said it was a very beautiful wedding, and that they had been very agreeably
entertained.
After this, Hjalmar returned home. He had certainly been in grand
society; but he had been obliged to creep under a room, and to make
himself small enough to wear the uniform of a tin soldier.
Friday
It is incredible how many old people there are who would be glad to have
me at night,” said Ole-Luk-Oie, “especially those who have done something
wrong. ‘Good little Ole,’ say they to me, ‘we cannot close our eyes, and we
lie awake the whole night and see all our evil deeds sitting on our beds like
little imps, and sprinkling us with hot water. Will you come and drive them
away, that we may have a good night’s rest?’ and then they sigh so deeply
and say, ‘We would gladly pay you for it. Good-night, Ole-Luk, the money
lies on the window.’ But I never do anything for gold.” “What shall we do
to-night?” asked Hjalmar. “I do not know whether you would care to go to
another wedding,” he replied, “although it is quite a different affair to the
one we saw last night. Your sister’s large doll, that is dressed like a man,
and is called Herman, intends to marry the doll Bertha. It is also the dolls’
birthday, and they will receive many presents.”
“Yes, I know that already,” said Hjalmar, “my sister always allows her
dolls to keep their birthdays or to have a wedding when they require new
clothes; that has happened already a hundred times, I am quite sure.”
