Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: June 24, 2025
The fox struck her across the throat mostly, perhaps, because he wanted to make her keep quiet but the wild geese had already heard the cry and they all raised themselves in the air. And when they had flown up, the animals saw Smirre Fox standing on the wild geese's knoll, with a dead goose in his mouth.
"Since you're so fond of him," said Smirre, "I'll promise you that he shall be the first among you that I will wreak vengeance upon." Akka said no more, and after Smirre had sent up a few more yowls, all was still. The boy lay all the while awake. Now it was Akka's words to the fox that prevented him from sleeping.
"I dare say I can convey your message," Agar replied, "but I can't understand how the little boy will be able to help the swans." "Nor do I," said Smirre, "but he can do almost everything, it seems." "It's surprising to me that Daylight should send his messages by a fox," Agar remarked.
But the boy thought that such a little runt of a dog was nothing to be afraid of and he rushed ahead. The wild goose that Smirre Fox tugged after him, heard the clatter as the boy's wooden shoes beat against the ice, and she could hardly believe her ears. "Does that infant think he can take me away from the fox?" she wondered.
"Well, we're not exactly what you'd call good friends," said Smirre smoothly, "but in an emergency like this we must help each other. Perhaps it would be just as well not to tell Akka that you got the message from a fox. Between you and me, she's inclined to be a little suspicious." The safest refuge for water-fowl in the whole Mälar district is Hjälsta Bay.
The otter didn't turn his head once in the direction of the river. He was a vagabond like all otters and had fished many times by Vomb Lake, and probably knew Smirre Fox. "I know very well how you act when you want to coax away a salmon-trout, Smirre," said he. "Oh! is it you, Gripe?" said Smirre, and was delighted; for he knew that this particular otter was a quick and accomplished swimmer.
"As soon as I learned of this, I went to Smirre's cage and said to him: "'To-morrow some men are coming here to get a pair of foxes. Don't hide, Smirre, but keep well in the foreground and see to it that you are chosen. Then you'll be free again. "He followed my suggestion, and now he is running at large on the island. What say you to this, Mother Akka?
In other places the ice has melted away; but now we're well up in the very coldest Småland, where spring has not as yet arrived. I don't know how I shall ever manage to find a good sleeping-place! Unless I find some spot that is well protected, Smirre Fox will be upon us before morning." He gazed in all directions, but he saw no shelter where he could lodge.
Just after she had disappeared, came a fourth. She flew so slowly, and so badly, that Smirre Fox thought he could catch her without much effort, but he was afraid of failure now, and concluded to let her fly past unmolested. She took the same direction the others had taken; and just as she was come right above Smirre, she sank down so far that he was tempted to jump for her.
The geese fell asleep instantly, while the boy could find no rest in sleep, but sat beside them that he might watch over the goosey-gander. After a while, Smirre came running along the river-shore. He spied the geese immediately where they stood out in the foaming whirlpools, and understood that he couldn't get at them here, either.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking