A flower book

The Christmas Rose held out her hands, and the merry party danced on singing a song the fairies love, till they came to a spot where the Ivy slept on a little brown bed of earth under a bright white coverlet of snow--with all her clusters of berries resting on her leaves.

"Wake up! Wake up! little Ivy!" cried Rusialka.

"O, is it spring come again?" called out Ivy in a sleepy voice. "Or are you two sad friends who at parting want to give each other a token of true friendship?"

"We are not sad friends at all," answered Rusialka. "We are the Little Ladies come to frolic on earth, and we want you, Ivy, to join in our frolic."

"Isn't it cold out in the world now?" asked the little voice again.

"The dance will warm you," answered the fairy. "And in the morning before we go, we will lay you back in your warm bed."

So Ivy joined the dance, and right merrily they went round and round, till they all had to sit down to take breath.

Highest of all, on a tuft of soft earth, sat Rusialka. All the little white fairies sat in a circle round her. And Ivy and Christmas Rose took one another by the hand and curtsied to Rusialka.

"White Lady," said the Ivy, "if you like we will go and wake up our little sisters, and when we are all here we will dance to your company a dance that the breezes taught us last spring."

"Go then," said Rusialka, "and bring your sisters to me."

So Christmas Rose and Ivy went away, and returned presently with another little sister-flower, the Yellow Jasmine.

"Jasmine," said Rusialka, "you are slight and slender, and winsome! I can see that your blossoms will bring a pang to tender hearts, for you mean 'separation,' but of all the messengers of woe you are the gentlest, sweet Jasmine."

Then the Michaelmas Daisy came forward too.

"And you, Daisy," added Rusialka, "you soften the bitter parting with a fond farewell."

The Jasmine gave a sigh and curtsied.

"If I bring a sad message," she said, "my sister the Snowdrop is ever close at hand--and her meaning is 'hope.'"

The Snowdrop came forward and curtsied to the fairy.

"I am the herald in all our flower pageants," she said. "And some call me the 'Fair Maid of February.'"

Rusialka waved her crystal wand three times and said: "I can see a walled-in garden in a distant land. A bell is ringing for vespers, and all the nuns with downcast eyes hasten across a cloister to the chapel door. The youngest of them all sees a bed of snowdrops lift their white heads and she smiles, because they are an emblem of hope, and a symbol of her life."

The Snowdrop curtsied, and stepped aside to make room for the Violet.

She peeped out shyly from under a bunch of leaves and a sweet perfume filled the air.

"Violets for faithfulness," she said, turning to the Yellow Jasmine, "I comfort friends who are parted. What pictures do you see for me, Lady Rusialka?"

Rusialka waved her crystal wand and said:

"Call up your bright sisters who bring both joy and hope, and stand before me."

The Snowdrop turned to obey the fairy's command, and presently returned holding the Hawthorn and the Poppy by the hands.

"I bring security and hope," the Hawthorn said, "and I protect the good country people from harm, if they do but hang a spray of my blossoms over their houses in May. For then the wicked fairies and elves who are your enemies, White Ladies, as well as the enemies of men, can do no harm."

"I, too," said Honeysuckle, "I, too, fight the wicked little sprites and keep from harm the good milch cows and the beasts that feed and clothe poor children in cold northern lands."

Then the Poppy spoke out. She did not appear to be in the least bit shy, and waved the scarlet folds of her mantle about her head, and all the black fringe of seed trembled and stood out like a halo.

"And I am consolation," she said. "The hope that springs up again after doubt."

"If all were faithful and true," whispered the Violet, "there would be less need of you, proud Poppy."

"Or," suggested the Willow, "if people would but listen to my warning and not bind their hearts with chains. I am the emblem of freedom."

But the Rose and the Chrysanthemum came forward at these words and curtsied to Rusialka.

"They do not speak wisely and truly, O dear White Ladies," they said. "We both mean 'love,' and we know that smiles and joy attend us. Ask our sisters who best know."

"I am early friendship," said the Periwinkle, pensively, as she came and stood before Rusialka. "Even the very old on earth find comfort in me."

Then Clematis appeared. She lifted her banner like a wreath round her head. "I mean poverty," she said: "but even poverty is sweet with love, for love can make all things beautiful."

But two flowers came forward sadly, and sighed as they curtsied to Rusialka. They were Carnation and Anemone.

"Alas! for my poor heart," said the first. "To me love brings but sadness."

"And when the dewdrops fall," said the second, "I think they are the tears of all who are like me, forsaken."

The Windflower stepped forward boldly, and a breath of breeze ran through her hair and raised her banner.

"I know that tears dry and give place to smiles," she said.