Altogether she was like a being compounded as to her grosser part of foam and mist and gossamer and thistledown, and was swayed by every breath of air, and who, should she venture abroad in rough weather, would be lifted and blown away by the gale and scattered like mist over the earth.
"Afoot in England"
W.H. Hudson
With that he blew a blast that unloosed all the yards upon yards of strong, coarse netting and bore them off like puffs of thistledown.
"The Green Forest Fairy Book"
Loretta Ellen Brady
To the nostrils, too, there floated with the thistledown, hints of bursting ripe fox-grapes and apples ready for the cider press.
"The Tempering"
Charles Neville Buck