The Legend of the Dandelion

glowing dandelion seed overlooking field

A long time ago there lived in the sky with their mother, the Moon, and their father, the Sun, a great many little stars. Their mother loved to have them shineb rightly as soon as it grew dark, which they usually did like good little stars; but once, when their mother called them to come and light the sky, they did not come quickly, and would not let their light shine.

They acted just like little girls and boys do when they are naughty and do not mind their mother; they hid their faces, and would not look bright and happy. What do you think happened? Their mother found some good little stars that wanted to shine, and then the naughty stars began to fall down from the sky.

Faster and faster they fell till they came down to the earth. Here they became very lonely without their dear mother, and began to cry. They cried themselves to sleep that night, and felt very sorry for being naughty.

In the morning, their father, the Sun, shone out so brightly that everything wakened from sleep, even the little baby stars who had felt so badly. When they saw themselves on the ground they began to cry again, but the Sun felt so sorry for them that he called them to him and smiled upon them kindly. This made them feel happy again.

Then the sun told the little stars that they must always shine on the earth instead of in the heavens, and so make the earth beautiful. So every morning, when the sun shines on the little dandelions, they open their pretty eyes and look likeb right yellow stars shining in the grass. They are happy now because they make the fields and roadsides pretty with their golden light.

The American Primary Teacher, Volume 24

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