Once, up on a thyme, there were three young fireflies. It is not well known, but true nonetheless, that young fireflies like sitting on thyme because it's good for hiding. For this story takes place not only in thyme, but on All Hallows Eve, a dangerous time for all young creatures.
Now this particular thyme was special, for it was an ancient plant, and had traveled long distances to reach its current situation near the fireflies’ home. In the outdoor section of the Ancient Museum there is a new exhibit being prepared for display. It is the exhibit of Ancient Plants, featuring those plants that were of various importances to the lives explained inside the museum. And this particular plant, housing our firefly friends, had come all the way from the Mediterranean. Being fireflies, though, they did not know of Mediterranean, or Museum, only of the odd changes in the wind that had led them to seek shelter.
“Is it done?” asked the first of the three, Luce, of Svet, who stood look-out.
“I’m not sure,” came the reply, for Svet was not looking-out as much as standing nearest the open sky with closed eyes.
“Wonder, wonder,” muttered Phos, “I feel so brave, so brave!” His voice grew as he inhaled the thyme, growing indeed in courage.
“HUSH,” whispered the other two, as loudly as they could, for a shadow fell at that moment over their hiding spot.
Indeed, they looked up, and through the cover of thyme they saw a horrid shape, wrapped in cloth, moving as if it couldn’t remember how. The three fireflies, though frightened, found courage in the thyme’s scent, and moved forward to watch the creature, whose scent had so frightened them originally.
It was moving about the plants in the exhibition, slowly, slowly. As it moved about, it called the plants by name, and whispered, “Myrrh, no… no…Seker, guide me. Cotton, no… no…Athor, give me strength…” Indeed, every few steps it stumbled, and then renewed its search ever more intently.
At last it came upon the thyme plant, with our friends still inside. So entranced were they that they could not move, even as the strange voice uttered triumphantly, “THYME! My destruction! My preservation!” And with that, the creature leaned toward the plant and began harvesting, leaf by leaf, so carefully and cautiously that the fireflies, retreating toward the center, were shocked by the gentleness. At last, when nearly all the leaves were gone, and our friends were hiding only by digging into the soil below, the creature stopped.
“Why…” started Phos, before he could be quieted.
But the creature paid no mind, and started only to ramble away. Svet flew forward, looking after the creature, while Luce and Phos looked around.
“No leaves. Where are the leaves?” Luce started to panic, “did he eat them?” For indeed, no remnants of the plant were left around.
“He wore them,” said Svet, softly. “Tucked them in and walked away.” For that is what had happened, and as Svet watched the creature tumble away, he could see the green poking out from beneath his bandages.
They flew straight home after that, no longer in the mood for All Hallows Eve tricks or treats. They were to spend the night together at Luce’s house, which suited them, for none wanted to fly home alone. Luce’s mother, Lux, noted their anxiety in their quickly flitting wings, and tucked a special herb under their pillows as they prepared for bed, to ward away bad dreams, and could not understand why they would not enter the room.
Thyme was used by many cultures for many different purposes. The ancient Greeks burned it as incense, believing it would provide courage. The ancient Egyptians used it in the embalming process. The ancient Romans used it under the pillow, to ward away bad dreams. Seker is the Egyptian god of light and guides souls to the underworld, while Athor is Ra’s daughter and the goddess of light.
