Once upon a time, there were three sisters. The oldest was named Rosie, and she hated flowers. She hated them so much she didn’t even want to go outside the house. But that didn’t help much, because her middle sister Daisy loved flowers and brought them home in pots.
Rosie couldn’t even look at them, she found them so awful, but Daisy brought home so many flowers in pots and window boxes that it was completely impossible to avoid looking at them.
But Daisy also had one bad habit. She was lazy and forgetful, so she didn’t water the flowers. You’re probably thinking her flowers didn’t last very long, but that’s where the youngest sister, Violet, came in. She loved the flowers and watered them regularly.
One day, word spread across the kingdom that the young king was searching for a beautiful young woman to marry. But the girl would have to prove herself worthy and complete a special task.
Rosie may have been lazy, but this news got her right up on her feet. She immediately started dressing in her prettiest clothes, combed her hair into the loveliest style, and put on her most beautiful beads. By noon, she was at the castle.
“You truly are beautiful, Rosie,” said the king. “But that’s not enough. If you really want me as your husband, you must complete the following task.”
The King led Rosie to a room where pots of gorgeous, brightly colored flowers were standing. Rosie felt sick when she saw so many flowers, but the king was so handsome and rich that, in the end, she didn’t run away.
“You’re going to take care of these flowers for a week. If they do well, you’ll become my wife. But if they wither, woe to you,” the king warned her, then left Rosie in the room.
It never even occurred to Rosie to look for a watering can. She immediately snuggled into the fluffy bed, then went off to enjoy the royal kitchen and the huge royal bathroom—and most of all, the fact that a whole swarm of servants was running around taking care of her, and she didn’t have to do a thing. She completely forgot about the flowers.
A week later, the king went to look at the flowers. They were all completely wilted.
You didn’t complete my task! You just enjoyed my hospitality. You’ll end up like the girls before you.
As soon as the king said that, thunder rumbled, lightning flashed, and suddenly, instead of the girl, there stood a flowerpot with a red rose in the room.
The sisters thought it was strange that Rosa had been gone so long—there was no news from her, and no wedding was being planned at the castle. So Daisy set out to see the king. She put on a flowery skirt, a flowery scarf, made herself a wreath of flowers for her head, and off she went.
“You really are beautiful, Daisy,” the king praised her as she stood before him in the castle. “And I can see you love flowers. So I’m sure you’ll manage this task.”
The king led Daisy into a room filled with potted flowers. On the table, a gorgeous rose blushed, but the other flowers were lovely and full of color too.
“You’ll take care of these flowers for a whole week,” ordered the king. “If you look after them well, you’ll become my wife. But if they wither, woe to you!”
Daisy really loved flowers. She found a watering can and filled it with water, but then she spotted the castle garden, where crowds of gardeners were tending the flowers. She just had to go and take a look. She was so excited by all those flowers that she completely forgot about the ones in her room. And because the royal garden was truly huge, it took her an entire week to walk through and explore it all.
After a week, the King came into the room with the flowers and saw nothing but wilted leaves and fallen petals.
“You didn’t finish my task! Sure, you like flowers, but you completely forgot to take care of them. Don’t you know that flowers need water to be beautiful? Well then, you’ll become a flower too.”
There was a flash and a rumble outside, and suddenly, instead of Daisy, there was a flowerpot with blooming daisies standing in the room.
When the sisters didn’t come back, Violet set off to see the king herself. She wore an ordinary skirt, a plain blouse, and a simple scarf.
“You are very beautiful, even though you’re poor,” the king said kindly. “But that doesn’t matter at all. If you’re clever and finish my task, you’ll become my wife.
The King led Violet into a room with flowers.
“You’ll take care of these flowers for a whole week. If you manage it, you’ll become my wife. But beware if I find the flowers wilted.”
Violet took the watering can, filled it with water, and carefully watered the flowers. When the servants offered her a rest in the royal baths, she refused and would rather loosen the soil and feed her flowers. When the gardeners offered a tour of the royal gardens, she turned them down too, preferring to chat with her flowers. She had a strange feeling that someone could hear her and understand. She cared for them lovingly like this all week.
A week later, the King came into the room and saw his flowers looking even more beautiful and colorful than before.
“You did it! They’re so much more beautiful than before. You have broken the wicked curse my stepmother cast on me, and now you shall become my wife.”
Suddenly, there was a flash of lightning, a clap of thunder outside, and all the flowers turned into beautiful girls. Even Violet’s sisters turned back into girls and were overjoyed that Violet had saved them with her hard work.
And so there was a big, grand wedding. Violet married the king and became queen. Daisy stayed at the castle and became the gardener. She never forgot to water the flowers anymore; she remembered what it was like to be a flower herself, relying on the care of others.
And Rosie stayed in her house and got herself a goat. The goat ate all the flowers in the house and in the garden, and Rosie was finally happy.
Right here, just past the little gate,
the fairy tale comes to its fate.
It smells as sweet as blossoms in May,
now close your eyes, the lights fade away.