My favourite
Where I grew up early summer would transform nature covering it with the most gorgeous flowers with the most fantastic scent. I was surrounded by Lily of the Valleys. I picked and picked to give to my mum, to the older lady and her husband who were our closest neighbours, to my teacher for last day in school - at primary. I picked to smell and enjoy, whenever I could. Still I was surrounded by them whenever I went outside.
After moving to Scotland I have tried and tried to get these lovely flowers to grow in my small garden. That has turned out to not be that easy! A couple of years ago I planted some in a pot and they have grown and flowered. So for a couple of weeks every year I have the amazing pleasure of sniffing these gorgeous beings. Unfortunately the cold weather and lack of sun this year meant I only got two flowers. They did however last a bit longer and still had that fantastic scent.
I did paint it and write it down, but where that is now I have no idea of. I also suspect it was only the first two verses of the poem. I Google and find a lovely translation, unfortunately it does not tell me who made this great interpretation:
King Lily-of-the Valley
King Lily-of-the-Valley from the grove,
King Lily-of-the-Valley is as white as snow,
now the young king mourns
over Princess Lily-of-the-Valley-Maiden.
King Lily-of-the-Valley, he lowers
his sad head so heavy and weak;
and the silver helmet shines
in the pale summer twilight.
Around the bier, a spider weaves
from the “incense place” with floral scent
an incense [that] slowly flows;
the entire forest is full of fragrance.
From the birch’s rocking crown,
from the wind’s waving green house
small songs of sorrow sound;
the entire forest is filled up with whistling.
A message is whispered through the valley
about a king’s sorrow among whispering leaves,
in the wide kingdoms of the forest,
from the capital of the Lilies-of-the-Valley.
Sounding like this
