Sunflower

‘What are you looking at?’ Cara asked.

The sunflower swung round to face the ground. Cara stood, blinking up at him, partially shaded by his huge head.

‘The sun,’ answered Sunflower.

‘You look like the sun,’ she said. ‘It’s like your petals are on fire.’

‘My energy comes from the sun, so you could say that I am the sun. Where does your energy come from?’

‘I get energy from my dinner,’ Cara said, ‘and I try to eat it all up.’

‘Very good. And where does your food get its energy from?’

Cara thought for a little while before replying. ‘Well, fruit grows on trees and vegetables grow in the ground - just like you.’

‘Exactly.’

‘So, they get energy from the sun too?’

Sunflower nodded his giant head. ‘And then you eat it all up.’

‘So, I eat the sun?’

‘Yes. And then where does it go?’

‘Into my belly!’ Cara laughed, sticking out her stomach and patting it proudly. ‘Grandad says that’s what makes me run and dance and sing. And it helps me grow tall.’

‘It does that for me too.’

‘Will I grow as tall as you?’ Cara asked.

‘Depends how much sunshine you eat!’

‘I’ll make sure I eat lots then.’

‘Did you know that the sun is very old?’ Sunflower said.

‘Is it older than Grandad?’

‘How old is your grandad?’

‘Old.’

‘Then perhaps the sun is as old as your grandad. Maybe you should ask him.’

‘I will,’ Cara said.

‘And because the sun is very old, it is also very wise. The sun knows everything.’

‘Like Grandad.’

‘Indeed,’ answered Sunflower with a gentle smile.

‘Grandad can fix anything that breaks. And he knows how to tie shoelaces.’

‘Your grandad sounds like a wonderful man.’

‘And he carries me on his shoulders and twirls me round.’

‘Strong too, huh? A bit like the sun today.’

‘Yes, it’s very hot. That’s why I’m wearing my sunhat. Grandad made me put it on before we came out.’

‘Very wise,’ said Sunflower.

‘Did you see the flowers on the back?’ Cara asked, twirling around on the spot to show the other side of her hat.

‘What a beautiful hat. Did you know that we twirl round the sun too?’

‘We do?’

‘We do. The whole world dances round the sun.’

‘WOW!’ Cara put out her arms and began twirling again, this time dancing round Sunflower. ‘Like this?’ she asked.

‘Yes, like that.’

Sunflower lifted his head back up towards the sun, humming very softly. Cara joined in.

‘Song to the sun,’ Sunflower whispered.

‘Song to Grandad,’ added Cara.

‘And may we always twirl around those who nourish and energise us,’ said Sunflower with a happy sigh.

Cara returned to her twirling, humming softly.