Читать книгу Forbidden Graces, Book One: Beginnings - Carol Inc. Bridges - Страница 23

There are many realms of life, Saffi thought as she began her herb walk. She had forgotten her herb identification book, but thought it was just as well. She would use her intuition and request that the plants who wanted to be part of her celebration or those who had healing properties would make themselves known to her.

A bee began to buzz near her beckoning her to follow. She picked up the pace and went along with her guide. A family of deer trotted by ahead, quickly disappearing. "Oh, how I wish I understood all these creatures," she thought. "They must have so much to teach me. They seem to live in harmony, following their natural design, needing only food and shelter."

"Oh!" she stumbled, catching herself on a tree limb. "Thank you Miss Branch for stopping my fall. Perhaps this is where I am meant to find my plant. A Turtle looked up at her, tried to send a message, but to no avail. Turtle always took these things in her stride. Few humans have ever listened, though she has heard that there are some who care.

"Turtle, hello," said Saffi. "I bet you know something. I wish I could hear you. You are quite interesting, very ancient I am told, though I really don't know much about you."

"Oh," said Turtle. "Oh!" Perhaps if I stare at her, she will get the message. "Fern heard you singing and would like to hear more. She is just now unfurling her fronds and will let you pluck some for your dinner in exchange for a song. Long ago, Fern says, the humans always chanted in the forest each spring. This was the annual en-chant-ment time and let the forest beings know that they were invited and encouraged to put on their best for the season."

Saffi was noticing the delicate green spirals on the tips of the fiddlehead ferns. "How perfect these are," she thought. And, just then, a poem came to mind. She began to sing:

"Secrets of life can be easily found

in the spirals of fern fronds curling around.

All that is living travels this way

spiraling round in this intricate way.

Ferns and flowers, I could gaze at for hours.

When I ingest you, I feel your powers."

Turtle thought, "Hmmm," and walked on. Saffi picked a basket of fern frond spirals and resumed her walk as well.