accord; but they are proud
and haughty, and come only when they choose. Stop!" said he, all on a
sudden. "I have it! Pay attention! There is one in the tea-pot!"

And the little boy looked at the tea-pot. The cover rose more and more;
and the Elder-flowers came forth so fresh and white, and shot up long
branches. Out of the spout even did they spread themselves on all sides,
and grew larger and larger; it was a splendid Elderbush, a whole tree;
and it reached into the very bed, and pushed the curtains aside. How
it bloomed! And what an odour! In the middle of the bush sat a
friendly-looking old woman in a most strange dress. It was quite
green, like the leaves of the elder, and was trimmed with large white
Elder-flowers; so that at first one could not tell whether it was a
stuff, or a natural green and real flowers.

"What's that woman's name?" asked the little boy.

"The Greeks and Romans," said the old man, "called her a Dryad; but that
we do not understand. The people who live in the New Booths [*] have a much
better name for her; they call her 'old Granny'--and she it is to
whom you are to pay attention. Now listen, and look at the beautiful
Elderbush.

* A row of buildings for seamen in Copenhagen.

"Just such another large blooming Elder Tree stands near the New Booths.
It grew there in the corner of a little miserable court-yard; and under
it sat, of an afternoon, in the most splendid sunshine, two old
people; an old, old seaman, and his old, old wife. They had
great-grand-children, and were soon to celebrate the fiftieth
anniversary of their marriage; but they could not exactly recollect the
date: and old Granny sat in the tree, and looked as pleased as now. 'I
know the date,' said she; but those below did not hear her, for they
were talking about old times.

"'Yes, can't you remember when we were very little,' said the old
seaman, 'and ran and played about? It was the very same court-yard where
we now are, and we stuck slips in the ground, and made a garden.'

"'I remember it well,' said the old woman; 'I remember it quite well. We
watered the slips, and one of them was an Elderbush. It took root, put
forth green shoots, and grew up to be the large tree under which we old
folks are now sitting.'

"'To be sure,' said he. 'And there in the corner stood a waterpail,
where I used to swim my boats.'

"'True; but first we went to school to learn somewhat,' said she; 'and
then we were confirmed. We bo