'
"After this the peasant did not hesitate to state his errand. He said
that he had come to ask how it would go with Oestergoetland in the future.
There was nothing which was so dear to him as his native province, and
he felt that he should be happy until his dying day if he could get a
satisfactory reply to his query.
"'Oh! is that all you wish to know,' said the wise lady; 'then I think
that you will be content. For here where I now sit, I can tell you that
it will be like this with Oestergoetland: it will always have something to
boast of ahead of other provinces.'
"'Yes, that was a good answer, dear lady,' said the peasant, 'and now I
would be entirely at peace if I could only comprehend how such a thing
should be possible.'
"'Why should it not be possible?' said Ulvasa-lady. 'Don't you know that
Oestergoetland is already renowned? Or think you there is any place in
Sweden that can boast of owning, at the same time, two such cloisters as
the ones in Alvastra and Vreta, and such a beautiful cathedral as the
one in Linkoeping?'
"'That may be so,' said the peasant. 'But I'm an old man, and I know
that people's minds are changeable. I fear that there will come a time
when they won't want to give us any glory, either for Alvastra or Vreta
or for the cathedral.'
"'Herein you may be right,' said Ulvasa-lady, 'but you need not doubt
prophecy on that account.
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