The Fisher Maiden/Chapter VIII
Chapter VIII.
In those sheltered, fertile valleys, scattered through the mountains in the diocese of Bergen, a mild autumn sometimes has summer-like days even late in the season. Then the cattle are driven out to pasture a while at noon, even after they have already been taken in to winter fodder; thus they become fat and frolicsome, and present a lively scene when they are brought home again in the afternoon.
And so it chanced that the cattle were coming down the mountain-path, cows, sheep, and goats, lowing, bleating, skipping to the tinkling of bells and turning into a large gard, just as Petra drove by. The weather was fine; every pane of the long white wooden building glittered in the sunshine, and above the house loomed the mountain, so densely covered with fir, birch, bird-cherry, and ash, and on the crags with dog-rose, that the houses could not help gaining warmth therefrom. In front of the main building, on the side nearest the road, there was a garden full of apple and red and black cherry trees, with long paths and hedges of currant, gooseberry, and black currant bushes; but high above them all some venerable ash trees reared their broad crowns. The house looked like a nest hidden away among the foliage, and accessible to the sun alone. But it was just this appearance of concealment that aroused a longing within Petra, and the sun glittering on the window-panes and the alluring tinkle of the merry bells strengthened it, and when she heard that this was a parsonage, she hastily seized the reins. “Ah, I must enter here!” cried she, and turning, drove in past the garden.
A couple of Lapland dogs rushed savagely at her as she drove into the farm-yard, which was a large square surrounded by buildings, with the stable directly opposite the main building; another wing of the latter to the right, and the brew-house and servants’ hall to the left. The farm-yard was now filled with cattle, and in their midst stood a lady, rather tall and of graceful, refined form. She wore a close-fitting dress and had a kerchief tied about her head; round about her, and close up to her, were the goats, white, black, brown, and speckled ones, all wearing little bells that were tuned in thirds. She had a name for each goat and Page:The Fisher Maiden.pdf/157 Page:The Fisher Maiden.pdf/158 Page:The Fisher Maiden.pdf/159 Page:The Fisher Maiden.pdf/160 Page:The Fisher Maiden.pdf/161 Page:The Fisher Maiden.pdf/162 Page:The Fisher Maiden.pdf/163 Page:The Fisher Maiden.pdf/164 Page:The Fisher Maiden.pdf/165 Page:The Fisher Maiden.pdf/166 Page:The Fisher Maiden.pdf/167 Page:The Fisher Maiden.pdf/168 Page:The Fisher Maiden.pdf/169 Page:The Fisher Maiden.pdf/170 Page:The Fisher Maiden.pdf/171 Page:The Fisher Maiden.pdf/172 Page:The Fisher Maiden.pdf/173 Page:The Fisher Maiden.pdf/174 Page:The Fisher Maiden.pdf/175