Light
there once was a Princess sitting by the edge of a forest, taking in the view over the rolling hills that lay ahead of her like a lush green carpet rucked up by passing feet. behind her the forest loomed dark and foreboding, as if daring one to enter. such a striking contrast the scene presented, the beautiful damsel framed by the gloomy forest. it was clear sky, a beautiful spring's day, but none of those sounds penetrated the thicket. suddenly, with the sound of crackling twigs and rustling leaves there hove to view a bedraggled figure of a man. cuts crisscrossed his face and weary were his shoulders. the Princess shuddered with distaste at his appearance, but he spoke gently.
"i seek the golden phoenix's eggs that lay deep in the forest beyond" he said. she perked up at the mention of this, for she too had heard the oft-retold tale, and wanted to know if it were but a myth. the Princess was completely taken by the explorer's words. he went back to the castle with her, where they spoke loud and long about their lives. they stayed together a while and were soon quite in love.
one fine morning he asked the Princess for leave, for he had a task to complete; he had not told the Princess that he had been cursed by a wayward witch, and would not live much longer without rubbing the fragment of egg-shell over his heart-spot, in the middle of his chest. strangely enough, the Princess had encountered this very same witch, and fallen prey to this very same curse as well. her ears perked up when he spoke of his search. she too wanted to join him, but her father, the King, would not let her go.
instead, she entrusted the explorer with her magic lantern, on condition he brought back an egg for her too. this lantern was called the Light of Love, and it's legend was told over the length and breadth of the land. as long as you nourished the lantern with little twigs, it would burn bright and guide you through the darkest coven. but if you ever neglected it, it would extinguish, and like a broken candle, could not be lit again. very proud and glad to be trusted, the wanderer left gallantly to seek the eggs.
the traveler made good progress into the thicket, hacking between the twigs and bushes, for there was no path in this forest. the lantern lit up the darkness, casting strong shadows away from the circle of light. by and by he reached further and further into the forest, carefully nourishing the lantern. as time went by, the explorer discovered that he could not seem to find the eggs, though there were various nests lying around. he started getting frustrated in his search, and ranted and raved to all the trees. and he started neglecting the lantern.
disregarded, the flame began to flicker. yet the traveller took for granted that it would stay lit. intermittently he fed the flames the twigs it required. but alas, one day in a fit of rage, drowning in desperation, he kicked at the trees hemming him in, and yelled at the lantern. with a slow sizzle, the flame went out. the Princess in her castle felt a sudden whoosh of wind, and knew that the lantern was extinguished. she was filled with rage, and felt her trust had been utterly betrayed. the explorer immediately realised what he had done, but coax it as he might, the lantern would not light again. for hours he sat in the pitch black, thinking about what he had done. he was filled with remorse and anguish, but that would not light the flame again.
gradually, a change came over him. a determination washed over his heart, that he would find the eggs again. he knew he had fallen far far beneath contempt in the Princess' eyes, and wanted to redeem himself. he had lost the person that he was, and his overconfidence had led him astray. but his determination to once again find himself, the jolly outlaw that the Princess had loved and cared for, drove him to seek again for the eggs in the black forest.
awash with the courage of change, he stumbled between the shrubs. cut by the springing branches and tripping over unseen roots snaking their way underfoot, he continued to search. he had renewed hope to live, and to find the eggs. with renewed vigor in his heart and mind, he crashed through the underbrush. he would find the eggs, or else die trying.
days and nights passed, but all were the same to the explorer in the forest, for no light broke the canopy of trees. it was an unending darkest hour for him as he struggled on. just when all seemed lost, and it seemed that he would be in the forest for an eternity or more, he caught a faint glow from the corner of his eye. as if in assent, the lantern that he still carried with him flickered for a second, for the Princess still thought of him, and bode him well and a safe return. he turned and made his way encouraged by the golden aura surrounding the eggs. at the nest he paused, and gave thanks to the powers that be, and to the Princess too for her faith.
the walk back was uneventful, as the eggs lit up the way. it gave the explorer much time to ponder upon the mistakes he had made, and how close he had come to losing everything. with a smile upon his lips, he hoped his Princess would forgive him his mistakes. and even more crucially, he prayed that she would trust him again, believe what he said about having changed.
from the forest he emerged triumphantly, half-expecting the Princess would be waiting for him with joy and open arms. but she was not there, and he knew she had been hurt. over the drawbridge and into the castle he trudged manfully, his presence unacknowledged. up the winding stone staircase, and to the Princess' chambers. gently he knocked on her door, and it swung open. all was eerily quiet, with no one around. confused, he placed the eggs wrapped in a sack upon her nightstand, and left. at the local tavern he stopped to have a pint of ale, where he heard the disquieting news that the whole hamlet had in fact gone to a neighbouring town to revel the night away for their Princess was to be betrothed to a knight.
dumbstruck and heartbroken the wanderer plodded miserably to the edge of the murky moat. he stared forlornly at the water, this was not how it was supposed to end. but the impudence of this peasant, condemned to a lifetime of a lowly existence, to dream that he could ever be with the Princess. slowly he sank to his knees on the stone lip of the dark moat, daring himself one final time to topple over the edge. whence suddenly his ear caught the swish of rick silk dresses and he turned to see the Princess walking toward him, bearing the two eggs in her caring hands, and a gentle smile playing upon her angel-like countenance.
"i seek the golden phoenix's eggs that lay deep in the forest beyond" he said. she perked up at the mention of this, for she too had heard the oft-retold tale, and wanted to know if it were but a myth. the Princess was completely taken by the explorer's words. he went back to the castle with her, where they spoke loud and long about their lives. they stayed together a while and were soon quite in love.
one fine morning he asked the Princess for leave, for he had a task to complete; he had not told the Princess that he had been cursed by a wayward witch, and would not live much longer without rubbing the fragment of egg-shell over his heart-spot, in the middle of his chest. strangely enough, the Princess had encountered this very same witch, and fallen prey to this very same curse as well. her ears perked up when he spoke of his search. she too wanted to join him, but her father, the King, would not let her go.
instead, she entrusted the explorer with her magic lantern, on condition he brought back an egg for her too. this lantern was called the Light of Love, and it's legend was told over the length and breadth of the land. as long as you nourished the lantern with little twigs, it would burn bright and guide you through the darkest coven. but if you ever neglected it, it would extinguish, and like a broken candle, could not be lit again. very proud and glad to be trusted, the wanderer left gallantly to seek the eggs.
the traveler made good progress into the thicket, hacking between the twigs and bushes, for there was no path in this forest. the lantern lit up the darkness, casting strong shadows away from the circle of light. by and by he reached further and further into the forest, carefully nourishing the lantern. as time went by, the explorer discovered that he could not seem to find the eggs, though there were various nests lying around. he started getting frustrated in his search, and ranted and raved to all the trees. and he started neglecting the lantern.
disregarded, the flame began to flicker. yet the traveller took for granted that it would stay lit. intermittently he fed the flames the twigs it required. but alas, one day in a fit of rage, drowning in desperation, he kicked at the trees hemming him in, and yelled at the lantern. with a slow sizzle, the flame went out. the Princess in her castle felt a sudden whoosh of wind, and knew that the lantern was extinguished. she was filled with rage, and felt her trust had been utterly betrayed. the explorer immediately realised what he had done, but coax it as he might, the lantern would not light again. for hours he sat in the pitch black, thinking about what he had done. he was filled with remorse and anguish, but that would not light the flame again.
gradually, a change came over him. a determination washed over his heart, that he would find the eggs again. he knew he had fallen far far beneath contempt in the Princess' eyes, and wanted to redeem himself. he had lost the person that he was, and his overconfidence had led him astray. but his determination to once again find himself, the jolly outlaw that the Princess had loved and cared for, drove him to seek again for the eggs in the black forest.
awash with the courage of change, he stumbled between the shrubs. cut by the springing branches and tripping over unseen roots snaking their way underfoot, he continued to search. he had renewed hope to live, and to find the eggs. with renewed vigor in his heart and mind, he crashed through the underbrush. he would find the eggs, or else die trying.
days and nights passed, but all were the same to the explorer in the forest, for no light broke the canopy of trees. it was an unending darkest hour for him as he struggled on. just when all seemed lost, and it seemed that he would be in the forest for an eternity or more, he caught a faint glow from the corner of his eye. as if in assent, the lantern that he still carried with him flickered for a second, for the Princess still thought of him, and bode him well and a safe return. he turned and made his way encouraged by the golden aura surrounding the eggs. at the nest he paused, and gave thanks to the powers that be, and to the Princess too for her faith.
the walk back was uneventful, as the eggs lit up the way. it gave the explorer much time to ponder upon the mistakes he had made, and how close he had come to losing everything. with a smile upon his lips, he hoped his Princess would forgive him his mistakes. and even more crucially, he prayed that she would trust him again, believe what he said about having changed.
from the forest he emerged triumphantly, half-expecting the Princess would be waiting for him with joy and open arms. but she was not there, and he knew she had been hurt. over the drawbridge and into the castle he trudged manfully, his presence unacknowledged. up the winding stone staircase, and to the Princess' chambers. gently he knocked on her door, and it swung open. all was eerily quiet, with no one around. confused, he placed the eggs wrapped in a sack upon her nightstand, and left. at the local tavern he stopped to have a pint of ale, where he heard the disquieting news that the whole hamlet had in fact gone to a neighbouring town to revel the night away for their Princess was to be betrothed to a knight.
dumbstruck and heartbroken the wanderer plodded miserably to the edge of the murky moat. he stared forlornly at the water, this was not how it was supposed to end. but the impudence of this peasant, condemned to a lifetime of a lowly existence, to dream that he could ever be with the Princess. slowly he sank to his knees on the stone lip of the dark moat, daring himself one final time to topple over the edge. whence suddenly his ear caught the swish of rick silk dresses and he turned to see the Princess walking toward him, bearing the two eggs in her caring hands, and a gentle smile playing upon her angel-like countenance.
by s! @ 7:45 AM
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