Karlsson on the Roof

The ghost fluttered about him, groaning and sighing, and suddenly it flew off into the kitchen. A second later Cosh came rushing in, his face white. “Guffy, a rhost!” he shouted in his fright, instead of, “Ruffy, a ghost.”

No wonder he was frightened—the ghost followed close behind him with dreadful sighs and groans. Ruffy and Cosh made for the door, followed by the ghost flapping around their ears while they rushed into the hall and out through the front door. But they could not escape: it chased them down the stairs, crying after them in a hollow, terrible ghost voice, “Calm, be calm! I’ll soon catch up with you and then the fun will start.”

But the ghost tired of the chase and came back to the sitting room. Eric picked up the housekeeping money, the ring, and the brooch and put them back in the bureau. Bridget and Christopher gathered up all the silver spoons that Cosh had dropped when he raced from the kitchen into the sitting room.

“The World’s Best Ghost, that’s Karlsson-on-the-Roof,” said the ghost, taking off his ghost suit.

The children laughed and were very happy, and Karlsson said, “There’s nothing to equal a ghost when it comes to frightening thieves. If people only knew how effective it is, they’d tie a fierce little ghost to every safe in the whole town.”

Eric jumped for joy because Mommy’s housekeeping money and ring and brooch, and Daddy’s gold medal, and all the silver spoons were safe, and he said, “Fancy people being so silly as to believe in ghosts! There aren’t any such things—Daddy says so.” He nodded wisely. “Silly thieves, they thought it was a ghost coming out of the cupboard, and really it wasn’t anything spooky at all— only Karlsson-on-the-Roof.”

Chapter 7 - Karlsson and Dog Nicholson

Next morning a sleepy, tousled little figure dressed in blue-striped pajamas came pattering on bare feet to Mommy in the kitchen. Betty and Bobby had gone to school and Daddy to the office. But Eric did not have to leave until later, and he was glad of that, because it was nice having Mommy to himself for a short time in the mornings.