Page:Fairy tales and stories (Andersen, Tegner).djvu/159

Rh sides, always growing larger and larger, till they formed the most beautiful elder-tree—in fact, a great tree, which extended right to the little boy's bed and pushed the curtains aside. How it blossomed, and how fragrant it was! In the middle of the tree sat a pleasant-looking old woman in a strange dress; it was quite green, just like the leaves of the elder-tree, and was trimmed with large white elder flowers; one could not see at once whether it was made of cloth or of living green plants and flowers.

"What is the name of the old lady?" asked the little boy.

"Well, the Romans and the Greeks called her a dryad," said the old man, "but we do not understand the meaning of that name. In Nyboder they have a better name for her; there she is called 'Elder-Tree Mother,' and it is to her you must now give all your attention. Listen, and look at the beautiful elder-tree!

"Just such a large tree stands in full bloom out at Nyboder! It grew there in the corner of the yard of a poor little cottage; under this tree one afternoon, in the most delightful sunshine, sat two old people. They were an old, old sailor and his old, old wife; they were great-grandparents and were soon to celebrate their golden wedding, but they could not quite remember the date. Elder-tree mother sat in the tree and looked so pleased, just as she does now. 'I know when the golden wedding is!' she said, but they did not hear it; they were talking about the old days.

"'Yes, do you remember,' said the old sailor, 'when we were quite youngsters and used to run about and play together? It was in this very yard where we are now sitting! We put twigs into the ground and made a garden.'