Звезда и Лилия. Ч.1

Abbie Phillips Walker

The Star and the Lily

Part 1

Once there bloomed in a garden a beautiful white lily, on a long stalk so tall that she towered over all the flowers that bloomed near her.

Of course, the sunflowers at the back of the garden were much taller and the hollyhocks (шток-роза розовая) that grew in front of the sunflowers were taller, too, and also the sweet peas (душистый горошек). But they were not near the beautiful lily. Beside her bloomed pansies (анютины глазки) and poppies, and many other beautiful flowers, but they were not so tall as the lily.

A rose-bush growing near the lily noticed that she drooped and did not look as happy as usual one morning, and she asked what had happened.

‘Oh, I am thinking of some one I love,’ answered the lily, with a sigh.

‘That should not bring a sigh or make you look sad, my fair friend,’ said the rose. ‘Love should make you happier than anything else in the world.’

‘Yes, I suppose it should,’ answered the lily, ‘but my love is so far away I am not sure that I am loved in return.’

‘Oh, immodest lily!’ said the rose. ‘I thought you the most modest of all of us, and here you are in love with some one you do not know. Tell me about it, do?’ said the rose, alert with interest.

‘I will tell you, dear rose,’ said the lily, ‘and perhaps you can tell me how to win the love of my beloved, or how I can overcome my great love for him.’

‘I will do anything I can for you, my dear,’ said the rose, ‘but do tell me quick all about your love-story.’