The buckwheat – Andersen
Once Upon a Stormy Time
Have you ever seen a field of buckwheat after a storm, all black and scorched? People say it’s because of lightning. But the little sparrows have a different story, all thanks to a very old, wise willow tree near that field. This tree, so old that it has grass and plants growing from its split trunk, has branches like long green hair sweeping the ground.
Around this wise old tree, fields of grains like rye, barley, and especially oats grow. The oats are so pretty when they’re ripe; they look like tiny golden birds singing on a branch. All these grains bow their heavy heads, as if saying a silent “thank you” to the sun.
But, right across from the old tree was a field of buckwheat that didn’t want to bow its head at all. It stood up straight and tall, puffing its chest out.
“I’m just as good as any other grain,” it boasted, “and even prettier! Look at my beautiful flowers. They’re as lovely as apple blossoms. You can’t find anything prettier than me, can you, old willow?”
The willow tree nodded its head, but it looked a little sad. The buckwheat, though, didn’t notice. It just thought the tree was old and silly, with grass growing out of its body.
The Sky’s Fierce Dance
Then, one day, dark clouds tumbled across the sky, and a big storm started to brew. All the flowers and grains in the field knew what to do; they closed up their petals and bowed down their heads, waiting for the storm to pass. But not the buckwheat! It stayed standing tall, not wanting to miss anything.
“Close up and bow down!” the other plants called. “The storm angel is coming with wings that reach from the sky to the ground!”
But the buckwheat replied, “I won’t! I don’t want to!”
“Please,” said the old willow tree, “close your petals and don’t look at the lightning. Even people can’t do that. It’s like a peek into heaven, but too bright and powerful. It could hurt your eyes!”
But the buckwheat just puffed up even more and said, “I’m not just any plant. I want to see heaven!” So, it kept looking, even when the lightning was so bright it lit up the whole world.
After the storm, the air was fresh, and all the other plants looked happy and clean. But the buckwheat? It was all burnt up, black as coal.
Why the Willow Tree Cried
The old willow tree’s branches waved in the wind, and it sounded like it was crying. The little sparrows, who had been waiting for the storm to end, asked, “Why are you crying, old willow? Everything’s calm and sunny again, and it smells so nice!”
The willow tree then told them about the buckwheat being way too proud and how it got hurt because it didn’t listen. And that’s the story the sparrows told me one quiet evening.
What “The Story of the Proud Buckwheat” Teaches Us
This story isn’t just for fun; it’s got a big lesson, too! It shows us that being too proud, like the buckwheat, can lead to big-time trouble. Sometimes, we need to listen to our friends, or the wise old trees around us, and sometimes, we even need to bow our heads and wait for the storms to pass.
