the
goose-wife, who was gentle and sweet-tempered, like Dunfin.

When Akka came marching with her company, Dunfin's parents went out to
meet her and welcome her to the island. Dunfin flew from her place at
the end of the line and lit between her parents.

"Mother and father, I'm here at last!" she cried joyously. "Don't you
know Dunfin?"

At first the old goose-parents could not quite make out what they saw,
but when they recognized Dunfin they were absurdly happy, of course.

While the wild geese and Morten Goosey-Gander and Dunfin were chattering
excitedly, trying to tell how she had been rescued, Prettywing and
Goldeye came running. They cried "_welcome"_ and pretended to be so
happy because Dunfin was at home that she was deeply moved.

The wild geese fared well on the island and decided not to travel
farther until the following morning. After a while the sisters asked
Dunfin if she would come with them and see the places where they
intended to build their nests. She promptly accompanied them, and saw
that they had picked out secluded and well protected nesting places.

"Now where will you settle down, Dunfin?" they asked.

"I? Why I don't intend to remain on the island," she said. "I'm going
with the wild geese up to Lapland."

"What a pity that you must leave us!" said the sisters.

"I should have been very glad to remain here with father and mother and
you," said Dunfin, "had I not promised the big, white--"

"What!" shrieked Prettywing. "Are you to have the handsome
goosey-gander? Then it is--" But here Goldeye gave her a sharp nudge,
and she stopped short.

The two cruel sisters had much to talk about all the afternoon. They
were furious because Dunfin had a suitor like the white goosey-gander.
They themselves had suitors, but theirs were only common gray geese,
and, since they had seen Morten Goosey-Gander, they thought them so
homely and low-bred that they did not wish even to look at them.

"This will grieve me to death!" whimpered Goldeye. "If at least it had
been you, Sister Prettywing, who had captured him!"

"I would rather see him dead than to go about here the entire summer
thinking of Dunfin's capturing a white goosey-gander!" pouted
Prettywing.

However, the sisters continued to appear very friendly toward Dunfin,
and in the afternoon Goldeye took Dunfin with her, that she might see
the one she thought of marrying.

"He's not as attractive as the one you will have," said Goldeye. "