And in this way he ran around the whole Fair grounds, the boy calling, Bikku pulling his hair and crying. Never had Bikku had such a ride. He cried, he screamed, he scratched, he bit, and when at last he got loose, he ran as fast as he could, but he stumbled in the skirt, crawled up again, stumbled, got up again and ran on until he reached Grandfather's cabin all out of breath and sobbing.
"Take off the skirt!" he cried. "I won't have any skirt, I am a man!"
"Don't cry, Bikku dear," said his grandmother, trying to comfort him. "When you grow old, you will show them that you are a man as good as any."
"Yes," said Grandfather, "and next time I will lend you my trousers."
They loved Bikku more than anything else in the world, these old grandparents, they would have given him gold embroidered velvet trousers, if it had been in their power. Now Grandmother gave him a large piece of bread and butter, and Bikku Matti sat in the corner eating it while the tears dried on his cheek.
Some time after this there was great excitement in the valley. The road was one cloud of dust, from all the driving and running. A gentleman of much importance was expected to come through the valley. It was even said that the gentleman was next to the King himself. All the people came to see him and strange things were told about him. "He drives in a golden carriage," said some. "With twelve horses before it. He is dressed from top to toe in silver and velvet," said others. But the children had their own thoughts about him. They imagined that the high gentleman carried a big sack on his back filled with silver coins and candy sticks, which he threw out among them.
Bikku Matti also heard about it and this time he had to be by the roadside with the other children, there was no help for that.
"But what about your clothes?" said Grandfather, smiling. "Perhaps you are to borrow Grandmother's skirt?"
"I won't have any skirt!" cried Bikku Matti, and turned red to the roots of his hair when he remembered all that he had suffered because of that skirt. "No, never in the world will I wear a skirt again. I want Grandfather's trousers."
"Well, little one, come with me to the garret and we will see how well the trousers fit you," said Grandfather. And now Bikku Matti was happy. He climbed up the garret ladder like a cat, so fast that Grandfather could not keep up with him. Then they came to the big painted chest farthest off in the corner.