LEGEND OF THE ASTER, AN AUTUMN FLOWER

In September, the weather is already heralding that autumn will soon be knocking at our door... but a beautiful blue flower still blooms in our gardens: the aster.

Asters are ancient wildflowers of the daisy family, and their botanical name "aster" means star in Latin and Greek. Asters were sacred to Roman and Greek deities, and wreaths of this beautiful flower were put on their alters. In the language of flowers they are a symbol of Love, Faith, Wisdom, Light and Power; for the Chinese they symbolise Fidelity.

There are Greek and Roman legends associated to the aster flower; even a legend from the Iron Age. But the legend I'm going to share with you is a Cherokee Indian legend. It tells that two warring tribes were once fighting over a hunting field and during their fight they came across a village whose people they killed. Only two young sisters escaped who were in the woods. One was dressed in bright yellow; the other wore a lavender blue dress with fringes.

Horrified at what had happened to the other villagers, the two girls went to a nearby mountain seeking for the Herb Woman's help. The Herb Woman was known for having received from the gods the gift of brewing magic potions with herbs she had collected during the day.

When they arrived there, they were so tired they fell asleep on the earth. While the two sisters were sleeping under the stars that night, the Herb Woman looked into the future and saw that the warriors were hunting them. She then sprinkled the two young girls with one of her magic potions and covered them with leaves.

Next morning the two sisters had been turned into two beautiful flowers that were blooming in the place where they had been sleeping. One of the flowers resembled a small lavender blue star - it was the aster. The other flower was the yellow goldenrod.

© Dulce Rodrigues

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