68 WILD FLOWERS. 



Cromla.' Since that day, the daughters of Morven 

 have consecrated the daisy to infancy. ' It is/ said 

 they, * the flower of innocence, the flower of the 

 new-born/ " 



Chaucer, however, gives another, and even a 

 more beautiful account of the origin of the daisy, 

 saying, in his " Legende of Gode Women :" 



" Hast thou not a boke in thy cheste : 

 The grete godenesse of the Queen Alceste, 

 That turnid was into a daisie ? 

 She that for her husbande chese [chose] to die, 

 And eke to gone to hel, rathir than he. 

 And Hercules rescuid her parde 

 And brought her out of hel again to blis ? 

 And answered I again, and saide yes ; 

 Now I know her ; and this is gode Alceste, 

 The daisie ; and mine owne hert is reste. 

 Now fele I wel the godnesse of this wife 

 That both aftir her deth, and in her life, 

 Hir grete bounte doublith her renoun, 

 Wel have she gave me mine affectioun 

 That I have to her flowre the daisie. 

 No wonder is through Jove her stellifie * 

 As tellith Agaton, for her godenesse. 

 Hir white crowne berith of it witnesse, 

 For all so many virtius had she 

 As small florowris in her corowne bef 

 In remembrance of her, and in honour, 

 Cybilla made the daisie, and the flowre 

 Is crownid al with white, as man may see, 

 And Mars gave her a corown red parde 

 Instede of rubies set amonge the white. 

 * * * * 



* " Stellified," i.e., turned into a star by Jove. 

 t The composite flowerets gathered together in the single 

 blossom of the daisy. 



