Sweet Pea—the Peacock
You use a little pretended magic when you turn a sweet-pea blossom into a peacock, and that makes it seem more mysterious and more interesting. It doesn't take a second but while you are doing it you must repeat this transformation rhyme:
"Sweet Pea, Sweet Pea,
Your petals unlock.
I turn two down,
And you're a peacock."
Fig.96: - "Sweet Pea, Sweet Pea, Your petals unlock."
Pick out a fine, large sweet-pea blossom. It doesn't matter about the color. If you have a number to choose from, suit yourself. Hold the flower in your left hand by its stem and recite the first two lines:
"Sweet Pea, Sweet Pea,
Your petals unlock."
Fig.97: - "I turn two down and you're a Peacock."
Then as you reach around to the back of the flower with your right hand and put your thumb on one curled petal, X, and your first finger on the other curled petal, Y ([Fig. 96]), finish the rhyme:
"I turn two down,
And you're a peacock."
and at the same time turn these petals down as they are in [Fig. 97]. You will see right away that the turned-down petals at the sides are the wings, the upright petal at the back is the tail, and the closed middle part is the body. The tipped-up point of the body part makes a very good head for the little sweet-pea peacock.
Fig.98 - The blossoms of the cultivated Snapdragon are large.