Now little Nils Finn had away to go; <br />The skis were too loose at both heel and toe. <br /> --"That's too bad!" rumbled yonder. <br /> <br />Then little Nils Finn in the snow set his feet: <br />"You ugliest troll, you shall never me cheat!" <br /> --"Hee-ho-ha!" rumbled yonder. <br /> <br />Nils Finn with his staff beat the snow till it blew <br />"Your trollship, now saw you how hapless it flew?" <br /> --"Hit-li-hu!" rumbled yonder. <br /> <br />Nils Finn pushed one ski farther forward with might; <br />The other held fast,--he reeled left and right. <br /> --"Pull it up!" rumbled yonder. <br /> <br />Nils' tears wet the snow, while he kicked and he struck; <br />The more that he kicked there, the deeper he stuck. <br /> --"That was good!" rumbled yonder. <br /> <br />The birch-trees, they danced, and the pine-trees said "Hoo!" <br />They more were than one,--were a hundred and two. <br /> --"Know your way?" rumbled yonder. <br /> <br />A laugh shook the ridge till it made the snow fly; <br />But Nils clenched his fists and he swore 't was a lie. <br /> --"Now beware!" rumbled yonder. <br /> <br />The snow-field yawned wide, and the heavens came low; <br />Nils thought 't was now time for him also to go. <br /> --"Is he gone?" rumbled yonder.-- <br /> <br />Two skis in the snow looked about everywhere, <br />But saw nothing much; for there was nothing there. <br /> --"Where is Nils?" rumbled yonder.<br /><br />Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/nils-finn/
