“That does not signify,” said Torkel, “that animal is wiser than any of us; whether it has a fylgia, or guardian[56] spirit, like us, is more than I can say, but it is the truth, that if ever you name its name you will get no shot at it, and fortunate for you if you do not meet with some piece of ill luck into the bargain.”
“Well, well,” said the Parson, “I will take care in future; but what am I to call him?”
“Call him Old Fur Jacket! or call him The Disturber! or call him The Wise One! anything you like, only do not call him what you have done just now. I hope no mischief will come of it.”
“There are two,” said the Parson; “there is a little one—I see it plainly enough, now that they have got clear from that patch of epilobium. What on earth is the old—pshaw!—the Old Wise One about? she seems to be administering a little wholesome discipline to young Fur Jacket;”—and he handed the glass to Torkel.
“She has been frightened,” said he, “she has been roused out by the dref, and she is making her cub get up into the tree; they very frequently do that when they suspect they will have to run or fight for it. Young Wilful does not seem to know what is good for him, and must be flogged into it. Just like our own younkers,” said Torkel, philosophically, taking another look through the glass.
“It is not very good for him just now,” said the Parson, “with our eyes upon him. If he once gets up he is a lost Fur Jacket.”
“And up he gets,” said Torkel, “and receives a parting benediction from his mother’s paw across his stern, just to freshen his way, as Tom says. And now how to get a crack at the Old Lady? if we were on the other side we might do it easily enough, but the stuff here is not high enough to hide us; those brutes have eyes sharp enough to see through a mill-stone.”
“Had we better not watch her? perhaps she will think that which is good for young Hopeful will be good for her; we shall have her climbing, herself, next.”
“Not she, she knows better; the branch that is very good protection to a little lump of brown fur, she knows well enough, would not do for a beast almost as big as a cow,—you will not catch her up a tree, and you need not expect it.”
“What is to be done then? there she is still.”