animal heroes-第31节

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and　all　the　land　is　in　that　treeless　belt　called　Tundra　in　the
Old　World；　and　Barrens　in　the　New；　and　that　everywhere　is　the
Home　of　the　Reindeerthe　Realm　of　the　Reindeer…moss。


I

In　and　out　it　flew；　in　and　out；　over　the　water　and　under；　as　the
Varsimle'；　the　leader　doe　of　the　Reindeer　herd；　walked　past　on
the　vernal　banks；　and　it　sang：

〃Skoal！　Skoal！　Gamle　Norge　Skoal！〃　and　more　about　〃a　White
Reindeer　and　Norway's　good　luck；〃　as　though　the　singer　were
gifted　with　special　insight。

When　old　Sveggum　built　the　Vand…dam　on　the　Lower　Hoifjeld；　just
above　the　Utrovand；　and　set　his　ribesten　a…going；　he　supposed
that　he　was　the　owner　of　it　all。　But　some　one　was　there　before
him。　And　in　and　out　of　the　spouting　stream　this　some　one　dashed；
and　sang　songs　that　he　made　up　to　fit　the　place　and　the　time。　He
skipped　from　skjaeke　to　skjaeke　of　the　wheel；　and　did　many　things
which　Sveggum　could　set　down　only　to　luckwhatever　that　is；　and
some　said　that　Sveggum's　luck　was　a　Wheel…troll；　a　Water…fairy；
with　a　brown　coat　and　a　white　beard；　one　that　lived　on　land　or　in
water；　as　he　pleased。

But　most　of　Sveggum's　neighbors　saw　only　a　Fossekal；　the　little
Waterfall　Bird　that　came　each　year　and　danced　in　the　stream；　or
dived　where　the　pool　is　deep。　And　maybe　both　were　right；　for　some
of　the　very　oldest　peasants　will　tell　you　that　a　Fairy…troll　may
take　the　form　of　a　man　or　the　form　of　a　bird。　Only　this　bird
lived　a　life　no　bird　can　live；　and　sang　songs　that　men　never　had
sung　in　Norway。　Wonderful　vision　had　he；　and　sights　he　saw　that
man　never　saw。　For　the　Fieldfare　would　build　before　him；　and　the
Lemming　fed　its　brood　under　his　very　eyes。　Eyes　were　they　to　see；
for　the　dark　speck　on　Suletind　that　man　could　barely　glimpse　was
a　Reindeer；　with　half…shed　coat；　to　him　and　the　green　slime　on
the　Vandren　was　beautiful　green　pasture　with　a　banquet　spread。

Oh；　Man　is　so　blind；　and　makes　himself　so　hated！　But　Fossekal
harmed　none；　so　none　were　afraid　of　him。　Only　he　sang；　and　his
songs　were　sometimes　mixed　with　fun　and　prophecy；　or　perhaps　a
little　scorn。

From　the　top　of　the　tassel…birch　he　could　mark　the　course　of　the
Vand…dam　stream　past　the　Nystuen　hamlet　to　lose　itself　in　the
gloomy　waters　of　Utrovand　or　by　a　higher　flight　he　could　see
across　the　barren　upland　that　rolled　to　Jotunheim　in　the　north。

The　great　awakening　was　on　now。　The　springtime　had　already
reached　the　woods；　the　valleys　were　a…throb　with　life；　new　birds
coming　from　the　south；　winter　sleepers　reappearing；　and　the
Reindeer　that　had　wintered　in　the　lower　woods　should　soon　again
be　seen　on　the　uplands。

Not　without　a　fight　do　the　Frost　Giants　give　up　the　place　so　long
their　own；　a　great　battle　was　in　progress；　but　the　Sun　was
slowly；　surely　winning；　and　driving　them　back　to　their　Jotunheim。
At　every　hollow　and　shady　place　they　made　another　stand；　or
sneaked　back　by　night；　only　to　suffer　another　defeat。　Hard
hitters　these；　as　they　are　stubborn　fighters；　many　a　granite　rock
was　split　and　shattered　by　their　blows　in　reckless　fight；　so　that
its　inner　fleshy　tints　were　shown　and　warmly　gleamed　among　the
gray…green　rocks　that　dotted　the　plain；　like　the　countless　flocks
of　Thor。　More　or　less　of　these　may　be　found　at　every　place　of
battle…brunt；　and　straggled　along　the　slope　of　Suletind　was　a
host　that　reached　for　half　a　mile。　But　stay！　these　moved。　Not
rocks　were　they；　but　living　creatures。

They　drifted　along　erratically；　yet　one　way；　all　up　the　wind。
They　swept　out　of　sight　in　a　hollow；　to　reappear　on　a　ridge　much
nearer；　and　serried　there　against　the　sky；　we　marked　their
branching　horns；　and　knew　them　for　the　Reindeer　in　their　home。

The　band　came　drifting　our　way；　feeding　like　Sheep；　grunting　like
only　themselves。　Each　one　found　a　grazing…spot；　stood　there　till
it　was　cleared　off；　then　trotted　on　crackling　hoofs　to　the　front
in　search　of　another。　So　the　band　was　ever　changing　in　rank　and
form。　But　one　there　was　that　was　always　at　or　near　the　vana
large　and　well…favored　Simle'；　or　Hind。　However　much　the　band
might　change　and　spread；　she　was　in　the　forefront；　and　the
observant　would　soon　have　seen　signs　that　she　had　an　influence
over　the　general　movementthat　she；　indeed；　was　the　leader。　Even
the　big　Bucks；　in　their　huge　velvet…clad　antlers；　admitted　this
untitular　control；　and　if　one；　in　a　spirit　of　independence；
evinced　a　disposition　to　lead　elsewhere；　he　soon　found　himself
uncomfortably　alone。

The　Varsimle'；　or　leading　Hind；　had　kept　the　band　hovering；　for
the　last　week　or　two；　along　the　timber…line；　going　higher　each
day　to　the　baring　uplands；　where　the　snow　was　clearing　and　the
deer…flies　were　blown　away。　As　the　pasture　zone　had　climbed　she
had　followed　in　her　daily　foraging；　returning　to　the　sheltered
woods　at　sundown；　for　the　wild　things　fear　the　cold　night　wind
even　as　man　does。　But　now　the　deer…flies　were　rife　in　the　woods；
and　the　rocky　hillside　nooks　warm　enough　for　the　nightly　bivouac；
so　the　woodland　was　deserted。

Probably　the　leader　of　a　band　of　animals　does　not　consciously
pride　itself　on　leadership；　yet　has　an　uncomfortable　sensation
when　not　followed。　But　there　are　times　with　all　when　solitude　is
sought。　The　Varsimle'　had　been　fat　and　well　through　the　winter；
yet　now　was　listless；　and　lingered　with　drooping　head　as　the
grazing　herd　moved　past　her。

Sometimes　she　stood　gazing　blankly　while　the　unchewed　bunch　of
moss　hung　from　her　mouth；　then　roused　to　go　on　to　the　front　as
before；　but　the　spells　of　vacant　stare　and　the　hankering　to　be
alone　grew　stronger。　She　turned　downward　to　seek　the　birch　woods；
but　the　whole　band　turned　with　her。　She　stood　stock…still；　with
head　down。　They　grazed　and　grunted　past；　leaving　her　like　a
statue　against　the　hillside。　When　all　had　gone　on；　she　slunk
quietly　away；　walked　a　few　steps；　looked　about；　made　a　pretense
of　grazing；　snuffed　the　ground；　looked　after　the　herd；　and
scanned　the　hills；　then　downward　fared　toward　the　sheltering
woods。

Once　as　she　peered　over　a　bank　she　sighted　another　Simle'；　a　doe
Reindeer；　uneasily　wandering　by　itself。　But　the　Varsimle'　wished
not　for　company。　She　did　not　know　why；　but　she　felt　that　she　must
hide　away　somewhere。

She　stood　still　until　the　other　had　passed　on；　then　turned　aside；
and　went　with　faster　steps　and　less　wavering；　till　she　came　in
view　of　Utrovand；　away　down　by　the　little　stream　that　turns　old
Sveggum's　ribesten。　Up　above　the　dam　she　waded　across　the　limpid
stream；　for　deep…laid　and　sure　is　the　instinct　of　a　wild　animal
to　put　running　water　between　itself　and　those　it　shuns。　Then；　on
the　farther　bank；　now　bare　and　slightly　green；　she　turned；　and
passing　in　and　out　among　the　twisted　trunks；　she　left　the　noisy
Vand…dam。　On　the　higher　ground　beyond　she　paused；　looked　this　way
and　that；　went　on　a　little；　but　returned；　and　here；　completely
shut　in　by　softly　painted　rocks；　and　birches　wearing　little
springtime　hangers；　she　seemed　inclined　to　rest；　yet　not　to　rest；
for　she　stood　uneasily　this　way　and　that；　driving　away　the　flies
that　settled　on　her　legs；　heeding　not　at　all　the　growing　grass；
and　thinking　she　was　hid　from　all　the　world。

But　nothing　escapes　the　Fossekal。　He　had　seen　her　leave　the　herd；
and　now　he　sat　on　a　gorgeous　rock　that　overhung；　and　sang　as
though　he　had　waited　for　this　and　knew　that　the　fate　of　the
nation　might　turn　on　what　passed　in　this　far　glen。　He　sang：

Skoal！　Skoal！　For　Norway　Skoal！
Sing　ye　the　song　of　the　Vand…dam　troll。
When　I　am　hiding
Norway's　luck
On　a　White　Storbuk
Comes　riding；　riding。


There　are　no　Storks　in　Norway；　and　yet　an　hour　later　there　was　a
wonderful　little　Reindeer　lying　beside　the　Varsimle'。　She　was
brushing　his　coat；　licking　and　mothering　him；　proud　and　happy　as
though　this　was　the　first　little　Renskalv　ever　born。　There　might
be　hundreds　born　in　the　herd　that　month；　but　probably　no　more
like　this　one；　for　he　was　snowy　white；　and　the　song　of　the　singer
on　the　painted　rock　was　about

Good　luck；　good　luck；
And　a　White　Storbuk；

as　though　he　foresaw　clearly　the　part　that　the　White　Calf　was　to
play　when　he　grew　to　be　a　Storbuk。

But　another　wonder　now　came　to　pass。　Before　an　hour；　there　was　a
second　little　Calfa　brown　one　this　time。　Strange　things　happen；
and　hard　things　are　done　when　they　needs　must。　Two　hours　later；
when　the　Varsimle'　led　the　White　Calf　away　from　the　place；　there
was　no　Brown　Calf；　only　some　flattened　rags　with　calf…hair　on
them。

The　mother　was　wise：　better　one　strongling　than　two　weaklings。
Within　a　few　days　the　Simle'　once　more　led　the　band；　and　running
by　her　side　was　the　White　Calf。　The　Varsimle'　considered　him　in
all　things；　so　that　he　really　set　the　pace　for　the　band；　which
suited　very　well　all　the　mothers　that　now　had　Calves　with　them。
Big；　strong；　and　wise　was　the　Varsimle'；　in　the　pride　of　her
strength；　and　this　White　Calf　was　the　flower　of　her　prime。　He
often　ran　ahead　of　his　mother　as　she　led　the　herd；　and　Rol；
coming　on　them　one　day；　laughed　aloud　at　the　sight　as　they
passed；　old　and　young；　fat　Simle'　and　antlered　Storbuk；　a　great
brown　herd；　all　led；　as　it　seemed；　by　a　little　White　Calf。

So　they　drifted　away　to　the　high　mountains；　to　be　gone　all
summer。