was gone, they moved farther down the mountains, where
pine and leaf forests meet. There they pitched their tent. They had to
work hard every day, but fared better, for food was even more plentiful
than in the summer because of the game.

"When the snow came and the lakes began to freeze, they drew farther
east toward the dense pine forests.

"As soon as the tent was up, the winter's work began. The boy taught the
girl to make twine from reindeer sinews, to treat skins, to make shoes
and clothing of hides, to make combs and tools of reindeer horn, to
travel on skis, and to drive a sledge drawn by reindeer.

"When they had lived through the dark winter and the sun began to shine
all day and most of the night, the boy said to the girl that now he
would accompany her southward, so that she might meet some of her own
race.

"Then the girl looked at him astonished.

"'Why do you want to send me away?' she asked. 'Do you long to be alone
with your reindeer?'

"'I thought that you were the one that longed to get away?' said the
boy.

"'I have lived the life of the Samefolk almost a year now,' replied the
girl. I can't return to my people and live the shut-in life after having
wandered freely on mountains and in forests. Don't drive me away, but
let me stay here. Your way of living is better than ours.'

"The girl stayed with the boy for the rest of her life, and never again
did she long for the valleys. And you, Osa, if you were to stay with us
only a month, you could never again part from us."

With these words, Aslak, the Lapp boy, finished his story. Just then his
father, Ola Serka, took the pipe from his mouth and rose.

Old Ola understood more Swedish than he was willing to have any one
know, and he had overheard his son's remarks. While he was listening, it
had suddenly flashed on him how he should handle this delicate matter of
telling Jon Esserson that his daughter had come in search of him.

Ola Serka went down to Lake Luossajaure and had walked a short distance
along the strand, when he happened upon a man who sat on a rock fishing.

The fisherman was gray-haired and bent. His eyes blinked wearily and
there was something slack and helpless about him. He looked like a man
who had tried to carry a burden too heavy for him, or to solve a problem
too difficult for him, who had become broken and despondent over his
failure.

"You must have had luck with your fishing, Jon, since you've been at it
all night