“Taken root?” she echoed vaguely.
“Yes, for that was your fate at the last, wasn’t it? If I am not mistaken you sat for days on the ground, subsisting on your tears and watching the sun cross the heavens, until at last your limbs became rooted to the ground and you just naturally turned into a sunflower. At least, that’s the way I recollect it.”
“Oh, but you shouldn’t tell me what my fate is to be,” she answered smilingly.
“Forearmed is forewarned; no, I mean the other way around!” he replied. “Maybe if you just keep your feet moving you’ll escape that fate. It would be awfully uncomfortable, I should say! Besides, pardon me if it sounds rude, sunflowers are such unattractive things, don’t you think so?”
“Yes, I’m afraid they are. The fate of Daphne or Lotis or Syrinx would be much nicer.”
“What happened to them, please?”
“Why, Daphne was changed to a laurel; have you forgotten?”
“No, but how about the other ladies?”