# Kidnapped by Crows explained — The Wonderful Adventures of Nils

> Chapter companion for The Wonderful Adventures of Nils by Selma Lagerlöf.

## What happens

Nils is kidnapped by a band of crows while seeking food on a wooded point. He is carried across Småland and brought to a sandpit where the crow leader, Wind-Rush, demands he open an earthen crock. Nils resists, kills Wind-Rush in self-defense, then opens the crock and throws out silver coins to distract the crows. Fumle-Drumle, a crow with a white feather, helps him escape and promises to return him to the wild geese.

## Themes in this chapter

### Freedom vs. Confinement

Nils is forcibly taken from the wild geese and held captive by the crows, highlighting his loss of freedom and struggle to regain it.

### Adventure and Exploration

Nils is carried across Småland, observing the landscape from above, and faces a new challenge with the crow band.

## Character check-ins

### Nils Holgersson

Kidnapped by crows, he uses his wits to survive, killing the crow leader Wind-Rush and distracting the flock with silver coins.

### Morten Goosey-Gander

Left waiting on the shore after Nils goes into the grove; Nils worries about him while being carried away.

### Akka

Leads the wild geese in searching for Nils, calling out overhead, but is unable to locate him.

### Wind-Rush

The leader of the crow band; he is killed by Nils when he rushes at the boy's knife.

### Drumle

A crow with a white feather who carries Nils on his back and later helps him escape, revealing a different demeanor.

## Key lines

> The wild geese were up at daybreak, so they should have time to get themselves a bite of food before starting out on the journey toward Östergötland.

The wild geese rose early to eat before continuing their journey to Östergötland.

_Sets the scene for the chapter's beginning._

> He was being carried southwest; this he understood because the sun’s disc was behind him.

Nils realized he was being taken southwest, as the sun was at his back.

_Nils uses the sun to determine direction._

> Wind-Rush is dead! The stranger has killed our chieftain, Wind-Rush!

The crows cried out that their leader Wind-Rush had been killed by the boy.

_Moment of crisis after Nils defends himself._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_wonderful_adventures_of_nils_se/chapters/kidnapped-by-crows
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_wonderful_adventures_of_nils_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_wonderful_adventures_of_nils_se/chapters