"well,andthatwilldo,"saidthewoman."nowlookatthesloebush."

"wehavealsosomenearrelationsinthehomeofthepotatoes,buthighertowardsthenorththantheygrew,"saidthesloes."therewerenorthmen,fromnorway,whosteeredwestwardthroughmistandstormtoanunknownland,where,behindiceandsnow,theyfoundplantsandgreenmeadows,andbusheswithblue-blackgrapes-sloebushes.thegrapeswereripenedbythefrostjustasweare.andtheycalledtheland'wine-land,'thatis,'groenland,'or'sloeland.'"

"thatisquitearomanticstory,"saidtheyoungman.

"yes,certainly.butnowcomewithme,"saidthewisewoman,andsheledhimtothebee-hive.

helookedintoit.whatlifeandlabor!therewerebeesstandinginallthepassages,wavingtheirwings,sothatawholesomedraughtofairmightblowthroughthegreatmanufactory;thatwastheirbusiness.thentherecameinbeesfromwithout,whohadbeenbornwithlittlebasketsontheirfeet;theybroughtflower-dust,whichwaspouredout,sorted,andmanufacturedintohoneyandwax.theyflewinandout.thequeen-beewantedtoflyout,butthenalltheotherbeesmusthavegonewithher.itwasnotyetthetimeforthat,butstillshewantedtoflyout;sotheothersbitoffhermajesty'swings,andshehadtostaywhereshewas.

"nowgetupontheearthbank,"saidthewisewoman."comeandlookoutoverthehighway,whereyoucanseethepeople."

"whatacrowditis!"saidtheyoungman."onestoryafteranother.itwhirlsandwhirls!it'squiteaconfusionbeforemyeyes.ishallgooutattheback."

"no,gostraightforward,"saidthewoman."gostraightintothecrowdofpeople;lookatthemintherightway.haveaneartohearandtherighthearttofeel,andyouwillsooninventsomething.but,beforeyougoaway,youmustgivememyspectaclesandmyear-trumpetagain."

andsosaying,shetookbothfromhim.

"nowidonotseethesmallestthing,"saidtheyoungman,"andnowidon'thearanythingmore."

"why,then,youcan'tbeapoetbyeaster,"saidthewisewoman.

"but,bywhattimecanibeone?"askedhe.

"neitherbyeasternorbywhitsuntide!youwillnotlearnhowtoinventanything."