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〃'Then we married；' he said。 'Do you remember how we got our firstboy； and then Mary； Niels； Peter； John； and Christian？'
'Oh yes； and now they have all grown up； and have bee usefulmembers of society； whom everybody cares for。'
〃'And their children have had children again；' said the oldsailor。 'Yes； these are children's children； and they are strong andhealthy。 If I am not mistaken； our wedding took place at this seasonof the year。'
〃'Yes； to…day is your golden wedding…day；' said the littleelder…tree mother； stretching her head down between the two oldpeople； who thought that she was their neighbour who was nodding tothem； they looked at each other and clasped hands。 Soon afterwards thechildren and grandchildren came； for they knew very well that it wasthe golden wedding…day； they had already wished them joy and happinessin the morning； but the old people had forgotten it； although theyremembered things so well that had passed many； many years ago。 Theelder…tree smelt strongly； and the setting sun illuminated the facesof the two old people； so that they looked quite rosy； the youngest ofthe grandchildren danced round them； and cried merrily that therewould be a feast in the evening； for they were to have hot potatoes；and the elder mother nodded in the tree and cried 'Hooray' with theothers。〃
〃But that was no fairy tale；〃 said the little boy who had listenedto it。
〃You will presently understand it；〃 said the old man who toldthe story。 〃Let us ask little elder…tree mother about it。〃
〃That was no fairy tale；〃 said the little elder…tree mother；〃but now it es！ Real life furnishes us with subjects for the mostwonderful fairy tales； for otherwise my beautiful elder…bush could nothave grown forth out of the teapot。〃
And then she took the little boy out of bed and placed him onher bosom； the elder branches； full of blossoms； closed over them；it was as if they sat in a thick leafy bower which flew with themthrough the air； it was beautiful beyond all description。 The littleelder…tree mother had suddenly bee a charming young girl； but herdress was still of the same green material； covered with whiteblossoms； as the elder…tree mother had worn； she had a real elderblossom on her bosom； and a wreath of the same flowers was wound roundher curly golden hair； her eyes were so large and so blue that itwas wonderful to look at them。 She and the boy kissed each other；and then they were of the same age and felt the same joys。 They walkedhand in hand out of the bower； and now stood at home in a beautifulflower garden。 Near the green lawn the father's walking…stick was tiedto a post。 There was life in this stick for the little ones； for assoon as they seated themselves upon it the polished knob turned into aneighing horse's head； a long black mane was fluttering in the wind；and four strong slender legs grew out。 The animal was fiery andspirited； they galloped round the lawn。 〃Hooray！ now we shall ride faraway； many miles！〃 said the boy； 〃we shall ride to the nobleman'sestate 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 littleelder…tree mother； continually cried； 〃Now we are in the country！ Doyou see the farmhouse there； with the large baking stove； whichprojects like a gigantic egg out of the wall into the road？ Theelder…tree spreads its branches over it； and the cock struts about andscratches for the hens。 Look how proud he is！ Now we are near thechurch； it stands on a high hill； under the spreading oak trees； oneof them is half dead！ Now we are at the smithy； where the fire roarsand the half…naked men beat with their hammers so that the sparksfly far and wide。 Let's be off to the beautiful farm！〃 And they passedby everything the little girl； who was sitting behind on the stick；described； and the boy saw it； and yet they only went round thelawn。 Then they played in a side…walk； and marked out a littlegarden on the ground； she took elder…blossoms out of her hair andplanted them； and they grew exactly like those the old peopleplanted when they were children； as we have heard before。 Theywalked about hand in hand； just as the old couple had done when theywere little； but they did not go to the round tower nor to theFredericksburg garden。 No； the little girl seized the boy round thewaist； and then they flew far into the country。 It was spring and itbecame summer； it was autumn and it became winter； and thousands ofpictures reflected themselves in the boy's eyes and heart； and thelittle girl always sang again； 〃You will never forget that！〃 Andduring their whole flight the elder…tree smelt so sweetly； henoticed the roses and the fresh beeches； but the elder…tree smelt muchstronger； 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 theywere again in the green beechwood； where the thyme breathed forthsweet fragrance at their feet； and the pink anemones looked lovelyin the green moss。 〃Oh！ that it were always spring in the fragrantbeechwood！〃
〃Here it is splendid in summer！〃 she said； and they passed byold castles of the age of chivalry。 The high walls and indentedbattlements were reflected in the water of the ditches； on which swanswere swimming and peering into the old shady avenues。 The corn wavedin the field like a yellow sea。 Red and yellow flowers grew in theditches； wild hops and convolvuli in full bloom in the hedges。 Inthe evening the moon rose； large and round； and the hayricks in themeadows smelt sweetly。 〃One can never forget it！〃
〃Here it is beautiful in autumn！〃 said the little girl； and theatmosphere seemed twice as high and blue； while the wood shone withcrimson； green； and gold。 The hounds were running off； flocks ofwild fowl flew screaming over the barrows； while the bramble bushestwined round the old stones。 The dark…blue sea was covered withwhite…sailed ships； and in the barns sat old women； girls； andchildren picking hops into a large tub； the young ones sang songs； andthe old people told fairy tales about goblins and sorcerers。 Itcould not be more pleasant anywhere。
〃Here it's agreeable in winter！〃 said the little girl； and all thetrees were covered with hoar…frost； so that they looked like whitecoral。 The snow creaked under one's feet； as if one had new bootson。 One shooting star after another traversed the sky。 In the room theChristmas tree was lit； and there were song and merriment。 In thepeasant's cottage the violin sounded； and games were played forapple quarters； even the poorest child said； 〃It is beautiful inwinter！〃
And indeed it was beautiful！ And the little girl showed everythingto the boy； and the elder…tree continued to breathe forth sweetperfume； while the red flag with the white cross was streaming inthe wind； it was the flag under which the old sailor had served。 Theboy became a youth； he was to go out into the wide world； far awayto the countries where the coffee grows。 But at parting the littlegirl took an elder…blossom from her breast and gave it to him as akeepsake。 He placed it in his prayer…book； and when he opened it indistant lands it was always at the place where the flower ofremembrance was lying； and the more he looked at it the fresher itbecame； so that he could almost smell the fragrance of the woods athome。 He distinctly saw the little girl； with her bright blue eyes；peeping out from behind the petals； and heard her whispering； 〃Here itis beautiful in spring； in summer； in autumn； and in winter；〃 andhundreds of pictures passed through his mind。
Thus many years rolled by。 He had now bee an old man； and wassitting； with his old wife； under an elder…tree in full bloom。 Theyheld each other by the hand exactly as the great…grandfather and thegreat…grandmother had done outside； and； like them； they talkedabout bygone days and of their golden wedding。 The little girl withthe blue eyes and elder…blossoms in her hair was sitting high up inthe tree； and nodded to them； saying； 〃To…day is the goldenwedding！〃 And then she took two flowers out of her wreath and kissedthem。 They glittered at first like silver； then like gold； and whenshe placed them on the heads of the old people each fl