p over into the field.

The cows came and sniffed at it; the other goat, that had stayed at home
with them, examined it very particularly; and the little kid danced,
zigzag and every which way; and so it was introduced to society, you
might say.

How we children ran after that little billy-goat! But Karsten was the
worst, for he went to the forest every single day to tend it and brought
it home every single night.

"I rather think I shall have to give you that kid," said Mother
Goodfields to Karsten one night as he came along carrying it.

From that time Karsten was a changed boy altogether, for he didn't give
a thought to the big lake that he had cared so much about all summer. In
his brain there was absolutely nothing but that billy-goat. It ate
bread and butter and drank out of a teacup; and one night when Mother
went up to bed she caught a glimpse of Billy-goat's beard above the
blanket beside Karsten's head. Just imagine! Karsten was going to let
the kid sleep with him. But Mother put a stop to that and Karsten had to
hurry down-stairs and out to the barn with the goat.

Karsten never allowed me to touch Billy-goat and so I wanted to have a
pet animal of my own. I considered seriously for a day or two as to
whether I should not ask Mother Goodfields for a brown calf that was
kept out in the pasture; but one fine morning it was slaughtered, so
there was an end to that plan. Then I brought my desire down to Agnete
Kverum's cat. It was golden-brown and had long hair and was exactly like
a big cosy muff; and in the muff were two great yellow eyes. Whenever I
went up to the Kverum place it sat curled together on the door-sill and
purred and was perfectly charming. I didn't give Agnete a minute's rest
or peace, and so, as you know, I got the cat.

Strangely enough, Mother was not in the least overjoyed when I came back
carrying the forest-cat.

"I don't like these presents," said Mother. "There will only be tears
and heartbreak when you have to leave them."

"Leave them!" exclaimed Karsten and I in one breath. "Oh, but you know
they must go back home with us!"

"The goat is so smart about going up and down stairs," said Karsten.
"And it likes to drink out of a teacup and it can perfectly well stay in
the hotel garden over night in the city."

"Are you crazy, you two?" said Mother. "It would never do in the world."

But we teased and begged so, that Mother finally said yes--we might take
them. For the potato-