Postby Zelele » Sat Nov 04, 2023 6:38 pm
Is story of long ago, days of the Greatest of all Great Men.
He had seven-and-twenty wives for war, seven-and-twenty wives for work, seven-and-twenty wives for love.
Am not sure any man could kiss twenty-seven women enough to satisfy; well, maybe *smile*.
No other Great Man dared fight him, and paid him gold and hides and food instead. Had no need apologize to any, and did not.
But *reassuring* he died long ago, died in battle unburied, and his names are lost.
His ownname is counted unlucky, and is known only to Rabbit Guild.
*pause* Oh, are midwives - and know all the unlucky names, so are not given.
But this is story of prosperous times.
The wives for work built Greatest Man a house to match. Rooms for 81 wives.
Rooms for all the men he hired. Big, big room for Great Men to come and tremble.
And all, all of wood. Not clay, not brick. Wood.
Are only small woods between the River and the Desert. But across River and down River is the Forest.
Tall, tall trees, fighting for the light. Masses of vines. But except where tree fallen, dark enough want light, empty, taller than Verthedge, taller than Milltown Temple. And drips always.
So Chief Forester brought wood to the Wives for Work. Was himself important man in those days.
And like Boss, felt no need to apologize.
Ran great timber crews and whipped them to their work.
Drove settlers out of Forest, if he thought they might hurt trees; and if not, took food for crews.
Took wood and supplies from Great Men, and had Wives for War with him.
And kissed 23rd Wife for Love, and she kissed back.
Guess Greatest Man not up to twenty-seven. *laugh*
And stopped saying to trees, what we say:
"Am sorry to cut you down, but you will season for year, and will be warmth and fuel for year. You will have food and drink with us. Is deal?"
"You will be chair for my Father. Is will be handed down to sons and will endure for lives and lives."
"You will be part of greatest and most beautiful building ever made. Is deal?" And that would have been true - if had ever finished.
Could not be bothered travel to every crew and apologize. So did not.
And above all, he kissed women. Kissed 23rd Wife for Love, ess, but only sometimes, and not where any could see. Not enough for Great Forester.
So kissed daughters of settlers, when he drove them out. Kissed shepherd women, when took flock.
Kissed wife of Great Man who would not give wood or food to his crews, as husband killed.
Kissed every woman and did not ask or apologize. Was Great Forester.
But then grew picky. Would only kiss some women, beautiful or unusual.
Are women among us, pale skin, red eyes, rare. Kissed all of them from the Desert to the River.
Kissed tall women, in order of height. Good thing Zelele not born in those days. *fierce smile*
Made list of women with large breasts, but did not finish it.
For one day, burning the house of settler, he saw a green woman running away into Forest. Was strangest and most beautiful woman had ever seen.
Asked around, but settler dead, and nobody else could tell him.
But kept hearing reports of her watching his timber camps, talking to his men.
Then began seeing her himself, watching, watching from trees.
Lost interest in other women, lost interest in job, blamed her for every little thing went wrong.
Refused even see 23rd Wife for Love.
Roamed camps looking, looking for her. And saw sometimes.
Then one night - but is always night in our Forest - saw her smiling at him as dodged away into Forest. *stands and turns around, smiling over shoulder*
Saw once, twice, three times.
And fourth time heard her laugh, and ran after her. Left his tools and his whip.
Saw her ever ahead, flitting through vines and around trunks.
Lost shoes scrambling after her; tore clothes.
And then came to stream in Forest. She was bathing and she danced.
Stream meant break in trees, little, and bathing hole in rays of Sunrifter, ess?
He hid and watched, in shadow of tree,
*stands and dances as she describes it*
Her arms waved in the light and she smiled, happy and innocent.
Then discovered joy, and swirled wildly in the light, reaching up towards Sunrifter.
Then was hurt and dodged; could almost see blows.
Then cried out EEEeeeee.
Then stood there angry.
He came out to comfort her, to smack her, to kiss her?
All perhaps. And she spoke:
'I am Forest.'
'Older than Man, older than Woman'
'You dare kill my trees, older than you, and not apologize.'
'Come now, since dare so much.'
And she dodged into the vines.
He followed and the vines closed after him.
*silence*
And story is done.
