THE FORGET-ME-NOT 
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swim over the crystal stream. The water-plantain, with 
its numerous small pink blossoms, grows in thick clusters 
quite down in the water, mingling with the white flowers 
and large spear-shaped leaves of the arrow-head, or half- 
shading the large cup of the yellow water-lily. Then, too, 
the blue-eyed forget-me-not covers the little isles in such 
abundance that many of them well deserve the name of 
azure islands. The water-rat hides among the flowers, 
nibbling with much glee at the arrow-head, or rushing out 
from under its broad green leaves; and the water-fowl, 
followed by her young, sails across the stream in all the 
stateliness of matron dignity; and the little meek-eyed 
daisy grows beside the yellow velvet flower of the silver- 
weed, or the blue blossoms and succulent leaves of the 
brook- lime. 
A little bright-blue flower, the meadow scorpion-grass 
(Myosotis arvensis), which is common in green fields, is 
often called the forget-me-not ; but the plant which by 
botanists and sentimentalists throughout Europe is pro- 
nounced to be the true forget-me-not, is the flower which 
grows upon the stream. It is the largest species of scor- 
pion-grass that is to be found wild. The Myosotis palus- 
tris has a blossom of a bright-blue colour, shaped some- 
thing like that of a primrose, but much smaller : it has 
a yellow centre, with a small portion of white on each 
segment of the coloured part of the flower. The plant 
altogether seldom exceeds a foot in height. It is, with 
the exception of the water-lilies, “ those flowers made of 
light,” the most beautiful of the many coloured ornaments 
of pools and rivulets which our country scenery presents, 
and is generally very abundant in such places. If is often 
sold in pots or bouquets in the markets of Paris. 
The Germans, who display considerable taste in decking 
graves with flowers, place the forget-me-not upon their 
tombs. If this flower be taken from the water and planted 
in dry places, its aspect becomes considerably altered ; but 
it is still a pretty blossom. Its frequent use in the burial- 
place might allow of its bearing the same name among 
the Germans that the Italians give to the periwinkle, which 
they employ for a similar purpose, and call " flor di 
morto,” the flower of death. 
