IN the stillness of the evening, on the downy banks of the silent stream, I sat and mused. And, as I mused, I

saw a tiny flower which, bashfully, had hid itself in the grass.

"O! longed-for flower!" I said, "why dost thou shrink from my gaze? Thy life is rich beyond compare. Thou growest in the green grass; thou drinkest the crystal waters of the stream and art refreshed by the seasonal rains and the cool dew-drops; thou mergest thyself in the light of the twinkling star and the whiteness of the moon-lit night; thou smilest in the rays of the rising sun; thou noddest thy head to the whisperings of the gentle breeze. Why, then, dost thou blush and hide thyself? Why turn away from me? What doubt dost thou entertain?"

"Ah ! brother", the tiny flower replied: "Thou speakest true. But how could I enjoy these good things? I must get free from the tread of thy cruel feet. Pray, step aside; for, thou art my only fear."

Translated from TELUGU by the Poet

KAVUKONDALA VENKATA RAO.