Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: May 16, 2025
"Does he say so, Rosenbom? Well then, don't stand still on the pedestal any longer but come with me and help me find him. Four eyes are better than two, Rosenbom." But the wooden man answered in a doleful voice: "I would most humbly beg to be permitted to stay where I am. I look well and sleek because of the paint, but I'm old and mouldy, and cannot stand moving about."
The wooden man's arm went up, so that it creaked in the old woodwork, and he touched his hat brim as he replied: "Rosenbom, by Your Majesty's leave. Once upon a time boatswain on the man-of-war, Dristigheten; after completed service, sexton at the Admiral's church and, lately, carved in wood and exhibited in the churchyard as a poor-box."
And Rosenbom, the boatswain on the Dristigheten, told as much as he knew of the ships' builders, and of those who had manned them; and of the fates they had met. He told them about Chapman and Puke and Trolle; of Hoagland and Svensksund all the way along until 1809 after that he had not been there. Both he and the bronze man had the most to say about the fine old wooden ships.
The bronze man was not one of those who liked to be contradicted. "What sort of notions are these? Come along, Rosenbom!" Then he raised his stick and gave the other one a resounding whack on the shoulder. "Does Rosenbom not see that he holds together?"
Without thinking, he lifted the wooden hat from his head and shouted: "I take off my hat to the one who chose the harbour and founded the shipyard and recreated the navy; to the monarch who has awakened all this into life!" "Thanks, Rosenbom! That was well spoken. Rosenbom is a fine man. But what is this, Rosenbom?" For there stood Nils Holgersson, right on the top of Rosenbom's bald pate.
"Where does Rosenbom think it most advisable for us to begin the search?" said the bronze man. "Such an one as he could most easily conceal himself in the hall of models," replied the wooden man. On a narrow land-strip which stretched to the right from the gate, all along the harbour, lay ancient structures.
He thought that he shrivelled up before them. But when they came in here, the bronze man said to the wooden man: "Take off thy hat, Rosenbom, for those that stand here! They have all fought for the fatherland." And Rosenbom like the bronze man had forgotten why they had begun this tramp.
The new battleships they didn't exactly appear to understand. "I can hear that Rosenbom doesn't know anything about these new-fangled things," said the bronze man. "Therefore, let us go and look at something else; for this amuses me, Rosenbom." By this time he had entirely given up his search for the boy, who felt calm and secure where he sat in the wooden hat.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking