Gerda in Sweden

he next morning toward a barren island off the east coast of Sw

her pointed. "Yes, I think I see h

up here," he called. "I can see her qui

who received our box? If it is, her name is Karen. D

ace. The twins saw now that she wore the rainbow skirt and the dark bodice over a white waist, which

d quietly on the deck, waving her hand and smiling in fri

kman swung his daughter ashore; and Gerda asked just as eagerly, "Ar

ou my birds," said Karen at once; and she clim

y at the crutch and the poor, crooked back;

o children for me to play with, so I have to make friends with the bird

e, sheltered from the wind, was a collection of cages, mounted on a roug

m he ruffled up his feathers and rolled his head from side to

hines," Karen explained; "bu

g winter nights, when he can see all the

ken wing; but he is nearly well now, and

a cuckoo, and a magpie," said

ulls are blown against the windows of the lighthouse and are hurt. I find them on the rocks in the morning with a broken leg o

h the birds in the

replied. "One of my brothers built a bird-house near our barn, and if my birds are not strong enough to f

brothers

n the woods in the winter, cutting out logs or making tar; and in t

coast," said Gerda, "and, wherever we stopped, the wharves were co

wonder where they go, and what becomes of all the lumber they carry. There i

"Birger and I began to count them, and then there wer

which she held in her hand for him. "I think this magpie is going to stay with me," she said. "He is very t

to play with," said Gerda. "You must be glad when the

ol," she said soberly; "but my brothers taught me to read a

r happened to me. Everything in it gave me something new to think about. I often think how pretty the streets of Stock

it is not often that you see a rainbow sk

sed. "Where do you

rt of Sweden, in a province that is called Dalarne," she explained. "It is a very old-fash

e as she listened. "I suppose there are ev

r every day, and go to church on Sundays; a

ay boat?" was Kar

e so far away from the church that they row across the lake togeth

riends in Stockholm?" a

went from city to

d and said shyly, "I wish you would be my fri

to write to you," she added soberly. "After the snow comes, and my brothers have all gone into the

ow; and about the animals that creep out from the woods sometimes and sniff around your door. And I will tell you

turned from inspecting the lighthouse with Karen's father, and w

each other, and Karen went down to the la

ack at the island, long after Karen's rainbow

our thoughts, if they are wort

e Karen sad to hear of my good t

your letters to think a

he pointed to a little

id. "You will soon be t

undret and the

e mysterious Arctic regions, she could not f