once upon a time, far across the sea, there was a kingdom where lavender was as prized as diamonds and pearls and rubies are today.

from a distance, the kingdom actually sparkled like a diamond. this was because the lavender radiated warmth and light like the sun at midday and twinkled like the stars at night.

the king and queen wore robes of lavender: dark purple for feasts (useful in case of spills), light purple for ceremonies, and pink for everyday.

one of the many marvelous things about this land was that there was no shortage of lavender. every family had lavender in their garden. it grew profusely and there was more than enough for everyone.

in this kingdom, instead of crossing your fingers for someone or wishing them good luck, you tucked a sprig of lavender into their pocket or behind their ear. the smell of the lavender swirled around them throughout the day and reminded them of magic and wonder and dreams-come-true.

sometimes, a round jolly striped bumble bee would follow the person, attracted by the smell of the lavender. bees were seen as tiny winged messengers from the gods, so the buzzing filled the lucky person with a deep sense of peace and joy.