thisissomethingdifferenttobeingamereplantandbearingflowers.thenihadnoattention,noranywaterunlessitrained;now,iamwatchedandtakencareof.everymorningthemaidturnsmeover,andihaveashower-bathfromthewatering-poteveryevening.yes,andtheclergyman'swifenoticedme,andsaidiwasthebestpieceoflineninthewholeparish.icannotbehappierthaniamnow."

aftersometime,thelinenwastakenintothehouse,placedunderthescissors,andcutandtornintopieces,andthenprickedwithneedles.thiscertainlywasnotpleasant;butatlastitwasmadeintotwelvegarmentsofthatkindwhichpeopledonotliketoname,andyeteverybodyshouldwearone."see,now,then,"saidtheflax;"ihavebecomesomethingofimportance.thiswasmydestiny;itisquiteablessing.nowishallbeofsomeuseintheworld,aseveryoneoughttobe;itistheonlywaytobehappy.iamnowdividedintotwelvepieces,andyetwearealloneandthesameinthewholeismostextraordinarygoodfortune."

yearspassedaway,andatlastthelinenwassowornitcouldscarcelyholdtogether."itmustendverysoon,"saidthepiecestoeachother;"wewouldgladlyhaveheldtogetheralittlelonger,butitisuselesstoexpectimpossibilities."andatlengththeyfellintoragsandtatters,andthoughtitwasalloverwiththem,fortheyweretorntoshreds,andsteepedinwater,andmadeintoapulp,anddried,andtheyknewnotwhatbesides,tillallatoncetheyfoundthemselvesbeautifulwhitepaper."well,now,thisisasurprise;aglorioussurprisetoo,"saidthepaper."iamnowfinerthanever,andishallbewrittenupon,andwhocantellwhatfinethingsimayhavewrittenuponme.thisiswonderfulluck!"andsureenoughthemostbeautifulstoriesandpoetrywerewrittenuponit,andonlyoncewasthereablot,whichwasveryfortunate.thenpeopleheardthestoriesandpoetryread,anditmadethemwiserandbetter;forallthatwaswrittenhadagoodandsensiblemeaning,andagreatblessingwascontainedinthewordsonthispaper.

"ineverimaginedanythinglikethis,"saidthepaper,"wheniwasonlyalittleblueflower,growinginthefields.howcouldifancythatishouldeverbethemeansofbringingknowledgeandjoytoman?icannotunderstanditmyself,andyetitisreallyso.heavenknowsthatihavedonenothingmyself,butwhatiwasobligedtodowithmyweakpowersformyownpreservation;andyetihavebeenpromotedfromonejoyandhonortoanother.eachtimeithinkthatthesongisended;andthensomethinghigherandbetterbeginsforme.isupposenowishallbesentonmytravelsabouttheworld,sothatpeoplemayreadme.itcannotbeotherwise;indeed,itismorethanprobable;forihavemoresplendidthoughtswrittenuponme,thanihadprettyflowersinoldentimes.iamhappierthanever."

butthepaperdidnotgoonitstravels;itwassenttotheprinter,andallthewordswrittenuponitweresetupintype,tomakeabook,orrather,manyhundredsofbooks;forsomanymorepersonscouldderivepleasureandprofitfromaprintedbook,thanfromthewrittenpaper;andifthepaperhadbeensentaroundtheworld,itwouldhavebeenwornoutbeforeithadgothalfthroughitsjourney.

"thisiscertainlythewisestplan,"saidthewrittenpaper;"ireallydidnotthinkofthat.ishallremainathome,andbeheldinhonor,likesomeoldgrandfather,asireallyamtoallthesenewbooks.theywilldosomegood.icouldnothavewanderedaboutastheydo.yethewhowroteallthishaslookedatme,aseverywordflowedfromhispenuponmysurface.iamthemosthonoredofall."

thenthepaperwastiedinabundlewithotherpapers,andthrownintoatubthatstoodinthewashhouse.

"afterwork,itiswelltorest,"saidthepaper,"andaverygoodopportunitytocollectone'sthoughts.nowiamable,forthefirsttime,tothinkofmyrealcondition;andtoknowone'sselfistrueprogress.whatwillbedonewithmenow,iwonder?