The Sunflower

A Tale from Ancient Greece

Clytie was a sea nymph who wore beautiful green gowns woven of seaweed. Her long, golden hair floated about her at the bottom of the sea. One day a mermaid sang her a song about a golden light above the water. Clytie wanted to see it!

She swam to the surface and climbed onto the shore. She saw the golden light described in the song. . . It was the sun! She stood happily gazing at it all day. When she at last turned to the water, she saw her reflection. Her golden hair had become yellow petals; her green gown had become leaves. Her tiny feet had become roots. She had become a sunflower, a small image of the sun she loved.

To this day, the sunflowers turn on their stems all through the day so that they can gaze upon the sun as it travels the sky.

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