"Wait a bit," said the poppy. "Promise me first that you won't tell the others. Else they might have the same ideas; and then there would be less room for my seeds."
"I shall be silent as the grave," said the wind and ran away.
"Pst! Pst!" said the bell-flower. "Have you a moment to do me a tiny service?"
"All right," said the wind. "What is it?"
"Oh, I only wanted to ask you to shake me a little!" said the flower. "I have opened some shutters in my head and I should like to have my seeds sent a good distance out into the world. But you must be sure not to tell the others, or they might think of doing the same thing."
"Lord preserve us!" said the wind and laughed. "I shall be dumb as a fish."
And then he gave the flower a thorough good shaking and went on.
"Dear Wind, dear Wind!" cried the dandelion. "Where are you off to so fast?"
"Is there anything the matter with you too?" asked the wind.
"Not a bit," said the dandelion. "I only wanted to have a word with you."