At that time, when all kinds of things were floating on the water, it was not difficult for a little boy like Nils Holgersson to find a craft.  He did not stop to deliberate, but hopped down on a stump that had drifted in amongst the reeds.  Then he picked up a little stick and began to pole toward shore.

Just as he was landing, he heard a splash in the water.  He stopped short.  First he saw a lady swan asleep in her big nest quite close to him, then he noticed that a fox had taken a few steps into the water and was sneaking up to the swan’s nest.

“Hi, hi, hi!  Get up, get up!” cried the boy, beating the water with his stick.

The lady swan rose, but not so quickly but that the fox could have pounced upon her had he cared to.  However, he refrained and instead hurried straight toward the boy.

Thumbietot saw the fox coming and ran for his life.

Wide stretches of meadow land spread before him.  He saw no tree that he could climb, no hole where he might hide; he just had to keep running.

The boy was a good runner, but it stands to reason that he could not race with a fox!

Not far from the bay there were a number of little cabins, with candle lights shining through the windows.  Naturally the boy ran in that direction, but he realized that long before he could reach the nearest cabin the fox would catch up to him.

Once the fox was so close that it looked as if the boy would surely be his prey, but Nils quickly sprang aside and turned back toward the bay.  By that move the fox lost time, and before he could reach the boy the latter had run up to two men who were on their way home from work.

The men were tired and sleepy; they had noticed neither boy nor fox, although both had been running right in front of them.  Nor did the boy ask help of the men; he was content to walk close beside them.

“Surely the fox won’t venture to come up to the men,” he thought.

But presently the fox came pattering along.  He probably counted on the men taking him for a dog, for he went straight up to them.

“Whose dog can that be sneaking around here?” queried one.  “He looks as though he were ready to bite.”

The other paused and glanced back.

“Go along with you!” he said, and gave the fox a kick that sent it to the opposite side of the road.  “What are you doing here?”

After that the fox kept at a safe distance, but followed all the while.

Presently the men reached a cabin and entered it.  The boy intended to go in with them; but when he got to the stoop he saw a big, shaggy watch-dog rush out from his kennel to greet his master.  Suddenly the boy changed his mind and remained out in the open.

“Listen, watch-dog!” whispered the boy as soon as the men had shut the door.  “I wonder if you would like to help me catch a fox to-night?”

The dog had poor eyesight and had become irritable and cranky from being chained.