One day the Fairy Visitor who looked after the flowers in that part
heard the silly blossoms crying, and stopped to ask what was the
matter. When she heard the story she told them they were very
foolish and discontented, and that the cuckoo was a most
mischievous bird and liked to get people into trouble; but the
daffodils would not listen. So knowing there is nothing so likely
to cure silly flower as to give them their own silly way, she said-
-"Very well, my dears, you want to be girls, and girls you shall
be."
With that she waved her wand over the three daffodils and in a
twinkle they were gone; in their places stood three tall pretty
maidens dressed in soft yellow silk frocks with green stockings and
shoes. For a minute they were too much astonished to speak, then
clapping their hands they laughed and skipped for joy, and wanted
to kiss the old fairy because they were so pleased at getting their
own way; but the fairy would not look at them, and stooped over the
little flower now growing all alone, saying kindly:-
"Well, little one, don't you want to be a pretty maiden, too?"
But the daffodil shook her head with great determination:-
"I don't want legs and I won't have legs. I was meant to be a
flower and a flower I will be, but if you could keep that meddling,
chattering cuckoo away from this tree for a time I should be much
obliged."
And the fairy laughed and promised.
Meanwhile the three pretty maidens had set of hand in hand to seek
their fortunes.
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