My daughter made herself ridiculous until she was allowed to marry a
vagabond. He drank them both into the grave, and I had to take the
child and pay for the fun; but, by my troth! it shall not be the same
with my granddaughter, and now you know _that_! I tell you, as sure as
my name is Ole Nordistuen of the Heidegards, the priest shall sooner
publish the bans of the hulder-folks up in the Nordal forest than give
out such names from the pulpit as Marit's and yours, you Christmas
clown! Do you think you are going to drive respectable suitors away
from the gard, forsooth? Well; you just try to come there, and you
shall have such a journey down the hills that your shoes will come
after you like smoke. You snickering fox! I suppose you have a notion
that I do not know what you are thinking of, both you and she. Yes,
you think that old Ole Nordistuen will turn his nose to the skies
yonder, in the churchyard, and then you will trip forward to the altar.
No; I have lived now sixty-six years, and I will prove to you, boy,
that I shall live until you waste away over it, both of you! I can
tell you this, too, that you may cling to the house like new-fallen
snow, yet not so much as see the soles of her feet; for I mean to send
her from the parish. I am going to send her where she will be safe; so
you may flutter about here like a chattering jay all you please, and
marry the rain and the north wind.
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