han these lean
hills," answered the goosey-gander. "But you must know very well that
if you really wish to continue the trip, I can't be parted from you."

"That is just the answer I had expected from you," said the boy, and his
voice betrayed that he was relieved of a great anxiety.

Later, when they travelled over Bohuslaen, the boy observed that the
mountain stretches were more continuous, the valleys were more like
little ravines blasted in the rock foundation, while the long lakes at
their base were as black as if they had come from the underworld. This,
too, was a glorious country, and as the boy saw it, with now a strip of
sun, now a shadow, he thought that there was something strange and wild
about it. He knew not why, but the idea came to him that once upon a
time there were many strong and brave heroes in these mystical regions
who had passed through many dangerous and daring adventures. The old
passion of wanting to share in all sorts of wonderful adventures awoke
in him.

"I might possibly miss not being in danger of my life at least once
every day or two," he thought. "Anyhow it's best to be content with
things as they are."

He did not speak of this idea to the big white gander, because the geese
were now flying over Bohuslaen with all the speed they could muster, and
the goosey-gander was puffing so hard that he would not have had the
strength to reply.

The sun was far down on the horizon, and disappeared every now and then
behind a hill; still the geese kept forging ahead.

Finally, in the west, they saw a shining strip of light, which grew
broader and broader with every wing stroke. Soon the sea spread before
them, milk white with a shimmer of rose red and sky blue, and when they
had circled past the coast cliffs they saw the sun again, as it hung
over the sea, big and red and ready to plunge into the waves.

As the boy gazed at the broad, endless sea and the red evening sun,
which had such a kindly glow that he dared to look straight at it, he
felt a sense of peace and calm penetrate his soul.

"It's not worth while to be sad, Nils Holgersson," said the Sun. "This
is a beautiful world to live in both for big and little. It is also good
to be free and happy, and to have a great dome of open sky above you."

THE GIFT OF THE WILD GEESE

The geese stood sleeping on a little rock islet just beyond Fjaellbacka.
When it drew on toward midnight, and the moon hung high in the heavens,
old Akka shoo