Chapter 39 A
Leaf from HeavenHIGH up in the clear, pure air flew an angel, with a
flower plucked from the garden of heaven. As he was kissing the
flower a very little leaf fell from it and sunk down into the soft
earth in the middle of a wood. It immediately took root, sprouted,
and sent out shoots among the other plants.
"What a ridiculous little shoot!" said one. "No one will
recognize it; not even the thistle nor the
stinging-nettle."
"It must be a kind of garden plant," said another; and so
they sneered and despised the plant as a thing from a
garden.
"Where are you coming?" said the tall thistles whose
leaves were all armed with thorns. "It is stupid nonsense to allow
yourself to shoot out in this way; we are not here to support
you."
Winter came, and the plant was cov
