352 POPULAR TALES OF FLOWERS 
of an hour passed, at least, before the daisy could re- 
cover itself. Half - ashamed, but inwardly rejoiced, it 
looked at the other flowers in the garden; for they had 
seen the honour and happiness it had gained, and must 
understand what a joy it was. 
But the tulips stood up twice as stiff as before. They 
looked quite peaky in the face, and quite red; for they 
were vexed. The peonies were quite wrong-headed. It 
w^as well they could not speak, or the daisy would have 
received a good scolding. The poor little flower could 
see very well that they were not in a good humour; and 
that hurt it. 
At this moment there came into -the garden a girl with 
a great, sharp, shiny knife. She went straight up to the 
tulips and cut off one after another of them. 
“Oh!” sighed the daisy, “that is dreadful! Now it is 
all over with them!” 
Then the girl went away with the tulips. The daisy 
was glad to stand out in the grass and be only a poor 
little flower. It felt very grateful. When the sun went 
down, it folded its leaves and went to sleep. It dreamed 
all night long about the sun and the pretty little bird. 
THE END. 
