fell in love
with the same girl. During the winter, it was all night except for an
hour or so about noon, when the darkness seemed a little less dark,
and then they used to see which of them could tempt her out for a
sleigh ride with the Northern Lights flashing above them, or which
could persuade her to come to a dance in some neighbouring barn. But
when the spring began, and the light grew longer, the hearts of the
villagers leapt at the sight of the sun, and a day was fixed for the
boats to be brought out, and the great nets to be spread in the bays
of some islands that lay a few miles to the north. Everybody went on
this expedition, and the two young men and the girl went with them.

They all sailed merrily across the sea chattering like a flock of
magpies, or singing their favourite songs. And when they reached the
shore, what an unpacking there was! For this was a noted fishing
ground, and here they would live, in little wooden huts, till autumn
and bad weather came round again.

The maiden and the two young men happened to share the same hut with
some friends, and fished daily from the same boat. And as time went
on, one of the youths remarked that the girl took less notice of him
than she did of his companion. At first he tried to think that he was
dreaming, and for a long while he kept his eyes shut very tight to
what he did not want to see, but in spite of his efforts, the truth
managed to wriggle through, and then the young man gave up trying to
deceive himself, and set about finding some way to get the better of
his rival.

The plan that he hit upon could not be carried out for some months;
but the longer the young man thought of it, the more pleased he was
with it, so he made no sign of his feelings, and waited patiently till
the moment came. This was the very day that they were all going to
leave the islands, and sail back to the mainland for the winter. In
the bustle and hurry of departure, the cunning fisherman contrived
that their boat should be the last to put off, and when everything was
ready, and the sails about to be set, he suddenly called out:

'Oh, dear, what shall I do! I have left my best knife behind in the
hut. Run, like a good fellow, and get it for me, while I raise the
anchor and loosen the tiller.'

Not thinking any harm, the youth jumped back on shore and made his way
up the steep bank. At the door of the hut he stopped and looked back,
then started and gazed in horror. The head