It had been a monotonous trip, and when the rain-clouds made their appearance the boy thought it was a real diversion.  In the old days, when he had only seen a rain-cloud from below, he had imagined that they were gray and disagreeable; but it was a very different thing to be up amongst them.  Now he saw distinctly that the clouds were enormous carts, which drove through the heavens with sky-high loads.  Some of them were piled up with huge, gray sacks, some with barrels; some were so large that they could hold a whole lake; and a few were filled with big utensils and bottles which were piled up to an immense height.  And when so many of them had driven forward that they filled the whole sky, it appeared as though someone had given a signal, for all at once, water commenced to pour down over the earth, from utensils, barrels, bottles and sacks.

Just as the first spring-showers pattered against the ground, there arose such shouts of joy from all the small birds in groves and pastures, that the whole air rang with them and the boy leaped high where he sat.  “Now we’ll have rain.  Rain gives us spring; spring gives us flowers and green leaves; green leaves and flowers give us worms and insects; worms and insects give us food; and plentiful and good food is the best thing there is,” sang the birds.

The wild geese, too, were glad of the rain which came to awaken the growing things from their long sleep, and to drive holes in the ice-roofs on the lakes.  They were not able to keep up that seriousness any longer, but began to send merry calls over the neighbourhood.

When they flew over the big potato patches, which are so plentiful in the country around Christianstad—­and which still lay bare and black—­they screamed:  “Wake up and be useful!  Here comes something that will awaken you.  You have idled long enough now.”

When they saw people who hurried to get out of the rain, they reproved them saying:  “What are you in such a hurry about?  Can’t you see that it’s raining rye-loaves and cookies?”

It was a big, thick mist that moved northward briskly, and followed close upon the geese.  They seemed to think that they dragged the mist along with them; and, just now, when they saw great orchards beneath them, they called out proudly:  “Here we come with anemones; here we come with roses; here we come with apple blossoms and cherry buds; here we come with peas and beans and turnips and cabbages.  He who wills can take them.  He who wills can take them.”

Thus it had sounded while the first showers fell, and when all were still glad of the rain.  But when it continued to fall the whole afternoon, the wild geese grew impatient, and cried to the thirsty forests around Ivoes lake:  “Haven’t you got enough yet?  Haven’t you got enough yet?”

The heavens were growing grayer and grayer and the sun hid itself so well that one couldn’t imagine where it was.  The rain fell faster and faster, and beat harder and harder against the wings, as it tried to find its way between the oily outside feathers, into their skins.  The earth was hidden by fogs; lakes, mountains, and woods floated together in an indistinct maze, and the landmarks could not be distinguished.  The flight became slower and slower; the joyful cries were hushed; and the boy felt the cold more and more keenly.