The Emperor of Portugalia | Page 8

to be tempted to explain what that
something else was. It had been on the tip of his tongue to say: "To-day
is not only Glory Goldie's birthday, but it's also the birthday of my
heart."
It was as well, perhaps, that he did not say it, for Börje would surely
have thought Jan had gone out of his mind.
CHRISTMAS MORN
Christmas morning Jan took the little girl along with him to church; she
was then just one year and four months old.
Katrina thought the girl rather young to attend church and feared she
would set up a howl, as she had dime at the vaccination bee; but
inasmuch as it was the custom to take the little ones along to Christmas
Matins, Jan had his own way.
So at five o'clock on Christmas Morn they all set out. It was pitch dark
and cloudy, but not cold; in fact the air was almost balmy, and quite
still, as it usually is toward the end of December.
Before coming to an open highway, they had to walk along a narrow
winding path, through fields and groves in the Ashdales, then take the
steep winter-road across Snipa Ridge.
The big farmhouse at Falla, with lighted candles at every window,
stood out as a beacon to the Ruffluck folk, so that they were able to
find their way to Börje's hut; there they met some of their neighbours,
bearing torches they had prepared on Christmas Eve. Each torch-bearer
led a small group of people most of whom followed in silence; but all
were happy; they felt that they, too, like the Wise Men of old, were

following a star, in quest of the new-born King.
When they came to the forest heights they had to pass by a huge stone
which had been hurled at Svartsjö Church, by a giant down in Frykerud,
but which, luckily, had gone over the steeple and dropped here on
Snipa Ridge. When the church-goers came along, the stone lay, as
usual, on the ground. But they knew, they did, that in the night it had
been raised upon twelve golden pillars and that the trolls had danced
and feasted under it.
It was not so very pleasant to have to walk past a stone like that! Jan
looked over at Katrina to see whether she was holding the little girl
securely. Katrina, calm and unconcerned, walked along, chatting with
one of their neighbours. She was quite oblivious, apparently, to the
terrors of the place.
The spruce trees up there were old and gnarled, and their branches were
dotted with clumps of snow. As seen in the glow of the torch light, one
could not but think that some of the trees were really trolls, with
gleaming eyes beneath snow hats, and long sharp claws protruding
from thick snow mittens.
It was all very well so long as they held themselves still. But what if
one of them should suddenly stretch forth a hand and seize somebody?
There was no special danger for grown-ups and old people; but Jan had
always heard that the trolls had a great fondness for small children--the
smaller the better. It seemed to him that Katrina was holding the little
girl very carelessly. It would be no trick at all for the huge clawlike
troll hands to snatch the child from her. Of course he could not take the
baby out of her arms in a dangerous spot like this, for that might cause
the trolls to act.
Murmurs and whispers now passed from tree-troll to tree-troll; the
branches creaked as if they were about to bestir themselves.
Jan did not dare ask the others if they saw or heard what he did. A
question of that sort might be the very thing to rouse the trolls. In this
agony of suspense he knew of but one thing to do: he struck up a

psalm-tune. He had a poor singing-voice and had never before sung so
any one could hear him. He was so weak at carrying a tune that he was
afraid to sing out even in church; but now he had to sing, no matter
how it went. He observed that the neighbours were a little surprised.
Those who walked ahead of him nudged each other and looked round;
but that did not stop him; he had to continue.
Immediately one of the womenfolk whispered to him: "Wait a bit, Jan,
and I'll help you."
She took up the Christmas carol in the correct melody and the correct
key. It sounded beautiful, this singing in the night among the trees, and
soon everybody joined in.
"Hail Blessed Morn, by prophets' holy words foretold," rang out on the
air. A murmur of anguish came from the tree-trolls; they bowed their
heads