original stories · Ages 6-8

The Creek That Forgot Which Way to Flow

A confused creek loops around the meadow until a child clears a small blockage and helps it find the sea-bound path again.

The whole story

1. Early one spring morning, Mira knelt beside the meadow creek with her little wooden cup. She planned to follow the water all the way to the sea.

2. Mira followed the creek past a willow tree. Then she followed it past the same willow tree again.

3. The creek was not hurrying toward the sea. It was looping around the meadow as if it had forgotten the way.

4. Mira watched the leaves. They drifted in a circle, bumping gently into one another. “This is a very silly journey,” she said.

5. Mira traced the creek upstream. At last, she found a small channel hidden beneath a tangle of twigs, leaves, and pebbles.

6. A fallen branch had caught the first twig. The twig had caught the leaves. The leaves had caught the pebbles. Mira rolled up her sleeves and began with the twig.

7. Mira moved the leaves and carried the pebbles aside. She worked slowly, so the muddy bank would not crumble.

8. The creek gave a quiet gurgle. A silver thread slipped through the opening, then widened into a bright little path.

9. The loop began to empty. The creek slipped between the reeds, then ran downhill toward the far blue hills.

10. By sunset, the creek had found its sea-bound path again. Mira walked home, and behind her the water knew exactly where to go.

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