120 LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS. 
wide departure from the ideas usually attached to 
a Rose without a thorn, which would more naturally 
present the image of love without alloy. 
In the " Legend of the Rose," we find this 
account of the origin of the armour by which this 
flower is defended : 
Young Love, rambling through the wood, 
Found me in my solitude, 
Bright with dew and freshly blown, 
And trembling to the Zephyr's sighs ; 
But as he stooped to gaze upon 
The living gem with raptured eyes, 
It chanced a bee was busy there, 
Searching for its fragrant fare ; 
And, Cupid, stooping too, to sip, 
The angry insect stung his lip; 
And, gushing from the ambrosial cell, 
One bright drop on my bosom fell. 
Weeping, to his mother he 
Told the tale of treachery, 
And she her vengeful boy to please, 
Strung his bow with captive bees, 
But placed upon my slender stem 
The poisoned sting she plucked from them : 
And none since that eventful morn 
Have found the flower without a thorn 
By the ancients the Rose was regarded as 
the 
