The only one that rose was an old
horse that came slowly toward him.
All of a sudden the man became silent. He recognized the beast by its
gait. He raised the lantern, and the horse came over and laid its head
on his shoulder. The master patted and stroked it.
"My old horsy, my old horsy!" he said. "What have they done to you? Yes,
dear, I'll buy you back. You'll never again have to leave this place.
You shall do whatever you like, horsy mine! Those whom you have brought
with you may remain here, but you shall come with me to the stable. Now
I can give you all the oats you are able to eat, without having to
smuggle them. And you're not all used up, either! The handsomest horse
on the church knoll--that's what you shall be once more! There, there!
There, there!"
THE BREAKING UP OF THE ICE
_Thursday, April twenty-eighth_.
The following day the weather was clear and beautiful. There was a
strong west wind; people were glad of that, for it dried up the roads,
which had been soaked by the heavy rains of the day before.
Early in the morning the two Smaland children, Osa, the goose girl, and
little Mats, were out on the highway leading from Soermland to Naerke. The
road ran alongside the southern shore of Hjaelmar Lake and the children
were walking along looking at the ice, which covered the greater part of
it.
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