Saint Guido 



tip of the tallest rushes touched it. Before he had 

 been there a minute he remembered the secret which 

 a fern had taught him. 



First, if he wanted to know anything, or to hear 

 a story, or what the grass was saying, or the oak- 

 leaves singing, he must be careful not to interfere 

 as he had done just now with the butterfly by trying 

 to catch him. Fortunately, that butterfly was a 

 nice butterfly, and very kindhearted, but sometimes, 

 if you interfered with one thing, it would tell another 

 thing, and they would all know in a moment, and 

 stop talking, and never say a word. Once, while 

 they were all talking pleasantly, Guido caught a fly 

 in his hand, he felt his hand tickle as the fly stepped 

 on it, and he shut up his little fist so quickly he caught 

 the fly in the hollow between the palm and his fingers. 

 The fly went buzz, and rushed to get out, but Guido 

 laughed, so the fly buzzed again, and just told the 

 grass, and the grass told the bushes, and everything 

 knew in a moment, and Guido never heard another 

 word all that day. Yet sometimes now they all knew 

 something about him, they would go on talking. 

 You see, they all rather petted and spoiled him. 

 Next, if Guido did not hear them conversing, the fern 

 said he must touch a little piece of grass and put it 

 against his cheek, or a leaf, and kiss it, and say/' Leaf, 

 leaf, tell them I am here." 



Now, while he was lying down, and the tip of the 

 rushes touched his foot, he remembered this, so he 

 moved the rush with his foot and said, " Rush, rush, 

 tell them I am here." Immediately there came a 

 little wind, and the wheat swung to and fro, the oak- 

 leaves rustled, the rushes bowed, and the shadows 

 slipped forwards and back again. Then it was still, 

 and the nearest wheat-ear to Guido nodded his head, 



