“They are in the castle,” replied the student. “You must know that as soon
as the king and all the court are gone into the town, the flowers run out of
the garden into the castle, and you should see how merry they are. The two
most beautiful roses seat themselves on the throne, and are called the king
and queen, then all the red cockscombs range themselves on each side, and
bow, these are the lords-in-waiting. After that the pretty flowers come in,
and there is a grand ball. The blue violets represent little naval cadets, and
dance with hyacinths and crocuses which they call young ladies. The tulips
and tiger-lilies are the old ladies who sit and watch the dancing, so that
everything may be conducted with order and propriety.”
“But,” said little Ida, “is there no one there to hurt the flowers for dancing
in the king’s castle?”
“No one knows anything about it,” said the student. “The old steward of
the castle, who has to watch there at night, sometimes comes in; but he
carries a great bunch of keys, and as soon as the flowers hear the keys rattle,
they run and hide themselves behind the long curtains, and stand quite still,
just peeping their heads out. Then the old steward says, ‘I smell flowers
here,’ but he cannot see them.”
“Oh how capital,” said little Ida, clapping her hands. “Should I be able to
see these flowers?”
