, 1878-01-18
Aslaug's Wooiug.


When Aslaug became full ll.grown girl
peace was gour on ilusaby farm, The
finest boys of the parish wrangled and
fougnt there night after night. 1t was
w,rse ou Saturday nights, but then old
Juut Husabg went toUed with his leather
breeches On and Dirch clnb at his elbow.
"Have got glrli" be said, 81 shall
knoa how To take care of her" ~
Tore Ncset WA, only squatter's sou,
There were people, though, Who said that
he came oftener to see the farmers daugh-
ter on Husaby than aoybody else, Old
Junt did not like this talk aud said it was
not true, f,r he had never seen him
there. But people smiled at one another
an hinted that if he Looked better into
that corner where Aslaug SAT, instead OF
squSbbling with those who, struttcI on
the open floor, he would have found Tore.
Spriug came, aud when the cattle were
driven up on the hills for grazing Aslauy
followed to'take care Of tnem. Hot lay
the day over the valley, but The cliff rose
cool above the sun-smoke, and from its
top the cow-bells ting!ed aud the watch.
Dig barKed and Aslaug sang and pla! ed
onliie ljur, and how did the boys feel
toilng the meadows below The first
Saturday night they all took 10 the cIitl
one faster than the other. But still more
fast they came back, one after the other,
just where the path turned the hammer.
Some one-stood aud took hold of them,
one by one as they came, and wheeled
them downward, making his words we'll
remembered: III you choose to come
sgain, you shall still be better served"
AS far as people could understand,
there was in the whole parish only one
who had the proper hand for such a
piece uf work, aud that one was Tore
Neset. But all the rich farmers sons
thought il rather mean, that he, the squat
ter's son, should take his stand next to
her, Aslsug Husaby. t.,
The same thought also old Junt, when
he heard il, and thought further that if
no QUA else could master that chap, he
would try, and those sous of his. Juut
had begun to grow old, but although he
had passed tue three-score, he still liked
to try q wrestling match with his Oldest
son when sometimes the company seemed
to him to become sleepy.
Up to tie Husaby grazing grounds
there led only one pathway and it started
just 10 front of Husaby farm. Next Sat-
urday evening when Tore intended to
take this way and already felt p little
more quick-iooted because he had cleared
the stables, one rushed upon him and
gsaspels him by the throat. "What do
you wanli" said Tore, and threw the
other t. the ground so it rang through
his body. THAT shall tell ycu,' sand
another and gave him blDw from be-
hind;it was the brother. "Anl here is q
tffira,r said old Junt, aud cIasped him
ruund the waist.
T're grew stronger with the danger; !;
where he hit it was felt. Aud he was
Timber like a willow wand; he bowed and
bent; where blows fell, he was not; where
blows were not expected. he'hit. But ut
last he tumbled, ,vermatched, and asound
thrsshiug he got, though aiterward OH
Junt often said that ue had never had
o II ier ID 10 deal with. The three kept
on till the blood came, the Husaby said
stop, and asked shrewdly: "Now, IT next
Saturday night you eau cheat The old
Husaby bear and these cubs If his, you
Al " hare the lass..n
T,ro dragged himself alongas best he
could; when he reached home he lay
down. Much was spoken Ia the parish
of, that fight oa Husaby farm, but every
on; sat-: "Wh,t would lie there2" there
Was tnS, 'huugh, who did mot say so, aud
tbat vas Aslaug. Sue had waited for
him tu4l Saturday night, aud when she
heard of the meeting between him and
her father sho SIT down aud cried, and
said ~ beisei: III CANNOT get Tore |
shall nor See another glad day in this
world"
Tore was laid UP for the whole Sun
day, and ON Monday he felt that he must
still keep the bed. Tuesday came, and
what hne day it was! II had ralne1
during the nignl, aud the cliff was green
afresh. The window was opened AMI the
smell Of the folidge drfted in. Upon the
cliff the COw-bells linkled and somebody
was singing. Had it not Ueeu for bis
mother who sat in the room, he would
have cried.
On Wednesday he was still in bed, hut
on Thursday he wondered ii he could
not be iii right till S.Hlrday, and ON Fra,
day he .as up, lie reaem Cered now TIT
words which Juut had said: ''If next
Saturday night you can cheat the old
Husaby bear 1nd these cuos OF his, you
may have tue lass" lie looked away t.