Written 15 June 2008.
The Fallen Star
Where the green fields and lush forests meet there is a small cottage. Its colours are soft, just like the flowers that grow on and around it. The Sun shines with brilliance and warmth and the night sky is like velvet with bright, shimmering jewels.
In this cottage there lived three young girls. The eldest could create such beautiful music that no one on earth could compare. The second could read the stars and cards more accurately than any other. And the third had such a way with people that everyone could not help but love her.
Together the girls lived quite happily for many years, but as they grew older, their conversation was often about love. Not the sort of love the girls shared like sisters, for that love was indeed strong, but the love of someone to complete them.
One day the girls went to town, as they did often to work for money and buy food and other necessary supplies that could not be made at home.
The eldest set up her instruments and played her beautiful music. People stood around and listened as long as they could. Before they left, they dropped the girl some money for her playing, and as they walked away, they carried her tune with them as a talisman of happiness.
The second set up a booth to help those who asked by reading their star charts, their palms, or the cards. Even if the news was not what anyone would want to hear, the girl would present it in such a fashion that her customers would still walk away with the news as a talisman of hope.
The youngest bought the things they could not make themselves from the marketplace and she told people of the eldest’s music and the middle’s booth. People were so charmed by her when she spoke to them that they could not help but go listen to the music of the eldest and get advice from the second girl.
As the girls walked home this day, the eldest told the others how the people only loved her music and never her, and that people were dark by nature, and quite insincere.
The youngest said that any man she wanted was taken and all the rest were frightening.
The middle said she loved them all but could not see herself married to any of them.
They could not help but to feel slightly melancholy as they got home, and as the oldest and the youngest slept, the second stayed up to watch the stars. She saw it then: A star falling through the sky as if a piece of the Sun had broken off and fallen to earth. She knew then that they would find what they were looking for by following the star.
The girls spent most of the next day making preparations for their trip, but they finally set out when the Sun sank into the distant fields, colouring the sky with a deep pink.
They travelled until the Moon was over their heads, and they slept in the fields for the rest of the night. It took the girls another day to get to the Western Forest.
After several days of this, the girls stopped travelling to celebrate the youngest’s birthday. They cheered, danced, and sang. The eldest played a song she composed for the youngest, and it was this beautiful melody that drew near two very handsome men. These brothers had been travelling back from a journey they undertook to the king and queen.
The eldest of the brothers professed that he was enchanted by the music and knew that the one playing the tune was for him. The eldest girl knew upon meeting him that he was the one she was looking for. He could sing most beautifully to her songs, and when a song with no words was played, he could dance most gracefully. And together they could play the instruments the other did not know. And the eldest admitted to herself that not all people were dark, for he, at least, was full of kindness and light, and soon she became content with others, for he showed her that not all the world was dark.
As the days went on, the younger of the brothers took a great liking to the youngest of the girls. He did not love her simply for her charm, but for who she was past this exterior grace, and together they could talk about anything. And if the young girl was the day, he was the night. And when they walked under the Sun, she could not help but notice his eyes sparkle and his hair shine as if he were a precious jewel. This young man could not frighten a soul, and didn’t wish to, and she loved him all the more.
The second girl felt quite alone at times, but did not give up hope. These men were very kind, even to her, and stayed with them on their journey to help. The girl also knew that the journey was not over and they had not found the fallen star yet. She thought somehow the fallen star would lead her to the one she was looking for, though she did not know how.
As the days went on, the second’s birthday came. She had been hoping that by the music and joy the one she was looking for would come, but he did not. And though he didn’t appear, the day was still lovely, and she was even made a crown of lilies and pink blossoms by the youngest brother and girl. And though she did not have her other half, she felt almost whole with these she loved.
After this day, they travelled on again, and it was not long before they reached the mountain’s foot. Up and up they went, though a little more slowly with such a steep incline. After a few more days, they reached the top, and the second girl knew they were getting close. They looked down and saw a bright valley with all sorts of flowers and trees, and down the middle was a clear river that, where it did not reflect the sky’s perfect blue, they could see the stones in the bottom, as well as the small fish that inhabited it.
Travelling the great mountain took its toll on the group: They were all so exhausted that they decided to put off the descent until the next day. As the second girl laid down to rest, she looked upon the golden valley with a warmth in her heart. She knew there she would find him. And before closing her eyes, she saw a stone wink at her from the river as the light reflected it, but a cloud drew in front of the Sun, and it was gone. She thought she should look there first, for it could be the fallen star.
When the Sun was supposed to rise, it did not. And all of the clouds, once soft and white, turned grey and menacing, and they crackled with electricity as the heavy rain fell from them. The travellers woke to find the world dark and the valley gone: Instead a huge, raging river flowed through, and if there had been someone down there, he was surely gone. Finding the fallen star was now impossible.
The second girl cried, but no one could see, for all of their faces were wet from the heavy rain. They all knew they must travel back down again, or they might be torn apart from the storm. They did so with heavy hearts: They were so close to finding the fallen star!
They all tried to comfort the second girl, for they knew she’d been let down most of all. For most of the journey back, she thought bitterly of how wrong she had been to think this would amount to something. But during the second half of the journey back, she cheered up: She could not help feeling sad that she didn’t find her other half, but she knew that the journey had not amounted to nothing, for her loved ones found their other halves. She joined in conversation and laughter, and felt content to have no other half if only they could all remain happy together.
As the little cottage on the edge of the fields and Eastern Forest came nearer and nearer, they rejoiced and leapt into the air to show their feelings. The fields were now lit by the Sun, which was finally able to shine its light. The girls took their last steps at a run while the brothers laughed joyously to see them so excited.
They washed and unpacked and celebrated their return and the eldest’s birthday. The middle and the youngest of the girls made a cake, the eldest girl and brother played music, the younger brother danced to amuse everyone, and in all of the laughter and cheer, no one heard the knocking upon the door the first time. When it was finally heard, the second girl opened the door with a smile.
"Sorry to disturb you," the man at the door said, "but I saw two stars fall past each other, forming a cross in the sky like that on a map to treasure, and below the cross was your cottage."
They both knew in an instant who the other was. The girl was reminded of the Sun. When he smiled, her heart melted, and when he laughed, she couldn’t help but laugh too. Everything about him was bright and warm, save his blue eyes, which were cool and clear like the river in the valley. He had such a way with life, that he would not harm even the most feared creatures.
Together they all lived in the little cottage on the edge of the fields and forests quite whole and happy.