The voice of the night wind sounded so much like the voice ofthe old Flax-spinner， that Olga was startled and looked aroundwonderingly. Then suddenly she seemed to see the thatchedcottage and the bent form of the lonely old woman at the wheel.
All the years in which the good dame had befriended herseemed to rise up in a row， and out of each one called a thousandkindnesses as with one voice： “How canst thou forget us， Olga？
We were done for love’s sweet sake， and that alone！”
Then was Olga sorry and ashamed that she had been soproud and forgetful， and she wept again. The tears seemed toclear her vision， for now she saw plainly that through no powerof her own could she wrest strange favours from fortune.
Only the power of the old charm could make them hers. Sheremembered it then， and holding fast the one bead in her hand，she repeated humbly：
“For love’s sweet sake， in my hour of need，Blossom and deck me， little seed.”
Lo， as the words left her lips， the moon shone out from behindthe clouds above the dark forest. There was a fragrance of liliesall about， and a gossamer gown floated around her， whiter thanthe whiteness of the fairest lily. It was fine like the finest lace thefrost-elves weave， and softer than the softest ermine of the snow.
On her long golden hair gleamed a coronet of pearls.
So beautiful， so dazzling was she as she entered the castledoor， that the Prince came down to meet her， and kneeling，kissed her hand and claimed her as his bride. Then came thebishop in his mitre， and led her to the throne， and before themall the Flax-spinner’s maiden was married to the Prince， andmade the Princess Olga.
Then until the seven days and seven nights were done， therevels lasted in the castle. And in the merriment the old Flaxspinnerwas again forgotten. Her kindness of the past， herloneliness in the present had no part in the thoughts of thePrincess Olga.
All night the old Oak， tapping on the thatch， called down，“Thou’rt forgotten！ Thou’rt forgotten！”
But the beads that had rolled away in the darkness， buriedthemselves in the earth， and took root， and sprang up， as theold woman knew they would do. There at the castle gate theybloomed， a strange， strange flower， for on every stem hung arow of little bleeding hearts.
One day the Princess Olga， seeing them from her window，went down to them in wonderment.
“What do you here？” she cried， for in her forest life she’dlearned all speech of bird and beast and plant.
“We bloom for love’s sweet sake，” they answered. “We havesprung from the old Flax-spinner’s gift—the necklace thoudidst break and scatter. From her heart’s best blood she gave it，and her heart still bleeds to think she is forgotten.”
Then they began to tell the story of the old dame’s sacrifices，all the seventy times seven that she had made for the sake ofthe maiden， and Olga grieved as she listened， that she couldhave been so ungrateful. Then she brought the Prince to hearthe story of the strange， strange flowers， and when he hadheard， together they went to the lowly cottage and fetched theold Flax-spinner to the castle， there to live out all her days inease and contentment.
“See now，” she whispered to the Oak at parting， but sturdilyhe held his ground， persisting， “Thou wouldst have beenforgotten， save for that miracle of bloom.”
And still the flower we call BLEEDING-HEART blooms onby cottage walls and castle gardens， to waken all the world tograteful memories. And ever it doth bring to mind the lonelyhearts that bleed because they are forgotten， and all theysacrificed for love’s sweet sake， to give us happiness.