"We do not know," said the maidens; "each day we have tried to bring the same kind of flowers. We will search for it."
But day after day the queen was disappointed, because she missed from her flowers the one whose perfume was the sweetest she had ever enjoyed.
Once or twice she thought the handmaidens had found the blossom, but in a little while she knew the scent was not the one she was hoping to find.
One morning she said, "I'll go with you to gather the blossoms, my handmaidens. I shall find the flower by its rare odor."
Then the maidens told the queen about the meadow outside the royal park, and together they went to the beautiful field, whose blossoms delighted her majesty's heart. Many times while they were all searching for the treasure, they saw the queen stoop over a bright flower and linger for a moment or two. Then she would shake her head and say, "No, that is not the perfume I am searching."
"It must be in this meadow somewhere," said one of the maidens, "for many days we have gathered flowers nowhere but here."
"We'll search until we find it, then," said the queen.
As she spoke a light breeze began to stir the flowers, and a delicate perfume filled the air.
"I smell the rare odor now," called out her majesty. "Come, stand near for a moment, and enjoy it. Surely the flower is not far away."
The handmaidens gathered round their queen. Suddenly one of them said, "Can it be that this odor comes from the little plant under your majesty's foot?" asked one of the maidens.