1.Far away towards the icy North there is a beautiful country called Norway.It is a glorious land,with snow-covered mountains,deep,narrow,and well-wooded valleys,wild ravines,clear and beautiful lakes,and immense forests of birch,pine,and fir trees.
2.All along the coast of Norway there are numerous inlets or arms of the sea,called fiords.Many of the seextend for miles into the land,winding like rivers among the mountains,and sometimes passing between dark and lofty rocks.
3.Let me tell you a story about a brave little boy,named Carl,who lived with his father in a wooden house on the shore of a beautiful fiord in Norway.It was a lonely spot.Visitors were never seen there,except when a ship sailed up the fiord to get a cargo of wood from the forest.
4.Carl's mother was dead,and father and son lived by themselves in the little house by the sea.The father was a fisherman.When he was not fishing,he hung hisnets on poles at the side of his cottage.Then he would work on his little piece of land,or go off to shoot wild birds,which were found in large numbers on the rocks.
5.One day,Carl and his father had been away shooting wild ducks.In the evening they came home tired and hungry.Carl was carrying his father's loaded gun;for the little fellow was now old enough to be trusted with a gun,and more than once he had managed to shoot a bird.
6."Look,father!the door is wide open,"said Carl,as they came in sight of their little house.
As they came nearer,they heard the sound of something moving in the house.Carl's father was a bold man,and he walked quickly forward,saying with a smile,"Have the gun ready,Carl,in case I need it."
"All right,father,"said the boy;"I'll be ready."
7.His father entered the house,where,to his great surprise,he saw a huge white bear.The hungry animal had been led by his keen scent to the cottage,where as tore of dried fish and meat was kept,and he had burst open the door,walked in,and helped himself.The floor was covered with the remains of the animal's feast,and articles of clothing,wooden platters,and other things were scattered about.
8.The bear growled when he saw Carl's father in the doorway,and the fisherman had only time to seize an axe which lay near,before the animal was upon him.The brave Norwegian,axe in hand,boldly faced his foe,and at the same time stepped carefully back towards the door.
"Be ready with the gun!"he shouted to Carl."There is a bear in the house;but I will kill it."
"Yes,yes,father;the gun is ready,"said the brave boy.
9.The bear sprang towards the fisherman,who dealt the animal a heavy blow with his axe;but as he turned half round to step out of the house,he stumbled,and fell heavily to the ground.In another moment the bear was upon him,and he could feel the animal's hot breath on his face.
10.Carl was standing near the door,with the loaded gun in his hand.Without stopping to think of his danger,he quickly made up his mind what to do.As the bear sprang on his father,and was about to seize him,he placed the muzzle of the gun close to its ear,and pulled the trigger.There was a loud report animal fell dead.
11."Are you much hurt,father?"cried Carl,as soon as he saw that the danger was over.
"No,my boy,"said his father,rising."You have saved my life,"and he clasped his brave son to his heart.
12.Carl was pale and faint now that the strain was over,and the thought of his father's great danger made him tremble;but after he had had something to eat,he felt strong enough to help to cut up the dead bear.The flesh was put away for food,and the heavy fur was made into a warm dress for Carl's father.The bullet which Carl had fired was found in the bear's skull,and the boy kept it to remind him of the day when he had been able to save his father's life.
