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Once Upon a time in a far off land there lived a tiny
flower. The flower was very happy, for she was loved.
Each day the flower was visited by the kind old Gardener.
He brought fresh water, turned her pot so she could catch
the warmest rays of sunlight and tenderly dug about her roots.
And as he worked he always sang this little song:
Little flower, little flower, precious
and rare.
Leaflets of green, blossom so fair.
Little flower, little flower, joy of my
heart.
grow, and be happy today.
"How the Gardener must love me," thought the little flower.
One morning the flower awakened to find she was not
alone. Sitting next to her in a clay pot identical to her
own was a plant with large leaves and clusters of bright red
blossoms. At first the little flower was surprised, for she
had thought she was the only flower in the world.
"Who are you?" she asked. "How did you
get here?"
"The Gardener brought me."
"Ah," thought the little flower. "The
Gardener is worried that I might be lonely. He made this geranium
to keep me company."
Just then the Gardener arrived. He watered the little
flower, then he dug about her roots and set her in the sunshine.
All the while he sang her little song.
But instead of leaving when he finished, the Gardener
went to the new flower. With great care he watered it, dug
about its roots, and turned its leaves toward the sun. And
as he worked he sang:
Little flower, little flower, precious
and rare.
Leaflets of green, blossom so fair.
Little flower, little flower, joy of my
heart.
grow, and be happy today.
The little flower was confused. Why was the Gardener
singing her song to the geranium? She looked again at the
new flower. For the first time she noticed the roundness of
its leaves,
the redness of its blossoms.
The little flower drooped.
"How beautiful the geranium is," she thought.
"Surely the Gardener must love her more than me."
"Go away," she said to the geranium when the Gardener
had gone. "I do not need you."
"Why should I go?" said the geranium.
"You and I could be friends."
The little flower turned away and refused
to speak. And for the first time in her life, she felt lonely. |
