HULLO, WIND-FLOWER CALLING.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 May 1932, Page 7 (Supplement)

HULLO, WIND-FLOWER CALLING.

My real name is Wood. Anemdnbj-and-my family name is Ranunculus, the Latin for little frog; because, like the frog, I love damp-places. 'Another family name is Crowfoot. Buttercups and celandines, also beb to the Crowfoot or Ranunculus family. poets have always sung songs about me, and called me the wind-flower. Pliny, a great Roman philosopher —who loved me dearly—said I was called wind flower because I only opened my delicate petals wide when the wind blew. Somebody else said. that, when a tear fell to earth'a*little'wind-flower bloomed. : But I will whisper to 'ydu the true secret Of my name.?.;. Long, king--ago, ' I ' was one of the waids-in-w-aiting to Flora, the queen of

flowers. Flora, was very one day Zephyrus, the magic West Wind, came to see her. He was beautiful too! He was tall, but pale and delicately golden, with fragile-wings on his shoulders, and sky blue eyes. He lifted himself oh his toes and looked over Flora’s shoulder'at me.Now Flora was like a large and lovely red rose, but I was as pale as water. Flora was so angry to think that Zephyrus should look at me that when he had gone she threw me down into the woods on earth. • „ I was terrified, but that Zephyrus came to look for me, breathed on ide, and I became a wind flower. And' he still comes and talks to me. I flutter my petals in reply to his whispers, for I am his little wind-flower. Good-bye—talk to me a -little, too, when you see me.