THE WONDER-GARDEN
by Abbie Farwell Brown · from Kisington Town
Adapted Version
Once upon a time, a town was by the sea. A big garden contest was there. Mayor Hugh loved flowers. He had a contest. He said, "The prettiest garden wins a prize!" The prize was his son, Cedric. The winner also got a new house. They got a shiny coach too. All the people were very happy.
All the girls in town worked hard. They worked in their gardens. They planted seeds. They watered the flowers. They pulled the weeds. They wanted to win Cedric. Their gardens were very pretty.
One day, Mayor Hugh and Cedric walked. They saw a small house. It had no garden. A girl named Gerda lived there. She was poor but very kind. Cedric liked her very much. He wanted to help her.
Cedric gave Gerda many flowers. He brought her pretty plants. They worked with each other. Gerda's garden grew big and pretty. It was by the sea. It was the prettiest garden.
A rich lady, the Countess, saw Gerda's garden. She was not happy. She wanted to win. She was jealous of Gerda. She did not like Cedric helping Gerda.
The Countess made a bad plan. She asked an old woman to help. They went to Gerda's garden at night. They messed up all the flowers. They made the garden very messy.
In the morning, Gerda saw her garden. It was all ruined. She was very sad. She cried. Then, a kind Mermaid came. She was Gerda's friend. She said, "Do not cry."
The Mermaid called her sea friends. They were gardeners of the sea. They worked all night. They made a new garden in a big water hole. It was full of magic sea flowers and fish.
The next day, Gerda wore a pretty green dress. She showed all the people her new garden. It was in the water. It was very pretty. It had colorful fish and shiny shells.
Mayor Hugh looked at the sea garden. He said, "This is the best!" Gerda won the contest. All the people were happy for her. They clapped and cheered.
Gerda and Cedric were going to get married. Mayor Hugh promised them a new house by the sea garden. They were very happy with each other.
Gerda was kind. She gave a shiny pearl to each girl from her garden. The Countess said, "No! I do not want a pearl from you!" She was still mean.
Cedric said, "Take a pearl, Countess." The Countess went to the water. A little crab pinched her nose. It hurt a little. She was not nice, so she got a pinch.
Gerda and Cedric lived happily in their new home. Sometimes, the Mermaid came to visit. They smiled a lot. Remember to be kind and share! Gerda was kind, so good things happened. The Countess was mean, so she got a little pinch. Remember to be kind!
Original Story
VIII. THE WONDER-GARDEN
There never were seen such beautiful gardens as bloomed in Kisington-by-the-Sea. Not only every chateau and villa had its parterres spread with blooming rugs of all colors; but each white-washed cottage, every thatched hut, boasted its garden-plot of dainty posies. Each had some quaint device or some special beauty which distinguished it from the others. For there was great horticultural rivalry in Kisington-by-the-Sea.
Now this was all because Hugh, the Lord Mayor, who was very fond of flowers, had offered a prize for the prettiest garden in the town. The Lord Mayor himself lived on a hill in the center of the town, in the midst of the most beautiful garden of all. It flowed down the hillside from the summit in ripples of radiant color,--roses and lilies, pinks and daffodils, larkspur and snapdragon. All the flowers of the land were there, and many foreigners beside.
Through the garden wound the yellow driveway by which the Lord Mayor passed in his golden coach. He loved to drive slowly down this road, sniffing the fragrance of his flowers; and then out through the streets of the town, observing the beautiful gardens on every hand,--the result of his own love for flowers.
When the Lord Mayor saw all the fair maidens down on their knees in the flower-beds, watering the buds with their little green water-pots, nipping off dead leaves, pulling up scrawny weeds, coaxing the delicate creepers to climb, he would rub his hands and say:--
"Ah, this is good! This is very good indeed! We shall have the most beautiful town in the world, blossoming with flowers, and the most beautiful maids in the world, blossoming with health and sweetness like the flowers they tend. It will be hard to tell which is the fairer, the maidens or the flowers. Hey! Is it not so, my son?"
Then he would chuckle and poke in the ribs the young man who rode beside him.
The Lord Mayor's son was very good to look upon; tall and fair, with curly golden locks and eyes as brown as the heart of a yellow daisy. When he drove through the town with the Lord Mayor, the maidens down on their knees in their garden-plots would pause a moment from their chase of a wriggling worm or a sluggish slug to look after the golden coach and sigh gently. Then they would turn back to their Bowers more eagerly than before. For there was the prize!
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You see, the Lord Mayor's son was himself part of the prize to be won. The Lord Mayor had vowed that Cedric, his son, should marry the girl who could show by late summer the most beautiful garden in Kisington-by-the-Sea. Moreover, he promised to build a fine palace to overlook this prize garden, and there the young couple should live happy ever after, like any Prince and Princess. And this was why the maids worked so hard in the gardens of Kisington-by-the-Sea, and why the flowers blossomed there as no flowers ever blossomed before.
Now one day the Lord Mayor drove through the village in his golden coach and came out upon the downs near the seashore. And there, quite by itself, he found a little cottage which he had never before seen: a tiny cottage which had no sign of a garden anywhere about it,--only a few flowers growing in cracked pots on the window-sills, and on the bench just outside the door.
"What!" cried the Lord Mayor, stopping the coach. "What does this mean? There should be a garden here. I must look to the reason for this contempt of my offer." And he jumped down from the coach and rapped sharply upon the door.
Presently the door opened, and there stood a girl, all in rags, but so beautiful that the Lord Mayor's son, who was sitting languidly in the golden coach, shut his eyes as one does when a great light shines suddenly in one's face.
"Hey!" cried the Lord Mayor, frowning. "Why have you no garden, girl? Have you no pride? Do you not dream to win the prize which I offer?"
"I am a stranger," said the maiden timidly. "No one has told me of a prize. What may it be, my Lord?"
"It is a prize worth trying for," said the Lord Mayor. "The hand of my son there, and the finest palace in the land for the mistress of the prize garden. Does that thought please you, girl? If not, you are different from all the other maidens."
The girl lifted her eyes to the golden coach and met the gaze of Cedric fixed upon her. "I love flowers," she said. "I had once a little garden in my old home. But now I am too poor to buy plants and bulbs and seedlings. How, then, shall I make a garden to please Your Lordship?"
"I will send you plants and bulbs and seedlings," said the Lord Mayor's son, leaning forward eagerly. "You must make haste, for September will soon be here, when the gardens will be judged."
"Thank you, fair sir," said the girl. "I shall love my garden dearly, if you will help me."
Now when the Lord Mayor and his son had returned home, Cedric hastened to keep his promise. For Gerda was the fairest maid in Kisington-by-the Sea, and already he loved her so dearly that he hoped she would win the prize and become his wife. He sent her the most beautiful flowers that he could find, and transplanted from his father's garden its choicest seedlings; he brought shrubs from the city market.
The meadow between Gerda's cottage and the sea was transformed as if by magic, and became a mass of rare and lovely flowers. The choicest foreign plants, the gayest native blooms, the shyest wild posies, all were at home in Gerda's lovely garden over which the sea-breeze blew. But Gerda herself was the fairest flower of them all. She watched and cared for her garden tenderly, and like the garden she grew fairer every day, she was so happy. She did not know how the other gardens grew, for she did not go to see. But sometimes the Lord Mayor's son came, disguised as a gardener, to see how the flowers fared. And he said that she had the most beautiful garden in all Kisington-by-the-Sea, and he hoped that she would win the prize; which was very encouraging.
No one else knew about Gerda's garden. It was far from town, and no one dreamed that a stranger had come to live there. Besides, the neighbors were so busy, each with her own affairs, that they had no time to go about or ask questions, or gossip; which was a good thing.
No, I am wrong. One person had discovered the open secret. In a villa not far from the Lord Mayor's house dwelt a Countess who was very rich and proud. Until Gerda came she had boasted the finest garden in Kisington, after the Lord Mayor's, made by a whole army of gardeners whom she kept at her command. She was quite sure of winning the prize, and it made her very gay, though she cared nothing at all about flowers. She left all the care of her garden to her gardeners and scarcely ever wandered down its lovely walks. But she longed to marry the Lord Mayor's son and live in a palace. It was the palace that she coveted as a prize, and the honor of being the Lord Mayor's daughter; to ride in the golden coach!
She cared no more about Cedric himself than she did for her lovely flowers.
One day this Countess, who had very sharp eyes, spied the Lord Mayor's son, in his disguise, going past her villa with his arms full of curious flowers such as were never before seen in Kisington-by-the-Sea. And because she had unusually sharp eyes the Countess knew who he was. "Aha!" she said to herself. "This is strange! Cedric is meddling with some garden. I must look into this!" Secretly she followed Cedric through the village and out to the seashore until he came to Gerda's garden. And there she saw him walking with the fair stranger up and down among the flowers. The secret was discovered.
The Countess was a very wicked woman. When she looked over the transformed meadow and saw the beautiful garden which Gerda had made, she nearly died of rage. She knew at once that against this one her own garden had no chance of winning the prize. She stamped her feet in jealous fury and cried:--
"She shall not have the palace! She shall not ride in the golden coach! She shall not marry the Lord Mayor's son! I will see that she shall not!"
The Countess stole home with wicked wishes in her heart and wicked plans in her head. The next day but one was the day of the award, so she had no time to lose. That night when every one was asleep she crept out of her villa and along the road by which she had followed the Lord Mayor's son, to Gerda's garden. Everything was quiet and peaceful. The flowers looked very fair in the moonlight, breathing drowsy perfumes. But the wicked woman cared nothing at all for them. Taking a great pair of shears from her cloak she moved quickly in and out among the garden beds, cutting and slashing the precious flowers and trampling them under foot.
When she had finished her cruel work, not a single bud lifted its head from the ruin. The flower-beds looked as though a tempest had swept over them. Poor Gerda's garden was quite destroyed! The Countess chuckled as she hurried home through the night: "We shall see now who wins the prize!"
The next day Cedric thought that he would visit the garden of sweet Gerda in which he had taken such an interest. Dressed in his gardener's green smock he went through the town, whistling happily as any yokel. But when he reached the little cottage by the sea, he ceased to whistle. Gerda was sitting upon the doorstone weeping bitterly.
"What is the matter, Gerda?" asked Cedric anxiously, and he sought to comfort her. She could only sob:--
"Oh! My dear garden! Oh! My poor flowers!"
With a sinking heart Cedric ran to the garden close, and there he saw all the ruin that the wicked Countess had wrought.
"Alas! Who has done this?" he cried. But Gerda could not tell.
Cedric's heart was nearly broken. For he loved Gerda so dearly that he thought he could not live if another should win the prize. To-morrow would be the day that would determine his fate. What could they do? Suddenly he had an idea.
"Farewell, Gerda!" he cried, and without another word he strode away.
Then Gerda wept more bitterly than ever. She thought that the Lord Mayor's son was angry with her because her garden was destroyed. This was worse even than the loss of her flowers.
But Cedric was far from angry with her. He had gone away in order to think and plan. He had one hope. He remembered that he had a friend who had once promised to help him in his time of trouble. The time had come.
That very night when the moon rose over the water, Cedric went down to the sea and stood upon a rock and recited this charm:--
"Mermaid, Mermaid, rise from the sea! I am in trouble. Hasten to me!"
Hardly had he spoken the words when there was a little ripple in the water at his feet, and a beautiful Mermaid appeared, clinging to the rock over which the waves dashed prettily in the moonlight. And she said:--
"Lord Mayor's son, you have spoken the charm which I taught you, and I have come from the bottom of the sea. I have not forgotten how once a cruel fisherman caught me in his net, and how you had pity on me and took me to the ocean and set me free. Then I promised to help you, if ever you should be in trouble. What is your grief, Lord Mayor's son?"
Then Cedric told her about Gerda's garden and its mishap. "Ah! She must be the sweet, ragged maid who used to sit upon the rocks and gaze down into my ocean," said the Mermaid. "She has a good heart and loves the sea. Early this morning I heard her weeping bitterly for her lost flowers and for you. She loves you dearly, Lord Mayor's son, and I love you both. What shall I do to help you?"
"Dear Mermaid," said Cedric eagerly, "can you find out the cruel person who has destroyed Gerda's garden? And can you restore the garden itself before to-morrow? I ask these two things of you."
"It is easy to find the jealous woman," said the Mermaid. "Her you will know at the right time. But the garden is another matter. However, I will do my best for the two whom I love. And now, farewell!" With that word she slid down the rocks, and in a little splash of spray vanished into the sea.
Now came the day when the Lord Mayor was to judge the gardens of Kisington-by-the-Sea. In all the towers the bells were ringing merrily, and on every side the flowers and the fair maidens were blooming their brightest. Through the town rode the Lord Mayor in his golden coach drawn by six prancing white steeds, their necks wreathed with flowers; and behind followed a great rout of townsfolk, eager to see the gardens judged. In the Lord Mayor's coach sat Cedric by his father's side. He was dressed all in white, as became a bridegroom, and in his hands he carried a huge bouquet of white roses. His cheeks were white, too, for he was anxious to know what this day should bring, and what maiden was to receive the bridal bouquet.
Through the town the merry procession moved, and stopped in turn before each garden, at the gate of which a sweet maid waited, her little heart going pit-a-pat beneath her prettiest gown. The Lord Mayor inspected each garden carefully, making notes in a little white-and-gold book. And each fair maiden gazed at the handsome Cedric and hoped that the Lord Mayor was writing down her name to be his daughter-in-law!
But all the gardens were so beautiful that it seemed impossible to choose between them. In each the Lord Mayor looked and looked, smiled and nodded,--"Very good! Very good, indeed! Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful! I am truly proud of the fair flowers and the fair maids of Kisington-by-the-Sea. Surely, never such were seen before!"
Then he noted his little memorandum, made a low bow to the maiden, and mounting into the golden coach, whirled away to the next garden. At last, when they had gone quite around the village, they came to the villa of the wicked Countess. The crowd murmured admiringly. There was no doubt about it; hers was certainly the finest garden of all. When the Lord Mayor saw the gay parterres and fountains, the shady alleys and cool grottoes, the wonderful flowers and shrubs growing luxuriantly everywhere, he clapped his hands with pleasure and said:--
"Ah! This is Paradise, indeed! Here surely we must look for our bride. Countess, I congratulate you!"
The Countess was dressed in a most costly gown of white satin and velvet, as though she were sure beforehand that she was to be the bride. She arched her neck and smiled maliciously at the Lord Mayor's son, in whose eyes was no love for her.
"I shall be proud, indeed, to ride in your golden coach!" she said.
Cedric had grown very white, and he looked at the Countess with disgust. She was so much less fair than Gerda, and her eyes so wicked! Must he marry her, after all? Yes, unless the Mermaid had wrought a miracle in Gerda's ruined garden. To that hope he still clung. "Father," he said earnestly, "before you judge that this lady has won the prize, remember that there is one more garden to visit. Have you forgotten the stranger maiden who lives beside the sea, and how you bade her make a garden as the other maids were doing? Let us first go there, for she may be waiting."
"Ho, ho!" laughed the Lord Mayor; "I had in truth forgotten the pretty beggar. It is absurd to dream that she should have a garden worth visiting after that of our Countess here. Yet we will go to see, and do her justice."
The Countess laughed shrilly. "A beggar's garden!" she cried. "That must, indeed, be a wondrous sight!"
"Do you come with us, my lady," said the Lord Mayor politely. "Sit here by my son's side in the Lord Mayor's coach. For I trow that here will soon be your rightful place as his bride."
Now it pleased the Countess to ride in the Lord Mayor's coach; and it pleased her more that she was to see the shame of Gerda and the disappointment of Cedric when Gerda's pitiful little garden should be judged. So with a great rustle of satin and lace she gave her hand to the Lord Mayor and mounted proudly into the golden coach. But Cedric sat beside her pale and silent, little like a happy bridegroom. With a snapping of whips and tooting of horns off they went, rattling through the streets of the town, out over the downs toward the sea.
Behind them followed the townsfolk in a great crowd, wondering exceedingly whither the Lord Mayor was leading them. For they knew of no garden here. Presently, with another flourish and a cracking of whips, amid the barking of dogs and the shouts of little boys, the Lord Mayor's coach drew up in front of the tiny cottage by the sea. And the people wondered more than ever. For there was no garden anywhere to be seen.
The Lord Mayor alighted, chuckling as if it were all a great joke, and helped down the Countess, who was grinning maliciously. Last of all Cedric descended and stood waiting while the Lord Mayor with his staff knocked three times upon the door.
Presently the door opened, and there stood Gerda, dressed all in a gown of sea-green silk, with a string of pearls about her neck and a pink coral wreath in her hair. She was so beautiful that all the people in the crowd cried "Oh!" with a sound like the wind in the top of a pine tree, and the Lord Mayor himself fell back a step, staring in surprise. The Countess turned saffron yellow and bit her lips with envy; but still she smiled; for she knew what she had done to Gerda's garden.
As for Cedric, he stood and gazed as though his eyes were glued to fair Gerda's face, until after a bashful silence of a moment she spoke.
"You have come to see my garden," she said. "It is not like other gardens, but I think it is very beautiful. Will you come with me?"
She led them around the cottage to the meadow beside the sea where once had been the beautiful little garden which the Countess had destroyed. But what was this? Where were the lawns and hedges and beds of flowers? Where was the green grass? Gone! Over the spot lay a sheet of rippling water, reflecting the Summer sky.
"What does this mean?" said the Lord Mayor, turning sternly to Gerda. "I ask to see a garden, and you show me a pool of water. Girl, do you jest at the Lord Mayor?"
"Nevertheless, this is my garden, sir," answered Gerda gently, "and a fair garden I think you will find it, if you deign to look closely."
"Nonsense!" said the Lord Mayor crossly, and "Nonsense!" sniffed the Countess with her nose in the air. But Cedric stepped forward with his eyes shining, for he wanted justice done.
"Father," he begged, "let us go nearer, as the maiden asks, and look at this which she calls her garden. Mayhap we shall find something new to Kisington-by-the-Sea."
For when Cedric saw how sweetly the maid was dressed in colors and tokens of the ocean, his heart leaped with hope that the Mermaid had in some mysterious way redeemed her promise.
"Very well," said the Lord Mayor, frowning. "Let us see what this foolish whim betokens. Show us your garden, girl."
Down the slope they went, followed by the gaping crowd which cast curious looks upon Gerda as she walked by the side of the Lord Mayor's son. "Tell me, what has happened, Gerda?" he asked her, speaking low so that no one else might hear.
"Last night," she whispered, "I went to bed weeping for my lost flowers and my lost hope. But at midnight I was awakened by the roaring of the sea. It grew louder and louder, and at last a great wave seemed to burst over the sea-wall and come foaming up even to the cottage door. I was frightened sorely. But in the midst of my terror I heard a soft voice cry:--
'Fear not, gentle Gerda, and weep no more for your lost flowers. The gardeners of the sea have come to restore your garden. And there will be a fine gown for you. Look for it upon the doorstone in the morning. Farewell!' That was all.
The sea ceased its roaring, and peacefully I fell asleep. In the morning I found upon the doorstone this green gown. And when I looked upon the plot where late my poor little garden bloomed, I saw this. Behold!"
As she spoke they came to the edge of the pool. A chorus of wonder arose from the crowd. The Lord Mayor stood with hands raised gazing down into the pool; and every one else was gazing too, with eyes of admiration.
The water was as clear as glass, and one could see to the very bottom of the hollow which had once held Gerda's unlucky garden. Now the basin was floored with polished mother-of-pearl, with beds and borders of colored shells in lovely patterns. There were lawns of many-hued ocean moss, bordered by shrubs of coral, blossoming in every form and size and color,--spikes and clusters, daisy-stars and bell shapes, all the variety of a flower-garden. Sea-anemones and other living plants opened and shut their tender petals. Delicate sea-ferns like maiden-hair and flowering grasses grew upon rockeries of coral. Hedges of sea-weed, green and brown, yellow and pink, waved their fronds gently in the water as leaves do in the air. And to and fro among the branches of sea-trees moved glittering shapes of gold and silver, pink and pale blue. These were the rainbow fishes,--birds and butterflies of ocean, their delicate fins moving more gracefully even than wings can do.
Dear little sea-horses raced up and down the coral alleys, and luminous forms moved among the sea-weed, lighting the garden with living lanterns. Here and there were grottoes of coral and pretty arbors, and the garden was thronged with a multitude of curious sea-creatures even the names of which no man knows. For the gardeners of Cedric's friend the Mermaid had scoured the ocean to find the rarest and most beautiful wonders which grow in a deep-sea garden, such as no mortal eye ever sees.
After a time the Lord Mayor recovered breath to speak. "Maiden," he said, "however you came by this wondrous ocean-garden I do not care to ask. It is enough that we have such a treasure in Kisington-by-the-Sea. Among all our lovely gardens it is the fairest. Among all our curious flowers these living ones are rarest. I therefore judge that to you belongs the prize."
Then a great cheer arose from the border of the pool where the folk were bending eagerly to study the wonders in the waters below. Even the maidens whose gardens had not won the prize cheered,--all except the Countess. She ground her teeth with rage, for she saw that her wicked plot had been in vain.
The Lord Mayor stepped forward and took Gerda's hand. "Come hither, my son," he said, "and take this fair stranger to be your bride. In this spot where her little cottage stands, I will build for you a beautiful villa."
With a happy face Cedric took Gerda's hand in one of his, and with his other gave her the great bouquet of roses. "I obey my father's wish," he said. He needed not to tell that it was his own wish, too.
Thereupon every one cheered again, waving caps and handkerchiefs, for no one could help loving the beautiful pair and wishing them happiness. Only the Countess stood silent and frowning, looking ugly as a goblin.
When the shouting had ceased, Gerda stepped forward and spoke sweetly to the people. "Kind friends," she said, "I am a stranger to your town, yet my garden has been judged worthy of the prize. But I am sorry for the fair maidens who have so long and faithfully tended their lovely flowers. To me it seems that they also should have a reward. In my garden grows a hedge of plants bearing precious fruit,--the pearl oysters, which you see gaping with the white pearls in their mouths. I would have each maid come and take one for her own."
There was great rejoicing and murmuring of thanks as the maidens came forward one by one and bent over the pool to choose each a precious pearl. The Countess alone hung back. "Come hither, Countess," said the Lord Mayor, when he saw that all others had been rewarded save her only. "Come hither and choose your pearl. You should, indeed, have the finest, for your garden would have won the prize but for these sea-wonders by which it was outdone."
"Choose, fair lady," said Gerda, smiling kindly. But the Countess would not come. "I have pearls enough of my own," she snapped. "I need no charity from a beggar!"
"What!" cried the Lord Mayor, frowning. "Such words are not meetly addressed to my daughter-in-law. Nay, they show an evil heart, Countess!"
"Say that she shall do this, Father," cried Cedric, stepping forward eagerly, for he seemed to hear a secret whisper from the Mermaid prompting him; "else we shall think that she was the wicked one who destroyed another's garden in the hope of winning the prize herself."
At this challenge the Countess came forward sullenly to the edge of the pool. To take the nearest pearl she had to bend low, until her face drew close to the water. Suddenly, the watching crowd saw a flash and a splash and heard a shrill scream. The Countess rose, shrieking horribly. A huge crab had fastened himself to her nose, and not easily could she be freed from this unwelcome ornament! At last they tore away the crab, but the tip of the Countess's nose was gone, and she wore a scar always, even to the end of her unhappy days.
This was the Mermaid's punishment for her cruel harm to Gerda's garden.
But Gerda and Cedric lived happily ever after in the beautiful villa which the Lord Mayor built for them on the edge of their wonder-garden beside the sea. And sometimes the Mermaid herself came there to visit them, and to bring them some new precious thing from the watery world where she dwelt.
Story DNA
Moral
Kindness and genuine effort are rewarded, while malice and deceit lead to punishment.
Plot Summary
The Lord Mayor offers his son, Cedric, and a palace as a prize for the most beautiful garden. Cedric falls for Gerda, a poor stranger, and secretly helps her create a magnificent garden. The jealous Countess, a rival for the prize, destroys Gerda's garden. However, a Mermaid Gerda once helped magically transforms the ruined plot into a wondrous underwater garden. Gerda wins the prize, marries Cedric, and the Countess is publicly punished for her cruelty.
Themes
Emotional Arc
struggle to triumph
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Reflects common fairy tale tropes of beauty, virtue, and class distinctions, without specific historical anchors.
Plot Beats (14)
- The Lord Mayor announces a competition for the most beautiful garden, with the prize being his son, Cedric, and a palace.
- All maidens in Kisington-by-the-Sea diligently cultivate gardens, hoping to win Cedric.
- The Lord Mayor and Cedric discover Gerda, a beautiful, poor stranger with no garden, and Cedric is instantly captivated.
- Cedric secretly provides Gerda with plants and helps her create a stunning garden by the sea.
- The Countess, a wealthy and proud woman who expects to win, discovers Cedric's secret visits to Gerda and her beautiful garden.
- Driven by jealousy, the Countess conspires with a wicked old woman to destroy Gerda's garden the night before the judging.
- Gerda, heartbroken, weeps over her destroyed garden, but is visited by a Mermaid she once helped.
- The Mermaid's 'gardeners of the sea' transform Gerda's ruined plot into a wondrous, living underwater garden.
- On the day of the judging, Gerda, dressed in a magical green gown, presents her unique sea-garden to the Lord Mayor, Cedric, and the townspeople.
- The Lord Mayor declares Gerda's sea-garden the most beautiful, awarding her the prize.
- Gerda and Cedric are betrothed, and the Lord Mayor promises them a new villa.
- Gerda generously offers each maiden a pearl from her garden, but the Countess refuses.
- Challenged by Cedric, the Countess reluctantly approaches the pool, where a crab attacks her nose, leaving her disfigured as punishment for her malice.
- Gerda and Cedric live happily ever after in their new home by the wonder-garden, occasionally visited by the Mermaid.
Characters
Hugh, the Lord Mayor ◆ supporting
A man of comfortable build, likely of average height, with a presence that commands respect. His complexion would be healthy, perhaps a bit ruddy from outdoor activity and good living. He is well-groomed, reflecting his status.
Attire: Rich, formal attire befitting a Lord Mayor in a prosperous coastal town, likely of 19th-century Northern European style. This would include a tailored wool coat in a deep color like navy or forest green, a crisp white linen shirt, a silk cravat, and perhaps a waistcoat of brocade. Fine leather boots and possibly a top hat when in public.
Wants: To make Kisington-by-the-Sea the most beautiful town in the world, filled with flowers and beautiful maidens, and to secure a suitable marriage for his son.
Flaw: A bit vain and overly focused on superficial beauty; can be easily impressed by outward appearances, though he ultimately values true beauty and kindness.
He begins by valuing superficial beauty and competition but ultimately recognizes and rewards the unique, magical beauty of Gerda's garden, showing a capacity to appreciate wonder beyond conventional expectations.
Proud, benevolent (in his own way), somewhat self-congratulatory, observant, and a lover of beauty, especially flowers. He is also decisive and can be stern when displeased.
Image Prompt & Upload
An adult man of comfortable build, average height, with a healthy, slightly ruddy complexion. He has neatly styled, graying brown hair and observant brown eyes. He wears a tailored navy wool coat, a crisp white linen shirt, a patterned silk cravat, and a brocade waistcoat. He stands with an air of authority, hands clasped behind his back, a slight, self-satisfied smile on his face. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Cedric ◆ supporting
Tall and fair-skinned, with a graceful build. He possesses an inherent handsomeness that makes maidens sigh.
Attire: Elegant, fashionable attire befitting the son of a Lord Mayor in a 19th-century Northern European coastal town. This would include a well-fitted dark wool frock coat, a light-colored waistcoat, a finely tied cravat, and tailored trousers. When disguised as a gardener, he would wear simpler, practical linen or canvas trousers and a plain shirt, perhaps with a wide-brimmed straw hat.
Wants: To marry Gerda, whom he loves, and to see her win the prize.
Flaw: Initially somewhat passive, allowing his father to dictate his marriage prospects. He needs a strong motivation (Gerda) to become truly active.
He transforms from a somewhat passive young man into an active, loving suitor, driven by his affection for Gerda. He learns to follow his heart and advocate for what is right.
Initially somewhat languid or indifferent, but quickly becomes eager, loving, and supportive when he meets Gerda. He is kind, encouraging, and willing to help.
Image Prompt & Upload
A tall young man with a graceful build and fair skin. He has curly golden hair and warm brown eyes. He wears a dark wool frock coat, a light-colored waistcoat, a neatly tied white cravat, and tailored dark trousers. He stands with a slight forward lean, an eager and kind expression on his face, holding a large bouquet of red roses in his hands. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Gerda ★ protagonist
Exquisitely beautiful, even when dressed in rags. She is described as growing 'fairer every day,' suggesting a delicate yet radiant appearance. Her build is likely slender and graceful.
Attire: Initially wears 'rags,' implying simple, worn, and patched peasant clothing. Later, she receives a 'green gown' from the sea, which is likely made of a flowing, shimmering fabric that evokes the ocean, perhaps with subtle patterns or textures reminiscent of seaweed or scales, in a style that is elegant but not overly ornate, fitting for a magical gift. Post-marriage, she would wear beautiful, but not ostentatious, gowns befitting a villa mistress.
Wants: Initially, to simply have a garden because she loves flowers. Later, to win the prize to be with Cedric, but also to share her good fortune with others.
Flaw: Her poverty and initial timidity make her vulnerable. She is also somewhat naive about the world's cruelties (e.g., the Countess's actions).
She transforms from a poor, timid stranger into a beloved, confident bride and a generous benefactor, demonstrating that true beauty and worth come from within and are rewarded by kindness and magic.
Timid, loving, tender-hearted, grateful, humble, and kind. She possesses an innate connection to nature and a deep appreciation for beauty.
Image Prompt & Upload
A young woman of exquisite beauty with fair skin and soft, light brown hair styled simply. Her eyes are kind and gentle. She wears a flowing, shimmering green gown, reminiscent of the ocean, with subtle patterns that evoke seaweed. Her posture is graceful and upright, with a tender, slightly smiling expression. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Countess ⚔ antagonist
Her physical description is not given, but her personality and actions suggest a sharp, perhaps severe appearance. She is likely well-dressed, reflecting her status, but her inner ugliness would eventually manifest outwardly.
Attire: Rich, elaborate gowns befitting a Countess, likely of fine silks and brocades in deep, perhaps jewel-toned colors, reflecting her wealth and status in 19th-century Northern European fashion. Her attire would be designed to impress and outshine others.
Wants: To win the garden prize and marry Cedric, primarily for status and wealth, and to spite others.
Flaw: Her overwhelming envy and pride lead her to commit wicked acts and ultimately result in her downfall and disfigurement.
She attempts to sabotage Gerda's garden but fails. Her wickedness is exposed and she is physically punished, ending her days with a permanent scar, symbolizing her inner ugliness.
Envious, wicked, cruel, proud, selfish, and ill-tempered. She is driven by a desire to win and a hatred of others' success.
Image Prompt & Upload
An adult woman with a sharp, severe face, and an elaborate hairstyle befitting a noblewoman. She wears a rich, jewel-toned silk gown with intricate embroidery. Her expression is sullen and frowning, with a prominent scar on the tip of her nose. Her posture is rigid and haughty. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
The Mermaid ◆ supporting
Not explicitly described, but implied to be a beautiful, benevolent magical creature of the sea. Her form would be half-human, half-fish, with a shimmering tail.
Attire: Her 'clothing' would be her shimmering fish tail, likely in iridescent greens, blues, and silvers, adorned with natural sea elements like pearls and coral. She might wear a top of shells or seaweed.
Wants: To help Gerda, who is kind and deserving, and to punish wickedness.
Flaw: Not explicitly stated, but as a creature of the sea, she is bound to her watery domain.
She acts as a deus ex machina, intervening to restore Gerda's garden and punish the Countess, ensuring a just and happy ending.
Benevolent, wise, powerful, just, and protective. She acts as a magical guardian and dispenser of justice.
Image Prompt & Upload
A beautiful, ageless female figure, half-human and half-fish. She has long, flowing green hair adorned with small pearls and a serene, wise face. Her lower body is a shimmering, iridescent fish tail in shades of green, blue, and silver. Her posture is graceful and calm, with hands gently clasped. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Locations
Lord Mayor's Hillside Garden
A vast, meticulously cultivated garden flowing down a hillside in Kisington-by-the-Sea, filled with ripples of radiant color. It features roses, lilies, pinks, daffodils, larkspur, snapdragon, and many other native and exotic flowers. A yellow driveway winds through it.
Mood: Opulent, vibrant, proud, well-maintained
The Lord Mayor drives through, observing the town's gardens and his own, and discusses the prize with his son, Cedric.
Image Prompt & Upload
A grand, terraced garden cascades down a gentle hillside towards a quaint seaside town. Vibrant flowerbeds in every imaginable color, including deep reds, bright yellows, and soft pinks, are meticulously arranged in flowing patterns. A winding, pale yellow gravel driveway cuts through the blooms. The sun is high, casting dappled light through unseen trees, illuminating the rich textures of petals and leaves. In the distance, the sparkling sea can be glimpsed. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Gerda's Seaside Cottage and Initial Garden Plot
A tiny, white-washed cottage situated on the downs near the seashore, initially lacking a proper garden. Only a few flowers grow in cracked pots on the window-sills and on a bench outside the door. Later, the meadow between the cottage and the sea is transformed into a mass of rare and lovely flowers, including choicest foreign plants, gayest native blooms, and shyest wild posies, all caressed by the sea-breeze.
Mood: Initially humble and desolate, later becomes vibrant, hopeful, and cherished.
The Lord Mayor discovers Gerda's lack of a garden, and Cedric promises to send her plants. Later, Gerda cultivates her garden with Cedric's help.
Image Prompt & Upload
A small, simple white-washed cottage with a thatched roof stands on a grassy knoll overlooking a calm, blue sea. A few cracked terracotta pots with small, colorful flowers sit on the window sills and a weathered wooden bench by the door. The surrounding meadow is a vibrant tapestry of diverse wildflowers and cultivated blooms, swaying gently in a soft sea breeze. The sky is clear and bright, with the distant horizon line of the ocean visible. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
The Wonder-Garden (Underwater)
A magical underwater garden revealed in the hollow where Gerda's garden once stood. The basin is floored with polished mother-of-pearl, with beds and borders of colored shells in lovely patterns. It features lawns of many-hued ocean moss, shrubs of coral blossoming in various forms, sea-anemones, delicate sea-ferns, flowering grasses on coral rockeries, and hedges of multi-colored seaweed. Rainbow fishes, sea-horses, and luminous sea-creatures move throughout, with grottoes and arbors of coral.
Mood: Magical, wondrous, serene, otherworldly, vibrant
The sea-garden is revealed to the Lord Mayor and the townspeople, leading to Gerda winning the prize and the Countess's punishment.
Image Prompt & Upload
An ethereal underwater garden, viewed through crystal-clear water, revealing a basin floored with shimmering polished mother-of-pearl. Intricate patterns of colorful shells form beds and borders. Lush lawns of iridescent ocean moss in shades of emerald and sapphire spread across the floor. Towering coral formations, resembling flowering shrubs in hues of crimson, orange, and violet, rise from the seabed. Delicate sea-ferns and flowering grasses sprout from coral rockeries. Schools of glittering rainbow fish, in gold, silver, and pale blue, dart gracefully among waving hedges of green, brown, and pink seaweed. Luminous forms drift, casting soft light. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.