And a lucky thing it was that the woman hadn't started the clipping
sooner. Now only two quills had fallen under the shears' when the door
was opened--and the boy stood on the door-sill. But a creature like
that the woman had never seen before. She couldn't believe anything else
but that it was Goa-Nisse himself; and in her terror she dropped the
shears, clasped her hands--and forgot to hold on to the goosey-gander.

As soon as he felt himself freed, he ran toward the door. He didn't give
himself time to stop; but, as he ran past him, he grabbed the boy by the
neck-band and carried him along with him. On the stoop he spread his
wings and flew up in the air; at the same time he made a graceful sweep
with his neck and seated the boy on his smooth, downy back.

And off they flew--while all Vittskövle stood and stared after them.

IN ÖVID CLOISTER PARK

All that day, when the wild geese played with the fox, the boy lay and
slept in a deserted squirrel nest. When he awoke, along toward evening,
he felt very uneasy. "Well, now I shall soon be sent home again! Then
I'll have to exhibit myself before father and mother," thought he. But
when he looked up and saw the wild geese, who lay and bathed in Vomb
Lake--not one of them said a word about his going. "They probably think
the white one is too tired to travel home with me to-night," thought the
boy.

The next morning the geese were awake at daybreak, long before sunrise.
Now the boy felt sure that he'd have to go home; but, curiously enough,
both he and the white goosey-gander were permitted to follow the wild