The first day of the second year the boy had the same work to do as on the previous one -- namely , to feed all the wild animals in the troll 's stable . When he had done this the troll again said some words to him , and with that he became a raven , and flew high up into the air . This was delightful , the lad thought ; he could go even faster now than when he was a hare , and the dogs could not come after him here . This was a great delight to him , but he soon found out that he was not to be left quite at peace , for all the marksmen and hunters who saw him aimed at him and fired away , for they had no other birds to shoot at than himself , as the troll had tied up all the others . This , however , he also got used to , when he saw that they could never hit him , and in this way he flew about all that year , until the troll called him home again , said some strange words to him , and gave him his human shape again . ` Well , how did you like being a raven ? ' said the troll . ' I liked it very well , ' said the lad , ` for never in all my days have I been able to rise so high . ' The troll then showed him the two bushels of money which he had earned that year , and the lad was well content to remain in his service for another year . Next day he got his old task of feeding all the wild beasts . When this was done the troll again said some words to him , and at these he turned into a fish , and sprang into the river . He swam up and he swam down , and thought it was pleasant to let himself drive with the stream . In this way he came right out into the sea , and swam further and further out . At last he came to a glass palace , which stood at the bottom of the sea . He could see into all the rooms and halls , where everything was very grand ; all the furniture was of white ivory , inlaid with gold and pearl . There were soft rugs and cushions of all the colours of the rainbow , and beautiful carpets that looked like the finest moss , and flowers and trees with curiously crooked branches , both green and yellow , white and red , and there were also little fountains which sprang up from the most beautiful snail-shells , and fell into bright mussel-shells , and at the same time made a most delightful music , which filled the whole palace . The most beautiful thing of all , however , was a young girl who went about there , all alone . She went about from one room to another , but did not seem to be happy with all the grandeur she had about her . She walked in solitude and melancholy , and never even thought of looking at her own image in the polished glass walls that were on every side of her , although she was the prettiest creature anyone could wish to see . The lad thought so too while he swam round the palace and peeped in from every side .
` Here , indeed , it would be better to be a man than such a poor dumb fish as I am now , ' said he to himself ; ` if I could only remember the words that the XXXXX says when he changes my shape , then perhaps I could help myself to become a man again . '
colours days left marksmen mussel-shells raven right snail-shells troll year