ng?" said Bataki.

The boy had to confess that he did not know.

"This is a grave," said Bataki. "Beneath this mound lies the first
settler in Haerjedalen."

"Perhaps you have a story to tell of him too?" said the boy.

"I haven't heard much about him, but I think he was a Norwegian. He had
served with a Norwegian king, got into his bad graces, and had to flee
the country.

"Later he went over to the Swedish king, who lived at Upsala, and took
service with him. But, after a time, he asked for the hand of the king's
sister in marriage, and when the king wouldn't give him such a high-born
bride, he eloped with her. By that time he had managed to get himself
into such disfavour that it wasn't safe for him to live either in Norway
or Sweden, and he did not wish to move to a foreign country. 'But there
must still be a course open to me,' he thought. With his servants and
treasures, he journeyed through Dalecarlia until he arrived in the
desolate forests beyond the outskirts of the province. There he settled,
built houses and broke up land. Thus, you see, he was the first man to
settle in this part of the country."

As the boy listened to the last story, he looked very serious.

"I wonder what your object is in telling me all this?" he repeated.

Bataki twisted and turned and screwed up his eyes, and it was some time
before he answered the boy.

"Since we are here alone," he said finally, "I shall take this
opportunity to question you regarding a certain matter.

"Have you ever tried to ascertain upon what terms the elf who
transformed you was to restore you to a normal human being?"

"The only stipulation I've heard anything about was that I should take
the white goosey-gander up to Lapland and bring him back to Skane, safe
and sound."

"I thought as much," said Bataki; "for when last we met, you talked
confidently of there being nothing more contemptible than deceiving a
friend who trusts one. You'd better ask Akka about the terms. You know,
I dare say, that she was at your home and talked with the elf."

"Akka hasn't told me of this," said the boy wonderingly.

"She must have thought that it was best for you not to know just what
the elf _did_ say. Naturally she would rather help you than Morten
Goosey-Gander."

"It is singular, Bataki, that you always have a way of making me feel
unhappy and anxious," said the boy.

"I dare say it might seem so," continued the raven, "but this time I
believe that you w