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"Purple, the Sad Little Worm", by Romi Andrews
Copyright © 2000
In a cool, green forest, near the quiet stream where the trees whispered all day to each other, there lived a little worm. Purple. That was his name. He was no ordinary worm because, unlike the other worms, he hated traditional worm-food. He had his own preference - chocolate. He first tasted chocolate in a wrapper that a little girl had dropped when she was walking with her parents in the forest. Ever since then he knew he loved chocolate. This wasn't all. No one respected him. They called him Wormie instead of Purple and this really made him sad because respect is so important to a little worm - no matter how little they are.
He had very unique habits. Everyday he would go and wriggle around in the bee's honey. Well, they never stung him because they understood him. While he was still all sticky from the honey he would wriggle around in the leaves, and all the leaves would stick to him-he loved that and little Purple thought that maybe if he looked more like a tree maybe the trees would accept or maybe even...love him.
Purple also had another habit that the other worms found strange. Every week he'd find one grape and eat the inside of it so that all that was left was the skin and then he would curl up inside the grape and go rolling around the forest. This is where and how Purple got his little, strange name, a name that he was proud of.
Purple didn't have many friends. He was a lonely worm. Nobody really seemed very concerned about him. He loved nature though. That's probably what kept him happy-and out of trouble.
Purple stared up at the tall, tall trees. They were so beautiful. He was fascinated by what seemed to him like a million different shades of green.
He hated it when their bark came off - he felt so sorry for them because he was afraid they were in a great amount of pain.
He listened to the birds and he longed to communicate to them. He yearned to sing with them - but they just wanted to eat him. They weren't interested in beginning what could be a beautiful and possibly meaningful friendship with him. This made him incredibly sad.
He wouldn't give up this forest for anything. It was his home, his territory, his resting-place and his place of comfort. Purple decided that out of everything he'd miss all the peculiar yet wonderful smells. Yes, he decided, that made a forest. Purple decided this because if you closed your eyes and if you closed your ears you'd still be able to smell the beauty of the forest even if you couldn't actually see or hear the forest.
All Purple wanted was to belong, to be loved and appreciated. Did no one want to talk just for a little while? Well, he knew what the birds thought of him! Yes, when they thought about Purple they just thought food! They just thought Yummy! He felt so hurt by the thought so he decided that it wasn't something that would cheer him up or take away his loneliness or his sadness.
He felt the warm, loving touch of the sand beneath him as he made his way to go visit one of his best friends. In Purple's heart he knew she was his only friend. He couldn't understand why the other animals didn't want to accept his unusual friendship with Icy, the mouse.
Icy was home and Purple was very relieved.
Icy wasn’t a quiet mouse. No! She was a very feisty mouse who didn't accept nonsense from any animal or insect. Purple felt very safe with her. He always went to see her when things began to look bleak and depressing. Purple always thought of rain clouds when he felt sad.
Icy greeted him with a friendly kiss on his tiny head.
"How are you Purple?"
"Not so well dear Icy." Icy looked at him worried.
"Why don't I have any friends Icy?" he asked and felt a little tear trickle down his smooth skin.
"You have me Purple." She said gently.
"Oh, I know Icy but I mean worm friends. You're not a worm Icy. Why can't you be a worm?"
"Do you feel that because I'm a mouse I cannot understand how you feel when you're happy or sad?"
Purple thought Icy looked like she would cry so he felt like maybe he should talk about something else.
"I'm hungry so I'm going to go look for some leaves. I've wanted to eat some fresh, juicy leaves..."
"Purple, you must talk about how you feel otherwise a problem that might seem so little to you soon becomes a really, really big problem. Do you understand Purple?"
Purple looked at Icy for a long time before answering. He was thinking very deeply about what she had just told him. Icy was a wise worm that knew what she was talking about. She was a generous, caring worm who was so clever she always seemed to know what to do in situations that would make any mouse panic. She is really a hero, Purple thought.
"You're right Icy. I'm sorry."
"No, you can't be sorry for being honest about your feelings. You must always be open and honest with yourself - and others. It's one of the most honourable things to do Purple."
"Honourable? Really?"
"Yes. You know why?" Purple shook his little head.
"It's because it's one of the most difficult things to do because it hurts so much sometimes and it feels so much easier to lie and stray from the truth."
Purple smiled. He understood.
"Icy," Purple started again. "How do I make friends? How can I get people to like me."
"Be the best you, you can be."
"Purple, nobody can be you as well as you can be."
Purple grinned and felt suddenly excited. What a challenge!
Purple went home that day feeling so much happier.
He looked up towards the trees with their branches, which seemed to hang over his head. He looked up at the birds chatting to one another in such bliss. Then he looked up again at the trees and noticed that amongst all the thick, sad branches that seemed to group together to keep away the sun, was one very strong ray of sunshine that had managed to peep through the labyrinth of leaves.
He heard the names that the other worms called him, he let himself cry a bit then he decided he was going to go and talk to the worms that were calling him nasty names. He decided he didn't have to be strong right now or even courageous he just had to believe in himself so he lifted up his little head and slowly went over to them.
"I know you don't understand me. I'm not like you because I'm different - I'm me and I don't pretend to be you. But even though you hurt my feelings so much by calling me all those names you'll never change who I am and I'll never change for you."
The three worms stared at him in disbelief. Nobody had ever stood up to them before.
"Maybe one day you will be wise enough to understand me…and courageous enough to accept me." And with that the brave, little worm smiled a sincere smile at them and turned around and went a different way home.
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