That they might find the boy as soon as possible, Akka had
commanded the wild geese to start out--two and two--in different
directions, to search for him. But after a two days' hunt, whether or
not they had found him, they were to meet in northwestern Smaland on a
high mountain-top, which resembled an abrupt, chopped-off tower, and was
called Taberg. After Akka had given them the best directions, and
described carefully how they should find Taberg, they had separated.
The white goosey-gander had chosen Dunfin as travelling companion, and
they had flown about hither and thither with the greatest anxiety for
Thumbietot. During this ramble they had heard a thrush, who sat in a
tree-top, cry and wail that someone, who called himself
Kidnapped-by-Crows, had made fun of him. They had talked with the
thrush, and he had shown them in which direction that Kidnapped-by-Crows
had travelled. Afterward, they had met a dove-cock, a starling and a
drake; they had all wailed about a little culprit who had disturbed
their song, and who was named Caught-by-Crows, Captured-by-Crows, and
Stolen-by-Crows. In this way, they were enabled to trace Thumbietot all
the way to the heather-heath in Sonnerbo township.
As soon as the goosey-gander and Dunfin had found Thumbietot, they had
started toward the north, in order to reach Taberg.
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