In one magical garden, the flowers were alive, just like people. Who wasn't in this garden! There were lush scarlet roses, sky-blue primroses, 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 favorite game "he loves me, he loves me not." Divination with a daisy is the most reliable. Whatever falls on the daisy petals is surely the truth! The guests had already divined about all the garden's inhabitants. The turn came to Narcissus.
The daisy friends laughed.
Well, you don't need a fortune teller for this one! Obviously, it'll be "loves me not"! After all, he only loves himself.
But strangely—when they counted 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: divination with daisies can't be wrong. The argument didn't subside 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 search for Narcissus throughout the garden. She didn't have to search long—he was at his favorite mirror pond in proud solitude.
Narcissus! Why are you sitting here alone? It must be boring here, in the company of your reflection?
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 the embarrassed silence in response, Daisy understood she had hit the mark. Then she suggested Narcissus come play with the other flowers and convinced him that none of them felt irritation or dislike toward 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, in fact.
From that day 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!
