Benny was so proud of Lily already that he wanted to show her off to his model and mentor, Ralph. In the starry visions of his smitten mind he could just picture Lily being his own Firekeeper. So, he started thinking in that direction.
But to reverse gears just a little,
we left Benny and Lily dripping wet on the bank of the Skagit River. They both
thought the other one was just about the best thing they had ever seen. But
what could they do about it.
“What’s your name,” said Benny. “I call myself Benny.”
She thought about his name for a couple of seconds, then said, “mama and daddy called me Lily.”
“I like your name,” they both said at the same time.
Lily blushed and looked at the gravel at her feet. Benny laughed, a little nervously.
“I better take you home, Lily. Your mama and daddy are probably wondering where you are and they are going to be upset when they find out what happened to you,” said Benny. He was hoping they would be glad to meet him, since he had pulled Lily out of the mighty Skagit.
“You’re probably right, Benny. It will be better if we both tell the story,” said Lily.
Lily wasn’t very far from her home. She had grown up in the forest uphill from Concrete in a very remote corner. Her father had built a semi-permanent house of woven saplings, some still growing so it was extra sturdy. On this framework he had added tightly woven fir branches until it was nearly watertight. But on top of that layer he added a layer of cedar bark, a technique the local Indigenous types also used in the old days. With the bark layer it shed rain just fine.
Lily’s mother had gathered great bundles of dry grasses and moss and had made a very cozy nest inside the Basket House.
Lily was an only child. The parents didn’t have English names. We can call them Mama and Daddy, like Lily does.
So, Benny took Lily’s hand, though she was actually able to walk just fine, but you know how it is, and they walked into the forest heading for the Basket House of Mama and Daddy’s.
In an hour or so they arrived at Lily’s home. Mama and Daddy were inside, so Lily and Benny went on inside too.
There was a small fire burning in a clay vessel of about what we would call a yard across. The smoke just leaked through the branches and stuff overhead. It was smokey and cozy. Both parents watched silently as Benny and Lily came in and settled down on the cushiony bedding on the floor.
Lily explained. Benny explained. Mama cried. Daddy frowned. At last, having thought for a minute, he said, “Benny, it’s as if our child was dead and now she is alive. We give you thanks.”
Benny said, “I only wish to serve her always. May I visit tomorrow?”
Mama said, “yes, eat with us tomorrow.” And the pattern was set. Benny would go home at night to his own rather basic nest near Rasar Park. But, around early dinner time, because Forest People eat in the late afternoon, Benny would show up at the Basket House. He and Lily would walk around in the forest and talk for a while and then they would eat with Mama and Daddy.
After about a month of demonstrating his sterling character to Lily’s parents he asked them if they knew of Ralph, the king, etc. etc. Daddy said that of course they knew of him, but had not met him.
Benny mentioned the promotion that Ralph had given him, and they were a little amused, but thought it was something that would be good for Benny and maybe useful around the park and the town.
“I would like to take Lily to meet Ralph and Ramona, if you will allow it,” said Benny.
Now, Mama and Daddy knew where this was going, and they were alright with it. They liked Benny, even though they knew a little about his recent past. Maybe they saw some of what Ralph saw in him.
“I will stay with her every moment and guard her with my life,” Benny told her parents. “I think we will be gone for a few days.”
Well, they didn’t walk in straight lines. It took three days to get to Ralph’s place because they played and explored along the way. They ate huckleberries. They ate blackberries. Benny caught trout, and they ate them sashimi style, like the old timers did.
They slept at night for two nights up in the branches of larger firs, having first done that tree hugging death grip Squatches do when sleeping up in trees. It works. They don’t fall out of trees.
At last they came to the Home Clearing one fine day in the afternoon. Benny led Lily by the hand, as she was shy and looking down and could have tripped.
Ramona saw them first. “Benny! You’re back! Who is this with you?”
“This is Lily, Ramona, I found her in the Skagit River!” Benny loved his little joke.
“Well, what a fine catch she is, Benny!” said Ramona.
“Welcome, Lily. Never mind the joking. You are very welcome,” Ramona told Lily, who nodded and glanced up, trying not to be shy like a kid. “Thank you,” she whispered and smiled.
Ramona told Twigg to go out to the big log where Ralph was thinking about things and tell him Benny was back with Lily. While Twigg was gone Ramona introduced Lily to Cherry. Berry and Bob came to inspect the newcomer also, and approved of her.
Ralph appeared with Maeve on his shoulder, keeping an eye on things.
They had a great evening. They talked until midnight.
Ralph and Benny slept around the fire just like in the old days.
Ramona and Lily and the kids and cats all slept in the cave.
During the night Benny told Ralph, as if it wasn’t obvious, that he wanted Lily for his own forever. Ralph thought about it until morning.
“Benny, take her back to her parents. She’s awfully young and unsure, to be a Firekeeper. Come again in the spring. Then we will have a wedding. If she agrees.
“Spend the time making yourself useful to her parents. Also you should make Lily a house, maybe something like their Basket House! I think Daddy would be proud to show you how to do that.
“Then we will have a wedding!” promised Ralph.
“Alright,” said Benny. “That’s just what I’ll do.”
“What’s your name,” said Benny. “I call myself Benny.”
She thought about his name for a couple of seconds, then said, “mama and daddy called me Lily.”
“I like your name,” they both said at the same time.
Lily blushed and looked at the gravel at her feet. Benny laughed, a little nervously.
“I better take you home, Lily. Your mama and daddy are probably wondering where you are and they are going to be upset when they find out what happened to you,” said Benny. He was hoping they would be glad to meet him, since he had pulled Lily out of the mighty Skagit.
“You’re probably right, Benny. It will be better if we both tell the story,” said Lily.
Lily wasn’t very far from her home. She had grown up in the forest uphill from Concrete in a very remote corner. Her father had built a semi-permanent house of woven saplings, some still growing so it was extra sturdy. On this framework he had added tightly woven fir branches until it was nearly watertight. But on top of that layer he added a layer of cedar bark, a technique the local Indigenous types also used in the old days. With the bark layer it shed rain just fine.
Lily’s mother had gathered great bundles of dry grasses and moss and had made a very cozy nest inside the Basket House.
Lily was an only child. The parents didn’t have English names. We can call them Mama and Daddy, like Lily does.
So, Benny took Lily’s hand, though she was actually able to walk just fine, but you know how it is, and they walked into the forest heading for the Basket House of Mama and Daddy’s.
In an hour or so they arrived at Lily’s home. Mama and Daddy were inside, so Lily and Benny went on inside too.
There was a small fire burning in a clay vessel of about what we would call a yard across. The smoke just leaked through the branches and stuff overhead. It was smokey and cozy. Both parents watched silently as Benny and Lily came in and settled down on the cushiony bedding on the floor.
Lily explained. Benny explained. Mama cried. Daddy frowned. At last, having thought for a minute, he said, “Benny, it’s as if our child was dead and now she is alive. We give you thanks.”
Benny said, “I only wish to serve her always. May I visit tomorrow?”
Mama said, “yes, eat with us tomorrow.” And the pattern was set. Benny would go home at night to his own rather basic nest near Rasar Park. But, around early dinner time, because Forest People eat in the late afternoon, Benny would show up at the Basket House. He and Lily would walk around in the forest and talk for a while and then they would eat with Mama and Daddy.
After about a month of demonstrating his sterling character to Lily’s parents he asked them if they knew of Ralph, the king, etc. etc. Daddy said that of course they knew of him, but had not met him.
Benny mentioned the promotion that Ralph had given him, and they were a little amused, but thought it was something that would be good for Benny and maybe useful around the park and the town.
“I would like to take Lily to meet Ralph and Ramona, if you will allow it,” said Benny.
Now, Mama and Daddy knew where this was going, and they were alright with it. They liked Benny, even though they knew a little about his recent past. Maybe they saw some of what Ralph saw in him.
“I will stay with her every moment and guard her with my life,” Benny told her parents. “I think we will be gone for a few days.”
Well, they didn’t walk in straight lines. It took three days to get to Ralph’s place because they played and explored along the way. They ate huckleberries. They ate blackberries. Benny caught trout, and they ate them sashimi style, like the old timers did.
They slept at night for two nights up in the branches of larger firs, having first done that tree hugging death grip Squatches do when sleeping up in trees. It works. They don’t fall out of trees.
At last they came to the Home Clearing one fine day in the afternoon. Benny led Lily by the hand, as she was shy and looking down and could have tripped.
Ramona saw them first. “Benny! You’re back! Who is this with you?”
“This is Lily, Ramona, I found her in the Skagit River!” Benny loved his little joke.
“Well, what a fine catch she is, Benny!” said Ramona.
“Welcome, Lily. Never mind the joking. You are very welcome,” Ramona told Lily, who nodded and glanced up, trying not to be shy like a kid. “Thank you,” she whispered and smiled.
Ramona told Twigg to go out to the big log where Ralph was thinking about things and tell him Benny was back with Lily. While Twigg was gone Ramona introduced Lily to Cherry. Berry and Bob came to inspect the newcomer also, and approved of her.
Ralph appeared with Maeve on his shoulder, keeping an eye on things.
They had a great evening. They talked until midnight.
Ralph and Benny slept around the fire just like in the old days.
Ramona and Lily and the kids and cats all slept in the cave.
During the night Benny told Ralph, as if it wasn’t obvious, that he wanted Lily for his own forever. Ralph thought about it until morning.
“Benny, take her back to her parents. She’s awfully young and unsure, to be a Firekeeper. Come again in the spring. Then we will have a wedding. If she agrees.
“Spend the time making yourself useful to her parents. Also you should make Lily a house, maybe something like their Basket House! I think Daddy would be proud to show you how to do that.
“Then we will have a wedding!” promised Ralph.
“Alright,” said Benny. “That’s just what I’ll do.”
And it was just what he did, to the very best of his abilities, and all was well.
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