itseemedtohimasifdewandsunshinewerestreamingthroughhim.

"iamsomethingmorethaniknewof,"saidthethistletoitself."isupposemyrightplaceisreallyinsidethepalings,andnotoutside.oneisoftenstrangelyplacedinthisworld;butnowihaveatleastmanagedtogetoneofmypeoplewithinthepale,andindeedintoabuttonhole!"

thethistletoldthiseventtoeveryblossomthatunfoldeditself,andnotmanydayshadgonebybeforethethistleheard,notfrommen,notfromthetwitteringofthebirds,butfromtheairitself,whichstoresupthesounds,andcarriesthemfararound-outofthemostretiredwalksofthegarden,andoutoftheroomsofthehouse,inwhichdoorsandwindowsstoodopen,thattheyounggentlemanwhohadreceivedthethistle-flowerfromthehandofthefairscottishmaidenhadalsonowreceivedtheheartandhandoftheladyinquestion.theywereahandsomepair-itwasagoodmatch.

"thatmatchimadeup!"saidthethistle;andhethoughtoftheflowerhehadgivenforthebuttonhole.everyflowerthatopenedheardofthisoccurrence.

"ishallcertainlybetransplantedintothegarden,"thoughtthethistle,andperhapsputintoapot,whichcrowdsonein.thatissaidtobethegreatestofallhonors."

andthethistlepicturedthistohimselfinsuchalivelymanner,thatatlasthesaid,withfullconviction,"iamtobetransplantedintoapot."

thenhepromisedeverylittlethistleflowerwhichunfoldeditselfthatitalsoshouldbeputintoapot,andperhapsintoabuttonhole,thehighesthonorthatcouldbeattained.butnotoneofthemwasputintoapot,muchlessintoabuttonhole.theydrankinthesunlightandtheair;livedonthesunlightbyday,andonthedewbynight;bloomed-werevisitedbybeesandhornets,wholookedafterthehoney,thedowryoftheflower,andtheytookthehoney,andlefttheflowerwhereitwas.

"thethievishrabble!"saidthethistle."ificouldonlystabeveryoneofthem!buticannot."

theflowershungtheirheadsandfaded;butafteratimenewonescame.

"youcomeingoodtime,"saidthethistle."iamexpectingeverymomenttogetacrossthefence."

afewinnocentdaisies,andalongthindandelion,stoodandlistenedindeepadmiration,andbelievedeverythingtheyheard.

theoldassofthemilk-cartstoodattheedgeofthefield-road,andglancedacrossatthebloomingthistlebush;buthishalterwastooshort,andhecouldnotreachit.

andthethistlethoughtsolongofthethistleofscotland,towhosefamilyhesaidhebelonged,thathefanciedatlastthathehadcomefromscotland,andthathisparentshadbeenputintothenationalescutcheon.thatwasagreatthought;but,yousee,agreatthistlehasarighttoagreatthought.

"oneisoftenofsograndafamily,thatonemaynotknowit,"saidthenettle,whogrewcloseby.hehadakindofideathathemightbemadeintocambricifhewererightlytreated.