combats having made evident the
fruitlessness of protestation. Not one of the goose madams troubled
herself about the ill-used gander, and for that reason Susanna all the
more zealously took upon herself, with delicate morsels and kind words,
to console him for the injustice of his race. After the geese, came the
well-meaning but awkward ducks; the turkey-cock, with his choleric
temper and his two foolish wives, one white and the other black; lastly,
came the unquiet generation of hens, with their handsome, quarrel-loving
cocks. The prettiest of all, however, were a flock of pigeons which,
confidingly and bashfully at the same time, now alighted down upon
Susanna's shoulders and outstretched hand; now flew aloft and wheeled in
glittering circles around her head; then settled down again upon the
earth, where they neatly tripped, with their little fringed feet,
stealing down to the spring to drink, whilst the geese with great tumult
bathed themselves in the water and splashed about, throwing the water in
pearly rain over the grass. Here also was the grey gander, to Susanna's
great vexation, compelled by the white one to bathe itself at a distance
from the others.

Susanna looked around her upon the beautiful richly-coloured picture
which lay before her, upon the little creatures which played around her
and enjoyed themselves, and evident delight beamed from her eyes as she
raised them, and with hands pressed together, said softly, "O heavens!
how beautiful!"

But she shrunk together in terror, for in that very moment a strong
voice just beside her broke forth--

"How glorious is my fatherland,
The old sea-circled Norroway!"

And the steward, Harald Bergman, greeted smilingly Susanna, who said
rather irritated--

"You scream so, that you frighten the doves with your old Norroway."

"Yes," continued Harald, in the same tone of inspiration--

"Yes, glorious is my fatherland,
The ancient, rock-bound Norroway;
With flowery dale, crags old and grey,
That spite of time eternal stand!"

"Old Norway," said Susanna as before; "I consider it a positive shame to
hear you talk of your old Norway, as if it were older and more
everlasting than the Creator himself!"

"And where in all the world," exclaimed Harald, "do you find a country
with such a proud, serious people; such magnificent rivers, and such
high, high mountains?"

"We have, thank God, men and mountains also in Sweden," said Susanna;
"you should o