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The boy wanted to ask after the elf, but he couldn't make himself heard because the cows were in full uproar. They carried on as they used to do when he let a strange dog in on them. They kicked with their hind legs, shook their necks, stretched their heads, and measured the distance with their horns. "Come here, you!" said Mayrose, "and you'll get a kick that you won't forget in a hurry!"
"What else could she think?" "Father and mother must fancy that I've been roaming about the country, like a common tramp?" "They think that you've gone to the dogs," said Mayrose. "They have mourned you as one mourns the loss of the dearest thing on earth." 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.
When Mayrose heard the boy's 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.
But when the boy came in, there was such a bellowing and such a kick-up, that one might easily have believed that there were at least thirty. "Moo, moo, moo," bellowed Mayrose. "It is well there is such a thing as justice in this world." "Moo, moo, moo," sang the three of them in unison. He couldn't hear what they said, for each one tried to out-bellow the others.
"They told me that he was changed, but I couldn't believe it. Welcome home, Nils Holgersson! Welcome home! This is the first glad moment I have known for ever so long!" "Thank you, Mayrose!" said the boy, who was very happy to be so well received. "Now tell me all about father and mother." "They have had nothing but hardship ever since you went away," said Mayrose.
"Come here," said Gold Lily, "and you shall dance on my horns!" "Come here, and you shall taste how it felt when you threw your wooden shoes at me, as you did last summer!" bawled Star. "Come here, and you shall be repaid for that wasp you let loose in my ear!" growled Gold Lily. Mayrose was the oldest and the wisest of them, and she was the very maddest.
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. "Moo!" bellowed Mayrose.
In the spring there had been three fine cows there, but now there was only one Mayrose. It was quite apparent that she yearned for her comrades. Her head drooped sadly, and she had hardly touched the feed in her crib. "Good day, Mayrose!" said the boy, running fearlessly into her stall. "How are mother and father? How are the cat and the chickens? What has become of Star and Gold-Lily?"
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