Once upon a time there was a little boy who had taken cold. He had gone out and got his feet wet; though nobody could imagine how it had happened, for it was quite dry weather. So his mother undressed him, put him to bed, and had the tea-pot brought in, to make him a good cup of Elderflower tea. Just at that moment the merry old man came in who lived up a-top of the house all alone; for he had neither wife nor children--but he liked children very much, and knew so many fairy tales, that it was quite delightful.
从前，有一个小男孩，他感冒了。他有 出去把脚弄湿了；尽管没人能想象它是如何发生的 发生了，因为当时天气很干燥。于是他妈妈脱掉了他的衣服，穿上 他上床睡觉，并让人把茶壶拿来，给他泡了一杯好茶。 接骨木花茶。就在这时，那位快活的老人进来了。 独自住在房子的顶层；因为他既没有妻子，也没有 孩子们——但他非常喜欢孩子，并且知道很多童话故事， 这真是令人愉快。
“Now drink your tea,” said the boy's mother; “then, perhaps, you may hear a fairy tale.”
“现在喝茶吧，”男孩的母亲说道。 “那么，也许，你可以 听童话故事。”
“If I had but something new to tell,” said the old man. “But how did the child get his feet wet?”
“如果我有什么新的东西要讲就好了，”老人说。 “但是如何 孩子把脚弄湿了？”
“That is the very thing that nobody can make out,” said his mother.
“这正是没人能理解的事情，”他的母亲说。
“Am I to hear a fairy tale?” asked the little boy.
“我是来听童话故事的吗？”小男孩问道。
“Yes, if you can tell me exactly--for I must know that first--how deep the gutter is in the little street opposite, that you pass through in going to school.”
“是的，如果你能准确地告诉我——因为我必须首先知道——有多深 排水沟在对面的小街上，你穿过它 去学校了。”
“Just up to the middle of my boot,” said the child; “but then I must go into the deep hole.”
“就到我靴子的中间了，”孩子说。 “但是我必须走了 进入深洞。”
“Ah, ah! That's where the wet feet came from,” said the old man. “I ought now to tell you a story; but I don't know any more.”
“啊啊啊！湿脚就是从这里来的。”老人说道。 “我 现在应该给你讲一个故事；但我不知道更多了。”
“You can make one in a moment,” said the little boy. “My mother says that all you look at can be turned into a fairy tale: and that you can find a story in everything.”
“你一会儿就可以做一个，”小男孩说。 “我妈妈说 你所看到的一切都可以变成童话：你可以 在一切事物中寻找故事。”
“Yes, but such tales and stories are good for nothing. The right sort come of themselves; they tap at my forehead and say, 'Here we are.'”
“是的，但是这样的故事和故事毫无用处。正确的类型 自己来；他们轻拍我的额头说：‘我们到了。’”
“Won't there be a tap soon?” asked the little boy. And his mother laughed, put some Elder-flowers in the tea-pot, and poured boiling water upon them.
“不是很快就会有水龙头吗？”小男孩问道。还有他的母亲 笑了笑，在茶壶里放了一些接骨木花，倒入开水 在他们身上。
“Do tell me something! Pray do!”
“请告诉我一件事！请告诉我吧！”
“Yes, if a fairy tale would come of its own 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!”
“是的，如果童话故事会自动出现；但他们很自豪 而且傲慢，只在他们选择的时候才来。住手！”他说，一切都在 突然的。 “我有！注意！茶壶里有一个！”
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.
小男孩看着茶壶。封面越来越大； 接骨木花开得那么新鲜、洁白，长得很长 分支机构。它们甚至从喷嘴中向四面八方扩散， 并且变得越来越大；那是一棵美丽的接骨木，一整棵树。 它伸进了床，把窗帘推到一边。如何 它开花了！多么难闻的气味啊！灌木丛中央坐着一个 穿着最奇怪的衣服、看上去很友善的老妇人。这是相当 绿色，像接骨木的叶子，并镶有大片白色 接骨木花；所以一开始人们无法判断它是否是 的东西，或者是天然的绿色和真实的花朵。
“What's that woman's name?” asked the little boy.
“那个女人叫什么名字？”小男孩问道。
“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.
“希腊人和罗马人，”老人说，“称她为树精；但是那 我们不明白。住在新摊位 [*] 的人们有很多 给她更好的名字；他们称她为“老奶奶”——她就是这样 你要关注谁。现在听听，看看美丽的 艾德布什。
A row of buildings for seamen in Copenhagen.
* 哥本哈根的一排海员建筑。
“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.
“新摊位附近就矗立着另一棵盛开的大接骨木树。 它生长在一个简陋的小院子的角落里。及以下 一个下午，在最灿烂的阳光下，两个老 人；一位老老海员和他的老老妻子。他们有 曾孙，很快就要庆祝五十岁了 结婚纪念日；但他们记不清了 日期：老奶奶坐在树上，看上去和现在一样高兴。 '我 “知道日期，”她说。但下面的人没有听到她的声音，因为他们 我们正在谈论旧时光。
“'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.'
“‘是的，你难道不记得我们很小的时候吗？’老人说道。 水手，'然后跑来跑去？这是同一个庭院 我们现在是了，我们把木条插在地上，建造了一个花园。”
“'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.'
“‘我记得很清楚，’老妇人说，‘我记得很清楚。我们 浇水，其中一棵是接骨木。它扎根了，扎根了 长出绿芽，长成我们在树下老去的大树 人们现在都坐着了。
“'To be sure,' said he. 'And there in the corner stood a waterpail, where I used to swim my boats.'
“‘当然，’他说。‘角落里放着一个水桶， 我曾经在那里游泳。
“'True; but first we went to school to learn somewhat,' said she; 'and then we were confirmed. We both cried; but in the afternoon we went up the Round Tower, and looked down on Copenhagen, and far, far away over the water; then we went to Friedericksberg, where the King and the Queen were sailing about in their splendid barges.'
“‘确实如此；但首先我们去学校是为了学习一些东西，’她说；‘然后 然后我们就被确认了。我们都哭了；但下午我们去了 圆塔，俯瞰哥本哈根，远眺 水；然后我们去了腓特烈斯堡，国王和王后在那里 正在他们华丽的驳船上航行。
“'But I had a different sort of sailing to that, later; and that, too, for many a year; a long way off, on great voyages.'
“‘但后来我进行了一次不同的航行；而且， 已经很多年了；距离很远，正在伟大的航行中。”
“'Yes, many a time have I wept for your sake,' said she. 'I thought you were dead and gone, and lying down in the deep waters. Many a night have I got up to see if the wind had not changed: and changed it had, sure enough; but you never came. I remember so well one day, when the rain was pouring down in torrents, the scavengers were before the house where I was in service, and I had come up with the dust, and remained standing at the door--it was dreadful weather--when just as I was there, the postman came and gave me a letter. It was from you! What a tour that letter had made! I opened it instantly and read: I laughed and wept. I was so happy. In it I read that you were in warm lands where the coffee-tree grows. What a blessed land that must be! You related so much, and I saw it all the while the rain was pouring down, and I standing there with the dust-box. At the same moment came someone who embraced me.'
“‘是的，我曾多次为你哭泣，’她说。‘我以为你 他们死了，消失了，躺在深水中。很多个夜晚都有 我站起来看看风向是否没有改变：当然，风向已经改变了 足够了；但你从未来过。我记得很清楚，有一天，下雨的时候 倾盆大雨倾盆而下，拾荒者们来到了房子前 我正在服役，我已经扬起了灰尘，仍然站着 就在门口——天气很糟糕——正当我在那里的时候， 邮递员来了，给了我一封信。是你发来的！这是一次多么美妙的旅行啊 信已发！我立即打开它，读到：我笑了，哭了。 我很高兴。我在里面读到，你在温暖的土地上，那里 咖啡树生长。那一定是一片多么幸福的土地啊！你这样关联 很多，我一直在倾盆大雨的时候看到它，我 拿着尘盒站在那里。与此同时，来了一个人， 拥抱了我。
“'Yes; but you gave him a good box on his ear that made it tingle!'
“‘是的；但是你给了他一个好盒子，让他耳朵发麻！’
“'But I did not know it was you. You arrived as soon as your letter, and you were so handsome--that you still are--and had a long yellow silk handkerchief round your neck, and a bran new hat on; oh, you were so dashing! Good heavens! What weather it was, and what a state the street was in!'
“‘但我不知道是你。你的信一到就到了， 你是如此英俊——你仍然如此——并且有一条长长的黄色丝绸 脖子上围着手帕，戴上崭新的帽子；哦，你真是这样 潇洒！天哪！当时的天气如何，街道的状况如何 进来了！
“'And then we married,' said he. 'Don't you remember? And then we had our first little boy, and then Mary, and Nicholas, and Peter, and Christian.'
“‘然后我们结婚了，’他说，‘你不记得了吗？然后我们就结婚了。 我们有了第一个小男孩，然后是玛丽、尼古拉斯、彼得，还有 克里斯蒂安。
“'Yes, and how they all grew up to be honest people, and were beloved by everybody.'
“是的，以及他们如何成长为诚实的人，并受到人们的喜爱 大家。
“'And their children also have children,' said the old sailor; 'yes, those are our grand-children, full of strength and vigor. It was, methinks about this season that we had our wedding.'
“‘他们的孩子也有孩子，’老水手说；‘是的， 他们是我们的孙子，充满力量和活力。原来是， 我想起了我们举行婚礼的这个季节。
“'Yes, this very day is the fiftieth anniversary of the marriage,' said old Granny, sticking her head between the two old people; who thought it was their neighbor who nodded to them. They looked at each other and held one another by the hand. Soon after came their children, and their grand-children; for they knew well enough that it was the day of the fiftieth anniversary, and had come with their gratulations that very morning; but the old people had forgotten it, although they were able to remember all that had happened many years ago. And the Elderbush sent forth a strong odour in the sun, that was just about to set, and shone right in the old people's faces. They both looked so rosy-cheeked; and the youngest of the grandchildren danced around them, and called out quite delighted, that there was to be something very splendid that evening--they were all to have hot potatoes. And old Nanny nodded in the bush, and shouted 'hurrah!' with the rest.”
“‘是的，今天是结婚五十周年纪念日，’说 老奶奶，把头伸到两个老人中间；谁想到 是他们的邻居向他们点了点头。他们互相看着对方 握住彼此的手。不久之后他们的孩子和他们的孩子也来了 孙子；因为他们非常清楚今天是 五十周年纪念日，他们带着他们的祝贺而来 早上；但老人们已经忘记了，尽管他们能够 记住很多年前发生的一切。长老布什送来了 在即将落山的阳光下散发出强烈的气味，并闪闪发光 就在老人家的脸上。他们俩的脸颊看起来都是红润的。和 最小的孙子围着他们跳舞，并大声喊道 非常高兴，因为将会有一些非常精彩的事情 晚上——他们都要吃热土豆。老保姆点点头 布什，并大喊“万岁！”和其余的人一起。”
“But that is no fairy tale,” said the little boy, who was listening to the story.
“但这不是童话故事，”正在听的小男孩说道。 故事。
“The thing is, you must understand it,” said the narrator; “let us ask old Nanny.”
“问题是，你必须理解它，”解说员说。 “让我们问 老保姆。”
“That was no fairy tale, 'tis true,” said old Nanny; “but now it's coming. The most wonderful fairy tales grow out of that which is reality; were that not the case, you know, my magnificent Elderbush could not have grown out of the tea-pot.” And then she took the little boy out of bed, laid him on her bosom, and the branches of the Elder Tree, full of flowers, closed around her. They sat in an aerial dwelling, and it flew with them through the air. Oh, it was wondrous beautiful! Old Nanny had grown all of a sudden a young and pretty maiden; but her robe was still the same green stuff with white flowers, which she had worn before. On her bosom she had a real Elderflower, and in her yellow waving hair a wreath of the flowers; her eyes were so large and blue that it was a pleasure to look at them; she kissed the boy, and now they were of the same age and felt alike.
“这不是童话故事，这是真的，”老保姆说。 “但现在是 来了。最精彩的童话故事都是从这样的故事中诞生的 现实；难道不是这样吗，你知道，我伟大的长老布什 不可能是从茶壶里长出来的。”然后她拿着那个小 男孩从床上起来，把他放在她的怀里，长老的树枝 开满鲜花的树，紧紧围绕着她。他们坐在空中 住处，它和他们一起在空中飞翔。哦，太奇妙了 美丽！老保姆一下子变得年轻漂亮了 少女；但她的袍子还是一样的绿色，上面有白色的花朵， 她以前穿过的。她的怀里有一朵真正的接骨木花， 她那飘逸的黄色头发上戴着一个花环；她的眼睛是如此 又大又蓝，看着它们很高兴；她吻了 男孩，现在他们同龄了，感觉也很相似。
Hand in hand they went out of the bower, and they were standing in the beautiful garden of their home. Near the green lawn papa's walking-stick was tied, and for the little ones it seemed to be endowed with life; for as soon as they got astride it, the round polished knob was turned into a magnificent neighing head, a long black mane fluttered in the breeze, and four slender yet strong legs shot out. The animal was strong and handsome, and away they went at full gallop round the lawn.
他们手牵手出了凉亭，站在亭子里。 他们家的美丽花园。靠近绿色的草坪爸爸的手杖 被绑起来，对于小孩子来说，它似乎被赋予了生命。为了 他们一跨上它，抛光的圆形旋钮就变成了 一个宏伟的嘶鸣头，一头长长的黑色鬃毛在微风中飘扬， 四条细长而有力的双腿射出。这种动物很强壮，而且 英俊潇洒，他们绕着草坪疾驰而去。
“Huzza! Now we are riding miles off,” said the boy. “We are riding away to the castle where we were last year!”
“哈扎！现在我们已经在几英里之外了，”男孩说。 “我们骑马离开 去去年我们去过的城堡！”
And on they rode round the grass-plot; and the little maiden, who, we know, was no one else but old Nanny, kept on crying out, “Now we are in the country! Don't you see the farm-house yonder? And there is an Elder Tree standing beside it; and the cock is scraping away the earth for the hens, look, how he struts! And now we are close to the church. It lies high upon the hill, between the large oak-trees, one of which is half decayed. And now we are by the smithy, where the fire is blazing, and where the half-naked men are banging with their hammers till the sparks fly about. Away! away! To the beautiful country-seat!”
他们继续骑马绕着草地走；还有那个小姑娘，谁，我们 知道的不是别人，正是老保姆，不停地喊道：“现在我们在 国家！你没看到那边的农舍吗？还有一位长老 树立在它旁边；公鸡正在刮土 母鸡们，看，他多么昂首阔步！现在我们已经接近教堂了。它谎言 高高的山上，在大橡树之间，其中一棵有一半 腐烂了。现在我们在铁匠铺旁边，那里的火在熊熊燃烧， 半裸的男人们用锤子敲打着火花 飞来飞去。走开！走开！去美丽的乡村吧！”
And all that the little maiden, who sat behind on the stick, spoke of, flew by in reality. The boy saw it all, and yet they were only going round the grass-plot. Then they played in a side avenue, and marked out a little garden on the earth; and they took Elder-blossoms from their hair, planted them, and they grew just like those the old people planted when they were children, as related before. They went hand in hand, as the old people had done when they were children; but not to the Round Tower, or to Friedericksberg; no, the little damsel wound her arms round the boy, and then they flew far away through all Denmark. And spring came, and summer; and then it was autumn, and then winter; and a thousand pictures were reflected in the eye and in the heart of the boy; and the little girl always sang to him, “This you will never forget.” And during their whole flight the Elder Tree smelt so sweet and odorous; he remarked the roses and the fresh beeches, but the Elder Tree had a more wondrous fragrance, for its flowers hung on the breast of the little maiden; and there, too, did he often lay his head during the flight.
坐在后面的木棍上的小姑娘所说的一切， 现实中飞过。男孩看到了这一切，但他们只是要去 围绕草地。然后他们在一条小巷里玩耍，并标出了 地球上的一个小花园；他们从自己的家中摘走了接骨木花 头发，种下去，它们就长得和老人种的一样 当他们还是孩子的时候，正如之前提到的。他们携手并进， 老人在孩提时代就做过这样的事；但不参加本轮比赛 塔楼或腓特烈斯贝；不，小姑娘张开双臂 男孩，然后他们飞到很远的地方，穿过整个丹麦。还有春天 夏天来了；然后是秋天，然后是冬天；和一个 男孩的眼里和心里映出了千百幅图画； 小女孩总是对他唱：“这你永远不会忘记。” 在他们飞行的整个过程中，接骨木树闻起来是如此甜蜜和芬芳。 他注意到玫瑰和新鲜的山毛榉，但接骨木树有 更奇妙的芬芳，因为它的花朵挂在胸前 小少女；上课时他也经常把头枕在那里 飞行。
“It is lovely here in spring!” said the young maiden. And they stood in a beech-wood that had just put on its first green, where the woodroof [*] at their feet sent forth its fragrance, and the pale-red anemony looked so pretty among the verdure. “Oh, would it were always spring in the sweetly-smelling Danish beech-forests!”
“这里的春天真可爱！”年轻的少女说道。他们站在 刚长出第一片果岭的山毛榉木，木屋顶 [*] 他们的脚下散发着香气，淡红色的海葵看起来 在翠绿之中如此美丽。 “哦，如果春天永远是这样就好了。 芬芳的丹麦山毛榉森林！”
Asperula odorata.
* 香精。
“It is lovely here in summer!” said she. And she flew past old castles of by-gone days of chivalry, where the red walls and the embattled gables were mirrored in the canal, where the swans were swimming, and peered up into the old cool avenues. In the fields the corn was waving like the sea; in the ditches red and yellow flowers were growing; while wild-drone flowers, and blooming convolvuluses were creeping in the hedges; and towards evening the moon rose round and large, and the haycocks in the meadows smelt so sweetly. “This one never forgets!”
“这里的夏天真可爱！”她说。她飞过古老的城堡 过去的骑士精神，红色的墙壁和严阵以待的地方 山墙倒映在运河里，天鹅在那里游泳， 凝视着古老而凉爽的大道。田野里，玉米在摇曳 像大海；沟渠里长着红色和黄色的花朵；同时 野蜂花和盛开的旋花在田野里匍匐生长。 树篱；到了晚上，月亮升起来又圆又大，天空 草地上的干草堆闻起来很香。 “这个人永远不会忘记！”
“It is lovely here in autumn!” said the little maiden. And suddenly the atmosphere grew as blue again as before; the forest grew red, and green, and yellow-colored. The dogs came leaping along, and whole flocks of wild-fowl flew over the cairn, where blackberry-bushes were hanging round the old stones. The sea was dark blue, covered with ships full of white sails; and in the barn old women, maidens, and children were sitting picking hops into a large cask; the young sang songs, but the old told fairy tales of mountain-sprites and soothsayers. Nothing could be more charming.
“这里的秋天真可爱！”小姑娘说道。突然之间 气氛又变得像以前一样蓝色；森林变红、变绿， 和黄色。狗们跳跃着过来，成群的 野鸟飞过石碑，那里悬挂着黑莓灌木丛 围绕着古老的石头。大海是深蓝色的，布满了满载的船只 白帆；谷仓里有老妇人、少女和孩子。 坐在大桶里采摘啤酒花；年轻人唱着歌，但 古老的关于山神和占卜者的童话故事。没有什么可以 变得更加迷人。
“It is delightful here in winter!” said the little maiden. And all the trees were covered with hoar-frost; they looked like white corals; the snow crackled under foot, as if one had new boots on; and one falling star after the other was seen in the sky. The Christmas-tree was lighted in the room; presents were there, and good-humor reigned. In the country the violin sounded in the room of the peasant; the newly-baked cakes were attacked; even the poorest child said, “It is really delightful here in winter!”
“这里的冬天真令人愉快！”小姑娘说道。还有所有的 树木上覆盖着白霜。它们看起来像白色的珊瑚；的 雪在脚下噼啪作响，就像穿着新靴子一样。和一个坠落的 天空中出现了一颗又一颗的星星。圣诞树被点亮了 在房间里；那里有礼物，气氛很好。在国内 农民的房间里响起了小提琴声。新出炉的蛋糕 受到攻击；即使是最穷的孩子也说：“这真是太令人高兴了 这里是冬天！”
Yes, it was delightful; and the little maiden showed the boy everything; and the Elder Tree still was fragrant, and the red flag, with the white cross, was still waving: the flag under which the old seaman in the New Booths had sailed. And the boy grew up to be a lad, and was to go forth in the wide world-far, far away to warm lands, where the coffee-tree grows; but at his departure the little maiden took an Elder-blossom from her bosom, and gave it him to keep; and it was placed between the leaves of his Prayer-Book; and when in foreign lands he opened the book, it was always at the place where the keepsake-flower lay; and the more he looked at it, the fresher it became; he felt as it were, the fragrance of the Danish groves; and from among the leaves of the flowers he could distinctly see the little maiden, peeping forth with her bright blue eyes--and then she whispered, “It is delightful here in Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter”; and a hundred visions glided before his mind.
是的，这很令人愉快；小姑娘向男孩展示了一切。 接骨木树依然芬芳，红旗与白旗 十字架，仍在飘扬：新航海中的老水手所下的旗帜 布斯已经起航了。男孩长大了，成为了一个小伙子，并且要出去 在广阔的世界里——遥远，遥远，温暖的土地，那里有咖啡树 成长；但在他离开时，小姑娘从那里摘走了一朵接骨木花。 她的怀里，交给他保管；它被放置在叶子之间 他的祈祷书；当他在异国他乡打开这本书时， 总是在放着信物花的地方；他越 看着它，愈发清新；他感觉到了，香气 丹麦的小树林；他可以从花的叶子中 清楚地看到那个小姑娘，带着她明亮的蓝色向外窥视 眼睛——然后她低声说道：“这里的春天、夏天真是令人愉快， 秋天和冬天”；一百个幻象在他的脑海中掠过。
Thus passed many years, and he was now an old man, and sat with his old wife under the blooming tree. They held each other by the hand, as the old grand-father and grand-mother yonder in the New Booths did, and they talked exactly like them of old times, and of the fiftieth anniversary of their wedding. The little maiden, with the blue eyes, and with Elder-blossoms in her hair, sat in the tree, nodded to both of them, and said, “To-day is the fiftieth anniversary!” And then she took two flowers out of her hair, and kissed them. First, they shone like silver, then like gold; and when they laid them on the heads of the old people, each flower became a golden crown. So there they both sat, like a king and a queen, under the fragrant tree, that looked exactly like an elder: the old man told his wife the story of “Old Nanny,” as it had been told him when a boy. And it seemed to both of them it contained much that resembled their own history; and those parts that were like it pleased them best.
就这样过去了很多年，他现在已经是一个老人了，和他的老人坐在一起。 妻子在开花的树下。他们握着彼此的手，就像 那边新摊位的老祖父和祖母做到了，他们 像他们一样谈论旧时光和五十周年纪念日 他们的婚礼。那个小姑娘，有着蓝色的眼睛， 她的头发上长着接骨木花，坐在树上，向他们俩点点头， 并说道：“今天是五十周年纪念日！”然后她拿了两张 从她头发上摘下花朵，然后亲吻它们。首先，它们像银子一样闪闪发光， 然后喜欢黄金；当他们把它们放在老人的头上时， 每朵花都变成了一顶金色的王冠。于是他们俩就坐在那里，就像国王一样 还有一位王后，在香树下，看上去就像一位长辈： 老人给他的妻子讲了“老保姆”的故事。 当他还是个男孩的时候。对他们俩来说，它似乎包含了很多东西 与他们自己的历史相似；那些喜欢它的部分很高兴 他们最好。
“Thus it is,” said the little maiden in the tree, “some call me 'Old Nanny,' others a 'Dryad,' but, in reality, my name is 'Remembrance'; 'tis I who sit in the tree that grows and grows! I can remember; I can tell things! Let me see if you have my flower still?”
“原来如此，”树上的小姑娘说道，“有人叫我‘老’” 保姆，”其他人是“树妖”，但实际上，我的名字是“记忆”； 我就是坐在那棵不断生长的树上的人！我记得；我可以 告诉事情！让我看看我的花还在吗？”
And the old man opened his Prayer-Book. There lay the Elder-blossom, as fresh as if it had been placed there but a short time before; and Remembrance nodded, and the old people, decked with crowns of gold, sat in the flush of the evening sun. They closed their eyes, and--and--! Yes, that's the end of the story!
老人打开了他的祈祷书。那里长着接骨木花， 新鲜得就像是不久之前刚刚放在那里一样；和 记忆点点头，老人们戴着金冠，坐着 在傍晚的阳光下。他们闭上眼睛，然后——然后——！ 是的，故事就这样结束了！
The little boy lay in his bed; he did not know if he had dreamed or not, or if he had been listening while someone told him the story. The tea-pot was standing on the table, but no Elder Tree was growing out of it! And the old man, who had been talking, was just on the point of going out at the door, and he did go.
小男孩躺在床上。他不知道自己是否在做梦，或者 没有，或者如果有人告诉他这个故事时他一直在听。的 茶壶立在桌子上，却没有长出接骨木树 的！而那个一直在说话的老人，正要说 出了门，他确实走了。
“How splendid that was!” said the little boy. “Mother, I have been to warm countries.”
“那真是太棒了！”小男孩说。 “妈妈，我去过 温暖的国家。”
“So I should think,” said his mother. “When one has drunk two good cupfuls of Elder-flower tea, 'tis likely enough one goes into warm climates”; and she tucked him up nicely, least he should take cold. “You have had a good sleep while I have been sitting here, and arguing with him whether it was a story or a fairy tale.”
“所以我应该思考，”他的母亲说。 “当一个人喝了两杯好酒 一杯接骨木花茶，很可能足以让人进入温暖的状态 气候”；她把他好好地盖好，免得他着凉。 “你 当我坐在这里与人争论时，我睡得很好 他无论是故事还是童话。”
“And where is old Nanny?” asked the little boy.
“那老保姆呢？”小男孩问道。
“In the tea-pot,” said his mother; “and there she may remain.”
“在茶壶里，”他母亲说。 “她可能会留在那里。”