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"You must beware of those sisters of yours, Dunfin!" warned Akka, "for they wish you no good, depend upon it!" But Dunfin was so constituted that she could not think evil of any one and, a moment later, when Prettywing asked her to come and meet her intended, she went with her immediately. "Oh, he isn't as handsome as yours," said the sister, "but he's much more courageous and daring!"
"I don't know what human beings have named it," said Dunfin. "We gray geese call it the 'City that Floats on the Water'." Dunfin had two sisters, Prettywing and Goldeye. They were strong and intelligent birds, but they did not have such a soft and shiny feather dress as Dunfin, nor did they have her sweet and gentle disposition.
Goldeye agreed with her sister that these were certainly very distinguished strangers that had come to the island, but suddenly she broke off and called: "Sister Prettywing! Oh, Sister Prettywing! Don't you see whom they bring with them?" Prettywing also caught sight of Dunfin and was so astounded that she stood for a long time with her bill wide open, and only hissed.
"I should have been very glad to remain here with father and mother and you," said Dunfin, "had I not promised the big, white " "What!" shrieked Prettywing. "Are you to have the handsome goosey-gander? Then it is " But here Goldeye gave her a sharp nudge, and she stopped short. The two cruel sisters had much to talk about all the afternoon.
"I would rather see him dead than to go about here the entire summer thinking of Dunfin's capturing a white goosey-gander!" pouted Prettywing. However, the sisters continued to appear very friendly toward Dunfin, and in the afternoon Goldeye took Dunfin with her, that she might see the one she thought of marrying. "He's not as attractive as the one you will have," said Goldeye.
At first the old goose-parents could not quite make out what they saw, but when they recognized Dunfin they were absurdly happy, of course. While the wild geese and Morten Goosey-Gander and Dunfin were chattering excitedly, trying to tell how she had been rescued, Prettywing and Goldeye came running.
However, none of the geese was hurt; but just there, above the boat, Prettywing opened her bill and dropped Thumbietot into the sea. A few years ago, at Skansen the great park just outside of Stockholm where they have collected so many wonderful things there lived a little old man, named Clement Larsson.
While Prettywing and Goldeye were talking in this strain, the wild geese had been standing on the strand, pluming their feathers after the flight. Now they marched in a long line up the rocky shore to the cleft where Dunfin's parents usually stopped. Dunfin's parents were good folk. They had lived on the island longer than any one else, and it was their habit to counsel and aid all newcomers.
"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.
"We have nothing but trouble in store for us, now that that young one has come back!" snapped Prettywing. "Still I think it would be best for us to appear as pleased as possible over her return. She is so stupid that perhaps she didn't even notice that we gave her a push on purpose."
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