IN the midst of a garden grew a rose-tree, in full
blossom, and in the prettiest of all the roses lived an elf.
He was such a little wee thing, that no human eye could see
him. Behind each leaf of the rose he had a sleeping chamber.
He was as well formed and as beautiful as a little child could
be, and had wings that reached from his shoulders to his feet.
Oh, what sweet fragrance there was in his chambers! and how
clean and beautiful were the walls! for they were the blushing
leaves of the rose.
During the whole day he enjoyed himself in the warm
sunshine, flew from flower to flower, and danced on the wings
of the flying butterflies. Then he took it into his head to
measure how many steps he would have to go through the roads
and cross-roads that are on the leaf of a linden-tree. What we