"I'm Thumbietot, Morten Goosey-gander's comrade," he continued.

It would probably be best if Morten goosey-gander never found out about this, he thought, though he wondered, at the same time, how the white one had the heart to leave the gray goose.

"I can at least talk with Akka and Morten goosey-gander about the matter," thought he.

And now I want to see if Morten Goosey-Gander is awake.

Akka from Kebnekaise flew in the lead; after her came Yksi and Kaksi, Kolme and Neljä, Viisi and Kuusi, Morten Goosey-Gander and Dunfin.

Ever since he had seen Osa, the goose girl, he longed for the day when he might go home with Morten Goosey-Gander and be a normal human being once more.

Morten Goosey-Gander could not come for him while they were there and he knew, of course, that the wild geese were in a hurry to continue the journey.

At last, when the tourists were gone, and the boy could crawl from his hiding place, he saw no wild geese, and no Morten Goosey-Gander came to fetch him.

Maybe you know what has become of Morten Goosey-Gander and the wild geese?" "I've just come with a greeting from them," replied the raven.

" The boy was distressed at the thought of being parted from Morten Goosey-Gander just now, when the geese were on the wing, and the big white one might meet with all sorts of mishaps.

Naturally she would rather help you than Morten Goosey-Gander.

"I dare say it might seem so," continued the raven, "but this time I believe that you will be grateful to me for telling you that the elf's words were to this effect: You were to become a normal human being again if you would bring back Morten Goosey-Gander that your mother might lay him on the block and chop his head off.

The boy made the leader-goose promise that she would not divulge the secret to Morten Goosey-Gander.

"I don't know for the life of me how I can ever explain to Morten Goosey-Gander that I cannot go home," thought he.

"Do you know, Morten Goosey-Gander, that it will be rather monotonous for us to stay at home all winter after having been on a trip like this," he said, as they were flying far up in the air.

"Now, Morten Goosey-Gander, don't you think yourself that it would be hard never to see anything more that is beautiful!" said the boy.

Therefore he said: "Mother must have felt very sorry when she discovered that Morten Goosey-Gander had flown?"

"She wouldn't have worried much about Morten Goosey-Gander had she known the way he came to leave.

The fact was that when Morten Goosey-Gander found himself so near his old home he simply could not resist the temptation of showing his wife and children to his old companions on the farm.

In two days is Morten Gooseday and we must make haste if we expect to get them to market in time.

" [Footnote 1: In Sweden the 10th of November is called Morten Gooseday and corresponds to the American Thanksgiving Day.]

They went out together and in a few moments the boy saw his father coming along with Morten Goosey-Gander and Dunfinone under each arm.

He had already been in the pen with Morten Goosey-Gander to try to rouse him, but the big white gander had no desire to leave home.

Mårten gåskarl (Morten Goosie-gander) is a pet name for a tame gander, just as we use Dickie-bird for a pet bird.

Helen Morten Searcy.