The Water Bearer

Posted on Sep 14, 2013 by emmylgant

blue eyeShe kicks and screams, pigtails a mess, purple ribbons untied and falling.
She sits in the dirt, cross legged looking at the mud and scratches on her knees and can’t stop crying. She doesn’t want to move any more. Dry sobs shake her little frame.
She is alone in the forest on a path she does not recognize, yet looks vaguely familiar.
She shuts her eyes tightly willing the forest gone then opens them, but nothing has changed. She is still lost, afraid, alone and hurting to the bone.
Through her tears she looks up for a little blue sky but there are only leaves and crisscrossing branches.
She hangs her head. Her chin rests on her chest; her mouth is dry although she licks the salty tears that keep running. Through swollen eyes her vision is blurry, so she closes them once more thinking may be she should not open them again.
A man with a funny hat but kind eyes appears in her darkness.
He sits with her on the edge of the path, smiles a little but says nothing. They remain in companionable silence.
From his water gourd he pours a cupful of water and places it in front of the child.
“Thank you” she whispers as she takes it.
“I am lost. I don’t know where to go. I don’t know where I am. My mountain and sunshine are gone. The colors don’t sing anymore. The sun took them with him when he left and the mountain took the birds. I used to play in the sunshine, make up songs and dance, chase dragonflies and find faces in clouds and tree bark. I used to skip and swim, I was a princess and a mermaid… but I can’t remember how to do all that now. I have lost my way and my voice.” She blurts it all out at once because if she didn’t he would disappear too.
“Where do you want to go?” He asks gently.
“I don’t know” she answers, “I am just a little girl. I know when I feel good and when I don’t, but I don’t understand directions and often, I can’t read signposts. May be I am stupid too.”
“No, you are never stupid” he tells her, shaking his head.
She looks at him, searches his eyes for truth. He doesn’t blink. Tilting his head a little he continues:
“What do you want then?”
“I want to feel love, sing in the sunshine, and laugh everyday. I want to listen to stories and draw pictures with a friend.”
“I know a woman who already loves you. She was just like you when she was little. She used to sing for angels and splash in rain puddles; she collected rainbows and mermaids’ shells, sewed skirts for fairies out of leaves and tiny flowers, and yes, just like you, she saw pictures in tree bark.” His voice was smiling but his eyes were serious and concerned.
“I am tired” said the little girl.
“I know” answered the water bearer, “but I can’t carry you. You have to walk, plod on, eyes on the horizon, and you will get out of this forest. You have to lead the way but I will hold your hand.”
Blue eyes smiled at him as he reached for her hand. She wiped a stray tear then she tucked her fingers in his big grown up hand, stood up and took a step forward out of the forest into my heart.
Thank you Water bearer.

About emmylgant

Cloud watcher and dreamer sometimes wise, often foolish, but I am what I am.
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24 Responses to The Water Bearer

  1. Doug S says:
    Sep 14, 2013 at 7:59 pm

    Such a spectacular parable and fairy tale with such spiritual qualities

    Like

  2. anelephantcant says:
    Sep 14, 2013 at 8:36 pm

    Je t’adore.
    Elle t’adore.
    Tu es for me for me formidable!

    Like

  3. john zande says:
    Sep 14, 2013 at 8:56 pm

    Speechless in the best possible way. Beautiful, Emmy.

    Like

  5. arjaybe says:
    Sep 15, 2013 at 5:55 pm

    -gurgle- ^_^

    Like

  6. PapaBear says:
    Sep 16, 2013 at 5:00 pm

    Wow, Emm !!! This was splendiforous…, and then some ! I loved it, and am saving it to read to my granddaughter. I think she’ll really enjoy it. Ya done good, gal !!! 🙂

    Like

  7. makagutu says:
    Sep 25, 2013 at 9:26 am

    Very beautiful M! Loved it.

    Like

  8. happy heuristics says:
    Sep 29, 2013 at 9:52 am

    I have so much to say about your” little story’ how it resonates, in some way, with my short,short poem http://happyheuristics.wordpress.com/2013/09/29/lookin-up-lookin-in/ : “Through her tears she looks up for a little blue sky but there are only leaves and crisscrossing branches.”
    about directions, also, I was expecting some “down” to earth Cheshire cat’s antics, What I found exceeded my expectations and drove me into a new direction…the child not afraid of being stupid, not knowing, teachable…The water bearer is, in a way, akin to the lantern bearer who “shines the way” but lets you do the work… some more resonance… I’ll test the ‘conte’ on my daughter!

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