CHAPTER VI
THE TAMING OF CROOKHORN
It was early morning in the latter part of the summer, and the sun wasshining brightly over Hoel Saeter.
Lisbeth was alone inside the fold, milking goats. All was quiet andpeaceful. Not a bell was heard. The only sounds were the gentle rush ofthe river far below and an occasional soft thud from the cow house whena cow bumped her horns against the wall in getting up. The milkmaid wasinside the cow house, milking the cows. Lisbeth's hands were still toosmall for that work, so it had been arranged that she should haveentire charge of the goats instead of helping with the larger animals.
Suddenly from the hill above the saeter rang out "Ho-o-i-ho!" and in afew minutes the call was answered a little farther off with a touch ofirritation in the tone, "Ho-o-i-ho!"
UP AT THE SAETER]
Lisbeth looked up and listened. Then with a smile of happy satisfactionshe went over to the fence and called, "Ho-o-i-ho!" Now she could sendout the tones with vigor, so that they rang back from all the hillsaround; her voice no longer trembled when she answered the big boys'call.
To-day she knew that they were calling especially to summon her, andthat they dared to come close to the saeter with their animals becausethey had an errand,--something that they had planned with the milkmaidand Lisbeth.
By the sound of the bells she could tell that the boys were driving theanimals as fast as they could. The boy that was behind--Peter, ofcourse--was provoked at not being first.
But, if you please, they would have to wait until she had finished herwork. They were out extremely early to-day!
* * * * *
However strange it may seem, Lisbeth Longfrock, soon after her arrivalat Hoel Saeter, had become a prime favorite with the other herders. Theday after her first painful experiences the boys, as proposed, had mether behind the hill, Peter first and then Ole. No reference was made tothe previous day; it was merely taken for granted that in future shewould be with them. Ole said that she could look after their animals,together with her own, while they went off to bathe. Peter thought shecould, too. So she agreed to the arrangement.
But the boys did not play very long on the bank of the pond that daywhen they had finished bathing. It was not much fun, after all, to bedown there by themselves.
So it had come to pass that Lisbeth and her animals never camestrolling over the hill in the morning without meeting the boys. Theygenerally came at nearly the same time, each from the direction of hisown saeter, apparently trying to see who could be the first to give thecall. But when they met each did his best to make out to the other thathe had come there by the merest chance, both sheepishly realizing thatthe very evening before they had put on big-boy airs about "that youngone whom they could never get rid of," and had said that they would gooff in an entirely different direction the next day, to avoid her ifpossible.
Often the boys would have athletic contests, turning handsprings andwrestling from one meal-time to another because neither boy was willingto give up beaten. More than once in a single morning or afternoonwould Lisbeth have to remind them to look after their animals, because,completely forgotten by the boys, the flocks had strayed nearly out ofsight.
Occasionally it happened that one boy would reach Hoel Saeter ten orfifteen minutes before the other and would find Lisbeth ready to setout. In that case the first comer would insist that he and Lisbethshould start out by themselves, urging that the other boy had probablygone somewhere else that day. Such times were almost the pleasantest,Lisbeth thought, for then the one boy had always so much to show herthat the other boy did not know about,--a marshy ledge, white as snowwith cloudberry blossoms, where there would be many, many berries inthe autumn (that ledge they could keep for themselves,--it was notworth while to let the other boy know about everything they found); ora ptarmigan nest with thirteen big eggs in it; or a ridge wherescouring rushes[12] grew unusually long and thick.
[12] A species of horsetail rush (_Equisetum hyemale_), having a rough, flinty surface. It is used for scouring and polishing.
Each boy talked more with her, too, when by himself, and was lessboastful and rough. And the one boy would climb trees and get sprucegum for her, while she would seek scouring rush for him. Scouring rushis something that requires a special knack in the one who is todiscover it, and the boys had never seen Lisbeth's equal in spying itout. Peter said that if there was a single spear growing anywhere, youmight be sure that she would find it; to which Ole jokingly respondedthat, for his part, he believed she could find one even where therewasn't any!
And how many, many things both boys thought of that they could make!One day when it rained Ole made Lisbeth a hat out of birch bark, andthe next day Peter came with a pair of birch-bark shoes for her. Themilkmaid must have laughed when she saw Lisbeth coming home that secondday wearing the birch-bark hat and shoes, and carrying her ordinaryshoes in her hand. Another day Ole gave her a pocketknife. She ought tohave something to whittle with, he thought, and he did not need thatknife because he had one with a sheath that he always wore in his belt.The next day Peter brought her a musical horn that he had made in theevenings from a goat's horn. It had an unusually fine tone. You couldmanage to play that funny tune, "Old Woman with a Stick," on it after afashion.
Ole speculated a while as to what he could do to beat that, and then hehit upon an idea,--he would tame Crookhorn!
They had often seen Crookhorn going with the cows as if she were one ofthem; and they knew that though she was Lisbeth's own goat there was nouse in trying to make her go with the other goats. The little girl hadtold them how impossible it had been to manage the creature at thefarm, and that Kjersti had said the men would have to make an end ofher when winter came.
So Ole offered to tame Crookhorn. He was sure that he could teach herto go with the others. There had never been a goat yet that had notbeen forced to yield when he attempted to master it.
Yes, indeed, Lisbeth was more than willing for him to try. If hesucceeded, she would gladly give him all she owned.
No, Ole did not want any payment for doing it; but if she insisted ongiving him something, he would like the goat's horns after the goat wasslaughtered, as it would have to be some day. They would make matchlesshorns to blow upon.
But Peter, too, wanted to have a share in the undertaking. If the goatproved to be very cross and obstinate, two persons would surely beneeded to tame her. Then they could have one horn apiece.
Ole did not know whether he would agree to that or not, for it was hewho had thought of the plan.
Yes, but how could he carry it out? Peter did not believe thatCrookhorn could be made to go with the other goats unless there was astronger goat for her to be fastened to. Ole did not have such a one.It was Peter who had the big billy goat, the only one strong enough forthe task.
Yes, that was true; so Peter might help in taming Crookhorn if he wouldlend his billy goat.
Lisbeth, for her part, thought they ought all to help; that was theonly proper way. And her suggestion was finally followed.
* * * * *
Ole's taming of Crookhorn was the errand that brought the boys to theHoel Saeter on the morning that Lisbeth and the milkmaid were doingtheir milking so early.
The two flocks came pushing and crowding over the hill; but as soon asthe animals realized that they were to be allowed to go close to thesaeter, they began to run at full speed. It was always such fun to go toa strange place! They would be sure to find something new to see and tostick their noses into,--perhaps a little milk stirabout in the pigtrough, a little salt on the salting stone, or a hole in the fencewhere one could get a chance to squeeze through without being seen.
The bells clanged, the boys ran about shouting and hallooing and givingtheir musical calls, trying to keep the worst goats in order, butperhaps making a little more noise than was necessary.
Where all had been so still before there was now the l
iveliestcommotion. The milkmaid could not resist going to the cow-house door tolook out; and Lisbeth would surely have forgotten to milk the last ofher goats if it had not come over to her of its own accord and stooddirectly in her way as she was going out of the fold.
When Ole saw the milkmaid at the cow-house door he called out, "Shallyou not let out your cattle soon?"
"Yes; I am just ready to," answered the milkmaid. "Are you ready,Lisbeth?"
"I am milking my last goat."
Soon everything was done, and the animals stood waiting to be let out.
Ole had with him a strong band woven of willow withes, with aningeniously fastened loop at each end. One loop was for Peter's billygoat, the other for Crookhorn. Ole thought it was a very fine apparatusindeed.
"Where is Crookhorn?"
"In the cow house."
"Then I had better go in and get her myself. Bring your goat, Peter,and hold him ready."
Peter called his big billy goat. It knew its name and came at once.
"Let me see how strong you are," said Peter. He took hold of its horns,held its head down, and pushed against it. The billy goat bunted, tooka fresh start, bunted again,--they often played in this way,--and sentPeter against the fence.
"There!" exclaimed Peter, picking himself up; "I rather think thatbilly goat is strong enough to drag any goat along, no matter how big aone." Peter fairly glowed with pride.
Ole, too, wanted to try the strength of the goat. Yes, it was anamazingly strong goat.
Then Ole went into the cow house, and in a few moments came backleading Crookhorn by the band of willow withes. The next step was tofasten the other loop around the billy goat's neck, and behold! therestood the two goats harnessed together. But neither of them seemed tonotice that anything had been done.
Lisbeth and the milkmaid and the boys waited a while expectantly; butthe billy goat rather enjoyed being looked at, and would not budge solong as they and the flocks were near by. He merely stood still andwanted to be petted.
So Ole said: "Let your animals out, Lisbeth, and start ours on thepath, Peter. Then we shall see a double-team grazing contest."
Lisbeth opened the gate and her animals crowded out, taking theircustomary way up over the hill. Peter drove his own flock and Ole'safter them.
Seeing this, the billy goat thought it was high time for him to bejogging along, so he took a step forward; but something was the matter.He looked back. Who was playing tricks and hindering him?
He saw Crookhorn with all four legs planted fast on the ground and herneck stretched out.
"Pooh! nothing but that," thought the billy goat, taking a couple ofsteps forward. Crookhorn found herself obliged to follow, but she laidher head back and struggled. Then the billy goat gathered all hisforce, set his horns high in the air, and tugged at the band. He wouldshow her that he was not to be kept back by any such foolery!
Crookhorn again found herself obliged to follow, but she resisted andresisted with all her might. At length her fore legs doubled up underher and she sank upon her knees; but the billy goat went on as ifnothing had happened, and Crookhorn had to follow on her knees acrossthe whole flat part of the saeter field.
Lisbeth and the boys shrieked with laughter, and even the milkmaidfound it impossible not to join in.
When Crookhorn reached the beginning of the hill, where the ground wasmore uneven, she thought it wiser to get up and trot along on her fourfeet; but although she yielded thus far for the sake of her owncomfort, she still continued to struggle against being forced to go atall.
The animals took the customary path leading farther over the mountain.Little by little Crookhorn seemed to conclude that she must submit tothe inevitable. During the first part of the morning she was sullen andcontrary, merely allowing herself to be dragged along; but as the daywore on and her stomach felt empty and slack, she grew more subdued andbegan to walk quietly forward, eating as she went like any othergoat,--only looking up once in a while when she heard the heavy cowbell in the distance.
The fun was gone when Crookhorn took to behaving well, so the boysbegan as usual to wrestle and turn somersaults; and this they kept upuntil it was nearly time to go home for their nooning. Then Ole said:"Now let us slip her loose on trial. I think she must be cured by thistime."
Yes, the others agreed to that.
So they called to the billy goat coaxingly. He came jogging along withhis big horns straight up and Crookhorn trailing after him. Ole firstset the billy goat free, and then, kneeling down before Crookhorn, hetook hold of her beard. Crookhorn pawed with her feet as goats do whenthey want to get rid of this hold, but Ole would not let go. He wishedto give her a few admonitions first.
Now that she had found her master, he told her, she need no longerimagine that she was a cow. Hereafter she was to behave like othergoats or she would have him to deal with; and at this he gave her bearda wag, as if to add force to his words. That hurt Crookhorn, and shemade a bound straight at him and sent him rolling backward. Then,passing directly over him, with the willow band trailing behind her,she set out on a trot across the marsh in the direction from which thesound of the cow bell had come.
Ole scrambled up again, stamped the ground with rage, and started afterher.
Lisbeth and Peter were already on the way. They shouted and screamed asthey ran, and threatened Crookhorn with all sorts of punishments if shedid not stop; but Crookhorn acted as if she did not understand. Sheran, and they after her. The boys became more and more angry. It hadnever happened before that they had been unable to capture a goat; andbesides, each boy was eager to get ahead of the other. So they ranfaster and faster. Although Lisbeth Longfrock was light-footed,especially with her birch-bark shoes[13] on, she lagged behind. It waslike wading in deep water to try to run in that long frock of hers,which, in the hasty start of the morning, she had forgotten to tuck upin her belt as usual.
[13] Lisbeth's ordinary shoes were clumsy wooden ones.
Soon she caught a last glimpse of the boys as they disappeared over ahill on the other side of the marsh. Peter was ahead (she believed hereally was the faster runner of the two). But she herself was only inthe middle of the marsh.
So she stopped. Certainly the best thing that she could do was to goback and get the animals together; otherwise all three flocks werelikely to stray away.
She turned back, recrossed the marsh, and had climbed the hill a littleway when she heard a rumbling and thudding noise, which grew constantlylouder and louder, while the ground seemed to roll in waves under herfeet. What could it be? Around the foot of the hill came a big herd ofhorses[14]--oh, what a big herd! There were horses old and young, andfoals running beside their mothers; horses brown, dun-colored, black,and white; and all of them were so bright and shiny and fat andskittish! They trotted and ran, with heads tossing,--those ahead beingpassed by others, then those behind getting ahead again,--making anoise almost like the booming of thunder.
[14] Horses, as well as other animals, are sent up on the mountains to graze during the summer. They roam about at will, and sometimes go home of their own accord at the end of the season, if no one has been sent to fetch them.
Lisbeth stood still and watched them, half afraid. She had never seenso big a herd before. They noticed her, too, but they did not run ather at all. Only two or three stopped, pricked up their ears, and gazedat her, trying to make out what kind of little creature she could be.Then they ran on again, and in an instant the whole herd had gone past.Lisbeth could only hear the thunder of their hoofs as they gallopedinto the path leading to the saeter.
But her animals! and the boys' flocks! Naturally the horses hadfrightened them. Lisbeth could see no trace of them anywhere. She ranfrom hill to hill, stopping to listen and then running again.
It was all of no use; she could not find them. The only wise course forher was to go back to the saeter.
This was the first and only time that Lisbeth Longfrock went homewithout taking her animals with her.
But when she reached the saeter there lay the whole flock peacefullywithin the fold, chewing the cud. They had gone home of their ownaccord. The horses that had given Lisbeth such a fright were therealso, walking about and licking up the salt which the milkmaid hadstrewn for them.
In the afternoon the milkmaids from the other saeters came to inquireafter the boys, for their goats had also come home of themselves longbefore the usual time.
It was not until much later that Ole and Peter arrived, draggingCrookhorn between them.
When the milkmaids laughed at them the boys could not help feeling alittle chagrined. That they had let their flocks stray away could notbe denied; but no one could say that they had come home without anyanimal at all,--although two big boys _did_ seem a rather liberalnumber to be in charge of a single goat, however large that goat mightbe.
Things had gone wrong for that day, Ole acknowledged; but Crookhorn wasnot to think that she had seen the end of the struggle. They would takeher with them again the next day. She should get her deserts.
But it turned out otherwise. Crookhorn knew better than to let such athing happen. When they took off the willow band she stood still awhilewith her neck stretched up, looking at the horses which were at thatmoment going out of the inclosure. Suddenly she kicked up her hind legsin real horse fashion, and then away she went after the herd as fast asshe could go.
The milkmaids, as well as the boys, could do nothing but stand and gapewhen they saw her join the horses.
"Probably she imagines now that she is a horse," thought they.
For a while they stood in silence watching the receding herd. Then Olesaid in his dry fashion, "If there had been any elephants here, itwould have been just like Crookhorn to imagine herself an elephant."