The Rainbow Bridge

Once upon a time there was a little child named____________ who lived among the clouds.  He was very happy there. He watched the beautiful colors and listened to the lovely music. This was the place where he belonged.

But one day the clouds parted and he saw the beautiful green earth below with all the people happily playing and working.  He suddenly longed to go there and see what it was like.

He saw all the rainbow colors of the earth.  He saw butterflies visiting flowers and birds flying in the air.  He saw fish swimming in the sea and all the different plants that covered the earth. He saw children climbing trees, running and jumping in the meadows and walking through sand & leaves. The earth seemed to beckon him.

The child thought... "Please, may I go to earth?"

But it was not yet his time, so he must wait.  The child went and soon forgot about the earth.  He was happy. 

Then one day he saw a glimpse of the earth through the clouds again.  He saw bakers and teachers and farmers. He saw mothers and fathers loving their children. Then, he saw a beautiful mother with love and longing in her heart for a child. 

He thought...  "Oh, how I wish she were my mother and I could be with her on earth."

That night the child went to sleep.  He wandered into dreamland.  While ten moons waxed and waned, he rocked in a little boat. At the end of that time, a beautiful rainbow bridge stretched from the clouds above to the earth below.  On it came the child as a tiny babe.  He slid into his mother and fathers waiting arms. They looked in awe at this new life and said... "We shall call him ____________ ."

This is a traditional Waldorf birthday story.  You can change the story to incorporate bits and pieces of your child's own birth.  If you know of the orginal orgin, please let me know.