denstierne, erected a habitation higher up, and
that stands now, and is called Noerre-Vosborg.

Joergen, with his foster-parents, had to pass this place. Of every
little town hereabout he had heard stories during the long winter
evenings; now he saw the castle, with its double moats, its trees and
bushes, its ramparts overgrown with bracken. But the most beautiful
sight was the lofty linden trees, that filled the air with so sweet a
perfume. Towards the north-west, in a corner of the garden, stood a
large bush with flowers that were like winter's snow amidst summer's
green. It was an elder tree, the first Joergen had ever seen in bloom.
That and the linden trees were always remembered during his future
years as Denmark's sweetest perfume and beauty, which the soul of
childhood "for the old man laid by."

The journey soon became more extended, and the country less wild.
After passing Noerre-Vosborg, where the elder tree was in bloom, he had
the pleasure of travelling in a sort of carriage, for they met some of
the other guests who were going to the funeral feast, as it might be
called, and were invited into their conveyance. To be sure they had
all three to stuff themselves into a very narrow back seat, but that
was better, they thought, than walking. They drove over the uneven
heaths; the bullocks which drew their cart stopped whenever they came
to a little patch of green grass among the heather. The sun was
shining warmly, and it was wonderful to see, far in the distance, a
smoke that undulated, yet was clearer than the air--one could see
through it: it was as if rays of light were rolling and dancing over
the heath.

"It is the Lokeman, who is driving his sheep," was told Joergen, and
that was enough for him. He fancied he was driving into the land of
marvellous adventures and fairy tales; yet he was only amidst
realities. How still it was there!

Far before them stretched the heath, but it looked like a beautifully
variegated carpet; the ling was in flower, the Cyprus-green juniper
bushes and the fresh oak shoots seemed like bouquets among the
heather. But for the many poisonous vipers, how delightful it would
have been to roll about there! The party spoke of them, and of the
numerous wolves that had abounded in that neighbourhood, on account of
which the district was called Ulvborg-Herred. The old man who was
driving related how, in his father's time, the horses had often to
fight a hard battle with these now e