"You mustn't be a numbskull, Bataki!" he remarked to himself. "Surely
you cannot be thinking of eating the snake until you have called Karr!
He wouldn't believe that Helpless was dead unless he could see it with
his own eyes."
The boy tried to keep quiet, but the bird was so ludicrously solemn, as
he stalked back and forth chattering to himself, that he had to laugh.
The bird heard him, and, with a flap of his wings, he was up on the
rock. The boy rose quickly and walked toward him.
"Are you not the one who is called Bataki, the raven? and are you not a
friend of Akka from Kebnekaise?" asked the boy.
The bird regarded him intently; then nodded three times.
"Surely, you're not the little chap who flies around with the wild
geese, and whom they call Thumbietot?"
"Oh, you're not so far out of the way," said the boy.
"What luck that I should have run across you! Perhaps you can tell me
who killed this water-snake?"
"The stone which I rolled down on him killed him," replied the boy, and
related how the whole thing happened.
"That was cleverly done for one who is as tiny as you are!" said the
raven. "I have a friend in these parts who will be glad to know that
this snake has been killed, and I should like to render you a service in
return."
"Then tell me why you are glad the water-snake is dead," responded the
boy.
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