The Ble arpa ee 59

Then Flamma, having no fear of the
strange flower, felt that she must take it up;
and stretching forth her hand, she plucked
it by the stalk, and placed it in her cap of
moleskin. Its flame-petals mingled in her
golden hair, and the flower neither burned
her nor singed her hair; but while she wore
it she felt cold no more, nor hungry, nor
tired. The flame- flower shot forth a ray
along the forest, making a narrow path of
light ; and Flamma, knowing not why, fol-
lowed the path; and the wolves shrank
back. from the rays of the flower.

Flamma followed the path of light made
by the flame-flower in her hair, and the path
led back to the hut amid the swamps. In
sadness she came to the hut where her
mother was.

Honora sat within, her chin in her hand,
her eyes fixed upon the fire of turf. Slowly
she turned her cold eyes upon the girl, and
said in a harsh voice, “Go hence! Follow
your father, and trouble me not.”

Yet when she saw the golden flicker in
Flamma’s hair, her voice faltered.