in the oak tree, and was fond of talking of all the grand things he
had seen, and a great many he had not seen, for the cuckoo is a
bird of fine imagination; and at last, as I have already said,
three of the daffodils made up their minds that to be a flower and
live in a wood was a very dreadful thing, and not to be put up with
any longer.

Now the cuckoo had told many strange tales about creatures with two
legs and beautiful coloured leaves which grew in an odd way, and
feathers only on their heads. They could not fly, but they could
run about from place to place, and dance and sing; and at last the
daffodils decided that they wished to be like these curious
creatures, which the cuckoo called GIRLS.

Then there were sad times in that sweet little nook under the oak
tree.

The naughty daffodils cried and quarrelled and bewailed their lot
all day long, till they made themselves and everybody else
extremely wretched. Their little sister shook her head at them,
and scolded and said that for her part she was not meant to have
legs; but it was all no use, the daffodils would not be quiet.

One day the Fairy Visitor who looked after the flowers in that part
heard the silly blossoms crying, and stopped to ask what was the
matter. When she heard the story she told them they were very
foolish and discontented, and that the cuckoo was a most
mischievous bird and liked to get people into trouble; but the
daffodils would not listen. So knowing there is nothing so likely
to cure silly flower as to give them their own silly way, she said-