THERE is nobody in the
world who knows so many stories as Ole-Luk-Oie, or who can relate
them so nicely. In the evening, while the children are seated at the
table or in their little chairs, he comes up the stairs very softly,
for he walks in his socks, then he opens the doors without the
slightest noise, and throws a small quantity of very fine dust in
their eyes, just enough to prevent them from keeping them open, and
so they do not see him. Then he creeps behind them, and blows softly
upon their necks, till their heads begin to droop. But Ole-Luk-Oie
does not wish to hurt them, for he is very fond of children, and
only wants them to be quiet that he may relate to them pretty
stories, and they never are quiet until they are in bed and asleep.
As soon as they are asleep, Ole-Luk-Oie seats himself upon the bed.
He is nicely dressed; his coat is made of silken
stuff; it is impossible to say of what color, for it changes from
green to red, and from red to blue as he turns from side to side.
Under each arm he carries an umbrella; one of them, with pictures on
the inside, he spreads over the good children, and then they dream
the most beautiful stories the whole night. But the other umbrella
has no pictures, and this he holds over the naughty children so that
they sleep heavily, and wake in the morning without having dreamed
at all.
Now we shall hear how Ole-Luk-Oie came every night during a whole
week to the little boy named Hjalmar, and what he told him. There
were seven stories, as there are seven days in the week. |