On the highest shelf in the kitchen, right next to the window, stood a small but very important world. It was the world of spices. In glass jars, like small transparent houses, lived the most diverse inhabitants. Each had their own color, shape, and most importantly, scent.
In the first jar lived Pepper Pete, a brave and somewhat grumpy grain of black pepper. He was perfectly round and proud of his strong, pungent aroma that could make anyone sneeze properly. Right next to him, in another jar, lived Ruby Sweet. She was a gentle and curious pinch of paprika. Her beautiful red color warmed like sunshine and her scent was warm and earthy. Pete and Ruby were the best of friends. Every day they watched the happenings in the kitchen and guessed which dish the cook's "Big Hand" would add them to today.
One day, however, something unusual happened. The Big Hand placed a completely new, unknown jar on their shelf. All the spices fell curiously silent. Inside lay a strange, dark brown creature. It was neither round like Pete nor granular like Ruby. It had the shape of a perfect eight-pointed star.
"What is that?" whispered Ruby and moved closer to the edge of her jar.
"I have no idea," frowned Pepper Pete and tried to roll as close as possible to see better. "It looks suspicious. And that scent... Do you smell it?"
A strange aroma was indeed spreading through the air. It wasn't pungent like pepper, nor gentle like paprika. It was sweet, yet strong and mysterious at the same time. It somewhat reminded of candies that children sometimes ate, but it was much deeper and more complex.
"It's an intruder!" declared Pete decisively. "She definitely wants to take our place in soup or goulash!"
"But Pete, maybe she's not bad," objected Ruby. "Look, what a beautiful shape she has. Like a little star fallen from heaven."
"Star-schmar! I don't trust her," grumbled Pete. "We must find out what she is and what she's for. This is a mission for the two of us!"
Ruby agreed. Curiosity was stronger than fear. They decided to secretly observe the new inhabitant. They named her Stella Mystery.
The first day nothing happened. Stella just lay motionless in her jar and quietly gave off her scent. Pete rolled from side to side and muttered under his breath: "See? She just lies there and acts innocent. That's definitely some kind of trick!"
Ruby, however, noticed something else. When the morning sun shone on the shelf, Stella gleamed beautifully in its rays. Each of her eight points was smooth and had a small, shiny seed hidden inside.
"I tried to count her points," whispered Ruby to Pete. "She has exactly eight! And in each one is a small bed for a seed. It's like a house with eight little rooms."
Pete stopped frowning for a moment. Eight little rooms, that sounded interesting. He was just one little ball. But then he shook himself again. "That doesn't mean anything! Maybe those seeds are poisonous!"
On the second day the Big Hand came. Pete and Ruby held their breath. The hand was approaching their shelf. Would it lift Pete into the pepper grinder? Or scoop Ruby onto the tip of a spoon into the sauce?
But the hand passed by their jars and headed straight for the new one. It carefully opened it and took out Stella Mystery.
"Now we'll see!" exclaimed Pete tensely. "We'll find out what mischief she'll cause!"
The cook brought Stella to his nose and took a deep breath. Then he smiled. He placed her in a large pot where dark liquid was already bubbling. Immediately an even more intense, beautiful aroma began to spread from the pot. Stella's sweetness mixed with the scent of cinnamon and cloves that were already floating in the pot. The whole kitchen smelled like Christmas and the warmth of home.
Pete and Ruby watched with open mouths as the Big Hand poured the fragrant drink into cups. The children who ran to the table joyfully called out: "Yay, tea! The one with the star!"
Pete felt a little ashamed. Stella hadn't caused any catastrophe. Quite the opposite. She had created something that brought everyone joy. Her strange scent wasn't a threat, but a gift.
When the Big Hand returned the jar with the remaining stars back to the shelf, Ruby was the first to be brave.
"Hello," she whispered toward the new jar. "My name is Ruby and this is Pete. Sorry we were so distrustful. Your scent is truly wonderful."
Pete fidgeted for a while, but then rolled closer. "Well... I admit it. I was wrong. Your place isn't in goulash, but in that sweet tea. You were amazing. Welcome to our shelf, Stella."
No voice came from the new jar, but Pete and Ruby had the feeling that her scent was suddenly even a little sweeter and more welcoming. They understood that the world of spices is so colorful and interesting precisely because everyone is different. Someone is pungent, someone sweet, someone sour, and someone smells like a mysterious star from distant lands. And all together they can create the best taste and aroma in the world.
And maybe you too have some unknown spice at home on your shelf. Try smelling it with your parents and discover what story and what hidden magic it holds within.