“I won’t take any more time now, girls, to go into details about plants, because we have all summer to ask and answer questions on any special matter. But I will reply to any query you may wish to ask me now, before I begin the legends,” said Mrs. Tompkins.
The scouts showed no desire to postpone the telling of the stories they wanted to hear, so the guest smiled and began.
“I’ll begin by telling you that Hester’s natal flower is the white rose—her birthday comes on the first of June. The fairy-tale about the first white rose is very pretty.
“One very warm day in the long ago, the Hindu god Vishnu was arguing with Brahma while both of them floated on the water to cool themselves. Brahma had said that the lovely lotus in which he was floating was the fairest flower that ever was seen. Vishnu contradicted his statement, by saying that he knew of a flower far more beautiful.
“Then Brahma said impatiently: ‘I cannot believe what my eyes have ne’er beheld. Where is this rare blossom thou praiseth?’
“Vishnu smiled wisely and replied: ‘The lotus is fair, but this flower that blooms only in my garden of Paradise is incomparable. Nothing hath ever been seen like unto it.’
“Then Brahma became curious to see it with his own eyes, and he said: ‘Go to! If thy flower be so wondrous fair that its beauty exceedeth my lotus, then will I give thee the half of my kingdom. But should it fail to merit my admiration and my lotus remains the finest flower, then the half of thy domain becomes mine.’
“Vishnu agreed to this wager and the two quickly hied them to the Paradise that surrounded Vishnu’s palace. Brahma was conducted to a royal banqueting hall to partake of refreshments, but he was too eager to see the beautiful flower Vishnu had lauded.
“So the two sought the gardens where the sweetest and loveliest flowers bloomed all the year round. Then came Vishnu to a circular bed that was surrounded by a path, and all about this path were wonderful roses, wafting their perfume everywhere. But all the blossoms turned the one way—towards the circular flower bed in the center of which stood a tall, slender, majestic rose plant.
“Vishnu halted in front of this rose tree that stood apart from its brethren, as if consecrated for a purpose. And as he lifted his eyes to the tiny green bud that crowned the top of the bush, the bud began to grow. Brahma stared in wonderment, but said not a word—so marvelled he.