The Wonderful Adventures of Nils · Chapter
The Stairway with the Three Steps explained
The wild geese plan to travel north through Småland but find the land frozen and snow-covered.
What happens
The wild geese plan to travel north through Småland but find the land frozen and snow-covered. Akka decides to go east through Blekinge instead. As Nils rides over Blekinge, he recalls a geography lesson where his teacher described Blekinge as a three-step stairway leading up to Småland, each step with distinct soil, vegetation, and human settlement. The teacher also tells a folk tale about a giant who threw stones into the sea, creating islands and causing salmon to swim up the Blekinge streams.
Themes in this chapter
Folklore and Swedish Heritage
The teacher's story about the giant throwing stones into the sea is a folk tale that explains the geography and natural resources of Blekinge.
Adventure and Exploration
Nils travels over Blekinge, exploring the region's landscape and learning about its features through the teacher's narrative.
Interconnectedness of Life
The description of the three steps shows how soil, climate, vegetation, and human activities are interconnected across the region.
Characters to notice
- Nils Holgersson
Rides over Blekinge and recalls his school geography lesson about the region.
- Akka
Decides to change the geese's route eastward through Blekinge due to frozen conditions in Småland.
- Iksi
Sent with Kaksi to scout the land; reports frozen water and snow-covered ground.
- Kaksi
Sent with Iksi to scout the land; reports frozen water and snow-covered ground.
Key passages
“Småland is a tall house with spruce trees on the roof, and leading up to it is a broad stairway with three big steps; and this stairway is called Blekinge.”
The teacher compares Småland to a tall house with spruce trees on its roof, and Blekinge to a broad stairway of three large steps leading up to it.
This metaphor introduces the geography lesson that Nils recalls.
“But the very lowest step is the best of all. It is covered with good rich soil; and, where it lies and bathes in the sea, it hasn't the slightest feeling of the Småland chill.”
The lowest step has the richest soil and a milder climate because it is near the sea, unlike the colder Småland region.
Highlights the contrast between the three steps in terms of fertility and climate.
“That giant is worthy of great thanks and much honour from the Blekinge people; for salmon in the streams, and stone-cutting on the island—that means work which gives food to many of them even to this day.”
The giant deserves gratitude from the people of Blekinge because his actions created salmon runs and stone-cutting industries that still provide livelihoods.
Concludes the folk tale, linking it to the region's economy.