按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
was known at least as far as Selkirk。 Nor could his motive be
revenge。 No animal will give up its whole life to seeking
revenge； that evil kind of mind is found in man alone。 The brute
creation seeks for peace。
There is then but one remaining bond to chain him； and that the
strongest claim that anything can ownthe mightiest force on
earth。
The Wolf is gone。 The last relic of him was lost in the burning
Grammar School； but to this day the sexton of St。 Boniface Church
avers that the tolling bell on Christmas Eve never fails to
provoke that weird and melancholy Wolf…cry from the wooded
graveyard a hundred steps away； where they laid his Little Jim；
the only being on earth that ever met him with the touch of love。
THE LEGEND OF THE WHITE REINDEER
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。
Bleak； black； deep； and cold is Utrovand； a long pocket of
glacial water； a crack in the globe； a wrinkle in the high
Norwegian mountains； blocked with another mountain； and flooded
with a frigid flood； three thousand feet above its
Mother Sea； and yet no closer to its Father Sun。
Around its cheerless shore is a belt of stunted trees； that sends
a long tail up the high valley； till it dwindles away to sticks
and moss； as it also does some half…way up the granite hills that
rise a thousand feet； encompassing the lake。 This is the limit of
trees； the end of the growth of wood。 The birch and willow are
the last to drop out of the long fight with frost。 Their
miniature thickets are noisy with the cries of Fieldfare； Pipit；
and Ptarmigan； but these are left behind on nearing the upper
plateau； where shade of rock and sough of wind are all that take
their place。 The chilly Hoifjeld rolls away； a rugged； rocky
plain； with great patches of snow in all the deeper hollows； and
the distance blocked by snowy peaks that rise and roll and whiter
gleam； till； dim and dazzling in the north； uplifts the
Jotunheim； the home of spirits； of glaciers； and of the lasting
snow。
The treeless stretch is one vast attest to the force of heat。
Each failure of the sun by one degree is marked by a lower realm
of life。 The northern slope of each hollow is less boreal than
its southern side。 The pine and spruce have given out long ago；
the mountain…ash went next； the birch and willow climbed up half
the slope。 Here； nothing grows but creeping plants and moss。 The
plain itself is pale grayish green； one vast expanse of
reindeer…moss； but warmed at spots into orange by great beds of
polytrichum； and； in sunnier nooks； deepened to a herbal green。
The rocks that are scattered everywhere are of a delicate lilac；
but each is variegated with spreading frill…edged plasters of
gray…green lichen or orange powder…streaks and beauty…spots of
black。 These rocks have great power to hold the heat； so that
each of them is surrounded by a little belt of heat…loving plants
that could not otherwise live so high。 Dwarfed representatives of
the birch and willow both are here； hugging the genial rock； as
an old French habitant hugs his stove in winter…time； spreading
their branches over it； instead of in the frigid air。 A foot away
is seen a chillier belt of heath； and farther off； colder； where
none else can grow； is the omnipresent gray…green reindeer…moss
that gives its color to the upland。 The hollows are still filled
with snow； though now it is June。 But each of these white
expanses is shrinking； spending itself in ice…cold streams that
somehow reach the lake。 These sn？flaks show no sign of life； not
even the 'red…snow' tinge； and around each is a belt of barren
earth； to testify that life and warmth can never be divorced。
Birdless and lifeless； the gray…green snow…pied waste extends
over all the stretch that is here between the timber…line and the
snow…line； above which winter never quits its hold。 Farther north
both come lower； till the timber…line is at the level of the sea；
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