DOROTHY’S DREAM OF HAPPINESS
Reading edition
Wherein a little girl learns a great lesson in her dreams.
“Mother dear,” said Dorothy, “may I go pick some flowers?”
“Yes, but you must not go far as it is getting late.”
“Very well, mother,” said Dorothy, “I’ll do everything you say,” and off she scampered to pick flowers.
It was a beautiful day in May and all the flowers were in bloom.
“Oh, how I wish I were a flower!” thought Dorothy. “They are such beautiful things and they make so many people happy.”
She walked along as happy as happy could be picking flowers and humming to herself. Presently she sat down to rest, and leaned her head against the trunk of a big tree.
Soon it grew so dark she could not see. She had forgotten that her mother had told her not to go far. She looked all around, but could not see a thing. It was black dark everywhere. Dorothy wondered why it was so dark.
“Oh, dear, what shall I do! there’s no place to go, and I can’t stay here.” She walked on feeling her way among the trees until she saw a light away up on the top of a steep hill. She climbed the hill in the direction of the light until she came to a little house. Out at the gate stood an old, old woman gazing up at the stars.
“Oh, please,” said Dorothy to the old woman, “help me out. I am lost from home and I do wish I could make somebody happy. Do you know how I can do it?”
The old woman thought for a minute before she said:
“Yes, I can turn you into a beautiful daisy, and you can grow here on the hillside, and you will afford somebody happiness.”
“Very well,” said little Dorothy, “that suits me exactly, for I have been wishing I were a flower.”
The next morning when the old woman awoke she went to her window and looked among her flowers, and there was the most beautiful daisy growing among the others.
In a short while an old man passed by and noticed this beautiful daisy.
“Look what a beautiful flower,” said he to himself, “with its golden heart and its silver dress. I will take it to Louise, how happy she will be to see this lovely flower.”
Louise was sick, and when the old man gave her the flower how happy she was! The little flower afforded Louise pleasure until she grew well and strong again.
Just then a call came: “Dorothy, Dorothy, where are you, dear?” Dorothy opened her eyes and answered:
“Here I am, mother, under the big oak tree.” She had only been dreaming. But as she went into the house she said to herself, “I wonder if I need to be turned into a flower to give happiness to others.”