196 the lover’s offering, 
FORGET-ME-NOT. 
“ Grandmother,” said little Gretchen, “ why do 
you call this beautiful flower, blue as the sky, 
growing by this brook, ‘ Forget-me-not ?’ ” 
“ My child,” said the grandmother, “ I once ac¬ 
companied your fathe r, who was going on a long 
journey, to this brook. He told me when I saw 
this little flower, I must think of him, and not for¬ 
get him ; and so we have always called it, Forget- 
me-not ,” 
Gretchen replied, “ I have neither parents, nor 
brothers, nor sisters, nor friends, from whom I am 
parted. I do not know whom I can think of when 
I see the Forget-me-not." 
“There is one,” said her grandmother, “of whom 
this flower may remind you—Him who made it. 
Every flower in the gar-den, and in the fields, seems 
to say, ‘ Remember God ’—And this simple flower 
says for God, Forget-me-not." 
The following describes the origin of the name 
of this flower under very affecting circumstances : 
A young lady walking with her lover on the banks 
of the Danube, saw a bunch of this plant growing 
on the margin of the water. She admired its beauty, 
and he resolved to obtain it for her. He reached 
the flower, but, in doing so, lost his hold, and fell 
into the water. He struggled long, but was unable 
to stem the rapid current. Making one last effort 
