Part of it is root,
and part of it is stem. Do you see?"
"I see two little white lumps," replied the stone; "but I can not
understand how they will ever be a root and a stem."
"I do believe you are a poor, dull mineral, after all," said the bean;
"and if so, of course you can not understand what pleasure a vegetable
has in growing.
"I wouldn't be a mineral for the world! I would not lie still and do
nothing, year after year. I would rather spread my branches in the
sunshine, and drink in the sweet spring air through my leaves."
"What you say must be all nonsense," said the stone. "I can't understand
it."
But the bean grew on without minding him. The roots pushed down into the
soil and drank up the moisture from the ground. Then this moisture went
into the stem, and the stem climbed bravely up into the light.
"How happy I am!" cried the bean.
It ran over the red stone, and clasped it with long green branches,
covered with white bean flowers.
"O indeed!" said the stone. "Is this what you call growing? I thought
you were only in fun. How handsome you are!"
"May I hang my pods on you, so that they can ripen in the sun?" said the
bean.
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