Selenga walked through her dream that night.
The street glowed with light. But not from the sun—the stars shone so brightly they lit the way.
When she turned a corner, she stopped.
A market had appeared. Colorful tents stretched overhead with stalls beneath them. Lanterns hung everywhere, casting golden light. People wandered through—but they were different. Some were transparent like clouds. Others sparkled and glowed.
The Market Stalls
Selenga walked forward.
At the first stall sat glass bottles in yellow, pink, purple, and blue.
“What are you selling?” Selenga asked.
The shopkeeper had white hair and small, kind eyes. “Emotions,” she said.
“Emotions?”
"Yes. The yellow one is joy. Drink it and you'll laugh all morning. Pink is love. Purple is courage."
Selenga studied the bottles. “What about the blue one?”
The shopkeeper grew quiet. “That one is sorrow.”
“Who buys sorrow?”
“Many people do. Without sadness, we cannot understand happiness. Some choose it on purpose.”
The Second Stall
At another stall lay books with empty pages.
“What are these?” Selenga asked.
A young man smiled. “Stories not yet written. They could be yours.”
“How do I write them?”
“By living them.”
The Third Stall
At a third stall sat tiny seeds.
“What are these?” Selenga wondered.
An elderly woman answered, "Questions. Plant each seed and it grows. You'll find its answer."
Selenga looked at the seeds. Each one was different—different colors, different shapes.
“Which is most valuable?”
“The one with the hardest answer.”
The Choice
Selenga continued exploring. Joy was offered to her. Courage was offered. Wisdom was offered.
She looked at them all.
Then she returned to the third stall and the elderly woman.
“I want a seed,” she said.
“Which one?”
Selenga thought carefully. “I want the hardest question. The one with no answer.”
The old woman studied her face. Then she smiled. “No one ever chooses this.”
“I do.”
The woman pulled out a tiny black seed and placed it in Selenga's palm.
“What question is it?” Selenga asked.
“Why,” the woman said. “Why everything is the way it is.”
Morning
Selenga woke up.
Her hand was empty. It had only been a dream.
But that day, she asked “why” about everything.
Why does the sun rise? Why do people cry? Why do some things seem beautiful?
She found complete answers to none of them.
But the searching felt wonderful. The asking felt wonderful.
That night before sleep, she smiled.
“Thank you,” she whispered to her dream.
Why Is Asking Questions So Important?
The “why” question is where everything begins. Science, art, and philosophy all start with “why.” When children ask questions, they're building the foundation for learning, creativity, and understanding the world around them.
For Parents
This story works beautifully for curious children. After reading, try making it a routine: “What did you wonder about today?” This simple question encourages children to notice their own curiosity and value their thinking.