by Jack Tate
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Mountain and Moon
Mountain had stood there since before time was first recorded. He was not very large, but he was a fine mountain nonetheless. As each season passed, Mountain went from cold bare stone to bright blooms to leafy blanket to brilliant colors and back to bare stone. This is as it had always been, and Mountain thought that was how it would always be. Except one day, after a long hot summer when the leaves on the ginkgo trees had changed from green to golden, and the late blooming lotus filled the largest pool in his stream. Mountain gazed down at the still waters. The crimson sun had drifted below the horizon and left behind a warm pink caress of light. Across the lake, mountain saw a beautiful glowing orb as lustrous as a celestial pearl moving towards him. Mountain trembled at the sight. The soft light grew into a magnificent glow that soon pushed away the last rays of sunset. Mountain shook. The vibrations rippled across the lakes surface and tore apart the image of the celestial pearl. Mountain called out to the sky.
“Who are you? You are so beautiful. Why have I never seen you before?”
Mountain waited, but there was no answer to his calls. He called out again with thunder and whirlwinds in his voice.
“Who are you? Your magnificent light is like a magic lantern above my head. Why do you not answer me?”
Still the dark night air was empty. There was no reply. Mountain grew impatient and his rumblings caused the thunder drum to beat loudly, the lightning to strike wildly and the winds to blow fiercely. All the storming erased the reflection of the glowing sphere. Great storms fell over Mountain for days.
A mighty flood roared down the mountainside. It tore great gouges in the once tranquil lake. When at last the storm ended, the lake had been carved into a perfect circle. The stream entered the eastern edge like a cord and left the western edge like a knotted tassel. Mountain blew a calm breeze through the fiery golden leaves. The rustling of the autumn leaves created a symphony of dancing color. The red sun fell below the horizon. Mountain trembled in anticipation. He had created a magical scene. There over the horizon’s edge came the soft light his aching heart longed for. Soon the beautiful celestial pearl was above the circular tranquil pool. Mountain called out softly.
“Oh magnificent pearl look down upon this frame I have created to reflect your beauty. Please see here a humble admirer. I beg only to know your name.”
As the light came closer Mountain could see it was a glowing Luna moth. The moth paused high above the circular lake that danced with beautiful foliage of red, orange and yellow. As the mountain watched a fiery dot of light raced down across the sky. It trailed a tail of fire. The streak of fire fell into the center of the mirror lake. The lake surface rang out with a thousand rings of light.
“The beauty of what you have created has caused my tears to fall. I am called Moon.”
Moon hovered closer to Mountain. Mountain grew silent as the thousand rays of light curved back together to form a single glowing reflection. All was quiet as Mountain waited.
Moon’s voice sang out softly.
“I know you. You are the mighty Mountain. I have watched you as each season you change.”
“There are many mountains stronger that I am. There are many mountains taller than I am.”
Another fiery tear fell from Moon.
“Yes that may be true, but those mountains have always been cold to my passing as I wandered the night sky alone. Those mountains see only the sunlit butterflies and at night they sleep as I pass over them.”
“They are fools. For you are the most wondrous being I have ever beheld.”
Soon tears of fire filled the sky. Each fiery tear landed in the heart of the lake. An island was born. Mountain looked at this new land and saw that in the very center was a large circle of stone. He filled it with water.
“We can be together here.” Moon said.
“This moon pool will be the center of my life.” Mountain said. “I will build my world around this magical place. Each day my life will pass as it always has; but at night I will gaze upon your beauty, and we will be together.”
The last of Moon’s tears fell directly into the center of the moon pool. It was shaped like a perfect peach blossom.
“This white jade blossom holds my love for you. The rains will never carve it. Fire and ice will never shatter it. It, like our love for each other, will last forever.”
Mountain summoned all his strength and created a mighty whirlwind. It grew in ferocity until it tore the leaves from all his trees. A thousand million brilliant leaves swirled in the air. They created a beautiful flashing sky column. Mountain turned all of his enormous energy loose; and the thousand million ginkgo leaves scattered across the dark sky. They filled the once empty black air like blazing gems.
“I have created this river of stars to protect and comfort you on your journey across the endless sky. Float along this starry river and you will never be lost to me again.”
“I will return each spring to our moon pool.”
Each spring, as the sun sets, Moon floats through the dark forest to rest beside the moon pool. And when the leaves fall from the trees, Moon sleeps on the white jade peach blossom while Mountain watches over her, until she awakens.
