9. Mother

CHAPTER 9

MOTHER

He sees a clearing in the forest.  The clearing is a large and spacious field.  In the center of the field is a large tree with much fruit.  A straight and narrow path leads to the tree.  A stream runs through the field beyond the path.  But there is no sound of water flowing from the stream.  In fact, there is no noise of any kind, not from any birds, insects, or animals of the forest.  The field is brighter than midday of a cloudless sky, yet not a shadow of any kind is visible under the tree.  A blanket of animal skins is under the tree.  And on the blanket is fruit from the tree.

          A lovely, slender young woman appears on the path.  She is wearing a flowing white dress that reaches to the tops of her bare feet.  The dress highlights her long, straight black hair that falls down and covers her shoulder blades.  Her skin is lighter than most.  Her eyes are bright.

          She approaches the tree and kneels down on the blanket.  With her soft hands she picks up some fruit and carefully caresses it before taking a bite.  Eating the fruit makes her happy.  The fruit is white inside; to exceed all the whiteness ever seen.

After eating the fruit, the attractive woman leaps up from the ground and twirls in joyful circles around the tree.  She leaps gracefully from one foot to the other.  She is dancing!  She arches her back slightly, throws both hands up high over her head, and stands smiling for a time by the tree.

          A handsome young man appears at the edge of the forest near the beginning of the path.  The woman sees him and waves her arms in his direction to beckon him to join her.  He comes forward along the path and meets her at the tree.  She looks up to him as he takes her in his arms.  She talks to him and gives him some of the fruit from the tree.  He eats and also is happy.  They smile at each other.  The couple dances together around the tree, arm in arm.  They lovingly and gently kiss one another on the lips.

          Two small boys appear at the head of the path.  One is perhaps eight years old, the other a mere toddler of two.  The older boy looks confused.  He doesn’t know whether to return to the forest, or join the couple at the tree.

The couple looks around as if searching for the boys.  When they see them on the path, they excitedly motion with their arms and hands.  They are inviting the boys to come forward and join them.  As the boys approach, the couple kneels down together and holds out their arms to tenderly embrace them.

          The boys come and join the couple under the tree.  The woman takes each boy in her arms and hugs him close to her.  She takes some of the fruit from the tree and gives it to them to eat.  They all partake of the fruit together and are exceedingly happy.