This story expands on the "Mistress Mary" nursery rhyme, telling of a young girl whose sailor father says his voyage will last the time it takes specific wildflowers (dingle-bells, cockle-shells, cowslips) to grow, bloom, and die. Mary, known for being "contrary," insists on planting these flowers herself in neat rows in an exposed garden, against her mother's advice for a sheltered spot. The flowers die prematurely due to wind, causing Mary distress and false hope, until a kind Squire explains her father meant the wild flowers thriving in nature and gently points out how her contrary planting method contributed to their demise. Learning patience and observing the wild flowers as intended, Mary eventually welcomes her family home when the natural cycle completes.

This story expands on the "Mistress Mary" nursery rhyme, telling of a young girl whose sailor father says his voyage will last the time it takes specific wildflowers (dingle-bells, cockle-shells, cowslips) to grow, bloom, and die. Mary, known for...

Mistress Mary | L. Frank Baum Stories