A Meeting In The Meadow

 

No moon at all.

In this misty forest.

All of that gold,

Hidden above.*

 
            It was barely light outside when Uncle Bob woke. Aunt Suzie was still absolutely asleep. He was a little sad because the moon had hidden its face all night. He was thinking of songs as usual.
            He left the Stump House as quietly as a mouse, as they say, and stepped outside and stretched. It was cool and all around was gray and deep green and brown. The fire had almost gone out. As usual there wasn’t a lot of firewood left over from the day before. He needed to get out there and bring in some more. Hunting food and firewood was his constant responsibility.
            Bob built up the fire for morning, stuck his head back in the Stump, and woke Suzie enough to tell her that he was going for fuel. She yawned and made some sort of soft sound of ascent.
            The whole meadow had been logged off many years before, leaving brush, saplings, ancient stumps and patches of grass. He headed for the tree line looking for fallen branches. He also usually pulled up some saplings. Green wood for a slower fire. In fact, Ralph did the same thing, so it’s no wonder that the cleared area never grew another forest.
            So, Uncle Bob was trundling along dragging a big dry branch from a fir tree and three alder saplings when he saw something he didn’t understand. Sticking up out of the undergrowth were some odd looking branched things. Those had never been in the meadow before! He came closer, trying to be quiet while still carrying the firewood.
            What he saw was a great beast bedded down and asleep. It was kind of like a regular deer but so much bigger.

Is it magic?

What is his name?

Will he fear me,

Or me him?*

 
            “I gotta tell Ralph,” Uncle Bob whispered into the morning mist. He dropped his firewood and ran, thumpity wump down the path, out of the meadow heading for the Home Clearing.
            When he got there, all out of breath, he was once more amazed, for sleeping old style around the fire circle were Ralph another one like unto himself and Blue the nearly grown wolf pup.
            Blue woke when she sensed him puffing and breathing there, and yipped a little.
            Ralph woke then, but Hector snored on.
            “Ralphie,” said Uncle Bob, “Who is this?”
            “Oh, hi, Bob,” said sleepy Ralph, rubbing his eyes and yawning. “It’s just my cousin, Hector. He came up to visit us. We decided to sleep by the fire last night. What brings you here this early morning Bob?”
            “I was out fetching firewood, and I found a great beast sleeping in the meadow. It’s like a deer but huge!” said Bob. “Do you know what it is?”
            By then, they had awakened Hector, who smiled at Uncle Bob.
            “That is Hugo! He is my great friend. I ride him as a man rides a horse!” said he. “He is not to be feared. He is quite friendly.”
            Uncle Bob sat down near the fire to catch his breath. It had been a pretty exciting morning so far.
             “Hector, good morning! This is Bob, my childhood friend who lives out where Hugo is sleeping,” said Ralph.
            “Would you like to ride Hugo?” grinned Hector. He was looking at Uncle Bob.
            “I don’t know! Would he let me?” said Uncle Bob.
            “Sure! He’s very agreeable. I’ll call him and saddle him up, and you can try it!” said Hector.
            Hector stood up and whistled very loudly and within a few moments, Hugo was among them.
            Bob kind of got behind Ralph while Hector put his big padded saddle on Hugo’s back and tightened it down.
            “Where did you get his saddle?” said Uncle Bob.
            “I made it! It’s made of sheep skins all stitched together with some homemade sinew ropes to tie it down on his back,” said Hector proudly. “I saw some saddles on horses one time. Where I come from there are cowboys riding horses. And they all had saddles.”
            Uncle Bob got up on one of the logs around the fire, so he could mount Hugo. It took a minute, but he got into the saddle and looked around at everything. “Wow, far out..” he said, reverting to type a bit.
            Hector handed Bob the reins and turned him loose.
            While Uncle Bob and Hugo were strolling around the Home Clearing under the watchful eye of Hector, Ralph said, “So, Cousin Hector, you must have rode all the way up  here for a very good reason. I’m curious. What’s it all about?”
            “Well, Cousin Ralph, you know what happened to my parents. It’s logging country down at home. You know that loggers don’t like us, and we don’t like them. Both way down south where I was born and up where I found Hugo while living with Aunt Rose and Uncle Sam. It’s the same story,” said Hector. “Hugo would like to live somewhere with cold winters too.”
            “How do I make him go where I want to?” said Uncle Bob from across the clearing where Hugo had found a few blades of grass. “I’d like to get down now!”
            “I just talk to him, but you don’t have to,” Hector said, and whistled Hugo over to the fire. Bob climbed down as he had gotten up.

            "I better go," said Uncle Bob. "Suzie will be wondering why it's taking so long to get some firewood. Thanks for letting my ride Hugo, Hector!"

            "Sure! Anytime," said Hector.
            They had been making some noise, so they woke Ramona, Twigg, Cherry and the puma brothers.
            Ramona went to work making a pot of oatmeal porridge and a pot coffee too.
            “Would you like to ride Hugo, Firekeeper?” said Hector.
            “Oh, no, thank you, Cousin Hector, I’ll just keep making some food,” said Ramona.
            “I’d like to ride Hugo,” said Twigg.
            “I’ll show you one of Hugo’s best tricks. Makes life easier,” said Hector. He spoke to Hugo in a low rumbly voice and Hugo knelt down low.
            Twigg got on and took the reins. As it happened he was a natural rider and had no trouble telling Hugo where to go. They even ambled out to the river and back.
            Cherry was still being shy, so she just stayed near Ramona.
            While Twigg was riding Hugo around, Ralph said, “What is your plan, Hector?”
            “I believe that Hugo and I will continue up to the north until we reach a remote forest. It will be cold in the winter for Hugo, and perhaps I will meet my Firekeeper among our people there,” said Hector. “I would like to have my own place at last, far from hired hunters.”
            “That sounds like a wonderful plan,” said Ralph. “I wish you much happiness in your search!”
            “Time to eat,” called Ramona.
            While she was serving the oatmeal with butter, and cups of coffee, Ralph continued, “Why don’t you rest with us another day or two? Then we can let you go.”
            “Thank you, Ralph. I couldn’t ask for anything better!” said Hector.
            As Ramona served him the steaming bowl of oatmeal, he said, “Lady Ramona, I will remember your good food. Perhaps I will find one who would like to make hot food also. My thanks!”
            When two days were past, Hector whistled Hugo to himself, saddled up, and rode out of the Home Clearing heading northward, always keeping to the higher parts of the mountains.
            The farewells were tender and heartfelt.

💚

*Uncle Bob had been working on a few verses.