te forgotten the little birds, to which she was accustomed to throw
out upon the snow, corn and bread crumbs; and they were now come to
remind her of it. Ah! were but all remembrances like to the twittering
of birds! With real remorse for her forgetfulness Susanna hastened to
dress herself, and to draw aside the window-curtain. And behold!
outside, before her window, stood a tall slender fir-tree, in whose
green top, cut in the form of a garland, was stuck a great bunch of
gold-yellow oats, around which great flocks of sparrows and bulfinches
swarmed, picking and chirping. Susanna blushed, and thought "Harald!"
The people in the house answered with smiles to Susanna's questions, the
Steward had, indeed, planted the tree. The Steward, however, himself
appeared as if he were quite a stranger to the whole affair, betrayed
astonishment at the tree with the sheaf of oats, and could not conceive
how it had come there.

"It must," said he, "have shot forth of itself during the night;" and
this could only be proved from the wonderful strength of the excellent
Norwegian earth--every morsel of which is pulverised primary rock. Such
a soil only can bring forth such a miraculous growth.

In the forenoon, Harald went with Susanna into the farm-yard, where she
with her own hands divided oats among the cows; bread among the sheep;
and among the little poultry corn in abundant measure. In the community
of hens was there with this a great difference of character observable.
Some snatched greedily, whilst they drove the others away by force;
others, on the contrary, kept at a modest distance, and picked up well
pleased the corn which good fortune had bestowed upon them; others,
again, seemed to enjoy for others more than for themselves. Of this
noble nature was one young cock in particular, with a high comb, and a
rich cape of changeful gold-coloured feathers, and of a peculiarly proud
and lofty bearing; he gave up his portion to the hens, so that he had
scarcely a single grain for himself; regarding, however, the while, with
a noble chanticleer-demeanour the crowd which pecked and cackled at his
feet. On account of this beautiful behaviour, he was called the Knight,
by Susanna, which name he always preserved after that time. Among the
geese, she perceived with vexation that the grey one was still more
oppressed and pecked at by his white tyrant than ever. Harald proposed
to kill the grey one; but Susanna declared warmly, that if either