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 A Summer Night in a Norwegian Forest. 287 " Yes ! " I said boldly, and gave vent to my awakening youthftil courage in about the same words as the man who once came across a bear asleep on a sunny hill side : " If it had been daylight, and if I had been a hunter and had a loaded gun with me, and if I could have made it go off, why, by my faith, the bear should have lam dead on the spot, he should." " Yes, of course, hah, hah, hah ! " laughed old Thor, and chuckled till the others joined in the laughter ; " of course he would have lam dead on the spot, — thafs pla in ! hah, hah, hah !" " But you are now by Storflaaten, the biggest lake in the forest here," he said, addressing himself to me, when I had finished my story ; " towards morning we'll help you on your way, for wc have got a boat, and when you have got across the water you haven't far to go to Stubdale then. But I suppose you would like to rest yourself a little now, and get something to eat ! I have nothing but some peas-pudding and rancid bacon, and may be you are not used to that kind of food ; but if you are hungry, perhaps you would like some fish ? I have been out fishing, and fine fish. I got too,—yes, in thelake I mean ! " I thanked him for his offer, and he told one of his companions to take a " regular good 'un " off the string and roast it in the glowing embers of the fire. In the meantime the old man asked a number of questions about myself, and by the time I had answered all these the fish was ready, and I began my meal with great appetite. He now asked one of his companions to tell us something about what he once said had happened to his father, when he was out cutting timber. "Well, that's very soon told," answered the lad, a strapping young fellow of a smart, undaunted appearance, and not much over the twenties. " Father was then working for the squire in Ask, and was cutting timber up in the squire's forest ; he used to sleep at a cottage further down the valley, at Helge Myra's place, — you knew Helge, didn't you Thor ? —Well, one day he had been taking too long a nap after dinner, — such a heavy sleep came over him, — and v/hen he awoke the sun was already setting behind the hills. But he would finish his day's work before he left off, and he