Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1906-02-03
UP Among the Saeters.

Up Among the Saeters
In mountainous districts of Norway d.,
! farmers usually in the spring send their
dairy maids hired men and shepherd
boys with their cattle--cows. oxen.
horses, pigs, sheep and goats--up on the
mountains 10 the saeterS. where they
! keep them in pasture during the summer.
! \ saetcr is Il collection of houses. sur
rounded hy green fields mcloscd with Il
/ fence, and outside of this are stretched
the great grazing grounds, over noun
| tainS and valleys, through woods. along
rivers. brooks, and lakes When every
! thing has been pat in readiness and the
| weather has become more like summer
/ the housewives come and take the places
! ot the dairy maids. and these aud the
! hired men are sent home.
! | will not describe to YOU the many
| dangers 10 which herd and shepherd
! boys were formerly exposed when wolves
! and bears were hunting around for
! lambs, sheep, calves ard other animals
! for their breakfast or dinner: but | will
! tell You about the bright side of these
/ boys life To show that they can also
| play their little tricks and manage to
get Il good deal of fun out of their daily
| work, lonesome though they are in those
! loilN ftEtuHS.
! Nature has blessed them with a won
! derfully clear and hcalthful air. with
! plenty of sunshine and outdoor life
! Though they often are drcuChnd iu rain
to the skin and have To wade in water
all the day long, often for many days AT
! time. rheumatism, nervousness, dy>-
| pepSia and touthachp are unknown Ia
! their experiences. Theirs is life in
| clear, hcalthful and inyigoratiue moun-
! tam air, hundreds, often thousands. ui
! feet above sea level. They are very gen.
| orally healthy, sound in mind aud body.
| playful and full of good bmuur Their
ringing laughter, a good sign Of n sounl
| constitution, rc-echoed from mountain
| side 10 mountnin-side. is like the sound
| of pleasant music.
One SIMMER my father aHd mother
! living in COL, ilaiingdal. mountainous
! district in the southern part Of the cum-
! try-had in their herd II hig ram with
! large horns bent backward into spirals.
For some reason or other, this rstsf could
not stand to see the shepherd hoy having
on his rain shawl-a large shawl that
| the boys put on 10 cover the head and
/ shoulders on rainy days, As soon as he
caught sight of the shepherd boy with
/ the shawl on, he would look at him u
moment his eyes would suddenly fash
! IRE, he would back up a few feet, and
then with all his strength he would leap
! forward and butt the hoy. SO that he
would tumble heels over head along the
| ground. This was quite dangerous. as
/ the ram had great bodily strength. SO the
boy had to look out for him etcry time
| he wore his shawl
One day the boy made up his mind he
would play a trick on the ram.
The herd was grazing through the
woods. at the foot of high mountain
toward the shore of Tislcia Fiord At
this point the bank Of the lake is very
! high, and it runs up nearly pcrpendicu-
larry from the water. A few feet from
| the edge Of the bank the boy found n
stub of tree The stub was just Of
the same size as the boy, and it was 80
! deCaycd that only a small kick would
send il crumbling over the ground. over
this stub the boy hung his shawl, on its
top he placed his cap, and in other ways
| made it look like himself Then be hid
! himself behind some trees watching the
| herd. that now was coming grazing to-
ward the bank
All Of sudden the ram caught sight
Of the stub-hoy and the shawl lie
threw mp his head looked at the figure
Il moment. the old fire came into his cyos
again. he backed mp few feet. put his
! neck into a stiff curve. and laid his ears
Hat back on his woolly neck. You could
read anger all over his face, CaIculat-
ing only the distance to the stnb-boY, he
uttered harsh baa, aud then suddenly
| with all his strength, threw himself for
| ward into n run and rHshcd toward
| what hc supposed was the boy. Tn"
| stub with a loud crack flew into thou
sand rotten pieces that together with Il
cloud Of dust from dccayed wood, com.
plrtcly covered the rams face and the
front IF his body. the shawl covering
his head binding him-and bump. with
%,