“Then kneel on the ground and pull them up with your hands,” said the farmer.
Sami squatted down and pulled at the weeds with all his might. The ground was hard and the work very tiresome. But Sami did not forget how his grandmother had impressed it upon him to do all his work well and willingly.
At noon the two weeders took their hoes on their shoulders and Sami had to pull the cart, which was now much heavier than on the way there. The boy had to use all his strength, for Stöffi showed him plainly that he would not take upon himself the larger part of the work.
Then when they passed by the field the father indicated to each one the piece he would have to weed that afternoon; for he himself would be obliged to go to the cattle market. They would find a smaller hoe at home for Sami to take with him in the afternoon, for pulling up the weeds was too slow work.
After the boys had worked several hours in the afternoon, they sat down in the shade of an old apple-tree to eat their luncheon, and the piece of black bread with pear juice tasted very good after the hot work.
“Have you ever seen a bear?” asked Stöffi of Sami.
He said he had not.
“Then you would be fearfully frightened if you should suddenly see one,” continued Stöffi; “only those who know them are not afraid of them. This evening there is to be one in the village, and, as I am almost through with my piece in the field, you can finish it, so I can go early to see the bear.”
Sami agreed. When all four had begun to hoe again, Stöffi soon exclaimed:
“Well, you won’t have much more to do now, Sami, but keep your promise, or—”