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Sunday, May 24, 2020

forty years


by corinne delmonico





a princess was seated at a little table in her garden, reading a sacred book.

a little flower was growing in the grass beside her.

it began to rain.

the princess, who was sheltered from the rain by an umbrella set in the middle of the table, did not look up from her book.

“it’s raining! it’s raining!” cried the flower excitedly.

the princess raised her eyebrow. “so?" she asked the flower.

“it has not rained in forty years!” the flower replied.

“yes, but the gardener waters you every day. water is water, however you get it. are you not satisfied with the way the gardener fulfills his duty?”

“but - this is different! it just feels different,” the flower protested.

“nonsense.” the princess returned to her book.

after a while the rain stopped. the princess fell asleep over her book, as she did most afternoons.

the rain returned again. this time, it spoke to the flower.

“i will return tonight, “ the rain said, “when the princess and all her servants are asleep. we wil go away together, you and i, to a land where i will visit you every day. do not say anything to the princess about this. she is old, and does not understand these things.”

“i won’t tell, “ the flower promised.

the princess woke up, put a marker in her book to show where she had stopped reading, and went inside .

it has been a good day, the princess thought. i have learned a great deal.

she looked forward to the night, and pleasant dreams.





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