The geese alighted on the west shore of the bay; but when Akka saw where
the swans were, she swam toward them at once. She was very much
surprised at their having sent for her, but she regarded it as an honour
and did not wish to lose a moment in coming to their aid.
As Akka approached the swans she paused to see if the geese who followed
her swam in a straight line, and at even distances apart.
"Now, swim along quickly!" she ordered. "Don't stare at the swans as if
you had never before seen anything beautiful, and don't mind what they
may say to you!"
This was not the first time that Akka had called on the aristocratic
swans. They had always received her in a manner befitting a great
traveller like herself.
But still she did not like the idea of swimming in among them. She never
felt so gray and insignificant as when she happened upon swans. One or
another of them was sure to drop a remark about "common gray-feathers"
and "poor folk." But it is always best to take no notice of such things.
This time everything passed off uncommonly well. The swans politely made
way for the wild geese, who swam forward through a kind of passageway,
which formed an avenue bordered by shimmering, white birds.
It was a beautiful sight to watch them as they spread their wings, like
sails, to appear well before the strangers.
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