Nils Holgerssons underbara resa. English

by Selma Lagerlöf

changed. Read how the little, narrow,wall-enclosed city on the islands has spread into this great sea ofhouses below us. Read how, on the spot where the dark tower Kaernan oncestood, the beautiful, light castle below us was erected and how the GrayFriars' church has been turned into the burial place of the Swedishkings; read how islet after islet was built up with factories; how theridge was lowered and the sound filled in; how the truck gardens at thesouth and north ends of the city have been converted into beautifulparks or built-up quarters; how the King's private deer park has becomethe people's favourite pleasure resort. You must make yourself at homehere, Clement. This city does not belong exclusively to theStockholmers. It belongs to you and to all Swedes.

  "As you read about Stockholm, remember that I have spoken the truth, forthe city has the power to draw every one to it. First the King movedhere, then the nobles built their palaces here, and then one afteranother was attracted to the place, so that now, as you see, Stockholmis not a city unto itself or for nearby districts; it has grown into acity for the whole kingdom.

  "You know, Clement, that there are judicial courts in every parishthroughout the land, but in Stockholm they have jurisdiction for thewhole nation. You know that there are judges in every district court inthe country, but at Stockholm there is only one court, to which all theothers are accountable. You know that there are barracks and troops inevery part of the land, but those at Stockholm command the whole army.Everywhere in the country you will find railroads, but the whole greatnational system is controlled and managed at Stockholm; here you willfind the governing boards for the clergy, for teachers, for physicians,for bailiffs and jurors. This is the heart of your country, Clement. Allthe change you have in your pocket is coined here, and the postagestamps you stick on your letters are made here. There is something herefor every Swede. Here no one need feel homesick, for here all Swedes areat home.

  "And when you read of all that has been brought here to Stockholm, thinktoo of the latest that the city has attracted to itself: these old-timepeasant cottages here at Skansen; the old dances; the old costumes andhouse-furnishings; the musicians and story-tellers. Everything good ofthe old times Stockholm has tempted here to Skansen to do it honour,that it may, in turn, stand before the people with renewed glory.

  "But, first and last, remember as you read about Stockholm that you areto sit in this place. You must see how the waves sparkle in joyous playand how the shores shimmer with beauty. You will come under the spell oftheir witchery, Clement."

  The handsome old gentleman had raised his voice, so that it rang outstrong and commanding, and his eyes shone. Then he rose, and, with awave of his hand to Clement, walked away. Clement understood that theone who had been talking to him was a great man, and he bowed to him aslow as he could.

  The next day came a royal lackey with a big red book and a letter forClement, and in the letter it said that the book was from the King.

  After that the little old man, Clement Larsson, was lightheaded forseveral days, and it was impossible to get a sensible word out of him.When a week had gone by, he went to the superintendent and gave in hisnotice. He simply had to go home.

  "Why must you go home? Can't you learn to be content here?" asked thedoctor.

  "Oh, I'm contented here," said Clement. "That matter troubles me nolonger, but I must go home all the same."

  Clement was quite perturbed because the King had said that he shouldlearn all about Stockholm and be happy there. But he could not restuntil he had told every one at home that the King had said those wordsto him. He could not renounce the idea of standing on the church knollat home and telling high and low that the King had been so kind to him,that he had sat beside him on the bench, and had sent him a book, andhad taken the time to talk to him--a poor fiddler--for a whole hour, inorder to cure him of his homesickness. It was good to relate this to theLaplanders and Dalecarlian peasant girls at Skansen, but what was thatcompared to being able to tell of it at home?

  Even if Clement were to end in the poorhouse, it wouldn't be so hardafter this. He was a totally different man from what he had been, and hewould be respected and honoured in a very different way.

  This new yearning took possession of Clement. He simply had to go up tothe doctor and say that he must go home.

  GORGO, THE EAGLE

  IN THE MOUNTAIN GLEN

  Far up among the mountains of Lapland there was an old eagle's nest on aledge which projected from a high cliff. The nest was made of dry twigsof pine and spruce, interlaced one with another until they formed aperfect network. Year by year the nest had been repaired andstrengthened. It was about two metres wide, and nearly as high as aLaplander's hut.

  The cliff on which the eagle's nest was situated towered above a bigglen, which was inhabited in summer by a flock of wild geese, as it wasan excellent refuge for them. It was so secluded between cliffs that notmany knew of it, even among the Laplanders themselves.

  In the heart of this glen there was a small, round lake in which was anabundance of food for the tiny goslings, and on the tufted lake shoreswhich were covered with osier bushes and dwarfed birches the geese foundfine nesting places.

  In all ages eagles had lived on the mountain, and geese in the glen.Every year the former carried off a few of the latter, but they werevery careful not to take so many that the wild geese would be afraid toremain in the glen. The geese, in their turn, found the eagles quiteuseful. They were robbers, to be sure, but they kept other robbers away.

  Two years before Nils Holgersson travelled with the wild geese the oldleader-goose, Akka from Kebnekaise, was standing at the foot of themountain slope looking toward the eagle's nest.

  The eagles were in the habit of starting on their chase soon aftersunrise; during the summers that Akka had lived in the glen she hadwatched every morning for their departure to find if they stopped in theglen to hunt, or if they flew beyond it to other hunting grounds.

  She did not have to wait long before the two eagles left the ledge onthe cliff. Stately and terror-striking they soared into the air. Theydirected their course toward the plain, and Akka breathed a sigh ofrelief.

  The old leader-goose's days of nesting and rearing of young were over,and during the summer she passed the time going from one goose range toanother, giving counsel regarding the brooding and care of the young.Aside from this she kept an eye out not only for eagles but also formountain fox and owls and all other enemies who were a menace to thewild geese and their young.

  About noontime Akka began to watch for the eagles again. This she haddone every day during all the summers that she had lived in the glen.She could tell at once by their flight if their hunt had beensuccessful, and in that event she felt relieved for the safety of thosewho belonged to her. But on this particular day she had not seen theeagles return. "I must be getting old and stupid," she thought, when shehad waited a time for them. "The eagles have probably been home thislong while."

  In the afternoon she looked toward the cliff again, expecting to see theeagles perched on the rocky ledge where they usually took theirafternoon rest; toward evening, when they took their bath in the dalelake, she tried again to get sight of them, but failed. Again shebemoaned the fact that she was growing old. She was so accustomed tohaving the eagles on the mountain above her that she could not imaginethe possibility of their not having returned.

  The following morning Akka was awake in good season to watch for theeagles; but she did not see them. On the other hand, she heard in themorning stillness a cry that sounded both angry and plaintive, and itseemed to come from the eagles' nest. "Can there possibly be anythingamiss with the eagles?" she wondered. She spread her wings quickly, androse so high that she could perfectly well look down into the nest.

  There she saw neither of the eagles. There was no one in the nest save alittle half-fledged eaglet who was screaming for food.

  Akka sank down toward the eagles' nest, slowly and reluctantly. It was agruesome place to come to! It was plain what kind of robber folk livedthere! In the ne
st and on the cliff ledge lay bleached bones, bloodyfeathers, pieces of skin, hares' heads, birds' beaks, and the tuftedclaws of grouse. The eaglet, who was lying in the midst of this, wasrepulsive to look upon, with his big, gaping bill, his awkward,down-clad body, and his undeveloped wings where the prospective quillsstuck out like thorns.

  At last Akka conquered her repugnance and alighted on the edge of thenest, at the same time glancing about her anxiously in every direction,for each second she expected to see the old eagles coming back.

  "It is well that some one has come at last," cried the baby eagle."Fetch me some food at once!"

  "Well, well, don't be in such haste," said Akka. "Tell me first whereyour father and mother are."

  "That's what I should like to know myself. They went off yesterdaymorning and left me a lemming to live upon while they were away. You canbelieve that