8 THE FLOWER LANGUAGE. 
into a temple, in which they could act as priest and priest¬ 
ess, the gods granted their request. 
At last they exprqgsed a wish to die together, and 
Jupiter gratified them by changing them simultaneously 
into trees. 
Baucis, it is said, was changed into a Linden tree, and 
Philemon into an Oak. . 
The names of Baucis and Philemon are used to signify 
faithful and true married people. Here we perceive why 
the Linden is the emblem of conjugal love, and the Oak 
of hospitality. 
The language of the common Almond is stupidity or 
heedlessness. 
The foundation for this is, no doubt, from the story told 
of Demophoon, who, returning from the siege of Troy, 
encountered a storm, and was thrown upon the coast of 
Thrace, the realm of the beautiful Phyllis. 
The young queen fell in love with the prince, and made 
him her husband. 
The death of his father soon after, caused Demophoon 
to return to Athens, but he promised Phyllis to be back in 
a month. When the day for his arrival came, Phyllis 
ran nine times to the shore, and, as he did not come, she 
lost all hope and, falling dead of grief, she was changed 
