Карлсон, который живет на крыше

           Thenheheardaheavenlysound.Heheardthehummingofanengine,andasecondlaterKarlssoncamesailinginthroughthewindow.

           "Hi-ho,Eric!"hesaidairily.

           "Hi-ho,Karlsson,"saidEric."Wheredidyougetto?"

           "Why?Whatdoyoumean?"askedKarlsson.

           "Youdisappeared,"saidEric,"justwhenyouweregoingtomeetMommyandDaddy.Whydidn’tyouwait?"

           Karlssonputhishandsonhishipsandlookedreallyannoyed."Ineverheardsuchathing,"hesaid."Shouldn’tIbeallowedtoattendtomyhouse?Ahouse-ownerhastolookafterhisproperty,doesn’the?Whatwouldhappenifhedidn’t?Ican’thelpitifyourmommyanddaddycometopaytheirrespectsjustwhenI’vegonetoattendtomyhouse,canI?"

           Helookedroundtheroom.

           "Talkingofhouses,"hesaid,"whereismytower?Whohasspoiledmytower,andwhereismymeatball?"

           Ericwastakenback.

           "Ididn’tthinkyou’dreturn,"herepliedanxiously.

           "No,that’sobvious,"saidKarlsson."TheWorld’sBestBuilding-Erectorbuildsatowerandwhathappens?Doesanyoneputupalittlefencearounditandmakesurethatthetowerispreservedforposterity?Oh,no,farfromit!Pullitdownanddestroyit,that’swhattheydo,andeatupotherpeople’smeatballs!"

           Karlssonwentoverandsatdownonastoolandsulked.

           "Oh,it’sasmallmatter,isn’tit?"saidEric,andhespreadhisfingersasKarlssonwasinthehabitofdoing."It’snotworthbotheringabout."

           "That’swhatyouthink,"saidKarlssonindignantly.