" WHAT lovely roses！" said the sunshine．" And ev-ery bud will unfold，and be equally beautiful．They are my children！ I have kissed them into life！"

" They are my children！" said the dew." I have suckled them with my tears．"

" I should think that I am their mother！" said therose hedge．"You others are only god-parents， who gave christening gifts，according to your means and good will．"

" My lovely rose-children！"said all three of them，and wished every blossom the greatest luck，but only one could be the luckiest，and one must be also the leastlucky；but which of them？

" That I shall find out！" said the wind．" I travel farand wide， force myself through the narrowest chink； I know about everything outside and inside．"

Every blossomed rose heard what had been said，every swelling¹ bud caught it．

Then there came through the garden a sorrowful， loving mother，dressed in black；she plucked one of the roses，which was just half-blown，fresh and full；it seemed to her to be the most beautiful of them all．Shetook the blossom into the quiet， silent chamber， where only a few days ago the young， happy daughter had romped² about， but now lay there， like a sleeping marblefigure， stretched out in the black coffin．The motherkissed the dead child，then kissed the half-blown rose，and laid it on the breast of the young girl， as if it by itsfreshness and a mother's kiss could make the heart beatagain. It was as if the rose were swelling；every leaf quiv-ered with delight at the thought，" What a career of lovewas granted to me！ I become like a child of man， receivea mother'kiss and words of blessing， and go into the unknown kingdom， dreaming on the breast of the dead！Assuredly I am the luckiest among all my sister！"

In the garden，where the rose-tree stood， walked the old weeding-woman ；she also gazed at the glory of the tree，and fixed³ her eyes on the biggest full-blown rose． One drop of dew， and one warm day more， and the leaves would fall；the woman saw that and thought that as it had fulfilledits mission of beauty， now it should serve its purpose of usefulness． And so she plucked it， and put it in a newspa- per ； it was to go home with her to other leaf stripped roses，and be preserved with them and become pot-pourri， to be mixed with the little blue boys which are called lavender， and be

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1 swelling
n.肿胀
参考例句：
Use ice to reduce the swelling. 用冰敷消肿。 There is a marked swelling of the lymph nodes. 淋巴结处有明显的肿块。

2 romped
v.嬉笑玩闹( romp的过去式和过去分词 )；（尤指在赛跑或竞选等中）轻易获胜
参考例句：
Children romped on the playground. 孩子们在操场上嬉笑玩闹。 来自《简明英汉词典》 John romped home well ahead of all the other runners. 约翰赛马跑时轻而易举地战胜了所有的选手。 来自辞典例句

3 fixed
adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的
参考例句：
Have you two fixed on a date for the wedding yet?你们俩选定婚期了吗？ Once the aim is fixed,we should not change it arbitrarily.目标一旦确定，我们就不应该随意改变。

4 embalmed
adj.用防腐药物保存（尸体）的v.保存（尸体）不腐( embalm的过去式和过去分词 )；使不被遗忘；使充满香气
参考例句：
Many fine sentiments are embalmed in poetry. 许多微妙的情感保存于诗歌中。 来自辞典例句 In books, are embalmed the greatest thoughts of all ages. 伟大思想古今有，载入书中成不朽。 来自互联网

5 wither
vt.使凋谢，使衰退，(用眼神气势等)使畏缩；vi.枯萎，衰退，消亡
参考例句：
She grows as a flower does-she will wither without sun.她象鲜花一样成长--没有太阳就会凋谢。 In autumn the leaves wither and fall off the trees.秋天，树叶枯萎并从树上落下来。

6 immortal
adj.不朽的；永生的，不死的；神的
参考例句：
The wild cocoa tree is effectively immortal.野生可可树实际上是不会死的。 The heroes of the people are immortal!人民英雄永垂不朽！

7 grasshopper
n.蚱蜢，蝗虫，蚂蚱
参考例句：
He thought he had made an end of the little grasshopper.他以为把那个小蚱蜢干掉了。 The grasshopper could not find anything to eat.蚱蜢找不到任何吃的东西。

8 amorous
adj.多情的；有关爱情的
参考例句：
They exchanged amorous glances and clearly made known their passions.二人眉来眼去，以目传情。 She gave him an amorous look.她脉脉含情的看他一眼。

9 grasshoppers
n.蚱蜢( grasshopper的名词复数 )；蝗虫；蚂蚱；（孩子）矮小的
参考例句：
Grasshoppers die in fall. 蚱蜢在秋天死去。 来自《简明英汉词典》 There are usually a lot of grasshoppers in the rice fields. 稻田里通常有许多蚱蜢。 来自辞典例句

10 starry
adj.星光照耀的, 闪亮的
参考例句：
He looked at the starry heavens.他瞧着布满星星的天空。 I like the starry winter sky.我喜欢这满天星斗的冬夜。

11 bouquet
n.花束，酒香
参考例句：
This wine has a rich bouquet.这种葡萄酒有浓郁的香气。 Her wedding bouquet consisted of roses and ivy.她的婚礼花篮包括玫瑰和长春藤。

12 attire
v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装
参考例句：
He had no intention of changing his mode of attire.他无意改变着装方式。 Her attention was attracted by his peculiar attire.他那奇特的服装引起了她的注意。

13 illuminated
adj.被照明的；受启迪的
参考例句：
Floodlights illuminated the stadium. 泛光灯照亮了体育场。 the illuminated city at night 夜幕中万家灯火的城市

14 celebrated
adj.有名的，声誉卓著的
参考例句：
He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。 The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

15 fragrance
n.芬芳，香味，香气
参考例句：
The apple blossoms filled the air with their fragrance.苹果花使空气充满香味。 The fragrance of lavender filled the room.房间里充满了薰衣草的香味。

16 scent
n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉
参考例句：
The air was filled with the scent of lilac.空气中弥漫着丁香花的芬芳。 The flowers give off a heady scent at night.这些花晚上散发出醉人的芳香。

17 strewed
v.撒在…上( strew的过去式和过去分词 )；散落于；点缀；撒满
参考例句：
Papers strewed the floor. 文件扔了一地。 来自《简明英汉词典》 Autumn leaves strewed the lawn. 草地上撒满了秋叶。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》