IN the midst of a garden GREw a rose-tree， infull blossom， and in the prettiest of all the roseslived an elf. He was such a little wee thing， that nohuman eye could see him. Behind each leaf of therose he had a sleeping chamber. He was as wellformed and as beautiful as a little child could be，and had wings that reached from his shoulders to hisfeet. Oh， what sweet fragrance there was in hischambers! and how clean and beautiful were the walls! for they were the blushing leaves ofthe rose.
During the whole day he enjoyed himself in the warm sunshine， flew from flower toflower， and danced on the wings of the flying butterflies. Then he took it into his head tomeasure how many steps he would have to go through the roads and cross-roads that are onthe leaf of a linden-tree. What we call the veins on a leaf， he took for roads; ay， and verylong roads they were for him; for before he had half finished his task， the sun went down：he had commenced his work too late. It became very cold， the dew fell， and the wind blew;so he thought the best thing he could do would be to return home. He hurried himself as muchas he could; but he found the roses all closed up， and he could not get in; not a single rosestood open. The poor little elf was very much frightened. He had never before been out atnight， but had always slumbered secretly behind the warm rose-leaves. Oh， this wouldcertainly be his death. At the other end of the garden， he knew there was an arbor，overgrown with beautiful honey-suckles. The blossoms looked like large painted horns; and hethought to himself， he would go and sleep in one of these till the morning. He flew thither;but “hush!” two people were in the arbor，—a handsome young man and a beautiful lady.They sat side by side， and wished that they might never be obliged to part. They loved eachother much more than the best child can love its father and mother.
“But we must part，” said the young man; “your brother does not like our engagement，and therefore he sends me so far away on business， over mountains and seas. Farewell， mysweet bride; for so you are to me.”
And then they kissed each other， and the girl wept， and gave him a rose; but before shedid so， she pressed a kiss upon it so fervently that the flower opened. Then the little elf flewin， and leaned his head on the delicate， fragrant walls. Here he could plainly hear them say， “Farewell， farewell;” and he felt that the rose had been placed on the young man's breast.Oh， how his heart did beat! The little elf could not go to sleep， it thumped so loudly. Theyoung man took it out as he walked through the dark wood alone， and kissed the flower sooften and so violently， that the little elf was almost crushed. He could feel through the leafhow hot the lips of the young man were， and the rose had opened， as if from the heat of thenoonday sun.
there came another man， who looked gloomy and wicked. He was the wicked brother ofthe beautiful maiden. He drew out a sharp knife， and while the other was kissing the rose， thewicked man stabbed him to death; then he cut off his head， and buried it with the body inthe soft earth under the linden-tree.
“Now he is gone， and will soon be forgotten，” thought the wicked brother; “he willnever come back again. He was going on a long journey over mountains and seas; it is easyfor a man to lose his life in such a journey. My sister will suppose he is dead; for he cannotcome back， and she will not dare to question me about him.”
then he scattered the dry leaves over the light earth with his foot， and went home throughthe darkness; but he went not alone， as he thought，—the little elf accompanied him. He satin a dry rolled-up linden-leaf， which had fallen from the tree on to the wicked man's head， ashe was digging the grave. The hat was on the head now， which made it very dark， and thelittle elf shuddered with fright and indignation at the wicked deed.
It was the dawn of morning before the wicked man reached home; he took off his hat，and went into his sister's room. There lay the beautiful， blooming girl， dreaming of himwhom she loved so， and who was now， she supposed， travelling far away over mountainand sea. Her wicked brother stopped over her， and laughed hideously， as fiends only canlaugh. The dry leaf fell out of his hair upon the counterpane; but he did not notice it， andwent to get a little sleep during the early morning hours. But the elf slipped out of the witheredleaf， placed himself by the ear of the sleeping girl， and told her， as in a dream， of the horridmurder; described the place where her brother had slain her lover， and buried his body; andtold her of the linden-tree， in full blossom， that stood close by.
“That you may not think this is only a dream that I have told you，” he said， “you will findon your bed a withered leaf.”
then she awoke， and found it there. Oh， what bitter tears she shed! and she could notopen her heart to any one for relief.
the window stood open the whole day， and the little elf could easily have reached theroses， or any of the flowers; but he could not find it in his heart to leave one so afflicted. Inthe window stood a bush bearing monthly roses. He seated himself in one of the flowers， andgazed on the poor girl. Her brother often came into the room， and would be quite cheerful，in spite of his base conduct; so she dare not say a word to him of her heart's grief.
As soon as night came on， she slipped out of the house， and went into the wood， tothe spot where the linden-tree stood; and after removing the leaves from the earth， sheturned it up， and there found him who had been murdered. Oh， how she wept and prayedthat she also might die! Gladly would she have taken the body home with her; but that wasimpossible; so she took up the poor head with the closed eyes， kissed the cold lips， andshook the mould out of the beautiful hair.