But presently it was set in a greenhouse， where the sunlight fell warm upon it， and water was sprinkled over it， and day by day as it waited， a change began to come to it. Something was stirring within it—a new hope. Still it was ignorant， and knew not what the new hope meant.
One day the clay was lifted again from its place， and carried into a great church. Its dream was coming true after all. It had a f？ine part to play in the world. Glorious music f？lowed over it. It was surrounded with f？lowers. Still it could not understand. So it whispered to another vessel of clay， like itself， close beside it， “Why have they set me here？ Why do all the people look towards us？” And the other vessel answered， “Do you not know？ You are carrying a royal scepter of lilies. Their petals are white as snow， and the heart of them is like pure gold. The people look this way because the f？lower is the most wonderful in the world. And the root of it is in your heart.”
Then the clay was content， and silently thanked its maker， because， though an earthen vessel， it held so great a treasure.
很久以前，在一条河边有这样一撮黏土。说起来，它也不过是普普通通的黏土，粗糙笨重，不过它对自己的价值看得很高。它对自己在世界上可能占有的地位怀有奇特的想象，认为只要能得到机会，自己的价值一定会被人们发现。
在这撮黏土的头顶上，明媚的春光里，纤细的花儿和树叶开始绽放，林中一片澄澈碧绿，树木正在交头接耳地讲述，它们身上所闪耀的无尽光辉。那种景象就如无数红绿宝石粉末所形成的彩云，轻轻地飘浮在大地上。
花儿们看到这样的美景，非常惊喜，它们在春风的吹拂下探头欠身，相互祝贺：“姐妹们，你们出落得多可爱啊，你们给白日增添了多少光辉啊。”
河水也为新力量的加入而感到高兴。它沉浸在水流重聚的喜悦中，不断地用美好的音调向河岸低语，倾诉着自己是如何挣脱冰雪的束缚，如何从积雪覆盖的群山奔流到这里，以及它匆忙前往担负的重任——许多水车的轮子等着它去推动，巨大的船舶等着它运送到大海里。