This was not the first time that Akka had called on the aristocratic swans.  They had always received her in a manner befitting a great traveller like herself.

But still she did not like the idea of swimming in among them.  She never felt so gray and insignificant as when she happened upon swans.  One or another of them was sure to drop a remark about “common gray-feathers” and “poor folk.”  But it is always best to take no notice of such things.

This time everything passed off uncommonly well.  The swans politely made way for the wild geese, who swam forward through a kind of passageway, which formed an avenue bordered by shimmering, white birds.

It was a beautiful sight to watch them as they spread their wings, like sails, to appear well before the strangers.  They refrained from making comments, which rather surprised Akka.

Evidently Daylight had noted their misbehaviour in the past and had told the swans that they must conduct themselves in a proper manner—­so thought the leader-goose.

But just as the swans were making an effort to observe the rules of etiquette, they caught sight of the goosey-gander, who swam last in the long goose-line.  Then there was a murmur of disapproval, even of threats, among the swans, and at once there was an end to their good deportment!

“What’s this?” shrieked one.  “Do the wild geese intend to dress up in white feathers?”

“They needn’t think that will make swans of them,” cried another.

They began shrieking—­one louder than another—­in their strong, resonant voices.  It was impossible to explain that a tame goosey-gander had come with the wild geese.

“That must be the goose-king himself coming along,” they said tauntingly.  “There’s no limit to their audacity!”

“That’s no goose, it’s only a tame duck.”

The big white gander remembered Akka’s admonition to pay no attention, no matter what he might hear.  He kept quiet and swam ahead as fast he could, but it did no good.  The swans became more and more impertinent.

“What kind of a frog does he carry on his back?” asked one.  “They must think we don’t see it’s a frog because it is dressed like a human being.”

The swans, who but a moment before had been resting in such perfect order, now swam up and down excitedly.  All tried to crowd forward to get a glimpse of the white wild goose.

“That white goosey-gander ought to be ashamed to come here and parade before swans!”

“He’s probably as gray as the rest of them.  He has only been in a flour barrel at some farm house!”

Akka had just come up to Daylight and was about to ask him what kind of help he wanted of her, when the swan-king noticed the uproar among the swans.

“What do I see?  Haven’t I taught you to be polite to strangers?” he said with a frown.

Snow-White, the swan-queen, swam out to restore order among her subjects, and again Daylight turned to Akka.