Snippets and Shorter Stories 2.0 Wishes on a Dandelion

2.8 Today I graduate from the University of Utah. I am so excited to be done but I had some great classes. I will miss learning but not tests and assignments. This next snippet was rather fun to figure out how to show the way children interact with stories. Artist: Amanda Cass.

Dandelion Wish

Abigail broke away from her father and ran toward Dandelion Field. Her father eventually caught up and urged her to go up the cliff to where a plaque stood overlooking the field below. Together they climbed the stairs and leaned against the railing.

  "What do you see, Abby?"

   Abigail thought for a moment staring at the field, then gasped when she noticed it. "The dandelions are in the shape of a teardrop!"

   Her father smiled and moved to read the plaque. It contained the legend of the mysteriously shaped clump of dandelions.

"There once was a girl who was very happy and her name was Danielle. She lived with her mother and father in a nice little house on the edge of the woods. One day, however, a mighty pack of wolves killed her father while he was hunting for food. (Gasp!) Then her mother got sick and also perished leaving the girl all alone with no one to care for her. (Oh, no, daddy, that is terrible!) Indeed it was terrible; especially for the little girl. Everywhere she looked things reminded her of her parents and it wasn't long before her heart couldn't take it anymore.”

“She hiked through the forest until she came upon a meadow. Sitting in the middle near a single dandelion, Danielle began to cry. (I would too!) She cried and cried and cried until her tears nourished the dandelion and it grew bigger and bigger. (It did?) It wasn't long before it was taller than her. She plucked it, held it up to her mouth, and made a wish. (What did she wish for?) She wished to be flown far away from this land that held only pain for her.

Then she blew.

But the seeds floated back to the ground for there was no wind to carry them away. (Oh no!) She cried some more and more dandelions grew until she was surrounded by them. The few nearest her grew taller than the first one and when she plucked them a great wind arose and caught hold of the dandelions and carried her far away where she could be happy. (Yay! Her first wish did come true after all, daddy!) The only things she left behind were the small cottage and the teardrop shaped clump of dandelions.” Abigail’s father finished the story and stared down at the dandelions below. He had learned long ago that it was better to be patient with her interruptions. So he paused every now and then so she could speak before continuing. He smiled down at her, watching the way her face scrunched in thought as she stared at the dandelions below. Together they watched the fluffy seeds catch in the breeze and dance through the wind until nothing was left but the empty stalks.