They could not avoid seeing him
where he stood. He tried to give a call that would bring them down to
him, but only think! his tongue would not obey him. He could not make
the right sound! He heard Akka's calls, but did not understand what she
said.
"What can this mean? Have the wild geese changed their language?" he
wondered.
He waved his cap to them and ran along the shore calling.
"Here am I, where are you?"
But this seemed only to frighten the geese. They rose and flew farther
out to sea. At last he understood. They did not know that he was human,
had not recognized him. He could not call them to him because human
beings can not speak the language of birds. He could not speak their
language, nor could he understand it.
Although the boy was very glad to be released from the enchantment,
still he thought it hard that because of this he should be parted from
his old comrades.
He sat down on the sands and buried his face in his hands. What was the
use of his gazing after them any more?
Presently he heard the rustle of wings. Old mother Akka had found it
hard to fly away from Thumbietot, and turned back, and now that the boy
sat quite still she ventured to fly nearer to him. Suddenly something
must have told her who he was, for she lit close beside him.
Nils gave a cry of joy and took old Akka in his arms.
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