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The Little Nasturtium Seed

A short story for little ones starting school.

In a land of playfulness and gentleness, the garden fairies had been holding a little seed for many months, waiting patiently for the right time to plant it. Each day they whispered messages of love to the little seed. And each day, the little seed felt these messages and whispered back its dreams for the future.


The seed felt safe being with the garden fairies but inside it knew a restlessness. It was as if its dreams couldn’t be held inside it anymore. Its dreams just wanted to burst out so that it could smell the soil, be kissed by the sun, sway with the wind, and taste the rain and tiny dewdrops.


The garden fairies felt the little seed’s longings and understood that the seed was ready to grow into a plant. That night, when all the land was still and quiet, the fairies gathered round the seed. They danced with the seed and blessed it, sprinkling fairy dust onto it so that deep in its golden heart, it would always remember how much they loved looking after it.


At dawn, the garden gnomes arrived with their spades and shovels. They cupped the seed in their hands to feel its weight and strength, and to imagine its height and colour. Then they chose a special place for the seed and started to prepare the little seed’s home. The gnomes dug a hole in the soil and added a little bit of enchanted compost to make the hole as snug as a cosy bed. Then the gnomes sang a special song to call the earthworms to guard the little seed as it began its new journey.


When the hole was finally ready, the garden gnomes picked up the little seed, and softly told it the beauty of its name. The little seed was excited, and and also a little nervous. It had never known the feeling of soil and didn't know what was going to happen to it. But the garden gnomes placed it in the hole so kindly that the little seed trusted that something special was happening.

Suddenly it was completely dark. And the little seed was all alone. For a moment, the little seed just wanted to cry out for the garden fairies and the garden gnomes. Then the little seed felt something cool and soothing touch its skin. It felt itself soften to allow this wetness to become a part of it. And as it softened, it heard the comforting humming of the earthworms. It felt the firmness of the soil ... and the little seed felt stillness and quietness inside itself.


For a few days the little seed rested in this new home. But one morning, it woke up with an itchy, wriggly feeling. To its delight, it felt tiny roots growing out of it. The roots wanted to explore the soil, to find the earthworms, and to get the tastiest juices. They wanted to find out all about the depths of the earth. On one adventure, the roots met a mole, who had decided to build a new set of tunnels. The mole was quite annoyed when his nose brushed against the roots and he muttered, “Bother, bother, bother! Now I'll have to build my tunnel somewhere else.’


A few days later the itchy, wriggly feeling started again. But this time, the feeling was at the top of the seed. As a tiny little shoot sprouted from the seed the little seeds heart poured into it - urging it, encouraging it to push through the soil to find the sun. What a magnificent morning it was when the tip of the shoot finally burst through the soil to breathe in the fresh, bright air and to bask in the warmth of the sun.


Day by day the little shoot grew stronger and stronger - and beautiful round leaves gracefully grew out of the shoot. The little seed knew that it had now become something new - a plant. The little plant felt so safe knowing the darkness, firmness, and nourishment of the soil. And it felt delighted to be able to dance and wave its leaves to the music of the sun, and at night to feel the restful, coolness of the silvery moonbeams.


The little plant had many wonderful experiences during this time. One morning it awoke to find itself clothed in the most beautiful silky garment. A glorious garden spider had made its rainbow web between the little plant’s leaves. For a few days the little plant and the spider had great fun getting to know each other.


Another morning, a very grumpy ladybird came flitting by asking the little plant if it had seen her children. The little plant laughed and showed the ladybird how her children were playing hide-and-seek under its leaves.

On one special night, the little plant witnessed the most fantastic firework display as tiny fireflies did loop-the-loops and the most elegant twirls and whirls in the dark, night air.


But what the little plant longed for most, was to be visited by one of the handsome butterflies it had seen flying majestically from flower to flower. The little plant loved to see their strong, colourful wings rising and falling in the heat of the sun.


One day, the plant, which had by now grown quite big and strong, felt a powerful energy inside it. This energy grew stronger and stronger. The plant felt the force of this energy rushing up through its roots and stems and leaves. Up, up, up went this energy until it burst from the plant creating the most brilliant red, orange, and yellow flowers.


All around the plant there was a cheering and a celebration. The birds sang in the trees. The garden fairies showered the happy little flowers with shimmering sparkles. A little golden bug lighted on its leaves, gently tickling it with its feet. The gnomes patted the soil around its stems. And the earthworms hummed happily to its roots.


But best of all, a beautiful big yellow and black butterfly landed on a flower, spread out its wings in all their brilliance, and kissed it welcome.


And the plant knew deep inside its roots, and stem, and leaves and flowers that it was now living its dream of beauty.

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