Two Seeds

By
Keith Shreve

Illustrated by
Jenny Plucinsky
Two seeds fell from the same tree.

They spun through the sky,

twirling and dancing until
they settled on a small hill
at the bottom of a valley.
 “I want to see more, sister.
I want to see past our valley.”

“I will stay here, brother. I like our

valley and it seems to be as good a place
as any to grow my roots.”
“Goodbye, sister. I will return
and tell you where I have
been.” A bird flew over and
picked up the seed and took
him far away.
 Time passed and the seed returned.
“Oh, sister! You are no longer a seed at all!”

“No, I am not. I dug into the ground, grew

roots, and sprouted from the earth a sapling.
Did you see beyond the valley?”

“I did. I met many

different plants and
saw things I could
have never
imagined.”

“Good, brother. Will you

stay now?”
“I cannot. Beyond the valley is a mountain. I want to see
more. I want to see the top of the mountain!”

The seed climbed up his sister’s branch, leaped into a gust of

wind, then vanished into the horizon.
 Time passed and the seed returned.

“Oh, sister! You are a tree now!”

“Yes, brother. I am full grown. Did you see

the top of the mountain?”

“I did. It was amazing! I could see the

whole world from the top.”

“Good, brother. Will you stay now?”

“I cannot. Beyond the mountain is a
forest. I want to see more. I want to
see the forest.”
The seed climbed the tree, clutched a
butterfly fluttering by, and rode off.
Time passed and the seed returned once again.

“Sister, what has happened to your leaves and branches?”

“There was a storm and flood. My branches were

broken in the wind and carried off by the water.”
“How terrible! I should have taken you with me when
you were a seed. This would have never happened.”
“My roots are strong, brother. My branches and leaves
will grow back. Did you see the forest?”
“Oh, yes. There were trees everywhere! And the most
beautiful animals I have ever seen.”
“Good, brother. Will you stay now?”
“I cannot. Beyond the forest is an
ocean. I want to see more. I want to
see the ocean.” The seed hopped into
the river that was formed in the flood
and sailed slowly away.
Time passed and the seed returned once again.
 “Sister, your branches and leaves have grown back stronger
than before.”

“Yes, brother. It took many years, but they have grown

back.
Did you see the ocean?”

“I did. It was the biggest and most

peaceful thing I have ever seen. But as I
sat listening to the waves, I worried that
your branches would not grow.
I regretted not staying longer to see you
healed.”
I know this feeling, brother.

Every time you leave, I have the same worries.

But you always return to tell me of your adventures.

What is beyond the ocean, brother?”

“I don’t know.”

“Will you stay now?”

“I will.”
The End