The Girl and the Wind
I wrote a fairy-tale. :)
Once upon a time there was a girl who loved the wind. She loved it as it whispered to her in the stillness of night, she loved it as it roared and raged in fitful storm, she loved it as it fluttered playfully through her hair. The wind was oblivious to her love; all it cared for was racing as far and as fast as it possibly could. It loved to fly and soar high above the earth, and it occasionally deigned to haul fluffy clouds through the sky.
However, one day, a wizard was disturbed by the wind. He was conducting delicate experiments, and the slightest puff of air could completely destroy his work. So the wizard decided to trap the wind until his experiments were complete. He trapped the wind in a golden cage made of sunlight. The dry, oppressive heat of summer fell over the world, but the wizard didn't notice. He lived in an underground cavern, isolated from stray vibrations and air currents to better protect his work. He had no knowledge of what was happening in the outside world.
Above him, though, the land was parched and dry. Everyone was thirsty, and the air itself had a heavy, tight feeling without the wind to stir it. Most sad of all, however, was the girl. She missed the wind, and she longed for nothing more than to feel it caress her hair once again.
The girl asked the sun if he had seen where the wind had gone, but the sun had seen nothing. She asked if he could dim his rays for a time, as the earth was growing parched and dry, but though he was sad for the heat and the thirst, he had no way to change what he was. He advised her to ask the moon; for though he had seen nothing, she might have seen something he'd missed after he'd set.
Therefore, that night, the girl asked the moon. The moon was terribly sorry, as she missed the cool night breezes as much as the girl did, but she could not tell the girl anything. She knew as little as the sun. The girl despaired, for surely, the sun and the moon together could see everything from their vantage point. The moon hastened to calm the girl, sending cooling moonbeams over the land, and told her that, though she and the sun had a good view of what went on on the surface, they couldn't actually see everything at once. The moon thoughtfully suggested that the girl ask the air. The air missed the wind perhaps the most of all, save the girl. Surely the air knew something.
So the girl asked the air if he knew where the wind had gone. But the air was no help. Without the wind, it refused to move, sprawling over the earth in a depressed slump and barely speaking. All she could get him to say in his sorrow was to ask the rain. Sighing, she gave up on the air, and did as he bid, asking the rain if he'd seen anything.
The rain had not, though he did his best to send down cool water to sooth the earth. He succeeded in easing the parched tightness, but not the heat. Now it was hot and uncomfortably muggy. Rolling his clouds in apology, he suggested she ask the earth what she knew. Certainly the Earth would know everything that occurred on or within her surface. Reluctantly, the girl agreed. After all, what would the earth know about the wind? They were so different. The wind was always racing wherever he went, never quick enough, and never satisfied to pause. The earth moved slowly and gently, arching into mountains and settling into valleys in long, languid movements. Still, the girl was desperate to find the wind, and had run out of ideas, so she decided to try.
She approached the earth hesitantly, and asked if she knew the whereabouts of the wind. The earth rumbled in displeasure. “Yes,” she said, “I do know where the wind is. He has been trapped deep within be by one of my children. I have been trying to speak with him, but short of bringing the cavern down on his head, I can do nothing to make him listen.” The earth went on to explain about the wizard and his experiments. “I do not believe he means harm,” she concluded, “rather, that he is not aware of the trouble he's caused. I believe if you would explain it to him, he would free the wind.” And so, the girl traveled to the cavern of the wizard.
It was a long, difficult journey, for though the wind could race by the lonely caves as often as he wished, the girl could not fly. Her legs were so much slower than the quick, sure darting of the wind, and she wished that he could carry her on her journey, or at least travel with her and push her along. That thought only spurred her on when her energy flagged, for it was her duty to set her beloved wind free.
Finally, after many weeks, she reached the entrance to the cave of the wizard. It was guarded by fearsome beasts, lest unwary travelers wander in and disturb the wizard's work. The girl trembled in fear, but resolved that the beasts would not hurt her. She simply had to get into the cavern. Though she refused to despair, she had no idea how she would make it past the beasts. They would tear her to shreds if she got too close. She was aided, however, by the sun, who had been watching her since she'd left his home. He'd found after she left that he could indeed control how brightly he shone, and as he saw her in peril from the beasts, he shone as brightly as he possibly could, blinding them before they could do her harm. Rain then created a downpour over their frightening heads that soaked the earth and allowed her to form into a mudslide and sweep them away. The girl thanked them kindly for their help, and entered the cave. As she descended into the gloom, Moon sent down three softly glowing moonstones to light her path.
The cave system was vast, and she quickly became lost within the many caverns. Though the earth tried to lead her, she could not speak directly to the girl when the girl was inside of her. The girl was becoming more and more desperate as she became further and further lost. However, before she could lose hope entirely, the air roused itself from its sulk and came to her aid. He spread himself through the cave system, wriggling into every nook and cranny until he found the wind. Joyfully, he guided the girl to the chamber where the wind was kept, and fluttered impatiently as she examined the cage. The conclusion she reached, however, was grim. “I cannot unlock this cage,” she told the air and her beloved wind sadly. “I must find the wizard and convince him to release you.” The wind sighed in dismay, and the air fluttered impatiently, but there was nothing to be done.
So the air, reluctantly, led her to the chamber where the wizard sat, engrossed in his books. At the sound of the girl's polite cough, he looked up from his books with an expression of confusion. “Who are you?” He asked, bewildered. “Why are you here? And how did you get past the beasts?” The girl ignored the first two questions for the moment. “Sun and Earth and Rain helped me get past the beasts. And Moon and Air helped me find you. I and here because you took Wind.” The old wizard's gaze sharpened, and he regarded her with speculation. “How do you know I took the wind?” He asked suspiciously. “Earth told me,” she replied, “And I've seen him trapped in a cage with my own eyes.” Gathering her courage, she gazed at him in defiance. “You need to release the wind.” “And why should I do that?” the wizard countered. “It did nothing but interfere with my experiments. Always blustering in, no matter how tightly I sealed the cave, and blowing things about. I got no work done.” The girl pursed her lips. “Be that as it may,” she said, “have you given thought to what the world is like without any wind? Everything is still and hot. Many plants and creatures are dying because Rain can not move quickly enough without Wind, so many places are very dry. Earth is parched and dying of thirst in some places, and drowning in others. Air is still and sluggish. Even Sun and Moon miss the wind.”
The wizard looked vaguely chagrined. “Really?” He asked. “I had no idea the wind was so vital. I assumed that as long as I left the air alone, the absence of the wind would not be missed.” “Sir,” the girl replied, “Perhaps it would be best if you would come outside and see for yourself.” The wizard agreed, as it is always best to see the results of your experiments yourself, and so the girl led him from his cavern.
As the wizard set foot outside for the first time in many years, he squinted into the light with eyes long unaccustomed to the sun. A very different landscape from the one he remembered many years ago greeted his eyes. True to the girl's story, most of the landscape was dry and parched, except for the land closest to the cave's entrance, which was a muddy quagmire. All of the plant life was wilted to some degree, and the air was heavy, still, and oddly silent. The earth seemed to be holding her breath, waiting for something to happen. “I see,” the wizard said to the girl. “I see what I have done. Well, this cannot remain as it is. I will release the wind.” With that, he thumped his staff on the hard earth, and spoke a word in a strange language.
Instantly, a veritable gale raced out of the cave, tossing the girl and the wizard aside like paper dolls. The wind roared, screeched and howled his joy at being released. He flew high and far and fast, whipping himself into gleeful cyclones, mingling with the clouds and rain, rushing through the air and sweeping across the earth, buffeting away the heat of the sun and trailing cool moonbeams behind him. The girl and the wizard watched in pleasure as the world righted itself. Eventually, the wind came back to them. The wizard apologized for his presumption in locking up the wind. The wind chose to forgive him, though he would never again blow around the cavern. The wizard thanked him for this, and returned to his cave. The girl, happy that the wind was now free, began her long journey home. The wind followed her, fluttering at her footsteps. He wanted to thank her for releasing him, but everything he offered, she turned down. Frustrated, be blew a gusty sigh, and asked her why she would not accept his thanks. She smiled at him and replied that she loved him, and he was in peril, so she had to help. That he was free once again was reward enough for her. The wind was touched at her answer. He had never before considered the question of love; he moved so quickly that it had never occurred to him to slow down and take notice. However, now that he had, he realized the merits of affection. He discovered that it gave him joy to tangle himself up in cherry blossoms and blow them gently across her path. Her smile and gentle laughter had him smitten. He asked her again if there was anything she wanted in the world, and this time, she replied. She told him that her greatest wish was to be able to fly alongside him, and so the wind gave her wings. Overjoyed with this gift, she sprang into the air, and flew gracefully through the air. The air smiled and floated about her, light and joyful once more. Wind flew beneath her, supporting her wings and sharing in her happiness. They lived, as the saying goes, happily ever after.
Once upon a time there was a girl who loved the wind. She loved it as it whispered to her in the stillness of night, she loved it as it roared and raged in fitful storm, she loved it as it fluttered playfully through her hair. The wind was oblivious to her love; all it cared for was racing as far and as fast as it possibly could. It loved to fly and soar high above the earth, and it occasionally deigned to haul fluffy clouds through the sky.
However, one day, a wizard was disturbed by the wind. He was conducting delicate experiments, and the slightest puff of air could completely destroy his work. So the wizard decided to trap the wind until his experiments were complete. He trapped the wind in a golden cage made of sunlight. The dry, oppressive heat of summer fell over the world, but the wizard didn't notice. He lived in an underground cavern, isolated from stray vibrations and air currents to better protect his work. He had no knowledge of what was happening in the outside world.
Above him, though, the land was parched and dry. Everyone was thirsty, and the air itself had a heavy, tight feeling without the wind to stir it. Most sad of all, however, was the girl. She missed the wind, and she longed for nothing more than to feel it caress her hair once again.
The girl asked the sun if he had seen where the wind had gone, but the sun had seen nothing. She asked if he could dim his rays for a time, as the earth was growing parched and dry, but though he was sad for the heat and the thirst, he had no way to change what he was. He advised her to ask the moon; for though he had seen nothing, she might have seen something he'd missed after he'd set.
Therefore, that night, the girl asked the moon. The moon was terribly sorry, as she missed the cool night breezes as much as the girl did, but she could not tell the girl anything. She knew as little as the sun. The girl despaired, for surely, the sun and the moon together could see everything from their vantage point. The moon hastened to calm the girl, sending cooling moonbeams over the land, and told her that, though she and the sun had a good view of what went on on the surface, they couldn't actually see everything at once. The moon thoughtfully suggested that the girl ask the air. The air missed the wind perhaps the most of all, save the girl. Surely the air knew something.
So the girl asked the air if he knew where the wind had gone. But the air was no help. Without the wind, it refused to move, sprawling over the earth in a depressed slump and barely speaking. All she could get him to say in his sorrow was to ask the rain. Sighing, she gave up on the air, and did as he bid, asking the rain if he'd seen anything.
The rain had not, though he did his best to send down cool water to sooth the earth. He succeeded in easing the parched tightness, but not the heat. Now it was hot and uncomfortably muggy. Rolling his clouds in apology, he suggested she ask the earth what she knew. Certainly the Earth would know everything that occurred on or within her surface. Reluctantly, the girl agreed. After all, what would the earth know about the wind? They were so different. The wind was always racing wherever he went, never quick enough, and never satisfied to pause. The earth moved slowly and gently, arching into mountains and settling into valleys in long, languid movements. Still, the girl was desperate to find the wind, and had run out of ideas, so she decided to try.
She approached the earth hesitantly, and asked if she knew the whereabouts of the wind. The earth rumbled in displeasure. “Yes,” she said, “I do know where the wind is. He has been trapped deep within be by one of my children. I have been trying to speak with him, but short of bringing the cavern down on his head, I can do nothing to make him listen.” The earth went on to explain about the wizard and his experiments. “I do not believe he means harm,” she concluded, “rather, that he is not aware of the trouble he's caused. I believe if you would explain it to him, he would free the wind.” And so, the girl traveled to the cavern of the wizard.
It was a long, difficult journey, for though the wind could race by the lonely caves as often as he wished, the girl could not fly. Her legs were so much slower than the quick, sure darting of the wind, and she wished that he could carry her on her journey, or at least travel with her and push her along. That thought only spurred her on when her energy flagged, for it was her duty to set her beloved wind free.
Finally, after many weeks, she reached the entrance to the cave of the wizard. It was guarded by fearsome beasts, lest unwary travelers wander in and disturb the wizard's work. The girl trembled in fear, but resolved that the beasts would not hurt her. She simply had to get into the cavern. Though she refused to despair, she had no idea how she would make it past the beasts. They would tear her to shreds if she got too close. She was aided, however, by the sun, who had been watching her since she'd left his home. He'd found after she left that he could indeed control how brightly he shone, and as he saw her in peril from the beasts, he shone as brightly as he possibly could, blinding them before they could do her harm. Rain then created a downpour over their frightening heads that soaked the earth and allowed her to form into a mudslide and sweep them away. The girl thanked them kindly for their help, and entered the cave. As she descended into the gloom, Moon sent down three softly glowing moonstones to light her path.
The cave system was vast, and she quickly became lost within the many caverns. Though the earth tried to lead her, she could not speak directly to the girl when the girl was inside of her. The girl was becoming more and more desperate as she became further and further lost. However, before she could lose hope entirely, the air roused itself from its sulk and came to her aid. He spread himself through the cave system, wriggling into every nook and cranny until he found the wind. Joyfully, he guided the girl to the chamber where the wind was kept, and fluttered impatiently as she examined the cage. The conclusion she reached, however, was grim. “I cannot unlock this cage,” she told the air and her beloved wind sadly. “I must find the wizard and convince him to release you.” The wind sighed in dismay, and the air fluttered impatiently, but there was nothing to be done.
So the air, reluctantly, led her to the chamber where the wizard sat, engrossed in his books. At the sound of the girl's polite cough, he looked up from his books with an expression of confusion. “Who are you?” He asked, bewildered. “Why are you here? And how did you get past the beasts?” The girl ignored the first two questions for the moment. “Sun and Earth and Rain helped me get past the beasts. And Moon and Air helped me find you. I and here because you took Wind.” The old wizard's gaze sharpened, and he regarded her with speculation. “How do you know I took the wind?” He asked suspiciously. “Earth told me,” she replied, “And I've seen him trapped in a cage with my own eyes.” Gathering her courage, she gazed at him in defiance. “You need to release the wind.” “And why should I do that?” the wizard countered. “It did nothing but interfere with my experiments. Always blustering in, no matter how tightly I sealed the cave, and blowing things about. I got no work done.” The girl pursed her lips. “Be that as it may,” she said, “have you given thought to what the world is like without any wind? Everything is still and hot. Many plants and creatures are dying because Rain can not move quickly enough without Wind, so many places are very dry. Earth is parched and dying of thirst in some places, and drowning in others. Air is still and sluggish. Even Sun and Moon miss the wind.”
The wizard looked vaguely chagrined. “Really?” He asked. “I had no idea the wind was so vital. I assumed that as long as I left the air alone, the absence of the wind would not be missed.” “Sir,” the girl replied, “Perhaps it would be best if you would come outside and see for yourself.” The wizard agreed, as it is always best to see the results of your experiments yourself, and so the girl led him from his cavern.
As the wizard set foot outside for the first time in many years, he squinted into the light with eyes long unaccustomed to the sun. A very different landscape from the one he remembered many years ago greeted his eyes. True to the girl's story, most of the landscape was dry and parched, except for the land closest to the cave's entrance, which was a muddy quagmire. All of the plant life was wilted to some degree, and the air was heavy, still, and oddly silent. The earth seemed to be holding her breath, waiting for something to happen. “I see,” the wizard said to the girl. “I see what I have done. Well, this cannot remain as it is. I will release the wind.” With that, he thumped his staff on the hard earth, and spoke a word in a strange language.
Instantly, a veritable gale raced out of the cave, tossing the girl and the wizard aside like paper dolls. The wind roared, screeched and howled his joy at being released. He flew high and far and fast, whipping himself into gleeful cyclones, mingling with the clouds and rain, rushing through the air and sweeping across the earth, buffeting away the heat of the sun and trailing cool moonbeams behind him. The girl and the wizard watched in pleasure as the world righted itself. Eventually, the wind came back to them. The wizard apologized for his presumption in locking up the wind. The wind chose to forgive him, though he would never again blow around the cavern. The wizard thanked him for this, and returned to his cave. The girl, happy that the wind was now free, began her long journey home. The wind followed her, fluttering at her footsteps. He wanted to thank her for releasing him, but everything he offered, she turned down. Frustrated, be blew a gusty sigh, and asked her why she would not accept his thanks. She smiled at him and replied that she loved him, and he was in peril, so she had to help. That he was free once again was reward enough for her. The wind was touched at her answer. He had never before considered the question of love; he moved so quickly that it had never occurred to him to slow down and take notice. However, now that he had, he realized the merits of affection. He discovered that it gave him joy to tangle himself up in cherry blossoms and blow them gently across her path. Her smile and gentle laughter had him smitten. He asked her again if there was anything she wanted in the world, and this time, she replied. She told him that her greatest wish was to be able to fly alongside him, and so the wind gave her wings. Overjoyed with this gift, she sprang into the air, and flew gracefully through the air. The air smiled and floated about her, light and joyful once more. Wind flew beneath her, supporting her wings and sharing in her happiness. They lived, as the saying goes, happily ever after.