Section 1
About one Danish mile from the capital city, an old manor with broad walls, turrets, and needlelike gable ends stood. A wealthy and courtly family lived here, but only during summertime. This manor was the nicest and most magnificent of all their properties. It appeared to be newly built on the outside, and it was cozy on the inside. Over the door, the family arms were engraved in stone; lovely roses twined around the arms and the balcony. A grass plot with red and white thorns stretched before the house, and numerous peculiar flowers flourished even outside the conservatory. The mansion also employed a skilled gardener. What a pleasure it was to view the flower garden, orchard, and kitchen garden! There remained a trace of the manor's original garden, a couple of box-tree hedges shaped into crowns and pyramids, and virtually always without leaves behind these two great old trees. From time immemorial, a flock of rooks and crows had built nests here. This town was full of birds, and the birds ruled here like lords of the manor. The proprietors, the oldest family branch of the manor, and the present owner of the manor were irrelevant to them. They were bored with the roaming creatures below them, despite the fact that every now and then, they shot with firearms in such a way that the birds' backbones shivered, and every bird flew up, shrieking, "Rak, Rak!"
The gardener frequently stressed to the master the need to cut down the old trees since they did not look good, and by doing so, they could possibly likewise get rid of the shrieking birds, who would look for another spot. However, he could never persuade the master to give up the trees or the flock of birds that the manor could not spare since they were reminders of the good old days that should always be preserved.
"By now, these trees are the birds' heritage!" the master said. "So, my good Larsen, let them keep them." The gardener's name was Larsen, although it is of little importance in this story. "Don't you have enough space to work in, little Larsen? Don't you have the flower garden, greenhouses, orchard, and kitchen garden?"
He looked after them, maintained them in order, and cared for them with enthusiasm and skill, and the family was aware of it. They did not, however, keep from him the fact that they frequently tasted fruits and admired flowers in other houses that excelled in what he had in his garden, which was a painful challenge for the gardener, who always aspired to do the best, and truly did the best he could. He had a good heart and did a good job.
The owner summoned him one day and informed him mildly that the day before, at a party held by some high-ranking acquaintances, they had tasted apples and pears that were so juicy and flavorful that all the visitors had exclaimed in admiration. Certainly, these were not local fruits, but they should be introduced and, if feasible, acclimatized here. They found that the fruit was purchased from one of the city's early fruit sellers, and the gardener had to go to town to figure out where they originated from before ordering a few slips for grafting. The gardener knew the merchant well since he was the person to whom he sold the fruit that grew in the manor garden in excess of what the household required. And the gardener went to town and asked the fruit seller where he had obtained those highly acclaimed apples and pears.
"They are from your own garden," remarked the fruit seller, showing him the apples and pears that he knew well.
How thrilled the gardener felt! He quickly returned to his master and informed him that the apples and pears were all from his own garden. But he refused to believe it.
"It's impossible, Larsen. Can you receive a written confirmation from the fruit seller?" And he proved it by bringing him a written certificate.
The family said, "That is absolutely amazing!"
And right away, every day, delicious dishes were laid on the table, replete with lovely apples and pears from their own garden. Baskets and barrels of these fruits were delivered to friends in the city and country and even to friends in other countries. It was quite delightful, but when they spoke with the gardener, he explained that the past two seasons had been exceptionally favorable for fruits and that fruits had done well throughout the entire country.
