The Key-flower

In Flanders the cowslip is called the key-flower. The story I am about

to tell you will explain why it is so named.

A little child died. Its little soul was as innocent and pure as freshly

fallen snow. As a dove freed after long captivity flies straight into

the blue sky, so the little soul flew into God’s Heaven and knocked at

the gate.

St. Peter with his large golden key drew back the heavy lock, half

opened the door and looked through the crack.

On seeing who was there, he opened the door wide and welcomed in the new

little angel.

But behold, when the Saint was about to close the door, he let fall the

bunch of keys with a thud on the golden threshold. Before he was able to

pick them up they had slipped from the threshold into the fathomless

blue.

They fell through space for two or three days and landed in a cemetery

at the entrance to a little village.

Scarcely had they touched the earth, where they sparkled amidst the

grass and the flowers, when a beautiful new flower sprang to life which

had never been seen on earth before and was therefore without a name.

Early next morning a little orphan girl went to the cemetery to put

flowers on her mother’s grave. She soon discovered this strange flower

poised so proudly on its stalk. She was very surprised to find the

pretty little bell flowers, which were certainly not growing there the

day before, and which she had never seen.

She stooped down to examine the plant more closely and was amazed to

find in the bushes a bunch of golden keys held together by a gold ring

on which she read the word “Heaven.”

The discovery of the new flower and the bunch of keys was fully

discussed in the village, and the news spread far and wide. Every one

came to see the new flower. They called it the Key of Heaven, by which

name it has been known ever since.