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In a brown pool, in which a half-submerged willow-tree grew, he saw a large grayish shape which resembled a horse. He stretched out the boat-hook and rolled it over. Dumbly, fearlessly, he stood staring into the pool. There lay his son there lay Bonnyboy stark and dead. The cold perspiration broke out upon Grim's brow, and his great breast labored.
Bonnyboy, who had scarcely taken in the situation; jumped up and screamed, "Sit down, Ola Klemmerud, sit down!" The effect of this abrupt exclamation was so comical, that people nearly fell from their benches as they writhed and roared with laughter. Bonnyboy, who had risen to go to his father's assistance, paused in astonishment in the middle of the floor.
The fact was, nobody believed that the dams would break, as they had not imagination enough to foresee what would happen if the dams did break. Bonnyboy was wet to the skin, and his knees were a trifle shaky from exhaustion.
On the afternoon of the second wedding day for peasant weddings in Norway are often celebrated for three days a notorious bully named Ola Klemmerud took it into his head to have some sport with the big good-natured simpleton. So, by way of pleasantry, he pulled the tuft of hair which hung down upon Bonnyboy's forehead. "Don't do that," said Bonnyboy.
The colt, catching the spirit of excitement in the air, flew like the wind, leaving farm after farm behind it, until it reached the village. "The dam is breaking! Run for your lives!" cried Bonnyboy, with a rousing clarion yell which rose above all other poises; and up and down the valley the dread tidings spread like wildfire. In an instant all was in wildest commotion.
You'll chop off the fingers you have left; and when I am dead and can no longer look after you, I am very much afraid you'll manage to chop off your head too." "Well," observed Bonnyboy, cheerfully, "in that case I shall not starve to death." Grim had to laugh in spite of himself at the paternal way in which his son comforted him, as if he were the party to be pitied.
"But, my dear boy, how can I help worrying, when you don't learn anything by which you can make your living?" I don't worry a bit. Something will turn up for me to do, sooner or later." "But you'll do it badly, Bonnyboy, and then you won't get a second chance. And then, who knows but you may starve to death.
And suiting his action to his words, he tumbled down from the log pile, and darted up the hill-side toward the forest. The other men, hearing the wild rush and roar above them, lost no time in following his example. Only Bonnyboy, slow of comprehension as always, did not obey. Suddenly there flared up a wild resolution in his face.
Thereupon, with imperturbable composure, Bonnyboy turned to his father, brushed off his coat with his hands and smoothed his disordered hair. "Now let us go home, father," he said, and taking the old man's arm he walked out of the room. But hardly had he crossed the threshold before the astonished company broke into cheering. "Good for you, Bonnyboy!" "Well done, Bonnyboy!"
Bonnyboy's unfailing cheerfulness, which had its great charm, began to cause him uneasiness, because he feared it was but another form of stupidity. A cleverer boy would have been sorry for his mistakes and anxious about his own future. But Bonnyboy looked into the future with the serene confidence of a child, and nothing under the sun ever troubled him, except his father's tendency to worry.
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