"You have chosen well," said she. "Take also these seeds and sow them in
your fields."

Suddenly a peal of thunder shook the grotto. When it had ceased, Hans
found himself standing alone on the mountain.

When Hans reached home, he showed his wife the blue flowers and the
seeds that had been given him by the queen.

"Wonderful crystals and precious stones hang from the walls and ceiling
of the cave, but the queen is more beautiful than all!" exclaimed Hans.

"Why did you not choose some of the diamonds and gold?" cried his wife,
and she scolded Hans roundly, because he had taken only flowers and
seeds.

Hans made no reply, but he went to the fields and plowed the ground.
Then he sowed carefully the seeds that the queen had given him.

The weeks passed by. Tiny green leaves began to show above the ground.
The plants grew taller and taller, and then the blue flowers began to
appear.

The flowers were so beautiful that even the angry wife was pleased. She
had never seen anything like them.

Hans watched his fields day and night. One moonlight night, he saw the
lovely queen of the Blue Grotto walking about among the flowers, with
her maidens. They seemed to be guarding the blossoms.