Sweet Little Honeysuckle
SHORT STORY
THEMES: Empathy, Ambition, Willfulness
READ TIME: 5 minutes
It was a forest of big trees, bumbling bees and beautiful flying things. High in the branches birds would flit and gossip, showing off their feathers and twittering about who was who and what was what.
Way down on the forest floor there grew a tiny little vine - leaves dark green, a blush red stem and sweetly fragrant flowers. She was far from home and knew little of where she was, where she would end up, and even less of what she might become.
"Oh," sighed little Honeysuckle, "it is so cold and damp down here. There is nothing of life's flash and colour. What it would be to climb high into the canopy where the sun shines and the birds sing."
One day young Totara, overhearing Honeysuckle's tender lament said, "Why so down little Honeysuckle? It is lovely here too, for we are the children of the forest, sheltered from the winter frosts and bitter winds by all that grows above."
"Yes, it is true," said little Honeysuckle, somehow wanting more. "But for all the winter frosts there are sunny summer days and for every bitter wind there breathes a warm and gentle breeze."
"I see what you mean," the small tree replied thoughtfully. "One day I too would like to know what lies above. Come! Grab my lowest branch and together we'll grow to our greatest height!"
"Oh, you are so kind," little Honeysuckle inclined. And reaching across a bed of golden leaves she curled a slender stem around the young tree's trunk.
So little Honeysuckle and young Totara grew quietly together until one day the sun summoned all the plants and animals. "Today the days become longer and the nights shorter. Rise my children, for now is the time to flourish and grow." And such was the sun's magnificence, all the plants reached up in honour of it.
"Come, my friend," said little Honeysuckle. "It is time for us to grow to our greatest height!" And with a prolonged burst she spread swiftly through young Totara's branches. "Wait for me!" rustled the small tree. But such was Honeysuckle's yearning she surged ahead, smothering her companion in a blanket of leaves and strands. It wasn't long before she had come as far as the small tree could carry her.
"Can you take me no higher?" Honeysuckle asked. But before Totara could reply the sun summoned them once again. "Today the days grow shorter and the nights longer. Rest my children, for now is the time to be silent and still." So Totara and Honeysuckle idled away the days, until the sun, upon reaching its lowest ebb, called for them to rise once more.
Honeysuckle climbed out of her restful state. Turning toward the sound of singing birds and the gentle swish of the distant canopy, she called softly, "Totara, it is time for us to grow to our greatest height." Totara stirred, "Alas Honeysuckle, I fear I can not, for in your shadow I have grown bent and cold and the way is carpeted in darkness. Grow my friend, it would seem the tree tops are not for me."
Totara's words saddened Honeysuckle for she had grown fond of the small tree. But high above the birds sang and the canopy swished and she could not help herself. "I will always remember you," she promised, and casting out a fresh stem she went in search of another way.
And so little Honeysuckle spread throughout the forest, lamenting her loss, leaving one tree for the next. But climb as she tried, the sun stayed out of reach.
Until one day Honeysuckle came to the foot of a majestic tree. Its massive size dwarfed all who sheltered under it while high above its leaves shone brilliantly in the sunlight.
"Oh," sighed Honeysuckle, "it is so cold and damp down here. There is nothing of life's flash and colour. What it would be to climb high into the canopy where the sun shines and the birds fly and sing."
Giant Kauri stood grand and silent.
Honeysuckle circled the forest floor and thought how she might leave the great tree in peace. But high above the birds sang and the canopy swished and she could not help herself. Casting out a fresh stem, she circled the mighty tree's trunk and began to climb.
Up and up she went, higher than ever before, until she came to look down upon the forest floor. And there, clinging to Kauri, she saw how she had grown. "Oh my," said Honeysuckle, staring at a tangled mass of woody strands and forgotten trees. "How choked and sullen this forest has become." And reaching skyward she pressed harder toward her goal.
But as the seasons moved so did Kauri, and as Honeysuckle clambered upward, Kauri shed huge slabs of bark, casting Honeysuckle back toward the forest floor. Time and again Honeysuckle attempted to scale the massive tree but each time her efforts were in vain.
"How unfair this is!" Honeysuckle protested, and with vehemence she launched a parade of fresh stems. Upward they shot, all but one, which, amidst the confusion, scrambled back the way she had come: back along the forest floor, back through the cold and damp, back to the choked form of a long forgotten tree.
“Totara!" Honeysuckle exclaimed, seeing how her once slender stem had grown thick and tight around her old friend's trunk. "What has become of you?" But Totara couldn’t or wouldn’t answer, and such was Honeysuckle’s angst, she set to wandering back and forth through the forest, so that in time only a little light and even fewer trees could find their way through her.
“Oh, it is so cold and damp down here," Honeysuckle reminded herself, "What it would be to climb high into the canopy where the sun shines and the birds fly and sing."
"I know what you mean," came a small voice. Honeysuckle turned to see a beautiful young Kowhai tree growing just beyond her reach. "One day, I too would like to know the sunshine. Come! Grab hold of my lowest branch and together we'll grow to our greatest height!"
Honeysuckle circled the forest floor and thought how she might leave the little tree alone. But high above the birds sang and the canopy swished and she could not help herself.
"Oh, you are too kind," Honeysuckle inclined. And reaching across a bed of darkened leaves she curled a slender stem around the young tree's trunk.