The Story of How the Apples Got Stars Within
by Madge Bigham
There was once a tiny seed sleeping in its blanket of earth all winter long until one early spring morning when Father Sun began to shine. The little seed awoke and began to stretch and yawn and stretch until its legs pushed deeper into the earth and its arms finally stretched up above the earth. Then, with one last stretch, the little seed poked its head up and looked around at the wide, wide world.
After all those long winter months in its brown earth bed, the little sprout thought it had never seen anything so beautiful as grass and flowers, and it gazed in wide-eyed wonder at the world. All day the little sprout listened to the music of the birds and the breezes and was full of wonder. She watched the clouds sail by in the blue sky and then saw the sky turn golden as Father Sun sank into his bed. And then, as everything grew dark again, the little sprout saw a wonderful sight: up in the sky diamond-stars were twinkling! She wished so much to touch one that she stretched and stretched to reach the sky. But she couldn't touch the sparkling stars. And finally she began to cry.
Suddenly, there appeared a fairy, wearing a crown a just those sparkling stars. "Why do you weep?" asked the fairy. "Because I so want such a star for my very own," answered the little sprout. "Ah, some day your wish shall be granted," said the fairy. "But first you have much work to do. You must grow strong and tall and full of love." And then the fairy vanished.
The little sprout worked hard to grow tall and strong and after some time she became a young sapling. King Storm came with his winds and rains and beat her down almost to the earth. But each time she struggled to stand tall again, and grew stronger and stronger. And after some time she was no longer afraid of him for she knew he helped her to grow.
After many visits from King Storm, one morning the little tree awoke to find her branches covered with pink blossoms. "Oh, how lovely!" she cried, and she took great care of them, day after day, until one day tiny seed babies appeared. Now the little tree was becoming a mother, and she was so busy caring for her tiny apple-children that she forgot all about her wish to the fairy. Summer came, and her children grew golden and green, and the little fairies came and kissed each little apple until it blushed bright red.
The little apple tree was so proud of her children -- she felt she could not be happier. Then suddenly the fairy with the crown of stars appeared beside her.
"I have come to grant your wish," she said, "to bring you a star from heaven for your very own." "Oh," said the little apple tree, "I no longer need a star. I am quite happy with my apple children."
"Well then," said the fairy, "I shall give my basket of stars to your apple children.
But I will hide them deep inside where only the Earth-Children can find them."
And so she did. And that's where you will find a star waiting for you: inside each apple, guarding the little seed babies for you to plant in the earth again.
Goodbye Friends!
