Flower Fables.docx
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Flower Fables.docx
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FlowerFables
FlowerFablesbyLouisaMayAlcott"Ponderingshadows,colors,cloudsGrass-buds,andcaterpillarshroudsBoughsonwhichthewildbeessettle,Tintsthatspottheviolet'spetal."EMERSON'SWOOD-NOTES.
TO
ELLENEMERSON,FORWHOMTHEYWEREFANCIED,THESEFLOWERFABLESAREINSCRIBED,BYHERFRIEND,THEAUTHOR.
Boston,Dec.9,1854.
ContentsTheFrostKing:
or,ThePowerofLoveEva'sVisittoFairy-LandTheFlower'sLessonLily-BellandThistledownLittleBudClover-BlossomLittleAnnie'sDream:
or,TheFairyFlowerRipple,theWater-SpiritFairySongFLOWERFABLES.
THEsummermoonshonebrightlydownuponthesleepingearth,whilefarawayfrommortaleyesdancedtheFairyfolk.Fire-flieshunginbrightclustersonthedewyleaves,thatwavedinthecoolnight-wind;andtheflowersstoodgazing,inverywonder,atthelittleElves,wholayamongthefern-leaves,swunginthevine-boughs,sailedonthelakeinlilycups,ordancedonthemossyground,tothemusicofthehare-bells,whorungouttheirmerriestpealinhonorofthenight.
UndertheshadeofawildrosesattheQueenandherlittleMaidsofHonor,besidethesilverymushroomwherethefeastwasspread.
"Now,myfriends,"saidshe,"towileawaythetimetillthebrightmoongoesdown,letuseachtellatale,orrelatewhatwehavedoneorlearnedthisday.Iwillbeginwithyou,SunnyLock,"addedshe,turningtoalovelylittleElf,wholayamongthefragrantleavesofaprimrose.
Withagaysmile,"SunnyLock"beganherstory.
"AsIwaspaintingthebrightpetalsofabluebell,ittoldmethistale."THEFROST-KING:
OR,THEPOWEROFLOVE.
THREElittleFairiessatinthefieldseatingtheirbreakfast;eachamongtheleavesofherfavoriteflower,Daisy,Primrose,andViolet,werehappyasElvesneedbe.
Themorningwindgentlyrockedthemtoandfro,andthesunshonewarmlydownuponthedewygrass,wherebutterfliesspreadtheirgaywings,andbeeswiththeirdeepvoicessungamongtheflowers;whilethelittlebirdshoppedmerrilyabouttopeepatthem.
Onasilverymushroomwasspreadthebreakfast;littlecakesofflower-dustlayonabroadgreenleaf,besideacrimsonstrawberry,which,withsugarfromtheviolet,andcreamfromtheyellowmilkweed,madeafairymeal,andtheirdrinkwasthedewfromtheflowers'brightleaves.
"Ahme,"sighedPrimrose,throwingherselflanguidlyback,"howwarmthesungrows!
givemeanotherpieceofstrawberry,andthenImusthastenawaytotheshadowoftheferns.ButwhileIeat,tellme,dearViolet,whyareyouallsosad?
IhavescarceseenahappyfacesincemyreturnfromRoseLand;dearfriend,whatmeansit?
"
"Iwilltellyou,"repliedlittleViolet,thetearsgatheringinhersofteyes."OurgoodQueeniseverstrivingtokeepthedearflowersfromthepowerofthecruelFrost-King;manywaysshetried,butallhavefailed.Shehassentmessengerstohiscourtwithcostlygifts;butallhavereturnedsickforwantofsunlight,wearyandsad;wehavewatchedoverthem,heedlessofsunorshower,butstillhisdarkspiritsdotheirwork,andwearelefttoweepoverourblightedblossoms.Thushavewestriven,andinvain;andthisnightourQueenholdscouncilforthelasttime.Thereforearewesad,dearPrimrose,forshehastoiledandcaredforus,andwecandonothingtohelporadvisehernow.""Itisindeedacruelthing,"repliedherfriend;"butaswecannothelpit,wemustsufferpatiently,andnotletthesorrowsofothersdisturbourhappiness.But,dearsisters,seeyounothowhighthesunisgetting?
Ihavemylockstocurl,andmyrobetopreparefortheevening;thereforeImustbegone,orIshallbebrownasawitheredleafinthiswarmlight."So,gatheringatinymushroomforaparasol,sheflewaway;Daisysoonfollowed,andVioletwasleftalone.
Thenshespreadthetableafresh,andtoitcamefearlesslythebusyantandbee,gaybutterflyandbird;eventhepoorblindmoleandhumblewormwerenotforgotten;andwithgentlewordsshegavetoall,whileeachlearnedsomethingoftheirkindlittleteacher;andthelovethatmadeherownheartbrightshonealikeonall.
Theantandbeelearnedgenerosity,thebutterflyandbirdcontentment,themoleandwormconfidenceintheloveofothers;andeachwenttotheirhomebetterforthelittletimetheyhadbeenwithViolet.
Eveningcame,andwithittroopsofElvestocounseltheirgoodQueen,who,seatedonhermossythrone,lookedanxiouslyuponthethrongbelow,whoseglitteringwingsandrustlingrobesgleamedlikemany-coloredflowers.
Atlengthsherose,andamidthedeepsilencespokethus:
--"Dearchildren,letusnottireofagoodwork,hardthoughitbeandwearisome;thinkofthemanylittleheartsthatintheirsorrowlooktousforhelp.Whatwouldthegreenearthbewithoutitslovelyflowers,andwhatalonelyhomeforus!
Theirbeautyfillsourheartswithbrightness,andtheirlovewithtenderthoughts.
Oughtwethentoleavethemtodieuncaredforandalone?
Theygivetoustheirall;oughtwenottotoilunceasingly,thattheymaybloominpeacewithintheirquiethomes?
WehavetriedtogaintheloveofthesternFrost-King,butinvain;hisheartishardashisownicyland;nolovecanmelt,nokindnessbringitbacktosunlightandtojoy.Howthenmaywekeepourfrailblossomsfromhiscruelspirits?
Whowillgiveuscounsel?
Whowillbeourmessengerforthelasttime?
Speak,mysubjects."Thenagreatmurmuringarose,andmanyspoke,someforcostliergifts,someforwar;andthefearfulcounselledpatienceandsubmission.
Longandeagerlytheyspoke,andtheirsoftvoicesrosehigh.
Thensweetmusicsoundedontheair,andtheloudtoneswerehushed,asinwonderingsilencetheFairieswaitedwhatshouldcome.
Throughthecrowdtherecamealittleform,awreathofpurewhitevioletslayamongthebrightlocksthatfellsosoftlyroundthegentleface,whereadeepblushglowed,as,kneelingatthethrone,littleVioletsaid:
--"DearQueen,wehavebenttotheFrost-King'spower,wehavebornegiftsuntohispride,buthavewegonetrustinglytohimandspokenfearlesslyofhisevildeeds?
Haveweshedthesoftlightofunweariedlovearoundhiscoldheart,andwithpatienttendernessshownhimhowbrightandbeautifullovecanmakeeventhedarkestlot?
"Ourmessengershavegonefearfully,andwithcoldlooksandcourtlywordsofferedhimrichgifts,thingshecarednotfor,andwithequalpridehashesentthemback.
"Thenletme,theweakestofyourband,gotohim,trustingintheloveIknowlieshiddeninthecoldestheart.
"Iwillbearonlyagarlandofourfairestflowers;thesewillIwindabouthim,andtheirbrightfaces,lookinglovinglyinhis,willbringsweetthoughtstohisdarkmind,andtheirsoftbreathstealinlikegentlewords.Then,whenheseesthemfadingonhisbreast,willhenotsighthatthereisnowarmththeretokeepthemfreshandlovely?
ThiswillIdo,dearQueen,andneverleavehisdrearyhome,tillthesunlightfallsonflowersfairasthosethatbloominourowndearland."SilentlytheQueenhadlistened,butnow,risingandplacingherhandonlittleViolet'shead,shesaid,turningtothethrongbelow:
--"Weinourprideandpowerhaveerred,whilethis,theweakestandlowliestofoursubjects,hasfromtheinnocenceofherownpureheartcounselledusmorewiselythanthenoblestofourtrain.
Allwhowillaidourbravelittlemessenger,liftyourwands,thatwemayknowwhowillplacetheirtrustinthePowerofLove."Everyfairywandglistenedintheair,aswithsilveryvoicestheycried,"LoveandlittleViolet."Thendownfromthethrone,handinhand,cametheQueenandViolet,andtillthemoonsankdidtheFairiestoil,toweaveawreathofthefairestflowers.Tenderlytheygatheredthem,withthenight-dewfreshupontheirleaves,andastheywovechantedsweetspells,andwhisperedfairyblessingsonthebrightmessengerswhomtheysentforthtodieinadrearyland,thattheirgentlekindredmightbloomunharmed.
Atlengthitwasdone;andthefairflowerslayglowinginthesoftstarlight,whilebesidethemstoodtheFairies,singingtothemusicofthewind-harps:
--"Wearesendingyou,dearflowers,Forthalonetodie,WhereyourgentlesistersmaynotweepO'erthecoldgraveswhereyoulie;ButyougotobringthemfadelesslifeInthebrighthomeswheretheydwell,Andyousoftlysmilethat'tisso,Aswesadlysingfarewell.
Opleadwithgentlewordsforus,AndwhispertenderlyOfgenerouslovetothatcoldheart,Anditwillanswerye;Andthoughyoufadeinadrearyhome,YetlovingheartswilltellOfthejoyandpeacethatyouhavegiven:
Flowers,dearflowers,farewell!
"
Themorningsunlookedsoftlydownuponthebroadgreenearth,whichlikeamightyaltarwassendingupcloudsofperfumefromitsbreast,whileflowersdancedgaylyinthesummerwind,andbirdssangtheirmorninghymnamongthecoolgreenleaves.Thenhighabove,onshiningwings,soaredalittleform.Thesunlightrestedsoftlyonthesilkenhair,andthewindsfannedlovinglythebrightface,andbroughtthesweetestodorstocheerheron.
ThuswentVioletthroughtheclearair,andtheearthlookedsmilinguptoher,as,withthebrightwreathfoldedinherarms,sheflewamongthesoft,whiteclouds.
Onandonshewent,overhillandvalley,broadriversandrustlingwoods,tillthewarmsunlightpassedaway,thewindsgrewcold,andtheairthickwithfallingsnow.ThenfarbelowshesawtheFrost-King'shome.Pillarsofhard,grayicesupportedthehigh,archedroof,hungwithcrystalicicles.Drearygardenslayaround,filledwithwitheredflowersandbare,droopingtrees;whileheavycloudshunglowinthedarksky,andacoldwindmurmuredsadlythroughthewintryair.
WithabeatingheartVioletfoldedherfadi
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