"No, we know nothing. We thought you were killed."
"That's curious!" remarked the boy. "Oh, yes!--when Father Bear left me
I climbed up into a pine and fell asleep. At daybreak I was awakened by
an eagle hovering over me. He picked me up with his talons and carried
me away. He didn't hurt me, but flew straight here to you and dropped me
down among you."
"Didn't he tell you who he was?" asked the big white gander.
"He was gone before I had time even to thank him. I thought that Mother
Akka had sent him after me."
"How extraordinary!" exclaimed the white goosey-gander. "But are you
certain that it was an eagle?"
"I had never before seen an eagle," said the boy, "but he was so big
and splendid that I can't give him a lowlier name!"
Morten Goosey-Gander turned to the wild geese to hear what they thought
of this; but they stood gazing into the air, as though they were
thinking of something else.
"We must not forget entirely to eat breakfast today," said Akka, quickly
spreading her wings.
THE FLOOD
THE SWANS
_May first to fourth_.
There was a terrible storm raging in the district north of Lake Maelar,
which lasted several days. The sky was a dull gray, the wind whistled,
and the rain beat. Both people and animals knew the spring could not be
ushered in with anything short of this; nevertheless they thought it
unbearable.
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