The Violet. 



the children running to and fro. They 

 laughed so merrily, she wondered what 

 they were doing. 



One morning the violet knew all 

 about it, for a little girl, with some of 

 her friends, ran up to her and cried, 

 " Oh, what lovely purple violets for my 

 May basket ! " 

 Then away went the little blue violet, held 

 tightly in the little girl's hand. 



"Oh!" cried the little girl, "this pretty flower 

 wears a purple bonnet. The five purple petals 

 make this bonnet. It wears a collar of five green 

 sepals." 



" The lower petal has a spur or honey bag," said 

 another. " I think the bees that visit the violet 

 could tell you about the honey bag. I have heard 

 that bees pay for all the honey they take. They do 

 not know it, and it is done in a queer way." 



" Yes," said the little girl, " the bee thrusts his 

 head into the flower to reach the honey bag. He 

 brushes against the pollen boxes, and some of the 

 pollen sticks to him. Then, when he flies to the 

 next flower, he rubs the pollen off on its knob. 

 Do you know of what use this pollen is to the 

 flower?" 



