y sons, to
bring such splendid blossoms out of this wild moor," said a cracked
voice behind them, as the old herb-woman came hobbling up with her apron
full of mushrooms and her basket of sweet-smelling roots and leaves.

"Only pansies, mother, for the market," answered Plush, looking up with
a smile.

"See how sweet they are! You shall have the first because you are so
kind to us," added Purple, offering her a bunch of them as gallantly as
if he were kneeling to a queen instead of an old woman as brown and
wrinkled as a withered leaf.

"Good lads! I'll be still kinder and read the story these fine flowers
are trying to tell," she said, as her eyes shone and her skinny hands
turned the pansies to and fro. "I can read all plants, and so I learn
many strange things. See if you understand this sad tale, for this is
what is written on these flowers, and it must be true, for they cannot
lie."

The Princes drew nearer and watched curiously as a trembling finger
pointed out the different parts while the old woman spoke, glancing
into their tell-tale faces now and then.

"There are five leaves. This great golden one sits alone on her green
seat at the top. These two smaller yellow ones, with a touch of purple
in them, sit on either side; but these two purple ones have only one
seat between them, though they are the handsomest of all. Now look here
in the middle, and see this little image like a man in a green gown and
a red cap hiding away in the warmest, safest place with a bag of seeds
which will ripen by-and-by if he will let the sun in. Come now, do you
see any meaning to that, my sons?" asked the old soul, with a sharp look
at the boys, who blushed and smiled and sighed, but could not speak, for
here was their own sad story truly told in the magic flower.

The herb-woman nodded wisely, but only said in a kind tone, as she put
the posy in her bosom,--

"Heart's-ease won't grow for every one, but all the world wants it and
will pay well for it; so sell your pansies, lads, and earn a fortune
worth having. I'll be in the market-place when you come, and say a good
word for you, though you don't need it with such bonny faces and gentle
ways of your own."

Then she went away, and the wondering Princes made haste to pick all the
flowers that were in bloom, tying the bunches up with sweet-scented
grass, and laying them in baskets of green rushes which they had made. A
pretty sight it was; for the little pansy faces seemed