Today’s writing prompt has to do with history. Well, it was to write about something that happened on February 17th at some point in the past. Instead, I’m going to focus on… um… strawberries.
Strawberries? Yep. Apparently, there is a strongly romantic element to strawberries. They and chocolate are considered an aphrodisiac. Which is why chocolate dipped strawberries are a special treat for Valentine’s Day, as well as for weddings.
Strawberries were also seen as a sign of fertility. One of the reasons was the fruit’s external display of seeds. Another is that strawberries reproduce through runners.
And then, there’s a Cherokee legend. It is the story of the first man and woman. The first married couple. They had set up their household, but it was not good. All they did was fight. They fought over cooking food and cleaning the house. Their quarrels never ended because they were always finding fault with each other.
One day, the wife could take no more of the ceaseless quarreling, and she decided to leave her husband. She left the house and started walking away. She walked past the river and she found herself in a field. She spotted a blackberry bush, but she walked past it because she didn’t care about the blackberry bush. After a while, she found a great big strawberry patch. By that time, the sun was high in the sky. She tasted a few strawberries but they filled her mouth with sadness and longing. She looked at the half eaten strawberry in her hand and saw a heart in the very center of it.
The man also left his home and he walked on the same route. He felt great sadness in the world. As he passed the blackberry bushes, the feelings of sadness grew. He kept walking and, soon, he spotted his wife sitting admidst the strawberries. He came closer to her. Her eyes lit when she saw him. She motioned for him to sit with her. He sat down next to his wife, and she offered him a strawberry. The couple fed each other strawberries until they had eaten enough to make them both happy. They walked back home, hand in hand, contented in each other’s company, no longer feeling the need to criticize each other for petty reasons. They also brought with them seeds from the strawberry patch so they could remember the sweetness of the love that they shared for each other within the magical strawberry patch.
I love strawberries but surely didn't know all the information you shared about them. And what a beautifully touching story of the Cherokee couple. So romantic! Thanks for sharing.
Well, I have never heard that story before. It does sound rather magical. I don't think strawberries have ever had any romantic impact impact on my life, but I do miss the strawberry tallcake dessert they use to have at Ruby Tuesday! Pretty sure I loved it enough to marry it. 🙂
What a lovely story. Strawberries one of my favourite berries! We grow them every year. Not a fan of the chocolate covered ones though.
What a lovely introduction to the REAL story of strawberries, Alice.
Thank you.
I can't think of anything sweeter than sitting in, near or on a strawberry patch eating the delights as a path to soothing petty fights.
Just lovely.
Cheers F
Very sweet story. All I could wish for with strawberries is that we had a farm around here that grew them in towers, so I could pick them with my bad back. There's such a farm about an hour or so from here. Never got up there in 2020 but maybe this year.
Nice bllog thanks for posting