Карлсон, который живет на крыше

           "Three,"hesaidandtookouttwotoffeesandagumdrop.

           "Three?"saidKarlsson."Youcan’thalvethree,evenatwo-year-oldknowsthat."

           HetookthegumdropfromEric’soutstretchedhandandquicklydevouredit.

           "Butnowwecan,"hesaid.

           Thenhelookedatthetwotoffeeswithhungryeyes.Oneofthemwasafractionbiggerthantheother.

           "KindandconsiderateasIam,Iwillgiveyoufirstchoice,"saidKarlsson."Butyoudoknow,don’tyou,thatwhenyou’reallowedtochoosefirst,youmusttakethesmaller,"hecontinued,lookingsternlyatEric.

           Ericthoughtforamoment.

           "Iwantyoutochoosefirst,"hesaidcleverly.

           "Well,sinceyouinsist,"saidKarlsson,grabbingthebiggertoffee,whichhequicklyputintohismouth.

           Ericlookedatthesmalltoffeewhichwasleftinhishand.

           "Lookhere,Ithoughtyousaidthatthefirsttochooseshouldtakethesmaller…"

           "Listentome,youlittlepig,"saidKarlsson."Ifyouhadbeenthefirsttochoose,whichwouldyouhavetaken?"

           "Iwouldhavetakenthesmaller,Ireallywould,"saidEricseriously.

           "What’sallthefussabout,then?"saidKarlsson."That’stheoneyou’vegot,isn’tit?"

           EricwonderedoncemoreifthiswaswhatMommymeantbya"sensiblediscussion."

           ButEricneverstayedinahuffforlong.Anyway,itwasagoodthingthatKarlssonnolongerhadatemperature.Karlssonthoughtso,too.

           "Ishallwriteandtellallthedoctorswhat’sgoodforatemperature.‘TryKarlsson-on-the-Roof’sCure-AllMedicine,’I’llwrite.