“This is the last gift you will ever receive earth, and it is a name. The new name is Mother nature because these humans treat you badly but in the end you still forgive them and love them with all your heart and that, dearest earth, is being a mother, I am sorry you had to frown but one day these humans will realize your potential and they will start respecting you and loving you in all your beautiful glory.” The sun smiled. “Be patient my child, you can only advise your children but they must learn their own path by themselves.” The earth agreed and proudly accepted her new name of Mother earth and to this day, she still loves all her children.
Read Kaylee Sullivan's The Day the Earth Frowned
St. George's, NL
St. George's
Age 15
Hello! My name is Kaylee Marie Sullivan, I am a fifteen year-old high school student, that is attending Appalachia High school. I live in St. George’ s, Newfoundland and Labrador. I am from Aboriginal ancestry, and I actively practice the respectful ways of the Aboriginal people by doing activities like smudging and receiving my spiritual name, which is little salmon swimming in the river. My short story, The Day The Earth Frowned, has significant a meaning. I wanted to show the belief that the sun is the creator and so I made Earth its loving child. This short story is meant for children, but people of all ages can enjoy it as well, and get the heartfelt message it sets out. This story is centered on showing that the Earth is a living creature, and that we as humans, are harming that living creature without knowing it. It also gives the message to children, that mothers love their children unconditionally, and that even though we are harming the Earth through plastic and harmful chemicals, the Earth loves us anyway. I wanted to express my love for the Earth and all of its children such as the plants and animals, but in a fun, creative way. This way, my message of motherly love and respect can be understood for even the smallest of children. I wanted to keep my idea based off my Aboriginal roots, to respect my ancestors and our nations history.
In the beginning there was no life. There were rocks, planets and dust. They were not very happy to be alone, for they wanted a new friend. The Sun and the moon laughed generously. “My sweet friends.” The sun started. “I am afraid that you are right, the universe needs something...something new and blue!” They all laughed and thought for a moment.
“I think she needs to be a girl!” Venus said kindly.
“I think she should be generous… but fierce!” Mars said proudly. The sun laughed at all her friends. “I think you guys are right, I think she shall be a girl and her name will be Earth, but I… and only I can, call her by her special name.”
“What is this special name creator?” The moon asked curiously. The sun laughed and answered with a grin.“You will find out one day friends, the day she will frown.” The friends looked at each other curiously but joined The Sun in the creation of earth.
The day the sun brought earth to life, was a purely joyous occasion. Her name was Earth and she was full of rock and fire like the other planets. On her first birthday though, The sun offered Earth a gift.“What is this gift?” The moon asked. The sun smiled and looked at Earth who was staring curiously at them.“The first gift.” The sun began. “Is the gift of water!” They cheered while the sun bestowed the gift upon Earth, who was giggling wildly. The Earth smiled as she felt the rocks upon her move, to the swift current of the water. The sun smiled when she knew Earth liked her gift and was calm before she spoke again. “This gift is rare..very rare and with this gift of water and the sunlight and nutrients that I provide, soon small life will begin on Earth.. small microscopic life that will grow with time.” The sun smiled as the planets stared in awe at this rare and beautiful gift.
As the Earth grew and grew, the sun was indeed right. Small life began on Earth and grew with Earth, but at a very slow pace. “Creator?” The Earth asked. “When will my new friends grow, as quick as I?” The sun laughed and reassured Earth that friends take time to grow. One day the sun decided to give Earth another gift. “What is this gift creator?” the earth asked excitedly.
“this gift is also very rare and very unique.” the sun said happily “like you.” The earth blushed as the sun bestowed her gift. “Wow!” the Earth said proudly. “now I am blue and green!” The earth laughed. “Indeed little one, this gift is called plants. It comes in many forms such as grass, trees and pretty flowers. Some are hardy and some are fragile so make sure to be careful little one.” The sun told Earth. “Oh yes creator! I shall take care of them for they are my friends!” And the Earth kept true to her word, she did take care of the plants and made sure they were watered and had sunlight daily.
Many years went by, and she watched her microscopic friends grow and grow into really big Slimy things! Earth laughed. “Creator what are these things? They tickle me!” The sun smiled. “These my sweet earth, are reptile life creatures that we call dinosaurs.” Earth watched as the new creatures ate her plants! “Creator! Creator! My new friends are eating my plants!” Earth said worryingly. “Don’t worry kind earth, they are help each other. The plants keep the dinosaurs alive and the dinosaurs nurture the plants to be alive and well.” The sun reassured the earth and all was well again, while earth watched her new friends play.
One day though, earth came to the sun crying. “what's wrong dearest earth?” the sun asked, worried as to what could be wrong. “A big rock came and destroyed my friends! It also gave me a bruise!” The earth showed the sun the new crater that developed on earth. “Oh sweet earth, I am so sorry, But these things happen...” The sun comforted the earth as she cried. “But don’t worry earth, even though some of your friends are gone, some of the plants survived!” And so with this new hope, Earth began taking more care of her new friends to make sure they wont be hurt again.
Some more years passed and while earth began to blossom into an adult, she found something was missing. “creator, I am sorry to bother you, but I feel lonely..may I ask for more friends?” Earth asked kindly.
“Well of course! Here I have been working on these new specimens.” creator said excitedly as she bestowed her new gift to earth. “Wow!” said earth amazed. “what are they? For they are not like the dinosaurs, they have hair and don’t have eggs!” The sun laughed. “They are called mammals and they are quite special, make sure to take good care of them.” Creator said to earth and so she did. Earth spent every moment taking care of her friends and she watched as a new animal began emerging.
“These new friends are weird!” Earth thought to herself. “They build shelters, and hunt and do all sorts of new things!” And so she watched as her new friends grew and grew into smarter beings. As earth watched them grow, she became worried, for these new friends started to take her other friends! She watched them take coal, take trees and destroy the land! “Hey! Hey!” earth tried to tell the new mammals. “please stop! There is enough for everyone, there is enough for you and the deer and the rabbit and the moose! Just please work together!” Earth begged, but her calls were lost to the ears of man. “creator! These mammals I call humans, are starting to hurt me, my other friends and themselves! Why are they doing this?!” Earth cried to the sun. The sun looked at earth and the mess the humans were causing and sighed
“my dear Earth, these beings and smart, yes, but they are very new..they are not wise and do not know better, and I know you want to do more for them, but my dearest, you can not.” The sun told Earth.
“But creator, I don’t understand… all I did was love them, but why don’t they love me? They didn’t hear my pleas for them to stop!” The sun sighed once more in disappointment.“Earth, they heard your pleas, they just chose to ignore it.” The sun said sternly.
“But why!?” Earth yelled in frustration, and then sighed as earth watched the suns lips curl in a smile. “While I am not proud of them, I am proud of you, earth.” The sun began. “When you were first created I gave you another name, I did not tell anyone this name and I said this name would be spoken the day you frowned. This is that day.” The sun ushered the planets to come to hear the name. “This is the last gift you will ever receive earth, and it is a name. The new name is Mother nature because these humans treat you badly but in the end you still forgive them and love them with all your heart and that, dearest earth, is being a mother, I am sorry you had to frown but one day these humans will realize your potential and they will start respecting you and loving you in all your beautiful glory.” The sun smiled. “Be patient my child, you can only advise your children but they must learn their own path by themselves.” The earth agreed and proudly accepted her new name of Mother earth and to this day, she still loves all her children.