"Pelle the Conqueror" " Papa..." " I'm sleeping." "Tell me about it again, papa." "It's very different this new country." " You'll hardly..." " You'll hardly believe your eyes." "They put raisins in the pork roast and butter on your bread ..." "Some places they put butter on your bread." "The brandy... is cheap as water  and strong enough to knock you off your feet." "But your father can handle it, Pelle, because he's strong." " And kids are free all day." " Yes, Pelle, yes." "Tell me about it again." "Wages are so incredibly high, that kids..." "That kids don't have to work." " They can ... play all day." " Yes." "They won't fool me." "Shouldn't take the first offer that comes along." "This is my boy." "No, widower." "We're from Tommelilla." "My name is Lasse Karlsson I'm looking for work." "That one looks like he'd be kind to children." "Lasse Karlsson from Tommelilla." "I'm looking for work." "Go back to Sweden, you old devil." "Lasse Karlsson from Tommelilla." "I'm looking for..." "No... shouldn't take the first offer that comes along." "I'm Lasse Karlsson from Tommelilla." "I'm looking ..." "Lasse Karlsson from Tommelilla." "I'm looking for work." "You're too old, and the boy is too young." "Shouldn't take the first offer that comes along." "No..." "You're too late." "I suppose you're looking for work." "Where are your parents?" "Lasse Karlsson from Tommelilla." "I'm looking for..." "Let me see your papers." "I'll hire you for 100 crowns a year  including the boy." "Good Lord ..." "You'll be staying in there." "If you have any questions ask me or the trainee." "Come back here, you stupid animals!" "Come back here, you miserable creatures." "Come on." "Move it." "Come on." "H it them on their teats." "Or their hind legs, then they'll listen." "J ust hit them." "Get back I said." "If you help me with the cows and teach me Danish   we can share my food." "Always keep a stone in your pocket." "If one runs away  hit her with it and call her name." "She'll come back then she'll know who's boss." " What's your name?" " Rud." " Rut?" " Rud." "Stick your tongue out." "If you stick your head between your legs and the sun is above the trees  it's time to give them water." "You can also hear it by the larks' song." "That's my mother." "She can't say Rud either." "Here's my food." "Stablehand, why is that cow standing there?" "Why is Gabriella standing there?" "Why is Gabriella standing there?" "The girls can't find their cows when you move them around." "Aspasia it says." "Perhaps Mr. trainee could tell me where she is suppose to stand." "Kongstrup is back!" "Erik, why haven't you unharnassed Kongstrup's horses?" "Because I am going to eat my food first." "Oh, really?" "You're not gonna leave these horses there, while you eat." "Get out... you lazy dog." "Don't you know its forbidden to steal the milk?" "You should be whipped for that!" "Well, never mind this time." "Hey, Pelle ..." "I've been thinking." "You and your father want to get rich?" "I know where you can find lots of gold coins." "If you can keep a secret." "Come in here, Pelle, very quietly." "The raven can be dangerous if it hears us." "Come." "Mr. trainee!" "Mr. trainee, sir!" "J ump, you stinking Swede!" "You dirty bastard!" "Do you want to taste the whip yourself?" "Stop it or I'll turn you both in to the authorities." "Get out and don't show your face for a good while." "You son-of-a-bitch!" "He'll be punished." "You can be sure." " On my word of honor..." "I'll ..." " Kill him." " That dirty bastard ..." " Promise you'll kill him?" " You can count on it, Pelle." " How?" " How?" " How are you going to kill him?" "With a hammer, I think..." "You'll kill him stone dead ..." "Like a dead dog?" "You bet..." "But who'll read the cows' names then?" "You're right..." "Yes..." "We'd better make it just a whipping." "Then he can still read for us." "But it will be a proper whipping." "Yarn for the boy's grey socks." "The patch was for..." "The Sunday sweater, said Bengta." "The sleeves should be let down." "Your mother was so worried." "She didn't think I could take care of you." "Count on me, Bengta." "Don't wear the socks too long, she said." "Don't wear them through." "Lasse!" "Lasse?" "Lasse?" "It's the trainee." "Lasse, where the hell are you, you Swedish bumpkin?" "Will you kill him now, papa?" "Yes, yes..." "Mr. trainee ..." "I want to protest against..." "Mr. trainee ..." "As a father I want to protest against..." "Why don't you answer when I call?" "Ex cuse me." "I just want to protest about the way Pelle was..." "Are you deaf?" "Watch out I don't report you to the manager." "Aspasia is not going out to pasture tomorrow." " Is she going to calve?" " Did you think she was foaling?" "You can lie there and cry, but if one can't read Aspasia's name   one ought to show a little respect." "I know where Aspasia's stall is." "She's the third one from the door." " You promised, papa!" " Speak Swedish with your father!" "You do speak Swedish, don't you?" "Are you so proud you won't speak your mother- tongue anymore?" "Lasse is old and poor..." "No respect..." "They can do what they want with you." "What good does it do to make a fist  when there's no strength left?" "I'm getting older..." "But you're young, Pelle ..." "You can conquer the whole world." "I nearly forgot..." "Look here." "Look, Pelle ..." "Look what I have ..." "Look at this, Pelle." "I brought it with me from Sweden." "From Tommelilla." "If we're lucky, we'll get wild strawberries." "J ust think, Pelle ..." "Real Swedish strawberries." "N ils, get your father some water." "N ils, how about that water?" "Watch out!" "What the hell are you doing son?" "Where have you been?" "The Missus sent me to the store." "What's that you're hiding under your jacket, Pelle?" "The Missus said I wasn't to show it to anyone." "You're a clever boy, Pelle." "If you give me the bag, I'll give it to the Missus  so no one sees it." "Cognac..." "Give it to me." "I won't move." "The boy should know that you take my things." "Don't do it!" "Give me that bottle, Kongstrup!" "You lousy bastard!" "Pelle, go down and tell them how he bullies me." " Tell them how he's ruining my life." " That's enough!" "Keep it." "God who keeps his children near, look at me who's kneeling here." "My happiness is in God's hands, whatever are the world's demands." " Happiness comes, happiness..." " Papa?" "Tomorrow you can say the day after tomorrow." "And the day after tomorrow, you can say tomorrow." " My birthday." " Oh, yes..." "Pelle, the cognac he poured out  was it real cognac?" "into the flower pot?" "Happiness comes, happiness goes." "You better get dressed." "Trousers, Pelle." "Trousers first." "But what's in your pocket?" "You haven't been stealing eggs last night, have you?" "Let's see." "Oh, it's only paper." "Why do you stuff your pockets?" "Happy birthday and God bless you, son." "Thank you." "It's just a poor man's gift, Pelle." "Look." "Now that's really something!" "It's a birthday present." "I should have guessed." "You look like someone who's got a birthday." "Happy birthday." "They say..." "Are you really going to run away to America?" "Run away..." "Run away, Pelle." "Do I look like an idiot?" "You think I'd risk losing all my savings and be lawless?" "I want to be free, Pelle." "A free man." "That's what I'm waiting for." "A free man." "Come and see." "Look here, Pelle." "This..." "This is the boat to America." "I've got two years left to work on this damn farm." "Then I'll have enough money for the ticket." "As soon as the manager pays me, I'll go out and conquer the world." "Across the ocean." "First to America, then to China, Spain, Negroland." "The whole damn world, Pelle." "It's there, waiting for you, Pelle." "It's almost too easy." " lmagine ..." " I'm coming with you." "Yes." "Since it's your birthday, I'll let you come along." "Remember, in two years, as soon as the snow begins to melt  we'll go out and conquer it." "That great, awful   wonderful world." "Now." "There you are." "We've always eaten wild strawberries on your birthday." "Think... real Swedish strawberries." "How far is America, papa?" "America?" "Very far." "There's a big mighty ocean between us." "Erik says the sea is the strongest there is." "It's soft and yet it can hold anything up." "Iron or rock." "I wonder if the countries America and China are attached  to the ocean bottom or do they drift freely about?" "Then they would be hard to find." "They're firmly fix ed to the ocean bottom, I imagine." "Kongstrup!" "Come out, Kongstrup." "I want to talk to you!" " Your lad is hungry!" " The sow and the cabbagehead ..." "Kongstrup, your bastard son needs money for food!" "Where are you going, you cabbagehead?" "Stay here." "Come out and say hello to your bastard son." "He's hungry." "That lecher, he has kids all over the place." "Ex cept with his missus." "They say she is a witch." " The monthly allowance f or your son." " Didn't I tell you not to come here?" "The lad's allowed to see his father." " Get out, you disgusting sow." " Kongstrup has to pay his due." "Kongstrup!" "You'll never get rid of your son." "You'll never get rid of us!" "Kongstrup!" "Kongstrup!" "Take good care of your slate now, Pelle." "And stay out of the way of the big boys, until you can handle them." "But if they won't leave you alone, you hit first and run hard." "They'll leave you alone if you hit hard enough." "Listen to everything the teacher says and don't make trouble." "Remember to use your handkerchief." "Do not use your fingers." "But if no one's looking, then you can save the handkerchief." "Take care of your sweater, now that I've mended it." "If the teacher's wife invites you to coffee, take only one piece cake." " But she won't." " Why not?" " He never got married." " I see." "Run along now." "B-A is ba." "B" " E is be." "B-A is ba." "B" " E is be." "B" " I is bi." "B-O is bo." "B" " U is bu." "B-Y is by." "B-A is bahh!" "You miserable brats." "Will you be quiet?" "!" "Quiet, you rascals!" "Quiet!" "Quiet!" "You rascals!" "Let us welcome the new pupil." "Stand up." " Tell us your name." " Pelle Karlsson." "And what can you do?" "I can hit a cow with a stone from a hundred paces." "And I can make my cows stand still by buzzing like a wasp." " And I can make Bismarck..." " Can you read?" "No, otherwise I wouldn't be here." "Leave your impudent remarks at home." "What's this one, Pelle?" "Don't think I've ever seen that one." "Have you already forgotten?" "I remembered after seeing it once." " It's an F." " Of course." "That's what it is." "What's wrong with my head today?" "An F that's it." "What do you think it's used for?" "It's the first letter in F-ternoon." "Of course." "But you didn't figure that out alone." " The teacher must have told you." " No, I figured it out myself." "You did?" "You're getting clever, Pelle." "There's no end to what a lad with so much book learning can do." "Maybe we'll get roast pork with raisins, Pelle." "Or with apples." "Some places they make it with apples instead." "We'll see." "Get out!" "I don't want any more trouble with you." " Get out!" " Oh, hell, herring on Christmas Eve." "If you don't like the food, then find some other place." "Herring, herring ..." "Herring every single day!" "Couldn't we have had roast pork for Christmas?" "Damn you, always complaining." "Go back to Sweden   if you don't like it here." "Are you so damn stingy?" "Don't you think we work hard enough?" "And you, of all people, say that." "Go to your room." "Damned!" "Damned!" "Damn the Stone Farm." "Does anyone else have any complaints?" "Scram, you oaf!" "What are you doing here?" "Go back to the other oafs." "Watch out, Pelle." "The water's wet." "You could get wet, you yellow-belly." "Get lost, Pelle!" "You could get dizzy and fall in the water." "Go home, Pelle!" " Go back to the other oafs." " Get lost, yellow-belly!" "Go home, yellow-belly!" "I'm no more that than you!" "You don't even dare jump in the water." "You must be crazy, jumping into the water  like some love-sick woman." "A good beating is what you need." "If you had drowned I'd have given you such a beating, believe me." "To think I should be the father of such a half-witted idiot." "Do you think, doctor, he'd be better if you bled him?" "Here you are." "This will help your cold." "Don't be afraid, Pelle." "I'm not a witch." "J ust very unhappy sometimes." "Oh, dear Lord  you don't even have a mother, poor thing." "It's three years since Mama Bengta died." "She's lying in the left-hand corner of the cemetery now." "Do you miss her much?" "Lasse mends my clothes." "She was a good mother to you, wasn't she?" "She was so ill and grouchy at the end." "It was better that she died." "But we'll marry again soon." "And then you'll leave." "You don't like it here anyway, do you?" "Nobody likes it at Stone Farm." "Everything turns bad here." "It must be an old curse." "Is that what they say?" "Well, well ..." "And what do they say about me?" "That Missus has a pact with the devil   and turns into a werewolf at night." "And just because I love only one man." "Why does he do this to me?" "He's gone into town again, the lecher." "I married him, made him a proprietor  gave him my love." "The best I have, I've given him." "If only he could have given me a child." " I think I'd better go down to papa." " Now you're afraid of me again." "You're a good boy, Pelle." "If I had a son, I would want him to be like you." "Papa, there's the Missus with her young family." "Pelle, you step forward." "Hello, Pelle." "Where's your father?" "This is our stablehand, Lasse Karlsson and his son Pelle." "Hello." "This is my niece from Copenhagen." "Miss Signe is going to stay with us." "I've forgotten what 2 x 2 is." "Even if my knowledge is somewhat rusty  I'll see if I can help you." "2 x 2 is 5." "Which is lighter, a pound of feathers or a pound of lead?" "Not you, Pelle." "Perhaps Pelle would be so kind as to repeat his question." "If a pound of flour costs 12 øre, what does a barrel of gunpowder cost?" "Where the hell's the herring?" "That's all I ever eat." "Herring, herring, herring!" "Do you know the difference between you and a buttock?" "I don't know either." "Erik, did you hear what I asked?" "Lasse, can you take my place at the chaff-cutter tonight?" "But it's Saturday." "I'm going out to have some fun." "You're not getting off so easy." "He's got a way with women, like his papa." "It must be a hell of a long time since Lasse Karlsson ..." "Karna, I've been thinking lately..." "You've been good to Pelle, and you like the boy." "Why not move in together." "We could have a good life, the two of us." "You're too old, Lasse." "My man has to be dangerous." "You're not dangerous anymore." "I see." "So you're out fishing for young men." "Watch out you don't miss the boat." "Lasse, run down to the store and get us some brandy." "Come on, damn it." "It's Saturday." "You can get your own brandy." "J ust because someone is old ..." "In the old days there was respect." "They always said   "Where's Lasse?" "Get Lasse Karlsson."" "The girls were chasing you, even if you were married." "There was respect." "Papa!" "I had hoped when we came here  that there would be some money left to buy a little house   and maybe find a woman, who could take care of us." "Then we could have coffee in bed Sunday mornings, eh Pelle?" "We could run away together, papa." "Run away..." "But think of the authorities." "I don't want to become an outlaw." "I mean far away, to America." "We could go to America and get us a house and a wife." "We could save up all our money, papa." "We have to get away." "What are you doing here?" " Stealing eggs." "I was so hungry." " Don't tell anyone you saw me." "I know who the father is." "You mustn't tell anyone." "H is father would ..." "If he knew, he would ..." "I'm not good enough for them." "I don't know what to do." "Promise not to tell." "Never." "Pelle!" "Come here!" " What were you doing there?" " Stealing eggs." "Bend over." "Can I have your half-crown?" "Have my half-crown?" "Are you crazy?" "I'll need it when I go to America." "When I'm bigger I'll give you back ten." "You'll never get big." "You're deformed." "I'll go on show ... at tivolis." "At tivolis?" "As a monster." "I'll get filthy rich." "But Pelle   give it to me and you can beat me 100 times with nettles." "On your bare skin?" "A hundred times." " You can't take that." " As hard as you want." "A hundred blows." "Are you ready?" "That's enough." "Then you don't get the money." "You hit too hard." " You want it or not?" " The money first, then." "Can't you tell us anything about Adam and Eve and the serpent?" "Well?" "We're waiting." "Have you ever heard of Adam and Eve and the serpent?" "Haven't you been listening in class?" "What did the serpent promise them if they ate from the apple?" "Don't think I feel sorry for you." "It promised that if they could distinguish between good and evil." "How can we let you continue in this class  if you don't understand the most elementary things?" "Are his parents here?" "They are not even here." "All right, sit down." "Ne xt..." "Pelle." "Perhaps you can tell us what God said to the serpent?" "And God said to the serpent, You shall ..." "You shall crawl on your belly..." "You shall crawl on your belly..." " And does it still do so?" " Yes, because it has no limbs." "And can you tell me what a limb is?" "A limb is..." " A hand, for e xample." " Yes." "What distinguishes all limbs from other parts of the body?" "A limb is..." "A limb moves independently." "An e xample?" "Ears." " Can you move the ears?" " Yes." "I should really like to see that." "So your ears saved you." "I always told you to use your ears." "Rud!" "Rud, you idiot." "Come back!" "If you run away you'll never get to your grandma in heaven." "You can have my knife if you come back." "You can't do that to me." "What are you doing?" "Don't remove those stones." "The child is buried there." "Yes it is..." "Anna killed your child and she was sent to jail." "I did it..." "I killed the child." "Papa could never kill me." "Why can't you leave me alone?" "It's my meadow, and you mustn't take the stones away from the child." "You mustn't say that." "You mustn't lie before God." "The child is in the cemetery, in consecrated earth." "The child is buried here." "I've seen his soul burning on the rocks at night." "That's because God won't let him come up to Heaven." "N ils!" "Who has gone out there into the arms of death?" "It's N ils." "He went out with the line." "Your eyes are young." "Can you see N ils?" "He was a good boy." "He was my everything." "My light... my warmth." "He never spoke an evil word." "Even though I denied him his love." "Now I'm without a son." "Without a child." "May he find peace now." "He had so little of it here on earth." "He rescued the lives of five men." "Maybe now Our Lord will receive him." "Come on, Erik." "Come on!" "Two more inches and you've won yourself a bottle of brandy." "When will you drink it?" "The Manager says you have to work." "He can work if he wants, the bloody Stone Farm manager." "No one is going to keep Erik in, when he's free and wants some fun." "Can I come with you?" "Not now, Pelle." "Not now ..." "Remember in one year..." "When the snow melts, then we'll go out into the real world." "First to America and then to Negroland and China." "The whole damn world, Pelle." "Where are you going?" "You scoundrel!" "Erik!" "What's this?" "Are you ill?" "I must have caught a cold." "My whole body is shivering." "It couldn't be mumps, could it?" "Let's look at you, boy." "Look at you, lying there in your Sunday clothes." "What's this, your funeral dress?" "Were you going out to buy yourself a burial place, huh?" "It's about time we get you into the ground." "You're beginning to smell." "I'm not dead yet..." "And I don't smell more than some people." "Always trouble with you." "Never satisfied with the food." " Always complaining about work." " Why don't you hit me?" "Go on, hit me!" "There must be authorities in this country." "Now you do your job  or I'll show you the authorities." "The manager wants you to be quiet." "What are you saying, you little chicken?" " The manager wants you ..." " I can't hear you." "The manager wants you to be quiet." "Listen to him." "Listen to that stupid boy." "He is still wet behind the ears." "Run back and tell him to run his own errands." "Skol!" "Skol, you devil!" "Good Lord ..." "I'm not dead yet." " Where are you going, Erik?" " To rest." " What?" " To rest." "No." "You have to do your job." " I'm allowed to rest." " Who says so?" " Like the others." " That's for me to decide." "Get back to work, Erik." " I always have to work." " What a pity." "That's because you're so clever  and yell such loving words at me when I turn my back." "What the hell do you think you get your money for?" "Are you so goddamn stupid?" "You have to work for your wages." "Get back to work you lousy bastard." "I'll have to go to the authorities and report you   and keep your wages." "All your wages, Erik." "Fine." "Papa!" "Lasse!" "They're coming." "Good Lord ..." "They're going to do it." "Carry him down to the cellar." "Carry him down to the cellar!" "The rest of you go back to work." "Come inside and get warm." "I just wanted to get out of the wind." "The mama Bengta died and now she's in the cemetery back home." "And your father is a widower?" "I think that's what it's called." "The sea is hard." "My husband's been out there for a year now." "I've been a widow since." "Has he drowned?" "No, he hasn't." "I haven't had an omen yet." "How long did you say her husband has been at sea?" "A year, I think." "So she's been alone a whole year." "That's a long time." "And you told her that mama Bengta was dead?" "Yes, of course you did." "This is all we have left of mama's things." "It's all or nothing now, Pelle." "You go by Madame Olsen's place after school tomorrow   and give her this." "As a thank you for her kindness to you in the storm." "Would you believe it, Pelle   I got an omen last night in that awful storm." "I dreamt that a big black dog stood at my bed." "H is coat was dripping wet  and I understood it had to be the shipdog with a message." "I got out of bed   and outside my window I saw a ship go down." "The heavens and the sea met." "I saw my husband rise to heaven." "He was completely transparent." "Saltwater dripped off him." " Who's there?" " Pelle's father, Lasse Karlsson." "So that's Pelle's father." "It's quite a young son you have." "Come in and sit down." "He was a late-comer you might say." "But I can still do a man's work, both here and there." " Here you are." " Thank you." "I really ought to be going." "Eat." "Go ahead, eat." "That's how you know a man." "You've walked a long way." "I just wanted to thank you for being so kind to the boy." "Nonsense." "Here ... eat." " You must have been a good wife." " That's true enough." "He got everything that was his due when he was ashore." "But he was ungrateful, and one gets tired." "I don't think mama Bengta would have said that about me." "There's plenty to do in this house, if there's a man to help." "I only have one cow   but one could have two." "I'm only a poor devil compared to you   but we have decent clothes." "And I have a pair of good hands." " You're not afraid of lending a hand." " No, I'm not." "I'm not afraid of  a cup of coffee in bed Sunday morning either." "Then I think I should have a kiss." "Yes, you should." "We must hope for happiness and blessings for all three of us." "You already like the boy." "I know that." "You'd better stay the night." "But I must be back before the cows wake." "And Pelle's all alone." "Pelle ..." "Come on, Pelle." "Everything's been arranged now." "We'll have a house and home." "And a beautiful mother too." "Madame Olsen." "You'll be happy." "And maybe we'll get coffee in bed Sunday mornings." "Give us this day our daily bread ..." "Is that the book of biblical stories?" "Does it have the one about the man whose sons pulled down his pants?" " Noah?" " Yeah, old man Noah." " What did he drink, old man Noah?" " Wine." "Was it wine?" "Then he must have been a fine man, old Noah." "Then there was the one about the man who was so devilish clever." " Laban." " Laban, of course." "Imagine forgetting that..." "Laban." "How was it now?" "Could you have two wives then?" "The great prophets." "Let me see ... Isaiah and Daniel ..." "I remember them." "If you want to you can ask me about the prophets." "Okay, let's hear them." "You better stop reading now." "Otherwise you may lose track." "Of the four great prophets?" "Let's hear them." "Well, first I have to make sure I have them all." "I don't understand where they have gone." "There's Isaiah ... and Daniel ..." "No, I can't do it today, Pelle." " Think of how old I am." " Isaiah, Daniel ... Isaiah, Daniel, Jesus..." "No, not Jesus." "Of course not..." "Not him." "They sure had devilish names." "Try, papa." "Isaiah, Daniel, Ezekiel ..." " And ... and ..." " Jeremiah!" "And Jeremiah!" "Isaiah, Daniel, Ezekiel and Jeremiah." "Will you never grow up?" "Don't be afraid." "He wouldn't hurt a fly." "Erik are you coming?" "To the fair, Erik." "Come on, Erik." "Come on!" "Come on, Erik." "Isn't he coming?" "He can't stay alone here without the manager." "Can't you go get him?" "You're the only one he listens to." "Coming with us to the fair, Erik old boy?" "Come on, Erik." "Come on!" "Aren't you coming to the fair?" "Isaiah, Daniel, Ezekiel, Jeremiah." "Isaiah, Daniel, Ezekiel, Jeremiah." "Those were the days." "Imagine, two wives, Pelle." "One could make coffee and the other could mend and sew." "Smile at the world, and the world smiles back at you." "What's going on here?" "I'm leaving, Aunt." "But Signe, dear child..." "I don't really like living in the country." "I want to learn to take care of myself." "I've decided to..." " You might have said something." " I should have said it earlier." "But dear child, I don't understand." "I miss the city so..." "But I thought..." "Kongstrup and I were sure you were happy here." "Dear Signe..." "I'm sorry, Aunt, but I don't think..." "So suddenly." "If you had said it earlier I could understand." " Sorry, Aunt." " But you might have..." "Why can't you look me in the eye when we talk?" "How will you manage the trip?" " And so suddenly..." " Kongstrup will take me to the boat." "Oh thank God." "I was so worried." "If only I could understand." "We'II miss you terribly." "I imagined Kongstrup and I, we would sit here and watch you run this glorious place." "Signe, my dear, don't cry." "My dear..." "You can always visit us whenever you want." "Kongstrup!" "Kongstrup!" "Come out and let me talk to you." "You owe me money, Kongstrup." "Kongstrup!" "Miss Signe..." "Let me say hello to you." "Are you too proud to say hello to me?" "One person's just as good as another." "Is it because you' re going away to have your child?" "I had mine in a turnip patch." "But it was the same old whoremonger, wasn't it?" "Signe..." "Signe." "Go up to the old whoremonger." "I'm afraid of the Missus." " Come on." " Let me go!" "Kongstrup, come out and help an old sweetheart!" "Let me go!" "Let me go!" "Get out!" "Out!" "What are you staring at?" " Why are you late?" " Sorry." "I don't understand." "Only death can put an end to grief so quickly." "She must have a damned good grip on herself." "Wake u p and fetch the doctor." "Quick!" " What is it, papa?" " I don't know." "What is it?" "What happened?" " It's so terrible." " She cut him." " The Missus cut him." " What happened?" "The Missus cut him." "He's bleeding badly." "Get help." "See what it says about Pelle." "Could Master Friis tell me what this means?" ""Pelle is the young cuckoo in Madame Olsen's nest."" " Isn't she married to a sailor?" " She's boatsman Olsen's wife." "He sleeps with her at night." "Your father doesn't care, does he, Pelle?" "Watch out lecher's son!" "Pelle's father likes married women." "Pelle's father is a whoremonger." "He's in for a beating." "The cuckoo bird is in for a beating." "Here's one from boatsman Olsen." "Just wait, Pelle, we'II get you." "Pelle..." "I've been turning it over in my mind..." "Shouldn't we move down to Madame Olsen's?" "I've talked to her about it." "It's against the law to move in with someone who's still married but my whole body aches sometimes to have my own." "Pelle, we could make it look like we were lodgers." "She could sew you new clothes." "You're growing out of the old ones." "If I move into Madame Olsen's, you'd come too, wouldn't you?" "It's easy for you, Pelle." "You have your years ahead of you." "I'm beginning to get old and I need someone to take care of me." "You just go ahead and move, and I'II run away." "You're so smug and proud." "Look how you' re cutting up the post and someone e lse has to fill in the holes with cow dung." "Stop that now, Pelle!" "Watch out I don't cut a picture of you and Madame Olsen on the gate." "You rascal!" "Watch out I don't set the manager on to you." "Pelle!" "Could you go by Madame Olsen on the way home from school?" "Here are some things she promised to mend for us." "And tell her I'II come by this eveni ng." "Why don't you marry her properly like others do." "We will..." "We will, Pelle but it takes time with the authorities." "Boatsman Olsen's death certificate and all." "But soon there will be coffee in bed." "well, here's Madame Olsen's young cuckoo." "Let's see how strong you are, Pelle." " Into the sea with him!" " Jump, Pelle!" "Whoremonger's son!" "Go back to Sweden!" "Let's see how good you are." " Into the sea with him!" " Jump, Pelle!" " Show us what you can do." " Papa's little Pelle, come on." "How about a Iittle dance?" "What's the little cuckoo going to do?" "Show us what you can do." "Go back to Sweden, you whoremonger's son." " Fly away cuckoo bird!" " Cuckoo bird!" "Look!" "It's boatsman Olsen!" "Are you back already?" "Madame Olsen's husband has come home." "First they pluck one feather and then another." "And finally you stand there like a plucked chicken in the shit." "I thought I was going to have a peaceful old age." "I've slaved..." "I'm just a poor, miserable man." "Oh, Jesus." "Jesus, help me." "What's the point of grieving?" "Here... this is my new sweetheart." "Kiss her, lad." "Oh, you're too fine for that, are you?" "well it doesn't help to go around whimpering." "Stop it, papa." "Frisky isn't she?" "Easy now, you devil!" "You're crying, son." "Has someone hurt you?" "Don't you know your father's name is Lasse Karlsson?" "It's alright." "Lasse is here." "You can be sure he'II prove..." "Your father can stand on his own two feet." "Now the bastard's going to answer for all these years." "We'II have a talk with Missus and her whoremonger." "Erik?" "Spring is coming." "That's what papa says." "Then you'II be a free man." "We can leave, Erik." "We can leave this awful place and go out and conquer the world, Erik." "Pelle..." " What do they say about us?" " Wouldn't know." "H aven't you heard anything?" "Do you think I'II go to school and be made a fool of?" "The Lord forgive me for abusing his gifts but it's a terrible temptation when you' re broken-hearted." "If I promise you'II never again see your father like yesterday would you then go to school tomorrow, Pelle?" "We'II pull through this." "You have to go or there will be trouble with the authorities." "Master Friis?" "Master Friis?" "He's sleeping." "Master Friis, it's two o'clock." "Master Friis, it's two o'clock." "Time to go home." "well, Pelle..." "Where's your father?" "Is he out running about?" "I'm sure my father would be happy to marry him as boatsman Olsen's second wife." "help me!" "How dare you hit my son, you scoundrel?" "You'II hear from the authorities about this!" "That was about the worst you could do, hit the minister's son." "He deserved it, I'm sure, but still you should n't have done it." "They'II send you away." "He said he could get you married as boatsman Olsen's second wife." "Oh, he did..." "Did he!" "If I had him here, I'd rip his innards out." " Did you give him what he deserved?" " No, not really." "He squealed like a pig and his father came running." "Damn." "This isn't good." "And you don't intend to apologize?" "No, no you shouldn't." "Although maybe you should..." "No, no." "You have to twist and turn as the eel said in the frying pan." "I hope the proprietor won't mind." "We have no choice, but to ask for help." "Did you blow your nose properly, Pelle?" "I hope the proprietor won't mind." " There's probably no one home." " We can't stand here all day." "Go first then, if you think you can handle this better." "Good day." "It's like this you see..." "I hope the proprietor won't mind..." "That he won't mind..." "Forgive us for coming, this has nothing to do with the farm." "But when the sins of a father are visited upon his son, then..." "Are you standing there?" "Sit down by all means." "Why haven't you offered them a seat, dear?" "What is it?" "Money?" "No, it's j ust that..." "I hope Ma'am won't mind, but it's..." "It's the boy." "They' re going to send him away." "Send him away?" "What have you done?" "I hit and kicked the minister's son." "And why did you do that?" "Because he said evil things about Lasse." "What did he say?" "He called me boatsman Olsen's second wife." "Like, in the story in the bible, I suppose." "I was..." "Madame Olsen's sweetheart." "Everyone thought she was a widow and then..." "The other day, her husband came home." "Have one." " And then Pelle got furious." " Yes, unfortunately." "That's how it is with poor wretches." "They're only there to be pecked at." "well, I prefer the bid that pecks back and defends his nest no matter how poor it is." "I'II do what I can." "Don't worry about it anymore." "Thank you." "Oh by the way, Kongstrup and I decided." "The old trainee is leaving us this Spring." "Maybe Pelle would Iike to become trainee here on Stone Farm." "Thank you." "Thank you very much." "Did you notice how I let the Missus know you'd Iike to be trainee?" "almost as if she thought it was her own idea." "These belonged to the old trainee." "They're a bit big." "Try them on, Pelle?" "I'II get some boot wax, and they'II be like new." "well the n..." "Stand up straight, Pelle." "Shoulders up and chin forward." "No, lift your chin." "There." "Now a sharp look in your eye." "You must command respect for yourself." "Posture and the look in the eye." "That's what does it." "No more hard work." "Just giving orders." ""You can't take tonight off." "The stables must be cleaned."" "And Pelle, maybe you'II get to eat Sunday dinner with the proprietor." "And have your own napkin-ring with your name on it." "Pelle Karlsson written on it." "And who knows, Pelle." "Maybe one day you'II be the manager." "I could see what the Missus thought." "Erik!" "Erik!" "Wait, Erik!" "Wait for me!" "I won't..." "We have to leave here, papa." "Now, papa!" " Oh, it's Karna." " I'm glad I caught you." "I was afraid the manager and the Missus would see me." "I came to give you this quilt." "It'II keep you warm, no matter where you end up in the world." "Goodbye, Gabriella." "Goodbye, Blakka." "Be good." "well, Aspasia." "Say good bye to Pelle, cause he's going out to see the big world." "Papa..." "What is it?" "Can't we stay?" "You'II have to run away without me, Pelle." "I'm too old to travel." "I don't have the strength anymore." "I'm too old." "Do you understand that?" "We'II make a bundle for you." "You can have two of my shirts then you'II have four." "The one you' re wearing is clean." "And remember: never wear it more than two weeks at a time otherwise you'II get a bad name in town." "And change your socks before they wear out." "He who changes his clothes in time saves half the work and all the shame." "And you can have my boots too." "Though they're a bit worn." "And here's the Bible." "Mama Bengta wanted you to have it the day we parted." "N ext time we'll meet maybe you'll have a proper home to come to." "Say hello to Karna for me." "Goodbye and thank you."