“We will wait, then,” answered the sea-nymphs.  “But while you are gone, we may as well lie down on a bank of soft sponge, under the water.  The air to-day is a little too dry for our comfort.  But we will pop up our heads every few minutes to see if you are coming.”

The young Proserpina ran quickly to a spot where, only the day before, she had seen a great many flowers.  These, however, were now a little past their bloom; and wishing to give her friends the freshest and loveliest blossoms, she strayed farther into the fields, and found some that made her scream with delight.  Never had she met with such exquisite flowers before,—­violets, so large and fragrant,—­roses, with so rich and delicate a blush,—­such superb hyacinths and such aromatic pinks,—­and many others, some of which seemed to be of new shapes and colors.  Two or three times, moreover, she could not help thinking that a tuft of most splendid flowers had suddenly sprouted out of the earth before her very eyes, as if on purpose to tempt her a few steps farther.  Proserpina’s apron was soon filled and brimming over with delightful blossoms.  She was on the point of turning back in order to rejoin the sea-nymphs, and sit with them on the moist sands, all twining wreaths together.  But, a little farther on, what should she behold?  It was a large shrub, completely covered with the most magnificent flowers in the world.

“The darlings!” cried Proserpina; and then she thought to herself, “I was looking at that spot only a moment ago.  How strange it is that I did not see the flowers!”

The nearer she approached the shrub, the more attractive it looked, until she came quite close to it; and then, although its beauty was richer than words can tell, she hardly knew whether to like it or not.  It bore above a hundred flowers of the most brilliant hues, and each different from the others, but all having a kind of resemblance among themselves, which showed them to be sister blossoms.  But there was a deep, glossy lustre on the leaves of the shrub, and on the petals of the flowers, that made Proserpina doubt whether they might not be poisonous.  To tell you the truth, foolish as it may seem, she was half inclined to turn round and run away.

“What a silly child I am!” thought she, taking courage.  “It is really the most beautiful shrub that ever sprang out of the earth.  I will pull it up by the roots, and carry it home, and plant it in my mother’s garden.”

Holding up her apron full of flowers with her left hand, Proserpina seized the large shrub with the other, and pulled and pulled, but was hardly able to loosen the soil about its roots.  What a deep-rooted plant it was!  Again the girl pulled with all her might, and observed that the earth began to stir and crack to some distance around the stem.  She gave another pull, but relaxed her hold, fancying that there was a rumbling sound right beneath her feet.  Did the roots extend down into some enchanted cavern?  Then, laughing at herself for so childish a notion, she made another effort; up came the shrub, and Proserpina staggered back, holding the stem triumphantly in her hand, and gazing at the deep hole which its roots had left in the soil.