In one magical garden, the flowers were alive, just like people. Who wasn't in this garden! There were lush scarlet roses, primroses as blue as the sky, and exotic orchids… All the flowers were friends with each other, laughed, played, and visited one another.
But among the flowers was a young man named Narcissus — he was distinguished by exceptional beauty and, at the same time, arrogance. He wasn't friends with anyone and answered the flowers' questions mockingly. He spent all his days by the pond, whose water surface was serene and reflected, like a mirror, his perfect cold beauty.
One day, all the flowers gathered at the cheerful daisy sisters' place and started their favourite game of "loves me, loves me not." Fortune-telling with a daisy is the most reliable. Whatever falls on the daisy's petals is surely the truth! The guests had already told fortunes for all the garden's residents. The turn came to Narcissus.
The daisy friends laughed.
Well, you don't need to be a fortune teller for this one! Obviously, it'll be "loves me not"! He only loves himself.
But strangely enough — when they counted by the petals — it came out "loves me."
The flowers began to argue: some said there was clearly a mistake — this unpleasant, arrogant flower couldn't possibly love someone or be friends with anyone. Others were puzzled: fortune-telling with daisies can't be wrong. The argument didn't die down until the bravest Daisy suggested a solution.
How about I go and talk to him! We'll find out if it's true or not.
The flowers laughed but let her go. She set off to look for Narcissus throughout the garden. She didn't have to search long – he was at his favourite mirror pond in proud solitude.
Narcissus! Why are you sitting here alone? It must be boring here, in the company of your own reflection, eh?
He didn't hide his irritation.
Leave me alone, Daisy!
But she persisted.
Why do you act this way? Maybe you're so rude because you're lonely without friends?
From his embarrassed silence in response, Daisy understood she'd hit the mark. Then she suggested Narcissus come play with the other flowers and convinced him that none of them felt irritation or dislike towards him. But he categorically refused to leave his pond, believing that no one would want to talk to him. And then Daisy said.
All you need to do is smile. You'll see, all the flowers will smile back at you.
How surprised the flowers were when they saw Daisy together with Narcissus. And for the first time, there was a smile on his face! The surprised flowers surrounded the young man and began bombarding him with questions. And it turned out he wasn't an arrogant type at all — quite the opposite, actually.
From then on, peace and mutual understanding reigned in the magical garden. And Narcissus learned an important lesson: if you want the world to smile at you — smile first!
