 Section 3 of the Wonderful of Adventures of Nils This is a LibriVox recording, or LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Reading by Lars Rolander The Wonderful Adventures of Nils by Selma Lagerlööf Translated from the Swedish by Velmas Wonston Howard The Wonderful Journey of Nils 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 hazel brush that grew on the shores of Bomb Lake and was carried to a farmhouse close by. All the forks on the farm, both young and old, were delighted with the pretty creature with a bushy tail, the wise inquisitive eyes and the natty little feet. They intended to muse 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 there in a bed of leaves, a bowl of milk and some nuts. The cylinder wheel, on the other hand, she was to use as a playhouse 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 agonized 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 fork. Tomorrow when she feels more at home she will both eat and play. Meanwhile the women fork 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 threw 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 cowhouse and the stable there was a broad handsome carriage gate. These two came within the light rages. As the night wore on the old grandma saw a tiny creature no bigger than a hands breath 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 storehouse after a rod placed it against the cage and swung himself up in the same way that the sailor climbed a rope. When he had reached the cage he shook the door of the little greenhouse 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 neighboring farm 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 lay 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 into the backyard 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 might 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 squirrel's. 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 smother squirrel and all her young ones from the cage and laid them in the old grandma's lap. Go thou out 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. Vitrövle Saturday, March 26 Two days later another strange thing happened. A flock of wild geese came flying one morning and lit on a meadow down in eastern's corner not very far from Vitrövle manor. In the flock were thirteen wild geese of the usual grey variety and one white goose candor who carried on his back a tiny lad dressed in yellow leather breeches green vest and a white woolen 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 formally 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 raced 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 out to 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 dumbfounded 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. Thumb it out, come and help me. Thumb it out, come and help me. The boy began to laugh in the midst of his distress. Oh yes, I am 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 crossroad. 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 heathenol 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 alley and at the end of the alley 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 manner he thought he knew what had become of the goosey gander. No doubt the children have carried the goosey gander to the manner 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 alley 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 enclosed a courtyard. On the east wing there was a high arch leading into the courtyard. This father 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 alley 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 fork 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 ask if they might see the old castle of Witschövler. The newcomers were warm and tired as if they had been on a long tram. 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 spot on his shoes hanging about his neck. He evidently thought that this was in the 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 anamones and colts 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 the mountain grottos 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 afterwards how long had they not been forced to labor 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 Witt-Schövler. It was about 350 years ago that the rich and powerful built such castles for themselves, he said. It was very evident that Witt-Schövler 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 to towers with walls a meter thick. Yet the castle had not been erected in the most savage wartime. For Jens Braø, who had 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 Holgers and Ulfstund 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, Snugeholm and Övids Klöjster 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 company him through all the rooms. It was a tedious tram. 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 indoor 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 Witsevle 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 patient 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 this high canopy and rich curtains. Immediately he began to talk about the beds and bedplaces 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 butanist'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 bras and the old barnacos of Krishan Barnaco who had given his horse to the king to help him escape of Margarita Ashabay who had been married to Sheld Barnaco and who when a widow had managed the state and the whole district for 53 years of banker Hageman, a farmer's son from Vitschövle who had grown so rich that he had bought the entire estate about the Schernswads who had given the people of Skåne better plows which enabled them to discard the ridiculous old wooden plows 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 Vitschövle was a mile post on Times Highway Here one could see how far the people had advanced 350 years ago and one could judge for oneself whether things had gone forward or backwards 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 goose agander He had begun to move and as he did this he happened to press too hard against the lid and it flew open As botanist's 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, shriek 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 into the open The boy did not dare to run down toward the open alley but turned in another direction He rushed through the garden into the backyard or the while the people raced after him shrieking and laughing The poor little thing ran as hard as every could to get out of their way but still it looked as though the people would catch up with him He rushed past a laborer's cottage He heard a goose cackle and saw a white down lying on the doorstep There at last was the goose agander He had been on the wrong track before He thought no more of house maids and men who were hounding him but climbed up the steps and into the hallway Father he couldn't come for the door was locked He heard how the goose agander 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 goose agander 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 goose agander 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 goose agander and he shrieked and moaned with all his might And a lucky thing was that the woman hadn't started the clipping sooner Now only two quills had fallen under the chairs when the door was open 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 Kuanise himself and in her terror she dropped the chairs, clasped her hands and forgot to hold on to the goose agander As soon as he felt himself freed he ran towards 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 bed on his smooth downy back and off they flew while all which shoveler students stared after them In Irvid 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 embathed in bombley not one of them said a word about his going They probably think the white one is too tired to travel home with me tonight 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 Curiously enough both he and the white goose agander 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 goose agander 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 traveled over a with clusters 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 mooned 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? Your trumps? 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 Wow, 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 beach groves and hazel bushes and trailing wines and oak trees and furs 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 peasants' homes and the neighbouring farms and barracks Wow, wow, wow Do you call this a hut? To this hut belongs the richest possessions in Scornay 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 of this state 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 this state, 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 he recompense he would escape both work and study As he walked there the old grey leader-goes 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 briar bush These the boy ate with good relish But he wondered what mother would say if she knew that he lived on raw fish and old winter dried blossoms When the wild geese had finally eaten themselves full, they bore off towards the lake again Where they amused themselves with games until almost dinner time The wild geese challenged the white goose agunder 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 Or the wild the boys sat on the goose agunder'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 state 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 poor known First a couple of hours of feeding, then bathing and play in the water near the icy edge until sunset When they immediately arranged themselves for sleep This is just the life that shoots me, thought the boy when he crept in under the gander's swing But tomorrow 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 Irvid 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 martin 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 otters 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 the 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 upon 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 fork and the hare family with bullfinches and the titmice and the 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 council And turned to Sealer's 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 Sealer Don't you think we know that you are near the goose boy who tore down the swallow's nest last year Crushed the starling's eggs through baby crows in the mildage 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 nil's 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 bird's nests and crushed many eggs if he'd been in a mind too 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 he 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 Silas Queer'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 bullfinches sing in every bush Of how Silas Queer'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's children to her And who is so honored in Irvid Cloister's park now as Thumbitot sang the bullfinch He whom all feared when he was Nils the goose boy Silas Queer 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 valor 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 Irvid 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 flocks several miles away Over fresh plains and lindred swords and hills They did not stop before they had arrived in the district of Wichövle But at Wichövle the goose agander 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 Womblake with a goose agander 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 oyster brush 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 flooded 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 Today you play worse than usual, Thumbitot You don't take one true note Where are your thoughts, Thumbitot? 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 today 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 wondered at me, Thumbitot Who I have not said thanks to you for saving me from Smirri 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 carefree 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 am 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 nor for the school teacher Not for his school mates nor for the boys in the neighborhood 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 Mutz 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 Bald 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've 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 End of the wonderful journey of Nils Read by Lars Rolander Section 4 of the Wonderful Adventures of Nils This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer Please visit LibriVox.org Reading by Lars Rolander The Wonderful Adventures of Nils by Selma Lagerlöf Translated by Velma Swonston-Howard Glimminge Castle Black Rats and Grey Rats In southeastern corner, 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 no 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 entrance is 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 first 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 glimming 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 glimming a 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 grey 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 tilled in very high steam by other animals But the black rats at glimming a castle were an exception They were always mentioned with respect Because they had shown great valor in battle with their enemies And much endurance under the great misfortunes Which had befallen their kind They nominally belonged to a rat fork 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 scorn and the whole country They were found in every cellar, in every attic In ladders and cowhouses and barns In breweries and floor 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 glimming a castle When an animal fork die out It is generally the humankind 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 fork of their own kind Who were called grey rats These grey 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 dredges 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 grey 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, sellers and storerooms Darved 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 grey 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 They sat still on their estates And in the meantime the grey 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 glimming a 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 grey 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 evil rats And had fought with the outmost 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 grey rats are in our day And for just cause They had thrown themselves upon poor, fetid prisoners And tortured them They had ravished the dead They had stolen the last turnip from the sellers 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 Against its enemies The grey 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 grey rats Must have known that it was because the humankind Used Glimminge Castle as a grain storehouse That the grey ones could not rest Before they had taken possession of the place The Stork Monday, March 28 Early one morning the wild geese Who stood and slept on the ice in Bomblake Were awakened by long calls from the air Trirop, trirop it sounded Trianot the crane sends greetings to Akka The wild goose and her flock Tomorrow will be the day of the great crane dance on Kulabari Akka raised her head and answered at once Greetings and thanks, greetings and thanks With that the crane 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 Trianot sends greetings Tomorrow will be the day of the great crane dance on Kulabari The wild geese were very happy with this imitation You're in luck, they said to the wild goose gander To be permitted to attend the great crane dance on Kulabari Is it then so remarkable to see cranes dance? Asked the goosey gander It is something that you have never even dreamt about Replied the wild geese Now we must think out what we shall do with Thambitot tomorrow so that no harm can come to him While we run over to Kulabari, said Akka Thambitot 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 animals' congress at Kulabari, said Akka And I shouldn't dare to take Thambitot along But we'll discuss this more 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 Smirri Fox's account And she didn't delight until she came to the swampy meadows A little south of Glimming and Castle All that day the boy sat on the shores of a little pond And blew on reed pipes He was out of source 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 Grey 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 his students 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 grey rats abroad said Ixie from Vassiar, 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 Kulabari 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 curticed many times as she approached the stork She wasn't especially surprised to see him in scorn 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 Ermerisch 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 anymore in Scorner The people of Scorner 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 Ermerisch, 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 grey 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 grey rat's power, sighed the stork And why just this night Herr Ermerisch asked Akka Well, because all the black rats went over to Kulabari last night, said the stork Since they had counted on all the rest of the animals also hurrying there But you see that the grey rats have stayed at home and now they are mustering to storm the castle tonight When it will be defended by only few old creatures who are too feeble to go over to Kulabari 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 grey rat's 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 Ermerisch? 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 Ermerisch 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 daybird 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 Ixi from Basi'aure and ordered him to take the wild geese over to the bombele And then 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 street is Thambitott 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 a stork's 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 meters 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 gleaming a 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 Thambitot, 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 man he'll solgerson from West Wemminghead was A couple of moments later Akka stood in the stork's 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 scorn to enjoy But she had also the wild briar blossoms and house leaks 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 grey owls, an old grey street cat And a dozen old decrepit grats with protruding teeth and watery eyes They were not exactly the sort of animals one usually finds living peaceably together No 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 grey 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 grey 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 grey street cat was positive that the grey 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 grey rats? It is absolutely unpardonable The twelve black rats did not say a word But the stork, despite his misery, could not refrain from the black rats But the stork, despite his misery, could not refrain from teasing the cat Don't worry so, moncy house cat, said he Can't you see that Mother Akka and Thumbitot 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 outmost calm Tomorrow when I awaken there won't be a single grey rat in gleaming a 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 counseled them to hurry home immediately The lady Owl she sent to Flamilla 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 Sharmer It was getting on toward midnight when the grey rats after a diligent search Succeeded in finding an open airhole 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 airhole Ready to force its way into gleaming a castle Outside whose walls so many of its forebears had fallen The grey rats had still for a moment in the hole and waited for an attack from the 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 grey rats plucked up courage and jumped down in the cold black cellar One after another the grey 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 Then 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 grey 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 outmost caution through the somber, 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 fully 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 prop kitchen Their stone table and fireplace The deep window niches and the hole in the floor Which in olden time had been open to pour down boiling pitch on the intruding enemy All this time the black rats were invisible The grey ones grouped 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 grouped 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 Flamilla the steeple owl had granted her request And had sent her the thing she wished for Since the grey 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 grey rats had hardly swallowed the first wheat grains Before the sound of a little shrill pipe was heard from the yard The grey 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 grey rats left These thought of all the toil and trouble it had cost them To wind-glimming a 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 Sleed down through the narrow holes in the wall 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 grey 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 grey rats out from glimming a castle He began to wander slowly from the courtyard out onto the highway And all the grey 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 Valby 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 Flamilla 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 learnt that Flamilla 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 processional grey rats followed him And were enticed farther and farther away from the big grain loft at Glimminge Castle End of Glimminge Castle Read by Lars Rolander Section 5 of The Wonderful Adventures of Nils This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org Reading by Lars Rolander The Wonderful Adventures of Nils by Selma Lagerlöve Translated by Velma Swonston-Howard The Great Crane Dance on Kullabärje Tuesday, March 29 Although there are many magnificent buildings in Skåne It must be acknowledged that there is not one among them that has such pretty walls as old Kullabärje Kullabärje 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 heat 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 side 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 Kullabärje does not stand on the land With planes 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 help made the wind have been able to effect You'll find steep ravines that are deeply chiseled 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 grottos 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 depths All the way to Kullmann's Hollow And over and around all these cliffs and rocks crawl and tangle 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 precipice The oaks creep along on the ground while their foliage hangs over them like a low ceiling And long-limbed beaches stand in the ravines like great leaf-tents These remarkable mountain walls with a blue sea beneath them And the clear penetrating air above them is what makes Kula Bay 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-way was dashed into foam against the shore To be able to explain just why Kula Bay was chosen as a rendezvous in preference to all other places When the meeting is to take place, the stags and robux and herds and foxes And all the other four-footers make the journey to Kula Bay the night before So as not to be absurd 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 enclosed 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 clam-rub 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 through on the mountain farm and the mountain peasant and his house-fork Go there accustomed ways and do not run about on the desolate heather-feeds 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 fox's 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-profits 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 plane And look, one of these clouds Comes gradually along the coast of Urusun And up toward Kulabari 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 grey larks Pretty red-white grey bullfinches Speckled starlings and greenish yellow titmice Soon after that another cloud comes over the plane 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 great dust grains from the ground In this way it grows and grows And at last when it is all gathered up And heads for Kulabari 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 Hürganes to Möller When it stops over the playground It hides the sun and for a long while It had to rain grey 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 grey and no sunray can penetrate it It is full of the ghastliest noises The most frightful shrieks, the grimaced laughter And most illuck-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 Jöinge districts Black grouse and wood grouse who come flying in long lines A couple of metres apart Swimming birds that live around Måkleppen just out of Falsterbu Now come floating over Öresund in many extraordinary figures Intraangular and long curves in sharp hooks and semicircles 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 Kullabberg Beside, as soon as she awoke She had been obliged to go out and hunt for Thumbitott Who for many hours had gone and played to the grey rats And lured them far away from gleaming a 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-owls pipe be hushed And to give the grey 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 a bill and swung into the air with him But it was her ermenrish the stork For her ermenrish 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 grey rats away to help the black ones I only wanted to show her ermenrish 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 Thambitot along to Kulabai I mean that we can rely on him as upon ourselves, said she The stork at once advised most enthusiastically that Thambitot be permitted to come along Certainly you shall take Thambitot along to Kulabai, mother Akka, said he It is fortunate for us that we can repay him for all what 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 Kulabai riding stork back Although he knew that this was a great honour, it caused him much anxiety for her ermenrish 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 at an immeasurable height and floated in the air without moving his wings Now he flying 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 Womblake When Akka joined her travelling companions and called to them that the grey rats had been vanquished After that the travellers flew straight to Kulabai 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 grey heron's neck crests One knoll was red with foxes, one was grey 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 Kulabai 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 two 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 snowflakes 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 hairs came running They dashed forward in a long row without any apparent order In some of the figures, one single hair 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 hair swayed in all directions As they ran, they spun round, made high leaps and beat their forepaws against their hindpaws 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 troll in the hair's 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 hairs had romped themselves out, it was the great forest birds turned to perform Hundreds of woodgrows 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-covered feathers were seen Thereupon he stretched his neck and sent forth a couple of deep notes from his thick throat Chuck, chuck, chuck, 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, here 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 woodgrouse 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 banished, 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 heathers stood so high that only their beautiful turned tail feathers 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 noll He glided very cautiously and came way up on the noll 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 raced themselves in the air And when they had flown up The animal saw Smirre Fox standing on the wild geese's noll 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 Acca 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 never more be permitted to enter it Banishment was pronounced upon Smirre without opposition He was forbidden to remain in Skorne 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 Skorne should know that Smirre was outlawed in the district The oldest of the foxes spit off his right earlap As soon as this was done all the young foxes began to yowl From bloodthirst 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 Kullaberi All this happened while black grouse and brown grouse were going on with their games But these birds loosed themselves so completely in their song That they neither hear nor see nor had they permitted themselves to be disturbed The first bird's contest was barely over Before the stags from Heckebärja 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 hooves The breath came like smoke from their nostrils Out of their throats strained hijous bellowings And their froth oozed down on their shoulders On the gnolls round about there was breathless silence While the skilled stag restless clinched In all the animals new emotions were awakened Each and all felt courageous and strong Enlivened by returning powers, born again with a spring Spritely 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 Heckebärja had continued another instant A wild struggle would have arisen on the gnolls For all had been gripped with a burning desire To show that they too were full of life Because of the winter's impotence was over And strength surged through their bodies But the stag stopped wrestling just at the right moment And instantly a whisper went from gnoll to gnoll 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, him gliding down the gnoll With an abundant 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 learnt it from the mists That who were of a desolate morasses There was witchcraft in it All those who had never before been on Kullabärja Understood why the whole meeting took its name from the cranes dance There was wilderness 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 soared 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 cranes dance End of The Great Crane Dance on Kullabärja Read by Losch Rolander