our way up to heaven!"

He saw nothing but mists and birds around him, and began to look upon it
as reasonable that they were travelling heaven-ward. He was glad, and
wondered what he should see up there. The dizziness passed all at once.
He was so exceedingly happy at the thought that he was on his way to
heaven and was leaving this earth.

Just about then he heard a couple of loud shots, and saw two white
smoke-columns ascend.

There was a sudden awakening, and an unrest among the birds. "Hunters!
Hunters!" they cried. "Fly high! Fly away!"

Then the boy saw, finally, that they were travelling all the while over
the sea-coast, and that they certainly were not in heaven. In a long row
lay small boats filled with hunters, who fired shot upon shot. The
nearest bird-flocks hadn't noticed them in time. They had flown too low.
Several dark bodies sank down toward the sea; and for every one that
fell, there arose cries of anguish from the living.

It was strange for one who had but lately believed himself in heaven, to
wake up suddenly to such fear and lamentation. Akka shot toward the
heights as fast as she could, and the flock followed with the greatest
possible speed. The wild geese got safely out of the way, but the boy
couldn't get over his amazement. "To think that anyone could wish to
shoot upon such as Akka and Yksi and Kaksi and the goosey-gander and the
others! Human beings had no conception of what they did."

So it bore on again, in the still air, and everything was as quiet as
heretofore--with the exception that some of the tired birds called out
every now and then: "Are we not there soon? Are you sure we're on the
right track?" Hereupon, those who flew in the centre answered: "We are
flying straight to Oeland; straight to Oeland."

The gray geese were tired out, and the loons flew around them. "Don't be
in such a rush!" cried the ducks. "You'll eat up all the food before we
get there." "Oh! there'll be enough for both you and us," answered the
loons.

Before they had gotten so far that they saw Oeland, there came a light
wind against them. It brought with it something that resembled immense
clouds of white smoke--just as if there was a big fire somewhere.

When the birds saw the first white spiral haze, they became uneasy and
increased their speed. But that which resembled smoke blew thicker and
thicker, and at last it enveloped them altogether. They smelled no
smoke; and the smoke was not dark and d