Карлсон, который живет на крыше

           Karlssonhadstoppedhispacing.Hewasstandingmotionless,sniffinglikeasetter. 

           "Meatballs!"hesaid."TastylittlemeatballsIlikever-rymuch." 

           Ericfeltratherembarrassed.Therewasreallyonlyonethingyoucouldsayinanswertothat:Willyoustayandhavedinnerwithus?That’swhatheoughttosay.ButhedarednotbringKarlssontodinnerwithoutanywarning.ItwasquiteadifferentmatterinthecaseofBridgetandChristopher.Thenhecouldaskatthelastmoment(ifhewantedto),evenwhentherestofthefamilyhadalreadysatdown,"CouldBridgetandChristopherpossiblystayfordinner,Mommy?" 

           Butacompletelyunknown,fatlittlemanwhohadbrokenasteamengineandmadestainsonthebookshelf!No,itwouldn’tdoatall. 

           Butthisfatlittlemanhadjustsaidthathelikedtastylittlemeatballsverymuch.ItwasuptoErictoseethathegotthem,orelseperhapsKarlssonwouldnotcomeandseehimagain.Oh,somuchdependedonMommy’smeatballs! 

           "Waitaminute,"saidEric."I’llgooutinthekitchenandfetchsome." 

           Karlssonnoddedapprovingly. 

           "Good!"hesaid."Good!Buthurry!Youdon’tgetlesshungrybylookingatpictures—withoutroostersoranythinginthem." 

           Ericdartedoutintothekitchen.Mommywasstandingbythestoveinacheckedapron,surroundedbythemostdelicioussmelloffriedonions.