 Sections 16 of The Wonderful Adventures of Nils The Wonderful Adventures of Nils by Selma Lagerlöf Translated by Velma Svonston-Howard The Kraus The Earthen Croc In the southwest corner of Smauland lies a township called Sönebru. It's a rather smooth and even country, and one who sees it in winter when it is covered with snow cannot imagine that there is anything under the snow but garden plots, rye fields and clover meadows as is generally the case in flat countries. But in the beginning of April, when the snow finally melts away in Sönebru, it is apparent that which lies hidden under it is only dry sandy heaths, bare rocks and big marshy swamps. There are fields here and there to be sure, but they are so small that they are scarcely worth mentioning and one also finds a few little red or grey farmhouses hidden away in some beach copies almost as if they were afraid to show themselves. Where Sönebru township touches the boundaries of Haaland, there is a sandy heath which is so far reaching that he who stands upon one edge of it cannot look across to the other. Nothing except heather grows on the heath, and it wouldn't be easy either to coax other grows to thrive there. To start with, one would have to uproot the heather, for it is thus with heather although it has only a little shrunken root, small shrunken branches and dry shrunken leaves it fancies that it is a tree. Therefore, it acts just like real trees, spreads itself out in forest fashion over wide areas, holds together faithfully and causes all foreign grows that wish to crowd in upon its territory to die out. The only place on the heath where the heather is not all powerful is a low stony ridge which passes over it. There you'll find juniper bushes, mountain ash, and a few large fine oaks. At the time when Nils Holgersson travelled around with the wild geese, a little cabin stood there with a bit of cleared ground around it. But the people who had lived there at one time had for some reason or other moved away. The little cabin was empty and the ground lay unused. When the tenants left the cabin, they closed the damper, fastened the window hooks, and locked the door. But no one had thought of the broken window pane which was only stuffed with a rag. After the showers of a couple of summers, the rag had molded and shrunk, and finally a crow had succeeded in poking it out. The ridge on the heather heath was really not as desolate as one might think, for it was inhabited by a large crowfork. Naturally, the crows did not live there all the year round. They moved to foreign lands in the winter. In the autumn, they travelled from one grainfield to another all over Jötaland and picked grain. During the summer, they spread themselves over the farms in Sønnerbo township and lived upon eggs and berries and birdlings. But every spring, when nesting in time came, they came back to the heather heath. The one who had poked the rag from the window was a crowcock named Garm Whitefeather. But he was never called anything but Fümle or Drömle, or out and out Fümle Drömle, because he always acted awkwardly and stupidly and wasn't good for anything except to make fun of. Fümle Drömle was bigger and stronger than any of the other crows, but that didn't help him in the least. He was and remained a but for ridicule. And it didn't profit him either that he came from very good stock. If everything had gone smoothly, he should have been leader for the whole flock, because this honour had from time immemorial belonged to the oldest Whitefeather. But long before Fümle Drömle was born, the power had gone from his family and was now wielded by a cruel wild crow named Windrush. This transference of power was due to the fact that the crows on Crow Ridge decide to change their manner of living. Possibly there are many who think that everything in the shape of a crow lives in the same way, but this is not so. There are entire crow forks who lead honourable lives, that is to say, they only eat grain, worms, caterpillars and dead animals. And there are others who lead a regular bandit's life, who throws themselves upon baby hairs and small birds and plunder every single bird's nest they set eyes on. The ancient Whitefeathers had been strict and temperate, and as long as they had led the flock, the crows had been compelled to conduct themselves in such a way that other birds could speak no ill of them. But the crows were numerous and poverty was great among them. They didn't care to go the whole length of living a strictly moral life, so they rebelled against the Whitefeathers and gave the power to Windrush, who was the worst nest plunderer and robber that could be imagined if his wife Windair wasn't worse still. Under their government the crows had begun to lead such a life that now they were more feared than pigeon-hawks and leech owls. Naturally Firmledrumle had nothing to say in the flock. The crows were all of the opinion that he did not in the least take after his forefathers and that he wouldn't suit as a leader. No one would have mentioned him if he hadn't constantly committed fresh blunders. A few who were quite sensible sometimes said perhaps it was lucky for Firmledrumle that he was such a bungling idiot, otherwise Windrush and Windair would hardly have allowed him who was of the old chieftain stock to remain with the flock. Now on the other hand they were rather friendly towards him and willingly took him along with them on their hunting expeditions. There all could observe how much more skillful and daring they were than he. No one of the crows knew that it was Firmledrumle who had pecked the rag out of the window and had they known of this they would have been very much astonished. Such a thing as staring to approach a human being's dwelling they had never believed of him. He kept a thing to himself very carefully and he had his own good reason for it. Windrush always treated him well in the daytime and when the others were around. But one very dark night when the comrades sat on the night branch he was attacked by a couple of crows and nearly murdered. After that he moved every night of the dark from his usual sleeping quarters into the empty cabin. Now one afternoon when the crows had put their nests in order on crowridge they happened upon a remarkable find. Windrush, Firmledrumle and a couple of others had flown down into a big hollow in one corner of the heath. The hollow was nothing but a gravel pit but the crows could not be satisfied with such a simple explanation. They flew down in it continually and turned every single sand grain to get at the reason why human beings had digged it. While the crows were pottering around down there a mass of gravel fell from one side. They rushed to it and had the good fortune to find amongst the fallen stones a stubble, a large earthen crock which was locked with a wooden clasp. Naturally they wanted to know if there was anything in it and they tried both to pick holes in the crock and to bend up the clasp but they had no success. They stood perfectly helpless and examined the crock when they heard someone say, Shall I come down and assist your crows? They glanced up quickly. On the edge of the hollow sat a fox and blinked down at them. He was one of the prettiest foxes both in colour and form that they had ever seen. The only fault with him was that he had lost an ear. If you decide to do us a service said Windrush we shall not say nay. At the same time both he and the others flew up from the hollow. Then the fox jumped down in their place bit at the jar and pulled at the lock but he couldn't open it either. Can you make out what there is in it said Windrush. The fox rolled the jar back and forth and listened attentively. It must be silver money said he. This was more than the crows had expected. Do you think it can be silver said they and their eyes were ready to pop out of their heads with greed for remarkable as it may sound there is nothing in the world which crows love as much as silver money. Here how it rattles said the fox and rolled the crock around once more. Only I can't understand how we shall get at it. That will surely be impossible said the crows. The fox stood and rubbed his head against his left leg and pondered. Now perhaps he might succeed with the help of the crows in becoming master of that little imp who always eluded him. Oh, I know someone who could open the crock for you said the fox. Then tell us, tell us cried the crows and they were so excited that they tumbled down into the pit that I will do if you will first promise me that you will agree to my terms said he. Then the fox told the crows about Thumbitot and said that if they could bring him to the heath he would open the crock for them. But in payment for this council he demanded that they should deliver Thumbitot to him as soon as he had gotten the silver money for them. The crows had no reason to spare Thumbitot so agreed to the compact at once. It was easy enough to agree to this but it was harder to find out where Thumbitot and the wild geese were stopping. Windrush himself travelled away with fifty crows and said that he should soon return but one day after another passed without the crows on Crow Ridge seeing a shadow of him. Kidnapped by Crows Wednesday, April 13th the wild geese were up at daybreak so they should have time to get themselves a bite of food heading out on the journey toward Österjöttland. The island in Gusefjord where they had slept was small and barren but in the water all around it were gross which they could eat their fill upon. It was worth for the boy however he couldn't manage to find anything eatable. As he stood there hungry and drowsy and looked around in all directions his glance fell upon a pair of squirrels who played upon the wooded point directly opposite the Rock Island. He wondered if the squirrels still had any of their winter supplies left and asked the white goose agander to take him over to the point that he might beg them for a couple of hazelnuts. Instantly the white one swam across the sound with him but as luck would have it the squirrels had so much fun chasing each other from tree to tree that they didn't bother about listening to the boy. They drew farther into the groove. He hurried after them and was soon out of the goose agander's sight who stayed behind and waited on the shore. The boy waded forward between some white anemone stems which were so high they reached to his chin when he felt that someone could hold of him from behind and tried to lift him up. He turned round and saw that a crow had grabbed him by the shirt band. He tried to break loose but before this was possible another crow ran up, gripped him by the stocking and knocked him over. If Nisorgerson had immediately cried for help the white goose agander certainly would have been able to save him but the boy probably thought that he could protect himself unaided against a couple of crows. He kicked and struck out but the crows didn't let go their hold and they soon succeeded in racing themselves into the air with him. To make matters worse they flew so recklessly that his head struck against a branch. He received a hard knock over the head. It grew black before his eyes and he lost consciousness. When he opened his eyes once more he found himself high above the ground. He regained his senses slowly. At first he knew neither where he was nor what he saw. When he glanced down he saw that under him was spread a tremendously big woolly carpet which were woven in greens and reds and in irregular patterns. The carpet was very thick and fine but he thought it was a pity that it had been so badly used. It was actually ragged, long tears ran through it in some places large pieces were torn away and the strangest of all was that it appeared to be spread over a mirror floor for under the holes and tears in the carpet shone bright and glittering glass. The next thing the boy observed was that the sun unrolled itself in the heavens. Instantly the mirror glass under the holes and tears in the carpet began to shimmer in red and gold. It looked very gorgeous and the boy was delighted with a pretty color scheme although he didn't exactly understand what it was that he saw. But now the crowd descended and he saw at once that the big carpet under him was the earth which was dressed in green and brown cone trees and naked leaf trees and that the holes and tears were shining fjords and little lakes. He remembered that the first time he had traveled up in the air he had thought that the earth in Skåne looked like a piece of checked cloth but this country which resembled a torn carpet what might this be? He began to ask himself a lot of questions why wasn't he sitting on the goose agander's back why did a great swarm of crows fly around him and why was he being pulled and knocked hither and thither so that he was about to break to pieces. Then all at once the whole thing dawned on him he had been kidnapped by a couple of crows the white goose agander was still on the shore waiting and today the wild geese were going to travel to Östgötland he was being carried south-west this he understood because the sun's disc was behind him the big forest carpet which lay beneath him was surely small and what will become of the goose agander now when I cannot look after him thought the boy and began to call to the crows to take him back to the wild geese instantly he wasn't at all uneasy on his own account he believed that they were carrying him off simply in a spirit of mischief the crows didn't pay the slightest attention to his exhortations but flew on as fast as they could after a bit one of them flapped his wings in a manner which meant look out danger soon thereafter they came down in a spruce forest pushed their way between prickly branches to the ground and put the boy down under a thick spruce where he was so well concealed that not even a falcon could have sighted him fifty crows surrounded him with bills pointed toward him to guard him now perhaps I may hear crows what your purpose is in carrying me off said he but he was hardly permitted to finish the sentence before a big crow hissed at him keep still or I'll bore your eyes out it was evident that the crow meant what she said and there was nothing for the boy to do but obey so he sat there and stared at the crows and the crows stared at him the longer he looked at them the less he liked them it was dreadful how dusty and unkempt their feathered dresses were as though they knew neither boss nor oiling their toes and claws were grimy with dried in mud and the corners of their mouths were covered with food drippings these were very different birds from the wild geese that he observed he thought they had a cruel, sneaky watchful and bold appearance just like cutthroats and vagabonds it is certainly a real robber band that I have fallen in with thought he just then he heard the wild geese call about him where are you here am I where are you here am I he understood that Aka and the others had gone out to search for him but before he could answer them the big crow who appeared to be the leader of the band histinicier think of your eyes and there was nothing else for him to do but to keep still the wild geese may not have known that he was so near them but had just happened incidentally to travel over this forest he heard their call a couple of times more then it died away well now you'll have to get along by yourself nil solgerson he said to himself now you must prove whether you have learnt anything during these weeks in the open a moment later the crows gave the signal to break up and since it was still their intention apparently to carry him along in such a way that one held on to his shirt band and one to his stocking the boy said is there not one among you so strong that he can carry me on his back you have already travelled so badly with me that I feel as if I were in pieces only let me ride I'll not jump from the crows back that I promise you oh you're needing things that we care how you have it said the leader but now the largest of the crows an uncouth one who had a white feather in his wing came forward and said it would certainly be best for all of us windrush if thumb bitot got their hoe rather than half and therefore I shall carry him on my back if you can do it fum le drum le I have no objection said windrush but don't lose him much was already gained and the boy actually felt pleased again there is nothing to be gained by losing my grit because I have been kidnapped by the crows, thought he I'll surely be able to manage those poor little things the crows continued to fly south west of a small land it was a glorious morning sunny and calm and the birds down on the earth were singing their best love songs my dark forest that the thrush himself with drooping wings and swelling throat and struck up tune after tune how pretty you are how pretty you are sang he no one is so pretty no one is so pretty as soon as he had finished this song he began it all over again but just then the boy rode over the forest and when he had heard the song a couple of times and marked that the thrush knew no other he put both hands up to his mouth as a speaking trumpet and called down we've heard all this before we've heard all this before who is it who is it who makes fun of me ask the thrush and try to catch a glimpse of the one who called it is kidnapped by crows who makes fun of your song answered the boy the chief turned his head and said be careful of your eyes thumb be taught but the boy thought oh I don't care about that I want to show you that I'm not afraid of you father and father in land they traveled and there were woods and lakes everywhere in a birch grove sat the wood dow on a naked branch and before him stood the lady dow he blew up his feathers cocked his head raised and lowered his body until the breast feathers rattled against the branch all the way he could thou, thou, thou art the loveliest in all the forest no one in the forest is so loveliest thou, thou, thou but up in the air the boy rode past and when he heard Mr. Dove he couldn't keep still don't you believe him why did he hide he who, who, who is that lies about me could Mr. Dove and try to get a sight of the one who shrieked at him it is caught by a crows that lies about you replied the boy again Windrush turned his head toward the boy and commanded him to shut up but Fumla Drumle who was carrying him said let him chatter then all the little birds will think they are weak-witted and funny birds oh they are not such fools either said Windrush but he liked the idea just the same for after that he let the boy call out as much as he liked they flew mostly over forests and woodlands but there were churches and parishes and little cabins in the outskirts of the forest in one place they saw a pretty old manor it lay with the forest back of it and the sea in front of it had red walls and a turn roof great sycamores about the grounds and big thick gooseberry bushes in the orchard on the top of the weather cock sat the starling and sang so loud that every note was heard by the wife who sat on an egg in the heart of a pear tree we have four pretty little eggs sang the starling we have four pretty little round eggs we have the whole nest filled with fine eggs when the starling sang the song for the southern time the boy rode over the place he put his hands up to his mouth as a pipe and called the magpie will get them the magpie will get them who is it that wants to frighten me asked the starling and flapped his wings uneasily it is captured by crows that frightens you said the boy last time the crowd chief didn't attempt to hush him up instead both he and his flock were having so much fun that they cowed with satisfaction the farther inland they came the larger were the lakes and the more plentiful were the islands and points and on a lake shore stood a drake and cowed out before the duck I'll be true to you all the days of my life I'll be true to you all the days of my life said the drake it won't last until the summer's end shriek the boy who are you called the drake my name stolen by crows shriek the boy at dinner time the crows lighted in a food grove they walked about and procured food for themselves but none of them thought about giving the boy anything then Firmler-Drumler came riding up to the chief with the doggroves branch with a few dried buds on it here's something for you Windrush said he this is pretty food and suitable for you Windrush sniffed contemptuously do you think that I want to eat old dried buds said he and I who thought that you would be pleased with them said Firmler-Drumler and threw away the doggroves branch as if in despair but it fell right in front of the boy and he wasn't slow about grabbing it and eating until he was satisfied when the crows had eaten they began to chatter what are you thinking about Windrush you are so quiet today said one of them to the leader I'm thinking that in this district there lived once upon a time a hen who was very fond of her mistress and in order to really please her she went and laid a nest full of eggs which she hid under the storehouse floor the mistress of the house wondered of course whether hen was keeping herself such a long time she searched for but did not find her can you guess long bill who it was that found her and the eggs I think I can guess it Windrush but when you have told about this I will tell you something like it do you remember the big cat in Henry's parish house she was dissatisfied because they always took the newborn kittens from her and drowned them just once did she succeed in keeping them concealed and that was when she had laid them in a haystack outdoors she was pretty well pleased with those young kittens but I believe that I got more pleasure out of them than she did now they became so excited that they all talked at once what kind of an accomplishment is that to steal little kittens? said one I once chased a young hare who was almost full grown that meant to follow him from covert to covert he got no further before another took the words from him it may be fun perhaps to annoy hens and cats but I find it still more remarkable that a crow can worry a human being stole a silver spoon but now the boy thought he was too good to sit and listen to such gavel now listen to me your crow said he I think you ought to be ashamed of yourself to talk about all your wickedness I have lived among wild geese for three weeks and of them I have never heard or seen anything but good you must have a bad chief since he permits you to rob and murder in this way they begin to lead new lives for I can tell you that human beings have grown so tired of your wickedness that they are trying with all their might to root you out and then there will soon be an end of you when Windrush and the crows heard this they were so furious that they intended to throw themselves upon him and tear him in pieces but Fumly Drumly laughed and called and stood in front of him oh no no and seemed absolutely terrified what think you that Windrush will say if you tear Thumbitot in pieces before he has gotten that silver money for us it has to be you Fumly Drumly that is afraid of women folks at rush but at any rate both he and the others left Thumbitot in peace shortly after that the crows went further until now the boy thought that Smallon wasn't such a poor country as he had heard of course it was woody and full of mountain ridges but alongside the islands and lakes lay cultivated grounds and any real desolation he hadn't come upon but the father inland they came the fewer were the villages and cottages toward the last he thought that he was riding over a veritable wilderness where he saw nothing but swamps and heaths and juniper hills the sun had gone down but it was still perfect daylight when the crows reached the large heather heath Windrush sent a crow on ahead to say that he had met with success and when it was known wind there with several hundred crows from Crowridge flew to meet the arrivals in the midst of the deafening cowing which the crows emitted Fumly Drumly said to the boy you have been so comical and so jolly during the trip that I am really fond of you therefore I want to give you some good advice as soon as we light you'll be requested to do a bit of work which may seem very easy to you but beware of doing it soon thereafter Fumly Drumly put Nils Holgers on down in the bottom of a sand pit the boy flung himself down rolled over and lay there as though he was simply done up with fatigued such a lot of crows fluttered about him that the air rustled like a windstorm but he didn't look up Thumbitott said Windrush get up now you shall help us with the matter which will be very easy for you the boy didn't move but pretended to be asleep then Windrush took him by the arm and dragged him over the sand to an earthen crock of old time make that was standing in the pit get up Thumbitott said he and open this crock why can't you let me sleep said the boy I'm too tired to do anything tonight wait until tomorrow open the crock said Windrush shaking him how shall a poor little child be able to open such a crock why it's quite as large as I am myself open it commanded Windrush once more or it will be a sorry thing for you the boy got up tottered over to the crock fumble the clasp and let his arms fall I'm not usually so weak said he if you will only let me sleep until morning I think that I'll be able to manage with that clasp but Windrush was impatient and he rushed forward and pinched the boy in the leg that sort of treatment the boy didn't care to suffer from a crowd he jerked himself loose quickly ran a couple of paces backward drew his knife from the sheath and held it extended in front of him you'd better be careful he cried to Windrush this one was so enraged that he didn't dodge the danger he rushed at the boy just as though he'd been blind and ran so straight against the knife that it entered through his eye into the head put the knife back quickly but Windrush only struck out with his wings then he fell down dead Windrush is dead the stranger has killed our chieftain Windrush cried the nearest crowd and then there was a terrible uproar some wailed others cried for vengeance they all ran or fluttered up to the boy with Firmler-Droomler in the lead but he acted badly as usual he only fluttered and spread his wings over the boy and prevented the others from coming forward and running their bills into him the boy thought that things looked very bad for him now he couldn't run away from the crowds and there was no place where he could hide then he happened to think of the earth and croc he took a firm hold on the clasp and pulled it off then he hopped into the croc to hide in it the croc was a poor hiding place for it was nearly filled to the brim with little thin silver coins the boy couldn't get far enough down so he stooped and began to throw out the coins until now the crowd had fluttered around him in a thick swarm and pecked at him but when he threw out the coins they immediately forgot their thirst for vengeance and hurried to gather the money the boy threw out handfuls of it the crowd's yes even Winder herself picked them up and everyone who succeeded in picking up a coin ran off to the nest with the outmost speed to conceal it when the boy had thrown out all the silver pennies from the croc he glanced up not more than a single crowd was left in the sandpit that was fumle drumle with the white feather in his wing he who had carried thumb be taught you have rendered me a greater service than you understand said the crowd with a very different voice and a different intonation than the one he had used here to for and I want to save your life sit down on my back and I'll take you to a hiding place where you can be secure for tonight tomorrow I'll arrange it so that you will get back to the wild geese the cabin the next morning when the boy awoke he lay in a bed when he saw that he was in a house with four walls around him and a roof over him he thought he was at home I wonder if mother will come soon with some coffee he muttered to himself where he lay half awake then he remembered that he was in a deserted cabin on the crow ridge and that fumle drumle the other had borne him there the night before the boy was sore all over after the journey he had made the day before and he thought it was lovely to lie still where he waited for fumle drumle who had promised to come and fetch him curtains of checked cotton hung before the bed and he drew them aside to look out into the cabin it dawned upon him instantly that he had never seen the mate to a cabin like this the walls consisted of nothing but a couple of rows of logs then the roof began there was no interior ceiling so he could look clear up to the roof tree the cabin was so small that it appeared to have been built rather for such a sea than for real people however the fireplace and chimney were so large he thought that he had never seen larger the entrance door was in a gable wall at the side of the fireplace and was so narrow that it was more like a wicket than a door in the other gable wall he saw a low and broad window with many paints there was scarcely any movable furniture in the cabin the bench on one side and the table under the window were also stationary also the big bed where he lay and the many coloured cupboard the boy could not help wondering the cabin and why it was deserted it certainly looked as though the people who had lived there expected to return the coffee urn and the gruel pot stood on the hearth and there was some wood in the fireplace the oven rake and the baker's peel stood in a corner the spinning wheel was raised on a bench on the shelf over the window lay oakum and flax a couple of skeins of yarn a candle and a bunch of matches yes it surely looked as if those who had lived there had intended to come back there were bed clothes on the bed and on the walls there still hung low strips of cloth upon which three riders named kusper, melkure and balthasar were painted the same horses and riders were pictured many times they rode around the whole cabin and continued their ride even up toward the joists but in the roof the boys saw something which brought him to his senses in a jiffy it was a couple of loaves of big bread cakes that hung there upon a spit they looked old and moldy but it was bread all the same he gave them a knock with the oven rake and one piece fell to the floor he ate and stuffed his bag full it was incredible how good bread was anyway he looked around the cabin once more to try and discover if there was anything else which he might find useful to take along I may as well take what I need since no one else cares about it thought he but most of the things were too big and heavy the only thing that he could carry might be a few matches perhaps he clambered up on the table and swung with the help of the curtains up to the window shelf while he stood there and stuffed the matches into his bag the crow with the white feather came in through the window well, here I am at last said Firmler-Drumler as he lit on the table I couldn't get here any sooner because we crows have elected a new chief tain in Windrush's place Whom have you chosen said the boy well, we have chosen one who will not permit robbery and injustice we have elected Garm white feather lately called Firmler-Drumler answered he drawing himself up until he looked absolutely regal that was a good choice said the boy and congratulated him you may well wish me luck said Garm then he told the boy about the time they had had with Windrush and Windair during this recital the boy heard a voice outside the window which he thought sounded familiar is he here inquired the fox yes, he is hidden in there answered the crow voice be careful Thumbitot cried Garm Windair stands without with that fox who wants to eat you more he didn't have time to say for Smirr dashed against the window the old rotten window frame gave way and the next second Smirr stood upon the window table Garm white feather who didn't have time to fly away he killed instantly there upon he jumped down to the floor and looked around for the boy he tried to hide behind a big oakum spiral but Smirr had already spied him and was crouched for the final spring the cabin was so small and so low the boy understood that the fox could reach him without the least difficulty but just at that moment the boy was not without weapons of defense he struck a match quickly touched the curtains and when they were in flames he threw them down upon Smirr Fox when the fire enveloped the fox he was seized with the mad terror he thought no more about the boy but rushed wildly out of the cabin but it looked as if the boy had escaped one danger to throw himself into a greater one from the tuft of oakum which he had flung at Smirr the fire had spread to the bed hangings he jumped down and tried to smother it but it blazed too quickly now the cabin was soon filled with smoke and Smirr Fox who had remained just outside the window began to grasp the state of affairs within well Thambitot he called out which do you choose now to be boiled alive in there or to come out here to me of course I should prefer to have the pleasure of eating you but in whichever way death meets you it will be dear to me the boy could not think but what the fox was right for the fire was making rapid headway the whole bed was now in a blaze and smoke rose from the floor and along the painted wall strips the fire crept from rider to rider the boy jumped up in the fireplace and tried to open the oven door when he heard a key which turned around slowly in the lock it must be human beings coming and in the dire extremity in which he found himself he was not afraid but only glad he was already on the threshold when the door opened he saw a couple of children facing him but how they looked when they saw the cabin in flames he took no time to find out but rushed past them into the open he didn't dare run far he knew of course that smirre fox lay in wait for him and he understood that he must remain near the children he turned round to see what sort of fork they were but he hadn't looked at them a second before he ran up to them and cried oh good day orzagoo's girl oh good day little mutts for when the boy saw those children he forgot entirely where he was crowds and burning cabin and talking vanished from his memory he was walking on a stubble field in west wemingherg tending a goose flock and beside him on the field walked those same smallen children with their geese as soon as he saw them he ran up to the stone hedge and shouted oh good day orzagoo's girl oh good day little mutts but when the children saw such a little creature coming up to them with outstretched hands took a couple of steps backward and looked scared to death when the boy noticed their terror he woke up and remembered who he was and then it seemed to him that nothing worse could happen to him than that those children should see how he had been bewitched shame and grief because he was no longer a human being overpowered him he turned and fled he knew not wither but a glad meeting awaited the boy when he came down to the heath for there in the heather he spied something white and toward him came the white goose agander accompanied by dune fin when the white one saw the boy running with such speed he thought that dreadful fins were pursuing him he flung him in all haste upon his back and flew off with him end of the Krause read by Lars Rolander section 17 of the wonderful 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 Lagerlöf translated by Wilma Swanston Howard the old peasant woman Thursday, April 14th three tired wonders were out in the late evening in search of a night harbour they travelled of a poor and desolate portion of northern small land but the sort of resting place which they wanted they should have been able to find for they were no weaklings who asked for soft beds or comfortable rooms this long mountain ridges had a peak so high and steep that a fox couldn't in any way climb up to it then we should have a good sleeping place said one of them if a single one of the big swamps were thought out and was so marshy and wet that a fox wouldn't dare venture out on it this too would be a right good night harbour said the second if the eyes on one of the large lakes the travel past were loose so that a fox could not come out on it then we should have found just what we are seeking said the third the worst of it was that when the sun had gone down two of the travellers became so sleepy that every second they were ready to fall to the ground the third one who could keep himself awake grew more and more uneasy as night approached then it was a misfortune to land where lakes and swamps are frozen so that a fox can get around everywhere in other places the eyes have melted away but now we are well up in the very coldest small land where spring has not as yet arrived I don't know how I shall ever manage to find a good sleeping place unless I find some spot that is well protected smirre fox will be upon us before morning he gazed in all directions but he saw no shelter where he could lodge it was a dark and chilly night with wind and drizzle it grew more terrible and disagreeable around him every second this may sound strange perhaps but the travellers didn't seem to have the least desire to ask for house room on any farm they had already passed many parishes without knocking at a single door little hillside cabins on the outskirts of the forests which all poor wonders are glad to run across they took no notice of either one might almost be tempted to say they deserved to have a hard time of it since they did not seek help where it was to be had for the asking but finally when it was so dark that there was scarcely a glimmer of light left under the skies and the two who needed sleep were gone in a kind of half-sleep they happened into a farmyard which was a long way off from all neighbours and not only did it lie there desolate but it appeared to be uninhabited as well no smoke rose from the chimney no light shone through their windows no human being moved on the place when the one among the three who could keep awake saw the place he thought now come what may we must try to get in there anything better we are not likely to find soon after that all three stood in the houseyard two of them fell asleep the instant they stood still but the third looked about immediately to find where they could get under cover it was not a small farm beside the dwelling house and stable and smoke house there were long ranges granaries and store houses and cattle sheds but it all looked awfully poor and elapidated the houses had grey moss grown leaning walls which seemed ready to topple over in the roofs were yawning holes and the doors hung a slant on broken hinges it was apparent that no one had taken the trouble to drive a nail into a wall on this place for a long time meanwhile he who was awake had figured out which house was the cowshed he roused his travelling companions from their sleep and conducted them to the cowshed door luckily this was not fastened with anything but a hook which he could easily push up with a rod he heaved a sigh of relief at the thought that they should soon be in safety but when the cowshed door swung open with a sharp creaking he heard a cow begin to bellow are you coming at last mistress said she I thought that you didn't propose to give me any supper tonight the one who was awake stopped in the doorway absolutely terrified when he discovered that the cowshed was not empty but he soon saw that there was not more than one cow and three or four chickens and then he took courage again we are three poor travellers who want to come in somewhere where no fox can assail us and no human being capture us said he we wonder if this can be a good place for us I cannot believe but what it is answered the cow to be sure the walls are poor but the fox does not walk through them as yet and no one lives here except an old peasant woman who isn't at all likely to make a captive of anyone but who are you she continued as she twisted in her stall to get a sight of the newcomers I am Nils Holgersson from Wemminghög who has been transformed into an elf replied the first of the incomers and I have with me a tame goose whom I generally ride and a grey goose such rare guests have never before been within my four walls said the cow and you shall be welcome I have heard that it had been my mistress come to give me supper the boy led the geese into the cowshed which was rather large and placed them in an empty manger where they fell asleep instantly for himself he made a little bed of straw and expected that he too should go to sleep at once but this was impossible for the poor cow who hadn't had her supper wasn't still an instant she shook her flanks around in the stall and complained of how hungry she was the boy couldn't get a wink of sleep but lay there and lived over all the things that had happened to him during these last days he thought of also the goose girl and little mutts whom he had encountered so unexpectedly and he fancied that the little cabin which he had set on fire must have been their old home in Småland now he recalled that he had heard them speak of the cabin and of the big heather heath which lay below it now all son mutts had wandered back there to see their old home again and then when they had reached it it was in flames it was indeed a great sorrow which he had brought upon them and it hurt him very much if he ever again became a human being he would try to compensate them for the damage and the miscalculation then his thoughts wandered to the crowds and when he thought of Fumlid Rumlid who had saved his life and had met his own death so soon after he had been elected chief then he was so distressed that tears filled his eyes he had had a pretty rough time of it these last few days but anyway it was a rare stroke of luck that the goose agander and dunfin had found him the goose agander had said as soon as the geese had discovered that Thumbitopt had disappeared they had asked all the small animals in the forest about him they soon learned that a flock of small-on-crows had carried him off but the crows were already out of sight and wither they had directed their course no one had been able to say that they might find the boy as soon as possible Akka had commanded the wild geese to start out two and two in different directions to search for him but after a two days hunt whether or not they had found him they were to meet in north-western small-on on a high mountain top which resembled an abrupt chopped-off tower and was called Tabari after Akka had given them the best directions and described carefully how they should find Tabari they had separated the white goose agander had chosen dunfin as traveling companion and they had flown about hither and thither with the greatest anxiety for Thumbitopt during this ramble they had heard a thrush who sat in a tree-top cry and wail that someone who called himself kidnapped by crows had made fun of him they had talked with the thrush and he had shown them in which direction that kidnapped by crows had traveled afterward they had met a dove-cock a starling and a drake they had all wailed about a little culprit who had disturbed their song and was named caught by crows captured by crows and stolen by crows in this way they were enabled to trace Thumbitopt all the way to the heath-the-heath in Sunerbu township as soon as the goose agander and dunfin had found Thumbitopt they had started toward the north in order to reach Tabari but it had been a long road to travel and the darkness was upon them before they had sighted the mountain-top if we only get there by tomorrow surely all our troubles will be over, thought the boy and dug down into the straw to have it warmer all the while the cow fussed and fumed in the stall then all of a sudden she began to talk to the boy everything is wrong with me said the cow I am neither milk nor tended I have no night fodder in my manger and no bed has been made under me my mistress came here at dusk to put things in order for me but she felt so ill that she had to go in soon again and she has not returned it's distressing that I should be little and powerless said the boy I don't believe that I am able to help you you can't make me believe that you are powerless because you are little said the cow all the elves that I've ever heard of were so strong that they could pull a whole load of hay and strike a cow dead with one fist the boy couldn't help laughing at the cow they were a very different kind of elf from me said he but I loosened your halter and opened the door for you so that you can go out and drink some of the pools on the place and then I'll try to climb up to the hay loft and throw down some hay in your manger yes that would be some help said the cow the boy did as he had said and when the cow stood with a full manger in front of her he thought that at last he should get some sleep but he had hardly crept down in the bed before she began anew to talk to him you'll be clean put out with me if I ask you for one thing more said the cow oh no I won't if it's only something that I'm able to do said the boy then I will ask you to go into the cabin directly opposite and find out how my mistress is getting along I fear some misfortune has come to her no I can't do that said the boy I dare not show myself before human beings surely you are not afraid of an old and sick woman said the cow but you do not need to go into the cabin just stand outside the door and peep in through the crack oh if that is all you ask of me I'll do it of course said the boy with that he opened the cowshed door and went out in the yard it was a fearful night neither moon nor stars shone blue agale and the rain came down in torrents and the worst of all was that seven great owls sat in a row on the eaves of the cabin it was awful just to hear them where they sat and grumbled at the weather but it was even worse to think what would happen to him if one of them should set eyes on him that would be the last of him pity him who is little said the boy as he ventured out in the yard and he had a right to say this for he was blown down twice before he got to the house once the wind swept him into a pool which was so deep that he came near drowning but he got there nevertheless he clambered up a pair of steps scrambled over a threshold and came into the hallway the cabin door was closed but down in one corner a large piece had been cut away that the cat might go in and out it was no difficulty whatever for the boy to see how things were in the cabin he had hardly cast a glance in there before he staggered back and turned his head away an old gray-haired woman lay stretched out on the floor within she neither moved nor moaned and her face shone strangely white it was as if an invisible moon had thrown a feeble light over it the boy remembered that when his grandfather had died his face had also become so strangely white like and he understood that the old woman who lay on the cabin floor must be dead death had probably come to her so suddenly that she didn't even have time to lie down on her bed as he thought of being alone with the dead in the middle of the dark night he was terribly afraid he threw himself headlong down and rushed back to the cowshed when he had told the cow what he had seen in the cabin she stopped eating so my mistress is dead said she then it will soon be over for me as well there will always be someone to look out for you said the boy comfortingly ah you don't know said the cow that I am already twice as old as a cow usually is laid upon the slaughter bench but then I do not care to live any longer since she in there can come no more to care for me she said nothing more for a while but the boy observed no doubt that she neither slept nor ate it was not long before she began to speak again is she lying on the bare floor she asked the boy she had a habit of coming out to the cowshed she continued and talking about everything that troubled her I understood what she said although I could not answer her these last few days she talked of how afraid she was lest there would be no one with her when she died she was anxious for fear no one should close her eyes hold her hands across her breast after she was dead perhaps you will go in and do this the boy hesitated he remembered that when his grandfather had died mother had been very careful about putting everything to rights he knew this was something which had to be done but on the other hand he felt that he didn't care go to the dead in the ghastly night he didn't say no neither did he take a step toward the cowshed door for a couple of seconds the old cow was silent just as if she had expected an answer but when the boy said nothing she did not repeat her request instead she began to talk with him of her mistress there was much to tell first and foremost about all the children which she had brought up they had been in the cowshed every day and in the summer they had taken the cattle to pasture on the swamp and in the grooves so the old cow knew all about them they had been splendid all of them and happy and industrious a cow knew well enough what her caretakers were good for there was also much to be said about the farm it had not always been as poor as it was now although the greater part of it consisted of swamps and stony groves there was not much room for fields but there was plenty of good fodder everywhere at one time there had been a cow for every stall in the cowshed and the oxhed which was now empty had at one time been filled with oxen and then there was life and gaiety both in cabin and cowhouse when the mistress opened the cowshed door she would hum and sing and all the cows loathed with gladness when they heard her coming but the good man had died when the children were so small that they could not be of any assistance and the mistress had to take charge of the farm and all the work and responsibility she had been as strong as a man and had both plowed and reaped in the evenings when she came into the house to milk sometimes she was so tired that she wept then she dashed away her tears and was cheerful again it doesn't matter good times are coming again for me too if only my children grow up yes if they only grow up but as soon as the children were grown a strange longing came over them they didn't want to stay at home but went away to a strange country their mother never got any help from them a couple of her children were married before they went away and they had left their children behind in the old home and now these children followed the mistress in the cowshed just as her own had done they tended the cows and were fine good folk and in the evenings when the mistress was so tired out in the middle of the milking she would rouse herself again to renewed courage by thinking of them good times are coming for me too said she and shook off sleep when once they are grown but when these children grew up they went away to their parents in the strange land no one came back no one stayed at home the old mistress was left alone on the farm probably she had never asked them to remain with her think you, Redlina that I would ask them to stay here with me when they can go out in the world and have things comfortable she would say as she stood in the stall with the old cow here in smallon they have only poverty to look forward to but when the last grandchild was gone it was all up with the mistress all at once she became bent and gray and tottered as she walked as if she no longer had the strength to move about she stopped working she did not care to look after the farm but let everything go to rack and ruin she didn't repair the houses and she sold both the cows and the oxen the only one that she kept was the old cow who now talked with Thambitot her she let live because all the children had tended her she could have taken maids and farmhands into her service who would have helped her with the work but she couldn't bear to see strangers around her since her own had deserted her perhaps she was better satisfied to let the farm go to ruin since none of the children were coming back to take it after she was gone she did not mind that she herself became poor because she didn't value that which was only hers but she was troubled lest the children should find out how hard she had it if only the children do not hear of this if only the children do not hear of this she sighed as she tottered through the cowhouse the children wrote constantly and begged her to come out to them but this she did not wish she didn't want to see the land that had taken them from her she was angry with it it's foolish of me perhaps that I do not like that land which has been so good for them said she, but I don't want to see it she never thought of anything but the children and of this that they must needs have gone when summer came she led the cow out to grace in the big swamp all the day she would sit on the edge of the swamp her hands in her lap and on the way home she would say you see, Rödlina if there had been large rich fields here in place of these barren swamps then there would have been no need for them to leave she could become furious with the swamp which spread out so big and did no good she could sit and talk about how it was the swamp's fault that the children had left her this last evening she had been more trembling and feeble than ever before she could not even do the milking she had leaned against the manger and talked about two strangers who had been to see her and had asked if they might buy the swamp they wanted to drain it and sow and raise grain on it this had made her both anxious and glad do you hear, Rödlina she had said do you hear they said that grain can grow on the swamp now I shall write to the children to come home and to stay away any longer for now they can get their bread here at home it was this that she had gone into the cabin to do the boy heard no more of what the old cow said he had opened the cowhouse door and gone across the yard and into the dead whom he had but lately been so afraid of it was not so poor in the cabin as he had expected it was well supplied with the sort of things one generally finds among those who have relatives in America in a corner there was an American rocking chair on the table before the window lay a brocaded plush cower there was a pretty spread on the bed on the walls in cardboard frames hung the photographs of the children and grandchildren who had gone away on the beroasted high vases and a couple of candlesticks with thick spiral candles in them the boy searched for a matchbox and lighted these candles not because he needed more light than he already had but because he thought that this was one way to honour the dead then he went up to her closed her eyes folded her hands across her breast and stroked back the thin grey hair from her face he thought no more about being afraid of her he was so deeply grieved because she had been forced to live without her old age in loneliness and longing he at least would watch over her dead body this night he hunted off the psalm book and seated himself to read a couple of psalms in an undertone but in the middle of the reading he paused because he had begun to think about his mother and father think that parents can long so for their children this he had never known think that life can be as though it was over for them when the children are away think if those at home longed for him in the same way that this old peasant woman had longed this thought made him happy but he dared not believe in it he had not been such a one that anybody could long for him but what he had not been perhaps he could become round about him he saw the portraits of those who were away they were big strong men and women with earnest faces there were brides in long veils and gentlemen in fine clothes and there were children with waved hair and pretty white dresses and he thought that they all stared blindly into vacancy and did not want to see poor you said the boy to the portraits your mother is dead you cannot make reparation now because you went away from her but my mother is living here he paused and nodded and smiled to himself my mother is living said he both father and mother are living end of the old peasant woman read by Lorsch Rolander section 18 of the wonderful 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 Lorsch Rolander the boy sat awake nearly all night but toward morning he fell asleep and then he dreamt of his father and mother he could hardly recognize them they had both grown gray and had old and wrinkled faces he asked how this had come about and they answered that they had aged so because they had longed for him he was both touched and astonished for he had never been but what they were glad to be rid of him when the boy awoke the morning was come with fine clear weather first he himself ate a bit of bread which he found in the cabin then he gave morning feed to both geese and cow and opened the cowhouse door so that the cow could go over to the nearest farm when the cow came along all by herself the neighbors would no doubt understand that something was wrong with her mistress they would hurry over to the desolate farm to see how the old woman was getting along and then they would find her dead body and bury it the boy and the geese had barely raced themselves into the air when they caught a glimpse of a high mountain with almost perpendicular walls and an abrupt broken off top and they understood that this must be Tabari on the summit stood Akka with yksi and kaksi, kolmi, ennelye visi and knusi and all six gooslings and waited for them there was a rejoicing and a cackling and a fluttering and a calling which no one can describe when they saw that the goosigander and dunfin had succeeded in finding thambitot the woods grew pretty high up on Tabari's sides but her highest peak was sparen and from there one could look out in all directions if one gazed toward the east or south or west then there was hardly anything to be seen but a poor highland with dark spruce trees brown morasses, ice-clad lakes and bluish mountain ridges the boy couldn't keep from thinking it was true that the one who had created this hadn't taken very great pains with this work but had thrown it together in a hurry but if one glanced to the north it was altogether different here it looked as if it had been worked out with the outmost care and affection in this direction one so only beautiful mountains soft valleys and winding rivers to the big lake Vetten which lay ice free and transparently clear and shown as if it wasn't filled with water but with blue light it was Vetten that made it so pretty to look toward the north because it looked as though a blue stream had risen up from the lake and spread itself over land also grooves and hills and roofs and the spires of Jönköping city and along Vetten's shores lay enveloped in pale blue which caressed the eye if there were countries in heaven they too must be blue like this thought the boy and imagine that he had gotten a faint idea of how it must look in paradise later in the day when the geese continued their journey they flew up toward the blue valley they were in holiday humor shrieked and made such a racket that no one who had ears could help hearing them this happened to be the first really fine spring day they had had in this section until now the spring had done his work under rain and bluster and now when it had all of a sudden become fine weather the people were filled with such a longing after summer warmth and green woods that they could hardly perform their tasks and when the wild geese rode by high above the ground cheerful and free there wasn't one who did not drop what he had in hand and glance at them the first ones who saw the wild geese that day were miners on Taberi who were digging ore at the mouth of the mine when they heard them cackle they paused in their drilling for ore and one of them called to the birds where are you going where are you going the geese didn't understand what he said but the boy leaned forward over the ghost back and answered for them where there is neither pick nor hammer when the miners heard the words they thought it was their own longing that made the goose cackle sound like human speech take us along with you take us along with you they cried not this year shrieked the boy not this year the wild geese followed Taberi river down toward monk lake and all the while they made the same racket here on the narrow land strip between monk and wetten lakes laid yönsherping with its great factories the wild geese rode first of a monk for paper mills the noon rest hour was just over and the big workmen were screaming down to the mill gate when they heard the wild geese they stopped a moment to listen to them where are you going where are you going called the workmen the wild geese understood nothing what they said but the boy answered for them there where there are neither machines nor steam boxes when the workmen heard the answer they believed it was their own longing to make a sound like human speech take us along with you not this year answered the boy not this year next the geese rode over the well known match factory which lies on the shores of wetten large as a fortress and lifts its high chimneys toward the sky not a soul moved out in the yards but in a large hall young working women sat and filled matchboxes they had opened a window on account of the beautiful weather and through it came the wild geese's call the one who sat nearest the window leaned out with a matchbox in her hand and cried where are you going where are you going to that land whether is no need of either light or matches said the boy the girl thought that what she had heard was only goose cackle but since she thought she had distinguished a couple of words she called out in answer take me along with you not this year replied the boy not this year east of the factory rises young chirping on the most glorious spot that any city can occupy the narrow wetten has high steep sand shores both on the eastern and western sides but straight south the walls are broken down just as if to make room for a large gate through which one reaches the lake and in the middle of the gate with mountains to the left and mountains to the right with monk lake behind it and wetten in front of it lies young chirping the wild geese traveled forward over the long narrow city and behaved themselves here just as they had done in the country but in the city there was no one who answered them it was not to be expected that city folks should stop out in the streets and call to the wild geese the trip extended further along wetten's shores and after a little they came to san sanitarium some of the patients had gone out on the veranda to enjoy the spring air and in this way they heard the goose cackle where are you going asked one of them with such a feeble voice that he was scarcely heard to that land where there is neither sorrow nor sickness answered the boy take us along with you said the sick ones not this year answered the boy not this year when they had traveled still farther on they came to husqvarna it lay in a valley the mountains around it were steep and beautifully formed a river rushed along the heights in long and narrow falls big workshops and factories lay below the mountain walls and scattered over the valley bottom where the workmen's homes encircled by little gardens and in the center of the valley lay the schoolhouse just as the wild geese came along a bell rang and a crowd of school children marched out in line they were so numerous that the whole schoolyard was filled with them where are you going where are you going the children shouted when they heard the wild geese where there are neither books nor lessons to be found answered the boy take us along shrieked the children not this year but next cried the boy not this year but next end of Fromtaberg to Husqvarna Red by Lars Rolander