LittleIdasFlowers“Poorflowersarequitedead，”saidlittleIda， “theyweresoprettyyesterdayevening，andnowalltheleavesarehangingdownquitewithered.Whatdotheydothatfor，”sheasked，ofthestudentwhosatonthesofa；shelikedhimverymuch，hecouldtellthemostamusingstories，andcutouttheprettiestpictures；hearts，andladiesdancing，castleswithdoorsthatopened，aswellasflowers；hewasadelightfulstudent. “Whydotheflowerslooksofadedto-day？”sheaskedagain，andpointedtohernosegay，whichwasquitewithered.“Dontyouknowwhatisthematterwiththem？”saidthestudent. “Theflowerswereataballlastnight，andtherefore，itisnowondertheyhangtheirheads.”“Butflowerscannotdance？”criedlittleIda.“Yesindeed，theycan，”repliedthestudent. “Whenitgrowsdark，andeverybodyisasleep，theyjumpaboutquitemerrily.Theyhaveaballalmosteverynight.”“Canchildrengototheseballs？”“Yes，”saidthestudent， “littledaisiesandliliesofthevalley.”“Wheredothebeautifulflowersdance？”askedlittleIda.“Haveyounotoftenseenthelargecastleoutsidethegatesofthetown，wherethekinglivesinsummer，andwherethebeautifulgardenisfullofflowers？Andhaveyounotfedtheswanswithbreadwhentheyswamtowardsyou？Well，theflowershavecapitalballsthere，believeme.”“Iwasinthegardenoutthereyesterdaywithmymother，”saidIda， “butalltheleaveswereoffthetrees，andtherewasnotasingleflowerleft.Wherearethey？Iusedtoseesomanyinthesummer.”“theyareinthecastle，”repliedthestudent. “Youmustknowthatassoonasthekingandallthecourtaregoneintothetown，theflowersrunoutofthegardenintothecastle，andyoushouldseehowmerrytheyare.Thetwomostbeautifulrosesseatthemselvesonthethrone，andarecalledthekingandqueen，thenalltheredcockscombsrangethemselvesoneachside，andbow，thesearethelords-in-waiting.Afterthattheprettyflowerscomein，andthereisagrandball.Thebluevioletsrepresentlittlenavalcadets，anddancewithhyacinthsandcrocuseswhichtheycallyoungladies.Thetulipsandtiger-liliesaretheoldladieswhositandwatchthedancing，sothateverythingmaybeconductedwithorderandpropriety.”“But，”saidlittleIda， “istherenoonetheretohurttheflowersfordancinginthekingscastle？”“Nooneknowsanythingaboutit，”saidthestudent. “Theoldstewardofthecastle，whohastowatchthereatnight，sometimescomesin；buthecarriesaGREatbunchofkeys，andassoonastheflowershearthekeysrattle，theyrunandhidethemselvesbehindthelongcurtains，andstandquitestill，justpeepingtheirheadsout.Thentheoldstewardsays，Ismellflowershere，buthecannotseethem.”“Ohhowcapital，”saidlittleIda，clappingherhands. “ShouldIbeabletoseetheseflowers？”“Yes，”saidthestudent， “mindyouthinkofitthenexttimeyougoout，nodoubtyouwillseethem，ifyoupeepthroughthewindow.Ididsoto-day，andIsawalongyellowlilylyingstretchedoutonthesofa.Shewasacourtlady.”“CantheflowersfromtheBotanicalGardensgototheseballs？”askedIda. “Itissuchadistance！”“Ohyes，”saidthestudent“whenevertheylike，fortheycanfly.Haveyounotseenthosebeautifulred，white.andyellowbutterflies，thatlooklikeflowers？Theywereflowersonce.Theyhaveflownofftheirstalksintotheair，andflaptheirleavesasiftheywerelittlewingstomakethemfly.Then，iftheybehavewell，theyobtainpermissiontoflyaboutduringtheday，insteadofbeingobligedtositstillontheirstemsathome，andsointimetheirleavesbecomerealwings.Itmaybe，however，thattheflowersintheBotanicalGardenshaveneverbeentothekingspalace，and，therefore，theyknownothingofthemerrydoingsatnight，whichtakeplacethere.Iwilltellyouwhattodo，andthebotanicalprofessor，wholivesclosebyhere，willbesosurprised.Youknowhimverywell，doyounot？Well，nexttimeyougointohisgarden，youmusttelloneoftheflowersthatthereisgoingtobeagrandballatthecastle，thenthatflowerwilltellalltheothers，andtheywillflyawaytothecastleassoonaspossible.Andwhentheprofessorwalksintohisgarden，therewillnotbeasingleflowerleft.Howhewillwonderwhathasbecomeofthem！”“Buthowcanoneflowertellanother？Flowerscannotspeak？”“No，certainlynot，”repliedthestudent； “buttheycanmakesigns.Haveyounotoftenseenthatwhenthewindblowstheynodatoneanother，andrustlealltheirGREenleaves？”“Cantheprofessorunderstandthesigns？”askedIda.“Yes，tobesurehecan.Hewentonemorningintohisgarden，andsawastingingnettlemakingsignswithitsleavestoabeautifulredcarnation.Itwassaying，Youaresopretty，Ilikeyouverymuch.Buttheprofessordidnotapproveofsuchnonsense，soheclapped