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ee of them！〃
〃But how can one flower tell another？ Flowers cannot speak？〃
〃No； certainly not；〃 replied the student； 〃but they can makesigns。 Have you not often seen that when the wind blows they nod atone another； and rustle all their green leaves？〃
〃Can the professor understand the signs？〃 asked Ida。
〃Yes； to be sure he can。 He went one morning into his garden；and saw a stinging tle making signs with its leaves to abeautiful red carnation。 It was saying； 'You are so pretty； I like youvery much。' But the professor did not approve of such nonsense； sohe clapped his hands on the tle to stop it。 Then the leaves；which are its fingers； stung him so sharply that he has never venturedto touch a tle since。〃
〃Oh how funny！〃 said Ida； and she laughed。
〃How can anyone put such notions into a child's head？〃 said atiresome lawyer； who had e to pay a visit； and sat on the sofa。He did not like the student； and would grumble when he saw him cuttingout droll or amusing pictures。 Sometimes it would be a man hangingon a gibbet and holding a heart in his hand as if he had been stealinghearts。 Sometimes it was an old witch riding through the air on abroom and carrying her husband on her nose。 But the lawyer did notlike such jokes； and he would say as he had just said； 〃How can anyoneput such nonsense into a child's head！ what absurd fancies there are！〃
But to little Ida； all these stories which the student told herabout the flowers； seemed very droll； and she thought over them agreat deal。 The flowers did hang their heads； because they had beendancing all night； and were very tired； and most likely they were ill。Then she took them into the room where a number of toys lay on apretty little table； and the whole of the table drawer besides wasfull of beautiful things。 Her doll Sophy lay in the doll's bed asleep；and little Ida said to her； 〃You must really get up Sophy； and becontent to lie in the drawer to…night； the poor flowers are ill； andthey must lie in your bed； then perhaps they will get well again。〃So she took the doll out； who looked quite cross； and said not asingle word； for she was angry at being turned out of her bed。 Idaplaced the flowers in the doll's bed； and drew the quilt over them。Then she told them to lie quite still and be good； while she made sometea for them； so that they might be quite well and able to get upthe next morning。 And she drew the curtains close round the littlebed； so that the sun might not shine in their eyes。 During the wholeevening she could not help thinking of what the student had toldher。 And before she went to bed herself； she was obliged to peepbehind the curtains into the garden where all her mother's beautifulflowers grew； hyacinths and tulips； and many others。 Then shewhispered to them quite softly； 〃I know you are going to a ballto…night。〃 But the flowers appeared as if they did not understand； andnot a leaf moved； still Ida felt quite sure she knew all about it。 Shelay awake a long time after she was in bed； thinking how pretty itmust be to see all the beautiful flowers dancing in the king's garden。〃I wonder if my flowers have really been there；〃 she said toherself； and then she fell asleep。 In the night she awoke； she hadbeen dreaming of the flowers and of the student； as well as of thetiresome lawyer who found fault with him。 It was quite still inIda's bedroom； the night…lamp burnt on the table； and her father andmother were asleep。 〃I wonder if my flowers are still lying in Sophy'sbed；〃 she thought to herself； 〃how much I should like to know。〃 Sheraised herself a little； and glanced at the door of the room where allher flowers and playthings lay； it was partly open； and as shelistened； it seemed as if some one in the room was playing thepiano； but softly and more prettily than she had ever before heard it。〃Now all the flowers are certainly dancing in there；〃 she thought； 〃ohhow much I should like to see them；〃 but she did not dare move forfear of disturbing her father and mother。 〃If they would only ein here；〃 she thought； but they did not e； and the musiccontinued to play so beautifully； and was so pretty； that she couldresist no longer。 She crept out of her little bed； went softly tothe door and looked into the room。 Oh what a splendid sight therewas to be sure！ There was no night…lamp burning； but the room appearedquite light； for the moon shone through the window upon the floor； andmade it almost like day。 All the hyacinths and tulips stood in twolong rows down the room； not a single flower remained in the window；and the flower…pots were all empty。 The flowers were dancinggracefully on the floor； making turns and holding each other bytheir long green leaves as they swung round。 At the piano sat alarge yellow lily which little Ida was sure she had seen in thesummer； for she remembered the student saying she was very much likeMiss Lina； one of Ida's friends。 They all laughed at him then； but nowit seemed to little Ida as if the tall； yellow flower was reallylike the young lady。 She had just the same manners while playing；bending her long yellow face from side to side； and nodding in time tothe beautiful music。 Then she saw a large purple crocus jump intothe middle of the table where the playthings stood； go up to thedoll's bedstead and draw back the curtains； there lay the sickflowers； but they got up directly； and nodded to the others as asign that they wished to dance with them。 The old rough doll； with thebroken mouth； stood up and bowed to the pretty flowers。 They did notlook ill at all now； but jumped about and were very merry； yet none ofthem noticed little Ida。 Presently it seemed as if something fell fromthe table。 Ida looked that way； and saw a slight carnival rodjumping down among the flowers as if it belonged to them； it was；however； very smooth and neat； and a little wax doll with a broadbrimmed hat on her head； like the one worn by the lawyer； sat upon it。The carnival rod hopped about among the flowers on its three redstilted feet； and stamped quite loud when it danced the Mazurka； theflowers could not perform this dance； they were too light to stampin that manner。 All at once the wax doll which rode on the carnivalrod seemed to grow larger and taller； and it turned round and saidto the paper flowers； 〃How can you put such things in a child'shead？ they are all foolish fancies；〃 and then the doll was exactlylike the lawyer with the broad brimmed hat； and looked as yellow andas cross as he did； but the paper dolls struck him on his thin legs；and he shrunk up again and became quite a little wax doll。 This wasvery amusing； and Ida could not help laughing。 The carnival rod wenton dancing； and the lawyer was obliged to dance also。 It was no use；he might make himself great and tall； or remain a little wax doll witha large black hat； still he must dance。 Then at last the other flowersinterceded for him； especially those who had lain in the doll's bed；and the carnival rod gave up his dancing。 At the same moment a loudknocking was heard in the drawer； where Ida's doll Sophy lay with manyother toys。 Then the rough doll ran to the end of the table； laidhimself flat down upon it； and began to pull the drawer out a littleway。
Then Sophy raised himself； and looked round quite astonished；〃There must be a ball here to…night；〃 said Sophy。 〃Why did notsomebody tell me？〃
〃Will you dance with me？〃 said the rough doll。
〃You are the right sort to dance with； certainly；〃 said she；turning her back upon him。
Then she seated herself on the edge of the drawer； and thoughtthat perhaps one of the flowers would ask her to dance； but none ofthem came。 Then she coughed； 〃Hem； hem； a…hem；〃 but for all that notone came。 The shabby doll now danced quite alone； and not verybadly； after all。 As none of the flowers seemed to notice Sophy； shelet herself down from the drawer to the floor； so as to make a verygreat noise。 All the flowers came round her directly； and asked if shehad hurt herself； especially those who had lain in her bed。 But shewas not hurt at all； and Ida's flowers thanked her for the use ofthe nice bed； and were very kind to her。 They led her into themiddle of the room； where the moon shone； and danced with her； whileall the other flowers formed a circle round them。 Then Sophy wasv