This story is about a little girl, Mary, who lived on a seaside cliff with her father, mother, and two brothers. Mary’s father and brothers were sailors. One spring, her father and brothers set off on a long voyage to the Black Sea. Mary felt very sad, but to mark the time she planted a special garden of cockle-shells, cowslips, and dingle-bells; each flower standing for someone she loved. She cared for them with all her heart, believing their blossoms and fading would guide her father back home. But what would happen when the flowers began to wither? Who would guide poor Mary then? And would her loved ones come back home safely? Read this touching story to discover the connection between the flowers and Mary’s hope.
