--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I know a flower that grows in the valley…" description: "\"“I know a flower that grows in the valley, none knows it but I. It has purple leaves, and a star in its heart, and its juice is as white as milk. Shoul..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/259/oscar-wilde-16_dead-man_i-know-a-flower-that-grows-in-the-valley_2591183.jpg" --- # I know a flower that grows in the valley, none knows it… ![“I know a flower that grows in the valley, none knows it but I. It has purple leaves, and a star in its heart, and its juice is as white as milk. Should’st thou touch with this flower the hard lips of the Queen, she would follow thee all over the world. Out of the bed of the King she would rise…” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/259/oscar-wilde-16_dead-man_i-know-a-flower-that-grows-in-the-valley_2591183.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/259/oscar-wilde-16_dead-man_i-know-a-flower-that-grows-in-the-valley_2591183.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/259/oscar-wilde-16_dead-man_i-know-a-flower-that-grows-in-the-valley_2591183.jpg) > ““I know a flower that grows in the valley, none knows it but I. It has purple leaves, and a star in its heart, and its juice is as white as milk. Should’st thou touch with this flower the hard lips of the Queen, she would follow thee all over the world. Out of the bed of the King she would rise, and over the whole world she would follow thee. And it has a price, pretty boy, it has a price. What d’ye lack? What d’ye lack? I can pound a toad in a mortar, and make broth of it, and stir the broth with a dead man’s hand. Sprinkle it on thine enemy while he sleeps, and he will turn into a black viper, and his own mother will slay him. With a wheel I can draw the Moon from heaven, and in a crystal I can show thee Death. What d’ye lack? What d’ye lack? Tell me thy desire, and I will give it thee, and thou shalt pay me a price, pretty boy, thou shalt pay me a price.”” [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A flamboyant, magical barter where the speaker offers impossible powers for a price, highlighting desire, temptation, and the cost of wishes. **In simple terms:** A mysterious figure offers magical favors for a price, warning of hidden costs. Key Takeaway Beware bargains that seem too good to be true. Themes temptation power consequences magic desire Mood cautious enigmatic dark Type cautionary mythic dramatic When to use this quote - Romantic pursuit - political intrigue - personal ambition - ethical dilemmas Key Concepts Faustian pact mythic symbolism alchemy Questions to Reflect On - What are you willing to sacrifice for power? - How do you recognize a true cost behind a tempting offer? A Different Perspective The promised powers are fantastical and unrealistic, making the offer dubious. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dead man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dead-man/) [Desire Thee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire-thee-1862417/) [Flower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flower/) [Flower Grows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flower-grows-777084/) [Know Flower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-flower-1365087/) [Lack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lack/) [Whole world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole-world/) ## Related quotes > [For it is good to cleave to God, and to put our hopes in the Lord, so that, when we have exchanged this poor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-jerome/for-it-is-good-to-cleave-to-god-and-to-put-our-hopes-in-the-lord-so/) [St. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-jerome/) > [Jesus, I live for Thee, I labor for Thee, I desire only Thee. Thou in me and I in Thee; Thou with me and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-philippine-duchesne/jesus-i-live-for-thee-i-labor-for-thee-i-desire-only-thee-thou-in-me/) [Rose Philippine Duchesne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-philippine-duchesne/) > [“Desire For Thee" My desire to love thee is just like a tree, must have one root but several branches of fruit I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seema-gupta/desire-for-thee-my-desire-to-love-thee-is-just-like-a-tree-must-have/) [Seema Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seema-gupta/) > [O Lord our God, grant us grace to desire Thee with our whole heart; that, so desiring, we may seek, and seeking find Thee;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bible/o-lord-our-god-grant-us-grace-to-desire-thee-with-our-whole-heart/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bible/) > [“There's a French saying, ‘Où le Dieu a vous semé, il faut savoir fleurir.’ Let's see, ‘Wherever God has planted you, you must know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-furst/there-s-a-french-saying-o-le-dieu-a-vous-sem-il-faut-savoir-fleurir/) [Alan Furst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-furst/) > [I held a blue flower in my hand, probably a wild aster, wondering what its name was, and then thought that human names for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-carrighar/i-held-a-blue-flower-in-my-hand-probably-a-wild-aster-wondering-what/) [Sally Carrighar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-carrighar/) > [Whether the flower or the color is the focus I do not know. I do know the flower is painted large to convey my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-o-keeffe/whether-the-flower-or-the-color-is-the-focus-i-do-not-know-i-do-know/) [Georgia O'Keeffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-o-keeffe/) > [Wherever God has planted you, you must know how to flower - translated from a French saying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-furst/wherever-god-has-planted-you-you-must-know-how-to-flower-translated/) [Alan Furst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-furst/) > [You know–my flower, I am responsible for her. She doesn’t even have four thorns to protect herself from harm.’ (Zarek) Why do you love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/you-know-my-flower-i-am-responsible-for-her-she-doesn-t-even-have/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“Supposing I know of a flower that is absolutely unique, that is nowhere to be found except on my planet, and any minute that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/supposing-i-know-of-a-flower-that-is-absolutely-unique-that-is/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [human names for natural things are superfluous. Nature herself does not name them. The important thing is to know this flower, look at its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-carrighar/human-names-for-natural-things-are-superfluous-nature-herself-does/) [Sally Carrighar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-carrighar/) > [“Love is like a flower it grows into something beautiful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnajo-calhoun/love-is-like-a-flower-it-grows-into-something-beautiful/) [Donnajo Calhoun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnajo-calhoun/) > [Love is a flower that grows in any soil, works its sweet miracles undaunted by autumn frost or winter snow, blooming fair and fragrant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/love-is-a-flower-that-grows-in-any-soil-works-its-sweet-miracles/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [“There's something about the flower that grows through the rocks, the pavement; through logs and stone or brick walls... all roses are beautiful; but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c/there-s-something-about-the-flower-that-grows-through-the-rocks-the/) [C. JoyBell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c/) > [The soul of a child is the loveliest flower that grows in the garden of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-george/the-soul-of-a-child-is-the-loveliest-flower-that-grows-in-the-garden/) [Elizabeth George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-george/) ## More by Oscar Wilde > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The books that the world calls immoral are the books that show the world its own shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-books-that-the-world-calls-immoral-are-the-books-that-show-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Bachelors should be heavily taxed. 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It makes me far too conceited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-don-t-at-all-like-knowing-what-people-say-of-me-behind-my-back-it/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Alles Populäre ist falsch.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/alles-popul-re-ist-falsch/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“If these elements of beauty are real, the whole thing simply appeals to our sense of dramatic effect. Suddenly we find that we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-these-elements-of-beauty-are-real-the-whole-thing-simply-appeals/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [To love one's self is the beginning of a life-long romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/to-love-one-s-self-is-the-beginning-of-a-life-long-romance/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. For these there is hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/those-who-find-beautiful-meanings-in-beautiful-things-are-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Men always want to be a womans first love. Women have a more subtle instinct: What they like is to be a mans last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/men-always-want-to-be-a-womans-first-love-women-have-a-more-subtle/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Why is it that at a bachelor's establishment the servants invariably drink the champagne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/why-is-it-that-at-a-bachelor-s-establishment-the-servants-invariably/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Moderation is a fatal thing. Enough is as bad as a meal. More than enough is as good as a feast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/moderation-is-a-fatal-thing-enough-is-as-bad-as-a-meal-more-than/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Beauty is the only thing that time cannot harm. Philosophies fall away like sand, creeds follow one another, but what is beautiful is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/beauty-is-the-only-thing-that-time-cannot-harm-philosophies-fall-away/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) [Explore all 3,343 Oscar Wilde quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## More Dead man quotes > [Those old hypocrites. They talk about killing witches but the Good Book’s full of magic. Turning the Nile to blood and parting the Red…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/those-old-hypocrites-they-talk-about-killing-witches-but-the-good/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [“A thousand times a coward and not once a dead man”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suad-amiry/a-thousand-times-a-coward-and-not-once-a-dead-man/) [Suad Amiry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suad-amiry/) > [“I cocked my eyebrow at her. "Are you kidding me, Clare?" I indicated to the dead man on the broken pine table. "There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-morgan/i-cocked-my-eyebrow-at-her-are-you-kidding-me-clare-i-indicated-to/) [Elizabeth Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-morgan/) > [Silvio, I gotta go, find out something only dead men know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/silvio-i-gotta-go-find-out-something-only-dead-men-know/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [I think I probably have the philosophy of a poor man. You know, like maybe I'd steal the pennies off a dead man's eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cassavetes/i-think-i-probably-have-the-philosophy-of-a-poor-man-you-know-like/) [John Cassavetes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cassavetes/) > [“Dead man, listen well. The Great Keep is not like the Otherworld. The Great Keep has many names. To the Norse it is Valhalla,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kami-garcia/dead-man-listen-well-the-great-keep-is-not-like-the-otherworld-the/) [Kami Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kami-garcia/) > [Dead men tell no tales, Mary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dead-men-tell-no-tales-mary/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“what i really need is a dead man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-himes/what-i-really-need-is-a-dead-man/) [Chester Himes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-himes/) > [And he that will this health deny, down among the dead men let him lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dyer/and-he-that-will-this-health-deny-down-among-the-dead-men-let-him-lie/) [John Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dyer/) > [“Death Valley is the perfect flesh-grilling device, the Foreman Grill in Mother Nature’s cupboard. It’s a big, shimmering sea of salt ringed by mountains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/death-valley-is-the-perfect-flesh-grilling-device-the-foreman-grill/) [Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/) > [We're here for such a short period of time. Live like you're already dead, man. Have a good time. Do your best. Let it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bridges/we-re-here-for-such-a-short-period-of-time-live-like-you-re-already/) [Jeff Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bridges/) > [For my own part, I would rather be in company with a dead man than with an absent one; for if the dead man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-my-own-part-i-would-rather-be-in-company-with-a-dead-man-than/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Victor ignored him and reached inside the dead man’s jacket, searching unsuccessfully for a wallet. He went to take the man’s radio receiver, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-wood/victor-ignored-him-and-reached-inside-the-dead-man-s-jacket-searching/) [Tom Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-wood/) > [“People had always amazed him, he began. But they amazed him more since the sickness. For as long as the two of them had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/people-had-always-amazed-him-he-began-but-they-amazed-him-more-since/) [Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/) > [How can so much beauty hide such a bruised and steely heart, and why must I love him, why must I lean in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/how-can-so-much-beauty-hide-such-a-bruised-and-steely-heart-and-why/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) [Browse all 490 Dead man quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dead-man/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I know a flower that grows in the valley, none knows it but I. It has purple leaves, and a star in its heart, and its juice is as white as milk. Should’st thou touch with this flower the hard lips of the Queen, she would follow thee all over the world. Out of the bed of the King she would rise, and over the whole world she would follow thee. And it has a price, pretty boy, it has a price. What d’ye lack? What d’ye lack? I can pound a toad in a mortar, and make broth of it, and stir the broth with a dead man’s hand. Sprinkle it on thine enemy while he sleeps, and he will turn into a black viper, and his own mother will slay him. With a wheel I can draw the Moon from heaven, and in a crystal I can show thee Death. What d’ye lack? What d’ye lack? 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