Show the white violet the inhabitants of W ar cathay have a pretty little legend which accounts for the origin ot the white violet the following story Is an accurate translation U from the chinese at fantai close under the great south wan vail of Fuh chan lived suen mot mol the violet girl in the house bouse of her father the maker of baskets but BU he was old his hands bands had lost their skill and he was like a blind fowl picking at random after worms they would have been poor had bad he be not been as careful with his cash as a bee with its honey suen mot mol did not know so she sold old violets that heaven might bestow upon her the hundred blessings her flowers grew in fa front of the house which faced the north and she ahe knew the flowers loved her because when they blossomed they always turned their heads toward the door she called the flowers her children gave them water when the hot sun aim tried to scorch them and kept the weeds away every day she picked the best beat ones and sold them that chilt her b er parents might not die poor whenever We never she sold a bunch she always whIsP whispered eCed ni ho chi chaok lok that they might find comfort in the parting the flowers ot of suen mot have bouls those therse at the market said they know her voice and her touch and when they pass into strange hands they droop their heads and die but suen moi mod said they only wanted water she gathered her flowers early in the morning before the sun was up and she kept them in a basket made of bamboo shoots one morning just as she had finished a young man stopped at the gate do you sell flowers he asked yes honorable sir and she ehe bowed low for she know knew by his dress that he was a man of rank 1 I want to buy some of you she took the basket to him and hold held it out that he might please himself he took one flower then tram from the purse at his belt he brought out a coin which he dropped into her hand it was a long pie piece of yellow metal shaped like a knife upon it were characters which suen mot moi could not understand it la Is too much she said like a child that cannot calculate 1 I give it to you because you love your flowers and are good to them answered the stranger abe watched him curiously pas es he walked away and then she looked at the coin when she went into the house she showed it to her parents it is very ancient said her father there is one like in in the museum at t Puh Fuh chan it is gold wd said her mother it if we had three more we should be rich the next morning the stranger came again he came over to whre suen mot mol was gathering flowers and said to her suen mot moi suen mot moi give me a flower dowel 1 I have picked the best one tor for you the she answered blushing why have you picked the best one he asked because I 1 know you love flowers too she answered do you know you are a flower 9 he said she hung bung her head no onte had ever spoken like this to her before you are as beautiful as the flow era em he sald said your heart is pure and sweet I 1 love you as you do the flowena fl owera the stranger one is at the gate talking to her said the father to his 1 I wonder if he will give her ando N S IS 7 YOU SELL FLOWERS other coin she answered perhaps he be wants to buy her you are am like one who looks at the heavens from the bottom of a well b L answered As he spoke she went to the door she Is bringing him in she said sharply we shall be disgraced disgrace dL mot moi entered with her basket the stranger followed the old couple kneeled and knocked their heads on the floor bemuse because they could easily bee that he ws was a man of rank 1 I have come to announce my betrothal to your daughter he sald said they were so astonished they could say nothing you are not to send her to the market place to sell bell flowers you ton are to find and a sin shang who will teach those things which she ought to know but we ve are am poor honorable dr eald add the old woman who could not help heip thI thinking nIkin of the knife shaped coin I 1 of gold he ha took from his belt an embroidered purse and laid it on the table you are more wealthy than your neighbors he said 0 aften he went out while the old woman began counting the colna I 1 altery day he cama at sunrise and stood at the gue gate while suen mot mol picked one violet tor for him one ona day she asked him s baere dorm in e air I 9 of alte seren se v end geall id ar drab tew S fe SS was away when the moon ninea beriat and round again I 1 will rill return he B walked down the road ath with violet in his hand while sue saw walked sorrowfully into the H for thy three days she grieved ed e flowers which grew in the W a turned their faces toward the door as a if looking for her but she did not COMO come to them the black monster laid his hand upon the village the curse of smallpox raged it crept like a thief through the gate and up the path between the flower beds of suen mot moi it stole into her room and laid its hand upon her fair fore forehead bead and chained her to her couch the fever came into her face then the spots appeared and last of all the rn marks ka of the monsters claws the flowers in the garden knew and hung their heads head I 1 in sorrow arow in her delirium suen mot moi found her lover he had returned and she sh was searching ching for a flower to give him but they all drooped their heads so she raved raise up your heads dont you yoo know that that she did not know his name she turned to him 1 I cannot call you he she said what is your name the blush seemed to come over her face because she ahe was bold but it was only the fever 1 I am called wong fa he answered that is the name of the god of the flowers she said 1 I am that one was the reply but the memory of all this passed from her the black monster has no mercy it has no soul so it is continuously searching for human ones it took the soul of suen mot moi and left the body for or the parents to shed their tears on but as the soul passed down the path to the gate the flowers raised their beads beade and demanded it and it went to them when the sun shone on them the next morning a young man stood at at the gate waiting for or suen mot moi he had bad returned he waited until he saw the white cloth across the door then a terror came over him he walked up the path where is my betrothed he asked ked of the old woman she died of the scourge last night he turned and looked at the flowers you bloom in purple he asked softly you raise your heads in joy when she who loved you best is dead he waved his hand gently over them and they bowed their heads why should you not mourn he asked them and they shivered in the morning breeze mourn for her fo forever reven the old woman went in to light the candles that the soul of suen moi might find its way through the darkness ot of eternity and when the funeral procession passed down the path the violets were white |