 Section 13 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 Belmas Vonstern-Howard. Little Carl's Island. The Storm. Friday, April 8. The wild geese had spent the night on Erland'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 wind birds had come flying and the water under them all at once became perfectly black. Aka 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 drew before it fogs, salt scum and small birds. It also snatched with it the wild geese through 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 Erland and the sea lay before them empty and desolate. There was nothing for them to do but to keep out of the water. When Aka 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 their 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 landlords who drew 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 Aka 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 Aka herself came pretty near dosing off when she suddenly saw something round and dark rise on the top of a wave. Seals, seals, seals cried Aka 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 the 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 Aka had not been so wakeful not one of them would have escaped. All the 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 cores 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 Aka 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 travelers 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 pace 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 Aka 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. In this the geese stared 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 Aka, Iksi, Kolme, Nellja, Visi, Knusi all the six Gooslings, the Goosegander, Dunfin and Thambitot. But Kaxi from Nualja, the first left-hand Goos, was missing and no one knew anything about her fate. When the wild geese discovered that no one but Kaxi had been separated from the flock they took the matter lightly. Kaxi 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 Aka. There are big animals in here. They rushed toward the opening, but Thambitot 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 besides 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 Aka 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 tonight. 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. Aka knew to be sure that sheep are always shy and peculiar but these seem to have no idea of how they should conduct themselves. Finally an old eve 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 Aka. 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 Aka said this the old eve 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 oat and straw so we shouldn't starve to death and this trash is all there is left of the good share. 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 squared 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 Carl's island said the ram it lies outside of Gotland and only sheep and sea birds live here perhaps you are wild sheep said Akka we are not far from removed from it replied the ram we have nothing to do with human beings it is an old agreement between us and some peasants on a farm in Gotland 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 super flows the island is small so it cannot feed very many of us but otherwise we take care of ourselves all 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 a 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 eve we cannot help ourselves any better than if we were tame sheep do you think that they will come here tonight asked Akka there is nothing else in store for us answered the old eve they were here last night and stole a lamp 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 Carl's island said the eve 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 thumby tot 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 landstrip 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 landstrip 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 the 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 we'll 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 and deliberated it was certainly someone in there that moved said one I wonder if they are awake I'll 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 tonight whispered the one who went first tonight 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 but straight forward whispered the boy the ram butted and the first fox was thrust top of a tail back to the opening now but 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 tonight 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 round 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 to the mountain roof and showed the boy the good grazing lands there and he had to admit that the island seemed to be specially created for sheep there wasn't much else than sheep sorrow and such little spicy growth that 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 sunny and rolled forward in glittering swells was visible only upon one and another point did the foam spray up to the east lay Gotland with even and long stretch coast and to the southwest lay great Carl'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 bird's nests and in the blue sea beneath him lay surf scooters and aider ducks and kitty wakes and ghillie moths and racer bills so pretty and peaceful busying themselves with fishing for small herring this is really a favored 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 sigh 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 the crevice was many phathoms deep and nearly one phathom 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 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 the 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 rode over a number of times replied the ram but the foxes always hid themselves in the grottos 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 Morton Goosegander about the matter, thought he perhaps they can help me with a good suggestion a little later the white Goosegander took the boy on his back and went over the mountain plain and in the direction of Hell's Hole at that he wandered carefree 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 Gooseback and looked up toward the blue sky he was so accustomed to riding now that he could both stand and lie down on the Gooseback when the Goosegander and the boy were so carefree 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 Goosegander 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 Goosegander couldn't see a shadow of them they were not far off when the Goosegander made an attempt to race himself into the air he spread his wings but 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 to the highland they hurried as fast as they could behind tufts and hollows and came nearer and nearer the Goosegander 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 Goosegander 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 Goosegander only had a couple of meters headway and in the bargain he limped anyway the poor thing ran ahead as fast as he could the boys sat upon the Gooseback backward and shrieked and called to the foxes you have eaten yourselves too fat on mutton foxes you can't catch up with the Goose even he teased them so that they became crazed with rage and thought only of rushing forward the white one ran 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 Goosegander hurried on with the same haste as before even after he had gotten across Hell's Hole he had hardly been running two meters before the boy patted him on the neck and said now you can stop Goosegander 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 Carl'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 end of little Carl's Island read by Lars Rolander section 14 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 Belmas Vonstern Howard two cities the city at the bottom of the sea Saturday, April 9th it was a calm and clear night the wild geese did not trouble themselves to seek shelter in any of the grottoes but students 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 tonight that all the witches come home from Blaucola 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 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 her airman rich 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 her airman rich he said how does it happen that you are out in the middle of the night and how is everything at climbing a castle do you want to speak with mother aca it's too light to sleep tonight answered her airman rich therefore I concluded to travel over here to Carl's island and hunt you up friend thumb be taught I learned from this seam you that you were spending the night here I have not as yet moved over to glimming a castle but I'm still living at Pomen the boy was simply overjoyed to think that her airman rich 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 the boy wanted to do it 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 her airman rich went too 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 her airman rich 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 lime grass on their tops they were not very high but they prevented the boy from seeing any of the island her airman rich 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 thumb be taught 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 very degree 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 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 specter 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 treated to encounter at night the wall and the gate were so beautifully constructed that he only decided to see what there might be back of them I must find out what this can be thought he 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 and passed 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 chest sang superb chains they were also regally gotten up that the whole lot of them might have been kings the women went about in high-headed dresses and long robes with tight-fitting sleeves they too were beautifully dressed but their splendor was not to be compared with that of the men this was exactly like the old storybook 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 showed 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 multicolored 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 merchant 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 learnt how to make all sorts of things here he saw how armours hammered out thin breast plates how turners tended their irons how the shoemakers sold soft red shoes how the gold wire drawers twisted gold thread 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 crenellated on the top of the wall walked barriers 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 old time ships with rowing benches straight across and high structures four and aft some lay and took on cargo others were just casting anchor barriers 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 but its own special ornamentation and what a magnificent display of gilded crosses and gold trimmed altars and priests in gold westments 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 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 grey rat that darted by them but now when he walked down the street surely 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 counters 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 meter of that cloth, thought he but now they had caught sight of him in every stall all along the street wherever he looked to the 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 colors 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? wonder 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 western 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 her armenrish awoke and came up to him but he didn't hear him and the stalk had to poke the boy with his bill to attract attention to himself I believe that you stand here in sleep just as I do said her armenrish oh her armenrish said the boy what was that city which stood here just now have you seen a city said the stalk you have slept and dreamt as I say no I have not dreamt said thambitott and he told the stalk all that he had experienced then her armenrish said for my part thambitott I believe that you fell asleep here on the strand and dreamt all this but I will not conceal from you that Vataki 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 Veneta 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 Vataki the city of Veneta was overtaken by a flood and sank into the sea its inhabitants cannot die neither is their city destroyed and one night in every hundred years it rises in all its splendor up from the sea and remains on the surface just one hour yes it must be so said thambitott for this I have seen but when the hour is up it sinks again into the sea if during that time no merchant in Veneta has sold anything to a single living creature if you thambitott only had had an ever so tiny coin to pay the merchants Veneta might have remained up here on the shore and its people could have lived and died like other human beings her armenrich said the boy now I understand why you came and fetched me in the middle of the night it was because you believe that I should be able to save the old city I am so sorry I didn't turn out as you wished her armenrich he covered his face with his hands and wept it wasn't easy to say which one looked the more disconsolate the boy the living city Monday, April 11th on the afternoon of Easter Monday the wild geese and thambitott were on the wing they travelled over Gotland the large island lay smooth and even beneath them the ground was ticked 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 Gotland on account of thambitott 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 agreed for the beautiful buildings of the city both Akka and the goose agander tried to convince thambitott 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 it became uneasy for him just as the boy was the most depressed old Kaxi came back to the flock she had been blown toward Gotland and had been compelled to travel over the whole island before she had learned through some crowds that her comrades were on little Carl's Island when Kaxi found out what was wrong with thambitott she said impulsively if thambitott is grieving over Kaxi, 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 stressed very long thereupon the geese had taken farewell of the sheep and were on their way to the place which Kaxi wished to show thambitott as blue as he was he couldn't keep from looking at the land over which he traveled as usual he thought it looked as though the whole island had in the beginning been just such a high steep cliff as Carl'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 traveled along the coast he had seen white lime walls with grottos and crags in several directions but in most of the places they were levelled and sank inconspicuously down toward the sea in Gotland 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 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 forks at play and the boys 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 Gotland 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 seashore the boy came from the east and the sun had just begun to go down in the west when he came near 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 wasn't closed 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 splendor was gone there was nothing left but the naked grazed stone skeleton when the boy came farther into the city he saw that the larger part of it was made of small slow 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 Nith Holgerson did not see that the city even today was both beautiful and remarkable he saw neither the cheery cottages on the side streets nor the black walls and white boughs and red pelargonians behind the shining windowpains 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 Thumbitot 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 Thumbitot 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 anymore because he couldn't save the buried city that he would 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 with stood time and decay but would have stood there with ruthless churches and bare houses and desolate empty streets just like this one 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 vispy that exists than over a magnificent vignette at the bottom of the sea end of two cities read by Lars Rolander section 15 of the wonderful adventures of Nils this is a Librebox recording or Librebox recordings are in the line for more information or to volunteer please visit Librebox.org reading by Lars Rolander the wonderful adventures of Nils by Selma Lagerlööf translated by Belma Swanston Howard the legend of Smallland Tuesday April 12th the wild geese had made a good trip over the sea and had lighted in the first township in northern Smallland that township didn't seem able to make up its mind whether it wanted to be land or sea fjords 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 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 fjords here and there on the islands the boys 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 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 goosefjord 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 procaded with white anemones gagea and blue anemones when the wild geese saw the flower carpet they feared that they had lingered along 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 smorland by the next morning they must travel northward over Österjöktland the boy should then see nothing of smorland and discreet him he had heard more about smorland 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 Djubarja he had met a pair of smorland children almost every day who also tended geese these children had irritated him terribly with their smorland it wasn't fair to say that Osa the ghost girl had annoyed him she was much too wise for that but the one who could be aggravating with the vengeance was her brother little mutz have you heard Nilsko's boy how it went when smorland and skona were created he would ask and if Nilsolgrson 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 St. 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 St. 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 St. 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 St. 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 smorland 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 St. 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 to understand 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 St. 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 scornum it wasn't long before he was through with it and soon he asked if St. Peter had finished and would come and look at his work I had mine ready long ago said St. Peter and from the sound of his voice it could be heard how pleased he was with what he had accomplished when St. Peter saw scornum 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 where everyone 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 St. 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 St. Peter began the work but the southern and western parts and the whole interior he had created by all by himself now when our lord came up there where St. 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 St. Peter St. 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 high land 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 Scorne 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 uniper and moss and heather could grow there but what there was plenty of was water it had filled up all the clefts of the mountain and lakes and rivers and brooks these ones 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 welled up in clouds with the least little grease 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 frostbound land said our lord it can't be helped when little matz had gotten this far in his story also the goose girl protested I cannot bear little matz to hear you say that it is so miserable in small land said she you forget entirely how much good soil there is there only think of Möhrer district by Kalmar Sound I wonder where you will 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 matz 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 Chust think of the bays and islets and the manors and the grooves said Osa yes that's true enough little matz admitted and don't you remember continued Osa the school teacher said that such a lively and picturesque district as that bit of small land which lies south of Lake Wetten is not to be found in all Sweden think of the beautiful sea and the yellow coast mountains and of Grenna and Gönköping with this smatch factory and think of Hurskvarn and all the big establishments there yes that's true enough said little matz once again and think of Wissings ear little matz and the winds and the oak forests and the legends think of the valley through which Emon flows with all the villages and floor mills and saw mills and the carpenter shops yes that is true enough said little matz 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 lords small land out 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 small land it looks as if it says in the legend and it wasn't surprising that our lord was distressed when he saw it continued little matz as he took up the thread of his story again Saint Peter didn't lose courage at all events but tried to comfort our lord don't be so greed 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 scorn and make the scawning him but the small ender I will create myself and so our lord created the small ender and made him quick-witted and contented and happy and thrifty and enterpricing and capable that he might be able to get his livelihood in his poor country then little matz was silent and if Knits Holgerson 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 scawning him well what do you think yourself said little matz and looked so scornful that Knits Holgerson threw himself upon him to thrashing but matz was only a little tot and or sa 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 searched her brother and Knits Holgerson did not care to fight a girl but turned his back and didn't look at those small and children for the rest of the day end of the legend of small land read by Lars Rulander