Nils Holgersson's Journey with the Geese (The World Children's Literature Classics Library for Primary School Students)

Author: [Swedish] Selma Lagerl?f
Publisher:
Publishing Time: Not available
Features: Swedish writer Selma Lagerl?f created a geography educational book for the Ministry of Education between 1906 and 1907—a long fairy tale titled The Wonderful Adventures of Nils. This work won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1909. Lagerl?f is one of the female writers who have received the Nobel Prize in Literature. As a bestseller spanning over a century, The Wonderful Adventures of Nils skillfully blends the beautiful natural scenery of the Nordic region with the cultivation of the human spirit, becoming an unparalleled classic in the history of fairy tales.
Once upon a time, in the small village of Vimmerby in Sweden, there lived a boy named Nils. He was twelve years old, tall and thin, with light yellow hair. Nils was very mischievous and often teased the poultry in the yard. One Sunday morning, Nils’s parents were preparing to go to church. Before leaving, his father took a book from the bookshelf and said sternly to Nils, “You must read it carefully! When we come home, I will quiz you page by page.” But after his parents left, Nils picked up the book and fell asleep at the desk.
After who knows how long, Nils was suddenly woken up by a noisy sound. He looked around and found a small sprite perched on the box. His mother had told him that sprites lived in the forest, and they could not only speak human languages but also communicate with animals and birds, as well as cast spells. Seeing the sprite, Nils was very surprised. He wanted to tease it, so he picked up a butterfly net and swung it hard, capturing the sprite. The poor sprite struggled desperately, but Nils shook the net violently. Just then, Nils suddenly received a hard slap and fell to the ground. After a while, he groaned and got up, only to find that the sprite had vanished. The right side of his cheek burned from the slap. He was about to sit down and continue reading, but when he walked toward the desk, he discovered that the house and chairs had suddenly become enormous.
P1-2