Translator: Hans Breitenstein
Illustrator: Tiziana Gironi
For Ages: 8 and above
No. of Pages: 24
Publisher: Scandinavia Publishing House, Denmark
Year: 2005
This exceptionally illustrated storybook tells the humbling tale of the buckwheat – proud and arrogant until its downfall.
I did wonder, though, if little ones would understand the story. They did, even if pride and arrogance were words or traits they did not yet comprehend.
Excerpt
Now a violent thunderstorm was coming near. All the flowers of the field folded up their crowns or bowed their fine heads while the storm raged overhead. But the buckwheat remained stiff with pride.
“Close your flowers and bow your leaves,” said the old willow tree. “Do not look towards the lightning when the heavens open. Even men dare not do so because in the lightning you can see into God’s heaven, but this sight blinds even men. What might happen to us lowly growths of the earth if we dared do that, we who are far inferior.”
“Far inferior?” said the buckwheat. “Now, that is exactly what I want, to look right into God’s heaven.”
And so it did, in arrogance and pride. It seemed as though the whole world was on fire, there were so many lightning bolts.
No comments:
Post a Comment