Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-08-31
THE TROLLS DAUGHTER


giles in vain for six long months against
eternal snow, and the stars and the au-
rora borcalis casts but pale light with
out one particle of heat through the noe
turnal glooms. There neither the heart
of man beats. nor does any sward grow
green on any flower open it's fresh chalice
to the sun. Only from time to time the
hugo, shapeless whale rears his vast
form above the waves and the white
bear issues with heavy and mysterious
steps from his icy cavern.
Well, it was the end of March in the
year 1853. The winter was celebrating
the last days of its reign by incredible
rigors. The heavens were dark and
stormy, the cold as hard and sharp as
flint and the wind soughed in icy gusts
through the naked frs. All nature
frowned, and both men and animals fled
i'll CONSERVATION to their subtcrranean
homes.
All at once there appeared on the plain
of karesuando three sledges which
seemed to be straying at random, so
completely had the snow etfaced every
sign of road or of human habitation.
The horses were reeling with fatigue,
and it was III vain that their drivers
strove to revive them and urge them on
ward with their hoarse cries and re-echo-
ing whips.
The caravan halted.
"Perkele.' name of the devil in Fin
nish exclaimed the driver of the first
sledge, d sort of deformed dwarf wrapped
in a filthy sheepsllin horrible to behold.
"Perkele' he repeated, clambering out
Of Il deep hole into which he had just
been pitched headlong.
The rest ran to his assistance. but had
great difficulty in setting the poor wretch
on his feet again and III adjusting his
sledge. as the tongue of it was broken
and the horse famed.
"A cursed country this. Monseigneur,
we are LOST grumbled an individual in
the second sledge.
Hush, Francois replied the person
who had been addressed as monseigneur
"instead Of swearing find ont whether
we cannot procure shelter somewhere in
this neighborhood."
This last phrase was communicated to
one Of the drivers in Finnish by third
person who seemed to be the interpreter
of the troop.
The driver addressed pressed down his
cap over his left eve, wiped his nose
once as the northern usages permit in
such q scene, on the sleeve of his mantle,
took his horse by the bride. and after
all these acts Of preparation at length re-
piled in a tone OF perfect tranquility:
NO, there is not q house in the neigh
bOrhocd where shelter can be had"
This distressing announcement threw
the travellers into CONSERVATION.
Cursed country, cursed country" re-
peated the man i'll the second sledgo with
increasing i'll humor.
To add TO their trouble the two first
eQulpageS upset, and their fall was so
terrible that they were unfit for further
service when once more raised.
Yet the darkness increased. the cold
grow more and more biting, and the tenn
pest whirling the snow along before it
shook the fir trees in the forest and even
the loose rocks on the mountains.
We are lost. we are lost" cried the
whole troop in despair.
But look! Wonder appears in the dis
tance specter of indistinct, wavering
outline, eyes that CLEAN like two live
Goals and a hairy hand that seems to
boclon the strangers toward it. Was
this not one of those dwarfs so famous
in the northern SagaS. who entice straved
travellers into their caves that they may
immediate them there to the somber del
ties they worship:
Francois" said the youngest of the
troop, leaping from his sledge you see
that they are making signs to us there
Let us co.''
oh, monsaigneur, can you think of do
ing so:"
What, Are you afraid" Francois
did rot dave to reply,
Tho way was rough and bestrewn with
fragments of rock, trunks of trees and
snowdrifts. The young man advanced
bravcly. Francois followed him, NUT
tering oaths and growing between his
teeth:
Cursed country, cursed country"
They crossed river and arrived near
lofty mountain, whose crown Of birches
and frs added vet deeper shadows to the
gloom that already surrounded them
Francois was almost beside himself with
fatigue and terror.
For Gods sake, monseigneur, not
another step. This is the end of the
world, and that sign that leads us is the
sign of hell"
The young man stopped. The scene
was truly so wild, so savage, that he
hcsitated to go any farther However
he again took courage and advanced yet
"A fcw steps. The specter rose to its full
height before him, and then plunging, as
it were, in the snow revealed to tho
travellers the traces Of subterranear
habitation. This was no new thing tc
them, as at Tornea and Muonioniska
they had already met with those deer
novels Of which the door is so low that
you are compelled to go upon all four,
IN order to enter them. But the one they
now beheld was more like the den of a
bear than a human abode