saidone."noonewillrecognizeit;noteventhethistlenorthestinging-nettle."

"itmustbeakindofgardenplant,"saidanother;andsotheysneeredanddespisedtheplantasathingfromagarden.

"whereareyoucoming?"saidthetallthistleswhoseleaveswereallarmedwiththorns."itisstupidnonsensetoallowyourselftoshootoutinthisway;wearenotheretosupportyou."

wintercame,andtheplantwascoveredwithsnow,butthesnowglitteredoveritasifithadsunshinebeneathaswellasabove.

whenspringcame,theplantappearedinfullbloom:amorebeautifulobjectthananyotherplantintheforest.andnowtheprofessorofbotanypresentedhimself,onewhocouldexplainhisknowledgeinblackandwhite.heexaminedandtestedtheplant,butitdidnotbelongtohissystemofbotany,norcouldhepossiblyfindouttowhatclassitdidbelong."itmustbesomedegeneratespecies,"saidhe;"idonotknowit,anditisnotmentionedinanysystem."

"notknowninanysystem!"repeatedthethistlesandthenettles.

thelargetreeswhichgrewrounditsawtheplantandheardtheremarks,buttheysaidnotawordeithergoodorbad,whichisthewisestplanforthosewhoareignorant.

therepassedthroughtheforestapoorinnocentgirl;herheartwaspure,andherunderstandingincreasedbyherfaith.herchiefinheritancehadbeenanoldbible,whichshereadandvalued.fromitspagessheheardthevoiceofgodspeakingtoher,andtellinghertorememberwhatwassaidofjoseph'sbrethrenwhenpersonswishedtoinjureher."theyimaginedevilintheirhearts,butgodturnedittogood."ifwesufferwrongfully,ifwearemisunderstoodordespised,wemustthinkofhimwhowaspureandholy,andwhoprayedforthosewhonailedhimtothecross,"fatherforgivethem,fortheyknownotwhattheydo."

thegirlstoodstillbeforethewonderfulplant,forthegreenleavesexhaledasweetandrefreshingfragrance,andtheflowersglitteredandsparkledinthesunshinelikecoloredflames,andtheharmonyofsweetsoundslingeredroundthemasifeachconcealedwithinitselfadeepfountofmelody,whichthousandsofyearscouldnotexhaust.withpiousgratitudethegirllookeduponthisgloriousworkofgod,andbentdownoveroneofthebranches,thatshemightexaminetheflowerandinhalethesweetperfume.thenalightbrokeinonhermind,andherheartexpanded.gladlywouldshehavepluckedaflower,butshecouldnotovercomeherreluctancetobreakoneoff.sheknewitwouldsosoonfade;soshetookonlyasinglegreenleaf,carriedithome,andlaiditinherbible,whereitremainedevergreen,fresh,andunfading.betweenthepagesofthebibleitstilllaywhen,afewweeksafterwards,thatbiblewaslaidundertheyounggirl'sheadinhercoffin.aholycalmrestedonherface,asiftheearthlyremainsboretheimpressofthetruththatshenowstoodinthepresenceofgod.

intheforestthewonderfulplantstillcontinuedtobloomtillitgrewandbecamealmostatree,andallthebirdsofpassagebowedthemselvesbeforeit.

"thatplantisaforeigner,nodoubt,"saidthethistlesandtheburdocks."wecanneverconductourselveslikethatinthiscountry."andtheblackforestsnailsactuallyspatattheflower.

thencametheswineherd;hewascollectingthistlesandshrubstoburnthemfortheashes.hepulledupthewonderfulplant,rootsandall,andplaceditinhisbundle."thiswillbeasusefulasany,"hesaid;sotheplantwascarriedaway.

notlongafter,thekingofthecountrysufferedfromthedeepestmelancholy.hewasdiligentandindustrious,butemploymentdidhimnogood.theyreaddeepandlearnedbookstohim,andthenthelightestandmosttriflingthatcouldbefound,butalltonotheyappliedforadvicetooneofthewisemenoftheworld,andhesentthemamessagetosaythattherewasoneremedywhichwouldrelieveandcurehim,andthatitwasaplantofheavenlyoriginwhichgrewintheforestintheking'sowndominions.themessengerdescribedtheflowersothatisappearancecouldnotbemistaken.

thensaidtheswineherd,"iamafraidicarriedthisplantawayfromtheforestinmybundle,andithasbeenburnttoasheslongago.butididnotknowanybetter."

"youdidnotknow,anybetter!