Now,threedays\'journeyfromthehutonthepasturestwobrothersSodnodweltinasmallcottagewiththeirsisterLyma,whotendedalargeherdofreindeerwhiletheywereouthunting。OflateithadbeenwhisperedfromonetoanotherthatthethreeyoungStalosweretobeseenonthepastures,buttheSodnobrothersdidnotdisturbthemselves,thedangerseemedtoofaraway。
Unluckily,however,oneday,whenLymawasleftbyherselfinthehut,thethreeStaloscamedownandcarriedherandthereindeerofftotheirowncottage。Thecountrywasverylonely,andperhapsnoonewouldhaveknowninwhichdirectionshehadgonehadnotthegirlmanagedtotieaballofthreadtothehandleofadooratthebackofthecottageandletittrailbehindher。Ofcoursetheballwasnotlongenoughtogoalltheway,butitlayontheedgeofasnowytrackwhichledstraighttotheStalos\'house。
Whenthebrothersreturnedfromtheirhuntingtheyfoundboththehutandtheshedsempty。Loudlytheycried:\'Lyma！Lyma！\'Butnovoiceansweredthem;andtheyfelltosearchingallabout,lestperchancetheirsistermighthavedroppedsomecluetoguidethem。Atlengththeireyesdroppedonthethreadwhichlayonthesnow,andtheysetouttofollowit。
Onandontheywent,andwhenatlengththethreadstoppedthebrothersknewthatanotherday\'sjourneywouldbringthemtotheStalos\'
dwelling。Ofcoursetheydidnotdaretoapproachitopenly,fortheStaloshadthestrengthofgiants,andbesides,therewerethreeofthem;sothetwoSodnosclimbedintoabigbushytreewhichoverhungawell。