Long
ago, when the world was young and the seasons were playful children, it came
the time for celebrating. Mother Earth's birthday was in a week, and the four
seasons were eager to surprise her with their thoughtful gifts.
Winter,
the eldest, decided right away that she was going to string a necklace with
beads of pure snow, ice, and glimmering frost. She crafted thousands of unique
snowflakes in the clouds, using only her nimble fingers and the sharpest
icicles. At night her frozen charms sparkled in the light of the stars.
Spring,
noticing Winter's breathtaking skill, took the fragrance of her newly bloomed
flowers into a bottle as clear as stream water, yet as colorful as a rainbow.
She tested the perfume on herself and decided that it was fit for the gods.
Not
wanting to be outdone by her sisters, Summer flew through the trees, gathering
the ripest fruits in a basket woven of lush green leaves. She washed them
gently in a small brook, then left them in the shade to ripen in the warm
breeze.
Meanwhile,
Autumn, having nothing to give, sadly settled on a hilltop to watch the sunset.
As the last ray of sunlight lit up the world, Autumn noticed the brilliant
colors of the leaves. She suddenly had an idea to sew together the leaves of
red, yellow, and brown to make a quilt wide enough to cover the entire world.
She shook the trees bare, shivering from Winter's impending cold, and worked in
solitude, struggling against the fading light, until at last she was done.
The
girls surprised Mother Earth with their gifts. While she treasures Winter's
snowflake pendants, Spring's flower perfume and Summer's fruits, she cherishes
most of all Autumn's thoughtfulness and the colorful blanket of leaves that
keeps her warm.
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