askedida."itissuchadistance!"

"ohyes,"saidthestudent'whenevertheylike,fortheycanfly.haveyounotseenthosebeautifulred,white.andyellowbutterflies,thatlooklikeflowers?theywereflowersonce.theyhaveflownofftheirstalksintotheair,andflaptheirleavesasiftheywerelittlewingstomakethemfly.then,iftheybehavewell,theyobtainpermissiontoflyaboutduringtheday,insteadofbeingobligedtositstillontheirstemsathome,andsointimetheirleavesbecomerealwings.itmaybe,however,thattheflowersinthebotanicalgardenshaveneverbeentotheking'spalace,and,therefore,theyknownothingofthemerrydoingsatnight,whichtakeplacethere.iwilltellyouwhattodo,andthebotanicalprofessor,wholivesclosebyhere,willbesosurprised.youknowhimverywell,doyounot?well,nexttimeyougointohisgarden,youmusttelloneoftheflowersthatthereisgoingtobeagrandballatthecastle,thenthatflowerwilltellalltheothers,andtheywillflyawaytothecastleassoonaspossible.andwhentheprofessorwalksintohisgarden,therewillnotbeasingleflowerleft.howhewillwonderwhathasbecomeofthem!"

"buthowcanoneflowertellanother?flowerscannotspeak?"

"no,certainlynot,"repliedthestudent;"buttheycanmakesigns.haveyounotoftenseenthatwhenthewindblowstheynodatoneanother,andrustlealltheirgreenleaves?"

"cantheprofessorunderstandthesigns?"askedida.

"yes,tobesurehecan.hewentonemorningintohisgarden,andsawastingingnettlemakingsignswithitsleavestoabeautifulredcarnation.itwassaying,'youaresopretty,ilikeyouverymuch.'buttheprofessordidnotapproveofsuchnonsense,soheclappedhishandsonthenettletostopit.thentheleaves,whichareitsfingers,stunghimsosharplythathehasneverventuredtotouchanettlesince."

"ohhowfunny!"saidida,andshelaughed.

"howcananyoneputsuchnotionsintoachild'shead?"saidatiresomelawyer,whohadcometopayavisit,andsatonthedidnotlikethestudent,andwouldgrumblewhenhesawhimcuttingoutdrolloramusingpictures.sometimesitwouldbeamanhangingonagibbetandholdingaheartinhishandasifhehadbeenstealinghearts.sometimesitwasanoldwitchridingthroughtheaironabroomandcarryingherhusbandonhernose.butthelawyerdidnotlikesuchjokes,andhewouldsayashehadjustsaid,"howcananyoneputsuchnonsenseintoachild'shead!whatabsurdfanciesthereare!"

buttolittleida,allthesestorieswhichthestudenttoldherabouttheflowers,seemedverydroll,andshethoughtoverthemagreatdeal.theflowersdidhangtheirheads,becausetheyhadbeendancingallnight,andwereverytired,andmostlikelytheywereshetookthemintotheroomwhereanumberoftoyslayonaprettylittletable,andthewholeofthetabledrawerbesideswasfullofbeautifulthings.herdollsophylayinthedoll'sbedasleep,andlittleidasaidtoher,"youmustreallygetupsophy,andbecontenttolieinthedrawerto-night;thepoorflowersareill,andtheymustlieinyourbed,thenperhapstheywillgetwellagain."soshetookthedollout,wholookedquitecross,andsaidnotasingleword,forshewasangryatbeingturnedoutofherbed.idaplacedtheflowersinthedoll'sbed,anddrewthequiltovershetoldthemtoliequitestillandbegood,whileshemadesometeaforthem,sothattheymightbequitewellandabletogetupthenextmorning.andshedrewthecurtainscloseroundthelittlebed,sothatthesunmightnotshineintheireyes.duringthewholeeveningshecouldnothelpthinkingofwhatthestudenthadtoldher.andbeforeshewenttobedherself,shewasobligedtopeepbehindthecurtainsintothegardenwhereallhermother'sbeautifulflowersgrew,hyacinthsandtulips,andmanyothers.thenshewhisperedtothemquitesoftly,"iknowyouaregoingtoaballto-night."buttheflowersappearedasiftheydidnotunderstand,andnotaleafmoved;stillidafeltquitesuresheknewallaboutit.shelayawakealongtimeaftershewasinbed,thinkinghowprettyitmustbetoseeallthebeautifulflowersdancingintheking'sgarden."iwonderifmyflowershavereallybeenthere,"shesaidtoherself,andthenshefellasleep.inthenightsheawoke;shehadbeendreamingoftheflowersandofthestudent,aswellasofthetiresomelawyerwhofoundfaultwithhim.itwasquitestillinida'sbedroom;thenight-lampburntonthetable,andherfatherandmotherwereasleep."iwonderifmyflowersarestilllyinginsophy'sbed,"shethoughttoherself;"howmuchishouldliketoknow."sheraisedherselfalittle,andglancedatthedooroftheroomwhereallherflowersandplaythingslay;itwaspartlyopen,andasshelistened,itseemedasifsomeoneintheroomwasplayingthepiano,butsoftlyandmoreprettilythanshehadeverbeforeheardit."nowalltheflowersarecertainlydancinginthere,"shethought,"ohhowmuchishouldliketoseethem,"butshedidnotdaremoveforfearofdisturbingherfatherandmother."iftheywouldonlycomeinhere,"shethought;buttheydidnotcome,andthemusiccontinuedtoplaysobeautifully,andwassopretty,thatshecouldresistnolonger.shecreptoutofherlittlebed,wentsoftlytothedoorandlookedintotheroom.ohwhatasplendidsighttherewastobesure!