iries used to give presents of
Flowers and Leaves to those whom they wished to reward, or whom they
loved best; and though these gifts were, it appears, often received with
disappointment, still it will probably be admitted that flowers have
contributed more to the happiness of our lives than either gold or
silver or precious stones; and that our happiest days have been spent
out-of-doors in the woods and fields, when we have

... found in every woodland way
The sunlight tint of Fairy Gold.[19]

To many minds Flowers acquired an additional interest when it was shown
that there was a reason for their colour, size, and form--in fact, for
every detail of their organisation. If we did but know all that the
smallest flower could tell us, we should have solved some of the
greatest mysteries of Nature. But we cannot hope to succeed--even if we
had the genius of Plato or Aristotle--without careful, patient, and
reverent study. From such an inquiry we may hope much; already we have
glimpses, enough to convince us that the whole history will open out to
us conceptions of the Universe wider and grander than any which the
Imagination alone would ever have suggested.

Attempts to explain the forms, colours, and other characteristics of
animals and plants are by no means new. Our Teutonic forefathers had a
pretty story which explained certain points about several common plants.
Balder, the God of Mirth and Merriment, was, characteristically enough,
regarded as deficient in the possession of immortality. The other
divinities, fearing to lose him, petitioned Thor to make him immortal,
and the prayer was granted on condition that every animal and plant
would swear not to injure him. To secure this object, Nanna, Balder's
wife, descended upon the earth. Loki, the God of Envy, followed her,
disguised as a crow (which at that time were white), and settled on a
little blue flower, hoping to cover it up, so that Nanna might overlook
it. The flower, however, cried out "forget-me-not, forget-me-not," and
has ever since been known under that name. Loki then flew up into an oak
and sat on a mistletoe. Here he was more successful. Nanna carried off
the oath of the oak, but overlooked the mistletoe. She thought, however,
and the divinities thought, that she had successfully accomplished her
mission, and that Balder had received the gift of immortality.

One day, supposing Balder proof, they amused themselves by shooting at
him, posting