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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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