“Lady Elder! are you within?”
And the tree shoots out its green buds and the tender leaves unfold themselves.
Then again the fairy Rusialka knocks and calls:
“Lady Elder! Lady Elder! are you within?”
And the sweet white blossoms open overhead, and a gentle rain of flowers falls upon the fairies.
For the third time Rusialka calls:
“Lady Elder! Lady Elder! Lady Elder! are you within?”
MICHAELMAS DAISY
And then the tree opens slowly, and the Lady Elder appears. She is very old, for she is the Mother of all the fairies and elves.