THE PROUD PANSY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19298, 10 April 1926, Page 4 (Supplement)

THE PROUD PANSY.

BY H. BARTI/ETT.

Otico upon a time a number of golden - brown pansy seeds lay packed in their pod, waiting for the time when it would open and scatter them out to begin life for themselves. " Now, children," said the mother plant, " when tho pod cracks, be sure to jump as far out into the garden as you can. If you stay too close to mo my leaves will keep the sun and air away from you and you will grow thin and pale. If possible, try to get near a tall plant, a rose, a snapdragon, or«a daisy, for they will give you some shelter from tho sun, but will let you have plenty of light and fresh atf." All the little seeds promised to try t<~> do as they were told —all except naughty Willio-I'ansy. He said, " I am not going to spend my life in a silly garden, I am going to see the world." At last, one hot day, the pod burst open. Out flew tho little seeds in all directions into tho soft garden soil, all trying to do as mother pansy had told them, seeking the shade of some tall plant. But Willie Pansy did "not obey his mother, not ho. Ho jumped right out on to the garden path. " Hurrah! " ho cried, " now I am really off to see the world." The sun rose higher and it soon began to be very hot on that hard path, poor Willie was just beginning to think that seeing tho world was not going to be such a grand thing after all, when splash! splash! some heavy drops of rain began to fall. Soon Willie found himself rolling over and over in a little cold stream that was hurrying him far away from his brothers and sisters in tho garden. At last ho was stranded on a tiny bank of earth afc the side of tho path next tho green lawn. " Now," said he, " I can start a littk pansy garden here for myself, without any other horrid plants to worry me." So he sent his roots into the soil, not very far because the hard path stopped them, and soon his two seed leaves appeared and ho really began to grow. One day, Tommy Thrush, who was looking for worms on the lawn, peeped over the edge and spied him. "Hello!" said Tommy, " What are you doing here, so far away from everybody ? " ' t " I came here to see the world, and to get away from all the common flowers in the garden," answered Willie Pansy. " Well," said Tommy, "it is not so bad now, while*the ground is moist, but when the hot, dry weather comes, I am afraid you will be wishing yourself back in the garden." " Nonsense," said Willie Pansy. " I shall be able to stay here for ever." However, the sun got hotter and hotter, and no rain fell for days, till poor Willie felt he could stand it no longer. He tried to get his roots down deeper to find some moisture, but they could not go through the hard-path. He was just wishing that he had done as his wise mother had told him when a kind voice said: " Why, here is a silly little pansy trying to grow in the hot, dry path! You poor tiny thing, I will put you into the nice garden, where you will have a chance." He fplt his roots being gently loosened, and ratsing his drooping head, he saw a pretty litjlo girl bending over him. Very carefully she lifted him. and, placing him in a cool spot beneath a rose-bush, she gave him a Jong drink from a wateringcan. Soon he began to grow and thrive in the rich garden soil, sheltered from the hot rays of the sun by the friendly rosebush. Looking round, he thought himself the finest plant in tho garden, and when he found he was going to have some flowers his pride and joy knew no bounds. Alas! when his buds opened, the petals all had horrid gaps in them, and to make matters worse,"the other flowers laughed at him, saying " Who is a fine fellow now?" "Is that a new kind of flower you are showing?" "Did Sally Snail Ifavo a party at your place last night? " He could only try to hide his ruined flowers in his leaves, and wished sadly that ho had riot been so disobedient arid proud, then the other plants would have been sorry for him instead of laughing and jeering at him. Ho was just wishing that the little girl had left him to die out on the hot path, when a jolly voice said: " Now then, what's the matter ? Who has made such a mes3 of your petals ? " Looking up he saw his old friend Tommy Thrush, to whom he told his whole story, and how sorry he was now that he had not been a better pansy. " Well," said Tommy. " ' Pride goes before a fall,' but ' it is never too late to mend.' Tho first thing to do is to find Sally Snail, I have an idea she is behind that geranium bush." This way and that His bright eyes peered, till at last he made a sudden dart and came out with Sally Snail in his strong beak. A few hard bangs on tho path broke Mrs. Snail's shell arid Tommy Thrush made a hearty breakfast. " Now," said ho to Willie Pansy, " she won't trouble you any more, but for the future whenever you feel inclined to be proud, just remember the hard path, the hot sun, and Sally Snail, for next time you are in trouble you may riot lind friends near by to help you. Good-bye, I have rny work to do." And away he flew.