n my back, and creep
into the wool! You deserve to have it warm and comfortable, after all
the wind and storm that you have been out in."

HELL'S HOLE

The next day the big ram went around with the boy on his back, and
showed him the island. It consisted of a single massive mountain. It was
like a large house with perpendicular walls and a flat roof. First the
ram walked up on the mountain-roof and showed the boy the good grazing
lands there, and he had to admit that the island seemed to be especially
created for sheep. There wasn't much else than sheep-sorrel and such
little spicy growths as sheep are fond of that grew on the mountain.

But indeed there was something beside sheep fodder to look at, for one
who had gotten well up on the steep. To begin with, the largest part of
the sea--which now lay blue and sunlit, and rolled forward in glittering
swells--was visible. Only upon one and another point, did the foam spray
up. To the east lay Gottland, with even and long-stretched coast; and to
the southwest lay Great Karl's Island, which was built on the same plan
as the little island. When the ram walked to the very edge of the
mountain roof, so the boy could look down the mountain walls, he noticed
that they were simply filled with birds' nests; and in the blue sea
beneath him, lay surf-scoters and eider-ducks and kittiwakes and
guillemots and razor-bills--so pretty and peaceful--busying themselves
with fishing for small herring.

"This is really a favoured land," said the boy. "You live in a pretty
place, you sheep." "Oh, yes! it's pretty enough here," said the big ram.
It was as if he wished to add something; but he did not, only sighed.
"If you go about here alone you must look out for the crevices which run
all around the mountain," he continued after a little. And this was a
good warning, for there were deep and broad crevices in several places.
The largest of them was called Hell's Hole. That crevice was many
fathoms deep and nearly one fathom wide. "If anyone fell down there, it
would certainly be the last of him," said the big ram. The boy thought
it sounded as if he had a special meaning in what he said.

Then he conducted the boy down to the narrow strip of shore. Now he
could see those giants which had frightened him the night before, at
close range. They were nothing but tall rock-pillars. The big ram called
them "cliffs." The boy couldn't see enough of them. He thought that if
there had ever been any