68 MARY'S GARDEN AND HOW IT GREW 



Herr Trommel nodded and puffed out a cloud of 

 smoke. 



"And you are sure the sweet peas are all right!" 

 she began again, reverting to the object of her visit. 

 "Don't they ever make a mistake? How do the 

 roots know to go down to find something to eat 

 when the leaves go up? " 



"You must ask lieber Gott that question, little one. 

 The roots are wonderful things : they are like little 

 mouths, like fine little sponges, and yet they know 

 how to take just what they need from the soil. How 

 does the poppy, just by eating the brown earth and 

 drinking and breathing, change from the tiny seed 

 into the flower with the wonderful color? Those are 

 things we must ask lieber Gott. If we put the seed in 

 upside down, so that the roots come out of the little 

 case on top, so soon as they are out of the shell, they 

 know to turn and go down ; and the leaves, if they 

 came out below, they would know to turn and go -up 

 to find the light. When the Hebe Gott shuts up all the 

 flower in the tiny seed, he shuts up with it also a great 

 deal of wisdom." 



The under-gardener was listening intently. "Can 

 plants think, like you and me?" she asked, with 

 wide-open, astonished eyes. 



