She was vain though, that tree, the Queen of the forest. She called forth all the creatures to bask in her glow. In those days the world was a dark place with no light and no people, just the darklings that lived in the roots of tree and were content with just that small existence. The creatures would circle her great roots and dance around her, worshiping her glow.
One day the tree called all of the creatures to the surface of the world, and all of those dark wretched things came and gathered at her feet to listen to her song. Her voice reached out with warmth to them, and throughout the whole world. The tree said to the poor creatures, “There is no light in this world, don’t you wish to see it? I want light upon this land so go forth and find it … find the forbidden fire.”
This frightened the creatures. They had never been beyond the edge of the sparse forest that the mother tree nourished with her glow, nor did they wish to, but they loved the tree and would do all that she bade. So they left for the middle of the Earth where it was said that the fire hid in waiting. They were gone over two hundred years, it was said, digging for the center, until one day they came upon the fiery core, and brought it back to the tree.
When the tree saw this magnificent prize illuminating the world she shouted, “Dear, brave creatures, throw it into the sky above my weathered top, for it shall be my crown and I your Queen!” All together the creatures gave one mighty heave and the fire was launched into the sky, so that light upon Earth was born. It touched all corners of the world, blinding the darklings. Yet this Earth was nothing like today, for growing in darkness had caused it to be quite drab and colorless. There was nothing but barren lands and the thin, grey, pale forest surrounding the Mother tree’s glow.
To this the tree cried in pain, “This world is dead and lifeless! There is nothing here to rest eyes upon. This is no place to live. You, my little creatures, must go to the Enchantress and steal away her jars of precious color.” Those dark ones, who were once so afraid, were now growing bolder and they went to find the Enchantress.
They say that the Enchantress was an ancient witch who stole everything beautiful in the world and put it all in jars long ago, but she kept the most evil of things, too. The creatures found her hovel in the middle of the oldest wood. Peering in her window they found the old one asleep. So they snuck in ever so quietly and carried away each colored jar.
They brought them before the tree and she commanded her darklings to open the jars one by one. In doing so, the world was forever changed. Grass and leaves grew lush and green; flowers sprang up lively with color, even the dark creatures changed. They grew vibrant fur and feathers and turned into all matter of beasts and birds. When the last jar was opened the world was colored with every hue imaginable and life abounded.
Life continued on peacefully, but it would not be so for much longer. The Lord of the Night who was chased away by the fire was envious of the tree for becoming so powerful and vowed he would destroy her. One day, swift as a shadow, he stole away her crown of Sun and the world turned black once more. The tree pleaded with the Lord to give the light back. The Lord said to her, “If you make me a crown and cape and let me rule for half of each day I shall give your precious light back.”
The tree commanded the creatures to make a crown of stone and cape of diamonds for the Lord. The beasts did as they were told, working without rest until the crown and the cape were complete. When the Lord saw his magnificent gifts he put the Sun back over the tree’ s weathered brow and swift as the shadow form he was he whisked away taking his crown and cape. Each night he would take the Sun and hide it under his crown of stone while he watched over Earth from afar with his exquisite cape of glittery diamonds sparkling over the world.
Time went on, but the tree was lonely. She wished to speak with the creatures but they couldn’t converse with her. They could only do as she said without question. One day she said, “Go into the deepest forest and do not return until you can please me.” So the creatures sad with the Queen tree’s decision dragged their poor little bodies into the forest and did not return for a very, very long time.
The tree was even lonelier now that they were gone. So she waited, and waited for their return. When she had almost given up hope, there over the horizon came all manner of new creatures and with them was Man. Man was a creature the tree could talk with and the humans worshiped the tree for her giving of life, and everything in this new world lived in limitless harmony.
Yet we all know that the world is nothing like that today, there is no great tree standing tall watching over those who are at peace with each other. For when the Enchantress awoke from her prolonged slumber and found her jars of color gone and the world aglow she opened the urn of greed upon the new creature called Man, and Man was jealous of the tree’s power and so forthwith they cut that great mother tree down. Her fall shook the Earth and it seemed that everything mourned for her. In her last few breaths, she proclaimed that the Lord of the Night do one deed for her and that was to curse the Man beasts forever.
The Lord made a deal with the Enchantress and together they opened chaos on the world. Among them the jars of hunger, anger, war, and other pestilence that we still harbor in our hearts to this very day, all of the negative traits that humans are capable of. Peace no matter how hard humankind sought it was lost forever. That calm feeling that warmth, and that light no longer existed, for everything was taken for granted. So all the creatures were afraid of humans and in turn preyed upon each other and they forgot the past. There is no peace, just a hope, and is that really ever enough? So if one day you climb the highest tree and look out over the world, try to feel peaceful and enjoy what’s left of our dying world. o
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