156 THE GLORY OF THE GARDEN 



that it at once- attracted the attention of those who 

 sought Him. 



Whereupon He turned reproachful eyes upon the 

 treacherous shrub, and said to it: ^' Mayst thou 

 always make as much noise when thou art being 

 burned." 



The Legend of the Crown Imperial Lily. 



The story of this beautiful and stately plant 

 does not redound to its credit, yet we cannot well 

 leave it out on that account. 



Ancient legend tells us that the flower was origin- 

 ally white and erect, and grew in its full beauty in 

 the Garden of Gethsemane, where it was often 

 noticed and admired by Our Lord. 



But in the night of His Agony, as He passed 

 through the garden, all the other flowers bowed 

 their heads in sorrowful adoration; the Crown 

 Imperial alone remained with its head unbowed, 

 but not for long. Sorrow and shame took the place 

 of pride, she bent her proud head, and blushes of 

 shame and tears of sorrow soon followed, and so 

 she has ever continued, with bent head, blushing 

 colour, and ever-flowing tears. 



" Bent down with penitence that flower appears, 

 And each gold cup is freighted with her tears." 



It is a fact that in the bottom of each of the bells 

 there are six drops of clear and shining water, and 

 how these drops are formed or what service they 

 occupy in the economy of the plant, science has 

 not been able to tell us — the explanation evidently 

 lies in the Crown Imperial's early history. 



