'saidtheoldsailor,'whenwewerequitesmallandusedtorunaboutandplay-itwasintheverysameyardwherewenoware-weusedtoputlittlebranchesintothegroundandmakeagarden.'

"'yes,'saidtheoldwoman,'irememberitverywell;weusedtowaterthebranches,andoneofthem,anelder-treebranch,tookroot,andgrewandbecamethelargetreeunderwhichwearenowsittingasoldpeople.'

"'certainly,youareright,'hesaid;'andinyondercornerstoodalargewater-tub;thereiusedtosailmyboat,whichihadcutoutmyself-itsailedsowell;butsoonihadtosailsomewhereelse.'

"'butfirstwewenttoschooltolearnsomething,'shesaid,'andthenwewereconfirmed;webothweptonthatday,butintheafternoonwewentouthandinhand,andascendedthehighroundtowerandlookedoutintothewideworldrightovercopenhagenandthesea;thenwewalkedtofredericksburg,wherethekingandthequeenweresailingaboutintheirmagnificentboatonthecanals.'

"'butsoonihadtosailaboutsomewhereelse,andformanyyearsiwastravellingaboutfarawayfromhome.'

"'andioftencriedaboutyou,foriwasafraidlestyouweredrownedandlyingatthebottomofthesea.manyatimeigotupinthenightandlookediftheweathercockhadturned;itturnedoften,butyoudidnotreturn.irememberonedaydistinctly:therainwaspouringdownintorrents;thedust-manhadcometothehousewhereiwasinservice;iwentdownwiththedust-binandstoodforamomentinthedoorway,andlookedatthedreadfulweather.thenthepostmangavemealetter;itwasfromyou.heavens!howthatletterhadtravelledabout.itoreitopenandreadit;icriedandlaughedatthesametime,andwassohappy!thereinwaswrittenthatyouwerestayinginthehotcountries,wherethecoffeegrows.thesemustbemarvellouscountries.yousaidagreatdealaboutthem,andireadallwhiletherainwaspouringdownandiwasstandingtherewiththedust-bin.thensuddenlysomeoneputhisarmroundmywaist-'

"'yes,andyougavehimaheartysmackonthecheek,'saidtheoldman.

"'ididnotknowthatitwasyou-youhadcomeasquicklyasyourletter;andyoulookedsohandsome,andsoyoudostill.youhadalargeyellowsilkhandkerchiefinyourpocketandashininghaton.youlookedsowell,andtheweatherinthestreetwashorrible!'

"'thenwemarried,'hesaid.'doyourememberhowwegotourfirstboy,andthenmary,niels,peter,john,andchristian?'

'ohyes;andnowtheyhaveallgrownup,andhavebecomeusefulmembersofsociety,whomeverybodycaresfor.'

"'andtheirchildrenhavehadchildrenagain,'saidtheoldsailor.'yes,thesearechildren'schildren,andtheyarestrongandhealthy.ifiamnotmistaken,ourweddingtookplaceatthisseasonoftheyear.'

"'yes,to-dayisyourgoldenwedding-day,'saidthelittleelder-treemother,stretchingherheaddownbetweenthetwooldpeople,whothoughtthatshewastheirneighbourwhowasnoddingtothem;theylookedateachotherandclaspedhands.soonafterwardsthechildrenandgrandchildrencame,fortheyknewverywellthatitwasthegoldenwedding-day;theyhadalreadywishedthemjoyandhappinessinthemorning,buttheoldpeoplehadforgottenit,althoughtheyrememberedthingssowellthathadpassedmany,manyyearsago.theelder-treesmeltstrongly,andthesettingsunilluminatedthefacesofthetwooldpeople,sothattheylookedquiterosy;theyoungestofthegrandchildrendancedroundthem,andcriedmerrilythattherewouldbeafeastintheevening,fortheyweretohavehotpotatoes;andtheeldermothernoddedinthetreeandcried'hooray'withtheothers."

"butthatwasnofairytale,"saidthelittleboywhohadlistenedtoit.

"youwillpresentlyunderstandit,"saidtheoldmanwhotoldthestory."letusasklittleelder-treemotheraboutit."

"thatwasnofairytale,"saidthelittleelder-treemother;"butnowitcomes!