Art by Jen Buckley
She was surrounded by dunes, honeysuckle and oak saplings. Sister Hawthorne. Old, strong and gorgeous. Guarded and thorned.
Her portal to other worlds was not for everyone. It protected our unseen ones and was attractive only to the beings who could hear Mother Gaia’s call. Sister Hawthorne shared her medicine with winged ones, four-legged ones and the two-legged sisters and brothers. She offered a home to the ones who needed it and soothed the aching hearts of those who didn’t even know that they needed her medicine.
One day Pheasant entered the arched room under her branches, looking for food. He was greeted by the tiniest Sylph princess, a wind faerie swirling around Hawthorne’s long branches.
“I greet you, brother Pheasant", beamed what looked like a sparkling light drop hovering and twirling close to the trunk.
“GOOD MORNING, LIGHT ONE!” screamed the Pheasant who always seemed to talk too loudly. He was ravishingly colourful and had not been taught how to whisper.
“Would you like to enter the Lower Earth with me?” buzzed the little faerie.
Pheasant hesitated. He had heard stories that some creatures who were invited into the Earth never came back. But he felt the pull of his heart and screeched his yes to the tiny light princess.
Hawthorne’s trunk opened up and Pheasant entered into the Lower worlds of Mother Gaia.
Who would have thought that it would be so much brighter inside the Earth? He needed time to adjust to the blinding light. Together with the Sylph princess he was moving, floating it seemed, into the center of the Earth.
He could see different gates and asked his guide what they were.
“There are many different worlds here, so you get to choose which ones you wish to visit.”
They all really differed. One was huge and beaming with a golden light that made clicking sounds. One was small and ruby red. Another one crystal-like and the clearest, deepest colour blue Pheasant had ever seen. One was shimmering green and covered in moss. Yet another one completely carved out of pink rose quartz, humming like giant bees.
Hmm. He needed to think about this.
“Every world will offer a test and a reward. You can choose freely, but you cannot leave the chosen world until you have experienced the test and the reward.”
The little princess hovered next to Pheasant. Innumerable worlds. A rainbow spectrum of glowing portals.
Pheasant felt a strong pull toward the rose quartz door.
“Are you coming with me?” He looked at the princess. She landed in front of him and looked up at his beautiful red cheeks and his white collar. His violet chest glimmered.
“You can call on me if you need me. The reward will mean nothing however, if you don’t do this on your own.”
He screamed out a nervous “OK!” and headed for the pink door.
The whole gate was one big crystal. It looked immense and heavy, yet he only needed to brush against the door for it to slowly open.
The light was dim at first, but once the door closed behind him the light changed and shapes took form around him.
He was in a green world of grass-covered soft hills and small roads. A valley stretched out on his left side and on one of the hills on the other side of the valley he could see something resembling a castle. He started walking towards it and took in all the colours of this world.
He felt at home. The landscape was peacefully sculptured, kind, round. He stopped to drink some water in a silvery creek on his way and when he looked down into the water, his mirror image suddenly took on a life on its own. It looked up at him and said “Be careful. Everything is not always what it seems. You may have a peaceful heart, but that is not the truth for everyone.”
Before Pheasant could think of anything to say, the speaking mirror image melted down into his own surprised face. He had no idea what this meant but continued on his journey towards the castle.
A little further down the road he heard someone crying and when he looked around he discovered a wounded fox leaning against a big rock.
“Can you help me? I hurt my leg.” Big tears were dripping from a thin, fiery face.
Normally Pheasant would not have thought twice about it, but now he hesitated. He had been warned.
Yet he couldn’t help himself.
He walked over to help and comfort the wounded fox. He took care of his wound, got moss to cover it with and some big leaves filled with water for the fox to drink. He couldn’t stand to see a brother suffering.
Before he knew it, he had become food for fox, who was following his nature too. He felt himself being emptied of life force before he was suddenly back on the other side of the crystal door.
“That didn’t take too long.” The little princess was sitting in front of the door, chewing on a tiny grass straw.
Pheasant eyes lit up like giant moons against his red cheeks.
“What happened?”
“You gave away your life force. You meant well, but…not really serving your purpose.”
“Oh dear. I did hesitate, but I couldn’t really help myself. No reward then I suppose?”
“But of course! Your reward in this world is learning not to give away your life force. A priceless reward, really. The only reward that will keep you from giving yourself away again.”
“I see. Feels like failing though.”
“Every test or lesson worth its name feels like that. It is simply how we learn, brother.”
Pheasant took this in with a heavy heart and looked around at all the other doors.
“Are there worlds less dangerous?”
“All the worlds are dangerous. None of the worlds are dangerous. You are learning and have influence on what happens. But please…don’t take it too seriously! Let’s just play. Maybe you will experience some beautiful things.”
Pheasant shook his burgundy feathers and cried out to let go and start over.
Another world, another colour.
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