all that day, when the wild geese played with the fox, the boy lay and slept in a deserted squirrel nest. when he awoke, along toward evening, he felt very uneasy. "well, now i shall soon be sent home again! then i'll have to exhibit myself before father and mother," thought he. but when he looked up and saw the wild geese, who lay and bathed in vomb lake—not one of them said a word about his going. "they probably think the white one is too tired to travel home with me to-night," thought the boy.
the next morning the geese were awake at daybreak, long before sunrise. now the boy felt sure that he'd have to go home; but, curiously enough, both he and the white goosey-gander were permitted to follow the wild ones on their morning tour. the boy couldn't comprehend the reason for the delay, but he figured it out in this way, that the wild geese did not care to send the goosey-gander on such a long journey until they had both eaten their fill. come what might, he was only glad for every moment that should pass before he must face his parents.
the wild geese travelled over övid's cloister estate which was situated in a beautiful park east of the lake, and looked very imposing with its great castle; its well planned court surrounded by low walls and pavilions; its fine old-time garden with covered arbours, streams and fountains; its wonderful trees, trimmed bushes, and its evenly mown lawns with their beds of beautiful spring flowers.
when the wild geese rode over the estate in the early morning hour there was no human being about. when they had carefully assured themselves of this, they lowered themselves toward the dog kennel, and shouted: "what kind of a little hut is this? what kind of a little hut is this?"
instantly the dog came out of his kennel—furiously angry—and barked at the air.
"do you call this a hut, you tramps! can't you see that this is a great stone castle? can't you see what fine terraces, and what a lot of pretty walls and windows and great doors it has, bow, wow, wow, wow? don't you see the grounds, can't you see the garden, can't you see the conservatories, can't you see the marble statues? you call this a hut, do you? do huts have parks with beech-groves and hazel-bushes and trailing vines and oak trees and firs and hunting-grounds filled with game, wow, wow, wow? do you call this a hut? have you seen huts with so many outhouses around them that they look like a whole village? you must know of a lot of huts that have their own church and their own parsonage; and that rule over the district and the peasant homes and the neighbouring farms and barracks, wow, wow, wow? do you call this a hut? to this hut belong the richest possessions in skåne, you beggars! you can't see a bit of land, from where you hang in the clouds, that does not obey commands from this hut, wow, wow, wow!"
all this the dog managed to cry out in one breath; and the wild geese flew back and forth over the estate, and listened to him until he was winded. but then they cried: "what are you so mad about? we didn't ask about the castle; we only wanted to know about your kennel, stupid!"
when the boy heard this joke, he laughed; then a thought stole in on him which at once made him serious. "think how many of these amusing things you would hear, if you could go with the wild geese through the whole country, all the way up to lapland!" said he to himself. "and just now, when you are in such a bad fix, a trip like that would be the best thing you could hit upon."
the wild geese travelled to one of the wide fields, east of the estate, to eat grass-roots, and they kept this up for hours. in the meantime, the boy wandered in the great park which bordered the field. he hunted up a beech-nut grove and began to look up at the bushes, to see if a nut from last fall still hung there. but again and again the thought of the trip came over him, as he walked in the park. he pictured to himself what a fine time he would have if he went with the wild geese. to freeze and starve: that he believed he should have to do often enough; but as a recompense, he would escape both work and study.
as he walked there, the old gray leader-goose came up to him, and asked if he had found anything eatable. no, that he hadn't, he replied, and then she tried to help him. she couldn't find any nuts either, but she discovered a couple of dried blossoms that hung on a brier-bush. these the boy ate with a good relish. but he wondered what mother would say, if she knew that he had lived on raw fish and old winter-dried blossoms.
when the wild geese had finally eaten themselves full, they bore off toward the lake again, where they amused themselves with games until almost dinner time.
the wild geese challenged the white goosey-gander to take part in all kinds of sports. they had swimming races, running races, and flying races with him. the big tame one did his level best to hold his own, but the clever wild geese beat him every time. all the while, the boy sat on the goosey-gander's back and encouraged him, and had as much fun as the rest. they laughed and screamed and cackled, and it was remarkable that the people on the estate didn't hear them.
when the wild geese were tired of play, they flew out on the ice and rested for a couple of hours. the afternoon they spent in pretty much the same way as the forenoon. first, a couple of hours feeding, then bathing and play in the water near the ice-edge until sunset, when they immediately arranged themselves for sleep.
"this is just the life that suits me," thought the boy when he crept in under the gander's wing. "but to-morrow, i suppose i'll be sent home."
before he fell asleep, he lay and thought that if he might go along with the wild geese, he would escape all scoldings because he was lazy. then he could cut loose every day, and his only worry would be to get something to eat. but he needed so little nowadays; and there would always be a way to get that.
so he pictured the whole scene to himself; what he should see, and all the adventures that he would be in on. yes, it would be something different from the wear and tear at home. "if i could only go with the wild geese on their travels, i shouldn't grieve because i'd been transformed," thought the boy.
he wasn't afraid of anything—except being sent home; but not even on wednesday did the geese say anything to him about going. that day passed in the same way as tuesday; and the boy grew more and more contented with the outdoor life. he thought that he had the lovely övid cloister park—which was as large as a forest—all to himself; and he wasn't anxious to go back to the stuffy cabin and the little patch of ground there at home.
on wednesday he believed that the wild geese thought of keeping him with them; but on thursday he lost hope again.
thursday began just like the other days; the geese fed on the broad meadows, and the boy hunted for food in the park. after a while akka came to him, and asked if he had found anything to eat. no, he had not; and then she looked up a dry caraway herb, that had kept all its tiny seeds intact.
when the boy had eaten, akka said that she thought he ran around in the park altogether too recklessly. she wondered if he knew how many enemies he had to guard against—he, who was so little. no, he didn't know anything at all about that. then akka began to enumerate them for him.
whenever he walked in the park, she said, that he must look out for the fox and the marten; when he came to the shores of the lake, he must think of the otters; as he sat on the stone wall, he must not forget the weasels, who could creep through the smallest holes; and if he wished to lie down and sleep on a pile of leaves, he must first find out if the adders were not sleeping their winter sleep in the same pile. as soon as he came out in the open fields, he should keep an eye out for hawks and buzzards; for eagles and falcons that soared in the air. in the bramble-bush he could be captured by the sparrow-hawks; magpies and crows were found everywhere and in these he mustn't place any too much confidence. as soon as it was dusk, he must keep his ears open and listen for the big owls, who flew along with such soundless wing-strokes that they could come right up to him before he was aware of their presence.
when the boy heard that there were so many who were after his life, he thought that it would be simply impossible for him to escape. he was not particularly afraid to die, but he didn't like the idea of being eaten up, so he asked akka what he should do to protect himself from the carnivorous animals.
akka answered at once that the boy should try to get on good terms with all the small animals in the woods and fields: with the squirrel-folk, and the hare-family; with bullfinches and the titmice and woodpeckers and larks. if he made friends with them, they could warn him against dangers, find hiding places for him, and protect him.
but later in the day, when the boy tried to profit by this counsel, and turned to sirle squirrel to ask for his protection, it was evident that he did not care to help him. "you surely can't expect anything from me, or the rest of the small animals!" said sirle. "don't you think we know that you are nils the goose boy, who tore down the swallow's nest last year, crushed the starling's eggs, threw baby crows in the marl-ditch, caught thrushes in snares, and put squirrels in cages? you just help yourself as well as you can; and you may be thankful that we do not form a league against you, and drive you back to your own kind!"
this was just the sort of answer the boy would not have let go unpunished, in the days when he was nils the goose boy. but now he was only fearful lest the wild geese, too, had found out how wicked he could be. he had been so anxious for fear he wouldn't be permitted to stay with the wild geese, that he hadn't dared to get into the least little mischief since he joined their company. it was true that he didn't have the power to do much harm now, but, little as he was, he could have destroyed many birds' nests, and crushed many eggs, if he'd been in a mind to. now he had been good. he hadn't pulled a feather from a goose-wing, or given anyone a rude answer; and every morning when he called upon akka he had always removed his cap and bowed.
all day thursday he thought it was surely on account of his wickedness that the wild geese did not care to take him along up to lapland. and in the evening, when he heard that sirle squirrel's wife had been stolen, and her children were starving to death, he made up his mind to help them. and we have already been told how well he succeeded.
when the boy came into the park on friday, he heard the bulfinches sing in every bush, of how sirle squirrel's wife had been carried away from her children by cruel robbers, and how nils, the goose boy, had risked his life among human beings, and taken the little squirrel children to her.
"and who is so honoured in övid cloister park now, as thumbietot!" sang the bullfinch; "he, whom all feared when he was nils the goose boy? sirle squirrel will give him nuts; the poor hares are going to play with him; the small wild animals will carry him on their backs, and fly away with him when smirre fox approaches. the titmice are going to warn him against the hawk, and the finches and larks will sing of his valour."
the boy was absolutely certain that both akka and the wild geese had heard all this. but still friday passed and not one word did they say about his remaining with them.
until saturday the wild geese fed in the fields around övid, undisturbed by smirre fox.
but on saturday morning, when they came out in the meadows, he lay in wait for them, and chased them from one field to another, and they were not allowed to eat in peace. when akka understood that he didn't intend to leave them in peace, she came to a decision quickly, raised herself into the air and flew with her flock several miles away, over färs' plains and linderödsosen's hills. they did not stop before they had arrived in the district of vittskövle.
but at vittskövle the goosey-gander was stolen, and how it happened has already been related. if the boy had not used all his powers to help him he would never again have been found.
on saturday evening, as the boy came back to vomb lake with the goosey-gander, he thought that he had done a good day's work; and he speculated a good deal on what akka and the wild geese would say to him. the wild geese were not at all sparing in their praises, but they did not say the word he was longing to hear.
then sunday came again. a whole week had gone by since the boy had been bewitched, and he was still just as little.
but he didn't appear to be giving himself any extra worry on account of this thing. on sunday afternoon he sat huddled together in a big, fluffy osier-bush, down by the lake, and blew on a reed-pipe. all around him there sat as many finches and bullfinches and starlings as the bush could well hold—who sang songs which he tried to teach himself to play. but the boy was not at home in this art. he blew so false that the feathers raised themselves on the little music-masters and they shrieked and fluttered in their despair. the boy laughed so heartily at their excitement, that he dropped his pipe.
he began once again, and that went just as badly. then all the little birds wailed: "to-day you play worse than usual, thumbietot! you don't take one true note! where are your thoughts, thumbietot?"
"they are elsewhere," said the boy—and this was true. he sat there and pondered how long he would be allowed to remain with the wild geese; or if he should be sent home perhaps to-day.
finally the boy threw down his pipe and jumped from the bush. he had seen akka, and all the wild geese, coming toward him in a long row. they walked so uncommonly slow and dignified-like, that the boy immediately understood that now he should learn what they intended to do with him.
when they stopped at last, akka said: "you may well have reason to wonder at me, thumbietot, who have not said thanks to you for saving me from smirre fox. but i am one of those who would rather give thanks by deeds than words. i have sent word to the elf that bewitched you. at first he didn't want to hear anything about curing you; but i have sent message upon message to him, and told him how well you have conducted yourself among us. he greets you, and says, that as soon as you turn back home, you shall be human again."
but think of it! just as happy as the boy had been when the wild geese began to speak, just that miserable was he when they had finished. he didn't say a word, but turned away and wept.
"what in all the world is this?" said akka. "it looks as though you had expected more of me than i have offered you."
but the boy was thinking of the care-free days and the banter; and of adventure and freedom and travel, high above the earth, that he should miss, and he actually bawled with grief. "i don't want to be human," said he. "i want to go with you to lapland." "i'll tell you something," said akka. "that elf is very touchy, and i'm afraid that if you do not accept his offer now, it will be difficult for you to coax him another time."
it was a strange thing about that boy—as long as he had lived, he had never cared for anyone. he had not cared for his father or mother; not for the school teacher; not for his school-mates; nor for the boys in the neighbourhood. all that they had wished to have him do—whether it had been work or play—he had only thought tiresome. therefore there was no one whom he missed or longed for.
the only ones that he had come anywhere near agreeing with, were osa, the goose girl, and little mats—a couple of children who had tended geese in the fields, like himself. but he didn't care particularly for them either. no, far from it! "i don't want to be human," bawled the boy. "i want to go with you to lapland. that's why i've been good for a whole week!" "i don't want to forbid you to come along with us as far as you like," said akka, "but think first if you wouldn't rather go home again. a day may come when you will regret this."
"no," said the boy, "that's nothing to regret. i have never been as well off as here with you."
"well then, let it be as you wish," said akka.
"thanks!" said the boy, and he felt so happy that he had to cry for very joy—just as he had cried before from sorrow.
