Growth of the Soil

alfskin bag. "I'd thought of going across

said

t of talk with th

t he shambled out, looking never the least bit anxious, never the least bit miserable

ed, "Will you be coming back maybe?" H

's in your mind? Of cou

'm

t idle in and out about the hut doing nothing; he set to, clearing timber, felling straight, good sticks, and c

owed away in a bag under the roof. Inger had taken nothing of her belongings. But Isak, unthinkably simple as he was, grew afraid of the dark in the light summer nights, and saw Shapes and Things stealing past the window. He got up b

he had never been before. Grey rock and brown, and strewed about with bits of heavy stone, heavy as copper or lead. There might be many things in those heavy stones; gold or silver, like as not-he had no knowledge of such things, and did not care. He came to the water; the fly was up, and the fish wer

n he lived alone with them and had no other to help; then he went up to a quarry near by and carried down s

outside, he told himself that it was fancy, nothing more. "Eyah, Herregud!" [Footnote: Literally, "Lord God." The word is frequently used, as here, in a sense of resignation, as it were a sigh.] he murmured, desolate in spirit. And Isak was not one to use words lightly. There was the tram

nd: a clever wife, ay, a manager of wonders-but, after all.... No, it was too much, and that was the only word for it. A spinning-wheel and carding-combs at a pinch; even the beads perhaps,

he shed, and said with

I've brought

" sai

ng-I couldn't go but softl

e brought a c

t with greatness and riches on ear

rst, but made no s

and get somet

er? Isn't she

speaking as carelessly as he coul

ve been building up here? You'll work yourself to death,

ooked and looked the cow all over carefully, in every part, and noted all the markings,

k she might be?" as

I brought her up myself, and they all said it was the sweetest cal

ling to do, that all was well. "As for the fe

to eat and drink and ma

of Cow; of the great

ond's on the way. And

asleep

N

knew me at once, and followed me like a lam

H

ugh the summer, all the same, or sh

en before?" ask

ey were quite sorry to lose her, I can tell you;

'twas good enough for any one. Ay, they'd as good as all they could wish for already. Oh, that Inger; he loved her and she loved him again; they were frugal folk; they lived in primitive wise, and lacked for

h timber himself, why not? Moreover, it was a call upon him; it must be done. Hadn't they a farm with sheep, a farm with a cow already, goats that were many already and would be more?-their live stock alone was

ought that he talked to Cow in any obsequious and disgustful flattery; no, he patted her decently, and looked her over once more in every part

ig frame for a parlour, and a smaller one-there must be a room to sleep in. It was heavy work, hard-breathing work, and his mind

ou busy with no

out," says Isak,

o have her asking and wondering, and curious about his doings. He ate a bit, and

up. "This won't do. Can't sit he

re building," sa

o went about building with timber all by himself,

Yes, of

n see.. Here's you come bringing a whole cow

rd of creation. And this was before she learned to know h

a cowshed you're

" sa

I-I thought you'd be b

up a face as if he'd never in l

put the beas

bit. "Ay, maybe '

lad and triumphant. "You s

what'd you say to a ho

would be just like other fo

ough this last was troublesome, and Isak himself was not always pleased with his work. Haytime came, and he was forced to climb down from his buildi

want in th

't say exact

ack. "'Tis more than a man can do," said Inger. "You'll kill yourself that gait." But Isak pulled down the stone hearth, that didn't look so well in the

me for his building; 'twas a lengthy business, and even by August, when all the hay was in, safely stored under the shelter of the rock, the new house was still but half-way done. Then by September:

anner again, and said he would manage by himself. "No call t

s work," says Inger. "Yo

st these up," says I

in before the autumn rains; there was not a day to be lost. What could be wrong with Inger? Not going to be ill? She would make che

or a box," she had said, "next

ant that for?

e wanting it

eemed a help just to have her about. Bit by bit the work went on; there was no

fing done before the rain came on in earnest. The goats were brought in of a night into the hut

for another journey d

very h

u could bring up a good-

. "and a couple of painted doors. I'll have

's no great matter

nt with a basket

Oh, haven't you e

d a door for the parlour, and a door for the bedroom; also he had hung round

rself to death on

ake it regularly and get well again. And there were the windows and the painted doors that he could fairly boast of; he set to work at once fitting them in.

imals had the turf hut to themselves, only a lambing

ers in the waste: ay, 'twas a w