THE STORY OF THE DAISY 
351 
»un in the centre. It never thought that no one would 
notice it down in the grass, and that it was a poor, de- 
spised floweret. It was very merry, and turned to the 
warm sun, looked up at it, and listened to the lark 
carolling high in the air. 
The little daisy was as happy as if it were a great 
holiday; and yet it was only a Monday. All the children 
were at school. While they sat on their benches learning, 
it sat on its little green stalk, and learned also from the 
warm sun, and from all around, how good God is. And 
the daisy was very glad that everything that it silently felt 
was sung so loudly and charmingly by the lark. And the 
daisy looked up with a kind of respect to the happy bird 
who could sing and fly; but it was not at all sorrowful 
because it could not fly and sing also. 
“ I can see and hear, ’ ' it thought ; “ the sun shines on 
me, and the forest kisses me. Oh, how richly have I been 
gifted !” 
Whthin the palings stood many stiff, aristocratic flowers 
— the less scent they had the more they flaunted. The 
peonies blew themselves out to be greater than the roses; 
but size will not do it. The tulips had the most splendid 
colours : and they knew that, and held themselves bolt 
upright that they might be seen more plainly. They did 
not notice the little daisy outside there; but the daisy 
looked at them the more and thought, “ How rich and 
beautiful they are. Yes; the pretty bird flies across to 
them and visits them. I am glad that I stand so near 
to them; for, at any rate, I can enjoy the sight of their 
splendour 
Just as she thought that— “ Keevit ! ” down came flying 
the lark; but not down to the peonies and tulips — no, 
down into the grass to the lowly daisy, which started so 
with joy that it did not know what to think. The little 
bird danced round about it and sang, “ Oh, how soft the 
grass is! And see what a lovely little flower, with gold 
in its heart and silver on its dress!’’ For the yellow 
point in the daisy looked like gold, and the little leaves 
around it shone silvery- white. 
How happy was the little daisy — no one can conceive 
how happy ! The bird kissed it with his beak, sang to 
it, and then flew up again into the blue air. A quarter 
