Chapter 5

           "Ifeellikehavingfunnow,"saidKarlssonalittlelater."Let’sgoforawalkontheroofsaroundhere;thenwe’reboundtothinkofsomethingfuntodo."

           Ericwantedtodothatverymuch.HetookKarlsson’shand,andtogethertheymarchedthroughthedoorandoutontotheroof.Itwasbeginningtogrowdark,andeverythinglookedverybeautiful.Theairhadthebluishtintwhichithasinthespring;allthehouseslookedmysteriousandexciting,ashousesdointhetwilight;theparkwhereEricoftenplayedseemedtoglimmerstrangelygreenfarbelow;andfromthegreatbalsampoplarinEric’scourtyardawonderfulscentroseallthewayuptotheroof.

           Itwasaperfecteveningforroofwalking.Everywindowwasopen,andyoucouldhearallsortsofsounds:peopletalking,childrenlaughing,andbabiescrying.Therewasaclatterofchinafromaneighboringkitchenwheresomeonewasdoingdishes,adogwhined,andapianowasbeingplayedsomewhere.Fromthestreetbelowcamethepop-pop-popofamotorbike,andwhenthatnoisediedaway,ahorseclatteredpastwithacartbehindit,andeveryclopofthehorse’shoofscouldbeheardontheroof.

           "Ifpeopleonlyknewwhatfunitistowalkontheroof,therewouldn’tbeasinglepersonleftinthestreet,"saidEric."Oh,thisissuperfun!"

           "Yes,andit’sexciting,too,"saidKarlsson."Becauseyoucanveryeasilyfalldown.I’llshowyouafewplaceswhereyounearlyfalleverytime."

           Thehouseswerebuiltsoclosetogetherthatyoucouldwalkfromonerooftothenext.