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Updated: June 9, 2025
It was so rich and so fortunate, that no city has ever been more glorious; but its inhabitants, unluckily, gave themselves up to arrogance and love of display. As a punishment for this, says Bataki, the city of Vineta was overtaken by a flood, and sank into the sea. But its inhabitants cannot die, neither is their city destroyed.
They thickened and spread with marvellous rapidity, and soon the entire ground was hidden from sight by white, rolling mists. Bataki flew along above the fog in clear air and sparkling sunshine, but the wild geese must have circled down among the damp clouds, for it was impossible to sight them. The boy and the raven called and shrieked, but got no response.
Not for a second did he think they had deserted him; but he feared that they had met with some mishap and was wondering what he should do to find them, when Bataki, the raven, lit beside him. The boy never dreamed that he should greet Bataki with such a glad welcome as he now gave him. "Dear Bataki," he burst forth. "How fortunate that you are here!
The boy rose quickly and walked toward him. "Are you not the one who is called Bataki, the raven? and are you not a friend of Akka from Kebnekaise?" asked the boy. The bird regarded him intently; then nodded three times. "Surely, you're not the little chap who flies around with the wild geese, and whom they call Thumbietot?" "Oh, you're not so far out of the way," said the boy.
"'For the future, when I get into a tight place, I shall remember this vat, and I shall bear in mind that I need never wrong either myself or others, for there is always a third way out of a difficulty if only one can hit upon it." With this Bataki closed his narrative.
"I've been told that a long, long time ago the wolves from Sonfjället are supposed to have waylaid a man who had gone out to peddle his wares," began Bataki. "He was from Hede, a village a few miles down the valley. It was winter time and the wolves made for him as he was driving over the ice on Lake Ljusna.
There he alighted in a stubble field and let the boy dismount. "In the summer grain grew on this ground," said Bataki. "Look around and see if you can't find something eatable." The boy acted upon the suggestion and before long he found a blade of wheat. As he picked out the grains and ate them, Bataki talked to him. "Do you see that mountain towering directly south of us?" he asked.
The two travellers rose again into the air and the raven carried the boy southward till they came to Lillhärdal Parish, where he alighted on a leafy mound at the top of a ridge. "I wonder if you know upon what mound you are standing?" said Bataki. The boy had to confess that he did not know. "This is a grave," said Bataki. "Beneath this mound lies the first settler in Härjedalen."
"I wonder what your object is in telling me all this?" he repeated. Bataki twisted and turned and screwed up his eyes, and it was some time before he answered the boy. "Since we are here alone," he said finally, "I shall take this opportunity to question you regarding a certain matter.
The boy quickly seated himself on the raven's back and Bataki would soon have caught up with the geese had he not been hindered by a fog. It was as if the morning sun had awakened it to life. Little light veils of mist rose suddenly from the lake, from fields, and from the forest.
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