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The ground was checked just as it was in Skåne and there were many churches and farms. But there was this difference, however, that there were more leafy meadows between the fields here, and then the farms were not built up with small houses. And there were no large manors with ancient tower-ornamented castles. The wild geese had taken the route over Gottland on account of Thumbietot.
After Akka had given them the best directions, and described carefully how they should find Taberg, they had separated. The white goosey-gander had chosen Dunfin as travelling companion, and they had flown about hither and thither with the greatest anxiety for Thumbietot.
As usual, he was thinking of Thumbietot and the wild geese, and wondering how he should ever find them again. He had lost all track of them. As he stole cautiously along, more discouraged than usual, he caught sight of Agar, the carrier-pigeon, who had perched herself on a birch branch. "My, but I'm in luck to run across you, Agar!" exclaimed Smirre.
If you, Thumbietot, only had had an ever so tiny coin, to pay the merchants, Vineta might have remained up here on the shore; and its people could have lived and died like other human beings." "Herr Ermenrich," said the boy, "now I understand why you came and fetched me in the middle of the night. It was because you believed that I should be able to save the old city.
"We are in the wrong company. It is Prettywing that follows us!" The boy had barely spoken when the goose uttered such an ugly and angry shriek that all knew who she was. Akka and the others turned to her, but the gray goose did not fly away at once. Instead she bumped against the big goosey-gander, snatched Thumbietot, and flew off with him in her bill.
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.
"He has several names," said the goosey-gander hesitantly, not knowing what he should hit upon in a hurry, for he didn't want to reveal the fact that the boy had a human name. "Oh! his name is Thumbietot," he said at last. "Does he belong to the elf family?" asked the leader-goose. "At what time do you wild geese usually retire?" said the goosey-gander quickly trying to evade that last question.
The wedge was perfect, the speed good, and the wing strokes strong and certain. The boy felt such a yearning for his departing comrades that he almost wished he were Thumbietot again and could travel over land and sea with a flock of wild geese. The final e is sounded in Skåne, Sirle, Gripe, etc. The å in Skåne and Småland is pronounced like o in ore. j is like the English y.
The old leader-goose came rushing down the hill and up to the boy. First she seized hold of him and shook him, then she stroked him with her bill before she shook him again. But she did not say a word, since he asked her not to waken the others. Thumbietot kissed old Mother Akka on both cheeks, then he told her how he had been carried off to Skansen and held captive there.
The instant he said that, the eagle flew back and stopped fighting. "Who's speaking of Akka?" he asked. He saw Thumbietot and heard the wild geese honking, so he spread his wings. "Tell Akka I never expected to run across her or any of her flock out here in the sea!" he said, and soared away in a rapid and graceful flight.
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