" could i not be this halvor ? " said halvor . " no , i am quite sure you could not , " said the woman , starting up . " halvor was so slow and lazy , and never wanted to do anything , and beside , he was so tattered that one rag got in the way of the other . he could never have turned into so fine a looking gentleman as yourself . " after a time the woman had to go to the hearth , and rake the fire , and as the firelight fell on halvor , just as it used to when he dug in the ashes , she recognized him . " no , can it really be you , halvor ? " she cried , and then the two old folk were happy beyond all power of words , and halvor had to tell all that had happened to him , while his mother was so pleased with him , that she wanted to take him up to the castle at once , and show him to the girls who had always been so proud , and had turned up their noses at her son . so she went first and halvor followed . when they came up , she told how halvor had come back , and that they ought to see how fine he looked , just like a prince , said she . " we can imagine that , " said the girls , and tossed their heads . " he is probably the same ragged fellow that he used to be . "
he could never have turned into so fine a looking gentleman .
why did the woman think halvor could not be her son ?
why did the woman think halvor could not be her son ?