Why were the Flowers Rude?

Alice had been wandering through Wonderland for hours when she finally spotted a beautiful garden in the distance. She had seen the most random sights along the way! She witnessed a few knights fighting with two flamingos over the last slice of tea. She had heard strange poem after poem and still did not understand the meaning to any of them, especially the Jabberwocky from the twin brothers who held a ten minute argument over the word 'red'. Nevertheless, she could use a relaxing walk through a field of flowers.

About an hour before Alice stumbled upon the flowers, Rabbit had reached them first.

"Hello Rabbit!" greeted dozens of flowers. "How are you this fine day?" asked the leader of the garden, Rose.

"I am actually in need of all of your help! I found someone who could help us with Wonderland, but she has to follow me to the Queens before that can happen. Entrance helped me with getting her through the correct door into Wonderland. Now I need you guys to send her down the right path," explained Rabbit. Beside each family of flowers there was a road leading in separate directions. Some led into the forest and stopped at dead ends, some led to beautiful lakes, and only one led to the Queens' castles.

"I know that some of your land has been affected by the change, so if you help me we can get your loved ones back," stated Rabbit. The flowers used to be spread out with hundreds of each variety holding their own garden, but one day the Green King came and replanted them all in a smaller area and took some flowers back to his castle.

Many of the flowers slumped over in sadness remembering the horrid day. "Rabbit, we will help you in any way we can. Just tell us what to do," said Rose with a fighting smile.

"Okay, I think the best way to ensure Alice follows me down the correct path is to make her feel comfortable around the Carnations because they surround the entrance. The rest of your flowers need to be rude to her so she will not come close to them and, more importantly, their paths," suggested Rabbit.

The flowers were always so friendly, so they were uncomfortable with the idea of being rude to a guest in their garden. "We have to do this, ladies, for our loved ones and for Wonderland. Do not worry, Rabbit, because Alice will be on her way down that path soon enough." reassured Rose.

"I cannot thank you enough. Now I have to be on my way to prepare the Queens for her arrival," said Rabbit with a wave before he was off through the Carnations.

As Alice got closer to the flowers she could see that they were talking to each other. At this point she was not as surprised as someone else might be, keeping in mind all the other things she had been exposed to since being in Wonderland. She decided she could use some conversation, so she ran until she reached the beautiful flowers.

All the flowers looked at Alice like she was the weirdest sight they had ever seen. "Hello everyone! I am new here. I have never seen talking flowers, but you are all so pretty I would love to get to know you," said Alice. A few flowers whispered harshly among themselves, one snickered hatefully, and the Carnations smiled warmly at Alice.

"Well, child, I am not sure we would like to speak with you. The Carnations will talk to any creature, but the rest of us are not interested in getting to know anyone without a stem and petals," said Rose with a smirk.

Alice was dumbfounded at the blunt rudeness she had encountered. She almost wanted to cry after her long day, but instead she turned toward the Carnations.

"Look at her dress! Who would wear such a thing?!" announced the Tiger Lily.

"Hi, Alice, we think you look very pretty today," said the Carnations.

"Well, thank you, guys, I can't believe I am having a conversation with flowers!" exclaimed Alice.

"I bet she doesn't even understand the Jabberwocky. She doesn't seem very bright to me." said Tiger Lily.

Alice inched closer to the Carnation's path but did not seem ready to leave yet.

"Oh, Tiger Lily, it is not nice to say truthful things about someone who is not brave enough to respond," said Rose.

"It is not my fault she has no courage," responded Tiger Lily.

Alice spun around on her heels. "I have plenty of courage and intelligence actually. I chose not to react to your hateful comments because I am also a very kind person towards anyone, or any thing, I meet," stated Alice.

"Well I don't see any of those traits," said Tiger Lily.

"Yes, I only see a small, confused girl," said Daisy.

All the flowers started in on Alice and bent over to get closer to her, and block their own paths. Alice tried to keep up with who was talking but she lost track and became a little frightened. She started backing up towards the Carnations because they were the only ones not being rude.

"Well, why don't we just keep her as a pet?" suggested Tiger Lily. On that note Alice ran through the Carnations and was finally on the right path to meet the Queens.

When she was out of sight, the flowers dropped the act. "I feel terrible," said Tiger Lily with a tear in her eye.

"It is okay, sweet child, because we had to do that for her best interest. She will understand one day and then we can make it up to her," reassured Rose.

"I just hope she forgives me. I really did think her dress was beautiful," said Tiger Lily as she hung her head.

The flowers continued to try and cheer one another up, the Rabbit was within reach of the Queen's castle, and Alice didn't know it yet, but she was on her way to save Wonderland...

Author's Note: In Lewis Carroll's first book, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Alice runs into a group of flowers who originally believe her to be a flower like them. They made comments about her dress/body, but would say things like 'those are strange petals.' That is where I got the idea for the main plot in this story. There was also a head flower in the original story. Towards the end of the garden scene the flowers were all pushing Alice with their petals. The two brothers I mentioned at the beginning are also characters from both of Carroll's books, Tweedledee and Tweedledum. They were always having strange arguments and fighting with one another. The Jabberwocky is also a poem from Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There. Alice asks multiple characters in the book what the meaning behind the Jabberwocky is. In the second book there is a knight who helps Alice out along the way, but he was very strange. The Red Queen plays a game of croquet in Carroll's first book, but with a flamingo in place of a mallet. That is where I got the idea for the knights fighting over tea with flamingos at the beginning.

Bibliography: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, Web Source: Alice in Wonderland Unit

Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There by Lewis Carroll, Web Source: Through the Looking-Glass Unit

Image Information: Garden of Flowers, Web Source: Pxhere

Tiger Lily, Web Source: Pxhere