Flower Fables

<SPAN name="startofbook"></SPAN> <h1> Flower Fables </h1> <h3> by </h3> <h2> Louisa May Alcott </h2> <br/><br/><br/> <p class="poem"> "Pondering shadows, colors, clouds<br/> Grass-buds, and caterpillar shrouds<br/> Boughs on which the wild bees settle,<br/> Tints that spot the violet's petal."<br/> <SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 13em">EMERSON'S WOOD-NOTES.</SPAN><br/></p> <br/><br/> <h3> TO<br/> ELLEN EMERSON,<br/> FOR WHOM THEY WERE FANCIED,<br/> THESE FLOWER FABLES<br/> ARE INSCRIBED,<br/> BY HER FRIEND, </h3> <p><SPAN STYLE="margin-left: 20em">THE AUTHOR.</SPAN><br/></p> <p>Boston, Dec. 9, 1854.</p> <h3> FLOWER FABLES. </h3> <p>THE summer moon shone brightly down upon the sleeping earth, while far away from mortal eyes danced the Fairy folk. Fire-flies hung in bright clusters on the dewy leaves, that waved in the cool night-wind; and the flowers stood gazing, in very wonder, at the little Elves, who lay among the fern-leaves, swung in the vine-boughs, sailed on the lake in lily cups, or danced on the mossy ground, to the music of the hare-bells, who rung out their merriest peal in honor of the night.</p> <p>Under the shade of a wild rose sat the Queen and her little Maids of Honor, beside the silvery mushroom where the feast was spread.</p> <p>"Now, my friends," said she, "to while away the time till the bright moon goes down, let us each tell a tale, or relate what we have done or learned this day. I will begin with you, Sunny Lock," added she, turning to a lovely little Elf, who lay among the fragrant leaves of a primrose.</p> <p>With a gay smile, "Sunny Lock" began her story.</p> <p>"As I was painting the bright petals of a blue bell, it told me this tale."</p> <br/><br/><br/> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />