After it had been raining for a whole day, the snowdrifts in the pine
forests began to melt in earnest, and the spring brooks grew lively. All
the pools on the farms, the standing water in the ditches, the water
that oozed between the tufts in marshes and swamps--all were in motion
and tried to find their way to creeks, that they might be borne along to
the sea.
The creeks rushed as fast as possible down to the rivers, and the rivers
did their utmost to carry the water to Lake Maelar.
All the lakes and rivers in Uppland and the mining district quickly
threw off their ice covers on one and the same day, so that the creeks
filled with ice-floes which rose clear up to their banks.
Swollen as they were, they emptied into Lake Maelar, and it was not long
before the lake had taken in as much water as it could well hold. Down
by the outlet was a raging torrent. Norrstroem is a narrow channel, and
it could not let out the water quickly enough. Besides, there was a
strong easterly wind that lashed against the land, obstructing the
stream when it tried to carry the fresh water into the East Sea. Since
the rivers kept running to Maelaren with more water than it could dispose
of, there was nothing for the big lake to do but overflow its banks.
It rose very slowly, as if reluctant to injure its beautiful shores; but
as they were mostly low and gradually sloping, it was not long before
the water had flooded several acres of land, and that was enough to
create the greatest alarm.
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