Nectarinia – Guardian of Nature - the story...
Copyright 2009 by Kim Dreyer. All rights reserved.
Please respect the artist’s rights for both artwork and story.
Neither may be copied nor redistributed in anyway.
Nectarinia grew up in a small African village near an indigenous forest. Her friends were the animals, insects and birds who taught her all about the Nature of Life.
But Nectarinia grew more and more despondent as she got older. The forest was getting smaller, chopped down for houses and firewood and her dear animal friends were disappearing.
On her 18th birthday she went out to the forest, only to find the woodcutters had got there before her. All that was left was one old, half dead tree – not good enough for timber for a house, nor for firewood. Nothing stirred, no birds sang, no insects chirped, all was dead quiet.
Nectarinia flung herself against the tree and cried, her tears falling on the roots of the old tree. Where they fell, a small new bud started forming. It grew larger and out of the opening bud, a beautiful green malachite sunbird flew. In its beak was a tiny red berry.
“You’ve been chosen to save the plants and animals, Nectarinia.” said the sunbird, “This berry is the last berry of the forest. Keep it safe. The precious seeds inside will one day start a new forest.”
Too sad to be surprised by the arrival of the sunbird, Nectarinia answered, “Anything, I’ll do anything to save them.”
The sunbird told her that she would have to carry the burden of man’s greed around her head and neck until man learnt to care for nature instead of destroying it.
Nectarinia willingly agreed. A heavy golden crown and collar, adorned with polished malachite stones materialised in the air in front of her.
“Put it on” said the sunbird.
Nectarinia struggled to put the heavy jewellery on.
“The jewellery will get heavier and heavier if you do not succeed. If you do succeed it will get lighter and eventually disappear” said the sunbird, “You need to teach people that true happiness and beauty cannot be found in gold and jewels. It is found in Nature and within our hearts. Your duty carries a heavy price if you fail, Nectarinia. If your quest has not been fulfilled by your 21st birthday, you will turn into a malachite statue and all the plants and animals will disappear.”
Nectarinia’s tale can end either way. It is up to us to decide how the story ends. Nectarinia’s quest can only succeed if we all wake up and realise that man’s future is linked to the plants and animals of this beautiful planet. We have to take on our roles as guardians of Nature and protect all that is left, before it is too late, not only for Nectarinia but for all of us.
Copyright 2009 by Kim Dreyer. All rights reserved.
Please respect the artist’s rights for both artwork and story.
Neither may be copied nor redistributed in anyway.
Nectarinia grew up in a small African village near an indigenous forest. Her friends were the animals, insects and birds who taught her all about the Nature of Life.
But Nectarinia grew more and more despondent as she got older. The forest was getting smaller, chopped down for houses and firewood and her dear animal friends were disappearing.
On her 18th birthday she went out to the forest, only to find the woodcutters had got there before her. All that was left was one old, half dead tree – not good enough for timber for a house, nor for firewood. Nothing stirred, no birds sang, no insects chirped, all was dead quiet.
Nectarinia flung herself against the tree and cried, her tears falling on the roots of the old tree. Where they fell, a small new bud started forming. It grew larger and out of the opening bud, a beautiful green malachite sunbird flew. In its beak was a tiny red berry.
“You’ve been chosen to save the plants and animals, Nectarinia.” said the sunbird, “This berry is the last berry of the forest. Keep it safe. The precious seeds inside will one day start a new forest.”
Too sad to be surprised by the arrival of the sunbird, Nectarinia answered, “Anything, I’ll do anything to save them.”
The sunbird told her that she would have to carry the burden of man’s greed around her head and neck until man learnt to care for nature instead of destroying it.
Nectarinia willingly agreed. A heavy golden crown and collar, adorned with polished malachite stones materialised in the air in front of her.
“Put it on” said the sunbird.
Nectarinia struggled to put the heavy jewellery on.
“The jewellery will get heavier and heavier if you do not succeed. If you do succeed it will get lighter and eventually disappear” said the sunbird, “You need to teach people that true happiness and beauty cannot be found in gold and jewels. It is found in Nature and within our hearts. Your duty carries a heavy price if you fail, Nectarinia. If your quest has not been fulfilled by your 21st birthday, you will turn into a malachite statue and all the plants and animals will disappear.”
Nectarinia’s tale can end either way. It is up to us to decide how the story ends. Nectarinia’s quest can only succeed if we all wake up and realise that man’s future is linked to the plants and animals of this beautiful planet. We have to take on our roles as guardians of Nature and protect all that is left, before it is too late, not only for Nectarinia but for all of us.