Once, at Skansen, the boy had sat under the steps at Bollnäs cottage and had overheard Larsson and the old Laplander talk about Norrland. Both agreed that it was the most beautiful part of Sweden. Clement thought that the southern part was the best, while the Laplander favoured the northern part.  
As they argued, it became plain that Clement had never been farther north than Härnösand. The Laplander laughed at him for speaking with such assurance of places that he had never seen.
 
"I think I shall have to tell you a story, Clement, to give you some idea of Lapland, since you have not seen it," volunteered the Laplander.
 
"It shall not be said of me that I refuse to listen to a story," retorted Clement, and the old Laplander began:
 
"It once happened that the birds who lived down in Sweden, south of the great Saméland, thought that they were overcrowded there and suggested moving .
 
"They came together to consider the matter. The young and eager birds wished to start at once, but the older and wiser ones passed a resolution to send to explore the new country.
 
"'Let each of the five great bird families send out a scout,' said the old and wise birds, 'to learn if there is room for us all up there—food and hiding places.'
 
"Five intelligent and capable birds were immediately appointed by the five great bird families.
 
"The forest birds selected a , the field birds a , the sea birds a , the fresh-water birds a , and the cliff birds a snow sparrow.
 
"When the five chosen ones were ready to start, the grouse, who was the largest and most commanding, said:
 
"'There are great stretches of land ahead. If we travel together, it will be long before we cover all the territory that we must explore. If, on the other hand, we travel singly—each one exploring his special portion of the country—the whole business can be in a few days.'
 
"The other scouts thought the suggestion a good one, and agreed to act upon it.
 
"It was that the grouse should explore the midlands. The lark was to travel to the , the sea gull still farther east, where the land bordered on the sea, while the loon should fly over the territory west of the midlands, and the snow sparrow to the extreme west.
 
"In accordance with this plan, the five birds flew over the whole Northland. Then they turned back and told the assembly of birds what they had discovered.
 
"The gull, who had travelled along the sea-coast, first.
 
"'The North is a fine country,' he said. 'The sounds are full of fish, and there are points and islands without number. Most of these are uninhabited, and the birds will ............