to stand where you are." + +"I was born and raised on that farm," said the horse; "I know that there +is a large barn and a big cow shed, with many empty stalls and mangers, +and I was wondering if you couldn't manage in some way or other to get +us in over there." + +"I don't think I could venture--" hesitated the boy. But he felt so +sorry for the poor beasts that he wanted at least to try. + +He ran into the strange barn yard and saw at once that all the outhouses +were locked and the keys gone. He stood there, puzzled and helpless, +when aid came to him from an unexpected source. A gust of wind came +sweeping along with terrific force and flung open a shed door right in +front of him. + +The boy was not long in getting back to the horse. + +"It isn't possible to get into the barn or the cow house," he said, "but +there's a big, empty hay shed that they have forgotten to bolt. I can +lead you into that." + +"Thank you!" said the horse. "It will seem good to sleep once more on +familiar ground. It's the only happiness I can expect in this life." + +Meanwhile, at the flourishing farm opposite the inn, the family sat up +much later than usual that evening. + +The master of the place was a man of thirty-five, tall and dignified, +with a handsome but melancholy face. During the day he had been out in +the rain and had got wet, like every one else, and at supper he asked +his old mother, who was still mistress of the place, to light a fire on +the hearth that he might dry his clothes. The mother kindled a feeble +blaze--for in that house they were not wasteful with wood--and the +master hung his coat on the back of a chair, and placed it before the +fire. With one foot on top of the andiron and a hand resting on his +knee, he stood gazing into the embers. Thus he stood for two whole +hours, making no move other than to cast a log on the fire now and then. + +The mistress removed the supper things and turned down his bed for the +night before she went to her own room and seated herself. At intervals +she came to the door and looked wonderingly at her son. + +"It's nothing, mother. I'm only thinking," he said. + +His thoughts were on something that had occurred shortly before: When he +passed the inn a horse dealer had asked him if he would not like to +purchase a horse, and had shown him an old nag so weather-beaten that he +asked the dealer if he took him for a fool, since he wished to palm off +such a played-out beast on him. + +"Oh, no!" said the horse dealer. "I only thought that, inasmuch as the +horse once belonged to you, you might wish to give him a comfortable +home in his old age; he has need of it." + +Then he looked at the horse and recognized it as one which he himself +had raised and broken in; but it did not occur to him to purchase such +an old and useless creature on that account. No, indeed! He was not one +who squandered his money. + +All the same, the sight of the horse had awakened many, memories--and it +was the memories that kept him awake. + +That horse had been a fine animal. His father had let him tend it from +the start. He had broken it in and had loved it above everything else. +His father had complained that he used to feed it too well, and often he +had been obliged to steal out and smuggle oats to it. + +Once, when he ventured to talk with his father about letting him buy a +broadcloth suit, or having the cart painted, his father stood as if +petrified, and he thought the old man would have a stroke. He tried to +make his father understand that, when he had a fine horse to drive, he +should look presentable himself. + +The father made no reply, but two days later he took the horse to Oerebro +and sold it. + +It was cruel of him. But it was plain that his father had feared that +this horse might lead him into vanity and extravagance. And now, so long +afterward, he had to admit that his father was right. A horse like that +surely would have been a temptation. At first he had grieved terribly +over his loss. Many a time he had gone down to Oerebro, just to stand on +a street corner and see the horse pass by, or to steal into the stable +and give him a lump of sugar. He thought: "If I ever get the farm, the +first thing I do will be to buy back my horse." + +Now his father was gone and he himself had been master for two years, +but he had not made a move toward buying the horse. He had not thought +of him for ever so long, until to-night. + +It was strange that he should have forgotten the beast so entirely! + +His father had been a very headstrong, domineering man. When his son was +grown and the two had worked together, the father had gained absolute +power over him. The boy had come to think that everything his father did +was right, and, after he became the master, he only tried to do exactly +as his father would have done. + +He knew, of course, that folk said his father was stingy; but it was +well to keep a tight hold on one's purse and not throw away money +needlessly. The goods one has received should not be wasted. It was +better to live on a debt-free place and be called stingy, than to carry +heavy mortgages, like other farm owners. + +He had gone so far in his mind when he was called back by a strange +sound. It was as if a shrill, mocking voice were repeating his thoughts: +"It's better to keep a firm hold on one's purse and be called stingy, +than to be in debt, like other farm owners." + +It sounded as if some one was trying to make sport of his wisdom and he +was about to lose his temper, when he realized that it was all a +mistake. The wind was beginning to rage, and he had been standing there +getting so sleepy that he mistook the howling of the wind in the chimney +for human speech. + +He glanced up at the wall clock, which just then struck eleven. + +"It's time that you were in bed," he remarked to himself. Then he +remembered that he had not yet gone the rounds of the farm yard, as it +was his custom to do every night, to make sure that all doors were +closed and all lights extinguished. This was something he had never +neglected since he became master. He drew on his coat and went out in +the storm. + +He found everything as it should be, save that the door to the empty hay +shed had been blown open by the wind. He stepped inside for the key, +locked the shed door and put the key into his coat pocket. Then he went +back to the house, removed his coat, and hung it before the fire. Even +now he did not retire, but began pacing the floor. The storm without, +with its biting wind and snow-blended rain, was terrible, and his old +horse was standing in this storm without so much as a blanket to protect +him! He should at least have given his old friend a roof over his head, +since he had come such a long distance. + +At the inn across the way the boy heard an old wall clock strike eleven +times. Just then he was untying the animals to lead them to the shed in +the farm yard opposite. It took some time to rouse them and get them +into line. When all were ready, they marched in a long procession into +the stingy farmer's yard, with the boy as their guide. While the boy had +been assembling them, the farmer had gone the rounds of the farm yard +and locked the hay shed, so that when the animals came along the door +was closed. The boy stood there dismayed. He could not let the creatures +stand out there! He must go into the house and find the key. + +"Keep them quiet out here while I go in and fetch the key!" he said to +the old horse, and off he ran. + +On the path right in front of the house he paused to think out how he +should get inside. As he stood there he noticed two little wanderers +coming down the road, who stopped before the inn. + +The boy saw at once that they were two little girls, and ran toward +them. + +"Come now, Britta Maja!" said one, "you mustn't cry any more. Now we are +at the inn. Here they will surely take us in." + +The girl had but just said this when the boy called to her: + +"No, you mustn't try to get in there. It is simply impossible. But at +the farm house opposite there are no guests. Go there instead." + +The little girls heard the words distinctly, though they could not see +the one who spoke to them. They did not wonder much at that, however, +for the night was as black as pitch. The larger of the girls promptly +answered: + +"We don't care to enter that place, because those who live there are +stingy and cruel. It is their fault that we two must go out on the +highways and beg." + +"That may be so," said the boy, "but all the same you should go there. +You shall see that it will be well for you." + +"We can try, but it is doubtful that they will even let us enter," +observed the two little girls as they walked up to the house and +knocked. + +The master was standing by the fire thinking of the horse when he heard +the knocking. He stepped to the door to see what was up, thinking all +the while that he would not let himself be tempted into admitting any +wayfarer. As he fumbled the lock, a gust of wind came along, wrenched +the door from his hand and swung it open. To close it, he had to step +out on the porch, and, when he stepped back into the house, the two +little girls were standing within. + +They were two poor beggar girls, ragged, dirty, and starving--two little +tots bent under the burden of their beggar's packs, which were as large +as themselves. + +"Who are you that go prowling about at this hour of the night?" said the +master gruffly. + +The two children did not answer immediately, but first removed their +packs. Then they walked up to the man and stretched forth their tiny +hands in greeting. + +"We are Anna and Britta Maja from the Engaerd," said the elder, "and we +were going to ask for a night's lodging." + +He did not take the outstretched hands and was just about to drive out +the beggar children, when a fresh recollection faced him. Engaerd--was +not that a little cabin where a poor widow with five children had lived? +The widow had owed his father a few hundred kroner and in order to get +back his money he had sold her cabin. After that the widow, with her +three eldest children, went to Norrland to seek employment, and the two +youngest became a charge on the parish. + +As he called this to mind he grew bitter. He knew that his father had +been severely censured for squeezing out that money, which by right +belonged to him. + +"What are you doing nowadays?" he asked in a cross tone. "Didn't the +board of charities take charge of you? Why do you roam around and beg?" + +"It's not our fault," replied the larger girl. "The people with whom we +are living have sent us out to beg." + +"Well, your packs are filled," the farmer observed, "so you can't +complain. Now you'd better take out some of the food you have with you +and eat your fill, for here you'll get no food, as all the women folk +are in bed. Later you may lie down in the corner by the hearth, so you +won't have to freeze." + +He waved his hand, as if to ward them off, and his eyes took on a hard +look. He was thankful that he had had a father who had been careful of +his property. Otherwise, he might perhaps have been forced in childhood +to run about and beg, as these children now did. + +No sooner had he thought this out to the end than the shrill, mocking +voice he had heard once before that evening repeated it, word for word. + +He listened, and at once understood that it was nothing--only the wind +roaring in the chimney. But the queer thing about it was, when the wind +repeated his thoughts, they seemed so strangely stupid and hard and +false! + +The children meanwhile had stretched themselves, side by side, on the +floor. They were not quiet, but lay there muttering. + +"Do be still, won't you?" he growled, for he was in such an irritable +mood that he could have beaten them. + +But the mumbling continued, and again he called for silence. + +"When mother went away," piped a clear little voice, "she made me +promise that every night I would say my evening prayer. I must do this, +and Britta Maja too. As soon as we have said 'God who cares for little +children--' we'll be quiet." + +The master sat quite still while the little ones said their prayers, +then he rose and began pacing back and forth, back and forth, wringing +his hands all the while, as though he had met with some great sorrow. + +"The horse driven out and wrecked, these two children turned into road +beggars--both father's doings! Perhaps father did not do right after +all?" he thought. + +He sat down again and buried his head in his hands. Suddenly his lips +began to quiver and into his eyes came tears, which he hastily wiped +away. Fresh tears came, and he was just as prompt to brush these away; +but it was useless, for more followed. + +When his mother stepped into the room, he swung his chair quickly and +turned his back to her. She must have noticed something unusual, for she +stood quietly behind him a long while, as if waiting for him to speak. +She realized how difficult it always is for men to talk of the things +they feel most deeply. She must help him of course. + +From her bedroom she had observed all that had taken place in the living +room, so that she did not have to ask questions. She walked very softly +over to the two sleeping children, lifted them, and bore them to her own +bed. Then she went back to her son. + +"Lars," she said, as if she did not see that he was weeping, "you had +better let me keep these children." + +"What, mother?" he gasped, trying to smother the sobs. + +"I have been suffering for years--ever since father took the cabin from +their mother, and so have you." + +"Yes, but--" + +"I want to keep them here and make something of them; they are too good +to beg." + +He could not speak, for now the tears were beyond his control; but he +took his old mother's withered hand and patted it. + +Then he jumped up, as if something had frightened him. + +"What would father have said of this?" + +"Father had his day at ruling," retorted the mother. "Now it is your +day. As long as father lived we had to obey him. Now is the time to show +what you are." + +Her son was so astonished that he ceased crying. + +"But I have just shown what I am!" he returned. + +"No, you haven't," protested the mother. "You only try to be like him. +Father experienced hard times, which made him fear poverty. He believed +that he had to think of himself first. But you have never had any +difficulties that should make you hard. You have more than you need, and +it would be unnatural of you not to think of others." + +When the two little girls entered the house the boy slipped in behind +them and secreted himself in a dark corner. He had not been there long +before he caught a glimpse of the shed key, which the farmer had thrust +into his coat pocket. + +"When the master of the house drives the children out, I'll take the key +and ran," he thought. + +But the children were not driven out and the boy crouched in the corner, +not knowing what he should do next. + +The mother talked long with her son, and while she was speaking he +stopped weeping. Gradually his features softened; he looked like another +person. All the while he was stroking the wasted old hand. + +"Now we may as well retire," said the old lady when she saw that he was +calm again. + +"No," he said, suddenly rising, "I cannot retire yet. There's a stranger +without whom I must shelter to-night!" + +He said nothing further, but quickly drew on his coat, lit the lantern +and went out. There were the same wind and chill without, but as he +stepped to the porch he began to sing softly. He wondered if the horse +would know him, and if he would be glad to come back to his old stable. + +As he crossed the house yard he heard a door slam. + +"That shed door has blown open again," he thought, and went over to +close it. + +A moment later he stood by the shed and was just going to shut the door, +when he heard a rustling within. + +The boy, who had watched his opportunity, had run directly to the shed, +where he left the animals, but they were no longer out in the rain: A +strong wind had long since thrown open the door and helped them to get a +roof over their heads. The patter which the master heard was occasioned +by the boy running into the shed. + +By the light of the lantern the man could see into the shed. The whole +floor was covered with sleeping cattle. There was no human being to be +seen; the animals were not bound, but were lying, here and there, in the +straw. + +He was enraged at the intrusion and began storming and shrieking to +rouse the sleepers and drive them out. But the creatures lay still and +would not let themselves be disturbed. The only one that rose was an old +horse that came slowly toward him. + +All of a sudden the man became silent. He recognized the beast by its +gait. He raised the lantern, and the horse came over and laid its head +on his shoulder. The master patted and stroked it. + +"My old horsy, my old horsy!" he said. "What have they done to you? Yes, +dear, I'll buy you back. You'll never again have to leave this place. +You shall do whatever you like, horsy mine! Those whom you have brought +with you may remain here, but you shall come with me to the stable. Now +I can give you all the oats you are able to eat, without having to +smuggle them. And you're not all used up, either! The handsomest horse +on the church knoll--that's what you shall be once more! There, there! +There, there!" + + +THE BREAKING UP OF THE ICE + + +_Thursday, April twenty-eighth_. + +The following day the weather was clear and beautiful. There was a +strong west wind; people were glad of that, for it dried up the roads, +which had been soaked by the heavy rains of the day before. + +Early in the morning the two Smaland children, Osa, the goose girl, and +little Mats, were out on the highway leading from Soermland to Naerke. The +road ran alongside the southern shore of Hjaelmar Lake and the children +were walking along looking at the ice, which covered the greater part of +it. The morning sun darted its clear rays upon the ice, which did not +look dark and forbidding, like most spring ice, but sparkled temptingly. +As far as they could see, the ice was firm and dry. The rain had run +down into cracks and hollows, or been absorbed by the ice itself. The +children saw only the sound ice. + +Osa, the goose girl, and little Mats were on their way North, and they +could not help thinking of all the steps they would be saved if they +could cut straight across the lake instead of going around it. They +knew, to be sure, that spring ice is treacherous, but this looked +perfectly secure. They could see that it was several inches thick near +the shore. They saw a path which they might follow, and the opposite +shore appeared to be so near that they ought to be able to get there in +an hour. + +"Come, let's try!" said little Mats. "If we only look before us, so that +we don't go down into some hole, we can do it." + +So they went out on the lake. The ice was not very slippery, but rather +easy to walk upon. There was more water on it than they expected to see, +and here and there were cracks, where the water purled up. One had to +watch out for such places; but that was easy to do in broad daylight, +with the sun shining. + +The children advanced rapidly, and talked only of how sensible they were +to have gone out on the ice instead of tramping the slushy road. + +When they had been walking a while they came to Vin Island, where an old +woman had sighted them from her window. She rushed from her cabin, waved +them back, and shouted something which they could not hear. They +understood perfectly well that she was warning them not to come any +farther; but they thought there was no immediate danger. It would be +stupid for them to leave the ice when all was going so well! + +Therefore they went on past Vin Island and had a stretch of seven miles +of ice ahead of them. + +Out there was so much water that the children were obliged to take +roundabout ways; but that was sport to them. They vied with each other +as to which could find the soundest ice. They were neither tired nor +hungry. The whole day was before them, and they laughed at each obstacle +they met. + +Now and then they cast a glance ahead at the farther shore. It still +appeared far away, although they had been walking a good hour. They were +rather surprised that the lake was so broad. + +"The shore seems to be moving farther away from us," little Mats +observed. + +Out there the children were not protected against the wind, which was +becoming stronger and stronger every minute, and was pressing their +clothing so close to their bodies that they could hardly go on. The cold +wind was the first disagreeable thing they had met with on the journey. + +But the amazing part of it was that the wind came sweeping along with a +loud roar--as if it brought with it the noise of a large mill or +factory, though nothing of the kind was to be found out there on the +ice. They had walked to the west of the big island, Valen; now they +thought they were nearing the north shore. Suddenly the wind began to +blow more and more, while the loud roaring increased so rapidly that +they began to feel uneasy. + +All at once it occurred to them that the roar was caused by the foaming +and rushing of the waves breaking against a shore. Even this seemed +improbable, since the lake was still covered with ice. + +At all events, they paused and looked about. They noticed far in the +west a white bank which stretched clear across the lake. At first they +thought it was a snowbank alongside a road. Later they realized it was +the foam-capped waves dashing against the ice! They took hold of hands +and ran without saying a word. Open sea lay beyond in the west, and +suddenly the streak of foam appeared to be moving eastward. They +wondered if the ice was going to break all over. What was going to +happen? They felt now that they were in great danger. + +All at once it seemed as if the ice under their feet rose--rose and +sank, as if some one from below were pushing it. Presently they heard a +hollow boom, and then there were cracks in the ice all around them. The +children could see how they crept along under the ice-covering. + +The next moment all was still, then the rising and sinking began again. +Thereupon the cracks began to widen into crevices through which the +water bubbled up. By and by the crevices became gaps. Soon after that +the ice was divided into large floes. + +"Osa," said little Mats, "this must be the breaking up of the ice!" + +"Why, so it is, little Mats," said Osa, "but as yet we can get to land. +Run for your life!" + +As a matter of fact, the wind and waves had a good deal of work to do +yet to clear the ice from the lake. The hardest part was done when the +ice-cake burst into pieces, but all these pieces must be broken and +hurled against each other, to be crushed, worn down, and dissolved. +There was still a great deal of hard and sound ice left, which formed +large, unbroken surfaces. + +The greatest danger for the children lay in the fact that they had no +general view of the ice. They did not see the places where the gaps were +so wide that they could not possibly jump over them, nor did they know +where to find any floes that would hold them, so they wandered aimlessly +back and forth, going farther out on the lake instead of nearer land. At +last, confused and terrified, they stood still and wept. + +Then a flock of wild geese in rapid flight came rushing by. They +shrieked loudly and sharply; but the strange thing was that above the +geese-cackle the little children heard these words: + +"You must go to the right, the right, the right!" They began at once to +follow the advice; but before long they were again standing irresolute, +facing another broad gap. + +Again they heard the geese shrieking above them, and again, amid the +geese-cackle, they distinguished a few words: + +"Stand where you are! Stand where you are!" + +The children did not say a word to each other, but obeyed and stood +still. Soon after that the ice-floes floated together, so that they +could cross the gap. Then they took hold of hands again and ran. They +were afraid not only of the peril, but of the mysterious help that had +come to them. + +Soon they had to stop again, and immediately the sound of the voice +reached them. + +"Straight ahead, straight ahead!" it said. + +This leading continued for about half an hour; by that time they had +reached Ljunger Point, where they left the ice and waded to shore. They +were still terribly frightened, even though they were on firm land. They +did not stop to look back at the lake--where the waves were pitching the +ice-floes faster and faster--but ran on. When they had gone a short +distance along the point, Osa paused suddenly. + +"Wait here, little Mats," she said; "I have forgotten something." + +Osa, the goose girl, went down to the strand again, where she stopped to +rummage in her bag. Finally she fished out a little wooden shoe, which +she placed on a stone where it could be plainly seen. Then she ran to +little Mats without once looking back. + +But the instant her back was turned, a big white goose shot down from +the sky, like a streak of lightning, snatched the wooden shoe, and flew +away with it. + + +THUMBIETOT AND THE BEARS + + +THE IRONWORKS + +_Thursday, April twenty-eighth_. + +When the wild geese and Thumbietot had helped Osa, the goose girl, and +little Mats across the ice, they flew into Westmanland, where they +alighted in a grain field to feed and rest. + +A strong west wind blew almost the entire day on which the wild geese +travelled over the mining districts, and as soon as they attempted to +direct their course northward they were buffeted toward the east. Now, +Akka thought that Smirre Fox was at large in the eastern part of the +province; therefore she would not fly in that direction, but turned +back, time and again, struggling westward with great difficulty. At this +rate the wild geese advanced very slowly, and late in the afternoon they +were still in the Westmanland mining districts. Toward evening the wind +abated suddenly, and the tired travellers hoped that they would have an +interval of easy flight before sundown. Then along came a violent gust +of wind, which tossed the geese before it, like balls, and the boy, who +was sitting comfortably, with no thought of peril, was lifted from the +goose's back and hurled into space. + +Little and light as he was, he could not fall straight to the ground in +such a wind; so at first he was carried along with it, drifting down +slowly and spasmodically, as a leaf falls from a tree. + +"Why, this isn't so bad!" thought the boy as he fell. "I'm tumbling as +easily as if I were only a scrap of paper. Morten Goosey-Gander will +doubtless hurry along and pick me up." + +The first thing the boy did when he landed was to tear off his cap and +wave it, so that the big white gander should see where he was. + +"Here am I, where are you? Here am I, where are you?" he called, and was +rather surprised that Morten Goosey-Gander was not already at his side. + +But the big white gander was not to be seen, nor was the wild goose +flock outlined against the sky. It had entirely disappeared. + +He thought this rather singular, but he was neither worried nor +frightened. Not for a second did it occur to him that folk like Akka and +Morten Goosey-Gander would abandon him. The unexpected gust of wind had +probably borne them along with it. As soon as they could manage to turn, +they would surely come back and fetch him. + +But what was this? Where on earth was he anyway? He had been standing +gazing toward the sky for some sign of the geese, but now he happened to +glance about him. He had not come down on even ground, but had dropped +into a deep, wide mountain cave--or whatever it might be. It was as +large as a church, with almost perpendicular walls on all four sides, +and with no roof at all. On the ground were some huge rocks, between +which moss and lignon-brush and dwarfed birches grew. Here and there in +the wall were projections, from which swung rickety ladders. At one side +there was a dark passage, which apparently led far into the mountain. + +The boy had not been travelling over the mining districts a whole day +for nothing. He comprehended at once that the big cleft had been made by +the men who had mined ore in this place. + +"I must try and climb back to earth again," he thought, "otherwise I +fear that my companions won't find me!" + +He was about to go over to the wall when some one seized him from +behind, and he heard a gruff voice growl in his ear: "Who are you?" + +The boy turned quickly, and, in the confusion of the moment, he thought +he was facing a huge rock, covered with brownish moss. Then he noticed +that the rock had broad paws to walk with, a head, two eyes, and a +growling mouth. + +He could not pull himself together to answer, nor did the big beast +appear to expect it of him, for it knocked him down, rolled him back and +forth with its paws, and nosed him. It seemed just about ready to +swallow him, when it changed its mind and called: + +"Brumme and Mulle, come here, you cubs, and you shall have something +good to eat!" + +A pair of frowzy cubs, as uncertain on their feet and as woolly as +puppies, came tumbling along. + +"What have you got, Mamma Bear? May we see, oh, may we see?" shrieked +the cubs excitedly. + +"Oho! so I've fallen in with bears," thought the boy to himself. "Now +Smirre Fox won't have to trouble himself further to chase after me!" + +The mother bear pushed the boy along to the cubs. One of them nabbed him +quickly and ran off with him; but he did not bite hard. He was playful +and wanted to amuse himself awhile with Thumbietot before eating him. +The other cub was after the first one to snatch the boy for himself, and +as he lumbered along he managed to tumble straight down on the head of +the one that carried the boy. So the two cubs rolled over each other, +biting, clawing, and snarling. + +During the tussle the boy got loose, ran over to the wall, and started +to scale it. Then both cubs scurried after him, and, nimbly scaling the +cliff, they caught up with him and tossed him down on the moss, like a +ball. + +"Now I know how a poor little mousie fares when it falls into the cat's +claws," thought the boy. + +He made several attempts to get away. He ran deep down into the old +tunnel and hid behind the rocks and climbed the birches, but the cubs +hunted him out, go where he would. The instant they caught him they let +him go, so that he could run away again and they should have the fun of +recapturing him. + +At last the boy got so sick and tired of it all that he threw himself +down on the ground. + +"Run away," growled the cubs, "or we'll eat you up!" + +"You'll have to eat me then," said the boy, "for I can't run any more." + +Immediately both cubs rushed over to the mother bear and complained: + +"Mamma Bear, oh, Mamma Bear, he won't play any more." + +"Then you must divide him evenly between you," said Mother Bear. + +When the boy heard this he was so scared that he jumped up instantly and +began playing again. + +As it was bedtime, Mother Bear called to the cubs that they must come +now and cuddle up to her and go to sleep. They had been having such a +good time that they wished to continue their play next day; so they took +the boy between them and laid their paws over him. They did not want him +to move without waking them. They went to sleep immediately. The boy +thought that after a while he would try to steal away. But never in all +his life had he been so tumbled and tossed and hunted and rolled! And he +was so tired out that he too fell asleep. + +By and by Father Bear came clambering down the mountain wall. The boy +was wakened by his tearing away stone and gravel as he swung himself +into the old mine. The boy was afraid to move much; but he managed to +stretch himself and turn over, so that he could see the big bear. He was +a frightfully coarse, huge old beast, with great paws, large, glistening +tusks, and wicked little eyes! The boy could not help shuddering as he +looked at this old monarch of the forest. + +"It smells like a human being around here," said Father Bear the instant +he came up to Mother Bear, and his growl was as the rolling of thunder. + +"How can you imagine anything so absurd?" said Mother Bear without +disturbing herself. "It has been settled for good and all that we are +not to harm mankind any more; but if one of them were to put in an +appearance here, where the cubs and I have our quarters, there wouldn't +be enough left of him for you to catch even a scent of him!" + +Father Bear lay down beside Mother Bear. "You ought to know me well +enough to understand that I don't allow anything dangerous to come near +the cubs. Talk, instead, of what you have been doing. I haven't seen you +for a whole week!" + +"I've been looking about for a new residence," said Father Bear. "First +I went over to Vermland, to learn from our kinsmen at Ekshaerad how they +fared in that country; but I had my trouble for nothing. There wasn't a +bear's den left in the whole forest." + +"I believe the humans want the whole earth to themselves," said Mother +Bear. "Even if we leave people and cattle in peace and live solely upon +lignon and insects and green things, we cannot remain unmolested in the +forest! I wonder where we could move to in order to live in peace?" + +"We've lived comfortably for many years in this pit," observed Father +Bear. "But I can't be content here now since the big noise-shop has been +built right in our neighbourhood. Lately I have been taking a look at +the land east of Dal River, over by Garpen Mountain. Old mine pits are +plentiful there, too, and other fine retreats. I thought it looked as if +one might be fairly protected against men--" + +The instant Father Bear said this he sat up and began to sniff. + +"It's extraordinary that whenever I speak of human beings I catch that +queer scent again," he remarked. + +"Go and see for yourself if you don't believe me!" challenged Mother +Bear. "I should just like to know where a human being could manage to +hide down here?" + +The bear walked all around the cave, and nosed. Finally he went back and +lay down without a word. + +"What did I tell you?" said Mother Bear. "But of course you think that +no one but yourself has any nose or ears!" + +"One can't be too careful, with such neighbours as we have," said Father +Bear gently. Then he leaped up with a roar. As luck would have it, one +of the cubs had moved a paw over to Nils Holgersson's face and the poor +little wretch could not breathe, but began to sneeze. It was impossible +for Mother Bear to keep Father Bear back any longer. He pushed the young +ones to right and left and caught sight of the boy before he had time to +sit up. + +He would have swallowed him instantly if Mother Bear had not cast +herself between them. + +"Don't touch him! He belongs to the cubs," she said. "They have had +such fun with him the whole evening that they couldn't bear to eat him +up, but wanted to save him until morning." + +Father Bear pushed Mother Bear aside. + +"Don't meddle with what you don't understand!" he roared. "Can't you +scent that human odour about him from afar? I shall eat him at once, or +he will play us some mean trick." + +He opened his jaws again; but meanwhile the boy had had time to think, +and, quick as a flash, he dug into his knapsack and brought forth some +matches--his sole weapon of defence--struck one on his leather breeches, +and stuck the burning match into the bear's open mouth. + +Father Bear snorted when he smelled the sulphur, and with that the flame +went out. The boy was ready with another match, but, curiously enough, +Father Bear did not repeat his attack. + +"Can you light many of those little blue roses?" asked Father Bear. + +"I can light enough to put an end to the whole forest," replied the boy, +for he thought that in this way he might be able to scare Father Bear. + +"Oh, that would be no trick for me!" boasted the boy, hoping that this +would make the bear respect him. + +"Good!" exclaimed the bear. "You shall render me a service. Now I'm very +glad that I did not eat you!" + +Father Bear carefully took the boy between his tusks and climbed up from +the pit. He did this with remarkable ease and agility, considering that +he was so big and heavy. As soon as he was up, he speedily made for the +woods. It was evident that Father Bear was created to squeeze through +dense forests. The heavy body pushed through the brushwood as a boat +does through the water. + +Father Bear ran along till he came to a hill at the skirt of the forest, +where he could see the big noise-shop. Here he lay down and placed the +boy in front of him, holding him securely between his forepaws. + +"Now look down at that big noise-shop!" he commanded. The great +ironworks, with many tall buildings, stood at the edge of a waterfall. +High chimneys sent forth dark clouds of smoke, blasting furnaces were in +full blaze, and light shone from all the windows and apertures. Within +hammers and rolling mills were going with such force that the air rang +with their clatter and boom. All around the workshops proper were +immense coal sheds, great slag heaps, warehouses, wood piles, and tool +sheds. Just beyond were long rows of workingmen's homes, pretty villas, +schoolhouses, assembly halls, and shops. But there all was quiet and +apparently everybody was asleep. The boy did not glance in that +direction, but gazed intently at the ironworks. The earth around them +was black; the sky above them was like a great fiery dome; the rapids, +white with foam, rushed by; while the buildings themselves were sending +out light and smoke, fire and sparks. It was the grandest sight the boy +had ever seen! + +"Surely you don't mean to say you can set fire to a place like that?" +remarked the bear doubtingly. + +The boy stood wedged between the beast's paws thinking the only thing +that might save him would be that the bear should have a high opinion of +his capability and power. + +"It's all the same to me," he answered with a superior air. "Big or +little, I can burn it down." + +"Then I'll tell you something," said Father Bear. "My forefathers lived +in this region from the time that the forests first sprang up. From +them I inherited hunting grounds and pastures, lairs and retreats, and +have lived here in peace all my life. In the beginning I wasn't troubled +much by the human kind. They dug in the mountains and picked up a little +ore down here, by the rapids; they had a forge and a furnace, but the +hammers sounded only a few hours during the day, and the furnace was not +fired more than two moons at a stretch. It wasn't so bad but that I +could stand it; but these last years, since they have built this +noise-shop, which keeps up the same racket both day and night, life here +has become intolerable. Formerly only a manager and a couple of +blacksmiths lived here, but now there are so many people that I can +never feel safe from them. I thought that I should have to move away, +but I have discovered something better!" + +The boy wondered what Father Bear had hit upon, but no opportunity was +afforded him to ask, as the bear took him between his tusks again and +lumbered down the hill. The boy could see nothing, but knew by the +increasing noise that they were approaching the rolling mills. + +Father Bear was well informed regarding the ironworks. He had prowled +around there on many a dark night, had observed what went on within, and +had wondered if there would never be any cessation of the work. He had +tested the walls with his paws and wished that he were only strong +enough to knock down the whole structure with a single blow. + +He was not easily distinguishable against the dark ground, and when, in +addition, he remained in the shadow of the walls, there was not much +danger of his being discovered. Now he walked fearlessly between the +workshops and climbed to the top of a slag heap. There he sat up on his +haunches, took the boy between his forepaws and held him up. + +"Try to look into the house!" he commanded. A strong current of air was +forced into a big cylinder which was suspended from the ceiling and +filled with molten iron. As this current rushed into the mess of iron +with an awful roar, showers of sparks of all colours spurted up in +bunches, in sprays, in long clusters! They struck against the wall and +came splashing down over the whole big room. Father Bear let the boy +watch the gorgeous spectacle until the blowing was over and the flowing +and sparkling red steel had been poured into ingot moulds. + +The boy was completely charmed by the marvellous display and almost +forgot that he was imprisoned between a bear's two paws. + +Father Bear let him look into the rolling mill. He saw a workman take a +short, thick bar of iron at white heat from a furnace opening and place +it under a roller. When the iron came out from under the roller, it was +flattened and extended. Immediately another workman seized it and placed +it beneath a heavier roller, which made it still longer and thinner. +Thus it was passed from roller to roller, squeezed and drawn out until, +finally, it curled along the floor, like a long red thread. + +But while the first bar of iron was being pressed, a second was taken +from the furnace and placed under the rollers, and when this was a +little along, a third was brought. Continuously fresh threads came +crawling over the floor, like hissing snakes. The boy was dazzled by the +iron. But he found it more splendid to watch the workmen who, +dexterously and delicately, seized the glowing snakes with their tongs +and forced them under the rollers. It seemed like play for them to +handle the hissing iron. + +"I call that real man's work!" the boy remarked to himself. + +The bear then let the boy have a peep at the furnace and the forge, and +he became more and more astonished as he saw how the blacksmiths handled +iron and fire. + +"Those men have no fear of heat and flames," he thought. The workmen +were sooty and grimy. He fancied they were some sort of firefolk--that +was why they could bend and mould the iron as they wished. He could not +believe that they were just ordinary men, since they had such power! + +"They keep this up day after day, night after night," said Father Bear, +as he dropped wearily down on the ground. "You can understand that one +gets rather tired of that kind of thing. I'm mighty glad that at last I +can put an end to it!" + +"Indeed!" said the boy. "How will you go about it?" + +"Oh, I thought that you were going to set fire to the buildings!" said +Father Bear. "That would put an end to all this work, and I could remain +in my old home." + +The boy was all of a shiver. + +So it was for this that Father Bear had brought him here! + +"If you will set fire to the noise-works, I'll promise to spare your +life," said Father Bear. "But if you don't do it, I'll make short work +of you!" The huge workshops were built of brick, and the boy was +thinking to himself that Father Bear could command as much as he liked, +it was impossible to obey him. Presently he saw that it might not be +impossible after all. Just beyond them lay a pile of chips and shavings +to which he could easily set fire, and beside it was a wood pile that +almost reached the coal shed. The coal shed extended over to the +workshops, and if that once caught fire, the flames would soon fly over +to the roof of the iron foundry. Everything combustible would burn, the +walls would fall from the heat, and the machinery would be destroyed. +"Will you or won't you?" demanded Father Bear. The boy knew that he +ought to answer promptly that he would not, but he also knew that then +the bear's paws would squeeze him to death; therefore he replied: + +"I shall have to think it over." + +"Very well, do so," assented Father Bear. "Let me say to you that iron +is the thing that has given men the advantage over us bears, which is +another reason for my wishing to put an end to the work here." + +The boy thought he would use the delay to figure out some plan of +escape, but he was so worried he could not direct his thoughts where he +would; instead he began to think of the great help that iron had been to +mankind. They needed iron for everything. There was iron in the plough +that broke up the field, in the axe that felled the tree for building +houses, in the scythe that mowed the grain, and in the knife, which +could be turned to all sorts of uses. There was iron in the horse's bit, +in the lock on the door, in the nails that held furniture together, in +the sheathing that covered the roof. The rifle which drove away wild +beasts was made of iron, also the pick that had broken up the mine. Iron +covered the men-of-war he had seen at Karlskrona; the locomotives +steamed through the country on iron rails; the needle that had stitched +his coat was of iron; the shears that clipped the sheep and the kettle +that cooked the food. Big and little alike--much that was indispensable +was made from iron. Father Bear was perfectly right in saying that it +was the iron that had given men their mastery over the bears. + +"Now will you or won't you?" Father Bear repeated. + +The boy was startled from his musing. Here he stood thinking of matters +that were entirely unnecessary, and had not yet found a way to save +himself! + +"You mustn't be so impatient," he said. "This is a serious matter for +me, and I've got to have time to consider." + +"Well, then, consider another moment," said Father Bear. "But let me +tell you that it's because of the iron that men have become so much +wiser than we bears. For this alone, if for nothing else, I should like +to put a stop to the work here." + +Again the boy endeavoured to think out a plan of escape, but his +thoughts wandered, willy nilly. They were taken up with the iron. And +gradually he began to comprehend how much thinking and calculating men +must have done before they discovered how to produce iron from ore, and +he seemed to see sooty blacksmiths of old bending over the forge, +pondering how they should properly handle it. Perhaps it was because +they had thought so much about the iron that intelligence had been +developed in mankind, until finally they became so advanced that they +were able to build great works like these. The fact was that men owed +more to the iron than they themselves knew. + +"Well, what say you? Will you or won't you?" insisted Father Bear. + +The boy shrank back. Here he stood thinking needless thoughts, and had +no idea as to what he should do to save himself. + +"It's not such an easy matter to decide as you think," he answered. "You +must give me time for reflection." + +"I can wait for you a little longer," said Father Bear. "But after that +you'll get no more grace. You must know that it's the fault of the iron +that the human kind can live here on the property of the bears. And now +you understand why I would be rid of the work." + +The boy meant to use the last moment to think out some way to save +himself, but, anxious and distraught as he was, his thoughts wandered +again. Now he began thinking of all that he had seen when he flew over +the mining districts. It was strange that there should be so much life +and activity and so much work back there in the wilderness. + +"Just think how poor and desolate this place would be had there been no +iron here! + +"This very foundry gave employment to many, and had gathered around it +many homes filled with people, who, in turn, had attracted hither +railways and telegraph wires and--" + +"Come, come!" growled the bear. "Will you or won't you?" + +The boy swept his hand across his forehead. No plan of escape had as yet +come to his mind, but this much he knew--he did not wish to do any harm +to the iron, which was so useful to rich and poor alike, and which gave +bread to so many people in this land. + +"I won't!" he said. + +Father Bear squeezed him a little harder, but said nothing. + +"You'll not get me to destroy the ironworks!" defied the boy. "The iron +is so great a blessing that it will never do to harm it." + +"Then of course you don't expect to be allowed to live very long?" said +the bear. + +"No, I don't expect it," returned the boy, looking the bear straight in +the eye. + +Father Bear gripped him still harder. It hurt so that the boy could not +keep the tears back, but he did not cry out or say a word. + +"Very well, then," said Father Bear, raising his paw very slowly, hoping +that the boy would give in at the last moment. + +But just then the boy heard something click very close to them, and saw +the muzzle of a rifle two paces away. Both he and Father Bear had been +so engrossed in their own affairs they had not observed that a man had +stolen right upon them. + +"Father Bear! Don't you hear the clicking of a trigger?" cried the boy. +"Run, or you'll be shot!" + +Father Bear grew terribly hurried. However, he allowed himself time +enough to pick up the boy and carry him along. As he ran, a couple of +shots sounded, and the bullets grazed his ears, but, luckily, he +escaped. + +The boy thought, as he was dangling from the bear's mouth, that never +had he been so stupid as he was to-night. If he had only kept still, the +bear would have been shot, and he himself would have been freed. But he +had become so accustomed to helping the animals that he did it +naturally, and as a matter of course. + +When Father Bear had run some distance into the woods, he paused and set +the boy down on the ground. + +"Thank you, little one!" he said. "I dare say those bullets would have +caught me if you hadn't been there. And now I want to do you a service +in return. If you should ever meet with another bear, just say to him +this--which I shall whisper to you--and he won't touch you." + +Father Bear whispered a word or two into the boy's ear and hurried away, +for he thought he heard hounds and hunters pursuing him. + +The boy stood in the forest, free and unharmed, and could hardly +understand how it was possible. + +The wild geese had been flying back and forth the whole evening, peering +and calling, but they had been unable to find Thumbietot. They searched +long after the sun had set, and, finally, when it had grown so dark that +they were forced to alight somewhere for the night, they were very +downhearted. There was not one among them but thought the boy had been +killed by the fall and was lying dead in the forest, where they could +not see him. + +But the next morning, when the sun peeped over the hills and awakened +the wild geese, the boy lay sleeping, as usual, in their midst. When he +woke and heard them shrieking and cackling their astonishment, he could +not help laughing. + +They were so eager to know what had happened to him that they did not +care to go to breakfast until he had told them the whole story. The boy +soon narrated his entire adventure with the bears, but after that he +seemed reluctant to continue. + +"How I got back to you perhaps you already know?" he said. + +"No, we know nothing. We thought you were killed." + +"That's curious!" remarked the boy. "Oh, yes!--when Father Bear left me +I climbed up into a pine and fell asleep. At daybreak I was awakened by +an eagle hovering over me. He picked me up with his talons and carried +me away. He didn't hurt me, but flew straight here to you and dropped me +down among you." + +"Didn't he tell you who he was?" asked the big white gander. + +"He was gone before I had time even to thank him. I thought that Mother +Akka had sent him after me." + +"How extraordinary!" exclaimed the white goosey-gander. "But are you +certain that it was an eagle?" + +"I had never before seen an eagle," said the boy, "but he was so big +and splendid that I can't give him a lowlier name!" + +Morten Goosey-Gander turned to the wild geese to hear what they thought +of this; but they stood gazing into the air, as though they were +thinking of something else. + +"We must not forget entirely to eat breakfast today," said Akka, quickly +spreading her wings. + + +THE FLOOD + + +THE SWANS + +_May first to fourth_. + +There was a terrible storm raging in the district north of Lake Maelar, +which lasted several days. The sky was a dull gray, the wind whistled, +and the rain beat. Both people and animals knew the spring could not be +ushered in with anything short of this; nevertheless they thought it +unbearable. + +After it had been raining for a whole day, the snowdrifts in the pine +forests began to melt in earnest, and the spring brooks grew lively. All +the pools on the farms, the standing water in the ditches, the water +that oozed between the tufts in marshes and swamps--all were in motion +and tried to find their way to creeks, that they might be borne along to +the sea. + +The creeks rushed as fast as possible down to the rivers, and the rivers +did their utmost to carry the water to Lake Maelar. + +All the lakes and rivers in Uppland and the mining district quickly +threw off their ice covers on one and the same day, so that the creeks +filled with ice-floes which rose clear up to their banks. + +Swollen as they were, they emptied into Lake Maelar, and it was not long +before the lake had taken in as much water as it could well hold. Down +by the outlet was a raging torrent. Norrstroem is a narrow channel, and +it could not let out the water quickly enough. Besides, there was a +strong easterly wind that lashed against the land, obstructing the +stream when it tried to carry the fresh water into the East Sea. Since +the rivers kept running to Maelaren with more water than it could dispose +of, there was nothing for the big lake to do but overflow its banks. + +It rose very slowly, as if reluctant to injure its beautiful shores; but +as they were mostly low and gradually sloping, it was not long before +the water had flooded several acres of land, and that was enough to +create the greatest alarm. + +Lake Maelar is unique in its way, being made up of a succession of narrow +fiords, bays, and inlets. In no place does it spread into a storm +centre, but seems to have been created only for pleasure trips, yachting +tours, and fishing. Nowhere does it present barren, desolate, wind-swept +shores. It looks as if it never thought that its shores could hold +anything but country seats, summer villas, manors, and amusement +resorts. But, because it usually presents a very agreeable and friendly +appearance, there is all the more havoc whenever it happens to drop its +smiling expression in the spring, and show that it can be serious. + +At that critical time Smirre Fox happened to come sneaking through a +birch grove just north of Lake Maelar. As usual, he was thinking of +Thumbietot and the wild geese, and wondering how he should ever find +them again. He had lost all track of them. + +As he stole cautiously along, more discouraged than usual, he caught +sight of Agar, the carrier-pigeon, who had perched herself on a birch +branch. + +"My, but I'm in luck to run across you, Agar!" exclaimed Smirre. "Maybe +you can tell me where Akka from Kebnekaise and her flock hold forth +nowadays?" + +"It's quite possible that I know where they are," Agar hinted, "but I'm +not likely to tell you!" + +"Please yourself!" retorted Smirre. "Nevertheless, you can take a +message that I have for them. You probably know the present condition of +Lake Maelar? There's a great overflow down there and all the swans who +live in Hjaelsta Bay are about to see their nests, with all their eggs, +destroyed. Daylight, the swan-king, has heard of the midget who travels +with the wild geese and knows a remedy for every ill. He has sent me to +ask Akka if she will bring Thumbietot down to Hjaelsta Bay." + +"I dare say I can convey your message," Agar replied, "but I can't +understand how the little boy will be able to help the swans." + +"Nor do I," said Smirre, "but he can do almost everything, it seems." + +"It's surprising to me that Daylight should send his messages by a fox," +Agar remarked. + +"Well, we're not exactly what you'd call good friends," said Smirre +smoothly, "but in an emergency like this we must help each other. +Perhaps it would be just as well not to tell Akka that you got the +message from a fox. Between you and me, she's inclined to be a little +suspicious." + +The safest refuge for water-fowl in the whole Maelar district is Hjaelsta +Bay. It has low shores, shallow water and is also covered with reeds. + +It is by no means as large as Lake Takern, but nevertheless Hjaelsta is a +good retreat for birds, since it has long been forbidden territory to +hunters. + +It is the home of a great many swans, and the owner of the old castle +nearby has prohibited all shooting on the bay, so that they might be +unmolested. + +As soon as Akka received word that the swans needed her help, she +hastened down to Hjaelsta Bay. She arrived with her flock one evening and +saw at a glance that there had been a great disaster. The big swans' +nests had been torn away, and the strong wind was driving them down the +bay. Some had already fallen apart, two or three had capsized, and the +eggs lay at the bottom of the lake. + +When Akka alighted on the bay, all the swans living there were gathered +near the eastern shore, where they were protected from the wind. + +Although they had suffered much by the flood, they were too proud to let +any one see it. + +"It is useless to cry," they said. "There are plenty of root-fibres and +stems here; we can soon build new nests." + +None had thought of asking a stranger to help them, and the swans had no +idea that Smirre Fox had sent for the wild geese! + +There were several hundred swans resting on the water. They had placed +themselves according to rank and station. The young and inexperienced +were farthest out, the old and wise nearer the middle of the group, and +right in the centre sat Daylight, the swan-king, and Snow-White, the +swan-queen, who were older than any of the others and regarded the rest +of the swans as their children. + +The geese alighted on the west shore of the bay; but when Akka saw where +the swans were, she swam toward them at once. She was very much +surprised at their having sent for her, but she regarded it as an honour +and did not wish to lose a moment in coming to their aid. + +As Akka approached the swans she paused to see if the geese who followed +her swam in a straight line, and at even distances apart. + +"Now, swim along quickly!" she ordered. "Don't stare at the swans as if +you had never before seen anything beautiful, and don't mind what they +may say to you!" + +This was not the first time that Akka had called on the aristocratic +swans. They had always received her in a manner befitting a great +traveller like herself. + +But still she did not like the idea of swimming in among them. She never +felt so gray and insignificant as when she happened upon swans. One or +another of them was sure to drop a remark about "common gray-feathers" +and "poor folk." But it is always best to take no notice of such things. + +This time everything passed off uncommonly well. The swans politely made +way for the wild geese, who swam forward through a kind of passageway, +which formed an avenue bordered by shimmering, white birds. + +It was a beautiful sight to watch them as they spread their wings, like +sails, to appear well before the strangers. They refrained from making +comments, which rather surprised Akka. + +Evidently Daylight had noted their misbehaviour in the past and had told +the swans that they must conduct themselves in a proper manner--so +thought the leader-goose. + +But just as the swans were making an effort to observe the rules of +etiquette, they caught sight of the goosey-gander, who swam last in the +long goose-line. Then there was a murmur of disapproval, even of +threats, among the swans, and at once there was an end to their good +deportment! + +"What's this?" shrieked one. "Do the wild geese intend to dress up in +white feathers?" + +"They needn't think that will make swans of them," cried another. + +They began shrieking--one louder than another--in their strong, resonant +voices. It was impossible to explain that a tame goosey-gander had come +with the wild geese. + +"That must be the goose-king himself coming along," they said +tauntingly. "There's no limit to their audacity!" + +"That's no goose, it's only a tame duck." + +The big white gander remembered Akka's admonition to pay no attention, +no matter what he might hear. He kept quiet and swam ahead as fast he +could, but it did no good. The swans became more and more impertinent. + +"What kind of a frog does he carry on his back?" asked one. "They must +think we don't see it's a frog because it is dressed like a human +being." + +The swans, who but a moment before had been resting in such perfect +order, now swam up and down excitedly. All tried to crowd forward to get +a glimpse of the white wild goose. + +"That white goosey-gander ought to be ashamed to come here and parade +before swans!" + +"He's probably as gray as the rest of them. He has only been in a flour +barrel at some farm house!" + +Akka had just come up to Daylight and was about to ask him what kind of +help he wanted of her, when the swan-king noticed the uproar among the +swans. + +"What do I see? Haven't I taught you to be polite to strangers?" he said +with a frown. + +Snow-White, the swan-queen, swam out to restore order among her +subjects, and again Daylight turned to Akka. + +Presently Snow-White came back, appearing greatly agitated. + +"Can't you keep them quiet?" shouted Daylight. + +"There's a white wild goose over there," answered Snow-White. "Is it not +shameful? I don't wonder they are furious!" + +"A white wild goose?" scoffed Daylight. "That's too ridiculous! There +can't be such a thing. You must be mistaken." + +The crowds around Morten Goosey-Gander grew larger and larger. Akka and +the other wild geese tried to swim over to him, but were jostled hither +and thither and could not get to him. + +The old swan-king, who was the strongest among them, swam off quickly, +pushed all the others aside, and made his way over to the big white +gander. But when he saw that there really was a white goose on the +water, he was just as indignant as the rest. + +He hissed with rage, flew straight at Morten Goosey-Gander and tore out +a few feathers. + +"I'll teach you a lesson, wild goose," he shrieked, "so that you'll not +come again to the swans, togged out in this way!" + +"Fly, Morten Goosey-Gander! Fly, fly!" cried Akka, for she knew that +otherwise the swans would pull out every feather the goosey-gander had. + +"Fly, fly!" screamed Thumbietot, too. + +But the goosey-gander was so hedged in by the swans that he had not +room enough to spread his wings. All around him the swans stretched +their long necks, opened their strong bills, and plucked his feathers. + +Morten Goosey-Gander defended himself as best he could, by striking and +biting. The wild geese also began to fight the swans. + +It was obvious how this would have ended had the geese not received help +quite unexpectedly. + +A red-tail noticed that they were being roughly treated by the swans. +Instantly he cried out the shrill call that little birds use when they +need help to drive off a hawk or a falcon. + +Three calls had barely sounded when all the little birds in the vicinity +came shooting down to Hjaelsta Bay, as if on wings of lightning. + +These delicate little creatures swooped down upon the swans, screeched +in their ears, and obstructed their view with the flutter of their tiny +wings. They made them dizzy with their fluttering and drove them to +distraction with their cries of "Shame, shame, swans!" + +The attack of the small birds lasted but a moment. When they were gone +and the swans came to their senses, they saw that the geese had risen +and flown over to the other end of the bay. + +THE NEW WATCH-DOG + +There was this at least to be said in the swans' favour--when they saw +that the wild geese had escaped, they were too proud to chase them. +Moreover, the geese could stand on a clump of reeds with perfect +composure, and sleep. + +Nils Holgersson was too hungry to sleep. + +"It is necessary for me to get something to eat," he said. + +At that time, when all kinds of things were floating on the water, it +was not difficult for a little boy like Nils Holgersson to find a craft. +He did not stop to deliberate, but hopped down on a stump that had +drifted in amongst the reeds. Then he picked up a little stick and began +to pole toward shore. + +Just as he was landing, he heard a splash in the water. He stopped +short. First he saw a lady swan asleep in her big nest quite close to +him, then he noticed that a fox had taken a few steps into the water and +was sneaking up to the swan's nest. + +"Hi, hi, hi! Get up, get up!" cried the boy, beating the water with his +stick. + +The lady swan rose, but not so quickly but that the fox could have +pounced upon her had he cared to. However, he refrained and instead +hurried straight toward the boy. + +Thumbietot saw the fox coming and ran for his life. + +Wide stretches of meadow land spread before him. He saw no tree that he +could climb, no hole where he might hide; he just had to keep running. + +The boy was a good runner, but it stands to reason that he could not +race with a fox! + +Not far from the bay there were a number of little cabins, with candle +lights shining through the windows. Naturally the boy ran in that +direction, but he realized that long before he could reach the nearest +cabin the fox would catch up to him. + +Once the fox was so close that it looked as if the boy would surely be +his prey, but Nils quickly sprang aside and turned back toward the bay. +By that move the fox lost time, and before he could reach the boy the +latter had run up to two men who were on their way home from work. + +The men were tired and sleepy; they had noticed neither boy nor fox, +although both had been running right in front of them. Nor did the boy +ask help of the men; he was content to walk close beside them. + +"Surely the fox won't venture to come up to the men," he thought. + +But presently the fox came pattering along. He probably counted on the +men taking him for a dog, for he went straight up to them. + +"Whose dog can that be sneaking around here?" queried one. "He looks as +though he were ready to bite." + +The other paused and glanced back. + +"Go along with you!" he said, and gave the fox a kick that sent it to +the opposite side of the road. "What are you doing here?" + +After that the fox kept at a safe distance, but followed all the while. + +Presently the men reached a cabin and entered it. The boy intended to go +in with them; but when he got to the stoop he saw a big, shaggy +watch-dog rush out from his kennel to greet his master. Suddenly the boy +changed his mind and remained out in the open. + +"Listen, watch-dog!" whispered the boy as soon as the men had shut the +door. "I wonder if you would like to help me catch a fox to-night?" + +The dog had poor eyesight and had become irritable and cranky from being +chained. + +"What, I catch a fox?" he barked angrily. "Who are you that makes fun of +me? You just come within my reach and I'll teach you not to fool with +me!" + +"You needn't think that I'm afraid to come near you!" said the boy, +running up to the dog. + +When the dog saw him he was so astonished that he could not speak. + +"I'm the one they call Thumbietot, who travels with the wild geese," +said the boy, introducing himself. "Haven't you heard of me?" + +"I believe the sparrows have twittered a little about you," the dog +returned. "They say that you have done wonderful things for one of your +size." + +"I've been rather lucky up to the present," admitted the boy. "But now +it's all up with me unless you help me! There's a fox at my heels. He's +lying in wait for me around the corner." + +"Don't you suppose I can smell him?" retorted the dog. "But we'll soon +be rid of him!" With that the dog sprang as far as the chain would +allow, barking and growling for ever so long. "Now I don't think he will +show his face again to-night!" said the dog. + +"It will take something besides a fine bark to scare that fox!" the boy +remarked. "He'll soon be here again, and that is precisely what I wish, +for I have set my heart on your catching him." + +"Are you poking fun at me now?" asked the dog. + +"Only come with me into your kennel, and I'll tell you what to do." + +The boy and the watch-dog crept into the kennel and crouched there, +whispering. + +By and by the fox stuck his nose out from his hiding place. When all was +quiet he crept along cautiously. He scented the boy all the way to the +kennel, but halted at a safe distance and sat down to think of some way +to coax him out. + +Suddenly the watch-dog poked his head out and growled at him: + +"Go away, or I'll catch you!" + +"I'll sit here as long as I please for all of you!" defied the fox. + +"Go away!" repeated the dog threateningly, "or there will be no more +hunting for you after to-night." + +But the fox only grinned and did not move an inch. + +"I know how far your chain can reach," he said. + +"I have warned you twice," said the dog, coming out from his kennel. +"Now blame yourself!" + +With that the dog sprang at the fox and caught him without the least +effort, for he was loose. The boy had unbuckled his collar. + +There was a hot struggle, but it was soon over. The dog was the victor. +The fox lay on the ground and dared not move. + +"Don't stir or I'll kill you!" snarled the dog. Then he took the fox by +the scruff of the neck and dragged him to the kennel. There the boy was +ready with the chain. He placed the dog collar around the neck of the +fox, tightening it so that he was securely chained. During all this the +fox had to lie still, for he was afraid to move. + +"Now, Smirre Fox, I hope you'll make a good watch-dog," laughed the boy +when he had finished. + + +DUNFIN + + +THE CITY THAT FLOATS ON THE WATER + +_Friday, May sixth_. + +No one could be more gentle and kind than the little gray goose Dunfin. +All the wild geese loved her, and the tame white goosey-gander would +have died for her. When Dunfin asked for anything not even Akka could +say no. + +As soon as Dunfin came to Lake Maelar the landscape looked familiar to +her. Just beyond the lake lay the sea, with many wooded islands, and +there, on a little islet, lived her parents and her brothers and +sisters. She begged the wild geese to fly to her home before travelling +farther north, that she might let her family see that she was still +alive. It would be such a joy to them. + +Akka frankly declared that she thought Dunfin's parents and brothers and +sisters had shown no great love for her when they abandoned her at +Oeland, but Dunfin would not admit that Akka was in the right. "What else +was there to do, when they saw that I could not fly?" she protested. +"Surely they couldn't remain at Oeland on my account!" + +Dunfin began telling the wild geese all about her home in the +archipelago, to try to induce them to make the trip. Her family lived on +a rock island. Seen from a distance, there appeared to be nothing but +stone there; but when one came closer, there were to be found the +choicest goose tidbits in clefts and hollows, and one might search long +for better nesting places than those that were hidden in the mountain +crevices or among the osier bushes. But the best of all was the old +fisherman who lived there. Dunfin had heard that in his youth he had +been a great shot and had always lain in the offing and hunted birds. +But now, in his old age--since his wife had died and the children had +gone from home, so that he was alone in the hut--he had begun to care +for the birds on his island. He never fired a shot at them, nor would he +permit others to do so. He walked around amongst the birds' nests, and +when the mother birds were sitting he brought them food. Not one was +afraid of him. They all loved him. + +Dunfin had been in his hut many times, and he had fed her with bread +crumbs. Because he was kind to the birds, they flocked to his island in +such great numbers that it was becoming overcrowded. If one happened to +arrive a little late in the spring, all the nesting places were +occupied. That was why Dunfin's family had been obliged to leave her. + +Dunfin begged so hard that she finally had her way, although the wild +geese felt that they were losing time and really should be going +straight north. But a little trip like this to the cliff island would +not delay them more than a day. + +So they started off one morning, after fortifying themselves with a good +breakfast, and flew eastward over Lake Maelar. The boy did not know for +certain where they were going; but he noticed that the farther east they +flew, the livelier it was on the lake and the more built up were the +shores. + +Heavily freighted barges and sloops, boats and fishing smacks were on +their way east, and these were met and passed by many pretty white +steamers. Along the shores ran country roads and railway tracks--all in +the same direction. There was some place beyond in the east where all +wished to go to in the morning. + +On one of the islands the boy saw a big, white castle, and to the east +of it the shores were dotted with villas. At the start these lay far +apart, then they became closer and closer, and, presently, the whole +shore was lined with them. They were of every variety--here a castle, +there a cottage; then a low manor house appeared, or a mansion, with +many small towers. Some stood in gardens, but most of them were in the +wild woods which bordered the shores. Despite their dissimilarity, they +had one point of resemblance--they were not plain and sombre-looking, +like other buildings, but were gaudily painted in striking greens and +blues, reds and white, like children's playhouses. + +As the boy sat on the goose's back and glanced down at the curious shore +mansions, Dunfin cried out with delight: "Now I know where I am! Over +there lies the City that Floats on the Water." + +The boy looked ahead. At first he saw nothing but some light clouds and +mists rolling forward over the water, but soon he caught sight of some +tall spires, and then one and another house with many rows of windows. +They appeared and disappeared--rolling hither and thither--but not a +strip of shore did he see! Everything over there appeared to be resting +on the water. + +Nearer to the city he saw no more pretty playhouses along the +shores--only dingy factories. Great heaps of coal and wood were stacked +behind tall planks, and alongside black, sooty docks lay bulky freight +steamers; but over all was spread a shimmering, transparent mist, which +made everything appear so big and strong and wonderful that it was +almost beautiful. + +The wild geese flew past factories and freight steamers and were +nearing the cloud-enveloped spires. Suddenly all the mists sank to the +water, save the thin, fleecy ones that circled above their heads, +beautifully tinted in blues and pinks. The other clouds rolled over +water and land. They entirely obscured the lower portions of the houses: +only the upper stories and the roofs and gables were visible. Some of +the buildings appeared to be as high as the Tower of Babel. The boy no +doubt knew that they were built upon hills and mountains, but these he +did not see--only the houses that seemed to float among the white, +drifting clouds. In reality the buildings were dark and dingy, for the +sun in the east was not shining on them. + +The boy knew that he was riding above a large city, for he saw spires +and house roofs rising from the clouds in every direction. Sometimes an +opening was made in the circling mists, and he looked down into a +running, tortuous stream; but no land could he see. All this was +beautiful to look upon, but he felt quite distraught--as one does when +happening upon something one cannot understand. + +When he had gone beyond the city, he found that the ground was no longer +hidden by clouds, but that shores, streams, and islands were again +plainly visible. He turned to see the city better, but could not, for +now it looked quite enchanted. The mists had taken on colour from the +sunshine and were rolling forward in the most brilliant reds, blues, and +yellows. The houses were white, as if built of light, and the windows +and spires sparkled like fire. All things floated on the water as +before. + +The geese were travelling straight east. They flew over factories and +workshops; then over mansions edging the shores. Steamboats and tugs +swarmed on the water; but now they came from the east and were steaming +westward toward the city. + +The wild geese flew on, but instead of the narrow Maelar fiords and the +little islands, broader waters and larger islands spread under them. At +last the land was left behind and seen no more. + +They flew still farther out, where they found no more large inhabited +islands--only numberless little rock islands were scattered on the +water. Now the fiords were not crowded by the land. The sea lay before +them, vast and limitless. + +Here the wild geese alighted on a cliff island, and as soon as their +feet touched the ground the boy turned to Dunfin. + +"What city did we fly over just now?" he asked. + +"I don't know what human beings have named it," said Dunfin. "We gray +geese call it the 'City that Floats on the Water'." + +THE SISTERS + +Dunfin had two sisters, Prettywing and Goldeye. They were strong and +intelligent birds, but they did not have such a soft and shiny feather +dress as Dunfin, nor did they have her sweet and gentle disposition. +From the time they had been little, yellow goslings, their parents and +relatives and even the old fisherman had plainly shown them that they +thought more of Dunfin than of them. Therefore the sisters had always +hated her. + +When the wild geese landed on the cliff island, Prettywing and Goldeye +were feeding on a bit of grass close to the strand, and immediately +caught sight of the strangers. + +"See, Sister Goldeye, what fine-looking geese have come to our island!" +exclaimed Prettywing, "I have rarely seen such graceful birds. Do you +notice that they have a white goosey-gander among them? Did you ever set +eyes on a handsomer bird? One could almost take him for a swan!" + +Goldeye agreed with her sister that these were certainly very +distinguished strangers that had come to the island, but suddenly she +broke off and called: "Sister Prettywing! Oh, Sister Prettywing! Don't +you see whom they bring with them?" + +Prettywing also caught sight of Dunfin and was so astounded that she +stood for a long time with her bill wide open, and only hissed. + +"It can't be possible that it is she! How did she manage to get in with +people of that class? Why, we left her at Oeland to freeze and starve." + +"The worse of it is she will tattle to father and mother that we flew +so close to her that we knocked her wing out of joint," said Goldeye. +"You'll see that it will end in our being driven from the island!" + +"We have nothing but trouble in store for us, now that that young one +has come back!" snapped Prettywing. "Still I think it would be best for +us to appear as pleased as possible over her return. She is so stupid +that perhaps she didn't even notice that we gave her a push on purpose." + +While Prettywing and Goldeye were talking in this strain, the wild geese +had been standing on the strand, pluming their feathers after the +flight. Now they marched in a long line up the rocky shore to the cleft +where Dunfin's parents usually stopped. + +Dunfin's parents were good folk. They had lived on the island longer +than any one else, and it was their habit to counsel and aid all +newcomers. They too had seen the geese approach, but they had not +recognized Dunfin in the flock. + +"It is strange to see wild geese land on this island," remarked the +goose-master. "It is a fine flock--that one can see by their flight." + +"But it won't be easy to find pasturage for so many," said the +goose-wife, who was gentle and sweet-tempered, like Dunfin. + +When Akka came marching with her company, Dunfin's parents went out to +meet her and welcome her to the island. Dunfin flew from her place at +the end of the line and lit between her parents. + +"Mother and father, I'm here at last!" she cried joyously. "Don't you +know Dunfin?" + +At first the old goose-parents could not quite make out what they saw, +but when they recognized Dunfin they were absurdly happy, of course. + +While the wild geese and Morten Goosey-Gander and Dunfin were chattering +excitedly, trying to tell how she had been rescued, Prettywing and +Goldeye came running. They cried "_welcome"_ and pretended to be so +happy because Dunfin was at home that she was deeply moved. + +The wild geese fared well on the island and decided not to travel +farther until the following morning. After a while the sisters asked +Dunfin if she would come with them and see the places where they +intended to build their nests. She promptly accompanied them, and saw +that they had picked out secluded and well protected nesting places. + +"Now where will you settle down, Dunfin?" they asked. + +"I? Why I don't intend to remain on the island," she said. "I'm going +with the wild geese up to Lapland." + +"What a pity that you must leave us!" said the sisters. + +"I should have been very glad to remain here with father and mother and +you," said Dunfin, "had I not promised the big, white--" + +"What!" shrieked Prettywing. "Are you to have the handsome +goosey-gander? Then it is--" But here Goldeye gave her a sharp nudge, +and she stopped short. + +The two cruel sisters had much to talk about all the afternoon. They +were furious because Dunfin had a suitor like the white goosey-gander. +They themselves had suitors, but theirs were only common gray geese, +and, since they had seen Morten Goosey-Gander, they thought them so +homely and low-bred that they did not wish even to look at them. + +"This will grieve me to death!" whimpered Goldeye. "If at least it had +been you, Sister Prettywing, who had captured him!" + +"I would rather see him dead than to go about here the entire summer +thinking of Dunfin's capturing a white goosey-gander!" pouted +Prettywing. + +However, the sisters continued to appear very friendly toward Dunfin, +and in the afternoon Goldeye took Dunfin with her, that she might see +the one she thought of marrying. + +"He's not as attractive as the one you will have," said Goldeye. "But to +make up for it, one can be certain that he is what he is." + +"What do you mean, Goldeye?" questioned Dunfin. At first Goldeye would +not explain what she had meant, but at last she came out with it. + +"We have never seen a white goose travel with wild geese," said the +sister, "and we wonder if he can be bewitched." + +"You are very stupid," retorted Dunfin indignantly. "He is a tame goose, +of course." + +"He brings with him one who is bewitched," said Goldeye, "and, under the +circumstances, he too must be bewitched. Are you not afraid that he may +be a black cormorant?" She was a good talker and succeeded in +frightening Dunfin thoroughly. + +"You don't mean what you are saying," pleaded the little gray goose. +"You only wish to frighten me!" + +"I wish what is for your good, Dunfin," said Goldeye. "I can't imagine +anything worse than for you to fly away with a black cormorant! But now +I shall tell you something--try to persuade him to eat some of the roots +I have gathered here. If he is bewitched, it will be apparent at once. +If he is not, he will remain as he is." + +The boy was sitting amongst the wild geese, listening to Akka and the +old goose-master, when Dunfin came flying up to him. "Thumbietot, +Thumbietot!" she cried. "Morten Goosey-Gander is dying! I have killed +him!" + +"Let me get up on your back, Dunfin, and take me to him!" Away they +flew, and Akka and the other wild geese followed them. When they got to +the goosey-gander, he was lying prostrate on the ground. He could not +utter a word--only gasped for breath. + +"Tickle him under the gorge and slap him on the back!" commanded Akka. +The boy did so and presently the big, white gander coughed up a large, +white root, which had stuck in his gorge. "Have you been eating of +these?" asked Akka, pointing to some roots that lay on the ground. + +"Yes," groaned the goosey-gander. + +"Then it was well they stuck in your throat," said Akka, "for they are +poisonous. Had you swallowed them, you certainly should have died." + +"Dunfin bade me eat them," said the goosey-gander. + +"My sister gave them to me," protested Dunfin, and she told everything. + +"You must beware of those sisters of yours, Dunfin!" warned Akka, "for +they wish you no good, depend upon it!" + +But Dunfin was so constituted that she could not think evil of any one +and, a moment later, when Prettywing asked her to come and meet her +intended, she went with her immediately. + +"Oh, he isn't as handsome as yours," said the sister, "but he's much +more courageous and daring!" + +"How do you know he is?" challenged Dunfin. + +"For some time past there has been weeping and wailing amongst the sea +gulls and wild ducks on the island. Every morning at daybreak a strange +bird of prey comes and carries off one of them." + +"What kind of a bird is it?" asked Dunfin. + +"We don't know," replied the sister. "One of his kind has never before +been seen on the island, and, strange to say, he has never attacked one +of us geese. But now my intended has made up his mind to challenge him +to-morrow morning, and drive him away." + +"Oh, I hope he'll succeed!" said Dunfin. + +"I hardly think he will," returned the sister. "If my goosey-gander were +as big and strong as yours, I should have hope." + +"Do you wish me to ask Morten Goosey-Gander to meet the strange bird?" +asked Dunfin. + +"Indeed, I do!" exclaimed Prettywing excitedly. "You couldn't render me +a greater service." + +The next morning the goosey-gander was up before the sun. He stationed +himself on the highest point of the island and peered in all directions. +Presently he saw a big, dark bird coming from the west. His wings were +exceedingly large, and it was easy to tell that he was an eagle. The +goosey-gander had not expected a more dangerous adversary than an owl, +and how he understood that he could not escape this encounter with his +life. But it did not occur to him to avoid a struggle with a bird who +was many times stronger than himself. + +The great bird swooped down on a sea gull and dug his talons into it. +Before the eagle could spread his wings, Morten Goosey-Gander rushed up +to him. "Drop that!" he shouted, "and don't come here again or you'll +have me to deal with!" "What kind of a lunatic are you?" said the eagle. +"It's lucky for you that I never fight with geese, or you would soon be +done for!" + +Morten Goosey-Gander thought the eagle considered himself too good to +fight with him and flew at him, incensed, biting him on the throat and +beating him with his wings. This, naturally, the eagle would not +tolerate and he began to fight, but not with his full strength. + +The boy lay sleeping in the quarters where Akka and the other wild geese +slept, when Dunfin called: "Thumbietot, Thumbietot! Morten Goosey-Gander +is being torn to pieces by an eagle." + +"Let me get up on your back, Dunfin, and take me to him!" said the boy. + +When they arrived on the scene Morten Goosey-Gander was badly torn, and +bleeding, but he was still fighting. The boy could not battle with the +eagle; all that he could do was to seek more efficient help. + +"Hurry, Dunfin, and call Akka and the wild geese!" he cried. The instant +he said that, the eagle flew back and stopped fighting. + +"Who's speaking of Akka?" he asked. He saw Thumbietot and heard the wild +geese honking, so he spread his wings. + +"Tell Akka I never expected to run across her or any of her flock out +here in the sea!" he said, and soared away in a rapid and graceful +flight. + +"That is the self-same eagle who once brought me back to the wild +geese," the boy remarked, gazing after the bird in astonishment. + +The geese had decided to leave the island at dawn, but first they wanted +to feed awhile. As they walked about and nibbled, a mountain duck came +up to Dunfin. + +"I have a message for you from your sisters," said the duck. "They dare +not show themselves among the wild geese, but they asked me to remind +you not to leave the island without calling on the old fisherman." + +"That's so!" exclaimed Dunfin, but she was so frightened now that she +would not go alone, and asked the goosey-gander and Thumbietot to +accompany her to the hut. + +The door was open, so Dunfin entered, but the others remained outside. +After a moment they heard Akka give the signal to start, and called +Dunfin. A gray goose came out and flew with the wild geese away from the +island. + +They had travelled quite a distance along the archipelago when the boy +began to wonder at the goose who accompanied them. Dunfin always flew +lightly and noiselessly, but this one laboured with heavy and noisy +wing-strokes. "We are in the wrong company. It is Prettywing that +follows us!" + +The boy had barely spoken when the goose uttered such an ugly and angry +shriek that all knew who she was. Akka and the others turned to her, but +the gray goose did not fly away at once. Instead she bumped against the +big goosey-gander, snatched Thumbietot, and flew off with him in her +bill. + +There was a wild chase over the archipelago. Prettywing flew fast, but +the wild geese were close behind her, and there was no chance for her to +escape. + +Suddenly they saw a puff of smoke rise up from the sea, and heard an +explosion. In their excitement they had not noticed that they were +directly above a boat in which a lone fisherman was seated. + +However, none of the geese was hurt; but just there, above the boat, +Prettywing opened her bill and dropped Thumbietot into the sea. + + +STOCKHOLM + + +SKANSEN + +A few years ago, at Skansen--the great park just outside of Stockholm +where they have collected so many wonderful things--there lived a little +old man, named Clement Larsson. He was from Haelsingland and had come to +Skansen with his fiddle to play folk dances and other old melodies. As a +performer, he appeared mostly in the evening. During the day it was his +business to sit on guard in one of the many pretty peasant cottages +which have been moved to Skansen from all parts of the country. + +In the beginning Clement thought that he fared better in his old age +than he had ever dared dream; but after a time he began to dislike the +place terribly, especially while he was on watch duty. It was all very +well when visitors came into the cottage to look around, but some days +Clement would sit for many hours all alone. Then he felt so homesick +that he feared he would have to give up his place. He was very poor and +knew that at home he would become a charge on the parish. Therefore he +tried to hold out as long as he could, although he felt more unhappy +from day to day. + +One beautiful evening in the beginning of May Clement had been granted a +few hours' leave of absence. He was on his way down the steep hill +leading out of Skansen, when he met an island fisherman coming along +with his game bag. The fisherman was an active young man who came to +Skansen with seafowl that he had managed to capture alive. Clement had +met him before, many times. + +The fisherman stopped Clement to ask if the superintendent at Skansen +was at home. When Clement had replied, he, in turn, asked what choice +thing the fisherman had in his bag. "You can see what I have," the +fisherman answered, "if in return you will give me an idea as to what I +should ask for it." + +He held open the bag and Clement peeped into it once--and again--then +quickly drew back a step or two. "Good gracious, Ashbjoern!" he +exclaimed. "How did you catch that one?" + +He remembered that when he was a child his mother used to talk of the +tiny folk who lived under the cabin floor. He was not permitted to cry +or to be naughty, lest he provoke these small people. After he was grown +he believed his mother had made up these stories about the elves to make +him behave himself. But it had been no invention of his mother's, it +seemed; for there, in Ashbjoern's bag, lay one of the tiny folk. + +There was a little of the terror natural to childhood left in Clement, +and he felt a shudder run down his spinal column as he peeped into the +bag. Ashbjoern saw that he was frightened and began to laugh; but +Clement took the matter seriously. "Tell me, Ashbjoern, where you came +across him?" he asked. "You may be sure that I wasn't lying in wait for +him!" said Ashbjoern. "He came to me. I started out early this morning +and took my rifle along into the boat. I had just poled away from the +shore when I sighted some wild geese coming from the east, shrieking +like mad. I sent them a shot, but hit none of them. Instead this +creature came tumbling down into the water--so close to the boat that I +only had to put my hand out and pick him up." + +"I hope you didn't shoot him, Ashbjoern?" + +"Oh, no! He is well and sound; but when he came down, he was a little +dazed at first, so I took advantage of that fact to wind the ends of two +sail threads around his ankles and wrists, so that he couldn't run away. +'Ha! Here's something for Skansen,' I thought instantly." + +Clement grew strangely troubled as the fisherman talked. All that he had +heard about the tiny folk in his childhood--of their vindictiveness +toward enemies and their benevolence toward friends--came back to him. +It had never gone well with those who had attempted to hold one of them +captive. + +"You should have let him go at once, Ashbjoern," said Clement. + +"I came precious near being forced to set him free," returned the +fisherman. "You may as well know, Clement, that the wild geese followed +me all the way home, and they criss-crossed over the island the whole +morning, honk-honking as if they wanted him back. Not only they, but the +entire population--sea gulls, sea swallows, and many others who are not +worth a shot of powder, alighted on the island and made an awful racket. +When I came out they fluttered about me until I had to turn back. My +wife begged me to let him go, but I had made up my mind that he should +come here to Skansen, so I placed one of the children's dolls in the +window, hid the midget in the bottom of my bag, and started away. The +birds must have fancied that it was he who stood in the window, for they +permitted me to leave without pursuing me." + +"Does it say anything?" asked Clement. + +"Yes. At first he tried to call to the birds, but I wouldn't have it and +put a gag in his mouth." + +"Oh, Ashbjoern!" protested Clement. "How can you treat him so! Don't you +see that he is something supernatural!" + +"I don't know what he is," said Ashbjoern calmly. "Let others consider +that. I'm satisfied if only I can get a good sum for him. Now tell me, +Clement, what you think the doctor at Skansen would give me." + +There was a long pause before Clement replied. He felt very sorry for +the poor little chap. He actually imagined that his mother was standing +beside him telling him that he must always be kind to the tiny folk. + +"I have no idea what the doctor up there would care to give you, +Ashbjoern," he said finally. "But if you will leave him with me, I'll pay +you twenty kroner for him." + +Ashbjoern stared at the fiddler in amazement when he heard him name so +large a sum. He thought that Clement believed the midget had some +mysterious power and might be of service for him. He was by no means +certain that the doctor would think him such a great find or would offer +to pay so high a sum for him; so he accepted Clement's proffer. + +The fiddler poked his purchase into one of his wide pockets, turned back +to Skansen, and went into a moss-covered hut, where there were neither +visitors nor guards. He closed the door after him, took out the midget, +who was still bound hand and foot and gagged, and laid him down gently +on a bench. + +"Now listen to what I say!" said Clement. "I know of course that such as +you do not like to be seen of men, but prefer to go about and busy +yourselves in your own way. Therefore I have decided to give you your +liberty--but only on condition that you will remain in this park until I +permit you to leave. If you agree to this, nod your head three times." + +Clement gazed at the midget with confident expectation, but the latter +did not move a muscle. + +"You shall not fare badly," continued Clement. "I'll see to it that you +are fed every day, and you will have so much to do there that the time +will not seem long to you. But you mustn't go elsewhere till I give you +leave. Now we'll agree as to a signal. So long as I set your food out in +a white bowl you are to stay. When I set it out in a blue one you may +go." + +Clement paused again, expecting the midget to give the sign of approval, +but he did not stir. + +"Very well," said Clement, "then there's no choice but to show you to +the master of this place. Then you'll be put in a glass case, and all +the people in the big city of Stockholm will come and stare at you." + +This scared the midget, and he promptly gave the signal. + +"That was right," said Clement as he cut the cord that bound the +midget's hands. Then he hurried toward the door. + +The boy unloosed the bands around his ankles and tore away the gag +before thinking of anything else. When he turned to Clement to thank +him, he had gone. + +Just outside the door Clement met a handsome, noble-looking gentleman, +who was on his way to a place close by from which there was a beautiful +outlook. Clement could not recall having seen the stately old man +before, but the latter must surely have noticed Clement sometime when he +was playing the fiddle, because he stopped and spoke to him. + +"Good day, Clement!" he said. "How do you do? You are not ill, are you? +I think you have grown a bit thin of late." + +There was such an expression of kindliness about the old gentleman that +Clement plucked up courage and told him of his homesickness. + +"What!" exclaimed the old gentleman. "Are you homesick when you are in +Stockholm? It can't be possible!" He looked almost offended. Then he +reflected that it was only an ignorant old peasant from Haelsingland that +he talked with--and so resumed his friendly attitude. + +"Surely you have never heard how the city of Stockholm was founded? If +you had, you would comprehend that your anxiety to get away is only a +foolish fancy. Come with me to the bench over yonder and I will tell you +something about Stockholm." + +When the old gentleman was seated on the bench he glanced down at the +city, which spread in all its glory below him, and he drew a deep +breath, as if he wished to drink in all the beauty of the landscape. +Thereupon he turned to the fiddler. + +"Look, Clement!" he said, and as he talked he traced with his cane a +little map in the sand in front of them. "Here lies Uppland, and here, +to the south, a point juts out, which is split up by a number of bays. +And here we have Soermland with another point, which is just as cut up +and points straight north. Here, from the west, comes a lake filled with +islands: It is Lake Maelar. From the east comes another body of water, +which can barely squeeze in between the islands and islets. It is the +East Sea. Here, Clement, where Uppland joins Soermland and Maelaren joins +the East Sea, comes a short river, in the centre of which lie four +little islets that divide the river into several tributaries--one of +which is called Norristroem but was formerly Stocksund. + +"In the beginning these islets were common wooded islands, such as one +finds in plenty on Lake Maelar even to-day, and for ages they were +entirely uninhabited. They were well located between two bodies of water +and two bodies of land; but this no one remarked. Year after year +passed; people settled along Lake Maelar and in the archipelago, but +these river islands attracted no settlers. Sometimes it happened that a +seafarer put into port at one of them and pitched his tent for the +night; but no one remained there long. + +"One day a fisherman, who lived on Liding Island, out in Salt Fiord, +steered his boat toward Lake Maelar, where he had such good luck with his +fishing that he forgot to start for home in time. He got no farther than +the four islets, and the best he could do was to land on one and wait +until later in the night, when there would be bright moonlight. + +"It was late summer and warm. The fisherman hauled his boat on land, lay +down beside it, his head resting upon a stone, and fell asleep. When he +awoke the moon had been up a long while. It hung right above him and +shone with such splendour that it was like broad daylight. + +"The man jumped to his feet and was about to push his boat into the +water, when he saw a lot of black specks moving out in the stream. A +school of seals was heading full speed for the island. When the +fisherman saw that they intended to crawl up on land, he bent down for +his spear, which he always took with him in the boat. But when he +straightened up, he saw no seals. Instead, there stood on the strand the +most beautiful young maidens, dressed in green, trailing satin robes, +with pearl crowns upon their heads. The fisherman understood that these +were mermaids who lived on desolate rock islands far out at sea and had +assumed seal disguises in order to come up on land and enjoy the +moonlight on the green islets. + +"He laid down the spear very cautiously, and when the young maidens came +up on the island to play, he stole behind and surveyed them. He had +heard that sea-nymphs were so beautiful and fascinating that no one +could see them and not be enchanted by their charms; and he had to admit +that this was not too much to say of them. + +"When he had stood for a while under the shadow of the trees and watched +the dance, he went down to the strand, took one of the seal skins lying +there, and hid it under a stone. Then he went back to his boat, lay down +beside it, and pretended to be asleep. + +"Presently he saw the young maidens trip down to the strand to don their +seal skins. At first all was play and laughter, which was changed to +weeping and wailing when one of the mermaids could not find her seal +robe. Her companions ran up and down the strand and helped her search +for it, but no trace could they find. While they were seeking they +noticed that the sky was growing pale and the day was breaking, so they +could tarry no longer, and they all swam away, leaving behind the one +whose seal skin was missing. She sat on the strand and wept. + +"The fisherman felt sorry for her, of course, but he forced himself to +lie still till daybreak. Then he got up, pushed the boat into the water, +and stepped into it to make it appear that he saw her by chance after he +had lifted the oars. + +"'Who are you?' he called out. 'Are you shipwrecked?' + +"She ran toward him and asked if he had seen her seal skin. The +fisherman looked as if he did not know what she was talking about. She +sat down again and wept. Then he determined to take her with him in the +boat. 'Come with me to my cottage,' he commanded, 'and my mother will +take care of you. You can't stay here on the island, where you have +neither food nor shelter!' He talked so convincingly that she was +persuaded to step into his boat. + +"Both the fisherman and his mother were very kind to the poor mermaid, +and she seemed to be happy with them. She grew more contented every day +and helped the older woman with her work, and was exactly like any other +island lass--only she was much prettier. One day the fisherman asked her +if she would be his wife, and she did not object, but at once said yes. + +"Preparations were made for the wedding. The mermaid dressed as a bride +in her green, trailing robe with the shimmering pearl crown she had worn +when the fisherman first saw her. There was neither church nor parson on +the island at that time, so the bridal party seated themselves in the +boats to row up to the first church they should find. + +"The fisherman had the mermaid and his mother in his boat, and he rowed +so well that he was far ahead of all the others. When he had come so far +that he could see the islet in the river, where he won his bride, he +could not help smiling. + +"'What are you smiling at?' she asked. + +"'Oh, I'm thinking of that night when I hid your seal skin,' answered +the fisherman; for he felt so sure of her that he thought there was no +longer any need for him to conceal anything. + +"'What are you saying?' asked the bride, astonished. 'Surely I have +never possessed a seal skin!' It appeared she had forgotten everything. + +"'Don't you recollect how you danced with the mermaids?' he asked. + +"'I don't know what you mean,' said the bride. 'I think that you must +have dreamed a strange dream last night.' + +"If I show you your seal skin, you'll probably believe me!' laughed the +fisherman, promptly turning the boat toward the islet. They stepped +ashore and he brought the seal skin out from under the stone where he +had hidden it. + +"But the instant the bride set eyes on the seal skin she grasped it and +drew it over her head. It snuggled close to her--as if there was life in +it--and immediately she threw herself into the stream. + +"The bridegroom saw her swim away and plunged into the water after her; +but he could not catch up to her. When he saw that he couldn't stop her +in any other way, in his grief he seized his spear and hurled it. He +aimed better than he had intended, for the poor mermaid gave a piercing +shriek and disappeared in the depths. + +"The fisherman stood on the strand waiting for her to appear again. He +observed that the water around him began to take on a soft sheen, a +beauty that he had never seen before. It shimmered in pink and white, +like the colour-play on the inside of sea shells. + +"As the glittering water lapped the shores, the fisherman thought that +they too were transformed. They began to blossom and waft their +perfumes. A soft sheen spread over them and they also took on a beauty +which they had never possessed before. + +"He understood how all this had come to pass. For it is thus with +mermaids: one who beholds them must needs find them more beautiful than +any one else, and the mermaid's blood being mixed with the water that +bathed the shores, her beauty was transferred to both. All who saw them +must love them and yearn for them. This was their legacy from the +mermaid." + +When the stately old gentleman had got thus far in his narrative he +turned to Clement and looked at him. Clement nodded reverently but made +no comment, as he did not wish to cause a break in the story. + +"Now you must bear this in mind, Clement," the old gentleman continued, +with a roguish glint in his eyes. "From that time on people emigrated to +the islands. At first only fishermen and peasants settled there, but +others, too, were attracted to them. One day the king and his earl +sailed up the stream. They started at once to talk of these islands, +having observed they were so situated that every vessel that sailed +toward Lake Maelar had to pass them. The earl suggested that there ought +to be a lock put on the channel which could be opened or closed at will, +to let in merchant vessels and shut out pirates. + +"This idea was carried out," said the old gentleman, as he rose and +began to trace in the sand again with his cane. "On the largest of these +islands the earl erected a fortress with a strong tower, which was +called 'Kaernan.' And around the island a wall was built. Here, at the +north and south ends of the wall, they made gates and placed strong +towers over them. Across the other islands they built bridges; these +were likewise equipped with high towers. Out in the water, round about, +they put a wreath of piles with bars that could open and close, so that +no vessel could sail past without permission. + +"Therefore you see, Clement, the four islands which had lain so long +unnoticed were soon strongly fortified. But this was not all, for the +shores and the sound tempted people, and before long they came from all +quarters to settle there. They built a church, which has since been +called 'Storkyrkan.' Here it stands, near the castle. And here, within +the walls, were the little huts the pioneers built for themselves. They +were primitive, but they served their purpose. More was not needed at +that time to make the place pass for a city. And the city was named +Stockholm. + +"There came a day, Clement, when the earl who had begun the work went to +his final rest, and Stockholm was without a master builder. Monks called +the Gray Friars came to the country. Stockholm attracted them. They +asked permission to erect a monastery there, so the king gave them an +island--one of the smaller ones--this one facing Lake Maelar. There they +built, and the place was called Gray Friars' Island. Other monks came, +called the Black Friars. They, too, asked for right to build in +Stockholm, near the south gate. On this, the larger of the islands north +of the city, a 'Holy Ghost House,' or hospital, was built; while on the +smaller one thrifty men put up a mill, and along the little islands +close by the monks fished. As you know, there is only one island now, +for the canal between the two has filled up; but it is still called Holy +Ghost Island. + +"And now, Clement, all the little wooded islands were dotted with +houses, but still people kept streaming in; for these shores and waters +have the power to draw people to them. Hither came pious women of the +Order of Saint Clara and asked for ground to build upon. For them there +was no choice but to settle on the north shore, at Norrmalm, as it is +called. You may be sure that they were not over pleased with this +location, for across Norrmalm ran a high ridge, and on that the city had +its gallows hill, so that it was a detested spot. Nevertheless the Poor +Clares erected their church and their convent on the strand below the +ridge. After they were established there they soon found plenty of +followers. Upon the ridge itself were built a hospital and a church, +consecrated to Saint Goran, and just below the ridge a church was +erected to Saint Jacob. + +"And even at Soedermalm, where the mountain rises perpendicularly from +the strand, they began to build. There they raised a church to Saint +Mary. + +"But you must not think that only cloister folk moved to Stockholm! +There were also many others--principally German tradesmen and artisans. +These were more skilled than the Swedes, and were well received. They +settled within the walls of the city where they pulled down the wretched +little cabins that stood there and built high, magnificent stone houses. +But space was not plentiful within the walls, therefore they had to +build the houses close together, with gables facing the narrow by-lanes. +So you see, Clement, that Stockholm could attract people!" + +At this point in the narrative another gentleman appeared and walked +rapidly down the path toward the man who was talking to Clement, but he +waved his hand, and the other remained at a distance. The dignified old +gentleman still sat on the bench beside the fiddler. + +"Now, Clement, you must render me a service," he said. "I have no time +to talk more with you, but I will send you a book about Stockholm and +you must read it from cover to cover. I have, so to speak, laid the +foundations of Stockholm for you. Study the rest out for yourself and +learn how the city has thrived and changed. Read how the little, narrow, +wall-enclosed city on the islands has spread into this great sea of +houses below us. Read how, on the spot where the dark tower Kaernan once +stood, the beautiful, light castle below us was erected and how the Gray +Friars' church has been turned into the burial place of the Swedish +kings; read how islet after islet was built up with factories; how the +ridge was lowered and the sound filled in; how the truck gardens at the +south and north ends of the city have been converted into beautiful +parks or built-up quarters; how the King's private deer park has become +the people's favourite pleasure resort. You must make yourself at home +here, Clement. This city does not belong exclusively to the +Stockholmers. It belongs to you and to all Swedes. + +"As you read about Stockholm, remember that I have spoken the truth, for +the city has the power to draw every one to it. First the King moved +here, then the nobles built their palaces here, and then one after +another was attracted to the place, so that now, as you see, Stockholm +is not a city unto itself or for nearby districts; it has grown into a +city for the whole kingdom. + +"You know, Clement, that there are judicial courts in every parish +throughout the land, but in Stockholm they have jurisdiction for the +whole nation. You know that there are judges in every district court in +the country, but at Stockholm there is only one court, to which all the +others are accountable. You know that there are barracks and troops in +every part of the land, but those at Stockholm command the whole army. +Everywhere in the country you will find railroads, but the whole great +national system is controlled and managed at Stockholm; here you will +find the governing boards for the clergy, for teachers, for physicians, +for bailiffs and jurors. This is the heart of your country, Clement. All +the change you have in your pocket is coined here, and the postage +stamps you stick on your letters are made here. There is something here +for every Swede. Here no one need feel homesick, for here all Swedes are +at home. + +"And when you read of all that has been brought here to Stockholm, think +too of the latest that the city has attracted to itself: these old-time +peasant cottages here at Skansen; the old dances; the old costumes and +house-furnishings; the musicians and story-tellers. Everything good of +the old times Stockholm has tempted here to Skansen to do it honour, +that it may, in turn, stand before the people with renewed glory. + +"But, first and last, remember as you read about Stockholm that you are +to sit in this place. You must see how the waves sparkle in joyous play +and how the shores shimmer with beauty. You will come under the spell of +their witchery, Clement." + +The handsome old gentleman had raised his voice, so that it rang out +strong and commanding, and his eyes shone. Then he rose, and, with a +wave of his hand to Clement, walked away. Clement understood that the +one who had been talking to him was a great man, and he bowed to him as +low as he could. + +The next day came a royal lackey with a big red book and a letter for +Clement, and in the letter it said that the book was from the King. + +After that the little old man, Clement Larsson, was lightheaded for +several days, and it was impossible to get a sensible word out of him. +When a week had gone by, he went to the superintendent and gave in his +notice. He simply had to go home. + +"Why must you go home? Can't you learn to be content here?" asked the +doctor. + +"Oh, I'm contented here," said Clement. "That matter troubles me no +longer, but I must go home all the same." + +Clement was quite perturbed because the King had said that he should +learn all about Stockholm and be happy there. But he could not rest +until he had told every one at home that the King had said those words +to him. He could not renounce the idea of standing on the church knoll +at home and telling high and low that the King had been so kind to him, +that he had sat beside him on the bench, and had sent him a book, and +had taken the time to talk to him--a poor fiddler--for a whole hour, in +order to cure him of his homesickness. It was good to relate this to the +Laplanders and Dalecarlian peasant girls at Skansen, but what was that +compared to being able to tell of it at home? + +Even if Clement were to end in the poorhouse, it wouldn't be so hard +after this. He was a totally different man from what he had been, and he +would be respected and honoured in a very different way. + +This new yearning took possession of Clement. He simply had to go up to +the doctor and say that he must go home. + + +GORGO, THE EAGLE + + +IN THE MOUNTAIN GLEN + +Far up among the mountains of Lapland there was an old eagle's nest on a +ledge which projected from a high cliff. The nest was made of dry twigs +of pine and spruce, interlaced one with another until they formed a +perfect network. Year by year the nest had been repaired and +strengthened. It was about two metres wide, and nearly as high as a +Laplander's hut. + +The cliff on which the eagle's nest was situated towered above a big +glen, which was inhabited in summer by a flock of wild geese, as it was +an excellent refuge for them. It was so secluded between cliffs that not +many knew of it, even among the Laplanders themselves. + +In the heart of this glen there was a small, round lake in which was an +abundance of food for the tiny goslings, and on the tufted lake shores +which were covered with osier bushes and dwarfed birches the geese found +fine nesting places. + +In all ages eagles had lived on the mountain, and geese in the glen. +Every year the former carried off a few of the latter, but they were +very careful not to take so many that the wild geese would be afraid to +remain in the glen. The geese, in their turn, found the eagles quite +useful. They were robbers, to be sure, but they kept other robbers away. + +Two years before Nils Holgersson travelled with the wild geese the old +leader-goose, Akka from Kebnekaise, was standing at the foot of the +mountain slope looking toward the eagle's nest. + +The eagles were in the habit of starting on their chase soon after +sunrise; during the summers that Akka had lived in the glen she had +watched every morning for their departure to find if they stopped in the +glen to hunt, or if they flew beyond it to other hunting grounds. + +She did not have to wait long before the two eagles left the ledge on +the cliff. Stately and terror-striking they soared into the air. They +directed their course toward the plain, and Akka breathed a sigh of +relief. + +The old leader-goose's days of nesting and rearing of young were over, +and during the summer she passed the time going from one goose range to +another, giving counsel regarding the brooding and care of the young. +Aside from this she kept an eye out not only for eagles but also for +mountain fox and owls and all other enemies who were a menace to the +wild geese and their young. + +About noontime Akka began to watch for the eagles again. This she had +done every day during all the summers that she had lived in the glen. +She could tell at once by their flight if their hunt had been +successful, and in that event she felt relieved for the safety of those +who belonged to her. But on this particular day she had not seen the +eagles return. "I must be getting old and stupid," she thought, when she +had waited a time for them. "The eagles have probably been home this +long while." + +In the afternoon she looked toward the cliff again, expecting to see the +eagles perched on the rocky ledge where they usually took their +afternoon rest; toward evening, when they took their bath in the dale +lake, she tried again to get sight of them, but failed. Again she +bemoaned the fact that she was growing old. She was so accustomed to +having the eagles on the mountain above her that she could not imagine +the possibility of their not having returned. + +The following morning Akka was awake in good season to watch for the +eagles; but she did not see them. On the other hand, she heard in the +morning stillness a cry that sounded both angry and plaintive, and it +seemed to come from the eagles' nest. "Can there possibly be anything +amiss with the eagles?" she wondered. She spread her wings quickly, and +rose so high that she could perfectly well look down into the nest. + +There she saw neither of the eagles. There was no one in the nest save a +little half-fledged eaglet who was screaming for food. + +Akka sank down toward the eagles' nest, slowly and reluctantly. It was a +gruesome place to come to! It was plain what kind of robber folk lived +there! In the nest and on the cliff ledge lay bleached bones, bloody +feathers, pieces of skin, hares' heads, birds' beaks, and the tufted +claws of grouse. The eaglet, who was lying in the midst of this, was +repulsive to look upon, with his big, gaping bill, his awkward, +down-clad body, and his undeveloped wings where the prospective quills +stuck out like thorns. + +At last Akka conquered her repugnance and alighted on the edge of the +nest, at the same time glancing about her anxiously in every direction, +for each second she expected to see the old eagles coming back. + +"It is well that some one has come at last," cried the baby eagle. +"Fetch me some food at once!" + +"Well, well, don't be in such haste," said Akka. "Tell me first where +your father and mother are." + +"That's what I should like to know myself. They went off yesterday +morning and left me a lemming to live upon while they were away. You can +believe that was eaten long ago. It's a shame for mother to let me +starve in this way!" + +Akka began to think that the eagles had really been shot, and she +reasoned that if she were to let the eaglet starve she might perhaps be +rid of the whole robber tribe for all time. But it went very much +against her not to succour a deserted young one so far as she could. + +"Why do you sit there and stare?" snapped the eaglet. "Didn't you hear +me say I want food?" + +Akka spread her wings and sank down to the little lake in the glen. A +moment later she returned to the eagles' nest with a salmon trout in her +bill. + +The eaglet flew into a temper when she dropped the fish in front of him. + +"Do you think I can eat such stuff?" he shrieked, pushing it aside, and +trying to strike Akka with his bill. "Fetch me a willow grouse or a +lemming, do you hear?" + +Akka stretched her head forward, and gave the eaglet a sharp nip in the +neck. "Let me say to you," remarked the old goose, "that if I'm to +procure food for you, you must be satisfied with what I give you. Your +father and mother are dead, and from them you can get no help; but if +you want to lie here and starve to death while you wait for grouse and +lemming, I shall not hinder you." + +When Akka had spoken her mind she promptly retired, and did not show her +face in the eagles' nest again for some time. But when she did return, +the eaglet had eaten the fish, and when she dropped another in front of +him he swallowed it at once, although it was plain that he found it very +distasteful. + +Akka had imposed upon herself a tedious task. The old eagles never +appeared again, and she alone had to procure for the eaglet all the food +he needed. She gave him fish and frogs and he did not seem to fare badly +on this diet, but grew big and strong. He soon forgot his parents, the +eagles, and fancied that Akka was his real mother. Akka, in turn, loved +him as if he had been her own child. She tried to give him a good +bringing up, and to cure him of his wildness and overbearing ways. + +After a fortnight Akka observed that the time was approaching for her to +moult and put on a new feather dress so as to be ready to fly. For a +whole moon she would be unable to carry food to the baby eaglet, and he +might starve to death. + +So Akka said to him one day: "Gorgo, I can't come to you any more with +fish. Everything depends now upon your pluck--which means can you dare +to venture into the glen, so I can continue to procure food for you? You +must choose between starvation and flying down to the glen, but that, +too, may cost you your life." + +Without a second's hesitation the eaglet stepped upon the edge of the +nest. Barely taking the trouble to measure the distance to the bottom, +he spread his tiny wings and started away. He rolled over and over in +space, but nevertheless made enough use of his wings to reach the ground +almost unhurt. + +Down there in the glen Gorgo passed the summer in company with the +little goslings, and was a good comrade for them. Since he regarded +himself as a gosling, he tried to live as they lived; when they swam in +the lake he followed them until he came near drowning. It was most +embarrassing to him that he could not learn to swim, and he went to Akka +and complained of his inability. + +"Why can't I swim like the others?" he asked. + +"Your claws grew too hooked, and your toes too large while you were up +there on the cliff," Akka replied. "But you'll make a fine bird all the +same." + +The eaglet's wings soon grew so large that they could carry him; but not +until autumn, when the goslings learned to fly, did it dawn upon him +that he could use them for flight. There came a proud time for him, for +at this sport he was the peer of them all. His companions never stayed +up in the air any longer than they had to, but he stayed there nearly +the whole day, and practised the art of flying. So far it had not +occurred to him that he was of another species than the geese, but he +could not help noting a number of things that surprised him, and he +questioned Akka constantly. + +"Why do grouse and lemming run and hide when they see my shadow on the +cliff?" he queried. "They don't show such fear of the other goslings." + +"Your wings grew too big when you were on the cliff," said Akka. "It is +that which frightens the little wretches. But don't be unhappy because +of that. You'll be a fine bird all the same." + +After the eagle had learned to fly, he taught himself to fish, and to +catch frogs. But by and by he began to ponder this also. + +"How does it happen that I live on fish and frogs?" he asked. "The other +goslings don't." + +"This is due to the fact that I had no other food to give you when you +were on the cliff," said Akka. "But don't let that make you sad. You'll +be a fine bird all the same." + +When the wild geese began their autumn moving, Gorgo flew along with the +flock, regarding himself all the while as one of them. The air was +filled with birds who were on their way south, and there was great +excitement among them when Akka appeared with an eagle in her train. The +wild goose flock was continually surrounded by swarms of the curious who +loudly expressed their astonishment. Akka bade them be silent, but it +was impossible to stop so many wagging tongues. + +"Why do they call me an eagle?" Gorgo asked repeatedly, growing more and +more exasperated. "Can't they see that I'm a wild goose? I'm no +bird-eater who preys upon his kind. How dare they give me such an ugly +name?" + +One day they flew above a barn yard where many chickens walked on a dump +heap and picked. "An eagle! An eagle!" shrieked the chickens, and +started to run for shelter. But Gorgo, who had heard the eagles spoken +of as savage criminals, could not control his anger. He snapped his +wings together and shot down to the ground, striking his talons into one +of the hens. "I'll teach you, I will, that I'm no eagle!" he screamed +furiously, and struck with his beak. + +That instant he heard Akka call to him from the air, and rose +obediently. The wild goose flew toward him and began to reprimand him. +"What are you trying to do?" she cried, beating him with her bill. "Was +it perhaps your intention to tear that poor hen to pieces?" But when the +eagle took his punishment from the wild goose without a protest, there +arose from the great bird throng around them a perfect storm of taunts +and gibes. The eagle heard this, and turned toward Akka with flaming +eyes, as though he would have liked to attack her. But he suddenly +changed his mind, and with quick wing strokes bounded into the air, +soaring so high that no call could reach him; and he sailed around up +there as long as the wild geese saw him. + +Two days later he appeared again in the wild goose flock. + +"I know who I am," he said to Akka. "Since I am an eagle, I must live +as becomes an eagle; but I think that we can be friends all the same. +You or any of yours I shall never attack." + +But Akka had set her heart on successfully training an eagle into a mild +and harmless bird, and she could not tolerate his wanting to do as he +chose. + +"Do you think that I wish to be the friend of a bird-eater?" she asked. +"Live as I have taught you to live, and you may travel with my flock as +heretofore." + +Both were proud and stubborn, and neither of them would yield. It ended +in Akka's forbidding the eagle to show his face in her neighbourhood, +and her anger toward him was so intense that no one dared speak his name +in her presence. + +After that Gorgo roamed around the country, alone and shunned, like all +great robbers. He was often downhearted, and certainly longed many a +time for the days when he thought himself a wild goose, and played with +the merry goslings. + +Among the animals he had a great reputation for courage. They used to +say of him that he feared no one but his foster-mother, Akka. And they +could also say of him that he never used violence against a wild goose. + +IN CAPTIVITY + +Gorgo was only three years old, and had not as yet thought about +marrying and procuring a home for himself, when he was captured one day +by a hunter, and sold to the Skansen Zooelogical Garden, where there were +already two eagles held captive in a cage built of iron bars and steel +wires. The cage stood out in the open, and was so large that a couple of +trees had easily been moved into it, and quite a large cairn was piled +up in there. Notwithstanding all this, the birds were unhappy. They sat +motionless on the same spot nearly all day. Their pretty, dark feather +dresses became rough and lustreless, and their eyes were riveted with +hopeless longing on the sky without. + +During the first week of Gorgo's captivity he was still awake and full +of life, but later a heavy torpor came upon him. He perched himself on +one spot, like the other eagles, and stared at vacancy. He no longer +knew how the days passed. + +One morning when Gorgo sat in his usual torpor, he heard some one call +to him from below. He was so drowsy that he could barely rouse himself +enough to lower his glance. + +"Who is calling me?" he asked. + +"Oh, Gorgo! Don't you know me? It's Thumbietot who used to fly around +with the wild geese." + +"Is Akka also captured?" asked Gorgo in the tone of one who is trying to +collect his thoughts after a long sleep. + +"No; Akka, the white goosey-gander, and the whole flock are probably +safe and sound up in Lapland at this season," said the boy. "It's only I +who am a prisoner here." + +As the boy was speaking he noticed that Gorgo averted his glance, and +began to stare into space again. + +"Golden eagle!" cried the boy; "I have not forgotten that once you +carried me back to the wild geese, and that you spared the white +goosey-gander's life! Tell me if I can be of any help to you!" + +Gorgo scarcely raised his head. "Don't disturb me, Thumbietot," he +yawned. "I'm sitting here dreaming that I am free, and am soaring away +up among the clouds. I don't want to be awake." + +"You must rouse yourself, and see what goes on around you," the boy +admonished, "or you will soon look as wretched as the other eagles." + +"I wish I were as they are! They are so lost in their dreams that +nothing more can trouble them," said the eagle. + +When night came, and all three eagles were asleep, there was a light +scraping on the steel wires stretched across the top of the cage. The +two listless old captives did not allow themselves to be disturbed by +the noise, but Gorgo awakened. + +"Who's there? Who is moving up on the roof?" he asked. + +"It's Thumbietot, Gorgo," answered the boy. "I'm sitting here filing +away at the steel wires so that you can escape." + +The eagle raised his head, and saw in the night light how the boy sat +and filed the steel wires at the top of the cage. He felt hopeful for an +instant, but soon discouragement got the upper hand. + +"I'm a big bird, Thumbietot," said Gorgo; "how can you ever manage to +file away enough wires for me to come out? You'd better quit that, and +leave me in peace." + +"Oh, go to sleep, and don't bother about me!" said the boy. "I'll not be +through to-night nor to-morrow night, but I shall try to free you in +time for here you'll become a total wreck." + +Gorgo fell asleep. When he awoke the next morning he saw at a glance +that a number of wires had been filed. That day he felt less drowsy than +he had done in the past. He spread his wings, and fluttered from branch +to branch to get the stiffness out of his joints. + +One morning early, just as the first streak of sunlight made its +appearance, Thumbietot awakened the eagle. + +"Try now, Gorgo!" he whispered. + +The eagle looked up. The boy had actually filed off so many wires that +now there was a big hole in the wire netting. Gorgo flapped his wings +and propelled himself upward. Twice he missed and fell back into the +cage; but finally he succeeded in getting out. + +With proud wing strokes he soared into the clouds. Little Thumbietot sat +and gazed after him with a mournful expression. He wished that some one +would come and give him his freedom too. + +The boy was domiciled now at Skansen. He had become acquainted with all +the animals there, and had made many friends among them. He had to admit +that there was so much to see and learn there that it was not difficult +for him to pass the time. To be sure his thoughts went forth every day +to Morten Goosey-Gander and his other comrades, and he yearned for them. +"If only I weren't bound by my promise," he thought, "I'd find some bird +to take me to them!" + +It may seem strange that Clement Larsson had not restored the boy's +liberty, but one must remember how excited the little fiddler had been +when he left Skansen. The morning of his departure he had thought of +setting out the midget's food in a blue bowl, but, unluckily, he had +been unable to find one. All the Skansen folk--Lapps, peasant girls, +artisans, and gardeners--had come to bid him good-bye, and he had had no +time to search for a blue bowl. It was time to start, and at the last +moment he had to ask the old Laplander to help him. + +"One of the tiny folk happens to be living here at Skansen," said +Clement, "and every morning I set out a little food for him. Will you do +me the favour of taking these few coppers and purchasing a blue bowl +with them? Put a little gruel and milk in it, and to-morrow morning set +it out under the steps of Bollnaes cottage." + +The old Laplander looked surprised, but there was no time for Clement to +explain further, as he had to be off to the railway station. + +The Laplander went down to the zooelogical village to purchase the bowl. +As he saw no blue one that he thought appropriate, he bought a white +one, and this he conscientiously filled and set out every morning. + +That was why the boy had not been released from his pledge. He knew that +Clement had gone away, but _he_ was not allowed to leave. + +That night the boy longed more than ever for his freedom. This was +because summer had come now in earnest. During his travels he had +suffered much in cold and stormy weather, and when he first came to +Skansen he had thought that perhaps it was just as well that he had been +compelled to break the journey. He would have been frozen to death had +he gone to Lapland in the month of May. But now it was warm; the earth +was green-clad, birches and poplars were clothed in their satiny +foliage, and the cherry trees--in fact all the fruit trees--were covered +with blossoms. The berry bushes had green berries on their stems; the +oaks had carefully unfolded their leaves, and peas, cabbages, and beans +were growing in the vegetable garden at Skansen. + +"Now it must be warm up in Lapland," thought the boy. "I should like to +be seated on Morten Goosey-Gander's back on a fine morning like this! It +would be great fun to ride around in the warm, still air, and look down +at the ground, as it now lies decked with green grass, and embellished +with pretty blossoms." + +He sat musing on this when the eagle suddenly swooped down from the sky, +and perched beside the boy, on top of the cage. + +"I wanted to try my wings to see if they were still good for anything," +said Gorgo. "You didn't suppose that I meant to leave you here in +captivity? Get up on my back, and I'll take you to your comrades." + +"No, that's impossible!" the boy answered. "I have pledged my word that +I would stay here till I am liberated." + +"What sort of nonsense are you talking?" protested Gorgo. "In the first +place they brought you here against your will; then they forced you to +promise that you would remain here. Surely you must understand that such +a promise one need not keep?" + +"Oh, no, I must keep it," said the boy. "I thank you all the same for +your kind intention, but you can't help me." + +"Oh, can't I?" said Gorgo. "We'll see about that!" In a twinkling he +grasped Nils Holgersson in his big talons, and rose with him toward the +skies, disappearing in a northerly direction. + + +ON OVER GAeSTRIKLAND + + +THE PRECIOUS GIRDLE + +_Wednesday, June fifteenth_. + +The eagle kept on flying until he was a long distance north of +Stockholm. Then he sank to a wooded hillock where he relaxed his hold on +the boy. + +The instant Thumbietot was out of Gorgo's clutches he started to run +back to the city as fast as he could. + +The eagle made a long swoop, caught up to the boy, and stopped him with +his claw. + +"Do you propose to go back to prison?" he demanded. + +"That's my affair. I can go where I like, for all of you!" retorted the +boy, trying to get away. Thereupon the eagle gripped him with his strong +talons, and rose in the air. + +Now Gorgo circled over the entire province of Uppland and did not stop +again until he came to the great water-falls at Aelvkarleby where he +alighted on a rock in the middle of the rushing rapids below the roaring +falls. Again he relaxed his hold on the captive. + +The boy saw that here there was no chance of escape from the eagle. +Above them the white scum wall of the water-fall came tumbling down, and +round about the river rushed along in a mighty torrent. Thumbietot was +very indignant to think that in this way he had been forced to become a +promise-breaker. He turned his back to the eagle and would not speak to +him. + +Now that the bird had set the boy down in a place from which he could +not run away, he told him confidentially that he had been brought up by +Akka from Kebnekaise, and that he had quarrelled with his foster-mother. + +"Now, Thumbietot, perhaps you understand why I wish to take you back to +the wild geese," he said. "I have heard that you are in great favour +with Akka, and it was my purpose to ask you to make peace between us." + +As soon as the boy comprehended that the eagle had not carried him off +in a spirit of contrariness, he felt kindly toward him. + +"I should like very much to help you," he returned, "but I am bound by +my promise." Thereupon he explained to the eagle how he had fallen into +captivity and how Clement Larsson had left Skansen without setting him +free. + +Nevertheless the eagle would not relinquish his plan. + +"Listen to me, Thumbietot," he said. "My wings can carry you wherever +you wish to go, and my eyes can search out whatever you wish to find. +Tell me how the man looks who exacted this promise from you, and I will +find him and take you to him. Then it is for you to do the rest." + +Thumbietot approved of the proposition. + +"I can see, Gorgo, that you have had a wise bird like Akka for a +foster-mother," the boy remarked. + +He gave a graphic description of Clement Larsson, and added that he had +heard at Skansen that the little fiddler was from Haelsingland. + +"We'll search for him through the whole of Haelsingland--from Ljungby to +Mellansjoe; from Great Mountain to Hornland," said the eagle. "To-morrow +before sundown you shall have a talk with the man!" + +"I fear you are promising more than you can perform," doubted the boy. + +"I should be a mighty poor eagle if I couldn't do that much," said +Gorgo. + +So when Gorgo and Thumbietot left Aelvkarleby they were good friends, and +the boy willingly took his mount for a ride on the eagle's back. Thus he +had an opportunity to see much of the country. + +When clutched in the eagle's talons he had seen nothing. Perhaps it was +just as well, for in the forenoon he had travelled over Upsala, +Oesterby's big factories, the Dannemora Mine, and the ancient castle of +Oerbyhus, and he would have been sadly disappointed at not seeing them +had he known of their proximity. + +The eagle bore him speedily over Gaestrikland. In the southern part of +the province there was very little to tempt the eye. But as they flew +northward, it began to be interesting. + +"This country is clad in a spruce skirt and a gray-stone jacket," +thought the boy. "But around its waist it wears a girdle which has not +its match in value, for it is embroidered with blue lakes and green +groves. The great ironworks adorn it like a row of precious stones, and +its buckle is a whole city with castles and cathedrals and great +clusters of houses." + +When the travellers arrived in the northern forest region, Gorgo +alighted on top of a mountain. As the boy dismounted, the eagle said: + +"There's game in this forest, and I can't forget my late captivity and +feel really free until I have gone a-hunting. You won't mind my leaving +you for a while?" + +"No, of course, I won't," the boy assured him. + +"You may go where you like if only you are back here by sundown," said +the eagle, as he flew off. + +The boy sat on a stone gazing across the bare, rocky ground and the +great forests round about. + +He felt rather lonely. But soon he heard singing in the forest below, +and saw something bright moving amongst the trees. Presently he saw a +blue and yellow banner, and he knew by the songs and the merry chatter +that it was being borne at the head of a procession. On it came, up the +winding path; he wondered where it and those who followed it were going. +He couldn't believe that anybody would come up to such an ugly, desolate +waste as the place where he sat. But the banner was nearing the forest +border, and behind it marched many happy people for whom it had led the +way. Suddenly there was life and movement all over the mountain plain; +after that there was so much for the boy to see that he didn't have a +dull moment. + +FOREST DAY + +On the mountain's broad back, where Gorgo left Thumbietot, there had +been a forest fire ten years before. Since that time the charred trees +had been felled and removed, and the great fire-swept area had begun to +deck itself with green along the edges, where it skirted the healthy +forest. However, the larger part of the top was still barren and +appallingly desolate. Charred stumps, standing sentinel-like between the +rock ledges, bore witness that once there had been a fine forest here; +but no fresh roots sprang from the ground. + +One day in the early summer all the children in the parish had assembled +in front of the schoolhouse near the fire-swept mountain. Each child +carried either a spade or a hoe on its shoulder, and a basket of food in +its hand. As soon as all were assembled, they marched in a long +procession toward the forest. The banner came first, with the teachers +on either side of it; then followed a couple of foresters and a wagon +load of pine shrubs and spruce seeds; then the children. + +The procession did not pause in any of the birch groves near the +settlements, but marched on deep into the forest. As it moved along, the +foxes stuck their heads out of the lairs in astonishment, and wondered +what kind of backwoods people these were. As they marched past old coal +pits where charcoal kilns were fired every autumn, the cross-beaks +twisted their hooked bills, and asked one another what kind of coalers +these might be who were now thronging the forest. + +Finally, the procession reached the big, burnt mountain plain. The rocks +had been stripped of the fine twin-flower creepers that once covered +them; they had been robbed of the pretty silver moss and the attractive +reindeer moss. Around the dark water gathered in clefts and hollows +there was now no wood-sorrel. The little patches of soil in crevices and +between stones were without ferns, without star-flowers, without all the +green and red and light and soft and soothing things which usually +clothe the forest ground. + +It was as if a bright light flashed upon the mountain when all the +parish children covered it. Here again was something sweet and delicate; +something fresh and rosy; something young and growing. Perhaps these +children would bring to the poor abandoned forest a little new life. + +When the children had rested and eaten their luncheon, they seized hoes +and spades and began to work. The foresters showed them what to do. They +set out shrub after shrub on every clear spot of earth they could find. + +As they worked, they talked quite knowingly among themselves of how the +little shrubs they were planting would bind the soil so that it could +not get away, and of how new soil would form under the trees. By and by +seeds would drop, and in a few years they would be picking both +strawberries and raspberries where now there were only bare rocks. The +little shrubs which they were planting would gradually become tall +trees. Perhaps big houses and great splendid ships would be built from +them! + +If the children had not come here and planted while there was still a +little soil in the clefts, all the earth would have been carried away by +wind and water, and the mountain could never more have been clothed in +green. + +"It was well that we came," said the children. "We were just in the nick +of time!" They felt very important. + +While they were working on the mountain, their parents were at home. By +and by they began to wonder how the children were getting along. Of +course it was only a joke about their planting a forest, but it might be +amusing to see what they were trying to do. + +So presently both fathers and mothers were on their way to the forest. +When they came to the outlying stock farms they met some of their +neighbours. + +"Are you going to the fire-swept mountain?" they asked. + +"That's where we're bound for." + +"To have a look at the children?" + +"Yes, to see what they're up to." + +"It's only play, of course." + +"It isn't likely that there will be many forest trees planted by the +youngsters. We have brought the coffee pot along so that we can have +something warm to drink, since we must stay there all day with only +lunch-basket provisions." + +So the parents of the children went on up the mountain. At first they +thought only of how pretty it looked to see all the rosy-cheeked little +children scattered over the gray hills. Later, they observed how the +children were working--how some were setting out shrubs, while others +were digging furrows and sowing seeds. Others again were pulling up +heather to prevent its choking the young trees. They saw that the +children took the work seriously and were so intent upon what they were +doing that they scarcely had time to glance up. + +The fathers and mothers stood for a moment and looked on; then they too +began to pull up heather--just for the fun of it. The children were the +instructors, for they were already trained, and had to show their elders +what to do. + +Thus it happened that all the grown-ups who had come to watch the +children took part in the work. Then, of course, it became greater fun +than before. By and by the children had even more help. Other implements +were needed, so a couple of long-legged boys were sent down to the +village for spades and hoes. As they ran past the cabins, the +stay-at-homes came out and asked: "What's wrong? Has there been an +accident?" + +"No, indeed! But the whole parish is up on the fire-swept mountain +planting a forest." + +"If the whole parish is there, we can't stay at home!" + +So party after party of peasants went crowding to the top of the burnt +mountain. They stood a moment and looked on. The temptation to join the +workers was irresistible. + +"It's a pleasure to sow one's own acres in the spring, and to think of +the grain that will spring up from the earth, but this work is even more +alluring," they thought. + +Not only slender blades would come from that sowing, but mighty trees +with tall trunks and sturdy branches. It meant giving birth not merely +to a summer's grain, but to many years' growths. It meant the awakening +hum of insects, the song of the thrush, the play of grouse and all kinds +of life on the desolate mountain. Moreover, it was like raising a +memorial for coming generations. They could have left a bare, treeless +height as a heritage. Instead they were to leave a glorious forest. + +Coming generations would know their forefathers had been a good and wise +folk and they would remember them with reverence and gratitude. + + +A DAY IN HAeLSINGLAND + + +A LARGE GREEN LEAF + +_Thursday, June sixteenth_. + +The following day the boy travelled over Haelsingland. It spread beneath +him with new, pale-green shoots on the pine trees, new birch leaves in +the groves, new green grass in the meadows, and sprouting grain in the +fields. It was a mountainous country, but directly through it ran a +broad, light valley from either side of which branched other +valleys--some short and narrow, some broad and long. + +"This land resembles a leaf," thought the boy, "for it's as green as a +leaf, and the valleys subdivide it in about the same way as the veins of +a leaf are foliated." + +The branch valleys, like the main one, were filled with lakes, rivers, +farms, and villages. They snuggled, light and smiling, between the dark +mountains until they were gradually squeezed together by the hills. +There they were so narrow that they could not hold more than a little +brook. + +On the high land between the valleys there were pine forests which had +no even ground to grow upon. There were mountains standing all about, +and the forest covered the whole, like a woolly hide stretched over a +bony body. + +It was a picturesque country to look down upon, and the boy saw a good +deal of it, because the eagle was trying to find the old fiddler, +Clement Larsson, and flew from ravine to ravine looking for him. + +A little later in the morning there was life and movement on every farm. +The doors of the cattle sheds were thrown wide open and the cows were +let out. They were prettily coloured, small, supple and sprightly, and +so sure-footed that they made the most comic leaps and bounds. After +them came the calves and sheep, and it was plainly to be seen that they, +too, were in the best of spirits. + +It grew livelier every moment in the farm yards. A couple of young girls +with knapsacks on their backs walked among the cattle; a boy with a long +switch kept the sheep together, and a little dog ran in and out among +the cows, barking at the ones that tried to gore him. The farmer hitched +a horse to a cart loaded with tubs of butter, boxes of cheese, and all +kinds of eatables. The people laughed and chattered. They and the beasts +were alike merry--as if looking forward to a day of real pleasure. + +A moment later all were on their way to the forest. One of the girls +walked in the lead and coaxed the cattle with pretty, musical calls. The +animals followed in a long line. The shepherd boy and the sheep-dog ran +hither and thither, to see that no creature turned from the right +course; and last came the farmer and his hired man. They walked beside +the cart to prevent its being upset, for the road they followed was a +narrow, stony forest path. + +It may have been the custom for all the peasants in Haelsingland to send +their cattle into the forests on the same day--or perhaps it only +happened so that year; at any rate the boy saw how processions of happy +people and cattle wandered out from every valley and every farm and +rushed into the lonely forest, filling it with life. From the depths of +the dense woods the boy heard the shepherd maidens' songs and the tinkle +of the cow bells. Many of the processions had long and difficult roads +to travel; and the boy saw how they tramped through marshes, how they +had to take roundabout ways to get past windfalls, and how, time and +again, the carts bumped against stones and turned over with all their +contents. But the people met all the obstacles with jokes and laughter. + +In the afternoon they came to a cleared space where cattle sheds and a +couple of rude cabins had been built. The cows mooed with delight as +they tramped on the luscious green grass in the yards between the +cabins, and at once began grazing. The peasants, with merry chatter and +banter, carried water and wood and all that had been brought in the +carts into the larger cabin. Presently smoke rose from the chimney and +then the dairymaids, the shepherd boy, and the men squatted upon a flat +rock and ate their supper. + +Gorgo, the eagle, was certain that he should find Clement Larsson among +those who were off for the forest. Whenever he saw a stock farm +procession, he sank down and scrutinized it with his sharp eyes; but +hour after hour passed without his finding the one he sought. + +After much circling around, toward evening they came to a stony and +desolate tract east of the great main valley. There the boy saw another +outlying stock farm under him. The people and the cattle had arrived. +The men were splitting wood, and the dairymaids were milking the cows. + +"Look there!" said Gorgo. "I think we've got him." + +He sank, and, to his great astonishment, the boy saw that the eagle was +right. There indeed stood little Clement Larsson chopping wood. + +Gorgo alighted on a pine tree in the thick woods a little away from the +house. + +"I have fulfilled my obligation," said the eagle, with a proud toss of +his head. "Now you must try and have a word with the man. I'll perch +here at the top of the thick pine and wait for you." + +THE ANIMALS' NEW YEAR'S EVE + +The day's work was done at the forest ranches, supper was over, and the +peasants sat about and chatted. It was a long time since they had been +in the forest of a summer's night, and they seemed reluctant to go to +bed and sleep. It was as light as day, and the dairymaids were busy with +their needle-work. Ever and anon they raised their heads, looked toward +the forest and smiled. "Now we are here again!" they said. The town, +with its unrest, faded from their minds, and the forest, with its +peaceful stillness, enfolded them. When at home they had wondered how +they should ever be able to endure the loneliness of the woods; but +once there, they felt that they were having their best time. + +Many of the young girls and young men from neighbouring ranches had come +to call upon them, so that there were quite a lot of folk seated on the +grass before the cabins, but they did not find it easy to start +conversation. The men were going home the next day, so the dairymaids +gave them little commissions and bade them take greetings to their +friends in the village. This was nearly all that had been said. + +Suddenly the eldest of the dairy girls looked up from her work and said +laughingly: + +"There's no need of our sitting here so silent to-night, for we have two +story-tellers with us. One is Clement Larsson, who sits beside me, and +the other is Bernhard from Sunnasjoe, who stands back there gazing toward +Black's Ridge. I think that we should ask each of them to tell us a +story. To the one who entertains us the better I shall give the muffler +I am knitting." + +This proposal won hearty applause. The two competitors offered lame +excuses, naturally, but were quickly persuaded. Clement asked Bernhard +to begin, and he did not object. He knew little of Clement Larsson, but +assumed that he would come out with some story about ghosts and trolls. +As he knew that people liked to listen to such things, he thought it +best to choose something of the same sort. + +"Some centuries ago," he began, "a dean here in Delsbo township was +riding through the dense forest on a New Year's Eve. He was on +horseback, dressed in fur coat and cap. On the pommel of his saddle hung +a satchel in which he kept the communion service, the Prayer-book, and +the clerical robe. He had been summoned on a parochial errand to a +remote forest settlement, where he had talked with a sick person until +late in the evening. Now he was on his way home, but feared that he +should not get back to the rectory until after midnight. + +"As he had to sit in the saddle when he should have been at home in his +bed, he was glad it was not a rough night. The weather was mild, the air +still and the skies overcast. Behind the clouds hung a full round moon +which gave some light, although it was out of sight. But for that faint +light it would have been impossible for him to distinguish paths from +fields, for that was a snowless winter, and all things had the same +grayish-brown colour. + +"The horse the dean rode was one he prized very highly. He was strong +and sturdy, and quite as wise as a human being. He could find his way +home from any place in the township. The dean had observed this on +several occasions, and he relied upon it with such a sense of security +that he never troubled himself to think where he was going when he rode +that horse. So he came along now in the gray night, through the +bewildering forest, with the reins dangling and his thoughts far away. + +"He was thinking of the sermon he had to preach on the morrow, and of +much else besides, and it was a long time before it occurred to him to +notice how far along he was on his homeward way. When he did glance up, +he saw that the forest was as dense about him as at the beginning, and +he was somewhat surprised, for he had ridden so long that he should have +come to the inhabited portion of the township. + +"Delsbo was about the same then as now. The church and parsonage and all +the large farms and villages were at the northern end of the township, +while at the southern part there were only forests and mountains. The +dean saw that he was still in the unpopulated district and knew that he +was in the southern part and must ride to the north to get home. There +were no stars, nor was there a moon to guide him; but he was a man who +had the four cardinal points in his head. He had the positive feeling +that he was travelling southward, or possibly eastward. + +"He intended to turn the horse at once, but hesitated. The animal had +never strayed, and it did not seem likely that he would do so now. It +was more likely that the dean was mistaken. He had been far away in +thought and had not looked at the road. So he let the horse continue in +the same direction, and again lost himself in his reverie. + +"Suddenly a big branch struck him and almost swept him off the horse. +Then he realized that he must find out where he was. + +"He glanced down and saw that he was riding over a soft marsh, where +there was no beaten path. The horse trotted along at a brisk pace and +showed no uncertainty. Again the dean was positive that he was going in +the wrong direction, and now he did not hesitate to interfere. He seized +the reins and turned the horse about, guiding him back to the roadway. +No sooner was he there than he turned again and made straight for the +woods. + +"The dean was certain that he was going wrong, but because the beast was +so persistent he thought that probably he was trying to find a better +road, and let him go along. + +"The horse did very well, although he had no path to follow. If a +precipice obstructed his way, he climbed it as nimbly as a goat, and +later, when they had to descend, he bunched his hoofs and slid down the +rocky inclines. + +"'May he only find his way home before church hour!' thought the dean. +'I wonder how the Delsbo folk would take it if I were not at my church +on time?' + +"He did not have to brood over this long, for soon he came to a place +that was familiar to him. It was a little creek where he had fished the +summer before. Now he saw it was as he had feared--he was in the depths +of the forest, and the horse was plodding along in a south-easterly +direction. He seemed determined to carry the dean as far from church and +rectory as he could. + +"The clergyman dismounted. He could not let the horse carry him into the +wilderness. He must go home. And, since the animal persisted in going in +the wrong direction, he decided to walk and lead him until they came to +more familiar roads. The dean wound the reins around his arm and began +to walk. It was not an easy matter to tramp through the forest in a +heavy fur coat; but the dean was strong and hardy and had little fear of +overexertion. + +"The horse, meanwhile, caused him fresh anxiety. He would not follow but +planted his hoofs firmly on the ground. + +"At last the dean was angry. He had never beaten that horse, nor did he +wish to do so now. Instead, he threw down the reins and walked away. + +"'We may as well part company here, since you want to go your own way,' +he said. + +"He had not taken more than two steps before the horse came after him, +took a cautious grip on his coat sleeve and stopped him. The dean turned +and looked the horse straight in the eyes, as if to search out why he +behaved so strangely. + +"Afterward the dean could not quite understand how this was possible, +but it is certain that, dark as it was, he plainly saw the horse's face +and read it like that of a human being. He realized that the animal was +in a terrible state of apprehension and fear. He gave his master a look +that was both imploring and reproachful. + +"'I have served you day after day and done your bidding,' he seemed to +say. 'Will you not follow me this one night?' + +"The dean was touched by the appeal in the animal's eyes. It was clear +that the horse needed his help to-night, in one way or another. Being a +man through and through, the dean promptly determined to follow him. +Without further delay he sprang into the saddle. 'Go on!' he said. 'I +will not desert you since you want me. No one shall say of the dean in +Delsbo that he refused to accompany any creature who was in trouble.' + +"He let the horse go as he wished and thought only of keeping his seat. +It proved to be a hazardous and troublesome journey--uphill most of the +way. The forest was so thick that he could not see two feet ahead, but +it appeared to him that they were ascending a high mountain. The horse +climbed perilous steeps. Had the dean been guiding, he should not have +thought of riding over such ground. + +"'Surely you don't intend to go up to Black's Ridge, do you?' laughed +the dean, who knew that was one of the highest peaks in Haelsingland. + +"During the ride he discovered that he and the horse were not the only +ones who were out that night. He heard stones roll down and branches +crackle, as if animals were breaking their way through the forest. He +remembered that wolves were plentiful in that section and wondered if +the horse wished to lead him to an encounter with wild beasts. + +"They mounted up and up, and the higher they went the more scattered +were the trees. At last they rode on almost bare highland, where the +dean could look in every direction. He gazed out over immeasurable +tracts of land, which went up and down in mountains and valleys covered +with sombre forests. It was so dark that he had difficulty in seeing any +orderly arrangement; but presently he could make out where he was. + +"'Why of course it's Black's Ridge that I've come to!' he remarked to +himself. 'It can't be any other mountain, for there, in the west, I see +Jarv Island, and to the east the sea glitters around Ag Island. Toward +the north also I see something shiny. It must be Dellen. In the depths +below me I see white smoke from Nian Falls. Yes, I'm up on Black's +Ridge. What an adventure!' + +"When they were at the summit the horse stopped behind a thick pine, as +if to hide. The dean bent forward and pushed aside the branches, that he +might have an unobstructed view. + +"The mountain's bald plate confronted him. It was not empty and +desolate, as he had anticipated. In the middle of the open space was an +immense boulder around which many wild beasts had gathered. Apparently +they were holding a conclave of some sort. + +"Near to the big rock he saw bears, so firmly and heavily built that +they seemed like fur-clad blocks of stone. They were lying down and +their little eyes blinked impatiently; it was obvious that they had come +from their winter sleep to attend court, and that they could hardly keep +awake. Behind them, in tight rows, were hundreds of wolves. They were +not sleepy, for wolves are more alert in winter than in summer. They sat +upon their haunches, like dogs, whipping the ground with their tails and +panting--their tongues lolling far out of their jaws. Behind the wolves +the lynx skulked, stiff-legged and clumsy, like misshapen cats. They +were loath to be among the other beasts, and hissed and spat when one +came near them. The row back of the lynx was occupied by the wolverines, +with dog faces and bear coats. They were not happy on the ground, and +they stamped their pads impatiently, longing to get into the trees. +Behind them, covering the entire space to the forest border, leaped the +foxes, the weasels, and the martens. These were small and perfectly +formed, but they looked even more savage and bloodthirsty than the +larger beasts. + +"All this the dean plainly saw, for the whole place was illuminated. +Upon the huge rock at the centre was the Wood-nymph, who held in her +hand a pine torch which burned in a big red flame. The Nymph was as tall +as the tallest tree in the forest. She wore a spruce-brush mantle and +had spruce-cone hair. She stood very still, her face turned toward the +forest. She was watching and listening. + +"The dean saw everything as plain as plain could be, but his +astonishment was so great that he tried to combat it, and would not +believe the evidence of his own eyes. + +"'Such things cannot possibly happen!' he thought. 'I have ridden much +too long in the bleak forest. This is only an optical illusion.' + +"Nevertheless he gave the closest attention to the spectacle, and +wondered what was about to be done. + +"He hadn't long to wait before he caught the sound of a familiar bell, +coming from the depths of the forest, and the next moment he heard +footfalls and crackling of branches--as when many animals break through +the forest. + +"A big herd of cattle was climbing the mountain. They came through the +forest in the order in which they had marched to the mountain ranches. +First came the bell cow followed by the bull, then the other cows and +the calves. The sheep, closely herded, followed. After them came the +goats, and last were the horses and colts. The sheep-dog trotted along +beside the sheep; but neither shepherd nor shepherdess attended them. + +"The dean thought it heart-rending to see the tame animals coming +straight toward the wild beasts. He would gladly have blocked their way +and called 'Halt!' but he understood that it was not within human power +to stop the march of the cattle on this night; therefore he made no +move. + +"The domestic animals were in a state of torment over that which they +had to face. If it happened to be the bell cow's turn, she advanced with +drooping head and faltering step. The goats had no desire either to play +or to butt. The horses tried to bear up bravely, but their bodies were +all of a quiver with fright. The most pathetic of all was the sheep-dog. +He kept his tail between his legs and crawled on the ground. + +"The bell cow led the procession all the way up to the Wood-nymph, who +stood on the boulder at the top of the mountain. The cow walked around +the rock and then turned toward the forest without any of the wild +beasts touching her. In the same way all the cattle walked unmolested +past the wild beasts. + +"As the creatures filed past, the dean saw the Wood-nymph lower her pine +torch over one and another of them. + +"Every time this occurred the beasts of prey broke into loud, exultant +roars--particularly when it was lowered over a cow or some other large +creature. The animal that saw the torch turning toward it uttered a +piercing shriek, as if it had received a knife thrust in its flesh, +while the entire herd to which it belonged bellowed their lamentations. + +"Then the dean began to comprehend the meaning of what he saw. Surely he +had heard that the animals in Delsbo assembled on Black's Ridge every +New Year's Eve, that the Wood-nymph might mark out which among the tame +beasts would that year be prey for the wild beasts. The dean pitied the +poor creatures that were at the mercy of savage beasts, when in reality +they should have no master but man. + +"The leading herd had only just left when another bell tinkled, and the +cattle from another farm tramped to the mountain top. These came in the +same order as the first and marched past the Wood-nymph, who stood +there, stern and solemn, indicating animal after animal for death. + +"Herd upon herd followed, without a break in the line of procession. +Some were so small that they included only one cow and a few sheep; +others consisted of only a pair of goats. It was apparent that these +were from very humble homes, but they too were compelled to pass in +review. + +"The dean thought of the Delsbo farmers, who had so much love for their +beasts. 'Did they but know of it, surely they would not allow a +repetition of this!' he thought. 'They would risk their own lives rather +than let their cattle wander amongst bears and wolves, to be doomed by +the Wood-nymph!' + +"The last herd to appear was the one from the rectory farm. The dean +heard the sound of the familiar bell a long way off. The horse, too, +must have heard it, for he began to shake in every limb, and was bathed +in sweat. + +"'So it is your turn now to pass before the Wood-nymph to receive your +sentence,' the dean said to the horse. 'Don't be afraid! Now I know why +you brought me here, and I shall not leave you.' + +"The fine cattle from the parsonage farm emerged from the forest and +marched to the Wood-nymph and the wild beasts. Last in the line was the +horse that had brought his master to Black's Ridge. The dean did not +leave the saddle, but let the animal take him to the Wood-nymph. + +"He had neither knife nor gun for his defence, but he had taken out the +Prayer-book and sat pressing it to his heart as he exposed himself to +battle against evil. + +"At first it appeared as if none had observed him. The dean's cattle +filed past the Wood-nymph in the same order as the others had done. She +did not wave the torch toward any of these, but as soon as the +intelligent horse stepped forward, she made a movement to mark him for +death. + +"Instantly the dean held up the Prayer-book, and the torchlight fell +upon the cross on its cover. The Wood-nymph uttered a loud, shrill cry +and let the torch drop from her hand. + +"Immediately the flame was extinguished. In the sudden transition from +light to darkness the dean saw nothing, nor did he hear anything. About +him reigned the profound stillness of a wilderness in winter. + +"Then the dark clouds parted, and through the opening stepped the full +round moon to shed its light upon the ground. The dean saw that he and +the horse were alone on the summit of Black's Ridge. Not one of the many +wild beasts was there. The ground had not been trampled by the herds +that had passed over it; but the dean himself sat with his Prayer-book +before him, while the horse under him stood trembling and foaming. + +"By the time the dean reached home he no longer knew whether or not it +had been a dream, a vision, or reality--this that he had seen; but he +took it as a warning to him to remember the poor creatures who were at +the mercy of wild beasts. He preached so powerfully to the Delsbo +peasants that in his day all the wolves and bears were exterminated from +that section of the country, although they may have returned since his +time." + +Here Bernhard ended his story. He received praise from all sides and it +seemed to be a foregone conclusion that he would get the prize. The +majority thought it almost a pity that Clement had to compete with him. + +But Clement, undaunted, began: + +"One day, while I was living at Skansen, just outside of Stockholm, and +longing for home--" Then he told about the tiny midget he had ransomed +so that he would not have to be confined in a cage, to be stared at by +all the people. He told, also, that no sooner had he performed this act +of mercy than he was rewarded for it. He talked and talked, and the +astonishment of his hearers grew greater and greater; but when he came +to the royal lackey and the beautiful book, all the dairymaids dropped +their needle-work and sat staring at Clement in open-eyed wonder at his +marvellous experiences. + +As soon as Clement had finished, the eldest of the dairymaids announced +that he should have the muffler. + +"Bernhard related only things that happened to another, but Clement has +himself been the hero of a true story, which I consider far more +important." + +In this all concurred. They regarded Clement with very different eyes +after hearing that he had talked with the King, and the little fiddler +was afraid to show how proud he felt. But at the very height of his +elation some one asked him what had become of the midget. + +"I had no time to set out the blue bowl for him myself," said Clement, +"so I asked the old Laplander to do it. What has become of him since +then I don't know." + +No sooner had he spoken than a little pine cone came along and struck +him on the nose. It did not drop from a tree, and none of the peasants +had thrown it. It was simply impossible to tell whence it had come. + +"Aha, Clement!" winked the dairymaid, "it appears as if the tiny folk +were listening to us. You should not have left it to another to set out +that blue bowl!" + + +IN MEDELPAD + + +_Friday, June seventeenth_. + +The boy and the eagle were out bright and early the next morning. Gorgo +hoped that he would get far up into West Bothnia that day. As luck would +have it, he heard the boy remark to himself that in a country like the +one through which they were now travelling it must be impossible for +people to live. + +The land which spread below them was Southern Medelpad. When the eagle +heard the boy's remark, he replied: + +"Up here they have forests for fields." + +The boy thought of the contrast between the light, golden-rye fields +with their delicate blades that spring up in one summer, and the dark +spruce forest with its solid trees which took many years to ripen for +harvest. + +"One who has to get his livelihood from such a field must have a deal of +patience!" he observed. + +Nothing more was said until they came to a place where the forest had +been cleared, and the ground was covered with stumps and lopped-off +branches. As they flew over this ground, the eagle heard the boy mutter +to himself that it was a mighty ugly and poverty-stricken place. + +"This field was cleared last winter," said the eagle. + +The boy thought of the harvesters at home, who rode on their reaping +machines on fine summer mornings, and in a short time mowed a large +field. But the forest field was harvested in winter. The lumbermen went +out in the wilderness when the snow was deep, and the cold most severe. +It was tedious work to fell even one tree, and to hew down a forest such +as this they must have been out in the open many weeks. + +"They have to be hardy men to mow a field of this kind," he said. + +When the eagle had taken two more wing strokes, they sighted a log cabin +at the edge of the clearing. It had no windows and only two loose boards +for a door. The roof had been covered with bark and twigs, but now it +was gaping, and the boy could see that inside the cabin there were only +a few big stones to serve as a fireplace, and two board benches. When +they were above the cabin the eagle suspected that the boy was wondering +who could have lived in such a wretched hut as that. + +"The reapers who mowed the forest field lived there," the eagle said. + +The boy remembered how the reapers in his home had returned from their +day's work, cheerful and happy, and how the best his mother had in the +larder was always spread for them; while here, after the arduous work of +the day, they must rest on hard benches in a cabin that was worse than +an outhouse. And what they had to eat he could not imagine. + +"I wonder if there are any harvest festivals for these labourers?" he +questioned. + +A little farther on they saw below them a wretchedly bad road winding +through the forest. It was narrow and zigzag, hilly and stony, and cut +up by brooks in many places. As they flew over it the eagle knew that +the boy was wondering what was carted over a road like that. + +"Over this road the harvest was conveyed to the stack," the eagle said. + +The boy recalled what fun they had at home when the harvest wagons +drawn by two sturdy horses, carried the grain from the field. The man +who drove sat proudly on top of the load; the horses danced and pricked +up their ears, while the village children, who were allowed to climb +upon the sheaves, sat there laughing and shrieking, half-pleased, +half-frightened. But here the great logs were drawn up and down steep +hills; here the poor horses must be worked to their limit, and the +driver must often be in peril. "I'm afraid there has been very little +cheer along this road," the boy observed. + +The eagle flew on with powerful wing strokes, and soon they came to a +river bank covered with logs, chips, and bark. The eagle perceived that +the boy wondered why it looked so littered up down there. + +"Here the harvest has been stacked," the eagle told him. + +The boy thought of how the grain stacks in his part of the country were +piled up close to the farms, as if they were their greatest ornaments, +while here the harvest was borne to a desolate river strand, and left +there. + +"I wonder if any one out in this wilderness counts his stacks, and +compares them with his neighbour's?" he said. + +A little later they came to Ljungen, a river which glides through a +broad valley. Immediately everything was so changed that they might well +think they had come to another country. The dark spruce forest had +stopped on the inclines above the valley, and the slopes were clad in +light-stemmed birches and aspens. The valley was so broad that in many +places the river widened into lakes. Along the shores lay a large +flourishing town. + +As they soared above the valley the eagle realized that the boy was +wondering if the fields and meadows here could provide a livelihood for +so many people. + +"Here live the reapers who mow the forest fields," the eagle said. + +The boy was thinking of the lowly cabins and the hedged-in farms down in +Skane when he exclaimed: + +"Why, here the peasants live in real manors. It looks as if it might be +worth one's while to work in the forest!" + +The eagle had intended to travel straight north, but when he had flown +out over the river he understood that the boy wondered who handled the +timber after it was stacked on the river bank. + +The boy recollected how careful they had been at home never to let a +grain be wasted, while here were great rafts of logs floating down the +river, uncared for. He could not believe that more than half of the logs +ever reached their destination. Many were floating in midstream, and for +them all went smoothly; others moved close to the shore, bumping against +points of land, and some were left behind in the still waters of the +creeks. On the lakes there were so many logs that they covered the +entire surface of the water. These appeared to be lodged for an +indefinite period. At the bridges they stuck; in the falls they were +bunched, then they were pyramided and broken in two; afterward, in the +rapids, they were blocked by the stones and massed into great heaps. + +"I wonder how long it takes for the logs to get to the mill?" said the +boy. + +The eagle continued his slow flight down River Ljungen. Over many places +he paused in the air on outspread wings, that the boy might see how this +kind of harvest work was done. + +Presently they came to a place where the loggers were at work. The eagle +marked that the boy wondered what they were doing. + +"They are the ones who take care of all the belated harvest," the eagle +said. + +The boy remembered the perfect ease with which his people at home had +driven their grain to the mill. Here the men ran alongside the shores +with long boat-hooks, and with toil and effort urged the logs along. +They waded out in the river and were soaked from top to toe. They jumped +from stone to stone far out into the rapids, and they tramped on the +rolling log heaps as calmly as though they were on flat ground. They +were daring and resolute men. + +"As I watch this, I'm reminded of the iron-moulders in the mining +districts, who juggle with fire as if it were perfectly harmless," +remarked the boy. "These loggers play with water as if they were its +masters. They seem to have subjugated it so that it dare not harm them." + +Gradually they neared the mouth of the river, and Bothnia Bay was beyond +them. Gorgo flew no farther straight ahead, but went northward along the +coast. Before they had travelled very far they saw a lumber camp as +large as a small city. While the eagle circled back and forth above it, +he heard the boy remark that this place looked interesting. + +"Here you have the great lumber camp called Svartvik," the eagle said. + +The boy thought of the mill at home, which stood peacefully embedded in +foliage, and moved its wings very slowly. This mill, where they grind +the forest harvest, stood on the water. + +The mill pond was crowded with logs. One by one the helpers seized them +with their cant-hooks, crowded them into the chutes and hurried them +along to the whirling saws. What happened to the logs inside, the boy +could not see, but he heard loud buzzing and roaring, and from the other +end of the house small cars ran out, loaded with white planks. The cars +ran on shining tracks down to the lumber yard, where the planks were +piled in rows, forming streets--like blocks of houses in a city. In one +place they were building new piles; in another they were pulling down +old ones. These were carried aboard two large vessels which lay waiting +for cargo. The place was alive with workmen, and in the woods, back of +the yard, they had their homes. + +"They'll soon manage to saw up all the forests in Medelpad the way they +work here," said the boy. + +The eagle moved his wings just a little, and carried the boy above +another large camp, very much like the first, with the mill, yard, +wharf, and the homes of the workmen. + +"This is called Kukikenborg," the eagle said. + +He flapped his wings slowly, flew past two big lumber camps, and +approached a large city. When the eagle heard the boy ask the name of +it, he cried; "This is Sundsvall, the manor of the lumber districts." + +The boy remembered the cities of Skane, which looked so old and gray and +solemn; while here in the bleak North the city of Sundsvall faced a +beautiful bay, and looked young and happy and beaming. There was +something odd about the city when one saw it from above, for in the +middle stood a cluster of tall stone structures which looked so imposing +that their match was hardly to be found in Stockholm. Around the stone +buildings there was a large open space, then came a wreath of frame +houses which looked pretty and cosy in their little gardens; but they +seemed to be conscious of the fact that they were very much poorer than +the stone houses, and dared not venture into their neighbourhood. + +"This must be both a wealthy and powerful city," remarked the boy. "Can +it be possible that the poor forest soil is the source of all this?" + +The eagle flapped his wings again, and went over to Aln Island, which +lies opposite Sundsvall. The boy was greatly surprised to see all the +sawmills that decked the shores. On Aln Island they stood, one next +another, and on the mainland opposite were mill upon mill, lumber yard +upon lumber yard. He counted forty, at least, but believed there were +many more. + +"How wonderful it all looks from up here!" he marvelled. "So much life +and activity I have not seen in any place save this on the whole trip. +It is a great country that we have! Wherever I go, there is always +something new for people to live upon." + + +A MORNING IN ANGERMANLAND + + +THE BREAD + +_Saturday, June eighteenth_. + +Next morning, when the eagle had flown some distance into Angermanland, +he remarked that to-day he was the one who was hungry, and must find +something to eat! He set the boy down in an enormous pine on a high +mountain ridge, and away he flew. + +The boy found a comfortable seat in a cleft branch from which he could +look down over Angermanland. It was a glorious morning! The sunshine +gilded the treetops; a soft breeze played in the pine needles; the +sweetest fragrance was wafted through the forest; a beautiful landscape +spread before him; and the boy himself was happy and care-free. He felt +that no one could be better off. + +He had a perfect outlook in every direction. The country west of him was +all peaks and table-land, and the farther away they were, the higher and +wilder they looked. To the east there were also many peaks, but these +sank lower and lower toward the sea, where the land became perfectly +flat. Everywhere he saw shining rivers and brooks which were having a +troublesome journey with rapids and falls so long as they ran between +mountains, but spread out clear and broad as they neared the shore of +the coast. Bothnia Bay was dotted with islands and notched with points, +but farther out was open, blue water, like a summer sky. + +When the boy had had enough of the landscape he unloosed his knapsack, +took out a morsel of fine white bread, and began to eat. + +"I don't think I've ever tasted such good bread," said he. "And how much +I have left! There's enough to last me for a couple of days." As he +munched he thought of how he had come by the bread. + +"It must be because I got it in such a nice way that it tastes so good +to me," he said. + +The golden eagle had left Medelpad the evening before. He had hardly +crossed the border into Angermanland when the boy caught a glimpse of a +fertile valley and a river, which surpassed anything of the kind he had +seen before. + +As the boy glanced down at the rich valley, he complained of feeling +hungry. He had had no food for two whole days, he said, and now he was +famished. Gorgo did not wish to have it said that the boy had fared +worse in his company than when he travelled with the wild geese, so he +slackened his speed. + +"Why haven't you spoken of this before?" he asked. "You shall have all +the food you want. There's no need of your starving when you have an +eagle for a travelling companion." + +Just then the eagle sighted a farmer who was sowing a field near the +river strand. The man carried the seeds in a basket suspended from his +neck, and each time that it was emptied he refilled it from a seed sack +which stood at the end of the furrow. The eagle reasoned it out that the +sack must be filled with the best food that the boy could wish for, so +he darted toward it. But before the bird could get there a terrible +clamour arose about him. Sparrows, crows, and swallows came rushing up +with wild shrieks, thinking that the eagle meant to swoop down upon some +bird. + +"Away, away, robber! Away, away, bird-killer!" they cried. They made +such a racket that it attracted the farmer, who came running, so that +Gorgo had to flee, and the boy got no seed. + +The small birds behaved in the most extraordinary manner. Not only did +they force the eagle to flee, they pursued him a long distance down the +valley, and everywhere the people heard their cries. Women came out and +clapped their hands so that it sounded like a volley of musketry, and +the men rushed out with rifles. + +The same thing was repeated every time the eagle swept toward the +ground. The boy abandoned the hope that the eagle could procure any food +for him. It had never occurred to him before that Gorgo was so much +hated. He almost pitied him. + +In a little while they came to a homestead where the housewife had just +been baking. She had set a platter of sugared buns in the back yard to +cool and was standing beside it, watching, so that the cat and dog +should not steal the buns. + +The eagle circled down to the yard, but dared not alight right under the +eyes of the peasant woman. He flew up and down, irresolute; twice he +came down as far as the chimney, then rose again. + +The peasant woman noticed the eagle. She raised her head and followed +him with her glance. + +"How peculiarly he acts!" she remarked. "I believe he wants one of my +buns." + +She was a beautiful woman, tall and fair, with a cheery, open +countenance. Laughing heartily, she took a bun from the platter, and +held it above her head. + +"If you want it, come and take it!" she challenged. + +While the eagle did not understand her language, he knew at once that +she was offering him the bun. With lightning speed, he swooped to the +bread, snatched it, and flew toward the heights. + +When the boy saw the eagle snatch the bread he wept for joy--not because +he would escape suffering hunger for a few days, but because he was +touched by the peasant woman's sharing her bread with a savage bird of +prey. + +Where he now sat on the pine branch he could recall at will the tall, +fair woman as she stood in the yard and held up the bread. + +She must have known that the large bird was a golden eagle--a plunderer, +who was usually welcomed with loud shots; doubtless she had also seen +the queer changeling he bore on his back. But she had not thought of +what they were. As soon as she understood that they were hungry, she +shared her good bread with them. + +"If I ever become human again," thought the boy, "I shall look up the +pretty woman who lives near the great river, and thank her for her +kindness to us." + +THE FOREST FIRE + +While the boy was still at his breakfast he smelled a faint odour of +smoke coming from the north. He turned and saw a tiny spiral, white as a +mist, rise from a forest ridge--not from the one nearest him, but from +the one beyond it. It looked strange to see smoke in the wild forest, +but it might be that a mountain stock farm lay over yonder, and the +women were boiling their morning coffee. + +It was remarkable the way that smoke increased and spread! It could not +come from a ranch, but perhaps there were charcoal kilns in the forest. + +The smoke increased every moment. Now it curled over the whole mountain +top. It was not possible that so much smoke could come from a charcoal +kiln. There must be a conflagration of some sort, for many birds flew +over to the nearest ridge. Hawks, grouse, and other birds, who were so +small that it was impossible to recognize them at such a distance, fled +from the fire. + +The tiny white spiral of smoke grew to a thick white cloud which rolled +over the edge of the ridge and sank toward the valley. Sparks and flakes +of soot shot up from the clouds, and here and there one could see a red +flame in the smoke. A big fire was raging over there, but what was +burning? Surely there was no large farm hidden in the forest. + +The source of such a fire must be more than a farm. Now the smoke came +not only from the ridge, but from the valley below it, which the boy +could not see, because the next ridge obstructed his view. Great clouds +of smoke ascended; the forest itself was burning! + +It was difficult for him to grasp the idea that the fresh, green pines +could burn. If it really were the forest that was burning, perhaps the +fire might spread all the way over to him. It seemed improbable; but he +wished the eagle would soon return. It would be best to be away from +this. The mere smell of the smoke which he drew in with every breath was +a torture. + +All at once he heard a terrible crackling and sputtering. It came from +the ridge nearest him. There, on the highest point, stood a tall pine +like the one in which he sat. A moment before it had been a gorgeous red +in the morning light. Now all the needles flashed, and the pine caught +fire. Never before had it looked so beautiful! But this was the last +time it could exhibit any beauty, for the pine was the first tree on the +ridge to burn. It was impossible to tell how the flames had reached it. +Had the fire flown on red wings, or crawled along the ground like a +snake? It was not easy to say, but there it was at all events. The great +pine burned like a birch stem. + +Ah, look! Now smoke curled up in many places on the ridge. The forest +fire was both bird and snake. It could fly in the air over wide +stretches, or steal along the ground. The whole ridge was ablaze! + +There was a hasty flight of birds that circled up through the smoke like +big flakes of soot. They flew across the valley and came to the ridge +where the boy sat. A horned owl perched beside him, and on a branch just +above him a hen hawk alighted. These would have been dangerous +neighbours at any other time, but now they did not even glance in his +direction--only stared at the fire. Probably they could not make out +what was wrong with the forest. A marten ran up the pine to the tip of a +branch, and looked at the burning heights. Close beside the marten sat a +squirrel, but they did not appear to notice each other. + +Now the fire came rushing down the slope, hissing and roaring like a +tornado. Through the smoke one could see the flames dart from tree to +tree. Before a branch caught fire it was first enveloped in a thin veil +of smoke, then all the needles grew red at one time, and it began to +crackle and blaze. + +In the glen below ran a little brook, bordered by elms and small +birches. It appeared as if the flames would halt there. Leafy trees are +not so ready to take fire as fir trees. The fire did pause as if before +a gate that could stop it. It glowed and crackled and tried to leap +across the brook to the pine woods on the other side, but could not +reach them. + +For a short time the fire was thus restrained, then it shot a long +flame over to the large, dry pine that stood on the slope, and this was +soon ablaze. The fire had crossed the brook! The heat was so intense +that every tree on the mountain was ready to burn. With the roar and +rush of the maddest storm and the wildest torrent the forest fire flew +over to the ridge. + +Then the hawk and the owl rose and the marten dashed down the tree. In a +few seconds more the fire would reach the top of the pine, and the boy, +too, would have to be moving. It was not easy to slide down the long, +straight pine trunk. He took as firm a hold of it as he could, and slid +in long stretches between the knotty branches; finally he tumbled +headlong to the ground. He had no time to find out if he was hurt--only +to hurry away. The fire raced down the pine like a raging tempest; the +ground under his feet was hot and smouldering. On either side of him ran +a lynx and an adder, and right beside the snake fluttered a mother +grouse who was hurrying along with her little downy chicks. + +When the refugees descended the mountain to the glen they met people +fighting the fire. They had been there for some time, but the boy had +been gazing so intently in the direction of the fire that he had not +noticed them before. + +In this glen there was a brook, bordered by a row of leaf trees, and +back of these trees the people worked. They felled the fir trees nearest +the elms, dipped water from the brook and poured it over the ground, +washing away heather and myrtle to prevent the fire from stealing up to +the birch brush. + +They, too, thought only of the fire which was now rushing toward them. +The fleeing animals ran in and out among the men's feet, without +attracting attention. No one struck at the adder or tried to catch the +mother grouse as she ran back and forth with her little peeping +birdlings. They did not even bother about Thumbietot. In their hands +they held great, charred pine branches which had dropped into the brook, +and it appeared as if they intended to challenge the fire with these +weapons. There were not many men, and it was strange to see them stand +there, ready to fight, when all other living creatures were fleeing. + +As the fire came roaring and rushing down the slope with its intolerable +heat and suffocating smoke, ready to hurl itself over brook and +leaf-tree wall in order to reach the opposite shore without having to +pause, the people drew back at first as if unable to withstand it; but +they did not flee far before they turned back. + +The conflagration raged with savage force, sparks poured like a rain of +fire over the leaf trees, and long tongues of flame shot hissingly out +from the smoke, as if the forest on the other side were sucking them in. + +But the leaf-tree wall was an obstruction behind which the men worked. +When the ground began to smoulder they brought water in their vessels +and dampened it. When a tree became wreathed in smoke they felled it at +once, threw it down and put out the flames. Where the fire crept along +the heather, they beat it with the wet pine branches and smothered it. + +The smoke was so dense that it enveloped everything. One could not +possibly see how the battle was going, but it was easy enough to +understand that it was a hard fight, and that several times the fire +came near penetrating farther. + +But think! After a while the loud roar of the flames decreased, and the +smoke cleared. By that time the leaf trees had lost all their foliage, +the ground under them was charred, the faces of the men were blackened +by smoke and dripping with sweat; but the forest fire was conquered. It +had ceased to flame up. Soft white smoke crept along the ground, and +from it peeped out a lot of black stumps. This was all there was left of +the beautiful forest! + +The boy scrambled up on a rock, so that he might see how the fire had +been quenched. But now that the forest was saved, his peril began. The +owl and the hawk simultaneously turned their eyes toward him. Just then +he heard a familiar voice calling to him. + +Gorgo, the golden eagle, came sweeping through the forest, and soon the +boy was soaring among the clouds--rescued from every peril. + + +WESTBOTTOM AND LAPLAND + + +THE FIVE SCOUTS + +Once, at Skansen, the boy had sat under the steps at Bollnaes cottage and +had overheard Clement Larsson and the old Laplander talk about Norrland. +Both agreed that it was the most beautiful part of Sweden. Clement +thought that the southern part was the best, while the Laplander +favoured the northern part. + +As they argued, it became plain that Clement had never been farther +north than Haernoesand. The Laplander laughed at him for speaking with +such assurance of places that he had never seen. + +"I think I shall have to tell you a story, Clement, to give you some +idea of Lapland, since you have not seen it," volunteered the Laplander. + +"It shall not be said of me that I refuse to listen to a story," +retorted Clement, and the old Laplander began: + +"It once happened that the birds who lived down in Sweden, south of the +great Sameland, thought that they were overcrowded there and suggested +moving northward. + +"They came together to consider the matter. The young and eager birds +wished to start at once, but the older and wiser ones passed a +resolution to send scouts to explore the new country. + +"'Let each of the five great bird families send out a scout,' said the +old and wise birds, 'to learn if there is room for us all up there--food +and hiding places.' + +"Five intelligent and capable birds were immediately appointed by the +five great bird families. + +"The forest birds selected a grouse, the field birds a lark, the sea +birds a gull, the fresh-water birds a loon, and the cliff birds a snow +sparrow. + +"When the five chosen ones were ready to start, the grouse, who was the +largest and most commanding, said: + +"'There are great stretches of land ahead. If we travel together, it +will be long before we cover all the territory that we must explore. If, +on the other hand, we travel singly--each one exploring his special +portion of the country--the whole business can be accomplished in a few +days.' + +"The other scouts thought the suggestion a good one, and agreed to act +upon it. + +"It was decided that the grouse should explore the midlands. The lark +was to travel to the eastward, the sea gull still farther east, where +the land bordered on the sea, while the loon should fly over the +territory west of the midlands, and the snow sparrow to the extreme +west. + +"In accordance with this plan, the five birds flew over the whole +Northland. Then they turned back and told the assembly of birds what +they had discovered. + +"The gull, who had travelled along the sea-coast, spoke first. + +"'The North is a fine country,' he said. 'The sounds are full of fish, +and there are points and islands without number. Most of these are +uninhabited, and the birds will find plenty of room there. The humans +do a little fishing and sailing in the sounds, but not enough to disturb +the birds. If the sea birds follow my advice, they will move north +immediately.' + +"When the gull had finished, the lark, who had explored the land back +from the coast, spoke: + +"'I don't know what the gull means by his islands and points,' said the +lark. I have travelled only over great fields and flowery meadows. I +have never before seen a country crossed by some large streams. Their +shores are dotted with homesteads, and at the mouth of the rivers are +cities; but for the most part the country is very desolate. If the field +birds follow my advice, they will move north immediately.' + +"After the lark came the grouse, who had flown over the midlands. + +"'I know neither what the lark means with his meadows nor the gull with +his islands and points,' said he. 'I have seen only pine forests on this +whole trip. There are also many rushing streams and great stretches of +moss-grown swamp land; but all that is not river or swamp is forest. If +the forest birds follow my advice, they will move north immediately.' + +"After the grouse came the loon, who had explored the borderland to the +west. + +"I don't know what the grouse means by his forests, nor do I know where +the eyes of the lark and the gull could have been,' remarked the loon. +There's hardly any land up there--only big lakes. Between beautiful +shores glisten clear, blue mountain lakes, which pour into roaring +water-falls. If the fresh-water birds follow my advice, they will move +north immediately.' + +"The last speaker was the snow sparrow, who had flown along the western +boundary. + +"'I don't know what the loon means by his lakes, nor do I know what +countries the grouse, the lark, and the gull can have seen,' he said. 'I +found one vast mountainous region up north. I didn't run across any +fields or any pine forests, but peak after peak and highlands. I have +seen ice fields and snow and mountain brooks, with water as white as +milk. No farmers nor cattle nor homesteads have I seen, but only Lapps +and reindeer and huts met my eyes. If the cliff birds follow my advice, +they will move north immediately.' + +"When the five scouts had presented their reports to the assembly, they +began to call one another liars, and were ready to fly at each other to +prove the truth of their arguments. + +"But the old and wise birds who had sent them out, listened to their +accounts with joy, and calmed their fighting propensities. + +"'You mustn't quarrel among yourselves,' they said. 'We understand from +your reports that up north there are large mountain tracts, a big lake +region, great forest lands, a wide plain, and a big group of islands. +This is more than we have expected--more than many a mighty kingdom can +boast within its borders.'" + +THE MOVING LANDSCAPE + +_Saturday, June eighteenth_. + +The boy had been reminded of the old Laplander's story because he +himself was now travelling over the country of which he had spoken. The +eagle told him that the expanse of coast which spread beneath them was +Westbottom, and that the blue ridges far to the west were in Lapland. + +Only to be once more seated comfortably on Gorgo's back, after all that +he had suffered during the forest fire, was a pleasure. Besides, they +were having a fine trip. The flight was so easy that at times it seemed +as if they were standing still in the air. The eagle beat and beat his +wings, without appearing to move from the spot; on the other hand, +everything under them seemed in motion. The whole earth and all things +on it moved slowly southward. The forests, the fields, the fences, the +rivers, the cities, the islands, the sawmills--all were on the march. +The boy wondered whither they were bound. Had they grown tired of +standing so far north, and wished to move toward the south? + +Amid all the objects in motion there was only one that stood still: that +was a railway train. It stood directly under them, for it was with the +train as with Gorgo--it could not move from the spot. The locomotive +sent forth smoke and sparks. The clatter of the wheels could be heard +all the way up to the boy, but the train did not seem to move. The +forests rushed by; the flag station rushed by; fences and telegraph +poles rushed by; but the train stood still. A broad river with a long +bridge came toward it, but the river and the bridge glided along under +the train with perfect ease. Finally a railway station appeared. The +station master stood on the platform with his red flag, and moved slowly +toward the train. + +When he waved his little flag, the locomotive belched even darker smoke +curls than before, and whistled mournfully because it had to stand +still. All of a sudden it began to move toward the south, like +everything else. + +The boy saw all the coach doors open and the passengers step out while +both cars and people were moving southward. + +He glanced away from the earth and tried to look straight ahead. Staring +at the queer railway train had made him dizzy; but after he had gazed +for a moment at a little white cloud, he was tired of that and looked +down again--thinking all the while that the eagle and himself were quite +still and that everything else was travelling on south. Fancy! Suppose +the grain field just then running along under him--which must have been +newly sown for he had seen a green blade on it--were to travel all the +way down to Skane where the rye was in full bloom at this season! + +Up here the pine forests were different: the trees were bare, the +branches short and the needles were almost black. Many trees were bald +at the top and looked sickly. If a forest like that were to journey down +to Kolmarden and see a real forest, how inferior it would feel! + +The gardens which he now saw had some pretty bushes, but no fruit trees +or lindens or chestnut trees--only mountain ash and birch. There were +some vegetable beds, but they were not as yet hoed or planted. + +"If such an apology for a garden were to come trailing into Soermland, +the province of gardens, wouldn't it think itself a poor wilderness by +comparison?" + +Imagine an immense plain like the one now gliding beneath him, coming +under the very eyes of the poor Smaland peasants! They would hurry away +from their meagre garden plots and stony fields, to begin plowing and +sowing. + +There was one thing, however, of which this Northland had more than +other lands, and that was light. Night must have set in, for the cranes +stood sleeping on the morass; but it was as light as day. The sun had +not travelled southward, like every other thing. Instead, it had gone so +far north that it shone in the boy's face. To all appearance, it had no +notion of setting that night. + +If this light and this sun were only shining on West Vemmenhoeg! It would +suit the boy's father and mother to a dot to have a working day that +lasted twenty-four hours. + +_Sunday, June nineteenth_. + +The boy raised his head and looked around, perfectly bewildered. It was +mighty queer! Here he lay sleeping in some place where he had not been +before. No, he had never seen this glen nor the mountains round about; +and never had he noticed such puny and shrunken birches as those under +which he now lay. + +Where was the eagle? The boy could see no sign of him. Gorgo must have +deserted him. Well, here was another adventure! + +The boy lay down again, closed his eyes, and tried to recall the +circumstances under which he had dropped to sleep. + +He remembered that as long as he was travelling over Westbottom he had +fancied that the eagle and he were at a standstill in the air, and that +the land under them was moving southward. As the eagle turned northwest, +the wind had come from that side, and again he had felt a current of +air, so that the land below had stopped moving and he had noticed that +the eagle was bearing him onward with terrific speed. + +"Now we are flying into Lapland," Gorgo had said, and the boy had bent +forward, so that he might see the country of which he had heard so much. + +But he had felt rather disappointed at not seeing anything but great +tracts of forest land and wide marshes. Forest followed marsh and marsh +followed forest. The monotony of the whole finally made him so sleepy +that he had nearly dropped to the ground. + +He said to the eagle that he could not stay on his back another minute, +but must sleep awhile. Gorgo had promptly swooped to the ground, where +the boy had dropped down on a moss tuft. Then Gorgo put a talon around +him and soared into the air with him again. + +"Go to sleep, Thumbietot!" he cried. "The sunshine keeps me awake and I +want to continue the journey." + +Although the boy hung in this uncomfortable position, he actually dozed +and dreamed. + +He dreamed that he was on a broad road in southern Sweden, hurrying +along as fast as his little legs could carry him. He was not alone, many +wayfarers were tramping in the same direction. Close beside him marched +grain-filled rye blades, blossoming corn flowers, and yellow daisies. +Heavily laden apple trees went puffing along, followed by vine-covered +bean stalks, big clusters of white daisies, and masses of berry bushes. +Tall beeches and oaks and lindens strolled leisurely in the middle of +the road, their branches swaying, and they stepped aside for none. +Between the boy's tiny feet darted the little flowers--wild strawberry +blossoms, white anemones, clover, and forget-me-nots. At first he +thought that only the vegetable family was on the march, but presently +he saw that animals and people accompanied them. The insects were +buzzing around advancing bushes, the fishes were swimming in moving +ditches, the birds were singing in strolling trees. Both tame and wild +beasts were racing, and amongst all this people moved along--some with +spades and scythes, others with axes, and others, again, with fishing +nets. + +The procession marched with gladness and gayety, and he did not wonder +at that when he saw who was leading it. It was nothing less than the Sun +itself that rolled on like a great shining head with hair of many-hued +rays and a countenance beaming with merriment and kindliness! + +"Forward, march!" it kept calling out. "None need feel anxious whilst I +am here. Forward, march!" + +"I wonder where the Sun wants to take us to?" remarked the boy. A rye +blade that walked beside him heard him, and immediately answered: + +"He wants to take us up to Lapland to fight the Ice Witch." + +Presently the boy noticed that some of the travellers hesitated, slowed +up, and finally stood quite still. He saw that the tall beech tree +stopped, and that the roebuck and the wheat blade tarried by the +wayside, likewise the blackberry bush, the little yellow buttercup, the +chestnut tree, and the grouse. + +He glanced about him and tried to reason out why so many stopped. Then +he discovered that they were no longer in southern Sweden. The march had +been so rapid that they were already in Svealand. + +Up there the oak began to move more cautiously. It paused awhile to +consider, took a few faltering steps, then came to a standstill. + +"Why doesn't the oak come along?" asked the boy. + +"It's afraid of the Ice Witch," said a fair young birch that tripped +along so boldly and cheerfully that it was a joy to watch it. The crowd +hurried on as before. In a short time they were in Norrland, and now it +mattered not how much the Sun cried and coaxed--the apple tree stopped, +the cherry tree stopped, the rye blade stopped! + +The boy turned to them and asked: + +"Why don't you come along? Why do you desert the Sun?" + +"We dare not! We're afraid of the Ice Witch, who lives in Lapland," they +answered. + +The boy comprehended that they were far north, as the procession grew +thinner and thinner. The rye blade, the barley, the wild strawberry, the +blueberry bush, the pea stalk, the currant bush had come along as far as +this. The elk and the domestic cow had been walking side by side, but +now they stopped. The Sun no doubt would have been almost deserted if +new followers had not happened along. Osier bushes and a lot of brushy +vegetation joined the procession. Laps and reindeer, mountain owl and +mountain fox and willow grouse followed. + +Then the boy heard something coming toward them. He saw great rivers and +creeks sweeping along with terrible force. + +"Why are they in such a hurry?" he asked. + +"They are running away from the Ice Witch, who lives up in the +mountains." + +All of a sudden the boy saw before him a high, dark, turreted wall. +Instantly the Sun turned its beaming face toward this wall and flooded +it with light. Then it became apparent that it was no wall, but the most +glorious mountains, which loomed up--one behind another. Their peaks +were rose-coloured in the sunlight, their slopes azure and gold-tinted. + +"Onward, onward!" urged the Sun as it climbed the steep cliffs. "There's +no danger so long as I am with you." + +But half way up, the bold young birch deserted--also the sturdy pine and +the persistent spruce, and there, too, the Laplander, and the willow +brush deserted. At last, when the Sun reached the top, there was no one +but the little tot, Nils Holgersson, who had followed it. + +The Sun rolled into a cave, where the walls were bedecked with ice, and +Nils Holgersson wanted to follow, but farther than the opening of the +cave he dared not venture, for in there he saw something dreadful. + +Far back in the cave sat an old witch with an ice body, hair of icicles, +and a mantle of snow! + +At her feet lay three black wolves, who rose and opened their jaws when +the Sun approached. From the mouth of one came a piercing cold, from the +second a blustering north wind, and from the third came impenetrable +darkness. + +"That must be the Ice Witch and her tribe," thought the boy. + +He understood that now was the time for him to flee, but he was so +curious to see the outcome of the meeting between the Sun and the Ice +Witch that he tarried. + +The Ice Witch did not move--only turned her hideous face toward the Sun. +This continued for a short time. It appeared to the boy that the witch +was beginning to sigh and tremble. Her snow mantle fell, and the three +ferocious wolves howled less savagely. + +Suddenly the Sun cried: + +"Now my time is up!" and rolled out of the cave. + +Then the Ice Witch let loose her three wolves. Instantly the North Wind, +Cold, and Darkness rushed from the cave and began to chase the Sun. + +"Drive him out! Drive him back!" shrieked the Ice Witch. "Chase him so +far that he can never come back! Teach him that Lapland is MINE!" + +But Nils Holgersson felt so unhappy when he saw that the Sun was to be +driven from Lapland that he awakened with a cry. When he recovered his +senses, he found himself at the bottom of a ravine. + +But where was Gorgo? How was he to find out where he himself was? + +He arose and looked all around him. Then he happened to glance upward +and saw a peculiar structure of pine twigs and branches that stood on a +cliff-ledge. + +"That must be one of those eagle nests that Gorgo--" But this was as far +as he got. He tore off his cap, waved it in the air, and cheered. + +Now he understood where Gorgo had brought him. This was the very glen +where the wild geese lived in summer, and just above it was the eagles' +cliff. + +HE HAD ARRIVED! + +He would meet Morten Goosey-Gander and Akka and all the other comrades +in a few moments. Hurrah! + +THE MEETING + +All was still in the glen. The sun had not yet stepped above the cliffs, +and Nils Holgersson knew that it was too early in the morning for the +geese to be awake. + +The boy walked along leisurely and searched for his friends. Before he +had gone very far, he paused with a smile, for he saw such a pretty +sight. A wild goose was sleeping in a neat little nest, and beside her +stood her goosey-gander. He too, slept, but it was obvious that he had +stationed himself thus near her that he might be on hand in the possible +event of danger. + +The boy went on without disturbing them and peeped into the willow brush +that covered the ground. It was not long before he spied another goose +couple. These were strangers, not of his flock, but he was so happy that +he began to hum--just because he had come across wild geese. + +He peeped into another bit of brushwood. There at last he saw two that +were familiar. + +It was certainly Neljae that was nesting there, and the goosey-gander +who stood beside her was surely Kolme. Why, of course! The boy had a +good mind to awaken them, but he let them sleep on, and walked away. + +In the next brush he saw Viisi and Kuusi, and not far from them he found +Yksi and Kaksi. All four were asleep, and the boy passed by without +disturbing them. As he approached the next brush, he thought he saw +something white shimmering among the bushes, and the heart of him +thumped with joy. Yes, it was as he expected. In there sat the dainty +Dunfin on an egg-filled nest. Beside her stood her white goosey-gander. +Although he slept, it was easy to see how proud he was to watch over his +wife up here among the Lapland mountains. The boy did not care to waken +the goosey-gander, so he walked on. + +He had to seek a long time before he came across any more wild geese. +Finally, he saw on a little hillock something that resembled a small, +gray moss tuft, and he knew that there was Akka from Kebnekaise. She +stood, wide awake, looking about as if she were keeping watch over the +whole glen. + +"Good morning, Mother Akka!" said the boy. "Please don't waken the other +geese yet awhile, for I wish to speak with you in private." + +The old leader-goose came rushing down the hill and up to the boy. + +First she seized hold of him and shook him, then she stroked him with +her bill before she shook him again. But she did not say a word, since +he asked her not to waken the others. + +Thumbietot kissed old Mother Akka on both cheeks, then he told her how +he had been carried off to Skansen and held captive there. + +"Now I must tell you that Smirre Fox, short of an ear, sat imprisoned in +the foxes' cage at Skansen," said the boy. "Although he was very mean to +us, I couldn't help feeling sorry for him. There were many other foxes +in the cage; and they seemed quite contented there, but Smirre sat all +the while looking dejected, longing for liberty. + +"I made many good friends at Skansen, and I learned one day from the +Lapp dog that a man had come to Skansen to buy foxes. He was from some +island far out in the ocean. All the foxes had been exterminated there, +and the rats were about to get the better of the inhabitants, so they +wished the foxes back again. + +"As soon as I learned of this, I went to Smirre's cage and said to him: + +"'To-morrow some men are coming here to get a pair of foxes. Don't hide, +Smirre, but keep well in the foreground and see to it that you are +chosen. Then you'll be free again.' + +"He followed my suggestion, and now he is running at large on the +island. What say you to this, Mother Akka? If you had been in my place, +would you not have done likewise?" + +"You have acted in a way that makes me wish I had done that myself," +said the leader-goose proudly. + +"It's a relief to know that you approve," said the boy. "Now there is +one thing more I wish to ask you about: + +"One day I happened to see Gorgo, the eagle--the one that fought with +Morten Goosey-Gander--a prisoner at Skansen. He was in the eagles' cage +and looked pitifully forlorn. I was thinking of filing down the wire +roof over him and letting him out, but I also thought of his being a +dangerous robber and bird-eater, and wondered if I should be doing right +in letting loose such a plunderer, and if it were not better, perhaps, +to let him stay where he was. What say you, Mother Akka? Was it right +to think thus?" + +"No, it was not right!" retorted Akka. "Say what you will about the +eagles, they are proud birds and greater lovers of freedom than all +others. It is not right to keep them in captivity. Do you know what I +would suggest? This: that, as soon as you are well rested, we two make +the trip together to the big bird prison, and liberate Gorgo." + +"That is just the word I was expecting from you, Mother Akka," returned +the boy eagerly. + +"There are those who say that you no longer have any love in your heart +for the one you reared so tenderly, because he lives as eagles must +live. But I know now that it isn't true. And now I want to see if +Morten Goosey-Gander is awake. + +"Meanwhile, if you wish to say a 'thank you' to the one who brought me +here to you, I think you'll find him up there on the cliff ledge, where +once you found a helpless eaglet." + + +OSA, THE GOOSE GIRL, AND LITTLE MATS + + +The year that Nils Holgersson travelled with the wild geese everybody +was talking about two little children, a boy and a girl, who tramped +through the country. They were from Sunnerbo township, in Smaland, and +had once lived with their parents and four brothers and sisters in a +little cabin on the heath. + +While the two children, Osa and Mats, were still small, a poor, homeless +woman came to their cabin one night and begged for shelter. Although the +place could hardly hold the family, she was taken in and the mother +spread a bed for her on the floor. In the night she coughed so hard that +the children fancied the house shook. By morning she was too ill to +continue her wanderings. The children's father and mother were as kind +to her as could be. They gave up their bed to her and slept on the +floor, while the father went to the doctor and brought her medicine. + +The first few days the sick woman behaved like a savage; she demanded +constant attention and never uttered a word of thanks. Later she became +more subdued and finally begged to be carried out to the heath and left +there to die. + +When her hosts would not hear of this, she told them that the last few +years she had roamed about with a band of gipsies. She herself was not +of gipsy blood, but was the daughter of a well-to-do farmer. She had run +away from home and gone with the nomads. She believed that a gipsy woman +who was angry at her had brought this sickness upon her. Nor was that +all: The gipsy woman had also cursed her, saying that all who took her +under their roof or were kind to her should suffer a like fate. She +believed this, and therefore begged them to cast her out of the house +and never to see her again. She did not want to bring misfortune down +upon such good people. But the peasants refused to do her bidding. It +was quite possible that they were alarmed, but they were not the kind of +folk who could turn out a poor, sick person. + +Soon after that she died, and then along came the misfortunes. Before, +there had never been anything but happiness in that cabin. Its inmates +were poor, yet not so very poor. The father was a maker of weavers' +combs, and mother and children helped him with the work. Father made the +frames, mother and the older children did the binding, while the smaller +ones planed the teeth and cut them out. They worked from morning until +night, but the time passed pleasantly, especially when father talked of +the days when he travelled about in foreign lands and sold weavers' +combs. Father was so jolly that sometimes mother and the children would +laugh until their sides ached at his funny quips and jokes. + +The weeks following the death of the poor vagabond woman lingered in the +minds of the children like a horrible nightmare. They knew not if the +time had been long or short, but they remembered that they were always +having funerals at home. One after another they lost their brothers and +sisters. At last it was very still and sad in the cabin. + +The mother kept up some measure of courage, but the father was not a bit +like himself. He could no longer work nor jest, but sat from morning +till night, his head buried in his hands, and only brooded. + +Once--that was after the third burial--the father had broken out into +wild talk, which frightened the children. He said that he could not +understand why such misfortunes should come upon them. They had done a +kindly thing in helping the sick woman. Could it be true, then, that the +evil in this world was more powerful than the good? + +The mother tried to reason with him, but she was unable to soothe him. + +A few days later the eldest was stricken. She had always been the +father's favourite, so when he realized that she, too, must go, he fled +from all the misery. The mother never said anything, but she thought it +was best for him to be away, as she feared that he might lose his +reason. He had brooded too long over this one idea: that God had allowed +a wicked person to bring about so much evil. + +After the father went away they became very poor. For awhile he sent +them money, but afterward things must have gone badly with him, for no +more came. + +The day of the eldest daughter's burial the mother closed the cabin and +left home with the two remaining children, Osa and Mats. She went down +to Skane to work in the beet fields, and found a place at the Jordberga +sugar refinery. She was a good worker and had a cheerful and generous +nature. Everybody liked her. Many were astonished because she could be +so calm after all that she had passed through, but the mother was very +strong and patient. When any one spoke to her of her two sturdy +children, she only said: "I shall soon lose them also," without a quaver +in her voice or a tear in her eye. She had accustomed herself to expect +nothing else. + +But it did not turn out as she feared. Instead, the sickness came upon +herself. She had gone to Skane in the beginning of summer; before autumn +she was gone, and the children were left alone. + +While their mother was ill she had often said to the children they must +remember that she never regretted having let the sick woman stop with +them. It was not hard to die when one had done right, she said, for then +one could go with a clear conscience. + +Before the mother passed away, she tried to make some provision for her +children. She asked the people with whom she lived to let them remain in +the room which she had occupied. If the children only had a shelter they +would not become a burden to any one. She knew that they could take care +of themselves. + +Osa and Mats were allowed to keep the room on condition that they would +tend the geese, as it was always hard to find children willing to do +that work. It turned out as the mother expected: they did maintain +themselves. The girl made candy, and the boy carved wooden toys, which +they sold at the farm houses. They had a talent for trading and soon +began buying eggs and butter from the farmers, which they sold to the +workers at the sugar refinery. Osa was the older, and, by the time she +was thirteen, she was as responsible as a grown woman. She was quiet and +serious, while Mats was lively and talkative. His sister used to say to +him that he could outcackle the geese. + +When the children had been at Jordberga for two years, there was a +lecture given one evening at the schoolhouse. Evidently it was meant for +grown-ups, but the two Smaland children were in the audience. They did +not regard themselves as children, and few persons thought of them as +such. The lecturer talked about the dread disease called the White +Plague, which every year carried off so many people in Sweden. He spoke +very plainly and the children understood every word. + +After the lecture they waited outside the schoolhouse. When the lecturer +came out they took hold of hands and walked gravely up to him, asking if +they might speak to him. + +The stranger must have wondered at the two rosy, baby-faced children +standing there talking with an earnestness more in keeping with people +thrice their age; but he listened graciously to them. They related what +had happened in their home, and asked the lecturer if he thought their +mother and their sisters and brothers had died of the sickness he had +described. + +"Very likely," he answered. "It could hardly have been any other +disease." + +If only the mother and father had known what the children learned that +evening, they might have protected themselves. If they had burned the +clothing of the vagabond woman; if they had scoured and aired the cabin +and had not used the old bedding, all whom the children mourned might +have been living yet. The lecturer said he could not say positively, but +he believed that none of their dear ones would have been sick had they +understood how to guard against the infection. + +Osa and Mats waited awhile before putting the next question, for that +was the most important of all. It was not true then that the gipsy woman +had sent the sickness because they had befriended the one with whom she +was angry. It was not something special that had stricken only them. The +lecturer assured them that no person had the power to bring sickness +upon another in that way. + +Thereupon the children thanked him and went to their room. They talked +until late that night. + +The next day they gave notice that they could not tend geese another +year, but must go elsewhere. Where were they going? Why, to try to find +their father. They must tell him that their mother and the other +children had died of a common ailment and not something special brought +upon them by an angry person. They were very glad that they had found +out about this. Now it was their duty to tell their father of it, for +probably he was still trying to solve the mystery. + +Osa and Mats set out for their old home on the heath. When they arrived +they were shocked to find the little cabin in flames. They went to the +parsonage and there they learned that a railroad workman had seen their +father at Malmberget, far up in Lapland. He had been working in a mine +and possibly was still there. When the clergyman heard that the children +wanted to go in search of their father he brought forth a map and showed +them how far it was to Malmberget and tried to dissuade them from making +the journey, but the children insisted that they must find their father. +He had left home believing something that was not true. They must find +him and tell him that it was all a mistake. + +They did not want to spend their little savings buying railway tickets, +therefore they decided to go all the way on foot, which they never +regretted, as it proved to be a remarkably beautiful journey. + +Before they were out of Smaland, they stopped at a farm house to buy +food. The housewife was a kind, motherly soul who took an interest in +the children. She asked them who they were and where they came from, and +they told her their story. "Dear, dear! Dear, dear!" she interpolated +time and again when they were speaking. Later she petted the children +and stuffed them with all kinds of goodies, for which she would not +accept a penny. When they rose to thank her and go, the woman asked them +to stop at her brother's farm in the next township. Of course the +children were delighted. + +"Give him my greetings and tell him what has happened to you," said the +peasant woman. + +This the children did and were well treated. From every farm after that +it was always: "If you happen to go in such and such a direction, stop +there or there and tell them what has happened to you." + +In every farm house to which they were sent there was always a +consumptive. So Osa and Mats went through the country unconsciously +teaching the people how to combat that dreadful disease. + +Long, long ago, when the black plague was ravaging the country, 'twas +said that a boy and a girl were seen wandering from house to house. The +boy carried a rake, and if he stopped and raked in front of a house, it +meant that there many should die, but not all; for the rake has coarse +teeth and does not take everything with it. The girl carried a broom, +and if she came along and swept before a door, it meant that all who +lived within must die; for the broom is an implement that makes a clean +sweep. + +It seems quite remarkable that in our time two children should wander +through the land because of a cruel sickness. But these children did not +frighten people with the rake and the broom. They said rather: "We will +not content ourselves with merely raking the yard and sweeping the +floors, we will use mop and brush, water and soap. We will keep clean +inside and outside of the door and we ourselves will be clean in both +mind and body. In this way we will conquer the sickness." + +One day, while still in Lapland, Akka took the boy to Malmberget, where +they discovered little Mats lying unconscious at the mouth of the pit. +He and Osa had arrived there a short time before. That morning he had +been roaming about, hoping to come across his father. He had ventured +too near the shaft and been hurt by flying rocks after the setting off +of a blast. + +Thumbietot ran to the edge of the shaft and called down to the miners +that a little boy was injured. + +Immediately a number of labourers came rushing up to little Mats. Two of +them carried him to the hut where he and Osa were staying. They did all +they could to save him, but it was too late. + +Thumbietot felt so sorry for poor Osa. He wanted to help and comfort +her; but he knew that if he were to go to her now, he would only +frighten her--such as he was! + +The night after the burial of little Mats, Osa straightway shut herself +in her hut. + +She sat alone recalling, one after another, things her brother had said +and done. There was so much to think about that she did not go straight +to bed, but sat up most of the night. The more she thought of her +brother the more she realized how hard it would be to live without him. +At last she dropped her head on the table and wept. + +"What shall I do now that little Mats is gone?" she sobbed. + +It was far along toward morning and Osa, spent by the strain of her hard +day, finally fell asleep. + +She dreamed that little Mats softly opened the door and stepped into the +room. + +"Osa, you must go and find father," he said. + +"How can I when I don't even know where he is?" she replied in her +dream. + +"Don't worry about that," returned little Mats in his usual, cheery way. +"I'll send some one to help you." + +Just as Osa, the goose girl, dreamed that little Mats had said this, +there was a knock at the door. It was a real knock--not something she +heard in the dream, but she was so held by the dream that she could not +tell the real from the unreal. As she went on to open the door, she +thought: + +"This must be the person little Mats promised to send me." + +She was right, for it was Thumbietot come to talk to her about her +father. + +When he saw that she was not afraid of him, he told her in a few words +where her father was and how to reach him. + +While he was speaking, Osa, the goose girl, gradually regained +consciousness; when he had finished she was wide awake. + +Then she was so terrified at the thought of talking with an elf that she +could not say thank you or anything else, but quickly shut the door. + +As she did that she thought she saw an expression of pain flash across +the elf's face, but she could not help what she did, for she was beside +herself with fright. She crept into bed as quickly as she could and drew +the covers over her head. + +Although she was afraid of the elf, she had a feeling that he meant well +by her. So the next day she made haste to do as he had told her. + + +WITH THE LAPLANDERS + + +One afternoon in July it rained frightfully up around Lake Luossajaure. +The Laplanders, who lived mostly in the open during the summer, had +crawled under the tent and were squatting round the fire drinking +coffee. + +The new settlers on the east shore of the lake worked diligently to have +their homes in readiness before the severe Arctic winter set in. They +wondered at the Laplanders, who had lived in the far north for centuries +without even thinking that better protection was needed against cold and +storm than thin tent covering. + +The Laplanders, on the other hand, wondered at the new settlers giving +themselves so much needless, hard work, when nothing more was necessary +to live comfortably than a few reindeer and a tent. + +They only had to drive the poles into the ground and spread the covers +over them, and their abodes were ready. They did not have to trouble +themselves about decorating or furnishing. The principal thing was to +scatter some spruce twigs on the floor, spread a few skins, and hang the +big kettle, in which they cooked their reindeer meat, on a chain +suspended from the top of the tent poles. + +While the Laplanders were chatting over their coffee cups, a row boat +coming from the Kiruna side pulled ashore at the Lapps' quarters. + +A workman and a young girl, between thirteen and fourteen, stepped from +the boat. The girl was Osa. The Lapp dogs bounded down to them, barking +loudly, and a native poked his head out of the tent opening to see what +was going on. + +He was glad when he saw the workman, for he was a friend of the +Laplanders--a kindly and sociable man, who could speak their native +tongue. The Lapp called to him to crawl under the tent. + +"You're just in time, Soederberg!" he said. "The coffee pot is on the +fire. No one can do any work in this rain, so come in and tell us the +news." + +The workman went in, and, with much ado and amid a great deal of +laughter and joking, places were made for Soederberg and Osa, though the +tent was already crowded to the limit with natives. Osa understood none +of the conversation. She sat dumb and looked in wonderment at the kettle +and coffee pot; at the fire and smoke; at the Lapp men and Lapp women; +at the children and dogs; the walls and floor; the coffee cups and +tobacco pipes; the multi-coloured costumes and crude implements. All +this was new to her. + +Suddenly she lowered her glance, conscious that every one in the tent +was looking at her. Soederberg must have said something about her, for +now both Lapp men and Lapp women took the short pipes from their mouths +and stared at her in open-eyed wonder and awe. The Laplander at her side +patted her shoulder and nodded, saying in Swedish, "bra, bra!" (good, +good!) A Lapp woman filled a cup to the brim with coffee and passed it +under difficulties, while a Lapp boy, who was about her own age, +wriggled and crawled between the squatters over to her. + +Osa felt that Soederberg was telling the Laplanders that she had just +buried her little brother, Mats. She wished he would find out about her +father instead. + +The elf had said that he lived with the Lapps, who camped west of Lake +Luossajaure, and she had begged leave to ride up on a sand truck to seek +him, as no regular passenger trains came so far. Both labourers and +foremen had assisted her as best they could. An engineer had sent +Soederberg across the lake with her, as he spoke Lappish. She had hoped +to meet her father as soon as she arrived. Her glance wandered anxiously +from face to face, but she saw only natives. Her father was not there. + +She noticed that the Lapps and the Swede, Soederberg, grew more and more +earnest as they talked among themselves. The Lapps shook their heads and +tapped their foreheads, as if they were speaking of some one that was +not quite right in his mind. + +She became so uneasy that she could no longer endure the suspense and +asked Soederberg what the Laplanders knew of her father. + +"They say he has gone fishing," said the workman. "They're not sure that +he can get back to the camp to-night; but as soon as the weather clears, +one of them will go in search of him." + +Thereupon he turned to the Lapps and went on talking to them. He did not +wish to give Osa an opportunity to question him further about Jon +Esserson. + +THE NEXT MORNING + +Ola Serka himself, who was the most distinguished man among the Lapps, +had said that he would find Osa's father, but he appeared to be in no +haste and sat huddled outside the tent, thinking of Jon Esserson and +wondering how best to tell him of his daughter's arrival. It would +require diplomacy in order that Jon Esserson might not become alarmed +and flee. He was an odd sort of man who was afraid of children. He used +to say that the sight of them made him so melancholy that he could not +endure it. + +While Ola Serka deliberated, Osa, the goose girl, and Aslak, the young +Lapp boy who had stared so hard at her the night before, sat on the +ground in front of the tent and chatted. + +Aslak had been to school and could speak Swedish. He was telling Osa +about the life of the "Samefolk," assuring her that they fared better +than other people. + +Osa thought that they lived wretchedly, and told him so. + +"You don't know what you are talking about!" said Aslak curtly. "Only +stop with us a week and you shall see that we are the happiest people on +earth." + +"If I were to stop here a whole week, I should be choked by all the +smoke in the tent," Osa retorted. + +"Don't say that!" protested the boy. "You know nothing of us. Let me +tell you something which will make you understand that the longer you +stay with us the more contented you will become." + +Thereupon Aslak began to tell Osa how a sickness called "The Black +Plague" once raged throughout the land. He was not certain as to whether +it had swept through the real "Sameland," where they now were, but in +Jaemtland it had raged so brutally that among the Samefolk, who lived in +the forests and mountains there, all had died except a boy of fifteen. +Among the Swedes, who lived in the valleys, none was left but a girl, +who was also fifteen years old. + +The boy and girl separately tramped the desolate country all winter in +search of other human beings. Finally, toward spring, the two met. +Aslak continued: "The Swedish girl begged the Lapp boy to accompany her +southward, where she could meet people of her own race. She did not wish +to tarry longer in Jaemtland, where there were only vacant homesteads. +I'll take you wherever you wish to go,' said the boy, 'but not before +winter. It's spring now, and my reindeer go westward toward the +mountains. You know that we who are of the Samefolk must go where our +reindeer take us.' The Swedish girl was the daughter of wealthy parents. +She was used to living under a roof, sleeping in a bed, and eating at a +table. She had always despised the poor mountaineers and thought that +those who lived under the open sky were most unfortunate; but she was +afraid to return to her home, where there were none but the dead. 'At +least let me go with you to the mountains,' she said to the boy, 'so +that I sha'n't have to tramp about here all alone and never hear the +sound of a human voice.' + +"The boy willingly assented, so the girl went with the reindeer to the +mountains. + +"The herd yearned for the good pastures there, and every day tramped +long distances to feed on the moss. There was not time to pitch tents. +The children had to lie on the snowy ground and sleep when the reindeer +stopped to graze. The girl often sighed and complained of being so tired +that she must turn back to the valley. Nevertheless she went along to +avoid being left without human companionship. + +"When they reached the highlands the boy pitched a tent for the girl on +a pretty hill that sloped toward a mountain brook. + +"In the evening he lassoed and milked the reindeer, and gave the girl +milk to drink. He brought forth dried reindeer meat and reindeer cheese, +which his people had stowed away on the heights when they were there the +summer before. + +"Still the girl grumbled all the while, and was never satisfied. She +would eat neither reindeer meat nor reindeer cheese, nor would she drink +reindeer milk. She could not accustom herself to squatting in the tent +or to lying on the ground with only a reindeer skin and some spruce +twigs for a bed. + +"The son of the mountains laughed at her woes and continued to treat her +kindly. + +"After a few days, the girl went up to the boy when he was milking and +asked if she might help him. She next undertook to make the fire under +the kettle, in which the reindeer meat was to be cooked, then to carry +water and to make cheese. So the time passed pleasantly. The weather was +mild and food was easily procured. Together they set snares for game, +fished for salmon-trout in the rapids and picked cloud-berries in the +swamp. + +"When the summer was gone, they moved farther down the mountains, where +pine and leaf forests meet. There they pitched their tent. They had to +work hard every day, but fared better, for food was even more plentiful +than in the summer because of the game. + +"When the snow came and the lakes began to freeze, they drew farther +east toward the dense pine forests. + +"As soon as the tent was up, the winter's work began. The boy taught the +girl to make twine from reindeer sinews, to treat skins, to make shoes +and clothing of hides, to make combs and tools of reindeer horn, to +travel on skis, and to drive a sledge drawn by reindeer. + +"When they had lived through the dark winter and the sun began to shine +all day and most of the night, the boy said to the girl that now he +would accompany her southward, so that she might meet some of her own +race. + +"Then the girl looked at him astonished. + +"'Why do you want to send me away?' she asked. 'Do you long to be alone +with your reindeer?' + +"'I thought that you were the one that longed to get away?' said the +boy. + +"'I have lived the life of the Samefolk almost a year now,' replied the +girl. I can't return to my people and live the shut-in life after having +wandered freely on mountains and in forests. Don't drive me away, but +let me stay here. Your way of living is better than ours.' + +"The girl stayed with the boy for the rest of her life, and never again +did she long for the valleys. And you, Osa, if you were to stay with us +only a month, you could never again part from us." + +With these words, Aslak, the Lapp boy, finished his story. Just then his +father, Ola Serka, took the pipe from his mouth and rose. + +Old Ola understood more Swedish than he was willing to have any one +know, and he had overheard his son's remarks. While he was listening, it +had suddenly flashed on him how he should handle this delicate matter of +telling Jon Esserson that his daughter had come in search of him. + +Ola Serka went down to Lake Luossajaure and had walked a short distance +along the strand, when he happened upon a man who sat on a rock fishing. + +The fisherman was gray-haired and bent. His eyes blinked wearily and +there was something slack and helpless about him. He looked like a man +who had tried to carry a burden too heavy for him, or to solve a problem +too difficult for him, who had become broken and despondent over his +failure. + +"You must have had luck with your fishing, Jon, since you've been at it +all night?" said the mountaineer in Lappish, as he approached. + +The fisherman gave a start, then glanced up. The bait on his hook was +gone and not a fish lay on the strand beside him. He hastened to rebait +the hook and throw out the line. In the meantime the mountaineer +squatted on the grass beside him. + +"There's a matter that I wanted to talk over with you," said Ola. "You +know that I had a little daughter who died last winter, and we have +always missed her in the tent." + +"Yes, I know," said the fisherman abruptly, a cloud passing over his +face--as though he disliked being reminded of a dead child. + +"It's not worth while to spend one's life grieving," said the Laplander. + +"I suppose it isn't." + +"Now I'm thinking of adopting another child. Don't you think it would be +a good idea?" + +"That depends on the child, Ola." + +"I will tell you what I know of the girl," said Ola. Then he told the +fisherman that around midsummer-time, two strange children--a boy and a +girl--had come to the mines to look for their father, but as their +father was away, they had stayed to await his return. While there, the +boy had been killed by a blast of rock. + +Thereupon Ola gave a beautiful description of how brave the little girl +had been, and of how she had won the admiration and sympathy of +everyone. + +"Is that the girl you want to take into your tent?" asked the +fisherman. + +"Yes," returned the Lapp. "When we heard her story we were all deeply +touched and said among ourselves that so good a sister would also make a +good daughter, and we hoped that she would come to us." + +The fisherman sat quietly thinking a moment. It was plain that he +continued the conversation only to please his friend, the Lapp. + +"I presume the girl is one of your race?" + +"No," said Ola, "she doesn't belong to the Samefolk." + +"Perhaps she's the daughter of some new settler and is accustomed to the +life here?" + +"No, she's from the far south," replied Ola, as if this was of small +importance. + +The fisherman grew more interested. + +"Then I don't believe that you can take her," he said. "It's doubtful if +she could stand living in a tent in winter, since she was not brought up +that way." + +"She will find kind parents and kind brothers and sisters in the tent," +insisted Ola Serka. "It's worse to be alone than to freeze." + +The fisherman became more and more zealous to prevent the adoption. It +seemed as if he could not bear the thought of a child of Swedish parents +being taken in by Laplanders. + +"You said just now that she had a father in the mine." + +"He's dead," said the Lapp abruptly. + +"I suppose you have thoroughly investigated this matter, Ola?" + +"What's the use of going to all that trouble?" disdained the Lapp. "I +ought to know! Would the girl and her brother have been obliged to roam +about the country if they had a father living? Would two children have +been forced to care for themselves if they had a father? The girl +herself thinks he's alive, but I say that he must be dead." + +The man with the tired eyes turned to Ola. + +"What is the girl's name, Ola?" he asked. + +The mountaineer thought awhile, then said: + +"I can't remember it. I must ask her." + +"Ask her! Is she already here?" + +"She's down at the camp." + +"What, Ola! Have you taken her in before knowing her father's wishes?" + +"What do I care for her father! If he isn't dead, he's probably the kind +of man who cares nothing for his child. He may be glad to have another +take her in hand." + +The fisherman threw down his rod and rose with an alertness in his +movements that bespoke new life. + +"I don't think her father can be like other folk," continued the +mountaineer. "I dare say he is a man who is haunted by gloomy +forebodings and therefore can not work steadily. What kind of a father +would that be for the girl?" + +While Ola was talking the fisherman started up the strand. + +"Where are you going?" queried the Lapp. + +"I'm going to have a look at your foster-daughter, Ola." + +"Good!" said the Lapp. "Come along and meet her. I think you'll say +that she will be a good daughter to me." + +The Swede rushed on so rapidly that the Laplander could hardly keep pace +with him. + +After a moment Ola said to his companion: + +"Now I recall that her name is Osa--this girl I'm adopting." + +The other man only kept hurrying along and old Ola Serka was so well +pleased that he wanted to laugh aloud. + +When they came in sight of the tents, Ola said a few words more. + +"She came here to us Samefolk to find her father and not to become my +foster-child. But if she doesn't find him, I shall be glad to keep her +in my tent." + +The fisherman hastened all the faster. + +"I might have known that he would be alarmed when I threatened to take +his daughter into the Lapps' quarters," laughed Ola to himself. + +When the man from Kiruna, who had brought Osa to the tent, turned back +later in the day, he had two people with him in the boat, who sat close +together, holding hands--as if they never again wanted to part. + +They were Jon Esserson and his daughter. Both were unlike what they had +been a few hours earlier. + +The father looked less bent and weary and his eyes were clear and good, +as if at last he had found the answer to that which had troubled him so +long. + +Osa, the goose girl, did not glance longingly about, for she had found +some one to care for her, and now she could be a child again. + + +HOMEWARD BOUND! + + +THE FIRST TRAVELLING DAY + +_Saturday, October first_. + +The boy sat on the goosey-gander's back and rode up amongst the clouds. +Some thirty geese, in regular order, flew rapidly southward. There was a +rustling of feathers and the many wings beat the air so noisily that one +could scarcely hear one's own voice. Akka from Kebnekaise flew in the +lead; after her came Yksi and Kaksi, Kolme and Neljae, Viisi and Kuusi, +Morten Goosey-Gander and Dunfin. The six goslings which had accompanied +the flock the autumn before had now left to look after themselves. +Instead, the old geese were taking with them twenty-two goslings that +had grown up in the glen that summer. Eleven flew to the right, eleven +to the left; and they did their best to fly at even distances, like the +big birds. + +The poor youngsters had never before been on a long trip and at first +they had difficulty in keeping up with the rapid flight. + +"Akka from Kebnekaise! Akka from Kebnekaise!" they cried in plaintive +tones. + +"What's the matter?" said the leader-goose sharply. + +"Our wings are tired of moving, our wings are tired of moving!" wailed +the young ones. + +"The longer you keep it up, the better it will go," answered the +leader-goose, without slackening her speed. And she was quite right, for +when the goslings had flown two hours longer, they complained no more of +being tired. + +But in the mountain glen they had been in the habit of eating all day +long, and very soon they began to feel hungry. + +"Akka, Akka, Akka from Kebnekaise!" wailed the goslings pitifully. + +"What's the trouble now?" asked the leader-goose. + +"We're so hungry, we can't fly any more!" whimpered the goslings. "We're +so hungry, we can't fly any more!" + +"Wild geese must learn to eat air and drink wind," said the +leader-goose, and kept right on flying. + +It actually seemed as if the young ones were learning to live on wind +and air, for when they had flown a little longer, they said nothing more +about being hungry. + +The goose flock was still in the mountain regions, and the old geese +called out the names of all the peaks as they flew past, so that the +youngsters might learn them. When they had been calling out a while: + +"This is Porsotjokko, this is Saerjaktjokko, this is Sulitelma," and so +on, the goslings became impatient again. + +"Akka, Akka, Akka!" they shrieked in heart-rending tones. + +"What's wrong?" said the leader-goose. + +"We haven't room in our heads for any more of those awful names!" +shrieked the goslings. + +"The more you put into your heads the more you can get into them," +retorted the leader-goose, and continued to call out the queer names. + +The boy sat thinking that it was about time the wild geese betook +themselves southward, for so much snow had fallen that the ground was +white as far as the eye could see. There was no use denying that it had +been rather disagreeable in the glen toward the last. Rain and fog had +succeeded each other without any relief, and even if it did clear up +once in a while, immediately frost set in. Berries and mushrooms, upon +which the boy had subsisted during the summer, were either frozen or +decayed. Finally he had been compelled to eat raw fish, which was +something he disliked. The days had grown short and the long evenings +and late mornings were rather tiresome for one who could not sleep the +whole time that the sun was away. + +Now, at last, the goslings' wings had grown, so that the geese could +start for the south. The boy was so happy that he laughed and sang as he +rode on the goose's back. It was not only on account of the darkness and +cold that he longed to get away from Lapland; there were other reasons +too. + +The first weeks of his sojourn there the boy had not been the least bit +homesick. He thought he had never before seen such a glorious country. +The only worry he had had was to keep the mosquitoes from eating him up. + +The boy had seen very little of the goosey-gander, because the big, +white gander thought only of his Dunfin and was unwilling to leave her +for a moment. On the other hand, Thumbietot had stuck to Akka and Gorgo, +the eagle, and the three of them had passed many happy hours together. + +The two birds had taken him with them on long trips. He had stood on +snow-capped Mount Kebnekaise, had looked down at the glaciers and +visited many high cliffs seldom tramped by human feet. Akka had shown +him deep-hidden mountain dales and had let him peep into caves where +mother wolves brought up their young. He had also made the acquaintance +of the tame reindeer that grazed in herds along the shores of the +beautiful Torne Lake, and he had been down to the great falls and +brought greetings to the bears that lived thereabouts from their friends +and relatives in Westmanland. + +Ever since he had seen Osa, the goose girl, he longed for the day when +he might go home with Morten Goosey-Gander and be a normal human being +once more. He wanted to be himself again, so that Osa would not be +afraid to talk to him and would not shut the door in his face. + +Yes, indeed, he was glad that at last they were speeding southward. He +waved his cap and cheered when he saw the first pine forest. In the same +manner he greeted the first gray cabin, the first goat, the first cat, +and the first chicken. + +They were continually meeting birds of passage, flying now in greater +flocks than in the spring. + +"Where are you bound for, wild geese?" called the passing birds. "Where +are you bound for?" + +"We, like yourselves, are going abroad," answered the geese. + +"Those goslings of yours aren't ready to fly," screamed the others. +"They'll never cross the sea with those puny wings!" + +Laplander and reindeer were also leaving the mountains. When the wild +geese sighted the reindeer, they circled down and called out: + +"Thanks for your company this summer!" + +"A pleasant journey to you and a welcome back!" returned the reindeer. + +But when the bears saw the wild geese, they pointed them out to the cubs +and growled: + +"Just look at those geese; they are so afraid of a little cold they +don't dare to stay at home in winter." + +But the old geese were ready with a retort and cried to their goslings: + +"Look at those beasts that stay at home and sleep half the year rather +than go to the trouble of travelling south!" + +Down in the pine forest the young grouse sat huddled together and gazed +longingly after the big bird flocks which, amid joy and merriment, +proceeded southward. + +"When will our turn come?" they asked the mother grouse. + +"You will have to stay at home with mamma and papa," she said. + + +LEGENDS FROM HAeRJEDALEN + + +_Tuesday, October fourth_. + +The boy had had three days' travel in the rain and mist and longed for +some sheltered nook, where he might rest awhile. + +At last the geese alighted to feed and ease their wings a bit. To his +great relief the boy saw an observation tower on a hill close by, and +dragged himself to it. + +When he had climbed to the top of the tower he found a party of tourists +there, so he quickly crawled into a dark corner and was soon sound +asleep. + +When the boy awoke, he began to feel uneasy because the tourists +lingered so long in the tower telling stories. He thought they would +never go. Morten Goosey-Gander could not come for him while they were +there and he knew, of course, that the wild geese were in a hurry to +continue the journey. In the middle of a story he thought he heard +honking and the beating of wings, as if the geese were flying away, but +he did not dare to venture over to the balustrade to find out if it was +so. + +At last, when the tourists were gone, and the boy could crawl from his +hiding place, he saw no wild geese, and no Morten Goosey-Gander came to +fetch him. He called, "Here am I, where are you?" as loud as he could, +but his travelling companions did not appear. Not for a second did he +think they had deserted him; but he feared that they had met with some +mishap and was wondering what he should do to find them, when Bataki, +the raven, lit beside him. + +The boy never dreamed that he should greet Bataki with such a glad +welcome as he now gave him. + +"Dear Bataki," he burst forth. "How fortunate that you are here! Maybe +you know what has become of Morten Goosey-Gander and the wild geese?" + +"I've just come with a greeting from them," replied the raven. "Akka saw +a hunter prowling about on the mountain and therefore dared not stay to +wait for you, but has gone on ahead. Get up on my back and you shall +soon be with your friends." + +The boy quickly seated himself on the raven's back and Bataki would soon +have caught up with the geese had he not been hindered by a fog. It was +as if the morning sun had awakened it to life. Little light veils of +mist rose suddenly from the lake, from fields, and from the forest. They +thickened and spread with marvellous rapidity, and soon the entire +ground was hidden from sight by white, rolling mists. + +Bataki flew along above the fog in clear air and sparkling sunshine, but +the wild geese must have circled down among the damp clouds, for it was +impossible to sight them. The boy and the raven called and shrieked, but +got no response. + +"Well, this is a stroke of ill luck!" said Bataki finally. "But we know +that they are travelling toward the south, and of course I'll find them +as soon as the mist clears." + +The boy was distressed at the thought of being parted from Morten +Goosey-Gander just now, when the geese were on the wing, and the big +white one might meet with all sorts of mishaps. After Thumbietot had +been sitting worrying for two hours or more, he remarked to himself +that, thus far, there had been no mishap, and it was not worth while to +lose heart. + +Just then he heard a rooster crowing down on the ground, and instantly +he bent forward on the raven's back and called out: + +"What's the name of the country I'm travelling over?" + +"It's called Haerjedalen, Haerjedalen, Haerjedalen," crowed the rooster. + +"How does it look down there where you are?" the boy asked. + +"Cliffs in the west, woods in the east, broad valleys across the whole +country," replied the rooster. + +"Thank you," cried the boy. "You give a clear account of it." + +When they had travelled a little farther, he heard a crow cawing down in +the mist. + +"What kind of people live in this country?" shouted the boy. + +"Good, thrifty peasants," answered the crow. "Good, thrifty peasants." + +"What do they do?" asked the boy. "What do they do?" + +"They raise cattle and fell forests," cawed the crow. + +"Thanks," replied the boy. "You answer well." + +A bit farther on he heard a human voice yodeling and singing down in the +mist. + +"Is there any large city in this part of the country?" the boy asked. + +"What--what--who is it that calls?" cried the human voice. + +"Is there any large city in this region?" the boy repeated. + +"I want to know who it is that calls," shouted the human voice. + +"I might have known that I could get no information when I asked a human +being a civil question," the boy retorted. + +It was not long before the mist went away as suddenly as it had come. +Then the boy saw a beautiful landscape, with high cliffs as in Jaemtland, +but there were no large, flourishing settlements on the mountain slopes. +The villages lay far apart, and the farms were small. Bataki followed +the stream southward till they came within sight of a village. There he +alighted in a stubble field and let the boy dismount. + +"In the summer grain grew on this ground," said Bataki. "Look around and +see if you can't find something eatable." + +The boy acted upon the suggestion and before long he found a blade of +wheat. As he picked out the grains and ate them, Bataki talked to him. + +"Do you see that mountain towering directly south of us?" he asked. + +"Yes, of course, I see it," said the boy. + +"It is called Sonfjaellet," continued the raven; "you can imagine that +wolves were plentiful there once upon a time." + +"It must have been an ideal place for wolves," said the boy. + +"The people who lived here in the valley were frequently attacked by +them," remarked the raven. + +"Perhaps you remember a good wolf story you could tell me?" said the +boy. + +"I've been told that a long, long time ago the wolves from Sonfjaellet +are supposed to have waylaid a man who had gone out to peddle his +wares," began Bataki. "He was from Hede, a village a few miles down the +valley. It was winter time and the wolves made for him as he was driving +over the ice on Lake Ljusna. There were about nine or ten, and the man +from Hede had a poor old horse, so there was very little hope of his +escaping. + +"When the man heard the wolves howl and saw how many there were after +him, he lost his head, and it did not occur to him that he ought to dump +his casks and jugs out of the sledge, to lighten the load. He only +whipped up the horse and made the best speed he could, but he soon +observed that the wolves were gaining on him. The shores were desolate +and he was fourteen miles from the nearest farm. He thought that his +final hour had come, and was paralyzed with fear. + +"While he sat there, terrified, he saw something move in the brush, +which had been set in the ice to mark out the road; and when he +discovered who it was that walked there, his fear grew more and more +intense. + +"Wild beasts were not coming toward him, but a poor old woman, named +Finn-Malin, who was in the habit of roaming about on highways and +byways. She was a hunchback, and slightly lame, so he recognized her at +a distance. + +"The old woman was walking straight toward the wolves. The sledge had +hidden them from her view, and the man comprehended at once that, if he +were to drive on without warning her, she would walk right into the jaws +of the wild beasts, and while they were rending her, he would have time +enough to get away. + +"The old woman walked slowly, bent over a cane. It was plain that she +was doomed if he did not help her, but even if he were to stop and take +her into the sledge, it was by no means certain that she would be safe. +More than likely the wolves would catch up with them, and he and she and +the horse would all be killed. He wondered if it were not better to +sacrifice one life in order that two might be spared--this flashed upon +him the minute he saw the old woman. He had also time to think how it +would be with him afterward--if perchance he might not regret that he +had not succoured her; or if people should some day learn of the meeting +and that he had not tried to help her. It was a terrible temptation. + +"'I would rather not have seen her,' he said to himself. + +"Just then the wolves howled savagely. The horse reared, plunged +forward, and dashed past the old beggar woman. She, too, had heard the +howling of the wolves, and, as the man from Hede drove by, he saw that +the old woman knew what awaited her. She stood motionless, her mouth +open for a cry, her arms stretched out for help. But she neither cried +nor tried to throw herself into the sledge. Something seemed to have +turned her to stone. 'It was I,' thought the man. 'I must have looked +like a demon as I passed.' + +"He tried to feel satisfied, now that he was certain of escape; but at +that very moment his heart reproached him. Never before had he done a +dastardly thing, and he felt now that his whole life was blasted. + +"'Let come what may,' he said, and reined in the horse, 'I cannot leave +her alone with the wolves!' + +"It was with great difficulty that he got the horse to turn, but in the +end he managed it and promptly drove back to her. + +"'Be quick and get into the sledge,' he said gruffly; for he was mad +with himself for not leaving the old woman to her fate. + +"'You might stay at home once in awhile, you old hag!' he growled. 'Now +both my horse and I will come to grief on your account.' + +"The old woman did not say a word, but the man from Hede was in no mood +to spare her. + +"'The horse has already tramped thirty-five miles to-day, and the load +hasn't lightened any since you got up on it!' he grumbled, 'so that you +must understand he'll soon be exhausted.' + +"The sledge runners crunched on the ice, but for all that he heard how +the wolves panted, and knew that the beasts were almost upon him. + +"'It's all up with us!' he said. 'Much good it was, either to you or to +me, this attempt to save you, Finn-Malin!' + +"Up to this point the old woman had been silent--like one who is +accustomed to take abuse--but now she said a few words. + +"'I can't understand why you don't throw out your wares and lighten the +load. You can come back again to-morrow and gather them up.' + +"The man realized that this was sound advice and was surprised that he +had not thought of it before. He tossed the reins to the old woman, +loosed the ropes that bound the casks, and pitched them out. The wolves +were right upon them, but now they stopped to examine that which was +thrown on the ice, and the travellers again had the start of them. + +"'If this does not help you,' said the old woman, 'you understand, of +course, that I will give myself up to the wolves voluntarily, that you +may escape.' + +"While she was speaking the man was trying to push a heavy brewer's vat +from the long sledge. As he tugged at this he paused, as if he could not +quite make up his mind to throw it out; but, in reality, his mind was +taken up with something altogether different. + +"'Surely a man and a horse who have no infirmities need not let a feeble +old woman be devoured by wolves for their sakes!' he thought. 'There +must be some other way of salvation. Why, of course, there is! It's only +my stupidity that hinders me from finding the way.' + +"Again he started to push the vat, then paused once more and burst out +laughing. + +"The old woman was alarmed and wondered if he had gone mad, but the man +from Hede was laughing at himself because he had been so stupid all the +while. It was the simplest thing in the world to save all three of them. +He could not imagine why he had not thought of it before. + +"'Listen to what I say to you, Malin!' he said. 'It was splendid of you +to be willing to throw yourself to the wolves. But you won't have to do +that because I know how we can all three be helped without endangering +the life of any. Remember, whatever I may do, you are to sit still and +drive down to Linsaell. There you must waken the townspeople and tell +them that I'm alone out here on the ice, surrounded by wolves, and ask +them to come and help me.' + +"The man waited until the wolves were almost upon the sledge. Then he +rolled out the big brewer's vat, jumped down, and crawled in under it. + +"It was a huge vat, large enough to hold a whole Christmas brew. The +wolves pounced upon it and bit at the hoops, but the vat was too heavy +for them to move. They could not get at the man inside. + +"He knew that he was safe and laughed at the wolves. After a bit he was +serious again. + +"'For the future, when I get into a tight place, I shall remember this +vat, and I shall bear in mind that I need never wrong either myself or +others, for there is always a third way out of a difficulty if only one +can hit upon it.'" + +With this Bataki closed his narrative. + +The boy noticed that the raven never spoke unless there was some special +meaning back of his words, and the longer he listened to him, the more +thoughtful he became. + +"I wonder why you told me that story?" remarked the boy. + +"I just happened to think of it as I stood here, gazing up at +Sonfjaellet," replied the raven. + +Now they had travelled farther down Lake Ljusna and in an hour or so +they came to Kolsaett, close to the border of Haelsingland. Here the raven +alighted near a little hut that had no windows--only a shutter. From the +chimney rose sparks and smoke, and from within the sound of heavy +hammering was heard. + +"Whenever I see this smithy," observed the raven, "I'm reminded that, in +former times, there were such skilled blacksmiths here in Haerjedalen, +more especially in this village--that they couldn't be matched in the +whole country." + +"Perhaps you also remember a story about them?" said the boy. + +"Yes," returned Bataki, "I remember one about a smith from Haerjedalen +who once invited two other master blacksmiths--one from Dalecarlia and +one from Vermland--to compete with him at nail-making. The challenge was +accepted and the three blacksmiths met here at Kolsaett. The Dalecarlian +began. He forged a dozen nails, so even and smooth and sharp that they +couldn't be improved upon. After him came the Vermlander. He, too, +forged a dozen nails, which were quite perfect and, moreover, he +finished them in half the time that it took the Dalecarlian. When the +judges saw this they said to the Haerjedal smith that it wouldn't be +worth while for him to try, since he could not forge better than the +Dalecarlian or faster than the Vermlander. + +"'I sha'n't give up! There must be still another way of excelling,' +insisted the Haerjedal smith. + +"He placed the iron on the anvil without heating it at the forge; he +simply hammered it hot and forged nail after nail, without the use of +either anvil or bellows. None of the judges had ever seen a blacksmith +wield a hammer more masterfully, and the Haerjedal smith was proclaimed +the best in the land." + +With these remarks Bataki subsided, and the boy grew even more +thoughtful. + +"I wonder what your purpose was in telling me that?" he queried. + +"The story dropped into my mind when I saw the old smithy again," said +Bataki in an offhand manner. + +The two travellers rose again into the air and the raven carried the boy +southward till they came to Lillhaerdal Parish, where he alighted on a +leafy mound at the top of a ridge. + +"I wonder if you know upon what mound you are standing?" said Bataki. + +The boy had to confess that he did not know. + +"This is a grave," said Bataki. "Beneath this mound lies the first +settler in Haerjedalen." + +"Perhaps you have a story to tell of him too?" said the boy. + +"I haven't heard much about him, but I think he was a Norwegian. He had +served with a Norwegian king, got into his bad graces, and had to flee +the country. + +"Later he went over to the Swedish king, who lived at Upsala, and took +service with him. But, after a time, he asked for the hand of the king's +sister in marriage, and when the king wouldn't give him such a high-born +bride, he eloped with her. By that time he had managed to get himself +into such disfavour that it wasn't safe for him to live either in Norway +or Sweden, and he did not wish to move to a foreign country. 'But there +must still be a course open to me,' he thought. With his servants and +treasures, he journeyed through Dalecarlia until he arrived in the +desolate forests beyond the outskirts of the province. There he settled, +built houses and broke up land. Thus, you see, he was the first man to +settle in this part of the country." + +As the boy listened to the last story, he looked very serious. + +"I wonder what your object is in telling me all this?" he repeated. + +Bataki twisted and turned and screwed up his eyes, and it was some time +before he answered the boy. + +"Since we are here alone," he said finally, "I shall take this +opportunity to question you regarding a certain matter. + +"Have you ever tried to ascertain upon what terms the elf who +transformed you was to restore you to a normal human being?" + +"The only stipulation I've heard anything about was that I should take +the white goosey-gander up to Lapland and bring him back to Skane, safe +and sound." + +"I thought as much," said Bataki; "for when last we met, you talked +confidently of there being nothing more contemptible than deceiving a +friend who trusts one. You'd better ask Akka about the terms. You know, +I dare say, that she was at your home and talked with the elf." + +"Akka hasn't told me of this," said the boy wonderingly. + +"She must have thought that it was best for you not to know just what +the elf _did_ say. Naturally she would rather help you than Morten +Goosey-Gander." + +"It is singular, Bataki, that you always have a way of making me feel +unhappy and anxious," said the boy. + +"I dare say it might seem so," continued the raven, "but this time I +believe that you will be grateful to me for telling you that the elf's +words were to this effect: You were to become a normal human being again +if you would bring back Morten Goosey-Gander that your mother might lay +him on the block and chop his head off." + +The boy leaped up. + +"That's only one of your base fabrications," he cried indignantly. + +"You can ask Akka yourself," said Bataki. "I see her coming up there +with her whole flock. And don't forget what I have told you to-day. +There is usually a way out of all difficulties, if only one can find it. +I shall be interested to see what success you have." + + +VERMLAND AND DALSLAND + + +_Wednesday, October fifth_. + +To-day the boy took advantage of the rest hour, when Akka was feeding +apart from the other wild geese, to ask her if that which Bataki had +related was true, and Akka could not deny it. The boy made the +leader-goose promise that she would not divulge the secret to Morten +Goosey-Gander. The big white gander was so brave and generous that he +might do something rash were he to learn of the elf's stipulations. + +Later the boy sat on the goose-back, glum and silent, and hung his head. +He heard the wild geese call out to the goslings that now they were in +Dalarne, they could see Staedjan in the north, and that now they were +flying over Oesterdal River to Horrmund Lake and were coming to Vesterdal +River. But the boy did not care even to glance at all this. + +"I shall probably travel around with wild geese the rest of my life," he +remarked to himself, "and I am likely to see more of this land than I +wish." + +He was quite as indifferent when the wild geese called out to him that +now they had arrived in Vermland and that the stream they were following +southward was Klaraelven. + +"I've seen so many rivers already," thought the boy, "why bother to look +at one more?" + +Even had he been more eager for sight-seeing, there was not very much to +be seen, for northern Vermland is nothing but vast, monotonous forest +tracts, through which Klaraelven winds--narrow and rich in rapids. Here +and there one can see a charcoal kiln, a forest clearing, or a few low, +chimneyless huts, occupied by Finns. But the forest as a whole is so +extensive one might fancy it was far up in Lapland. + +A LITTLE HOMESTEAD + +_Thursday, October sixth_. + +The wild geese followed Klaraelven as far as the big iron foundries at +Monk Fors. Then they proceeded westward to Fryksdalen. Before they got +to Lake Fryken it began to grow dusky, and they lit in a little wet +morass on a wooded hill. The morass was certainly a good night quarter +for the wild geese, but the boy thought it dismal and rough, and wished +for a better sleeping place. While he was still high in the air, he had +noticed that below the ridge lay a number of farms, and with great haste +he proceeded to seek them out. + +They were farther away than he had fancied and several times he was +tempted to turn back. Presently the woods became less dense, and he came +to a road skirting the edge of the forest. From it branched a pretty +birch-bordered lane, which led down to a farm, and immediately he +hastened toward it. + +First the boy entered a farm yard as large as a city marketplace and +enclosed by a long row of red houses. As he crossed the yard, he saw +another farm where the dwelling-house faced a gravel path and a wide +lawn. Back of the house there was a garden thick with foliage. The +dwelling itself was small and humble, but the garden was edged by a row +of exceedingly tall mountain-ash trees, so close together that they +formed a real wall around it. It appeared to the boy as if he were +coming into a great, high-vaulted chamber, with the lovely blue sky for +a ceiling. The mountain-ash were thick with clusters of red berries, the +grass plots were still green, of course, but that night there was a full +moon, and as the bright moonlight fell upon the grass it looked as white +as silver. + +No human being was in sight and the boy could wander freely wherever he +wished. When he was in the garden he saw something which almost put him +in good humour. He had climbed a mountain-ash to eat berries, but before +he could reach a cluster he caught sight of a barberry bush, which was +also full of berries. He slid along the ash branch and clambered up into +the barberry bush, but he was no sooner there than he discovered a +currant bush, on which still hung long red clusters. Next he saw that +the garden was full of gooseberries and raspberries and dog-rose bushes; +that there were cabbages and turnips in the vegetable beds and berries +on every bush, seeds on the herbs and grain-filled ears on every blade. +And there on the path--no, of course he could not mistake it--was a big +red apple which shone in the moonlight. + +The boy sat down at the side of the path, with the big red apple in +front of him, and began cutting little pieces from it with his sheath +knife. + +"It wouldn't be such a serious matter to be an elf all one's life if it +were always as easy to get good food as it is here," he thought. + +He sat and mused as he ate, wondering finally if it would not be as well +for him to remain here and let the wild geese travel south without him. + +"I don't know for the life of me how I can ever explain to Morten +Goosey-Gander that I cannot go home," thought he. "It would be better +were I to leave him altogether. I could gather provisions enough for the +winter, as well as the squirrels do, and if I were to live in a dark +corner of the stable or the cow shed, I shouldn't freeze to death." + +Just as he was thinking this, he heard a light rustle over his head, +and a second later something which resembled a birch stump stood on the +ground beside him. + +The stump twisted and turned, and two bright dots on top of it glowed +like coals of fire. It looked like some enchantment. However, the boy +soon remarked that the stump had a hooked beak and big feather wreaths +around its glowing eyes. Then he knew that this was no enchantment. + +"It is a real pleasure to meet a living creature," remarked the boy. +"Perhaps you will be good enough to tell me the name of this place, Mrs. +Brown Owl, and what sort of folk live here." + +That evening, as on all other evenings, the owl had perched on a rung of +the big ladder propped against the roof, from which she had looked down +toward the gravel walks and grass plots, watching for rats. Very much to +her surprise, not a single grayskin had appeared. She saw instead +something that looked like a human being, but much, much smaller, moving +about in the garden. + +"That's the one who is scaring away the rats!" thought the owl. "What in +the world can it be? It's not a squirrel, nor a kitten, nor a weasel," +she observed. "I suppose that a bird who has lived on an old place like +this as long as I have ought to know about everything in the world; but +this is beyond my comprehension," she concluded. + +She had been staring at the object that moved on the gravel path until +her eyes burned. Finally curiosity got the better of her and she flew +down to the ground to have a closer view of the stranger. + +When the boy began to speak, the owl bent forward and looked him up and +down. + +"He has neither claws nor horns," she remarked to herself, "yet who +knows but he may have a poisonous fang or some even more dangerous +weapon. I must try to find out what he passes for before I venture to +touch him." + +"The place is called Marbacka," said the owl, "and gentlefolk lived here +once upon a time. But you, yourself, who are you?" + +"I think of moving in here," volunteered the boy without answering the +owl's question. "Would it be possible, do you think?" + +"Oh, yes--but it's not much of a place now compared to what it was +once," said the owl. "You can weather it here I dare say. It all depends +upon what you expect to live on. Do you intend to take up the rat +chase?" + +"Oh, by no means!" declared the boy. "There is more fear of the rats +eating me than that I shall do them any harm." + +"It can't be that he is as harmless as he says," thought the brown owl. +"All the same I believe I'll make an attempt...." She rose into the air, +and in a second her claws were fastened in Nils Holgersson's shoulder +and she was trying to hack at his eyes. + +The boy shielded both eyes with one hand and tried to free himself with +the other, at the same time calling with all his might for help. He +realized that he was in deadly peril and thought that this time, surely, +it was all over with him! + + +Now I must tell you of a strange coincidence: The very year that Nils +Holgersson travelled with the wild geese there was a woman who thought +of writing a book about Sweden, which would be suitable for children to +read in the schools. She had thought of this from Christmas time until +the following autumn; but not a line of the book had she written. At +last she became so tired of the whole thing that she said to herself: +"You are not fitted for such work. Sit down and compose stories and +legends, as usual, and let another write this book, which has got to be +serious and instructive, and in which there must not be one untruthful +word." + +It was as good as settled that she would abandon the idea. But she +thought, very naturally, it would have been agreeable to write something +beautiful about Sweden, and it was hard for her to relinquish her work. +Finally, it occurred to her that maybe it was because she lived in a +city, with only gray streets and house walls around her, that she could +make no headway with the writing. Perhaps if she were to go into the +country, where she could see woods and fields, that it might go better. + +She was from Vermland, and it was perfectly clear to her that she +wished to begin the book with that province. First of all she would +write about the place where she had grown up. It was a little homestead, +far removed from the great world, where many old-time habits and customs +were retained. She thought that it would be entertaining for children to +hear of the manifold duties which had succeeded one another the year +around. She wanted to tell them how they celebrated Christmas and New +Year and Easter and Midsummer Day in her home; what kind of house +furnishings they had; what the kitchen and larder were like, and how the +cow shed, stable, lodge, and bath house had looked. But when she was to +write about it the pen would not move. Why this was she could not in the +least understand; nevertheless it was so. + +True, she remembered it all just as distinctly as if she were still +living in the midst of it. She argued with herself that since she was +going into the country anyway, perhaps she ought to make a little trip +to the old homestead that she might see it again before writing about +it. She had not been there in many years and did not think it half bad +to have a reason for the journey. In fact she had always longed to be +there, no matter in what part of the world she happened to be. She had +seen many places that were more pretentious and prettier. But nowhere +could she find such comfort and protection as in the home of her +childhood. + +It was not such an easy matter for her to go home as one might think, +for the estate had been sold to people she did not know. She felt, to be +sure, that they would receive her well, but she did not care to go to +the old place to sit and talk with strangers, for she wanted to recall +how it had been in times gone by. That was why she planned it so as to +arrive there late in the evening, when the day's work was done and the +people were indoors. + +She had never imagined that it would be so wonderful to come home! As +she sat in the cart and drove toward the old homestead she fancied that +she was growing younger and younger every minute, and that soon she +would no longer be an oldish person with hair that was turning gray, +but a little girl in short skirts with a long flaxen braid. As she +recognized each farm along the road, she could not picture anything else +than that everything at home would be as in bygone days. Her father and +mother and brothers and sisters would be standing on the porch to +welcome her; the old housekeeper would run to the kitchen window to see +who was coming, and Nero and Freja and another dog or two would come +bounding and jumping up on her. + +The nearer she approached the place the happier she felt. It was autumn, +which meant a busy time with a round of duties. It must have been all +these varying duties which prevented home from ever being monotonous. +All along the way the farmers were digging potatoes, and probably they +would be doing likewise at her home. That meant that they must begin +immediately to grate potatoes and make potato flour. The autumn had been +a mild one; she wondered if everything in the garden had already been +stored. The cabbages were still out, but perhaps the hops had been +picked, and all the apples. + +It would be well if they were not having house cleaning at home. Autumn +fair time was drawing nigh, everywhere the cleaning and scouring had to +be done before the fair opened. That was regarded as a great event--more +especially by the servants. It was a pleasure to go into the kitchen on +Market Eve and see the newly scoured floor strewn with juniper twigs, +the whitewashed walls and the shining copper utensils which were +suspended from the ceiling. + +Even after the fair festivities were over there would not be much of a +breathing spell, for then came the work on the flax. During dog days the +flax had been spread out on a meadow to mould. Now it was laid in the +old bath house, where the stove was lighted to dry it out. When it was +dry enough to handle all the women in the neighbourhood were called +together. They sat outside the bath house and picked the flax to pieces. +Then they beat it with swingles, to separate the fine white fibres from +the dry stems. As they worked, the women grew gray with dust; their hair +and clothing were covered with flax seed, but they did not seem to mind +it. All day the swingles pounded, and the chatter went on, so that when +one went near the old bath house it sounded as if a blustering storm had +broken loose there. + +After the work with the flax, came the big hard-tack baking, the sheep +shearing, and the servants' moving time. In November there were busy +slaughter days, with salting of meats, sausage making, baking of blood +pudding, and candle steeping. The seamstress who used to make up their +homespun dresses had to come at this time, of course, and those were +always two pleasant weeks--when the women folk sat together and busied +themselves with sewing. The cobbler, who made shoes for the entire +household, sat working at the same time in the men-servants' quarters, +and one never tired of watching him as he cut the leather and soled and +heeled the shoes and put eyelets in the shoestring holes. + +But the greatest rush came around Christmas time. Lucia Day--when the +housemaid went about dressed in white, with candles in her hair, and +served coffee to everybody at five in the morning--came as a sort of +reminder that for the next two weeks they could not count on much sleep. +For now they must brew the Christmas ale, steep the Christmas fish in +lye, and do their Christmas baking and Christmas scouring. + +She was in the middle of the baking, with pans of Christmas buns and +cooky platters all around her, when the driver drew in the reins at the +end of the lane as she had requested. She started like one suddenly +awakened from a sound sleep. It was dismal for her who had just dreamed +herself surrounded by all her people to be sitting alone in the late +evening. As she stepped from the wagon and started to walk up the long +lane that she might come unobserved to her old home, she felt so keenly +the contrast between then and now that she would have preferred to turn +back. + +"Of what use is it to come here?" she sighed. "It can't be the same as +in the old days!" + +On the other hand she felt that since she had travelled such a long +distance, she would see the place at all events, so continued to walk +on, although she was more depressed with every step that she took. + +She had heard that it was very much changed; and it certainly was! But +she did not observe this now in the evening. She thought, rather, that +everything was quite the same. There was the pond, which in her youth +had been full of carp and where no one dared fish, because it was +father's wish that the carp should be left in peace. Over there were the +men-servants' quarters, the larder and barn, with the farm yard bell +over one gable and the weather-vane over the other. The house yard was +like a circular room, with no outlook in any direction, as it had been +in her father's time--for he had not the heart to cut down as much as a +bush. + +She lingered in the shadow under the big mountain-ash at the entrance to +the farm, and stood looking about her. As she stood there a strange +thing happened; a flock of doves came and lit beside her. + +She could hardly believe that they were real birds, for doves are not in +the habit of moving about after sundown. It must have been the beautiful +moonlight that had awakened these. They must have thought it was dawn +and flown from their dove-cotes, only to become confused, hardly knowing +where they were. When they saw a human being they flew over to her, as +if she would set them right. + +There had been many flocks of doves at the manor when her parents lived +there, for the doves were among the creatures which her father had taken +under his special care. If one ever mentioned the killing of a dove, it +put him in a bad humour. She was pleased that the pretty birds had come +to meet her in the old home. Who could tell but the doves had flown out +in the night to show her they had not forgotten that once upon a time +they had a good home there. + +Perhaps her father had sent his birds with a greeting to her, so that +she would not feel so sad and lonely when she came to her former home. + +As she thought of this, there welled up within her such an intense +longing for the old times that her eyes filled with tears. Life had +been beautiful in this place. They had had weeks of work broken by many +holiday festivities. They had toiled hard all day, but at evening they +had gathered around the lamp and read Tegner and Runeberg, "_Fru"_ +Lenngren and "_Mamsell"_ Bremer. They had cultivated grain, but also +roses and jasmine. They had spun flax, but had sung folk-songs as they +spun. They had worked hard at their history and grammar, but they had +also played theatre and written verses. They had stood at the kitchen +stove and prepared food, but had learned, also, to play the flute and +guitar, the violin and piano. They had planted cabbages and turnips, +peas and beans in one garden, but they had another full of apples and +pears and all kinds of berries. They had lived by themselves, and this +was why so many stories and legends were stowed away in their memories. +They had worn homespun clothes, but they had also been able to lead +care-free and independent lives. + +"Nowhere else in the world do they know how to get so much out of life +as they did at one of these little homesteads in my childhood!" she +thought. "There was just enough work and just enough play, and every day +there was a joy. How I should love to come back here again! Now that I +have seen the place, it is hard to leave it." + +Then she turned to the flock of doves and said to them--laughing at +herself all the while: + +"Won't you fly to father and tell him that I long to come home? I have +wandered long enough in strange places. Ask him if he can't arrange it +so that I may soon turn back to my childhood's home." + +The moment she had said this the flock of doves rose and flew away. She +tried to follow them with her eyes, but they vanished instantly. It was +as if the whole white company had dissolved in the shimmering air. + +The doves had only just gone when she heard a couple of piercing cries +from the garden, and as she hastened thither she saw a singular sight. +There stood a tiny midget, no taller than a hand's breadth, struggling +with a brown owl. At first she was so astonished that she could not +move. But when the midget cried more and more pitifully, she stepped up +quickly and parted the fighters. The owl swung herself into a tree, but +the midget stood on the gravel path, without attempting either to hide +or to run away. + +"Thanks for your help," he said. "But it was very stupid of you to let +the owl escape. I can't get away from here, because she is sitting up in +the tree watching me." + +"It was thoughtless of me to let her go. But to make amends, can't I +accompany you to your home?" asked she who wrote stories, somewhat +surprised to think that in this unexpected fashion she had got into +conversation with one of the tiny folk. Still she was not so much +surprised after all. It was as if all the while she had been awaiting +some extraordinary experience, while she walked in the moonlight outside +her old home. + +"The fact is, I had thought of stopping here over night," said the +midget. "If you will only show me a safe sleeping place, I shall not be +obliged to return to the forest before daybreak." + +"Must I show you a place to sleep? Are you not at home here?" + +"I understand that you take me for one of the tiny folk," said the +midget, "but I'm a human being, like yourself, although I have been +transformed by an elf." + +"That is the most remarkable thing I have ever heard! Wouldn't you like +to tell me how you happened to get into such a plight?" + +The boy did not mind telling her of his adventures, and, as the +narrative proceeded, she who listened to him grew more and more +astonished and happy. + +"What luck to run across one who has travelled all over Sweden on the +back of a goose!" thought she. "Just this which he is relating I shall +write down in my book. Now I need worry no more over that matter. It was +well that I came home. To think that I should find such help as soon as +I came to the old place!" + +Instantly another thought flashed into her mind. She had sent word to +her father by the doves that she longed for home, and almost immediately +she had received help in the matter she had pondered so long. Might not +this be the father's answer to her prayer? + + +THE TREASURE ON THE ISLAND + + +ON THEIR WAY TO THE SEA + +_Friday, October seventh_. + +From the very start of the autumn trip the wild geese had flown straight +south; but when they left Fryksdalen they veered in another direction, +travelling over western Vermland and Dalsland, toward Bohuslaen. + +That was a jolly trip! The goslings were now so used to flying that they +complained no more of fatigue, and the boy was fast recovering his good +humour. He was glad that he had talked with a human being. He felt +encouraged when she said to him that if he were to continue doing good +to all whom he met, as heretofore, it could not end badly for him. She +was not able to tell him how to get back his natural form, but she had +given him a little hope and assurance, which inspired the boy to think +out a way to prevent the big white gander from going home. + +"Do you know, Morten Goosey-Gander, that it will be rather monotonous +for us to stay at home all winter after having been on a trip like +this," he said, as they were flying far up in the air. "I'm sitting here +thinking that we ought to go abroad with the geese." + +"Surely you are not in earnest!" said the goosey-gander. Since he had +proved to the wild geese his ability to travel with them all the way to +Lapland, he was perfectly satisfied to get back to the goose pen in +Holger Nilsson's cow shed. + +The boy sat silently a while and gazed down on Vermland, where the birch +woods, leafy groves, and gardens were clad in red and yellow autumn +colours. + +"I don't think I've ever seen the earth beneath us as lovely as it is +to-day!" he finally remarked. "The lakes are like blue satin bands. +Don't you think it would be a pity to settle down in West Vemminghoeg and +never see any more of the world?" + +"I thought you wanted to go home to your mother and father and show them +what a splendid boy you had become?" said the goosey-gander. + +All summer he had been dreaming of what a proud moment it would be for +him when he should alight in the house yard before Holger Nilsson's +cabin and show Dunfin and the six goslings to the geese and chickens, +the cows and the cat, and to Mother Holger Nilsson herself, so that he +was not very happy over the boy's proposal. + +"Now, Morten Goosey-Gander, don't you think yourself that it would be +hard never to see anything more that is beautiful!" said the boy. + +"I would rather see the fat grain fields of Soederslaett than these lean +hills," answered the goosey-gander. "But you must know very well that +if you really wish to continue the trip, I can't be parted from you." + +"That is just the answer I had expected from you," said the boy, and his +voice betrayed that he was relieved of a great anxiety. + +Later, when they travelled over Bohuslaen, the boy observed that the +mountain stretches were more continuous, the valleys were more like +little ravines blasted in the rock foundation, while the long lakes at +their base were as black as if they had come from the underworld. This, +too, was a glorious country, and as the boy saw it, with now a strip of +sun, now a shadow, he thought that there was something strange and wild +about it. He knew not why, but the idea came to him that once upon a +time there were many strong and brave heroes in these mystical regions +who had passed through many dangerous and daring adventures. The old +passion of wanting to share in all sorts of wonderful adventures awoke +in him. + +"I might possibly miss not being in danger of my life at least once +every day or two," he thought. "Anyhow it's best to be content with +things as they are." + +He did not speak of this idea to the big white gander, because the geese +were now flying over Bohuslaen with all the speed they could muster, and +the goosey-gander was puffing so hard that he would not have had the +strength to reply. + +The sun was far down on the horizon, and disappeared every now and then +behind a hill; still the geese kept forging ahead. + +Finally, in the west, they saw a shining strip of light, which grew +broader and broader with every wing stroke. Soon the sea spread before +them, milk white with a shimmer of rose red and sky blue, and when they +had circled past the coast cliffs they saw the sun again, as it hung +over the sea, big and red and ready to plunge into the waves. + +As the boy gazed at the broad, endless sea and the red evening sun, +which had such a kindly glow that he dared to look straight at it, he +felt a sense of peace and calm penetrate his soul. + +"It's not worth while to be sad, Nils Holgersson," said the Sun. "This +is a beautiful world to live in both for big and little. It is also good +to be free and happy, and to have a great dome of open sky above you." + +THE GIFT OF THE WILD GEESE + +The geese stood sleeping on a little rock islet just beyond Fjaellbacka. +When it drew on toward midnight, and the moon hung high in the heavens, +old Akka shook the sleepiness out of her eyes. After that she walked +around and awakened Yksi and Kaksi, Kolme and Neljae, Viisi and Kuusi, +and, last of all, she gave Thumbietot a nudge with her bill that +startled him. + +"What is it, Mother Akka?" he asked, springing up in alarm. + +"Nothing serious," assured the leader-goose. "It's just this: we seven +who have been long together want to fly a short distance out to sea +to-night, and we wondered if you would care to come with us." + +The boy knew that Akka would not have proposed this move had there not +been something important on foot, so he promptly seated himself on her +back. The flight was straight west. The wild geese first flew over a +belt of large and small islands near the coast, then over a broad +expanse of open sea, till they reached the large cluster known as the +Vaeder Islands. All of them were low and rocky, and in the moonlight one +could see that they were rather large. + +Akka looked at one of the smallest islands and alighted there. It +consisted of a round, gray stone hill, with a wide cleft across it, into +which the sea had cast fine, white sea sand and a few shells. + +As the boy slid from the goose's back he noticed something quite close +to him that looked like a jagged stone. But almost at once he saw that +it was a big vulture which had chosen the rock island for a night +harbour. Before the boy had time to wonder at the geese recklessly +alighting so near a dangerous enemy, the bird flew up to them and the +boy recognized Gorgo, the eagle. + +Evidently Akka and Gorgo had arranged the meeting, for neither of them +was taken by surprise. + +"This was good of you, Gorgo," said Akka. "I didn't expect that you +would be at the meeting place ahead of us. Have you been here long?" + +"I came early in the evening," replied Gorgo. "But I fear that the only +praise I deserve is for keeping my appointment with you. I've not been +very successful in carrying out the orders you gave me." + +"I'm sure, Gorgo, that you have done more than you care to admit," +assured Akka. "But before you relate your experiences on the trip, I +shall ask Thumbietot to help me find something which is supposed to be +buried on this island." + +The boy stood gazing admiringly at two beautiful shells, but when Akka +spoke his name, he glanced up. + +"You must have wondered, Thumbietot, why we turned out of our course to +fly here to the West Sea," said Akka. + +"To be frank, I did think it strange," answered the boy. "But I knew, of +course, that you always have some good reason for whatever you do." + +"You have a good opinion of me," returned Akka, "but I almost fear you +will lose it now, for it's very probable that we have made this journey +in vain. + +"Many years ago it happened that two of the other old geese and myself +encountered frightful storms during a spring flight and were wind-driven +to this island. When we discovered that there was only open sea before +us, we feared we should be swept so far out that we should never find +our way back to land, so we lay down on the waves between these bare +cliffs, where the storm compelled us to remain for several days. + +"We suffered terribly from hunger; once we ventured up to the cleft on +this island in search of food. We couldn't find a green blade, but we +saw a number of securely tied bags half buried in the sand. We hoped to +find grain in the bags and pulled and tugged at them till we tore the +cloth. However, no grain poured out, but shining gold pieces. For such +things we wild geese had no use, so we left them where they were. We +haven't thought of the find in all these years; but this autumn +something has come up to make us wish for gold. + +"We do not know that the treasure is still here, but we have travelled +all this way to ask you to look into the matter." + +With a shell in either hand the boy jumped down into the cleft and began +to scoop up the sand. He found no bags, but when he had made a deep hole +he heard the clink of metal and saw that he had come upon a gold piece. +Then he dug with his fingers and felt many coins in the sand. So he +hurried back to Akka. + +"The bags have rotted and fallen apart," he exclaimed, "and the money +lies scattered all through the sand." + +"That's well!" said Akka. "Now fill in the hole and smooth it over so no +one will notice the sand has been disturbed." + +The boy did as he was told, but when he came up from the cleft he was +astonished to see that the wild geese were lined up, with Akka in the +lead, and were marching toward him with great solemnity. + +The geese paused in front of him, and all bowed their heads many times, +looking so grave that he had to doff his cap and make an obeisance to +them. + +"The fact is," said Akka, "we old geese have been thinking that if +Thumbietot had been in the service of human beings and had done as much +for them as he has for us they would not let him go without rewarding +him well." + +"I haven't helped you; it is you who have taken good care of me," +returned the boy. + +"We think also," continued Akka, "that when a human being has attended +us on a whole journey he shouldn't be allowed to leave us as poor as +when he came." + +"I know that what I have learned this year with you is worth more to me +than gold or lands," said the boy. + +"Since these gold coins have been lying unclaimed in the cleft all these +years, I think that you ought to have them," declared the wild goose. + +"I thought you said something about needing this money yourselves," +reminded the boy. + +"We do need it, so as to be able to give you such recompense as will +make your mother and father think you have been working as a goose boy +with worthy people." + +The boy turned half round and cast a glance toward the sea, then faced +about and looked straight into Akka's bright eyes. + +"I think it strange, Mother Akka, that you turn me away from your +service like this and pay me off before I have given you notice," he +said. + +"As long as we wild geese remain in Sweden, I trust that you will stay +with us," said Akka. "I only wanted to show you where the treasure was +while we could get to it without going too far out of our course." + +"All the same it looks as if you wished to be rid of me before I want to +go," argued Thumbietot. "After all the good times we have had together, +I think you ought to let me go abroad with you." + +When the boy said this, Akka and the other wild geese stretched their +long necks straight up and stood a moment, with bills half open, +drinking in air. + +"That is something I haven't thought about," said Akka, when she +recovered herself. "Before you decide to come with us, we had better +hear what Gorgo has to say. You may as well know that when we left +Lapland the agreement between Gorgo and myself was that he should travel +to your home down in Skane to try to make better terms for you with the +elf." + +"That is true," affirmed Gorgo, "but as I have already told you, luck +was against me. I soon hunted up Holger Nilsson's croft and after +circling up and down over the place a couple of hours, I caught sight of +the elf, skulking along between the sheds. + +"Immediately I swooped down upon him and flew off with him to a meadow +where we could talk together without interruption. + +"I told him that I had been sent by Akka from Kebnekaise to ask if he +couldn't give Nils Holgersson easier terms. + +"'I only wish I could!' he answered, 'for I have heard that he has +conducted himself well on the trip; but it is not in my power to do so.' + +"Then I was wrathy and said that I would bore out his eyes unless he +gave in. + +"'You may do as you like,' he retorted, 'but as to Nils Holgersson, it +will turn out exactly as I have said. You can tell him from me that he +would do well to return soon with his goose, for matters on the farm are +in a bad shape. His father has had to forfeit a bond for his brother, +whom he trusted. He has bought a horse with borrowed money, and the +beast went lame the first time he drove it. Since then it has been of no +earthly use to him. Tell Nils Holgersson that his parents have had to +sell two of the cows and that they must give up the croft unless they +receive help from somewhere." + +When the boy heard this he frowned and clenched his fists so hard that +the nails dug into his flesh. + +"It is cruel of the elf to make the conditions so hard for me that I can +not go home and relieve my parents, but he sha'n't turn me into a +traitor to a friend! My father and mother are square and upright folk. I +know they would rather forfeit my help than have me come back to them +with a guilty conscience." + + +THE JOURNEY TO VEMMINGHOeG + + +_Thursday, November third_. + +One day in the beginning of November the wild geese flew over Halland +Ridge and into Skane. For several weeks they had been resting on the +wide plains around Falkoeping. As many other wild goose flocks also +stopped there, the grown geese had had a pleasant time visiting with old +friends, and there had been all kinds of games and races between the +younger birds. + +Nils Holgersson had not been happy over the delay in Westergoetland. He +had tried to keep a stout heart; but it was hard for him to reconcile +himself to his fate. + +"If I were only well out of Skane and in some foreign land," he had +thought, "I should know for certain that I had nothing to hope for, and +would feel easier in my mind." + +Finally, one morning, the geese started out and flew toward Halland. + +In the beginning the boy took very little interest in that province. He +thought there was nothing new to be seen there. But when the wild geese +continued the journey farther south, along the narrow coast-lands, the +boy leaned over the goose's neck and did not take his glance from the +ground. + +He saw the hills gradually disappear and the plain spread under him, at +the same time he noticed that the coast became less rugged, while the +group of islands beyond thinned and finally vanished and the broad, open +sea came clear up to firm land. Here there were no more forests: here +the plain was supreme. It spread all the way to the horizon. A land that +lay so exposed, with field upon field, reminded the boy of Skane. He +felt both happy and sad as he looked at it. + +"I can't be very far from home," he thought. + +Many times during the trip the goslings had asked the old geese: + +"How does it look in foreign lands?" + +"Wait, wait! You shall soon see," the old geese had answered. + +When the wild geese had passed Halland Ridge and gone a distance into +Skane, Akka called out: + +"Now look down! Look all around! It is like this in foreign lands." + +Just then they flew over Soeder Ridge. The whole long range of hills was +clad in beech woods, and beautiful, turreted castles peeped out here and +there. + +Among the trees grazed roe-buck, and on the forest meadow romped the +hares. Hunters' horns sounded from the forests; the loud baying of dogs +could be heard all the way up to the wild geese. Broad avenues wound +through the trees and on these ladies and gentlemen were driving in +polished carriages or riding fine horses. At the foot of the ridge lay +Ring Lake with the ancient Bosjoe Cloister on a narrow peninsula. + +"Does it look like this in foreign lands?" asked the goslings. + +"It looks exactly like this wherever there are forest-clad ridges," +replied Akka, "only one doesn't see many of them. Wait! You shall see +how it looks in general." + +Akka led the geese farther south to the great Skane plain. There it +spread, with grain fields; with acres and acres of sugar beets, where +the beet-pickers were at work; with low whitewashed farm- and outhouses; +with numberless little white churches; with ugly, gray sugar refineries +and small villages near the railway stations. Little beech-encircled +meadow lakes, each of them adorned by its own stately manor, shimmered +here and there. + +"Now look down! Look carefully!" called the leader-goose. "Thus it is in +foreign lands, from the Baltic coast all the way down to the high Alps. +Farther than that I have never travelled." + +When the goslings had seen the plain, the leader-goose flew down the +Oeresund coast. Swampy meadows sloped gradually toward the sea. In some +places were high, steep banks, in others drift-sand fields, where the +sand lay heaped in banks and hills. Fishing hamlets stood all along the +coast, with long rows of low, uniform brick houses, with a lighthouse at +the edge of the breakwater, and brown fishing nets hanging in the drying +yard. + +"Now look down! Look well! This is how it looks along the coasts in +foreign lands." + +After Akka had been flying about in this manner a long time she alighted +suddenly on a marsh in Vemminghoeg township and the boy could not help +thinking that she had travelled over Skane just to let him see that his +was a country which could compare favourably with any in the world. This +was unnecessary, for the boy was not thinking of whether the country was +rich or poor. + +From the moment that he had seen the first willow grove his heart ached +with homesickness. + +HOME AT LAST + + +_Tuesday, November eighth_. + +The atmosphere was dull and hazy. The wild geese had been feeding on the +big meadow around Skerup church and were having their noonday rest when +Akka came up to the boy. + +"It looks as if we should have calm weather for awhile," she remarked, +"and I think we'll cross the Baltic to-morrow." + +"Indeed!" said the boy abruptly, for his throat contracted so that he +could hardly speak. All along he had cherished the hope that he would be +released from the enchantment while he was still in Skane. + +"We are quite near West Vemminghoeg now," said Akka, "and I thought that +perhaps you might like to go home for awhile. It may be some time before +you have another opportunity to see your people." + +"Perhaps I had better not," said the boy hesitatingly, but something in +his voice betrayed that he was glad of Akka's proposal. + +"If the goosey-gander remains with us, no harm can come to him," Akka +assured. "I think you had better find out how your parents are getting +along. You might be of some help to them, even if you're not a normal +boy." + +"You are right, Mother Akka. I should have thought of that long ago," +said the boy impulsively. + +The next second he and the leader-goose were on their way to his home. +It was not long before Akka alighted behind the stone hedge encircling +the little farm. + +"Strange how natural everything looks around here!" the boy remarked, +quickly clambering to the top of the hedge, so that he could look about. + +"It seems to me only yesterday that I first saw you come flying through +the air." + +"I wonder if your father has a gun," said Akka suddenly. + +"You may be sure he has," returned the boy. "It was just the gun that +kept me at home that Sunday morning when I should have been at church." + +"Then I don't dare to stand here and wait for you," said Akka. "You had +better meet us at Smygahoek early to-morrow morning, so that you may stay +at home over night." + +"Oh, don't go yet, Mother Akka!" begged the boy, jumping from the hedge. + +He could not tell just why it was, but he felt as if something would +happen, either to the wild goose or to himself, to prevent their future +meeting. + +"No doubt you see that I'm distressed because I cannot get back my +right form; but I want to say to you that I don't regret having gone +with you last spring," he added. "I would rather forfeit the chance of +ever being human again than to have missed that trip." + +Akka breathed quickly before she answered. + +"There's a little matter I should have mentioned to you before this, but +since you are not going back to your home for good, I thought there was +no hurry about it. Still it may as well be said now." + +"You know very well that I am always glad to do your bidding," said the +boy. + +"If you have learned anything at all from us, Thumbietot, you no longer +think that the humans should have the whole earth to themselves," said +the wild goose, solemnly. "Remember you have a large country and you can +easily afford to leave a few bare rocks, a few shallow lakes and swamps, +a few desolate cliffs and remote forests to us poor, dumb creatures, +where we can be allowed to live in peace. All my days I have been +hounded and hunted. It would be a comfort to know that there is a refuge +somewhere for one like me." + +"Indeed, I should be glad to help if I could," said the boy, "but it's +not likely that I shall ever again have any influence among human +beings." + +"Well, we're standing here talking as if we were never to meet again," +said Akka, "but we shall see each other to-morrow, of course. Now I'll +return to my flock." + +She spread her wings and started to fly, but came back and stroked +Thumbietot up and down with her bill before she flew away. + +It was broad daylight, but no human being moved on the farm and the boy +could go where he pleased. He hastened to the cow shed, because he knew +that he could get the best information from the cows. + +It looked rather barren in their shed. In the spring there had been +three fine cows there, but now there was only one--Mayrose. It was quite +apparent that she yearned for her comrades. Her head drooped sadly, and +she had hardly touched the feed in her crib. + +"Good day, Mayrose!" said the boy, running fearlessly into her stall. + +"How are mother and father? How are the cat and the chickens? What has +become of Star and Gold-Lily?" + +When Mayrose heard the boy's voice she started, and appeared as if she +were going to gore him. But she was not so quick-tempered now as +formerly, and took time to look well at Nils Holgersson. + +He was just as little now as when he went away, and wore the same +clothes; yet he was completely changed. The Nils Holgersson that went +away in the spring had a heavy, slow gait, a drawling speech, and sleepy +eyes. The one that had come back was lithe and alert, ready of speech, +and had eyes that sparkled and danced. He had a confident bearing that +commanded respect, little as he was. Although he himself did not look +happy, he inspired happiness in others. + +"Moo!" bellowed Mayrose. "They told me that he was changed, but I +couldn't believe it. Welcome home, Nils Holgersson! Welcome home! This +is the first glad moment I have known for ever so long!" + +"Thank you, Mayrose!" said the boy, who was very happy to be so well +received. + +"Now tell me all about father and mother." + +"They have had nothing but hardship ever since you went away," said +Mayrose. "The horse has been a costly care all summer, for he has stood +in the stable the whole time and not earned his feed. Your father is too +soft-hearted to shoot him and he can't sell him. It was on account of +the horse that both Star and Gold-Lily had to be sold." + +There was something else the boy wanted badly to know, but he was +diffident about asking the question point blank. Therefore he said: + +"Mother must have felt very sorry when she discovered that Morten +Goosey-Gander had flown?" + +"She wouldn't have worried much about Morten Goosey-Gander had she +known the way he came to leave. She grieves most at the thought of her +son having run away from home with a goosey-gander." + +"Does she really think that I _stole_ the goosey-gander?" said the boy. + +"What else could she think?" + +"Father and mother must fancy that I've been roaming about the country, +like a common tramp?" + +"They think that you've gone to the dogs," said Mayrose. "They have +mourned you as one mourns the loss of the dearest thing on earth." + +As soon as the boy heard this, he rushed from the cow shed and down to +the stable. + +It was small, but clean and tidy. Everything showed that his father had +tried to make the place comfortable for the new horse. In the stall +stood a strong, fine animal that looked well fed and well cared for. + +"Good day to you!" said the boy. "I have heard that there's a sick horse +in here. Surely it can't be you, who look so healthy and strong." + +The horse turned his head and stared fixedly at the boy. + +"Are you the son?" he queried. "I have heard many bad reports of him. +But you have such a good face, I couldn't believe that you were he, did +I not know that he was transformed into an elf." + +"I know that I left a bad name behind me when I went away from the +farm," admitted Nils Holgersson. "My own mother thinks I am a thief. But +what matters it--I sha'n't tarry here long. Meanwhile, I want to know +what ails you." + +"Pity you're not going to stay," said the horse, "for I have the feeling +that you and I might become good friends. I've got something in my +foot--the point of a knife, or something sharp--that's all that ails me. +It has gone so far in that the doctor can't find it, but it cuts so that +I can't walk. If you would only tell your father what's wrong with me, +I'm sure that he could help me. I should like to be of some use. I +really feel ashamed to stand here and feed without doing any work." + +"It's well that you have no real illness," remarked Nils Holgersson. "I +must attend to this at once, so that you will be all right again. You +don't mind if I do a little scratching on your hoof with my knife, do +you?" + +Nils Holgersson had just finished, when he heard the sound of voices. He +opened the stable door a little and peeped out. + +His father and mother were coming down the lane. It was easy to see that +they were broken by many sorrows. His mother had many lines on her face +and his father's hair had turned gray. She was talking with him about +getting a loan from her brother-in-law. + +"No, I don't want to borrow any more money," his father said, as they +were passing the stable. "There's nothing quite so hard as being in +debt. It would be better to sell the cabin." + +"If it were not for the boy, I shouldn't mind selling it," his mother +demurred. "But what will become of him, if he returns some day, wretched +and poor--as he's likely to be--and we not here?" + +"You're right about that," the father agreed. "But we shall have to ask +the folks who take the place to receive him kindly and to let him know +that he's welcome back to us. We sha'n't say a harsh word to him, no +matter what he may be, shall we mother?" + +"No, indeed! If I only had him again, so that I could be certain he is +not starving and freezing on the highways, I'd ask nothing more!" + +Then his father and mother went in, and the boy heard no more of their +conversation. + +He was happy and deeply moved when he knew that they loved him so +dearly, although they believed he had gone astray. He longed to rush +into their arms. + +"But perhaps it would be an even greater sorrow were they to see me as I +now am." + +While he stood there, hesitating, a cart drove up to the gate. The boy +smothered a cry of surprise, for who should step from the cart and go +into the house yard but Osa, the goose girl, and her father! + +They walked hand in hand toward the cabin. When they were about half +way there, Osa stopped her father and said: + +"Now remember, father, you are not to mention the wooden shoe or the +geese or the little brownie who was so like Nils Holgersson that if it +was not himself it must have had some connection with him." + +"Certainly not!" said Jon Esserson. "I shall only say that their son has +been of great help to you on several occasions--when you were trying to +find me--and that therefore we have come to ask if we can't do them a +service in return, since I'm a rich man now and have more than I need, +thanks to the mine I discovered up in Lapland." + +"I know, father, that you can say the right thing in the right way," Osa +commended. "It is only that one particular thing that I don't wish you +to mention." + +They went into the cabin, and the boy would have liked to hear what they +talked about in there; but he dared not venture near the house. It was +not long before they came out again, and his father and mother +accompanied them as far as the gate. + +His parents were strangely happy. They appeared to have gained a new +hold on life. + +When the visitors were gone, father and mother lingered at the gate +gazing after them. + +"I don't feel unhappy any longer, since I've heard so much that is good +of our Nils," said his mother. + +"Perhaps he got more praise than he really deserved," put in his father +thoughtfully. + +"Wasn't it enough for you that they came here specially to say they +wanted to help us because our Nils had served them in many ways? I +think, father, that you should have accepted their offer." + +"No, mother, I don't wish to accept money from any one, either as a gift +or a loan. In the first place I want to free myself from all debt, then +we will work our way up again. We're not so very old, are we, mother?" +The father laughed heartily as he said this. + +"I believe you think it will be fun to sell this place, upon which we +have expended such a lot of time and hard work," protested the mother. + +"Oh, you know why I'm laughing," the father retorted. "It was the +thought of the boy's having gone to the bad that weighed me down until I +had no strength or courage left in me. Now that I know he still lives +and has turned out well, you'll see that Holger Nilsson has some grit +left." + +The mother went in alone, and the boy made haste to hide in a corner, +for his father walked into the stable. He went over to the horse and +examined its hoof, as usual, to try to discover what was wrong with it. + +"What's this!" he cried, discovering some letters scratched on the +hoof. + +"Remove the sharp piece of iron from the foot," he read and glanced +around inquiringly. However, he ran his fingers along the under side of +the hoof and looked at it carefully. + +"I verily believe there is something sharp here!" he said. + +While his father was busy with the horse and the boy sat huddled in a +corner, it happened that other callers came to the farm. + +The fact was that when Morten Goosey-Gander found himself so near his +old home he simply could not resist the temptation of showing his wife +and children to his old companions on the farm. So he took Dunfin and +the goslings along, and made for home. + +There was not a soul in the barn yard when the goosey-gander came along. +He alighted, confidently walked all around the place, and showed Dunfin +how luxuriously he had lived when he was a tame goose. + +When they had viewed the entire farm, he noticed that the door of the +cow shed was open. + +"Look in here a moment," he said, "then you will see how I lived in +former days. It was very different from camping in swamps and morasses, +as we do now." + +The goosey-gander stood in the doorway and looked into the cow shed. + +"There's not a soul in here," he said. "Come along, Dunfin, and you +shall see the goose pen. Don't be afraid; there's no danger." + +Forthwith the goosey-gander, Dunfin, and all six goslings waddled into +the goose pen, to have a look at the elegance and comfort in which the +big white gander had lived before he joined the wild geese. + +"This is the way it used to be: here was my place and over there was the +trough, which was always filled with oats and water," explained the +goosey-gander. + +"Wait! there's some fodder in it now." With that he rushed to the trough +and began to gobble up the oats. + +But Dunfin was nervous. + +"Let's go out again!" she said. + +"Only two more grains," insisted the goosey-gander. The next second he +let out a shriek and ran for the door, but it was too late! The door +slammed, the mistress stood without and bolted it. They were locked in! + +The father had removed a sharp piece of iron from the horse's hoof and +stood contentedly stroking the animal when the mother came running into +the stable. + +"Come, father, and see the capture I've made!" + +"No, wait a minute!" said the father. "Look here, first. I have +discovered what ailed the horse." + +"I believe our luck has turned," said the mother. "Only fancy! the big +white goosey-gander that disappeared last spring must have gone off with +the wild geese. He has come back to us in company with seven wild geese. +They walked straight into the goose pen, and I've shut them all in." + +"That's extraordinary," remarked the father. "But best of all is that we +don't have to think any more that our boy stole the goosey-gander when +he went away." + +"You're quite right, father," she said. "But I'm afraid we'll have to +kill them to-night. In two days is Morten Gooseday[1] and we must make +haste if we expect to get them to market in time." + +[Footnote 1: In Sweden the 10th of November is called Morten Gooseday +and corresponds to the American Thanksgiving Day.] + +"I think it would be outrageous to butcher the goosey-gander, now that +he has returned to us with such a large family," protested Holger +Nilsson. + +"If times were easier we'd let him live; but since we're going to move +from here, we can't keep geese. Come along now and help me carry them +into the kitchen," urged the mother. + +They went out together and in a few moments the boy saw his father +coming along with Morten Goosey-Gander and Dunfin--one under each arm. +He and his wife went into the cabin. + +The goosey-gander cried: + +"Thumbietot, come and help me!"--as he always did when in +peril--although he was not aware that the boy was at hand. + +Nils Holgersson heard him, yet he lingered at the door of the cow shed. + +He did not hesitate because he knew that it would be well for him if the +goosey-gander were beheaded--at that moment he did not even remember +this--but because he shrank from being seen by his parents. + +"They have a hard enough time of it already," he thought. "Must I bring +them a new sorrow?" + +But when the door closed on the goosey-gander, the boy was aroused. + +He dashed across the house yard, sprang up on the board-walk leading to +the entrance door and ran into the hallway, where he kicked off his +wooden shoes in the old accustomed way, and walked toward the door. + +All the while it went so much against the grain to appear before his +father and mother that he could not raise his hand to knock. + +"But this concerns the life of the goosey-gander," he said to +himself--"he who has been my best friend ever since I last stood here." + +In a twinkling the boy remembered all that he and the goosey-gander had +suffered on ice-bound lakes and stormy seas and among wild beasts of +prey. His heart swelled with gratitude; he conquered himself and knocked +on the door. + +"Is there some one who wishes to come in?" asked his father, opening the +door. + +"Mother, you sha'n't touch the goosey-gander!" cried the boy. + +Instantly both the goosey-gander and Dunfin, who lay on a bench with +their feet tied, gave a cry of joy, so that he was sure they were alive. + +Some one else gave a cry of joy--his _mother_! + +"My, but you have grown tall and handsome!" she exclaimed. + +The boy had not entered the cabin, but was standing on the doorstep, +like one who is not quite certain how he will be received. + +"The Lord be praised that I have you back again!" said his mother, +laughing and crying. "Come in, my boy! Come in!" + +"Welcome!" added his father, and not another word could he utter. + +But the boy still lingered at the threshold. He could not comprehend why +they were so glad to see him--such as he was. Then his mother came and +put her arms around him and drew him into the room, and he knew that he +was all right. + +"Mother and father!" he cried. "I'm a big boy. I am a human being +again!" + + +THE PARTING WITH THE WILD GEESE + + +_Wednesday, November ninth_. + +The boy arose before dawn and wandered down to the coast. He was +standing alone on the strand east of Smyge fishing hamlet before +sunrise. He had already been in the pen with Morten Goosey-Gander to try +to rouse him, but the big white gander had no desire to leave home. He +did not say a word, but only stuck his bill under his wing and went to +sleep again. + +To all appearances the weather promised to be almost as perfect as it +had been that spring day when the wild geese came to Skane. There was +hardly a ripple on the water; the air was still and the boy thought of +the good passage the geese would have. He himself was as yet in a kind +of daze--sometimes thinking he was an elf, sometimes a human being. When +he saw a stone hedge alongside the road, he was afraid to go farther +until he had made sure that no wild animal or vulture lurked behind it. +Very soon he laughed to himself and rejoiced because he was big and +strong and did not have to be afraid of anything. + +When he reached the coast he stationed himself, big as he was, at the +very edge of the strand, so that the wild geese could see him. + +It was a busy day for the birds of passage. Bird calls sounded on the +air continuously. The boy smiled as he thought that no one but himself +understood what the birds were saying to one another. Presently wild +geese came flying; one big flock following another. + +"Just so it's not my geese that are going away without bidding me +farewell," he thought. He wanted so much to tell them how everything had +turned out, and to show them that he was no longer an elf but a human +being. + +There came a flock that flew faster and cackled louder than the others, +and something told him that this must be _the_ flock, but now he was not +quite so sure about it as he would have been the day before. + +The flock slackened its flight and circled up and down along the coast. + +The boy knew it was the right one, but he could not understand why the +geese did not come straight down to him. They could not avoid seeing him +where he stood. He tried to give a call that would bring them down to +him, but only think! his tongue would not obey him. He could not make +the right sound! He heard Akka's calls, but did not understand what she +said. + +"What can this mean? Have the wild geese changed their language?" he +wondered. + +He waved his cap to them and ran along the shore calling. + +"Here am I, where are you?" + +But this seemed only to frighten the geese. They rose and flew farther +out to sea. At last he understood. They did not know that he was human, +had not recognized him. He could not call them to him because human +beings can not speak the language of birds. He could not speak their +language, nor could he understand it. + +Although the boy was very glad to be released from the enchantment, +still he thought it hard that because of this he should be parted from +his old comrades. + +He sat down on the sands and buried his face in his hands. What was the +use of his gazing after them any more? + +Presently he heard the rustle of wings. Old mother Akka had found it +hard to fly away from Thumbietot, and turned back, and now that the boy +sat quite still she ventured to fly nearer to him. Suddenly something +must have told her who he was, for she lit close beside him. + +Nils gave a cry of joy and took old Akka in his arms. The other wild +geese crowded round him and stroked him with their bills. They cackled +and chattered and wished him all kinds of good luck, and he, too, talked +to them and thanked them for the wonderful journey which he had been +privileged to make in their company. + +All at once the wild geese became strangely quiet and withdrew from him, +as if to say: + +"Alas! he is a man. He does not understand us: we do not understand +him!" + +Then the boy rose and went over to Akka; he stroked her and patted her. +He did the same to Yksi and Kaksi, Kolme and Neljae, Viisi and Kuusi--the +old birds who had been his companions from the very start. + +After that he walked farther up the strand. He knew perfectly well that +the sorrows of the birds do not last long, and he wanted to part with +them while they were still sad at losing him. + +As he crossed the shore meadows he turned and watched the many flocks of +birds that were flying over the sea. All were shrieking their coaxing +calls--only one goose flock flew silently on as long as he could follow +it with his eyes. The wedge was perfect, the speed good, and the wing +strokes strong and certain. + +The boy felt such a yearning for his departing comrades that he almost +wished he were Thumbietot again and could travel over land and sea with +a flock of wild geese. + + +TABLE OF PRONUNCIATION + + +The final _e_ is sounded in Skane, Sirle, Gripe, etc. + +The _a_ in Skane and Smaland is pronounced like _o_ in ore. + +_j_ is like the English _y_. Nuolja, Oviksfjaellen, Sjangeli, Jarro, +etc., should sound as if they were spelled like this: Nuolya, +Oviksfyellen, Syang [one syllable] elee, Yarro, etc. + +_g_, when followed by _e, i, y, ae, oe_, is also like _y_. Example, Goeta +is pronounced Yoeta. + +When _g_ is followed by _a, o, u_, or _a_, it is hard, as in go. + +_k_ in Norrkoeping, Linkoeping, Kivik (pronounced Cheeveek), etc., is like +_ch_ in cheer. + +_k_ is hard when it precedes _a, o, u_, or _a_. Example, Kaksi, Kolmi, +etc. + +_ae_ is pronounced like _ae_ in fare. Example, Faers. + +There is no sound in the English language which corresponds to the +Swedish _oe_. It is like the French _eu_ in jeu. + +Gripe is pronounced Greep-e. + +In Sirle, the first syllable has the same sound as _sir_, in sirup. + +The names which Miss Lagerloef has given to the animals are descriptive. + +Smirre Fox, is cunning fox. + +Sirle Squirrel, is graceful, or nimble squirrel. + +Gripe Otter, means grabbing or clutching otter. + +Mons is a pet name applied to cats; like our tommy or pussy. Monsie +house-cat is equivalent to Tommy house-cat. + +Marten gaskarl (Morten Goosie-gander) is a pet name for a tame gander, +just as we use Dickie-bird for a pet bird. + +Fru is the Swedish for Mrs. This title is usually applied to gentlewomen +only. The author has used this meaning of "fru." + +A Goa-Nisse is an elf-king, and corresponds to the English Puck or Robin +Goodfellow. + +VELMA SWANSTON HOWARD. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Wonderful Adventures of Nils +by Selma Lagerloef + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WONDERFUL ADVENTURES OF NILS *** + +***** This file should be named 10935.txt or 10935.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/0/9/3/10935/ + +Produced by David Schaal and PG Distributed Proofreaders + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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