<h3><SPAN name="LEGEND_OF_THE_FORGET-ME-NOT">LEGEND OF THE FORGET-ME-NOT</SPAN></h3>
<p>There was once a little plant that grew by
a shady brook. It had many companions
even in this quiet spot. The great branches
of the old tree stretched over it, and the beautiful
flowers were friendly; but it did not seem
happy. The flowers often thought they heard
it sigh as its head drooped almost to the
ground.</p>
<p>“How I wish I might have flowers like the
other plants,” it said to itself, “blue ones,
the colour of the beautiful sky. There is so
much blue, surely some could be spared for
the earth. Then the children would not always
need to look up to see the sky.” But it
kept its secret close to its heart and only bent
its head a little lower.</p>
<p>“What makes you droop so, little plant?”
asked one of the flowers. “Your leaves are
quite down again. Surely the sun is not too
warm here.”</p>
<p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN id="Page_254"></SPAN>[254]</span></p>
<p>“Tell us,” said the others, “perhaps we can
be of some help to you. We want to see you
look up again at the sky as you used to do.”</p>
<p>“It would be of no use to tell you,” answered
the little plant. “I have often whispered my
secret to the old tree as its branches swayed
near me, but it has all been of no use,” and
its head bent lower and lower.</p>
<p>“Perhaps,” said the flowers to each other,
“perhaps our Angel can be of some help. Let
us speak to her.”</p>
<p>And when evening came, and the Angel
closed the flowers as she kissed them good-night,
she heard one whisper, “Something
makes our little friend very sad. She will
not tell us. See if she will tell you her secret.”
They saw the Angel stoop down and whisper
something to the little plant and go away.</p>
<hr class="tb" />
<p>“See how our little companion has raised
its head this morning,” said the grasses.</p>
<p>“An Angel visited her last night,” one answered.</p>
<p>By and by a day came when the little plant
was covered with many tiny blossoms. The<span class="pagenum"><SPAN id="Page_255"></SPAN>[255]</span>
other flowers rejoiced to see them. “We’ve
guessed your secret. What beautiful flower
children—blue, like the sky. It makes the
sky seem very near.”</p>
<p>“That is my secret,” answered the little
plant. “When I told it to the Angel I said,
‘My flowers must be just the colour of the
sky.’ And she whispered, ‘Then always look
up, for your flowers will be like that which
you love most.’ Then she went away.”</p>
<p>The Forget-me-not was happy. She never
drooped her head again, and the Angel always
kissed her good-night as she passed by.</p>
<hr class="chap" />
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<p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN id="Page_256"></SPAN>[256]</span></p>
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