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Kindness to animals is another virtue of the Norwegian people. Illustrating this trait we again quote William Eleroy Curtis: "There seems to be a close relation between the human kind and their animals. The men and women talk to the horses and cattle as if they were understood. We had a skydsgut, or driver, one day, who held continuous conversation with his horses.
The stolkjærre is a rough, box-like cart, with a seat for two persons, and another little seat behind for the skydsgut. It has the advantages of ample room for luggage, and economy when travelling two together, the hire of one stolkjærre being less than that of two carrioles; but, having no springs, it jolts and jars its occupants most unmercifully.
One may haul on to the reins for half an hour without inducing the pony to pull up, but the magic sound of the "burr-r-r" uttered by the skydsgut will cause the little beast to stop dead. And he will not go on again until he hears the peculiar click of his master's tongue.
The Norwegians love their horses with the strong, feminine devotion of Arabs, and it is not an uncommon sight to see the skydsgut, if he be a boy, burst into a passionate fit of tears should you lash his horse twice in a mile. He will strive to tell his grief, but if the language of his sorrow be not understood, he will cover his face with his hands, and weep aloud by the road side.
A window in Christiania was completely filled by the mingled flags of Norway and the United States, crossed by a banner bearing the words, "For Disunion." It was the voice of Norway and America. It was a modest desire they expressed. In the words of Olaf Sprachehaug, our humble-minded skydsgut, the whole country was saying, "And now I t'ink we get a king of our own."
The SKYDSGUT, or so-called postboy, for the next stage of the journey, was a full-grown man of considerable weight.
I could not make the man, or skydsgut, as he is called, who accompanied me, understand ten consecutive words I spoke; but asking a multitude of questions, I thought I must have collected a multitude of information.
The luggage is strapped on to a board behind, and the skydsgut sits on it. A day's drive in a carriole, if the weather be fine and the pony a good one, is a real pleasure, and an intelligent skydsgut will enliven the journey with his amusing babble, as well as with scraps of information about the country traversed.
So the stranger in the carriole or stolkjærre will do well to hold the reins for the sake of appearances, and allow his skydsgut to do the rest. One word of comfort to the adventurous driver: Do not be alarmed if you notice that the harness is dropping to pieces. But the actual drive how lovely it all is!
Disliking the dulness of my companion, I drove at a swift pace, but the skydsgut did not seem to like it, and several times I could guess from his manner, that he was expostulating with me.
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