"Have you been eating of
these?" asked Akka, pointing to some roots that lay on the ground.
"Yes," groaned the goosey-gander.
"Then it was well they stuck in your throat," said Akka, "for they are
poisonous. Had you swallowed them, you certainly should have died."
"Dunfin bade me eat them," said the goosey-gander.
"My sister gave them to me," protested Dunfin, and she told everything.
"You must beware of those sisters of yours, Dunfin!" warned Akka, "for
they wish you no good, depend upon it!"
But Dunfin was so constituted that she could not think evil of any one
and, a moment later, when Prettywing asked her to come and meet her
intended, she went with her immediately.
"Oh, he isn't as handsome as yours," said the sister, "but he's much
more courageous and daring!"
"How do you know he is?" challenged Dunfin.
"For some time past there has been weeping and wailing amongst the sea
gulls and wild ducks on the island. Every morning at daybreak a strange
bird of prey comes and carries off one of them."
"What kind of a bird is it?" asked Dunfin.
"We don't know," replied the sister. "One of his kind has never before
been seen on the island, and, strange to say, he has never attacked one
of us geese. But now my intended has made up his mind to challenge him
to-morrow morning, and drive him away.
Pages:
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431