Just A Wee Bit Of A Fable

 

            Maeve was minding her own business, preening and posing, walking up and down a large fir branch. From time to time she explored underneath a feather or two. She made a grand sight there. Much bigger than a common raven, and much more given to drama, she was practicing her favorite word.
            Like a spirit from another world, an iridescent humming bird, green and red and brown, whirred up to Maeve’s great high branch and addressed her there.
            “Oh great Raven, thou expounder of epiphanies, I am full to my gorge with a certain question,” said this wee thrumming bird.
            “Say on, but first, a name! How are you called?” said Maeve.
            “Among the speaking, I am Lars,” he said.
            “Well met Lars, now to the question,” said she.
            “As you know, when night approaches we small birds go to our lodges and sleep. And even if we did not, most usually the sky over our heads is grey and concealing. However, one night I was jostled out of my bed and happened to look up.  Oh great Raven, all over the sky was deep and full of lights! All different sizes and in mysterious groupings.
            “Can you tell me what it means, or just what it is?”
            “Oh, Lars, I daren’t say. We must apply to the King of the mighty forest here,” said Maeve. “Come with me!”
            Together they floated down through the great trunks, Maeve with her six foot wingspread and Lars like a shining mote.
            The first creature they met was Bob, the more loquacious of the puma bros., as he paced to and fro near center stage. Noticing their approach, he said, “what does this mean? An out of season humming bird traveling with you Maeve? What’s up?”
            “We come with a question for Ralph himself,” said she.
            “You can tell me first,” said Bob, curiously.
            “Very well. Lars, here, and I want to know the meaning and substance of the stars. I think we best ask Ralph. You may come along if you like.”
            So, Bob and Maeve walked, and Lars shimmered to the cooking fire, Ramona’s domain. And there she was, pulling feathers out of a wild turkey and throwing them in her fire making a heck of a stench.
            “You guys look like a committee,” said Ramona, “what’s up?”
            “It’s more like a quest,” said Maeve.
            “And?” said Ramona, spitting out a small feather which had floated up to her mouth. She looked at them with her eyebrows up. They did make quite a sight.
            “Small Lars here, came to me with a question, which I don’t feel qualified to answer. He’s all astounded by the night sky. He saw it one clear night and can’t get the stars out of his eyes,” said Maeve. “We want to talk to Ralph.”
            “Yes, ma’am,” said Lars, daring to speak to such a one as Ramona. “The King will know, I am sure.”
            Bob sat on his haunches and smiled that cat smile they do. Soon, Berry materialized to sit beside him.
            “You’ll find him out on his log thinking, or smoking a cigar, or both,” said Ramona. “I’m sure he would be pleased to discuss stars with you all!” She did indulge in a slight secret smile.
            So, then, in perfect fairytale style, the two cats paced in front, the huge Raven hopped and marched, and the humming bird helicoptered over her head as they traveled the well-worn path out to Ralph’s office, so to speak.
            In fact, Ralph was smoking a cigar and thinking, both. He was also composing a sort of power song, counting the beats with his toes. A note for each toe, or the other way around. He frowned, because you have to be careful to get these things right.
            When he heard them coming he looked up, and a great big grin spread over his face. This looked like it had potential for fun. Most things do look like that to Ralph.
            “Hey, everybody! Man, you guys look good together! What’s up?” said Ralph. “I’m all ears!”
            Bob hopped up on the huge cedar log on his left side. Berry did the same on his right side. It looked epic!
            Maeve went to her usual perch by his left ear, so he got her input nice and clear.
            Lars, the small being with the big question, hung in the air like a living jewel, right in front of Ralph’s broad face.
            “Here I am. Speak to me,” rumbled Ralph in his soft basso voice. If he had not been  revealed, it would have sounded like distant thunder, or movement underground somehow.
            It was too much for Lars. He began to faint.
            Ralph put out his hand and caught the little bird in midair. He breathed on him, maybe to warm him up. Maybe to give him courage.
            “Tell me,” he said.
            “Oh King,” said Lars, “I saw the night sky on a clear night. I crave understanding.”
            “You are wise for one so small and shiny,” kidded Ralph.
            “What is the nature of these numberless lights? Could they be little holes in the night sky letting just a bit of a greater light shine through? Or, are they their own lights, or stars, as everyone calls them.
            “What do they mean? Are they messengers? How can I regard them and not perish? Being a bird of clouds and fog and daytime light, I was not prepared,” said Lars.
            Ralph let the little bird fly free. He closed his eyes and just breathed deeply for a few moments. At last he smiled and opened his eyes again.
            “Yes, they are the ineffable, eternal handwriting of our Maker. They are a message, or many messages. They say he is there. The stars announce existence. Or maybe being.
            “They are a kind of pathway for your thoughts, always greater and greater.
            “But no need to perish! Fear not!” Ralph smiled.
            “The same power that cast those lights across the deep sky loves you and wishes you to live and keep being shiny! You’re actually pretty important!”
            “I don’t feel important, sir,” said Lars.
            “That’s normal, don’t worry about it,” said Ralph, with an encouraging giggle.
            “Hey, lets all go see Ramona and get you a bite of honey. I know you guys use up your onboard energy pretty quickly.”
            So, Ralph hopped down to the ground and headed back to Ramona, with a puma on each side, Maeve flying before, and Lars the humming bird staying right near his head.
            When Ramona looked up from her work, she was not one bit surprised at the sight.
            Then when Ralph explained the situation, she mixed a bit of honey with a drop or two of water and put the bit of liquid on a leaf for Lars, who drank it down and then hummed off to wherever humming birds go when they’re not in a story.
            Later Bob told the story to Twigg and Cherry, who had never seen a humming bird before and had missed the whole thing.