As your beauty is to me.
James Whitcomb Riley.
From the Biographical Edition of the complete works of James Whitcomb Riley. Copyright 1913. Used by special permission of the publishers, The Bobbs-Merrill Company.
THE LITTLE HEARTSEASE
One morning a king went into his garden for a walk. He noticed that the trees and flowers were drooped and somewhat withered. Turning to a great branching oak tree, his majesty said, "Tell me what has happened to my garden?"
"Sire," moaned the oak tree, "I am most unhappy. See how thick my trunk is and how gnarled and twisted my great branches are. Now the pine tree, which stands at the other end of the garden, is a picture of grace and beauty. How tall and slender the stem is, and what dainty needles—like leaves—adorn the branches."
The king walked on until he came to the pine tree. As he drew near he heard a deep sigh.
"What troubles you, slender pine tree?" he asked.
"Sire," replied the pine, "I've been wishing for many a day that I could bear luscious grapes such as ripen on the vine which trails over the garden wall. To bear rich clusters of purple fruit must, indeed, bring great happiness."
The king walked on until he came to the garden wall where the grapevine trailed. But he saw that the vine was withering and slipping down from the wall.