When he was young it was dangerous to go near him at such times, for the angrier he got the more he stammered, and the more he stammered the more his anger increased.

There was only one way out of it, and that was by singing; and so whenever anything of more than usual importance refused to come out, he was obliged to sing his intelligence, which he did to a merry little air he always used on these occasions.

It was said that he had to sing when he proposed to his wife, but whether there was any truth in the statement is not quite clear.

It was certain, however, that he did not often have to sing, and woe to any one who dared to say, "Sing, Anders." This was, of course, when he was young; he was now so broken down that any one could say what they liked to him.

There was, therefore, no longer any pleasure in teasing him, and he was allowed to go in peace.