The oars were locked up in the boat-house , and Little Lasse had not noticed that the boat was empty . It is not so easy as one thinks to row to Asia without oars . What could Little Lasse do now ? The boat was already some distance out on the sea , and the wind , which blew from land , was driving it still further out . Lasse was frightened and began to cry . But there was no one on the shore to hear him . Only a big crow perched alone in the birch tree ; and the gardener 's black cat sat under the birch tree , waiting to catch the crow . Neither of them troubled themselves in the least about Little Lasse , who was drifting out to sea . Ah ! how sorry Little Lasse was now that he had been disobedient and got into the boat , when father and mother had so often forbidden him to do so ! Now it was too late , he could not get back to land . Perhaps he would be lost out on the great sea . What should he do ? When he had shouted until he was tired and no one heard him , he put his two little hands together and said , ` Good God , do not be angry with Little Lasse . ' And then he went to sleep . For although it was daylight , old Nukku Matti was sitting on the shores of the ` Land of Nod , ' and was fishing for little children with his long fishing rod . He heard the low words which Little Lasse said to God , and he immediately drew the boat to himself and laid Little Lasse to sleep on a bed of rose leaves . Then Nukku Matti said to one of the Dreams , ` Play with Little Lasse , so that he does not feel lonesome . ' It was a little dream-boy , so little , so little , that he was less than Lasse himself ; he had blue eyes and fair hair , a red cap with a silver band , and white coat with pearls on the collar . He came to Little Lasse and said , ` Would you like to sail round the world ? '
` Yes , ' said XXXXX in his sleep , ' I should like to . '
Lasse Matti Nod boat-house crow daylight dream-boy father fishing oars