Pancakes

Good Queen Elder woke on her 80th birthday and she had a big idea. Her eyes sparkled, her hair shimmered silver, and her jewelry shook and danced when she moved. “Today is the day,” she said. “Today, I will change the world.”

Her Elder Sisters gathered around her and agreed. “Today is the day, Good Queen. Today is the day we change the world.” 

A throng of Wise Grandmothers gathered in the square and Good Queen Elder spoke to them. “Gather your aprons and your spoons and march with me,” she said. “Wake your people. We must have long tables and everyone must have a seat. Tell your people to come to the table. Then feed them. Feed them pancakes! Everyone must sit and have pancakes!”

Thousands of Wise Grandmothers marched in long parades through every town and village spreading the message of Good Queen Elder. “We must have long tables,” they said. “And everyone must have a seat.” Along the way people woke up and began to follow the Wise Grandmothers until their parade was so big it filled the streets.

The children picked blueberries and peaches and apples and bananas for the pancakes. Some collected syrup from the trees and some put flowers on the long tables. Farmers brought their eggs and milk and grain. Everyone helped. Then the Wise Grandmothers raised their spoons and began to stir. And they stirred and stirred and stirred and stirred. Until pancakes began to fly to the table.

A pancake on every plate! It was a feast! As they ate the pancakes the people became pleasant. Anger became kindness. Sadness became sweet. When everyone shared the table, no one was afraid. The Wise Grandmothers made pancakes until all the hungry people were served. Then Good Queen Elder stood and smiled.

“Remember this moment,” she said. “When we share a table, we share ourselves. To change the world we must share. To give is simple, to share is wise.”

The Wise Grandmothers raised their spoons to honor Good Queen Elder, and the people looked across the table at each other and felt kindness, and their kindness brought peace, and peace changed the world.

Was it magic? No.

Was it war? No.

Was it technology? No.

It was pancakes.