Then they waved their broad leaves stormily , and scattered the heavy drops on his dripping garments . `` Now must I go to the humble daisies and blue violets , '' said Thistle , `` they will be glad to let in so fine a Fairy , and I shall die in this cold wind and rain . '' So away he flew , as fast as his heavy wings would bear him , to the daisies ; but they nodded their heads wisely , and closed their leaves yet closer , saying sharply , -- `` Go away with yourself , and do not imagine we will open our leaves to you , and spoil our seeds by letting in the rain . It serves you rightly ; to gain our love and confidence , and repay it by such cruelty ! You will find no shelter here for one whose careless hand wounded our little friend Violet , and broke the truest heart that ever beat in a flower 's breast . We are very angry with you , wicked Fairy ; go away and hide yourself . '' `` Ah , '' cried the shivering Elf , `` where can I find shelter ? I will go to the violets : they will forgive and take me in . '' But the daisies had spoken truly ; the gentle little flower was dead , and her blue-eyed sisters were weeping bitterly over her faded leaves . `` Now I have no friends , '' sighed poor Thistledown , `` and must die of cold . Ah , if I had but minded Lily-Bell , I might now be dreaming beneath some flower 's leaves . '' `` Others can forgive and love , beside Lily-Bell and Violet , '' said a faint , sweet voice ; `` I have no little bud to shelter now , and you can enter here . '' It was the rose mother that spoke , and Thistle saw how pale the bright leaves had grown , and how the slender stem was bowed . Grieved , ashamed , and wondering at the flower 's forgiving words , he laid his weary head on the bosom he had filled with sorrow , and the fragrant leaves were folded carefully about him . But he could find no rest . The rose strove to comfort him ; but when she fancied he was sleeping , thoughts of her lost bud stole in , and the little heart beat so sadly where he lay , that no sleep came ; while the bitter tears he had caused to flow fell more coldly on him than the rain without . Then he heard the other flowers whispering among themselves of his cruelty , and the sorrow he had brought to their happy home ; and many wondered how the rose , who had suffered most , could yet forgive and shelter him . `` Never could I forgive one who had robbed me of my children . I could bow my head and die , but could give no happiness to one who had taken all my own , '' said Hyacinth , bending fondly over the little ones that blossomed by her side . `` Dear Violet is not the only one who will leave us , '' sobbed little Mignonette ; `` the rose mother will fade like her little bud , and we shall lose our gentlest teacher .
Her last lesson is forgiveness ; let us show our love for her , and the gentle stranger XXXXX , by allowing no unkind word or thought of him who has brought us all this grief . ''
Elf Grieved Hyacinth Lily-Bell Mignonette Thistle Thistledown Violet heart love