the little elder-tree mother-第2节

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soon　as　they　seated　themselves　upon　it　the　polished　knob　turned　into　a

neighing　horse's　head；　a　long　black　mane　was　fluttering　in　the　wind；

and　four　strong　slender　legs　grew　out。　The　animal　was　fiery　and

spirited；　they　galloped　round　the　lawn。　〃Hooray！　now　we　shall　ride　far

away；　many　miles！〃　said　the　boy；　〃we　shall　ride　to　the　nobleman's

estate　where　we　were　last　year。〃　And　they　rode　round　the　lawn　again；

and　the　little　girl；　who；　as　we　know；　was　no　other　than　the　little

elder…tree　mother；　continually　cried；　〃Now　we　are　in　the　country！　Do

you　see　the　farmhouse　there；　with　the　large　baking　stove；　which

projects　like　a　gigantic　egg　out　of　the　wall　into　the　road？　The

elder…tree　spreads　its　branches　over　it；　and　the　cock　struts　about　and

scratches　for　the　hens。　Look　how　proud　he　is！　Now　we　are　near　the

church；　it　stands　on　a　high　hill；　under　the　spreading　oak　trees；　one

of　them　is　half　dead！　Now　we　are　at　the　smithy；　where　the　fire　roars

and　the　half…naked　men　beat　with　their　hammers　so　that　the　sparks

fly　far　and　wide。　Let's　be　off　to　the　beautiful　farm！〃　And　they　passed

by　everything　the　little　girl；　who　was　sitting　behind　on　the　stick；

described；　and　the　boy　saw　it；　and　yet　they　only　went　round　the

lawn。　Then　they　played　in　a　side…walk；　and　marked　out　a　little

garden　on　the　ground；　she　took　elder…blossoms　out　of　her　hair　and

planted　them；　and　they　grew　exactly　like　those　the　old　people

planted　when　they　were　children；　as　we　have　heard　before。　They

walked　about　hand　in　hand；　just　as　the　old　couple　had　done　when　they

were　little；　but　they　did　not　go　to　the　round　tower　nor　to　the

Fredericksburg　garden。　No；　the　little　girl　seized　the　boy　round　the

waist；　and　then　they　flew　far　into　the　country。　It　was　spring　and　it

became　summer；　it　was　autumn　and　it　became　winter；　and　thousands　of

pictures　reflected　themselves　in　the　boy's　eyes　and　heart；　and　the

little　girl　always　sang　again；　〃You　will　never　forget　that！〃　And

during　their　whole　flight　the　elder…tree　smelt　so　sweetly；　he

noticed　the　roses　and　the　fresh　beeches；　but　the　elder…tree　smelt　much

stronger；　for　the　flowers　were　fixed　on　the　little　girl's　bosom；

against　which　the　boy　often　rested　his　head　during　the　flight。

　　　　〃It　is　beautiful　here　in　spring；〃　said　the　little　girl；　and　they

were　again　in　the　green　beechwood；　where　the　thyme　breathed　forth

sweet　fragrance　at　their　feet；　and　the　pink　anemones　looked　lovely

in　the　green　moss。　〃Oh！　that　it　were　always　spring　in　the　fragrant

beechwood！〃

　　　　〃Here　it　is　splendid　in　summer！〃　she　said；　and　they　passed　by

old　castles　of　the　age　of　chivalry。　The　high　walls　and　indented

battlements　were　reflected　in　the　water　of　the　ditches；　on　which　swans

were　swimming　and　peering　into　the　old　shady　avenues。　The　corn　waved

in　the　field　like　a　yellow　sea。　Red　and　yellow　flowers　grew　in　the

ditches；　wild　hops　and　convolvuli　in　full　bloom　in　the　hedges。　In

the　evening　the　moon　rose；　large　and　round；　and　the　hayricks　in　the

meadows　smelt　sweetly。　〃One　can　never　forget　it！〃

　　　　〃Here　it　is　beautiful　in　autumn！〃　said　the　little　girl；　and　the

atmosphere　seemed　twice　as　high　and　blue；　while　the　wood　shone　with

crimson；　green；　and　gold。　The　hounds　were　running　off；　flocks　of

wild　fowl　flew　screaming　over　the　barrows；　while　the　bramble　bushes

twined　round　the　old　stones。　The　dark…blue　sea　was　covered　with

white…sailed　ships；　and　in　the　barns　sat　old　women；　girls；　and

children　picking　hops　into　a　large　tub；　the　young　ones　sang　songs；　and

the　old　people　told　fairy　tales　about　goblins　and　sorcerers。　It

could　not　be　more　pleasant　anywhere。

　　　　〃Here　it's　agreeable　in　winter！〃　said　the　little　girl；　and　all　the

trees　were　covered　with　hoar…frost；　so　that　they　looked　like　white

coral。　The　snow　creaked　under　one's　feet；　as　if　one　had　new　boots

on。　One　shooting　star　after　another　traversed　the　sky。　In　the　room　the

Christmas　tree　was　lit；　and　there　were　song　and　merriment。　In　the

peasant's　cottage　the　violin　sounded；　and　games　were　played　for

apple　quarters；　even　the　poorest　child　said；　〃It　is　beautiful　in

winter！〃

　　　　And　indeed　it　was　beautiful！　And　the　little　girl　showed　everything

to　the　boy；　and　the　elder…tree　continued　to　breathe　forth　sweet

perfume；　while　the　red　flag　with　the　white　cross　was　streaming　in

the　wind；　it　was　the　flag　under　which　the　old　sailor　had　served。　The

boy　became　a　youth；　he　was　to　go　out　into　the　wide　world；　far　away

to　the　countries　where　the　coffee　grows。　But　at　parting　the　little

girl　took　an　elder…blossom　from　her　breast　and　gave　it　to　him　as　a

keepsake。　He　placed　it　in　his　prayer…book；　and　when　he　opened　it　in

distant　lands　it　was　always　at　the　place　where　the　flower　of

remembrance　was　lying；　and　the　more　he　looked　at　it　the　fresher　it

became；　so　that　he　could　almost　smell　the　fragrance　of　the　woods　at

home。　He　distinctly　saw　the　little　girl；　with　her　bright　blue　eyes；

peeping　out　from　behind　the　petals；　and　heard　her　whispering；　〃Here　it

is　beautiful　in　spring；　in　summer；　in　autumn；　and　in　winter；〃　and

hundreds　of　pictures　passed　through　his　mind。

　　　　Thus　many　years　rolled　by。　He　had　now　become　an　old　man；　and　was

sitting；　with　his　old　wife；　under　an　elder…tree　in　full　bloom。　They

held　each　other　by　the　hand　exactly　as　the　great…grandfather　and　the

great…grandmother　had　done　outside；　and；　like　them；　they　talked

about　bygone　days　and　of　their　golden　wedding。　The　little　girl　with

the　blue　eyes　and　elder…blossoms　in　her　hair　was　sitting　high　up　in

the　tree；　and　nodded　to　them；　saying；　〃To…day　is　the　golden

wedding！〃　And　then　she　took　two　flowers　out　of　her　wreath　and　kissed

them。　They　glittered　at　first　like　silver；　then　like　gold；　and　when

she　placed　them　on　the　heads　of　the　old　people　each　flower　became　a

golden　crown。　There　they　both　sat　like　a　king　and　queen　under　the

sweet…smelling　tree；　which　looked　exactly　like　an　elder…tree；　and　he

told　his　wife　the　story　of　the　elder…tree　mother　as　it　had　been　told

him　when　he　was　a　little　boy。　They　were　both　of　opinion　that　the　story

contained　many　points　like　their　own；　and　these　similarities　they

liked　best。

　　　　〃Yes；　so　it　is；〃　said　the　little　girl　in　the　tree。　〃Some　call　me

Little　Elder…tree　Mother；　others　a　Dryad；　but　my　real　name　is

'Remembrance。'　It　is　I　who　sit　in　the　tree　which　grows　and　grows。　I

can　remember　things　and　tell　stories！　But　let's　see　if　you　have

still　got　your　flower。〃

　　　　And　the　old　man　opened　his　prayer…book；　the　elder…blossom　was

still　in　it；　and　as　fresh　as　if　it　had　only　just　been　put　in。

Remembrance　nodded；　and　the　two　old　people；　with　the　golden　crowns

on　their　heads；　sat　in　the　glowing　evening　sun。　They　closed　their　eyes

and…　and…

　　　　Well；　now　the　story　is　ended！　The　little　boy　in　bed　did　not　know

whether　he　had　dreamt　it　or　heard　it　told；　the　teapot　stood　on　the

table；　but　no　elder…tree　was　growing　out　of　it；　and　the　old　man　who

had　told　the　story　was　on　the　point　of　leaving　the　room；　and　he　did　go

out。

　　　　〃How　beautiful　it　was！〃　said　the　little　boy。　〃Mother；　I　have

been　to　warm　countries！〃

　　　　〃I　believe　you；〃　said　the　mother；　〃if　one　takes　two　cups　of　hot

elder…tea　it　is　quite　natural　that　one　gets　into　warm　countries！〃

And　she　covered　him　up　well；　so　that　he　might　not　take　cold。　〃You　have

slept　soundly　while　I　was　arguing　with　the　old　man　whether　it　was　a

story　or　a　fairy　tale！〃

　　　　〃And　what　has　become　of　the　little　elder…tree　mother？〃　asked　the

boy。

　　　　〃She　is　in　the　teapot；〃　said　the　mother；　〃and　there　she　may

remain。〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END

。