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Hospitality Under the Arctic Circle

           Thisconcertwasbroughttoaclosebytheannouncementofdinner.Atthatmomentourhunterreturned,whohadbeenseeinghishorsesprovidedfor;thatistosay,hehadeconomicallyletthemlooseinthefields,wherethepoorbeastshadtocontentthemselveswiththescantymosstheycouldpullofftherocksandafewmeagreseaweeds,andthenextdaytheywouldnotfailtocomeofthemselvesandresumethelaboursofthepreviousday.

           "Sællvertu,"saidHans.

           Thencalmly,automatically,anddispassionatelyhekissedthehost,thehostess,andtheirnineteenchildren.

           Thisceremonyover,wesatattable,twenty-fourinnumber,andthereforeoneuponanother.Theluckiesthadonlytwourchinsupontheirknees.

           Butsilencereignedinallthislittleworldatthearrivalofthesoup,andthenationaltaciturnityresumeditsempireevenoverthechildren.Thehostservedouttousasoupmadeoflichenandbynomeansunpleasant,thenanimmensepieceofdriedfishfloatinginbutterrancidwithtwentyyears’keeping,and,therefore,accordingtoIcelandicgastronomy,muchpreferabletofreshbutter.Alongwiththis,wehad‘skye,’asortofclottedmilk,withbiscuits,andaliquidpreparedfromjuniperberries;forbeveragewehadathinmilkmixedwithwater,calledinthiscountry‘blanda.Itisnotformetodecidewhetherthisdietiswholesomeornot;allIcansayis,thatIwasdesperatelyhungry,andthatatdessertIswallowedtotheverylastgulpofathickbrothmadefrombuckwheat.

           Assoonasthemealwasoverthechildrendisappeared,andtheireldersgatheredroundthepeatfire,whichalsoburntsuchmiscellaneousfuelasbriars,cow-dung,andfishbones.Afterthislittlepinchofwarmththedifferentgroupsretiredtotheirrespectiverooms.

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