60 WITH HERBS AND FLOWERS 



without them ? It frightens one to conceive of a 

 world bereft of their presence. What solace do 

 they not bring to the bedside of the sick, what 

 a light of bliss to the darkness of weary spirits ! 

 Their serene tenderness restores to us our waning 

 confidence in the universe even as the intent gaze 

 of a beautiful child recalls our lost hopes. When 

 we are laid low in the dust it is they who linger in 

 sorrow over our graves. . . . Flower stories are 

 endless. In the sixteenth century the morning- 

 glory was as yet a rare plant with us. Rikiu 

 had an entire garden planted with it, which he 

 cultivated with assiduous care. The fame of his 

 convolvuli reached the ear of the Taiko, and he 

 expressed a desire to see them, in consequence of 

 which Rikiu invited him to a morning tea at his 

 house. On the appointed day Taiko walked 

 through the garden, but nowhere could he see 

 any vestige of the convolvulus. The ground had 

 been levelled and strewn with fine pebbles and 

 sand. W 7 ith sullen anger the despot entered the 

 tea-room, but a sight waited him there which com- 

 pletely restored his humour. On the tokonoma, 

 in a rare bronze of Sung workmanship, lay a single 

 morning-glory the queen of the whole garden ! 



In such instances we see the full significance of 

 the Flower Sacrifice. Perhaps the flowers appreciate 

 the full significance of it. They are not cowards, 

 like men. Some flowers glory in death certainly 

 the Japanese cherry blossoms do, as they freely 

 surrender themselves to the winds. Any one who 

 has stood before the fragrant avalanche at Yoshino 



