THE STORY OF THE FORGET-ME-NOT

(Excerpted from “Phyllis Field Friends Flower Stories” by Lenore E. Mulets)

One morning, in the golden days of the early world, an angel sat just outside the gates of Paradise, and wept. “Why do you weep?” gently asked one who passed that way. “Surely the world is lovely, and Paradise is so near!” “Alas!” said the angel, “I must wait long before I may enter Paradise.”

“Why,” said the other, “it seems but a step to the gates. Why must you wait?”

“Look,” said the angel, pointing earthward. The other looked and saw a dainty blue-eyed maiden stooped over the grass by a brookside. “Do you see those tiny blue flowers which she is planting?” whispered the angel. “They are as dainty as she is herself. They are blue as her own eyes. They have hearts of gold as true as her own true heart.”“Why, then, do you weep?” asked the other.“Ah,” said the angel, “I love the gentle maiden, and with her I would have entered Paradise.

But, lo, when we came to the very gates we were not allowed to enter.”

“Tell me more,” said the other.“A task was given to this earth maiden,” said the angel. “In every corner of the world must she plant this tiny blue flower. I may not enter the gates of Paradise without her. Thus it is that I sit outside and weep.”“Nay, nay,” said the other. “weep not. There is a better way than that.”Then he whispered in the angel’s ear.

And the angel flew to earth where the maiden stooped over her dainty blue flowers. He came to assist her in her task. Hand in hand the angel and the beautiful maiden wandered over the land. In every corner of the earth they planted the blue forget-me-nots. Then one day, when the task was done, they sat together beside the stream and wove wreaths of forget-me-nots.

And with garlands of their own flowers about them, the angel gathered the beautiful maiden in his arms and carried her with him to the gates of Paradise. The gates swung wide at their coming, and ever after the angel and the maiden whom he loved wandered mid fields of happiness in the land of Paradise.

Order forget-me-nots and other flowers at Eden Florist