117 



are in Norway ? I mean, of course, the different 

 kinds of them/' I asked. 



' ' Well, I can hardly answer that question correctly," 

 was the learned professor's answer ; " I have so far 

 discovered no less than 1700 different kinds, but there 

 are a great many more, and I hope one day to be able 

 to classify them." 



I hinted that I should like to get the list from him, 

 to publish it in England ; but Norwegian literary men 

 are very jealous of aiding the literary men of other 

 countries, and my Norwegian friend vouchsafed no en- 

 couragement to the gentle hint I gave him. 



The great black woodpecker (Picus martins) is com- 

 mon among the hilly forests and woods of Norway. 

 The peasants have given it the name of Gertrud's-fugl, 

 or Gertrude's bird, connecting it with the following 

 legend : Once upon a time, of course very long ago, 

 our Saviour called on an old woman who lived all alone 

 by herself in a little cottage in an extensive forest in 

 Norway. Her name was Gertrude, and she was a hard 

 avaricious old creature, who had not a kind word for 

 anybody ; and although she was not badly off in a 

 worldly point of view, she was too stingy and selfish to 

 assist the poor wayfarer who passed by chance her 

 cottage-door. One day, our blessed Lord happened to 

 come by that way, and, being hungry and thirsty, he 

 asked of Gertrude a morsel of bread to eat and a cup 

 of cold water to drink. But no ; the wicked old 

 woman refused, and turned our Saviour from the door 

 with revilings and curses. Our Lord stretched forth 

 his hand towards the aged crone, and, as a punish- 

 ment, she was immediately transformed into a black 

 woodpecker. The wicked old creature has ever since 



