32 Lily and Water-Lily.

The lily was very sad as he looked at what the ©
children had done.

The plant that lay across Pearl’s bosom was a long
trailing garland of beautiful pointed green leaves with
hanging purple flowers. It was one of the very
prettiest plants that grew upon the hedgerows, and
yet the lily, as he looked at it in Pearl’s hand,
shuddered ; for he knew that it had a very sure way
of revenging itself for the wrong that had been done
to it—he knew that it was a poison plant.

Pearl came slowly forward, looking intently at the
slender tendrils that had wound themselves about her
arms and throat.

- “Brother,” said she at last to the boy who walked

beside her, “Mother Earth has deceived us. This
flower that you plucked for me is not dying at all.
It is as fresh as when you gave it me. It clings to
me so tightly that I.can scarcely tear it away. But
I am tired of it. I do not think it is such a very
pretty flower after all. I see many fairer blossoms
around which I would rather have.”