Night 2
I opened my eyes. I found myself in a long hallway filled with doors. Each door glowed and pulsed as though with its own heartbeat. River stood by my side.
“This is the dreamway,” she said. “Which story calls you?”
I heard faint noises from behind one of the doors. Voices shouted and whispered, alternately. Strings of words came to me “…the baby…we have water to draw…ancestors weep…twin sign, the holy twos…” I pushed open the door.
“Welcome to you traveler.” The voice came from behind me. I turned, leaning heavily on my staff. A man wearing a soft leather tunic held out his hand. “I work these fields and live over yonder hill. You are a guest to me and I offer you rest.”
“Thank you,” I said. “Is there water to draw?”
“As the ancestors bless me so I bless you. They rejoice that you sit while I draw for you.” I settled onto a patch of grass while my host drew and brought me water. Carefully he drank half the cup before handing it to me. I took it and drank. Formalities over, he said, “I am called Hav. I must finish my work now. You are welcome to stay as long as you need.”
“I’m called Glad. Thank you.” I sat on the grass and rested. It was almost evening and I had far yet to go until I reached my destination.
As the sun dipped into the distant mountains, someone approached me. It was a woman. “Glad? I am Chalynge. My husband said I would find you here. Please join us at our meal, for the ancestors bless us.” I stood and gathered my staff. I followed Chalynge to a cottage of stone and split wood. Two children stood by an outdoor fire ringed with sections of log for seating. The girl held out a bowl of food. “As the ancestors bless us so we bless you,” she said.
“May I draw you water?” asked the boy. Hav emerged from the doorway of the cottage. “Bug I have already greeted our guest.”
“But I haven’t!” Bug insisted. Hav laughed and said, “Very well. You can greet her too.”
Bug smiled and ran off to fetch a cup of water. I settled myself and waited politely for Bug to return. “He hasn’t been old enough to greet visitors until today,” Chalynge explained. Bug returned, almost leaping to bring me the cup. Most of the water had spilled out by the time he reached me. Bug drank. Frowning a little as I tried not to laugh, I accepted the cup and drank the rest.
“Ancestors bless me so I bless YOU,” Bug said enthusiastically. He picked up his bowl and crammed a spoonful of food into his mouth.
“Bug! Guests first,” Chalynge said. “Let’s all eat,” I said, taking a bite. Bug looked relieved he hadn’t made any serious mistakes and began to eat again.
After eating, Hav built up the fire. “Glad you must stay with us tonite, for the hour is late and there is nothing else near.”
“I thank you. But my hour of departure is early and you may rise to find me gone. Know I am blessed by you.”
The girl took a wooden flute from her pocket and played. “Well learned, Dare,” said Hav.
“I want to tell the welcome story,” piped Bug.
“Everyone knows that one,” said Dare.
“Let him tell it if he likes,” said Hav. “Go ahead Bug.”
This is the story Bug told:
Long ago the people were suspicious. They did not trust one another at all. They only trusted their family. If you could prove you were someone’s family they would help you, otherwise they would attack you and be mean to you. Everyone was like this except a man named Swim. He could move through the water like a fish. Some people said he was part fish. Fish were his only family and he was alone. One day Swim traveled a long way. He came to a place he’d never seen before. On the path in front of him was a man who lay dying. When Swim came near he shielded himself, ready for Swim to kill him. But Swim instead held out a cup of water. Confused, the man refused the drink. “Poison!” He shouted at Swim. But Swim knew it wasn’t poison. He drank some himself to show it was safe. The man on the path still looked doubtful, but finally he accepted the drink. “I am Swim,” Swim said. The man replied, “I am nothing, for you have saved me but we are not family.” “That is easy,” laughed Swim. “You will be called Water. And you are my family now.” When we drink, we share the way Swim and Water did, to show we trust each other and we are all family.
“Well told Bug,” I said, yawning. I fell asleep to the sound of Dare’s flute.