Literature and Art 215 



Lesson 142 



THE STORY OF A SEED 



TWO seeds lay beside each other in the earth, 

 waiting. It was cold, and rather wearisome; 

 and, to beguile the time, the one found means to 

 speak to the other. 



"What are you going to be?" said the one. 



"I don't know," answered the other. 



"For me," rejoined the first, "I mean to be arose. 

 There is nothing like a splendid rose. Everybody 

 will love me then!" 



"It's all right," whispered the second; and that 

 was all he could say ; for somehow when he had 

 said that, he felt as if all the words in the world 

 were used up. So they were silent again for a day 

 or two. 



"Oh, dear!" cried the first, "I have had some 

 water. I never knew till it was inside me. I'm 

 growing! I'm growing! good-by!" 



"Good-by!" repeated the other, and lay still; and 

 waited more than ever. 



The first grew and grew, pushing itself straight 

 up, till at last it felt that it was in the open air, for 



