The Wonderful Adventures of Nils · Chapter
The Big Checked Cloth explained
Nils, riding on Morten Goosey-Gander, gradually regains his senses after the dizzying start of their flight.
What happens
Nils, riding on Morten Goosey-Gander, gradually regains his senses after the dizzying start of their flight. He observes the landscape of southern Sweden from above, which appears as a vast checked cloth of fields, meadows, forests, and farms. The wild geese tease tame geese and roosters call out the names of the farms below. Nils experiences a mix of laughter and sorrow, but ultimately feels a sense of freedom and exhilaration from flying high above the earth.
Themes in this chapter
Adventure and Exploration
Nils experiences the thrill of flight and discovers the landscape of Skåne from a bird's-eye view, marking the beginning of his grand adventure.
Freedom vs. Confinement
Nils feels a sense of liberation as he rides high above the earth, escaping his troubles and the confines of his previous life.
Humanity and Compassion
Nils reflects on his past companions Osa and little Mats, showing his capacity for human connection even in his transformed state.
Characters to notice
- Nils Holgersson
Nils is riding on the gander's back, observing the landscape and experiencing a range of emotions from laughter to sorrow, but ultimately feeling exhilarated by the flight.
- Morten Goosey-Gander
Morten is the gander carrying Nils on the flight over Skåne.
- Akka
Akka leads the flock of wild geese that fly around Nils, calling out descriptions of the land below.
- Osa
Nils recalls Osa the goose girl, a former comrade from the year before, when he sees Jordberga Sugar Refinery.
- Little Mats
Nils remembers little Mats, another former comrade, when he sees Jordberga.
Key passages
“What kind of a big, checked cloth is this that I’m looking down on?”
Nils wonders what the patchwork landscape below him is, comparing it to a large checked cloth.
This introduces the central metaphor of the chapter, describing the agricultural fields of Skåne.
“To think that you can laugh; you, who have met with the most terrible misfortune that can possibly happen to a human being!”
Nils scolds himself for laughing despite his dire situation of being transformed into an elf.
Shows Nils's internal conflict between joy and despair.
“It was just like flying away from sorrow and trouble and annoyances of every kind that could be thought of.”
The flight feels like an escape from all his problems and worries.
Highlights the theme of freedom and the transformative power of the journey.