Argosy (UK), January 1955 — page 38: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

> Ty TRAN bo yee ey 5 “ae TOM HOPKINSON “How can they possibly know?” Garrod objected. “ 'That’s absolute nonsense.” “You may call it nonsense,” Aimo answered placidly, “‘ but you’re now in a part of the world where ‘ nonsense’ happens. Those two young Lapps who've just left will go straight to the part of the forest where their own reindeer are feeding. They won't search the landscape with radar sets, or cruise over the scenery with helicopters. They won’t even crawl about on their hands and knees examining reindeer tracks to find the right ones. They’ll simply go to the place where their reindeer are. _ “ Similarly, if Olmai wants to buy reindeer in the spring, he’ll go to the particular part of the forest where he’ll meet the man he’s going to trade with. ‘They won’t send telegrams or ring each other up. Each of them will be thinking about the deal for several days, then at a certain moment they'll set off. And they’ll meet. Not within five minutes as you might meet your girl in London, but within twenty-four hours, which is quite good enough for Olmai. He’ll be away perhaps three days, and as he gets near home on his way back, Tania here will put on the cooking-pot.”’ “And on top of all that,” said Garrod, “‘ you mean to tell me he speaks English? ”’ “Not a word!” replied Aimo. “ But he understands what you're saying when you talk inside his hut. And I should say it’s almost certain he knew we were coming before we got here. There was a supply of wood in the bath-house, and the place had been cleaned out.” “Well, as far as believing in wizards is concerned, Lapp or otherwise—count me out!” said Garrod. “I’m sorry I was rude about Olmai’s hut. It was decent of him to take us in, and I shouldn’t have spoken like that—regardless of the fact that he can’t possibly have understood.” Olmai had returned and was standing by the hut door. Sud- denly he reached up to the roof and got down a broom. As he did so he grunted something to Aimo, who looked across at Garrod. “What’s he saying?’ Garrod demanded. “He says, ‘I suppose it’s the he-pig’s job to sweep out his own sty,” Aimo replied. Next morning, or rather next moonlight, the reindeer had apparently agreed to travel. The men set off in two sledges, each drawn by a reindeer, with Olmai following on skis. They reached the spot Garrod had in mind, and got to work. comiclooks.comn