1 62 THE GLORY OF THE GARDEN 



was immediately extinguished, and the faggots as 

 suddenly turned to roses; those which were flaming 

 became red roses, while such as were not yet kindled, 

 appeared as white ones. 



" The lily is all in white, like a saint, 

 And so is no mate for me; 

 And the daisy's cheek is tipped with a blush, 



She is of such low degree; 

 Jasmine is sweet, and has many loves, 



And the broom's betrothed to the bee; 

 But I will plight with the dainty rose, 

 For fairest of all is she." 



Thomas Hood. 



The Thistle, National Flower of Scotland. 



" Proud thistle, emblem dear to Scotland's sons, 



Begirt with threatening points, strong in defence, 

 Unwilling to assault." 



The Thistle of Scotland is believed to be the 

 Onopordon acanthium, the cotton thistle, which 

 grows by the highway; this is the national insignia, 

 and its flower-cup and bristling leaves accord well 

 with the motto: " Nemo me impune lacessit." 



Tradition says that the thistle, with the motto 

 rendered in homely Scotch, "Who daur meddle 

 wi' me," was adopted as the symbol of Scotland 

 from the following circumstance: 



A party of invading Danes attempted to surprise 

 the Scots army. Now the Danes held it to be un- 

 warriorlike to attack an enemy by night, but on this 

 occasion they departed from their rule; noiselessly, 

 under cover of the dark, they crept towards the camp, 

 when one of the soldiers trod on a thistle with his 

 naked foot, and his cry of pain roused the Scots, 



