Scandinavian American. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1945-1958, 1946-02-01
Northland Courage
By Josephine Kjittilsdater Thoen

time, and the year was. probably,
1916: or somewhere early in the
nineteenth century.
The cabin where Peder and
Anna lived with their five chill
dren was clean and warm. But on
this biggest day in the life of
kjittil it was getting warm out
doors and the family had deserted
the house.
The fact that the cabin was va
Gated stood out strongly in the
mind of the young Kjittil. He had
been praying for such day to
come, because he had need of a
little solitude in which to exam
inc his fathers old violin without
observation.
Too long that strange box had
been silent, for Peder had broken
two strings early in the winter.
These strings were worn down to
lAON 1Odld III lOIISSl DC
extended, and Peder had put his
instrument up, and had forbidden
anyone to touch it. Kjittil knew
his father had brought home new
strings but so far no mood for
music had driven him to replace
the missing. No one but Kjittil
had cared, or if they had, no one
had mentioned it.
Kjittil was piling the wood
which his father had sawed and
split the day before. Anna, his
mother, and Anna, the eldest Sis
ter, were busy attending the farm
animals. Jorand, the second Sis
ter, was amusing the two little
brothers, Sebjorn and Tolef, in the
"Brigge hus" Probably she was
also keeping up the fire in the
fireplace for some bigger than
usual baking later in the day. Pc
der himself had taken pack and
his heavy walking stick when he
went out and this led Kjittil to
believe that he would be gone for
some time.
-Tis true that Peder never went
out without his heavy stick Only
the week before he had fought a
long-legged gray mountain wolf
with that heavy stick. He had
tied the pet goat out on the sun
ny side of the COW barn and gone
back to the cabin. T h n some
sixth sense told him to look back
before entering the door. A lean,
hungry animal was bearing down.
ward toward his pet. Old Peder
hesitated just long enough to
take a deep breath and grasp his
club tighter. Then he dashed out
and met the brute just before he
could leap upon the terrified goat,
who was now bleating with all her
might and trying to pull the stake
TO which she was attached.
Peder and the wolf met. The
club came down with a crushing
sound and the "graa bene' locked
his teeth in Peder's leather britch-
es He pulled till the buttons
came off and Peder kept failing
the animal wherever he could hit.
Neither was disposed to go down.
The agonized family lowered in
the cabin door. They knew father
could dispatch a wild animal but
they had no idea it meant a bat
tie such as this.
Finally the badly battered wolf
let go the leather and turned back
to the big timber. Peder patted
his goat and Gained her fears.
Then he put her back in her stall
and closed the door.
When he reached his own door
his family had gone inside and
pretending 70 be busy Peder would
not have been pleased had his
family shown any outward signs
Of emotion. Can you find me
some thread, Anna. so / can sew
on the buttons ?" he asked.
Certainly. Father" she an
swered Anna was so proud Of
her big courageous father, and she
had been so frightened. She want
ed to show him in some way.
LET me sew on the ones in the
back she suggested.
Her father nodded. and she
sewed them on with slightly
shaky hands.