Nature · for 5 years · 5 min read

A worm in the dark, dark soil

Hana is digging a vegetable patch with Grandad when a worm wriggles out of the soil. Look at the pictures together: the sunny garden is on top, and the worm’s dark world is underneath.

Hana in green dungarees and red boots kneels by a new vegetable patch while Grandad Tevita digs with a little spade under a pear tree.

Hana and Grandad Tevita are digging a vegetable patch under the pear tree. Grandad turns the soil with his little spade. Hana breaks up the lumps with her gloves. “Next spring, beans will grow here,” says Grandad.

Hana holds a clump of dark soil in her orange gloves as a shiny pinky-brown worm curls out of it.

Hana lifts a clump of dark, damp soil. Something pink wriggles out! It is long and soft and shiny. “A worm!” Hana whispers. “Hello, Ribbon.”

Grandad pours a little water onto Hana’s flat palm, where the pinky-brown worm lies stretched out.

“Can I hold it?” asks Hana. “Gently,” says Grandad. “A worm breathes through its skin, so its skin must stay damp.” Hana pulls off her gloves. Grandad trickles water from the watering can onto her palm. She keeps her hand flat and still, with no squeezing. Ribbon stretches long, then bunches up short. Its body is made of lots of rings. Tiny bristles help it grip, and they tickle!

Hana peers closely at the worm on her palm in the bright sun while Grandad points from the sky to the soil.

Hana looks closely. “Where are its eyes?” “A worm has no eyes,” says Grandad. “But it can feel light from dark. It likes the cool, dark soil.” Hana feels the warm sun on her neck. “Then Ribbon wants to go home,” she says.

In the shade of the pear tree, Hana kneels and lets the worm slide off her hand into the soil, waving goodbye.

Hana carries Ribbon back to where she found it, in the shade of the pear tree. She lays it softly on the soil. Ribbon pushes its front end into the earth. Slowly, slowly, it slides down until it is gone. “Bye, Ribbon,” says Hana.

A split view: Hana daydreams in the sunny garden above while, underground, the worm makes a winding tunnel that lets air, rain and roots go down.

Later, Hana wonders what Ribbon is doing down there. She imagines it pushing through the dark, dark soil, swallowing earth as it goes. Behind it, it leaves a tunnel. The tunnel lets air into the soil. When it rains, the water can soak down the tunnel instead of sitting on top. And roots can grow along it, down and down.

At dusk, Hana and Grandad sit on the back step while, below the ground, the worm pulls a yellow pear leaf down into its tunnel.

At dusk, Hana and Grandad sit on the back step. Yellow pear leaves drift down onto the patch. “Some worms come up at night,” Grandad says softly. “They pull fallen leaves down into their tunnels to eat.” “Not our beans?” asks Hana. “No. Worms eat old fallen leaves, not growing plants.” Hana pictures Ribbon tugging a leaf down into the cosy dark.

In the dewy morning, Hana points at a yellow leaf pulled half into a little hole, with a curly worm cast beside it, while Grandad laughs.

Next morning, the grass sparkles with dew. Hana runs to the patch in her red boots. A yellow leaf is poking half out of a tiny hole! Beside it sits a little curly heap of soil. “Worm poo,” laughs Grandad. “It is full of plant food, so it will help our beans grow.” Hana smiles. “Thank you, Ribbon,” she whispers. Then she and Grandad go inside to wash their hands.

the end

let’s play: worm spotters

After a rainy day, go to a garden or park and look gently for worms, or for little curly worm casts on the ground.
Count how many you can find, and leave them just where they are.
If you want to hold a worm, wet your hands first, keep it out of the sun, and put it back where you found it after a moment.
Wash your hands when you are done.

talk about it

How did Hana hold Ribbon gently?
Why did Ribbon want to go back into the soil?
What do worms eat?
How do worm tunnels help plants?
What did Hana find the next morning?

for grown-ups

What this story helps with: Earthworms dig tunnels that let air and water into the soil, and they eat fallen leaves and old plant bits, which helps plants grow. We handle worms gently and put them back.

This story practises noticing and caring for small creatures, and shows how earthworms help the soil: their tunnels let air and water in, they eat fallen leaves and old plant bits, and their casts are full of plant food. Next time you are outside together, look for worm casts or a leaf pulled into a little hole, and ask your child what they think the worm was doing. If your child holds a worm, help them wet their hands first and put it back quickly where they found it, then wash hands.

sources we checked

Written and illustrated by the wishyou.today team. Every story is checked for age, kindness, safety and facts before it is published. Spotted something? Tell us on Instagram.

let’s play: worm spotters

talk about it

for grown-ups

sources we checked

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