un cloth with such a lot of pearls and
precious stones that it looked richer and more gorgeous than the
gold-cloth.

He remembered this about the homespun cloth, as he looked down on
Oestergoetland, because it was made up of a large plain, which lay wedged
in between two mountainous forest-tracts--one to the north, the other to
the south. The two forest-heights lay there, a lovely blue, and
shimmered in the morning light, as if they were decked with golden
veils; and the plain, which simply spread out one winter-naked field
after another, was, in and of itself, prettier to look upon than gray
homespun.

But the people must have been contented on the plain, because it was
generous and kind, and they had tried to decorate it in the best way
possible. High up--where the boy rode by--he thought that cities and
farms, churches and factories, castles and railway stations were
scattered over it, like large and small trinkets. It shone on the roofs,
and the window-panes glittered like jewels. Yellow country roads,
shining railway-tracks and blue canals ran along between the districts
like embroidered loops. Linkoeping lay around its cathedral like a
pearl-setting around a precious stone; and the gardens in the country
were like little brooches and buttons. There was not much regulation in
the pattern, but it was a display of grandeur which one could never tire
of looking at.

The geese had left Oeberg district, and travelled toward the east along
Goeta Canal. This was also getting itself ready for the summer. Workmen
laid canal-banks, and tarred the huge lock-gates. They were working
everywhere to receive spring fittingly, even in the cities. There,
masons and painters stood on scaffoldings and made fine the exteriors of
the houses while maids were cleaning the windows. Down at the harbour,
sailboats and steamers were being washed and dressed up.

At Norrkoeping the wild geese left the plain, and flew up toward
Kolmarden. For a time they had followed an old, hilly country road,
which wound around cliffs, and ran forward under wild
mountain-walls--when the boy suddenly let out a shriek. He had been
sitting and swinging his foot back and forth, and one of his wooden
shoes had slipped off.

"Goosey-gander, goosey-gander, I have dropped my shoe!" cried the boy.
The goosey-gander turned about and sank toward the ground; then the boy
saw that two children, who were walking along the road, had picked up
his shoe. "Goosey-gander