Stray Leaves from a Border Garden 
hopping about, half in and half out of the water, from stone 
to stone, balancing themselves like little “ dippers/’ or 
sailing “ fairy boats ” of flower-petals. One little fellow, 
with sun bleached pow and merry little brown face, nearly as 
brown as his rather elementary garments, looked just like a 
water-baby ; I almost expected to see him sail away on 
one of the big Butterbur-leaves he was setting afloat with 
shrill squeals of delight ; while a sweet little curly-haired 
lassie, holding up her little red petticoat with one dimpled 
hand, was quite a Birket Foster picture, as she set sailing 
on leaf-boats, flower fairies of Crowfoot flowers, Daisies, or 
purple Vetchling. There was quite a forest of big Butterbur- 
leaves along the bank, and the bairnies plucked them and 
waved them proudly as parasols, and then cast them into 
the water to sail down the stream. The Spanish name is 
Sombrera. Under the Beech-hedge there were still red and 
white Archangels or Dead Nettles in bloom, called “ Our 
Lady’s Hands ” in France, and large Docks — Dockens, the 
children call them, saying, “ In Docken, out Nettle,” when 
they chance to get stung by the “ stingy ” nettles, an old 
charm alluded to by Chaucer. 
In Wiltshire the saying used to be 
Out ’ettle in dock, 
Dock shall ha’ a new smock, 
Ettle zhant ha’ nanum. 
June 14. — Boy went out to-day armed with a green 
gauze Butterfly-net, with which he intended indifferently to 
catch Butterflies and Minnows ! He looked so quaint in 
his loose blue blouse with his golden head and bare feet ! — 
he will not wear stockings in hot weather. He reminds me 
of the Scratlings said to haunt the depths of the Norway 
forests, especially in winter, when he wears a red Tam o’ 
Shanter cap, and looks like a little red mushroom on the 
bank, when he squats in the snow. 
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