Nils Finn

by Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson

　　Now little Nils Finn had away to go; The skis were too loose at both heel and toe. —"That's too bad!" rumbled yonder. Then little Nils Finn in the snow set his feet: "You ugliest troll, you shall never me cheat!" —"Hee-ho-ha!" rumbled yonder. Nils Finn with his staff beat the snow till it blew "Your trollship, now saw you how hapless it flew?" —"Hit-li-hu!" rumbled yonder. Nils Finn pushed one ski farther forward with might; The other held fast,—he reeled left and right. —"Pull it up!" rumbled yonder. Nils' tears wet the snow, while he kicked and he struck; The more that he kicked there, the deeper he stuck. —"That was good!" rumbled yonder. The birch-trees, they danced, and the pine-trees said "Hoo!" They more were than one,—were a hundred and two. —"Know your way?" rumbled yonder. A laugh shook the ridge till it made the snow fly; But Nils clenched his fists and he swore 't was a lie. —"Now beware!" rumbled yonder. The snow-field yawned wide, and the heavens came low; Nils thought 't was now time for him also to go. —"Is he gone?" rumbled yonder.— Two skis in the snow looked about everywhere, But saw nothing much; for there was nothing there. —"Where is Nils?" rumbled yonder.