"Why don't you ask the flowers to tell you the
way?" he said to his companion.
"The flowers?" returned the Princess, surprised
at the question.
"Of course," said Files. "The field-flowers must
be second-cousins to a Rose Princess, and I
believe if you ask them they will tell you."
She looked more closely at the flowers. There
were hundreds of white daisies, golden buttercups,
bluebells and daffodils growing by the roadside,
and each flower-head was firmly set upon its
slender but stout stem. There were even a few wild
roses scattered here and there and perhaps it was
the sight of these that gave the Princess courage
to ask the important question.
She dropped to her knees, facing the flowers,
and extended both her arms pleadingly toward them.
"Tell me, pretty cousins," she said in her
sweet, gentle voice, "which way will lead us to
the Kingdom of Ruggedo, the Nome King?"
At once all the stems bent gracefully to the
right and the flower heads nodded once--twice--
thrice in that direction.
"That's it!" cried Files joyfully. "Now we
know the way."
Ozga rose to her feet and looked wonderingly
at the field-flowers, which had now resumed
their upright position.
"Was it the wind, do you think?" she asked
in a low whisper.
"No, indeed," replied Files. "There is not a
breath of wind stirring. But these lovely blossoms
are indeed your cousins and answered your question
at once, as I knew they would."
Chapter Nine
Ruggedo's Rage is Rash and Reckless
The way taken by the adventurers led up hill and
down dale and wound here and there in a fashion
that seemed aimless.
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