the most beautiful white flowers grew luxuriantly.
The swallow flew with Ellie to one of these flowers, and set her down on a broad leaf; but how astonished was Ellie when she saw that in the flower a little mannikin was sitting, as delicate and transparent as glass. He wore a small golden crown on his head, and the most beautiful bright wings on his shoulders; and he was not a whit larger than Ellie herself. This was the sylph of the flower. In each flower dwelt such a little man with his wife; but this was the king of all the sylphs of the flowers.
“Oh, how handsome this king is!” whispered Ellie in the swallow’s ear. The little prince started at the sudden arrival of the great bird; but when he saw Ellie he became enamored of her, for she was the most beautiful maiden he had ever seen. Then he took off his golden crown, set it on Ellie’s head, and asked her name, and if she would be his wife, and so become queen of all the flowers.
