The sun was far down on the horizon, and disappeared every now and then
behind a hill; still the geese kept forging ahead.
Finally, in the west, they saw a shining strip of light, which grew
broader and broader with every wing stroke. Soon the sea spread before
them, milk white with a shimmer of rose red and sky blue, and when they
had circled past the coast cliffs they saw the sun again, as it hung
over the sea, big and red and ready to plunge into the waves.
As the boy gazed at the broad, endless sea and the red evening sun,
which had such a kindly glow that he dared to look straight at it, he
felt a sense of peace and calm penetrate his soul.
"It's not worth while to be sad, Nils Holgersson," said the Sun. "This
is a beautiful world to live in both for big and little. It is also good
to be free and happy, and to have a great dome of open sky above you."
THE GIFT OF THE WILD GEESE
The geese stood sleeping on a little rock islet just beyond Fjaellbacka.
When it drew on toward midnight, and the moon hung high in the heavens,
old Akka shook the sleepiness out of her eyes. After that she walked
around and awakened Yksi and Kaksi, Kolme and Neljae, Viisi and Kuusi,
and, last of all, she gave Thumbietot a nudge with her bill that
startled him.
"What is it, Mother Akka?" he asked, springing up in alarm.
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