Long ago, in the forest of Pieria in Macedonia, there lived fairies.
By Eleni Lygnou, archaeologist
Fairies of the forest were called nymphs. The nymphs lived near lakes. They danced wearing white robes, and sang in their melodic voices. Flora, the goddess of flowers, also lived in the forest of Pieria. Flora loved the nymphs as though they were her daughters.
One day, as Flora was walking happily in the forest, she saw a nymph lying on a rock. At first she thought the nymph was sleeping, but as she came closer, she realized that the nymph was dead. Tears flowed from her eyes. She knelt and kissed the nymph on the forehead. The nymph was turned into a flower, a withered flower lying on a rock. Flora stood up and leant on a tree to recover from the shock. She closed her eyes and in her thoughts she summoned Venus. Venus arrived and tearfully embraced Flora. The two women cried in each other’s arms for a long tender moment.
Then, Venus approached the flower and gently caressed its petals. She decided to give the flower the gift of beauty. Its petals became bright red and its stem tall and thin. However, despite the flower’s beauty, it was nothing but a withered flower lying on a rock.
Flora called on Bacchus. Bacchus was upset by the terrible news. He came, drank a goblet of wine and then approached the flower. Despite its withered appearance, Bacchus was enchanted by the beauty of the flower. He went to smell it, but the flower had no smell. At that moment, Bacchus decided that his gift would be fragrance. From then on the flower would smell like nectar. But the flower, despite its beauty and its divine fragrance, it was nothing but a withered flower lying on a rock.
Flora called on Aeolus, the god of wind. Aeolus took a deep breath and filled his lungs with air. He held his breath for a few seconds. His cheeks resembled two deep red balloons. Then he blew with all his strength. As he blew, his cheeks deflated. He had blown with so much strength that the clouds dispersed and the sun appeared.
Flora called on Apollo. Apollo ordered the sun to shine. The sun shone and the flower bloomed. Its long slim stem straightened up and its petals opened.
Flora called on Mars. Mars came straight from the battlefield. He had a wound on his shoulder and it was bleeding. He had been in a hurry and had not allowed the doctor to tend to his wound. As soon as he arrived he placed his spear and shield on the ground. He remembered the nymph and regarded the flower with great compassion. He knelt down and closed his eyes. Mars stayed like that, completely still and unmoving. And then a miracle happened. Sharp thorns appeared on the stem of the flower. From now on, the flower would be able to protect itself. This was the gift of Mars to the flower. Nothing else was needed now. The flower was ready. From that moment on, the soul of the dead nymph resided in this flower. Flora named the flower “rose”.
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It was day break. Flora was approaching the rock. Her steps were unsteady. She had not slept well. She had a bad feeling. As soon as she reached the rock, she knelt and looked at the rose. Flora placed her finger on a thorn and pricked it. With her other hand she pressed on the cut. Blood flowed. Flora smiled bitterly. She had heard the whispers in the forest. Some had tried to persuade the rose that her sweetness fades away through the thorns.
