| There was a
beautiful and fragrant violet lived in a solitary garden .One
morning , she lifted her head and looked about ; she saw a tall and
handsome rose standing proudly and reaching high into space , like
a burning torch upon an emerald lamp. |
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The violet opened her blue lips and said : “What an
unfortunate am I among these flowers ,and how humble is the
position I occupy in their presence ! Nature has fashioned me to be
short and poor …I live very close to the earth and I cannot raise
my head toward the blue sky , or turn my face to the sun , as the
roses do ”Nature heard the words of the violet , she approached and
said , “ What has happened to you , my daughter violet ?”In a
pleading voice ,the violet answered her ,saying “Oh great and
merciful mother ,full of love and sympathy ,I beg you ,with all my
heart and soul ,to grant my request and allow me to be a rose for
one day.”
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And
nature responded ,“You know not what you are seeking ;you are
unaware of the concealed disaster behind your blind ambition .If
you were a rose you would be sorry ,and repentance would avail you
but naught.” The violet insisted , ：“Change me into a tall rose
,for I wish to lift my head high with pride; and regardless of my
fate ,it will be my own doing .” Nature yielded ,saying ,“ignorant
and rebellious violet ,I will grant your request .But if calamity
befalls you ,your complaint must be to yourself.”
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And Nature stretched forth her mysterious and magic finger
and touched the roots of the violet ,who immediately turned into a
tall rose ;rising above all other flowers in the garden
.
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At
eventide the sky became thick with black clouds ,and the raging
elements disturbed the silence of existence with thunder ,and
commenced to attack the garden ,sending forth a great rain and
strong winds .The tempest tore the branches and uprooted the plants
and broke the stems of the tall flowers ,sparing only the little
ones who grew close to the friendly earth .That solitary garden
suffered greatly from the belligerent skies ,and when the storm
calmed and the sky cleared ,all the flowers were laid waste and
none of them had escaped the wrath of Nature except the calm of
small violets ,hiding by the wall of the garden .Having lifted her
head and viewed the tragedy of the flowers and trees ,one of the
violet maidens smiled happily and called to here companions ,saying
,”See what the tempest has done to the haughty flowers!” Another
violet said ,“We are small ,and live close to the earth ,but we are
safe from the wrath of the skies .”
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At that moment the queen of violet saw by her side the
converted violet ,hurled to earth by the storm and distorted upon
the wet grass like a limp soldier in a battlefield .The queen of
the violet lifted her head and called to her family ,saying ,“look
,my daughters ,and meditate upon that which Greed has done to the
violet who became a proud rose for one hour . Let the memory of
this scence be a reminder of your good fortune.”
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| And the
dying rose moved and gathered the remnants of her strength , and
quietly said ,“ You are contended and meek dullards ; I have never
feared the tempest . Yesterday I,too, was satisfied and contented
with life , but contentment has acted as a barrier between my
existence and the tempest of life , confining me to a sickly and
sluggish peace and tranquility of mind . I could have lived the
same life you are living now by clinging with fear to the earth .I
could have waited for winter to shroud me with snow and deliver me
to Death , who will surely claim all violet . I am happy now
beacause I have probed outside my little world into the mystery of
the Universe … something which you have not yet done . I could have
overlooked Greed , but as I hearkened to the silence of the night ,
I heard the heavenly world talking to this earthly world, saying ,
‘ Ambition beyond existence is the essential purpose of our being .
' At that moment my spirit revolted and my heart longed for a
position higher than my limited existence.I realized that the abyss
cannot hear the song of the stars , and at that moment I commenced
fighting against my smallness and craving for that which did not
belong to me , until my rebelliousness turned into a great power ,
and my longing into a creating will … Nature , who is the great
object of our deeper dreams , granted my request and changed me
into a rose with her magic fingers.” |
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The rose became silent for a moment , and
in a weakening voice , mingled with pride and achievement , she
said , “ I have lived one hour as a proud rose ; I have existed for
a time like a queen ; I have looked at the universe from behind the
eyes of the rose ;I have heard the whisper of the firmament through
the ears of the rose and touched the folds of light's
garment with rose petals. Is there
any here who can claim such honor ?”Having this spoken , she
lowered her head ,and with a choking voice she gasped , “ I shall
die now , for my souls has attainted its goal .I have finally
extended my knowledge to a world beyond the narrow cavern of my
birth .This is the secret of existence .” Then the rose quivered ,
slowly folded her petals , and breathed her last with a heavenly
smile upon her lips … a smile of fulfillment of hope and purpose in
life … a smile of victory … a God's smile.
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