The Wonderful Adventures of Nils · Chapter
The Wild Geese explained
Nils Holgersson, transformed into an elf, grapples with his new diminutive size and ability to understand animal speech.
What happens
Nils Holgersson, transformed into an elf, grapples with his new diminutive size and ability to understand animal speech. After being mocked by the farm animals and failing to find the elf to reverse the spell, he sits despondently on a hedge. A flock of wild geese passes overhead, calling to the tame geese to join them. The young gander, Morten Goosey-Gander, is tempted to follow. Nils, fearing the loss of the gander, leaps onto its neck to stop it, but is carried into the air as the gander takes flight, beginning his journey with the wild geese.
Themes in this chapter
Transformation and Growth
Nils's physical transformation into an elf and his emotional journey from despair to impulsive action mark the beginning of his personal growth.
Freedom vs. Confinement
The tame geese are tempted by the wild geese's call to freedom, and Nils's leap onto the gander represents a break from his confined life on the farm.
Adventure and Exploration
The wild geese's migration and the gander's decision to join them set the stage for Nils's unexpected adventure.
Characters to notice
- Nils Holgersson
Transformed into an elf, Nils is initially despairing and tries to find the elf to reverse the spell. He is mocked by the farm animals and eventually leaps onto the gander to prevent its escape, only to be carried into the air.
- Morten Goosey-Gander
A young tame gander fired with a passion for adventure by the wild geese. He decides to follow them and takes flight, inadvertently carrying Nils with him.
- Akka
Referenced as the old mother-goose who warns the tame geese not to follow the wild geese, saying they will suffer hunger and cold.
Key passages
““It would be a great pity,” thought he, “if the big goosey-gander should go away. It would be a big loss to father and mother if he was gone when they came home from church.””
Nils worried that losing the gander would be a serious blow to his parents' livelihood.
Nils's concern for his parents' property motivates his impulsive action.
““Oh, no! You don’t fly away this time, sir!” cried he. But just about then, the gander was considering how he should go to work to raise himself from the ground. He couldn’t stop to shake the boy off, hence he had to go along with him—up in the air.”
Nils shouted at the gander to stop, but the gander was already taking off and couldn't dislodge him, so Nils was carried into the sky.
This moment marks the beginning of Nils's involuntary journey with the wild geese.