Page:Little Ellie and Other Tales (1850).djvu/127

Rh country-house, and where there is a beautiful garden with so many flowers in it? You have surely seen the swans that come swimming towards you on the lake when you throw them crumbs of bread? The flowers have regular balls there, I can tell you.”

“I was in the garden yesterday with my mother,” said Ida; “but there were no leaves on the trees, and I did not see a single flower. Where were they, then? There were so many of them there in summer!”

“They are in the palace now,” said the youth. “As soon as the King leaves his summer-palace, and goes to town with his court, all the flowers go directly out of the garden into the palace, and make merry there, and enjoy themselves famously. If you could but see it once! The two most beautiful roses seat themselves on the throne, and play at King and Queen. Then the red cockscombs range themselves in rows on both sides, and make a low bow; these are the gentlemen of the bed-