Elfwood is the worlds largest SciFi & Fantasy community.
- 95545 members, 34 online now.
- 65790 site visitors the last 24 hours.
|
Stories / Stories / 
William A. Clayton / Text 32 of 36 / The Tree Of...
"The Tree Of..." by William A. Clayton
SciFi/Fantasy text 32 out of 36 by William A. Clayton
| A wandering Wizard meets a magical tree, and finds far more than he dreamt possible... |
   |
←- The Nightwind | The Dragon's Treasure -→
A wizard was walking thru an enchanted wood one day. It was a beautiful spring morning, the sun shone warmly, a soft breeze stirred the leaves of the forest, and birds and insects sang and flew everywhere in joy.
In the distance, the wizard saw a mountain. High up, near the mountain's peak, he spied a young tree. The tree had somehow laid root to the hard ground, and now hung on for its survival. Despite its rather precarious position, the tree was already rather tall and strong, and had a certain grace.
"I will see this wonder," spoke the wizard.
He walked until he had reached the mountain, then he made the long and arduous climb to the tree. The tree was silver and gray, and had just grown its first branches. Tiny buds of leaves peeked out of their very tips.
"You seem like a good tree," spoke the wizard.
"I do?" the tree answered, "Thank you."
"I am a wizard, " the wizard said, "I travel from here to there, and, at times, from there to here. I work magic, see wonders, and collect stories and names. I know many names, but I do not know yours. You are unlike any tree that I have ever seen. What are you called?"
The tree was silent for a moment.
"I do not know, not yet," the tree said at last. "But it is now spring. Come back in the summer. Perhaps I will know my name by then."
The wizard agreed to this, and went on his way, going down the mountain. He then journeyed to the east.
He returned months later. The land was hot and dry, the creatures in the wood were laying in the cool shade of the forest, or under rocks and bushes. Looking up, he saw the tree. It was a little bigger now, taller and stronger, and even more graceful than before. The wizard climbed up the mountain once more. As he approached the tree, he saw that it had grown some new branches, and that some birds and a squirrel were enjoying the cool shade of its many leaves.
"Greetings tree," the wizard said.
"Ah, it is the wizard," the tree answered. The tree introduced the wizard to its new friends, calling each by name. When the introductions were over, the wizard nodded politely and asked, "So, tree, have you learned your name yet? I traveled all the lands to the east, and saw none like you."
The tree shook its branches no, but did so gently so as to avoid disturbing its friends. It thanked the wizard for the information.
"It is summer now, come back in the fall. Perhaps I will know what I am called by then."
"This I will do, "spoke the wizard. This time, he stayed until the afternoon sun had gone down, enjoying the tree's shade, singing songs and telling the tree and its friends the tales he had heard in his travels.
Then he headed down the mountain again. He wandered the world to the south this time.
In the fall, the wizard returned. The wood was ablaze with color. Golds, oranges, reds, they filled the eye like a song. The creatures of the wood were everywhere, gathering food for the next season.
The wizard saw the tree again. It too was alive with color, but the colors were all silver and gray. He made the long climb up the mountain and again, greeted the tree.
The tree was bigger still, with more branches and more leaves. This time, there were twenty birds and two squirrels, and a small owl in its branches. The tree and the wizard talked all thru the day and the night, watching the stars. The tree and its friends listened as the wizard told tales and sung songs again about faraway lands.
In the morning, the wizard asked his question.
"I am sorry," the tree answered, "But I still do not know what you should call me."
"I traveled all the lands to the south," spoke the wizard, "and nowhere did I find your like."
"It is fall," the tree said, "Come back in the winter, and perhaps I will know what you should call me at that time."
Again the wizard left the tree, this time, his wanderings took him to the west.
When he returned, the wood was cold and full of ice and snow, all white and silver, purple and blue. A few creatures stirred, but most were deep in the earth, dreaming of the spring to come.
Looking up at the mountain, the wizard saw the tree and began his climb. The tree still had its leaves, but they and its silver bark blended with the scenery around them.
The wizard made his way up to the tree, which greeted him warmly
They spent most of a week together, for the tree now had some tales of its own. The wizard laughed to hear it tell of its adventures, of the birds and the other creatures of the wood and the songs they sang, and the stories that the tree's friends brought to it.
At the end of the week, the wizard took his leave, again asking his question.
The tree thought about it for quite a long time.
"No, although sometimes when I feel my roots digging into the earth, or feel my branches reaching up to the light of the stars, I believe that I almost know what you should call me."
The wizard thanked the tree, promising to return again. He left, and this time, his journey took him deep into the earth, exploring caverns and the world within. Then, his wanderings took him high up to the stars, where he sought strange new worlds.
A very long time later, he returned, and again sought out the tree.
The wood was larger now, and again, spring was in the land. All the creatures of the wood danced around to its tune.
The wizard saw that the tree was much larger now. It had blossoms that looked and glowed like stars. The tree was very beautiful. Under its branches, many creatures of the air, the wood, and the land now found shelter. A small stream ran from the mountain's top, passing thru the tree's roots, and there the creatures of the waters dwelled.
"Ah, the wizard," spoke the tree when it saw him.
They greeted one another and the wizard spent a full year there. They told many stories, sang many songs together.
Then, at last, the wizard asked his question. This time, the wait was longer.
"No, I am sorry," said the tree very softly, "Not yet."
"But sometimes, as I taste the rain that falls from the sky, or feel the wind up in my leaves and branches, or the sun warming me, or see the stars and moon overhead, hear the songs of the birds and insects and other wood creatures ... Then I almost know what you should call me."
The wizard stood for a long time, lost in thought. He thought about the tree, and the world, the sea, the stars, and everything that he had seen upon his travels. The wizard looked up at the tree. He knew the names of many things, and knew them well. He knew what to call the stars, the creatures of the sky, the wood, and the sea, and the earth. He knew all, but did not know what to call this tree.
He felt a mighty magic here, a sense of belonging. A thought came to him then, and smiling, the wizard cast a spell. He raised his arms to the sky. He felt his toes dig into the earth. He felt the wind in his hair, the sun on his face. He felt himself changing, becoming a tree. He grew branches, leaves. He grew tall and strong, and with a certain grace.
He saw the world as a tree sees it, and so seeing it, he felt at peace. He looked over at the tree, and saw that it was smiling at him.
"Now do you know what to call me?" asked the tree.
"Yes," answered the tree.
"I will call you, friend."
←- The Nightwind | The Dragon's Treasure -→
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Loading...
Anon.
A very magickal feeling to the whole thing... *smile*
| ||||||||
About 'The Tree Of...':
• Created by:
William A. Clayton• Copyright: ©William A. Clayton. All rights reserved!
• Keywords: Wizard, Tree, Magic, Wisdom, Nature, Seasons
• Categories: Magic and Sorcery, Spells, etc.
• Views: 281
More by 'William A. Clayton':
| To Marry The Sea | An Angel |
| Rest, The Weary Traveler | The White Stag |
| Dragon Around (Part 5) | Dragon Ahead (Part 4) |
Related Tutorials:
Crissy Gottberg
Amanda B. Melheim
Emma Lydia Bates
Elfwood™ is a site for Fantasy and Science Fiction art and
stories created by Thomas Abrahamsson and
helpful
assistants and moderators, owned by the Elfwood
corporation. [More...]
