# With the Laplanders explained — The Wonderful Adventures of Nils

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

## What happens

In July, during a heavy rain near Lake Luossajaure, Osa and a workman named Söderberg visit a Laplander camp. Osa, who has just buried her little brother Mats, seeks her father Jon Esserson, whom she believes is living with the Lapps. The Laplanders are curious about her, and Söderberg speaks with them in their language. They say her father has gone fishing and may not return that night, but Osa senses they are hiding something about him.

## Themes in this chapter

### Humanity and Compassion

Osa's journey to find her father after her brother's death highlights her resilience and the kindness of strangers like Söderberg and the Laplanders who offer her shelter and assistance.

### Adventure and Exploration

Osa's travel to the remote Laplander camp near Lake Luossajaure, involving a boat ride and seeking her father in an unfamiliar environment, embodies the spirit of adventure and exploration.

## Character check-ins

### Osa

Osa arrives at the Laplander camp seeking her father, having recently buried her brother Mats.

### Söderberg

Söderberg is a workman who speaks Lappish and accompanies Osa across the lake, acting as her translator.

### Jon Esserson

Jon Esserson is Osa's father, reported by the Laplanders to have gone fishing, though Osa suspects they are not telling the full truth.

## Key lines

> The Laplanders, who lived mostly in the open during the summer, had crawled under the tent and were squatting round the fire drinking coffee.

The Sami people, who spent most of the summer outdoors, had taken shelter in their tent and were sitting around the fire drinking coffee.

_Describes the Laplanders' response to the heavy rain._

> The new settlers on the east shore of the lake worked diligently to have their homes in readiness before the severe Arctic winter set in.

The newcomers on the eastern lakeshore were busy finishing their houses before the harsh Arctic winter arrived.

_Highlights the contrast between settlers and Laplanders._

> She wished he would find out about her father instead. The elf had said that he lived with the Lapps, who camped west of Lake Luossajaure, and she had begged leave to ride up on a sand truck to seek him, as no regular passenger trains came so far.

Osa wanted Söderberg to ask about her father instead. According to the elf, her father was living with the Sami west of Lake Luossajaure, so she had requested to travel there on a sand truck because there were no passenger trains.

_Reveals Osa's primary motivation and the source of her information._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_wonderful_adventures_of_nils_se/chapters/with-the-laplanders
- 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