The Wonderful Adventures of Nils Selma Lagerlöf (i wanna iguana read aloud .txt) đ
- Author: Selma Lagerlöf
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Akka breathed quickly before she answered.
âThereâs a little matter I should have mentioned to you before this, but since you are not going back to your home for good, I thought there was no hurry about it. Still it may as well be said now.â
âYou know very well that I am always glad to do your bidding,â said the boy.
âIf you have learned anything at all from us, Thumbietot, you no longer think that the humans should have the whole Earth to themselves,â said the wild goose, solemnly. âRemember you have a large country and you can easily afford to leave a few bare rocks, a few shallow lakes and swamps, a few desolate cliffs and remote forests to us poor, dumb creatures, where we can be allowed to live in peace. All my days I have been hounded and hunted. It would be a comfort to know that there is a refuge somewhere for one like me.â
âIndeed, I should be glad to help if I could,â said the boy, âbut itâs not likely that I shall ever again have any influence among human beings.â
âWell, weâre standing here talking as if we were never to meet again,â said Akka, âbut we shall see each other tomorrow, of course. Now Iâll return to my flock.â
She spread her wings and started to fly, but came back and stroked Thumbietot up and down with her bill before she flew away.
It was broad daylight, but no human being moved on the farm and the boy could go where he pleased. He hastened to the cow shed, because he knew that he could get the best information from the cows.
It looked rather barren in their shed. In the spring there had been three fine cows there, but now there was only oneâ âMayrose. It was quite apparent that she yearned for her comrades. Her head drooped sadly, and she had hardly touched the feed in her crib.
âGood day, Mayrose!â said the boy, running fearlessly into her stall. âHow are mother and father? How are the cat and the chickens? What has become of Star and Gold-Lily?â
When Mayrose heard the boyâs voice she started, and appeared as if she were going to gore him. But she was not so quick-tempered now as formerly, and took time to look well at Nils Holgersson.
He was just as little now as when he went away, and wore the same clothes; yet he was completely changed. The Nils Holgersson that went away in the spring had a heavy, slow gait, a drawling speech, and sleepy eyes. The one that had come back was lithe and alert, ready of speech, and had eyes that sparkled and danced. He had a confident bearing that commanded respect, little as he was. Although he himself did not look happy, he inspired happiness in others.
âMoo!â bellowed Mayrose. âThey told me that he was changed, but I couldnât believe it. Welcome home, Nils Holgersson! Welcome home! This is the first glad moment I have known for ever so long!â
âThank you, Mayrose!â said the boy, who was very happy to be so well received.
âNow tell me all about father and mother.â
âThey have had nothing but hardship ever since you went away,â said Mayrose. âThe horse has been a costly care all summer, for he has stood in the stable the whole time and not earned his feed. Your father is too softhearted to shoot him and he canât sell him. It was on account of the horse that both Star and Gold-Lily had to be sold.â
There was something else the boy wanted badly to know, but he was diffident about asking the question point blank. Therefore he said:
âMother must have felt very sorry when she discovered that Morten Goosey-Gander had flown?â
âShe wouldnât have worried much about Morten Goosey-Gander had she known the way he came to leave. She grieves most at the thought of her son having run away from home with a goosey-gander.â
âDoes she really think that I stole the goosey-gander?â said the boy.
âWhat else could she think?â
âFather and mother must fancy that Iâve been roaming about the country, like a common tramp?â
âThey think that youâve gone to the dogs,â said Mayrose. âThey have mourned you as one mourns the loss of the dearest thing on earth.â
As soon as the boy heard this, he rushed from the cow shed and down to the stable.
It was small, but clean and tidy. Everything showed that his father had tried to make the place comfortable for the new horse. In the stall stood a strong, fine animal that looked well fed and well cared for.
âGood day to you!â said the boy. âI have heard that thereâs a sick horse in here. Surely it canât be you, who look so healthy and strong.â
The horse turned his head and stared fixedly at the boy.
âAre you the son?â he queried. âI have heard many bad reports of him. But you have such a good face, I couldnât believe that you were he, did I not know that he was transformed into an elf.â
âI know that I left a bad name behind me when I went away from the farm,â admitted Nils Holgersson. âMy own mother thinks I am a thief. But what matters itâ âI shanât tarry here long. Meanwhile, I want to know what ails you.â
âPity youâre not going to stay,â said the horse, âfor I have the feeling that you and I might become good friends. Iâve got something in my footâ âthe point of a knife, or something sharpâ âthatâs all that ails me. It has gone so far in that the doctor canât find it, but it cuts so that I canât walk. If you would only tell your father whatâs wrong with
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