Arne: Early Tales and Sketches

d of the house might be carried on as best it could, while on the other hand there kept growing a multitude of letters, which passed back and forth between H?gstad and the parish, and H?gstad and

ime there were dreadful articles in the newspapers, which report attributed to him, and which were the cause of great dissension in the parish, inciting neighbor against neighbor. Sometim

contains within itself reasons why it is so, which gradually force themselves upon us after there is no longer possibility of change. The people assembled about the church the next day, and they could not help laughing as they met one another. And just as the whole congregation, young and old, men and women, aye, even children, were all talking about Lars H?gstad, his ability, his rigorous will, his immense influence, he himself with his whole household came driving up in four conveyances, one after the other. It was two years since his last visit there! He alighted and passed throu

llow and bloodshot, the giant neck had dwindled into wrinkles and cords. Knud comprehended at a glance what this man had gone through; he was seized with a feeling of strong sympathy, indeed, he felt something of the old love

bt of gratitude: keep away from him until he has an opportuni

her hand, he now devoted himself to his gard and other business with the passionate zeal of one who had determined

el car was to pass over the road. Lars stood on his front steps, to hear the first signal and to see the first column of smoke; all the people of the gard were gathered about him. He gazed over the parish, illumined by the setting sun, and he felt that he would be remembered as long as a train should come roaring through this fertile valley. A sense of forgiveness glided into his soul. He looked toward the churchyard, a part of which still remained, with crosses bowed down to the

y from poverty to prosperity; true, a portion of his honor as a citizen was consumed in the act, but he had advanced nevertheless! His faults were the prevailing ones of his time: the

the end. But he was not allowed to rest because of his grandson's vast ambition; his ashes were thrown up

n loud tones above his grave. Who else had such a monument? And yet what is this? These two monstrous eyes of fire and this hissing, roaring sound belong no longer to the locomotive, for they turn away from the railroad track. And from the churchyard straight toward the house comes an immense procession. The eyes of fire are his grandfather's, and

d them. Lars knew it; for through all these years it had been sighing within his soul, and now it had become his requiem; for this was death and death's visions. The cold sweat started out over his whole body, for nearer and nearer-and behold, on the window pane! there they are now, and he heard some one speak his name. Overp

fire, Lars! We w

Knud

d to the left; around him his cattle were grazing and making their voices heard; the sheep were huddled together in a frightened flock; the household good

ward and seating herself, or rather throwing herself down in front of

d been the cause of the fire. Lars sat there brooding in silence; his wife, not daring to utter another word, began to search for his clothes; for what she had spread over him, as he lay senseless, had fallen off. He accepted her att

e only frie

ed not to her; she felt so happy that she gained courage, and r

no one else who

ars rolled down the man's cheeks

e, had roused his people, sent the girls out over his parish, while he had hastened himself with men and horses to the scene of the conflagration, where all were sleeping. He had engineered the extinguishing of the fla

nud, who had been home after his church-cart,-the one in which they had so many times ridden together to and from the meetings of the pari

me now,"

de him. What they talked about as they drove along, or afterwards in the little chamber at Aakre, where they rem

houses, and to make them larger and handsomer than any others in the valley. He was re?lected chairman, but with Knud Aakre at

RO

ears old, he went to live up the mountain and cleared a piece of land for farming, about fourteen miles from any settlement. Many people wondered how he could endure thus depending on himself for companionship, but they

eyes when they met him at church or at work, because they did not understand him; but neither did he take the trouble to give them any e

and as they could not afford to take a full-grown servant, they hired what they called "a half:" they brought i

easy to comprehend, but that it was hard to get at the meaning of what Ragnhild said. He never talked much w

ther was drinking from a white flask-the father took the boy up in his a

Why, you are not so much afraid. Would y

for the purpose of getting the king's verdict in a law-suit he was engaged in, and he was detained so long that Christmas Eve overtook him there. Blessom was grea

are walking!

go in order to get home thi

are you

swered the man

said Blessom, "for that

on the runners of my sledge," answered the man, and t

ver his shoulder at Blessom, who

hold fast," sa

it was well he did, for their jo

ou are driving on the

an, and the spray

d to Blessom their course

are moving throug

re," replied

r, Blessom thought he recognized th

is Vaage?"

he stranger, and it seemed to Bles

r the good ri

and added, as he whipped up his horse,

Blessom, and started o

ked round and beheld the stranger in the white coat driving through the crackling flames into the open mountain, which was yawning wide to receive him, like some huge gate. Blessom felt somewha

asked his mother if she knew any stories. Yes, of course she did; but hers were chiefly about princesses who were in captivity for

never seen before. The stranger saluted them with a short "Good-evening!" and came forward. Thrond grew frightened and sat down on a cricket by t

this Knud the fid

has been a long time sinc

a while now. Have you

the mountain. But half way down the slope I began to fe

did not say "in the name of Jesus," as the boy had been accustomed to

mfortable; let me r

owed to rest o

ow came he in the wood? He got up and looked about him, and saw that there was fire burning a long distance off, and that he was actually alone in the wood. He longed to go home to the fire; but could not stir from the spot. Then a great fear overcame him; for wild

had bad dreams," sai

lanced round. The stranger was gone

caps. They did not say "in the name of Jesus," when they ate, and they talked in low tones with the father. Afterward the latter and they went into

with you the smaller box

o get it. But one

at," and he poi

lying here," added the other st

. Thrond looked at the little box

here in it

nd find out,"

open it. Then a great joy lighted up his face; fo

p," said h

on it, but quickly drew it

ies,"

nd he grasped it with his whole ha

rned it round, he la

?" asked he, for it

s a f

at Thrond Alfson go

, delicate string was his mother; the one that lay close beside it, and always accompanied his mother, was Ragnhild. The coarse string, which he seldom ventured to play on, was his father. But of the last solemn string he was half afraid, and he gave no name to it. When he played a wrong note on the E string, it was the cat; but when he took a wrong note on his father's string, it was the ox. The bow was Blessom, who drove from C

n his father told about a little boy who had been playing at the fair and who had earned a great deal of money, T

said his mother; but she immedia

h," answered the father; and he spoke in s

ome new settlers who had recently moved up on the mountain and were abo

red the boy, when he was alone in th

he; but she went out to the barn wher

parish," she added, "he

did he say anything more, and so the mother thought she had permission. Co

ttle boy has ever played before;" an

med about them: they bore him far over the hills, away to foreign lands, as though he were afloat on sailing c

der to get him his breakfast, but he could not eat. He put on his new clothes and took his fiddle in his hand, and it seemed to him as though a bright light were

re following the boy with his eyes until he heard the mother out on the

she wanted to relieve her mind of s

lk down to the church and

she considered the matter sett

e under his arm. And when he reached the bride's house, he was still so occupied with his own thoughts, that he observed neither the bridal splendor nor the procession; he merely asked if t

he church?" he aske

d only "No" for an answer,

ch that crag yonder

ed on the strings, and he kept his eyes fixed intently

s red house, in front of which horses were tied; little children were playing on a hill, dogs were sitting watching them. But everywhere there penetrated a long, heavy tone, that shook him from head to foot, and everything he saw seemed to vibrate with that tone. Then suddenly he saw a large, straight house, with a tall, glittering staff reaching up to the skies.

thought Thrond, a

ny sound in it. There must be some defect in

enough," and he drew his bow with a firmer han

squeaking and wailing. He felt the cold sweat start out over his face, he thought of all these wise people who were standing here

ly to himself, as he played among the people; but lo! there she s

tching out his arms, and the spire went up and down with him, up and down. But the boy took the fiddle under one arm, screaming, "You shall not have it!

od's infinite blue sky that floated above him, with its everlasting sough. This was so terrible to him that he had to

eized the instrument with the intention of dashi

the boy cut. "Oh!" said the third, mournfully; and he paused at the fourth. A sharp pain seized him; that fourth string, to which he never dared give a name, he did not cut. Now a feeling came over him that it was not the fault of the strings that he was unable

home again until I can pl

EROUS

in the parish quarreled and fought night after night. It was worst of all on Saturday nights; but then old Knud

I shall look after her,

nud did not like this, and declared also that it was not true, "for he had never seen him there." But people smiled slyly among themselves, and thought that had h

w the loor on the mountain side, then the hearts of the young fellows who were at work down on the meadow would ache, and the first Saturday night they all started up to the mountain s?ter, one faster than the other. But stil

r time and you sha

use his fists in this way, and that was Thore N?set. And these rich gardmen's sons thou

ould tackle Thore, then he and his sons would try it. Knud, it is true, was growing old, but although he was nearly s

d. The next Saturday evening, as Thore was going to the s?ter, and was stealing on h

aid Thore, and knocked his

from behind, giving Thore a blow on the back of th

said old Knud, rushing f

s fell he was not, and where his opponents least expected blows from him, they got them. He was, however, at last completely beaten; but old Knud

get by the Huseby wolf and his cubs next

as best he could; and as soon

ch talk about the figh

d he wan

ected Thore that Saturday night, and when she heard what had taken place bet

re will never be another hap

the night. The mountain was wet and green. The fragrance of the leaves was wafted in through the open window; down the mountain sides came the sound of the cow

rose. He remembered well the words Aslaug's father had spoken: "If you can manage to get by the Huseby wolf and his cubs next Saturday, th

ck. If he rowed out on the fjord below, and past the little tongue of land yonder, and thus reached the other side of the mountain, he might contrive

as heard from the mountains. As evening drew near, and the mist was stealing up the slope, he was still sitting outside of the door. He loo

her she was going. She seated herself where she could look down into the valley; but a dense fog was rising, and, moreover, she felt little disposed to look down that way, for everything reminded her of what had occurred

which hung trembling over the steep. She looked down but saw nothing. The fjord lay silent and calm. Not even a bird ruffled its smooth surface. Aslaug sat down and began singing again. Then she was sure that some one responded with the same tune and nearer than the first time. "It must be somebody, after all." Aslaug sprang up and bent out over the brink of the steep; and there,

w herself down on the greensward and took hold of the grass with both hands, as th

it struck her that this conduct of Thore's was really

once!" sh

seemed years. But then the dog tore himself away. "Bow-bow," he barked over the brink of the steep and wagged his tail. "Bow-wow," he barked at Aslaug,

rd of this, he made a very s

th having; the g

EAR H

re was no lack on that score, and what he read the peasants were glad to hear, but when it was something they were well pleased with,

t was Thorvald, who stood there telling stories. Soon the quantity of wood brought home from the forest became wonderfully small; he went to see what the

ad. Another boy, still paler, followed, and said that he had actually seen a man without a head walking about and moving the boats down by the landing-place. And what was worst of all, little Knud Pladsen and his young sister, one evening, as they were returning home from school, came running back, almost out o

boat; the bear is out in midwinter! Have you no more faith in your God or in your catechism," quoth he, "or do you believe

to go home. The child sobbed and cried, and declared that it was utterly impossible. The school-maste

imself," cried Marit; "it w

especially when the school-master looked at him and

the bear?" he

t our overseer found a bear's den up in the prie

u seen the b

were two smaller ones besides, as the old ones generally h

school-master, still more mildly, as he k

s silent fo

rs, the hunter, felled

p nearer, and asked, so pleasantl

bears up in the par

d not say a

time?" said the school-master, taking the boy by the j

r children dared not look that way. T

lies, and still more wicked to teach the

oy escaped f

priest's and the children were left to themselves) Marit was the f

so frighten

stand it," said she, and m

s able to shoot it. No sooner had Lars, the hunter, heard about the bear's den up in the parsonage wood, than he came running thro

ried all t

"yes, it is certainly as long

een it?" as

ll not allow everybody to do, let me tell you. Of course I could not lift it, but that made

eaning back, with both his feet on the desk. "Ever since that time when Lars shot, up at O

at a bear that was asle

!" added

th the rifle can be remedied," said Ole B?en, "and

said the girls. They want

ound, and so Lars cannot depend very much upo

long with him, does he

will get permission neither from his mother nor from his sister. His father certainly died from

rous, then?" as

bear has as much sense as ten me

girls once more. They were b

her; I dare say he will go

over yonder at our gard, I saw Niels B?en, Lars the hunter, and one man more, going up the m

asked the chil

up before mother, a

the long rifl

he one he had was as long

story!" sa

so yourself,"

hich I saw, he will s

ents, as long-as long-as from

had it with him

arit, "now they are

ent they may be in a

deep, nay, almos

o," said Thorvald

something," shouted all the rest,

-master?" said

e the priest's so

inger!" said Thorvald, with a significant nod,

im back?" asked

Thorvald, noddin

. They began guessing how the affair would turn out. Hans bet with Ole that Lars's rifle had missed fire, and that the bear h

lled open the door, so excited

aster?" asked som

er! The bear! The bear!" cried

ry softly, and the others d

nally he got up, mounted one of the

I will take all t

hall we go?"

k, and the bears rushed straight at them. The boy who went with them saved himself only by throwing himself flat on the ground, and

t through the door, they sprang, and off they ran over field and wood to B?

not able to keep up, but the boys took

Thorvald; "it sometimes happens

so?" as

pear in a new for

y kept

one ten times before it

ink! ten

y kept

eighteen times with hi

what a

o that the sweat poure

lace. Ole B?en pushed the

!" cried Han

, were the next ones, and then came Thorvald, who did not go far fo

ood!" said

w whether they should

girl of a boy, who stoo

s bound with iron chains, he said, and had even broken the one that had been put about its fore-le

after the fight with the bear, and when they heard old Lars the hunter tell how all had happened. So eagerly, and with so much interest did th

ve the school without my

they appeared like a lot of black balls, rolling one by one, over the snow-white field, and when the school-master on his old le

hunter came home! It began in sunshine and ended in

FA

ost influential person in his parish; his name was Thord ?veraa

aid he, "and I wish to p

all his

fter my

he spo

to be the best men and women of

lse?" inquired the p

t hesitate

to have him baptized by h

o say on a

y, at twelve

ing else?" inqu

the peasant twirled his cap,

lking toward Thord, he took him by the hand and looked gravely into

ter, Thord stood once mo

gly well, Thord," said the priest; for

I have no trouble

but after a while he asked: "Wh

bout that son of mine who i

a brigh

heard what number the boy would have whe

stand num

nd here are ten dol

do for you?" inquired the pr

s nothin

went

heard outside of the priest's study, for many men were ap

oked up and r

ended this evening

ed for my son: he is about to marry Karen Storlide

he richest girl

he peasant, stroking bac

mes in his book, without making any comments, and the men wrote t

am to have," s

ut he is my only child, I

st took

, Thord, that you have come

d Thord, and folding up his pocket-b

lowly fol

ing across the lake, one calm, still day, to S

the son, and stood up to straighte

on slipped from under him; he threw out his

d the father, springing to his

made a couple of ef

the father, and began

n his back, gave his fathe

ne down, as though he must surely come to the surface again. There rose some bubbles, then some more

t taking either food or sleep; he was dragging the lake for the body of his son. And toward m

assage outside of the door, carefully trying to find the latch. The priest opened the door, and in walked a tall

te?" said the priest, and

ate," said Thord,

ugh waiting. A long, long silenc

like to give to the poor; I want it to b

the table, and sat down ag

t deal of mon

rice of my gard.

in silence. At last

propose to do

hing b

eyes, the priest with his eyes fixed on Thord.

as at last brought

ord, looking up, while two big te

AGLE'

fertile valley, and was intersected by a broad river that flowed down from the mountains. This river empti

ts who dwelt here. Some said he had fled hither on account of a murder he had committed, and that was why his family were

r the parish, now swooping down after a lamb, now after a kid; once he had also taken a little child and borne it away; therefore there was no safety in the parish as long as the eagle had a nest in t

e they had swooped down and done mischief, and who had last endeavored to reach the nest. The youth of the place, from early boyhood, practiced climbin

family. He had curly hair and small eyes, was clever in all play, and was fond of the fair sex. He early said of h

in the summer; the young eagles must be just about hatched. A vast multitude of people had gathered together at the fo

et, earth and gravel came rolling down, otherwise all was still, save for the stream flowing behind, with its suppressed, ceaseless murmur. Soon he had reached a point where the mountain began to project; here he hung long by one hand, while his foot groped for a sure resting-place, for he co

childhood, although he was not of her kindred. Stretching out her arms she called aloud: "Leif, Leif, why do you do this?" Every eye was turned on her. Her father, w

but after a while it seemed as if he were growing weary, for he often paused. Presently a little stone came rolling down as a harbinger, and every one who stood there had

others chimed in with her. "He is slipping!" they cried, and stretched up their hands to him, both men and women. He was indeed slipping, carrying with him sand, stones, and earth; slipping, continually sli

d mutilated beyond recognition. The girl had fallen down on the

n unable to look at him. So the old people had to go forward. The eldest of them, as he took hold of the body, said: "It is very sad,

TNO

o be found in the Album a

rwegian "Kamp," and the houseman's pl

two-fourths time, des

Augusta Plesner an

dance, in thre

ost noted psalmis

orestier's

Augusta Plesner an

orestier's

riginal from the translation of Au

iginal, from the translation of Aug

Augusta Plesner and

d-sulky used by tr

are made to the people in fro

magistrate of a

Bai

Forestier's

Augusta Plesner and

man, and usually wears a blue petticoat and a white hood. She has a long tai

Augusta Plesner and

., makes the witchery vanish. Thus also a piece of steel laid in the

d of long

riginal from the translation of Au

ants call the

Forestier's

nder-garment high in th

re from the translation of Augus

Augusta Plesner and

word datter m

RIBER'

these are caused by the apparent failure of a letter or pu

like", "roadside" and "road-

ich report attributed to him," does not make sense, but

s denoted by

Contents ha