22 



AUTUMN STORIES AND POEMS 



THE STORY OF THE THISTLE 



SEE this tall soldier in a kilt so short that it 

 does not cover his knees ! 



What a strange dress ! 

 Do you know to what coun- 

 try he belongs ? 



He is a Highland laddie from 

 Scotland. His home is in a val- 

 ley shut in by high hills. They 

 are covered in the summer and 

 the autumn with purple heather. 

 The soldier loves the heather, 

 but he loves the thistle more. 

 The thistle is a soldier, too ! 

 It saved Scotland from her 

 foes. 



This is how it hap- 

 pened : 



The fierce cruel men 

 fflllJ f rom the north came 



down to Scotland. 

 There they fought many battles. 

 The brave Highlanders tried hard to drive 

 them back. 



