I have lived
amongst wild geese for three weeks, and of them I have never heard or
seen anything but good. You must have a bad chief, since he permits you
to rob and murder in this way. You ought to begin to lead new lives, for
I can tell you that human beings have grown so tired of your wickedness
they are trying with all their might to root you out. And then there
will soon be an end of you."
When Wind-Rush and the crows heard this, they were so furious that they
intended to throw themselves upon him and tear him in pieces. But
Fumle-Drumle laughed and cawed, and stood in front of him. "Oh, no, no!"
said he, and seemed absolutely terrified. "What think you that Wind-Air
will say if you tear Thumbietot in pieces before he has gotten that
silver money for us?" "It has to be you, Fumle-Drumle, that's afraid of
women-folk," said Rush. But, at any rate, both he and the others left
Thumbietot in peace.
Shortly after that the crows went further. Until now the boy thought
that Smaland wasn't such a poor country as he had heard. Of course it
was woody and full of mountain-ridges, but alongside the islands and
lakes lay cultivated grounds, and any real desolation he hadn't come
upon. But the farther inland they came, the fewer were the villages and
cottages. Toward the last, he thought that he was riding over a
veritable wilderness where he saw nothing but swamps and heaths and
juniper-hills.
Pages:
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254