OLE-LUK-OIE, THE DREAM-GOD [2]
see foreign countries, and thou shalt
return here in the morning."
All in a moment, there stood Hjalmar, in his best clothes, on
the deck of the noble ship; and immediately the weather became fine.
They sailed through the streets, round by the church, and on every
side rolled the wide, great sea. They sailed till the land
disappeared, and then they saw a flock of storks, who had left their
own country, and were travelling to warmer climates. The storks flew
one behind the other, and had already been a long, long time on the
wing. One of them seemed so tired that his wings could scarcely
carry him. He was the last of the row, and was soon left very far
behind. At length he sunk lower and lower, with outstretched wings,
flapping them in vain, till his feet touched the rigging of the
ship, and he slided from the sails to the deck, and stood before them.
Then a sailor-boy caught him, and put him in the hen-house, with the
fowls, the ducks, and the turkeys, while the poor stork stood quite
bewildered amongst them.
"Just look at that fellow," said the chickens.
Then the turkey-cock puffed himself out as large as he could,
and inquired who he was; and the ducks waddled backwards, crying,
"Quack, quack."
Then the stork told them all about warm Africa, of the pyramids,
and of the ostrich, which, like a wild horse, runs across the
desert. But the ducks did not understand what he said, and quacked
amongst themselves, "We are all of the same opinion; namely, that he
is stupid."
"Yes, to be sure, he is stupid," said the turkey-cock; and
gobbled.
Then the stork remained quite silent, and thought of his home in
Africa.
"Those are handsome thin legs of yours," said the turkey-cock.
"What do they cost a yard?"
"Quack, quack, quack," grinned the ducks; but, the stork pretended
not to hear.
"You may as well laugh," said the turkey; "for that remark was
rather witty, or perhaps it was above you. Ah, ah, is he not clever?
He will be a great amusement to us while he remains here." And then he
gobbled, and the ducks quacked, "Gobble, gobble; Quack, quack."
What a terrible uproar they made, while they were having such
fun among themselves!
Then Hjalmar went to the hen-house; and, opening the door,
called to the stork. Then he hopped out on the deck. He had rested
himself now, and he looked happy, and seemed as if he nodded to
Hjalmar, as if to thank him. Then he spread his wings, and flew away
to warmer countries, while the hens clucked, the ducks quacked, and
the turkey-cock turned quite scarlet in the head.
"To-morrow you shall be made into soup," said Hjalmar to the
fowls; and then he awoke, and found himself lying in his little bed.
It was a wonderful journey which Ole-Luk-Oie had made him take
this night.
THURSDAY
THURSDAY
"What do you think I have got here?" said Ole-Luk-Oie, "Do not
be frightened, and you shall see a little mouse." And then he held out
his hand to him, in which lay a lovely little creature. "It has come
to invite you to a wedding. Two little mice are going to enter into
the marriage state tonight. They reside under the floor of your
mother's store-room, and that must be a fine dwelling-place."
"But how can I get through the little mouse-hole in the floor?"
asked Hjalmar.
"Leave me to manage that," said Ole-Luk-Oie. "I will soon make you
small enough." And then he touched Hjalmar with his magic wand,
whereupon he became less and less, until at last he was not longer
than a little finger. "Now you can borrow the dress of the tin
soldier. I think it will just fit you. It looks well to wear a uniform
when you go into company."
"Yes, certainly," said Hjalmar; and in a moment he was dressed
as neatly as the neatest of all tin soldiers.
"Will you be so good as to seat yourself in your mamma's thimble,"
said the little mouse, "that I may have the pleasure of drawing you to
the wedding."
return here in the morning."
All in a moment, there stood Hjalmar, in his best clothes, on
the deck of the noble ship; and immediately the weather became fine.
They sailed through the streets, round by the church, and on every
side rolled the wide, great sea. They sailed till the land
disappeared, and then they saw a flock of storks, who had left their
own country, and were travelling to warmer climates. The storks flew
one behind the other, and had already been a long, long time on the
wing. One of them seemed so tired that his wings could scarcely
carry him. He was the last of the row, and was soon left very far
behind. At length he sunk lower and lower, with outstretched wings,
flapping them in vain, till his feet touched the rigging of the
ship, and he slided from the sails to the deck, and stood before them.
Then a sailor-boy caught him, and put him in the hen-house, with the
fowls, the ducks, and the turkeys, while the poor stork stood quite
bewildered amongst them.
"Just look at that fellow," said the chickens.
Then the turkey-cock puffed himself out as large as he could,
and inquired who he was; and the ducks waddled backwards, crying,
"Quack, quack."
Then the stork told them all about warm Africa, of the pyramids,
and of the ostrich, which, like a wild horse, runs across the
desert. But the ducks did not understand what he said, and quacked
amongst themselves, "We are all of the same opinion; namely, that he
is stupid."
"Yes, to be sure, he is stupid," said the turkey-cock; and
gobbled.
Then the stork remained quite silent, and thought of his home in
Africa.
"Those are handsome thin legs of yours," said the turkey-cock.
"What do they cost a yard?"
"Quack, quack, quack," grinned the ducks; but, the stork pretended
not to hear.
"You may as well laugh," said the turkey; "for that remark was
rather witty, or perhaps it was above you. Ah, ah, is he not clever?
He will be a great amusement to us while he remains here." And then he
gobbled, and the ducks quacked, "Gobble, gobble; Quack, quack."
What a terrible uproar they made, while they were having such
fun among themselves!
Then Hjalmar went to the hen-house; and, opening the door,
called to the stork. Then he hopped out on the deck. He had rested
himself now, and he looked happy, and seemed as if he nodded to
Hjalmar, as if to thank him. Then he spread his wings, and flew away
to warmer countries, while the hens clucked, the ducks quacked, and
the turkey-cock turned quite scarlet in the head.
"To-morrow you shall be made into soup," said Hjalmar to the
fowls; and then he awoke, and found himself lying in his little bed.
It was a wonderful journey which Ole-Luk-Oie had made him take
this night.
THURSDAY
THURSDAY
"What do you think I have got here?" said Ole-Luk-Oie, "Do not
be frightened, and you shall see a little mouse." And then he held out
his hand to him, in which lay a lovely little creature. "It has come
to invite you to a wedding. Two little mice are going to enter into
the marriage state tonight. They reside under the floor of your
mother's store-room, and that must be a fine dwelling-place."
"But how can I get through the little mouse-hole in the floor?"
asked Hjalmar.
"Leave me to manage that," said Ole-Luk-Oie. "I will soon make you
small enough." And then he touched Hjalmar with his magic wand,
whereupon he became less and less, until at last he was not longer
than a little finger. "Now you can borrow the dress of the tin
soldier. I think it will just fit you. It looks well to wear a uniform
when you go into company."
"Yes, certainly," said Hjalmar; and in a moment he was dressed
as neatly as the neatest of all tin soldiers.
"Will you be so good as to seat yourself in your mamma's thimble,"
said the little mouse, "that I may have the pleasure of drawing you to
the wedding."