安徒生童话- 第137部分

〃'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　ofr