T 
jLHE lily of the valley is one of 
the sweetest flowers that bloom. It is a rather 
low plant, always seeking partly shaded places 
and bearing small, white, bell-shaped flowers 
whose fragrance is as delicate as the precious 
perfume distilled from them. The flowers are 
modestly arranged along the central stem, and 
their virtuous whiteness represents a holy purity 
. . . In Germany, the lily of the valley is known 
as little May bells; the French call it the muguct 
—which means May-lily, and by also referring to 
it as the "tears of Holy Mary,” they greatly add 
to its tender significance; and in England, even 
though the commonplace names of May-flowers 
and May-lilies are applied to this delightful little 
plant, nevertheless the message of its true signi¬ 
ficance—that of purity and humility—is never 
lost, for it is still referred to as the "ladders to 
heaven.” To the Norse, it marked the coming of 
Ostara, the goddess of the Spring, who was looked 
upon as the guardian of this tender little flower 
. . . From Sussex, England, comes an interest¬ 
ing legend concerning the lily of the valley. It 
tells of St. Leonard’s meeting with the terrifying 
monster, Sin. For three full days, he continually 
put forth violent efforts against it, and although, 
at times, he was faint and weary of body, desper¬ 
ate and even fearful, nevertheless he did not give 
up the combat. Finally, on the fourth day, he 
experienced the gratification of seeing the mon¬ 
strous dragon slowly and heavily draw its slimy, 
weakened, and painful body into the forest, 
never again to emerge and struggle with him. 
But the fierce encounter had left its impresses, 
because wherever the earth had been stained by 
St. Leonard’s blood—after he had been struck and 
torn by the monster’s deadly claws and tusks— 
heaven pointed out the very spots and made them 
holy, for in every such place, the lily of the 
valley sprang up in all its beauty. 
