Alyssum’s Wish: A Magical Tale of Winter’s Hidden Beauty

In a time long ago, in a village nestled among whispering pines and frost-kissed meadows, there lived a little girl named Alyssum. Her laughter was like the ringing of tiny bells, and her eyes sparkled with the joy of finding beauty in the smallest things. Of all the wonders she loved, nothing captured her heart like flowers.

Spring and summer found Alyssum wandering through fields with her basket, gathering blooms of every color to weave into crowns and garlands for her friends. Even autumn, with its winds and swirling leaves, brought berries and seed pods for her to collect.

But when winter came, cold and heavy, Alyssum’s joy withered. The soft white snow that thrilled her friends felt like a thief to her, stealing the blossoms she loved so dearly. She would sit by the window, frowning, arms crossed as her friends tumbled in drifts of snow, and wish with all her might that winter would simply disappear.

“Winter has its purpose, dear,” her mother would say, brushing her hair by the fire. “Flowers must rest so they can return stronger.”

But Alyssum could not bear the silence of bare branches, the empty meadows hidden beneath thick snow.

One morning, determined, Alyssum wrapped herself in her woolen cloak, pulled on her mittens, and set out into the forest. Her breath puffed like tiny clouds as she stomped through the snow, muttering, “I wish winter would end so the flowers could live forever.”

She walked and walked, snow crunching beneath her boots, until she saw a figure standing beneath the frost-laden trees—a young woman in a deep green cloak, her dark hair gleaming like polished onyx, a warm smile on her pale face despite the cold.

“Why are you scowling on such a beautiful day?” the woman asked gently.

“It’s not beautiful,” Alyssum snapped. “Winter kills the flowers every year. I wish it would just go away.”

The woman chuckled, her eyes twinkling. “You wish away winter? That is a bold wish.”

“It’s what I want most,” Alyssum said firmly.

“Wishes are not given freely,” the woman replied, “but earned through understanding. Bring me three things, and I will grant your wish.”

Alyssum’s eyes widened. “I’ll find them! What do you need?”

“First, bring me something that hangs upside down but has no hands or feet.”

The Icicle

Puzzled, Alyssum wandered through the forest, scanning every tree and branch. She sighed, ready to give up, when a cold drop landed on her nose. She looked up to find an icicle glistening, hanging from a low branch.

“Something that hangs upside down!” she exclaimed.

She carefully climbed, snapped the icicle from the branch, and held it up, laughing at the funny way her face stretched in its reflection.

She returned to the woman, who smiled, “Well done, Alyssum. Now, the second: find me something that glitters like starlight but rests upon the ground.”

The Snow’s Sparkle

This riddle was harder, for Alyssum saw nothing but white snow and dark branches. She kicked the snow in frustration until a ray of sunlight pierced the clouds, landing on the snow and making it sparkle like diamonds.

She gasped at the shimmering sight. Remembering how her friends made snowballs, she packed the glittering snow carefully into a perfect sphere, preserving the sparkle within.

She turned, only to see the woman watching her, smiling warmly. “You are clever indeed. Now, for the final task: bring me something that bleeds red but is not dying.”

The Holly Berry

This riddle made Alyssum’s heart sink. She longed to return to her flower-picking meadow, even if winter had hidden it under snow. She ran to her favorite spot, hoping to find something alive.

There, beneath a heavy layer of snow, she spotted a flash of red. Brushing the snow aside, she discovered a bright holly berry, glowing with color in the white world.

“It bleeds red but is not dying,” she whispered, gently plucking it.

When she returned, the woman took the berry, her eyes soft with kindness.

“You have found all I asked for,” she said, “and now, I must tell you the truth. I could have granted your wish the moment you asked.”

Alyssum’s eyes widened. “Then why send me for these things?”

“So you would see what you wished to end,” the woman said. “Icicles that sparkle, snow that glitters like stars, and berries that shine like tiny embers—these are winter’s wonders. Without winter, these small miracles would vanish, just like your flowers would without the seasons.”

Alyssum looked around, seeing the snow’s quiet beauty, the frost shimmering on branches, and the holly’s bright berries. A small warmth grew in her heart.

“You may have one wish,” the woman said softly. “What will you choose?”

Alyssum closed her eyes, remembering the joy of blossoms in spring, and the quiet wonder of winter’s light.

“I wish for a flower that will bloom every spring, to remind me that winter’s beauty brings new life, just like my flowers.”

The woman’s smile was like dawn breaking. “So it shall be. Every year, white blossoms will bloom to remind the world that winter, too, is beautiful. These flowers will be called Sweet Alyssum, after the girl who learned that every season has its wonders.”

And so, each spring, Sweet Alyssum blooms across fields and gardens, a living memory of a little girl’s wish and the truth she found in the heart of winter:
that every season holds beauty, if we only look for it.

Moral of the Story

Every season has its own beauty, and patience helps us see the quiet miracles hidden in even the coldest days.