Simple Math

 

           Down in the meadow, where the soft winds blow over bramble, vine, bracken and bloom, that long awaited day had arrived. Perhaps it was a late summer morning. Perhaps the sky over the mountain tops of the next range was just losing its night colors. Perhaps it was a gentle warm morning. Yes, of course it was.

            Like on any sunny morning, insect life rose with the sun. Minuscule voices uttered in their multitudes. Crows woke, calling down the day. An eagle blinked and regarded the ground below from his castle of sticks. It was all good.

            All the small beings were drawn forth by the sun. For that moment they could forage in peace. The eagle was still drowsy.

            Though none of them knew it or cared, it was a Saturday, late in the year.

 

            There was a man. A Free Man. A man beyond our knowing. Some say a wild man. But a man of stature among his people. Inasmuch as he can be said to resemble ourselves, he was a leader among them.

 Standing on the slope, he loomed large and silent. A Raven stood on his left shoulder. He observed the scene before him. Many of the people of the forest and field were gathered there in their most festive and joyful mood. He saw his own, the woman, the children, seated together on the meadow grass. He looked further.  He saw others. There were friends. There were mothers and fathers of his people. There was also a human pair, close friends of this free man. Thaga and Ooog had arrived, all smiles, after having set all in readiness at their home. The festivities were to be at their place again. Yesterday had been a day of much preparation. It was not the largest wedding party in the world, but the guests are known to be hearty eaters. There will be peasant style loaves and butter, roasted ducks, assorted late season berries and nuts, and of course a wedding cake. Thaga built it of crushed nuts, dried fruits, spices, brown sugar, and other good things. A cake is a rare thing among the people of the Baker Snoqualmie National Forest. Drinks would be uncomplicated fruit and herbal teas sweetened with honey.

            It was a day of wedding. Two grown children of the people stood waiting. Their hands were not joined yet. They were shy. Smiling at the meadow floor, laughing a little from time to time, feeling so called out and so special all of a sudden. Both were groomed exquisitely. Constance’s mother had woven white daisies into a circlet around her head and down onto her shoulders like a veil. Ferdy’s fellows had made him a crown of fern and some tough little oval leaves. He lifted his chin proudly. His eyes swept the crowd. He seemed to have grown in recent days.

            At last, having gazed for long moments at the crowd before him, Ralph spoke.

            “Shall we sing, beloved people? Let us sing!” He shouted it. They stood, hearing his call. A profound deep chorus began. It was bell like. It rang over the land, down hill and up and into the forest above them. It changed to trilling mighty bird calls. Then rolling thunderous notes followed one after another. Joyous sound crashed, again and again.

            He held up his hand.  The chorus stilled, expectantly. The people regained their seats on the grass. Ramona hushed her children and held them close. All listened closely.

            Then he held both hands up to the sky. He closed his eyes. He was praying.

            “Oh Maker. Beginner of all things. You were here before all. Oh, Lover of life we are gathered here before you, all in one mind. We shelter in your blessing, and we ask that you keep us there forever. You are our Father. We are your children.

            “Today, we bring before You two of our children to make their promises to each other. I won’t speak for them. This wedding is their wedding. Let them speak it now.

            “Ferdy, now is the time to speak to Constance, what are your promises to her?” said Ralph softly.

            Ferdy spoke then. “Constance, you know that I love you. You are beautiful, but also you are good. I have seen you living your life for a while now and everything you do is beautiful. I promise that I will protect you and help you as long as I live. I will never leave you. My life is yours. Ma foh, legah, legah ma foe. (roughly: ‘I will be yours and you will be mine’ in Saslingua.)

            “I thank your mother and father and your Maker.”

            Ferdy searched her face, looking for her expression. She raised her eyes to him and those who see such things saw a spark of fire pass between them.

            “Now, Constance, what is your answer to Ferdy? Do you accept him today?” asked Ralph standing next to them both in front of all their loved ones.

            Constance squared her shoulders; she attempted to speak above a whisper. Facing her young man, she repeated, “Legah ma foe, ma foe legah. I do accept him with all of my heart. Ferdy, you are the best of everything to me. I will look no further.

“I thank your father and your mother and our Maker for you.”

            Ralph took Ferdy’s right hand and Constance’s left hand and pressed them together. He grinned out at the guests and pronounced, “everybody heard it! It’s done! So, I hereby announce that you are one! I won’t order you to kiss her Ferdy, but you can if you want to!”

            There was a sweet little kiss. And truth be told, a relieved hug.

            The mothers cried, all of them, related or not.  The kids yelled, because it seemed like a good time to yell. York and the boys hooted like gibbons and threw small greenery all over the newly married pair, who endured it all with good humor holding hands and looking at each other in amazement.

            Thaga and Ooog were the first to work their way up to the front of the gathering to wish Constance and Ferdy happiness. Then they set out for home, to be there before anyone else arrived.

            Then Millicent Price, who had been invited especially by Ralph himself, congratulated the couple with tears in her eyes. She followed after Thaga and Ooog, shaking her head in wonderment, and realizing that this story would never be written, but only lived.

            At last, Ferdy and Constance set off down the path through the small section of wood between the meadow and Thaga’s house and yard. Everyone else followed them. Ralph, Ramona and Twigg and Cherry, accompanied by Berry and Bob who were getting to be rather large cats, were the last group in the procession.

            As the party of perhaps two dozen souls traveled, creatures, deer, cougars, bears even, lined the walkway on both sides in respect and with peace between them, because it was a special day in the forest.  Rabbits flittered here and there. Various birds watched from tree branches. A sweet little breeze blew through, kissing everyone’s faces.

            It was a fine wedding dinner. There was singing. Stories were told. Blessings were bestowed. Everything was eaten right down to the platters. The cake was a great surprise and a success. A tradition was born that night. From that day forward all weddings in the forest required a cake!

            Millicent Price wandered around interviewing those who spoke English and smiling with the others.  Maeve kept her company because Maeve speaks entirely too much English. After a while Maeve accompanied Millicent to her car, so she didn’t have to walk through the woods alone. She was still talking as Millicent drove off.

            In the morning, some were still talking, but starting to feel sleepy in that way you do when you’ve been up all night talking. Most of the guests had gone home sometime during the night. Thaga and Ooog had dropped off to sleep leaning against each other, while sitting on a bench that was propped up against their house. Ferdy's friends had fallen asleep on the grass.

            No one noticed when Ferdy and Constance slipped away!  Ralph might have created a diversion for them when he and Twigg made a demonstration of Twigg’s vanishing and reappearing skills. All eyes were on Ralph and Twigg for some time after all!