HowFlowersLostTheirVoices

Longago,livedatowninGreececalledFlorina.ThepeopleofFlorinawerehappyandlived
simplelives,restingandtendingtotheirgardens.Flowerscouldbefoundanywhereyouturnedyourhead.
Theyweresacredtothepeoplebecauseoftheirbeautyandtheirlanguage.Theflowersspoketothe
people,tellingofthebeautifulandgreatChloris,anymphandgoddessofflowersandspring.Chloriswas
beautiful,kindandlovedbythepeopleofFlorina,forshekepttheirgardensbeautifulandfertile.
ChlorislovedthepeopleofFlorina.Theyweregenerousand,mostimportantly,appreciatedthe
giftsChlorisgavetothem.Theynevermadeherangry,forfearoflosingtheirbelovedflowers.Toplease
Chloris,everyweekeachresidentofFlorinaplantedanewflowersproutasanoffering.Theyoung
flowerspassedonmessagesfromtheresidentstoChlorisoflove,affectionandthanksgiving.Everything
waswelluntiloneday,warbrokeoutonafieldofflowerstendedbyChloris.
Thegoddessheardoftheviolencefromanewlyplantedflowerinaneighboringgarden.
Chloris!,itcalledtoher,Warhasdestroyedafieldofyourbeauty,onlybloodanddespairrestthere
now.Whensheheardthis,Chlorisbecamesaddened,thenangry.Ares!shesaidtoherself,Howdare
he!Thismustnotcontinue!ChlorisblamedAres,godofwar,forthedestructionofherflowers.She
quicklymadeherwaytothefieldwherethewartookplace.Onceshewasthere,itwashardforChloristo
lookatthetrampledflowers,themoansoftheirpainastheypassedaway.Bodieslayscatteredonthe
ground,thebloodofthewarriorsstainingthefragilepetals.Chlorisbecamefilledwithrageasshenoticed
Arescasuallyloungingtotheside,smirkinginherdirection.ChlorisstormedovertowhereAreswas
sitting.Ares!Dontyourealizewhatyouvedone?!Youcannotdestroymyfields!Youmuststopwith
yourdestruction!Icommandyoutoendyourfoolishwars!sheshouted.Oh,Chloris,funnyhowyou
believeyoucanstopme.Theyreonlyflowers,youcangrowplentymore,Aresresponded.Hisanswer
onlymadeChlorisangrier.Ares,Imeanit!Stopyourwarsrightthisinstance!Stopthem!Aresstood
upfromhisplaceonthegroundandnarrowedhiseyes.Orwhat?heasked.Or...orIlltellyour

father!Aressnarledatherthreat.Youllregretthis,Chloris!Noonetellsmewhattodo!Withthat,
Aresstormedoff.Chlorisshookherheadandsadlyregardedherfieldofflowers.Later,Chlorisgotword
ofanotherwarinadifferentfield.Then,threemorewarsbeganinotherlocations.Thatsit!Chloris
screamedtoherself.Icantletthisgoon!ShewroteamessagetoAres,explainingthatshecouldnot
takethedestructionofherflowersanylonger.Iadviseyoutoendthis,Ares,beforeIhavetodo
somethingIllregret,Chloriswrote.Afteronlyashortwhileaftersendingthemessageviacarrier
pigeon,ChlorisreceivedaresponsefromAres.Howdareyouthreatenme,andoversuchasmallissue
asflowers.Iwillnotstop,Chloris.Youarguedwiththewronggod.Chlorisworriedthroughoutthenight
aboutwhatAreswoulddonext.
WhenChlorisvisitedFlorinathenextday,theresidentscoweredawayfromher.Chloriswas
shocked,thepeopleusuallyflockedtobringhergiftswhenevershewasthere.Asshewalkedtheroadsof
town,residentslockedtheirdoorsandpeekedatherthroughcurtains.Onemanstoodinhisgarden,
shiveringinfearasChlorisgrewnearer.You!Chlorispointed.Donotbeafraid.Whyaremypeople
runningfromme?ThemanofferedChloristherosehewasholding.Wehaveheardofyourevils.The
flowersarespeakingofhorriblesinsyouhavecommitted.Weareafraid.Chloriswashurt.Iamsorry,
sir.IassureyouthatIwouldnotharmthepeopleofFlorina.Notaftereverythingyouvedoneforme,
shetoldtheman,blinkingbacktears.Chloriswalkedintothemansgardenwithhurtinhereyes.Why
areyoubetrayingme?sheaskedtheflowers,Howdareyou!Theflowerscoweredinfearbutdidnot
answer.Mayyouneverplacefearintheheartsofmypeopleagain!Chlorisscreamedassheraisedher
armsoverherhead.Assheclosedherfists,allflowersintheworldlosttheirvoices.Chlorislookedinto
herhandsandsawtheballofshimmeringvoices.Shebegantocryandcouldnothelpbutwonderwhat
shehaddonetomakeherflowersbetrayher.
WhenChlorisarrivedbackatherpalace,shedidnotheartheusualchatterofherflowers.She
decidedtovisitZeus,thekingofallgods,toreceiveadvice.OnceatthegatesofOlympus,Chloristooka

deepbreathandwalkedtothepalaceofZeus.ThegoldendoorsopenedforChloris,revealingZeus
himselfsittingonhisthrone.Zeus,Ihavecomeforadvice,Chlorissaid,bowing.Comein,goddessof
flowers,whatcanIassistyouwith?ChlorisexplainedthesituationtoZeusandasked,King,whatdoI
do?HowcanIgivemyflowersbacktheirvoices?Zeusthoughtforamomentandsaid,Chloris,your
flowersdidnotbetrayyoubecauseofsomethingyouhaddone.Myson,Ares,trickedthem.Hepassed
messagestothepeopleofFlorinathroughtheflowers.Iamsorryyouregretthisbut,thereisnothingyou
candotorenewtheirvoices.However,Iwilltellyouwhatyoucando.Thereisaperiodoftimebetween
thecoldandthehotweather.Wecallthisseasonspring.Ifyouplantthevoicesinthefieldthatwasfirst
destroyed,everyflowerwillstayinperfectbloomduringspring.Chloriswasfilledwithagreatjoyand
knewshemadetherightdecisionturningtoZeus.Oh,thankyou,Zeus!Iamforeverinyourdebt!Zeus
smiledanddismissedChloris.Sheimmediatelywenttothefieldthatwasfirstdestroyedbywarand
foundaspotinthedirtfreefromblood.Iamsorry,myflowers.Iamtryingtomakeituptoyou,she
whisperedtothevoicesinherhand.Asshedroppedthesphereofvoicesintothehole,thesurrounding
flowers,previouslydryandlifeless,satup,renewedtheirlifeandswayedwiththewind.Chloriswatched
asherfieldgrewbackintothebeautifulplaceitoncewasandcriedtearsofjoybecauseshehadfixedthe
worstmistakeshehadevercommitted.Althoughtheworldisdeprivedofthevoicesofflowers,their
beautyis,tothisday,admiredbyall,thankstoChloris.