THE CORN-FLOWER AND THE POPPY 345 
By this time there was no cloud to be seen in all the 
blue heavens. The air was clear and cool. But the 
Princess and her little maid sat within the house of 
sheaves. Then without a second’s warning an awful thing 
happened! From the clear sky came a flash of lightning. 
From the cloudless sky came a roll of thunder. 
From the harvest field shot up red tongues of flame, 
for the house of sheaves was on fire. The burning sheaves 
fell about the selfish Princess and her little maid. No- 
thing could save them. When the flames died out, no- 
thing was left but a heap of grey ashes. Then the old 
man who had begged the Princess not to command the 
workmen’s time for a useless whim turned away. He 
went sadly across the stubble fields and in at the great 
palace gates. He went straight up the steps to the throne 
where sat the king and queen. To them he told the fate 
of the two little girls. 
The parents were heart-broken. They mourned long 
for their little daughter. As the days went by and they 
sat in their loneliness, they came to see that they had 
made a great mistake in letting their child pet her own 
selfishness. When they saw this, they bowed their heads 
and wept aloud. 
The following summer at harvest-time the reapers came 
upon two new flowers blooming in the spot where the 
house of sheaves was built. One flower was tall, and 
stood up proudly among the wheat. Its petals were as 
silky and scarlet as the gown of the Princess. In the 
breezes it tossed its head haughtily. Beside the scarlet 
poppy grew a pretty little blue corn-flower. 
“As blue as the eyes of the little maid,” said the work- 
men in a whisper. “ As dainty and simple as the fluttering 
blue gown she wore ! ’ ’ 
Then, turning slowly, they went again about their reap- 
ing, leaving the corn-flower and the poppy blooming side 
by side. 
