A Book of Fairy Tales From Flowerland

EDITED with an INTRODUCTION By HARTWELL JAMES WITH FORTY ILLUSTRATIONS By JOHN R. NEILL

PHILADELPHIA HENRY ALTEMUS COMPANY

Altemus' Illustrated Fairy Tales Series The Magic Bed A Book of East Indian Tales The Cat and the Mouse A Book of Persian Tales The Jeweled Sea A Book of Chinese Tales The Magic Jaw Bone A Book of South Sea Islands Tales The Man Elephant A Book of African Tales The Enchanted Castle A Book of Tales from Flower Land Fifty Cents Each Copyright, 1906 By Henry Altemus

Every boy and girl—and for that matter every man and woman, too—rejoices when the winter snows have vanished and the earth once more puts on her beautiful dress of green, for then the flowers wake from their sleep and clothe the earth with beauty.

Because all boys and girls love flowers, those of them who read this book will be interested in the beautiful stories they have to tell, loving them even more when they know something of their past history and some of the events with which they are associated.

Hundreds of years ago, before clocks or watches were invented, people used to tell the time by means of flowers, and

One very old writer tells us that he knew of forty-six flowers by which he could tell the time, and since then a great many more have been discovered. These time-keepers open and shut their blossoms at exactly the same time each day, and every hour of the day or night some flower opens and closes its petals.

Then those who love fairies know that they have much to do with the flowers, and while to some they may seem very trifling occupations—this writing and reading about fairies—yet

H.J.

The Enchanted Castle The Fair Maids of February The Loveless Youth The Wind Flower The Fate of Hyacinthus St. Leonard and the Fiery Snake A Fair Prisoner The Ungrateful Traveler The Star of Bethlehem The Angel's Gift The Holy Hay The Search for Gold The Flower Fairies 13 23 35 41 49 57 69 79 87 95 105 113 121

"'You will come to the walls of an old castle'" "'I am gathering them for Mother'" "Slowly the great door opened" "'The Key-flower will always admit you'" "Hastened home to her mother" "The skies were gray and cheerless" "'Tell me why thou weepest'" "The angel handed her the frail blossom" "When the winter snows disappear" "The monks were fond of planting the snowdrops" "The boy did not return their love" "The image in the water returned no answer" "Zephyr cared not for Lady Flora" "When the March winds blow" "She is a capital weather-glass" "They walked and drove together" "Playing a game of quoits together" "He had slain him with his own hand" "With such returning spring" "The country people warned him" "He sank, exhausted, upon the steps" "As they followed its winding course" "But St. Leonard drew his sword" "Shut up in the turret-chamber" "In the disguise of a peddler" "She fell into the court yard below" "The sweet blossoms of a tiny flower" "A great doorway in the rock" "Once more upon the bleak mountain side" "He could hear the voices of the priests" "'The Star of Bethlehem' men call it" "The bright messenger from heaven" "Then she was tied to the stake" "'Make me more lovely still'" "The birds of the air came to him" "A crown around the baby head" "His bed was of fresh, sweet hay" "They were struck with wonder" "Hunted down like wild beasts" "The Spaniards called them Marigolds" Page Frontispiece 14 16 17 18 24 25 28 29 33 36 37 42 43 44 50 51 52 53 58 61 62 63 71 73 74 80 81 82 88 89 90 97 99 100 106 107 114 115 116

THE ENCHANTED CASTLE