One day a young girl wandered into The Nature God's beautiful garden. Every flower you could think of lived there, constantly dancing with the breeze with joy. The girl had been in pursuit of one of the more adventurous butterflies that lived in one of the flowers there, and she skipped a little farther then her mother would have liked. She was quite noisy in her giggling and jumping and frolicking, and awoke the nature god from where he was sleeping. Gracefully he leaped from the tree he had been resting in and alighted in front of her.
"Little girl, what are you doing here? Does your mother know? She must be very worried" the God asked inquisitively. The girl was no danger to the garden, and could only have been around seven years old. There was no need to force her out. The girl thought for a moment, forgetting the butterfly, and responded,
"Mommy wont be lonely just yet, and I saw such a pretty little flying thing!"
"You mean...this?" and the god snatched away one of his butterflies and placed it in a magic bubble.
"Hehe! Do it again! Do it again!" cried the girl, fascinated by his small magics. The God didn't mind, and catching butterflies was rather enjoyable, so he did the trick again and again for the giggling little girl. Every time he did she would jump with joy and try to catch it as it floated away. Around the fifth time he did the trick for her she exclaimed,
"Oh! Are you the flower man? The one mommy tells the the stories about?"
"Yes child," he replied, "I am Ametsuchi."
"Hehe! Your pretty Mr. flower man. May I come back and play tomorrow?"
"That's alright" and with these words the girl ran back home smiling and laughing to tell her mother of the adventure. For the next week the girl played with Ametsuchi, putting all sorts of flowers in is long glistening black hair and watching the clouds. But Ametsuchi had to go and make The God of winter leave until next year and couldn't stay for long. As he prepared to leave the girl asked,
"Mr. Flower man, do you promise to never stop liking me? Never ever ever?"
"Never ever ever, wait for me here next year and I'll play with you again," and he left without saying another word.
Now Winter had become very stubborn of late, and tried his hardest to keep the god from making him leave again. He was still forced to leave of course, Ametsuchi was much stronger, but it took longer then usual each year. Just to make room for spring on time he had to start early, so it was many years before he could see the little girl again. When he finally returned she was already twelve years old. The girl, who had waited hopefully all these years, ran towards him crying when she saw him.
"Oh Mr. Ametsuchi, I thought you had stopped liking me!" she cried. Taking the girl up in his arms he said,
"Dear child, I promised never to stop liking you. Never ever ever." The girl stopped crying and they played together again. This time he stayed for a couple of weeks, and they told stories and played games, but Ametsuchi still had to leave or winter would get his confidence back and try to keep spring away again. As he prepared to leave the girl asked,
"Mr. Ametsuchi, do you promise never to leave for that long again? Never ever ever?"
"Never ever ever, wait for me here again next year and I promise to come back."
That year spring and summer got angry at each other. Summer thought with his abundant warmth he could help Ametsuchi get rid of winter more efficiently than spring, and they began to fight. It was a few years until he could see the girl again. When he finally returned she had turned fifteen. Now she was tall and beautiful flower, almost more so then the plants surrounding her. As soon as he approached her he began to speak,
"I'm so sorry I could not return child! Please forgive me." The girl smiled,
"I understand Ametsuchi, you would have come if you could! But I'm to old to be called a child now. My names is Hanako." Winter had become quite agreeable now, and the seasons needed barely any guidance, so he stayed for months and months. They talked about life and the ways of the universe and really anything in general. But the seasons once again got in an argument and he had to leave again. Just as he was about to leave he turned and asked the girl,
"Dear Hanako, when I come back next year will you be mine and only mine? For then you will be of marriageable age."
"Yes, oh yes, but only if you promise that after this you will never leave my side for more then a season. Never ever ever."
"Never ever ever." and with that he bounded off.
The argument was easily solved with the placement of a few rules and he was back within the year. There he stayed for years and years living with his darling Hanako. They talked and laughed and ate fruit from the trees and every thing was at peace. But on Hanakos 30th birthday the season got in there biggest quarrel ever. Seeing he could not wait until morning, Ametsuchi placed a note and his present beside her bed and sped off into the night. Spring, Summer, fall, and winter were all livid with each other. A whole war had broken out and it was hard enough for him just too keep their fights from causing an apocalypse on earth. When he was finally able to return, fifty years had passed. There he found her, laying under the tree the had first met at and clutching the little carvings of her playing with him and the butterflies so long ago he had given her as a present.
"Oh my darling, how will you ever forgive me?! He cried as he fell beside her.
"It's not you fault my love! Just please, I fear I have little time left in this world, will you hold me until a die?"
"Yes, and I will never leave you ever again." And so he held her and kissed her and told her how beautiful she still was as she breathed her final breaths. Just as she was about to leave she turned her head and said,
"My dear....I promise....I will never stop loving you......never ever ever." A single tear fell down her check as she died in his arms.
Today no one can find Ametsuchi, for his garden died long ago. However, there is still a small bloom of life that endures to this day; One lone willow tree still stands, and beneath it lie a patch of beautiful flowers. To many researchers astonishment, these flowers never leave,
not ever ever ever.



















