After the spirit of the wind had left, I turned and started walking into the forest. It was dark and creepy, unlike the forest on the other side of the river where everything was green and full of sunshine. As I walked, an owl hooted from somewhere up in the trees; sometimes two or three crows flew cross the tree tops cawing loudly. The light was fading, casting ghostly shadows around me. I moved on faster, ignoring the cold wind around my ears and the thorns that tore at my feet.
I hadn't the faintest idea how to find the Forest Queen but I got the feeling that she would find me! Just as that thought passed through my mind, I heard a rasping voice behind me.
"Stop! How dare you trespass into my forest!"
I turned round, startled. For a moment I could see nothing in the darkness, then I saw her. She was sitting in the distorted trunk of an old tree with spreading roots that stuck out like bony arms. A shudder ran through my body as I looked at her greenish yellowish face and tatty hair that resembled straw.
"Er .. I'm sorry, Madam," I ventured. "I'm looking for the Forest Queen."
"Look no more! I am she, the Queen of this devastatingly beautiful forest. And why are you looking for me?"
I knew I had to be careful of what I said and be as polite as possible.
"Your Majesty, how lucky I am to have found you! I have been told of your fantastic powers and have a magic potion that can do wonders."
She looked at me, then laughed.
"I should have known! You have been sent by that foolish woodcutter who lives on the other side of the river! He wants you to get from me my magic potion to change him back into a human being! Ha! Ha! Ha! You know, he could have had everything he ever desired - a life of luxury, plenty to eat and drink - but instead he turned me down when I asked him to marry me - me, the all powerful and beautiful Forest Queen. Now he expects you to save him!"
"Your Majesty, you don't understand," I said. "Yunzhi loves his father very much - he is old and unable to fend for himself. If he were to leave him, he would surely die."
"So what? He's old and useless. I can never forgive someone who spurns my love and casts me aside! And you, what makes you think I'll give you the magic potion? You're just as stupid as he is!"
"Your Majesty, I think you will give me the magic potion because deep down inside, you have a kind heart," I said, not really knowing what I was rambling about. "Moreover, I think you are still in love with Yunzhi and you would not let him remain an ugly creature for the rest of his life." (Wow, that was something that I didn't think I dared to say but it just came out.)
For a moment, I saw the Forest Queen's face soften, then she yelled, "Get out of here before I turn you into something!"
"Please, the magic potion," I pleaded.
She remained silent for a while, then she looked at me with narrowed eyes and said, "I will give you the potion on one condition. I want Yunzhi to make a huge statue of me in the forest where he lives for all who pass through to know that I am the Queen of the forest. If he fails to do that, I shall turn him and his father into ugly toads for the rest of their lives!"
"Agreed!" I cried. I knew she could have demanded something more difficult or hazardous from Yunzhi but because she still loved him, she was making it easy for him.
With a wave of her hand, she produced a small bottle of green liquid and threw it to me.
"Take it, now go away and leave me alone!" she said, slowly disappearing into the tree trunk.
I grabbed the bottle, called the spirit of the wind and in a trice, it appeared and we flew swiftly to the other side of the river.
"I knew you would be able to do it," said the spirit.
"Yes, but I was scared stiff," I said. "Now let's quickly find Yunzhi and change him back into a man."
To cut a long story short, Yunzhi and his father were joyfully re-united. Yunzhi kept his word and carved a life size likeness of the Forest Queen in the middle of the forest for all who passed through to see and admire. I often wondered whether the Forest Queen stopped by sometime to see it for herself. I expect she did ... perhaps not so much to see the statue but to have a glimpse of the man she once loved ... and still loves ...
I hadn't the faintest idea how to find the Forest Queen but I got the feeling that she would find me! Just as that thought passed through my mind, I heard a rasping voice behind me.
"Stop! How dare you trespass into my forest!"
I turned round, startled. For a moment I could see nothing in the darkness, then I saw her. She was sitting in the distorted trunk of an old tree with spreading roots that stuck out like bony arms. A shudder ran through my body as I looked at her greenish yellowish face and tatty hair that resembled straw.
"Er .. I'm sorry, Madam," I ventured. "I'm looking for the Forest Queen."
"Look no more! I am she, the Queen of this devastatingly beautiful forest. And why are you looking for me?"
I knew I had to be careful of what I said and be as polite as possible.
"Your Majesty, how lucky I am to have found you! I have been told of your fantastic powers and have a magic potion that can do wonders."
She looked at me, then laughed.
"I should have known! You have been sent by that foolish woodcutter who lives on the other side of the river! He wants you to get from me my magic potion to change him back into a human being! Ha! Ha! Ha! You know, he could have had everything he ever desired - a life of luxury, plenty to eat and drink - but instead he turned me down when I asked him to marry me - me, the all powerful and beautiful Forest Queen. Now he expects you to save him!"
"Your Majesty, you don't understand," I said. "Yunzhi loves his father very much - he is old and unable to fend for himself. If he were to leave him, he would surely die."
"So what? He's old and useless. I can never forgive someone who spurns my love and casts me aside! And you, what makes you think I'll give you the magic potion? You're just as stupid as he is!"
"Your Majesty, I think you will give me the magic potion because deep down inside, you have a kind heart," I said, not really knowing what I was rambling about. "Moreover, I think you are still in love with Yunzhi and you would not let him remain an ugly creature for the rest of his life." (Wow, that was something that I didn't think I dared to say but it just came out.)
For a moment, I saw the Forest Queen's face soften, then she yelled, "Get out of here before I turn you into something!"
"Please, the magic potion," I pleaded.
She remained silent for a while, then she looked at me with narrowed eyes and said, "I will give you the potion on one condition. I want Yunzhi to make a huge statue of me in the forest where he lives for all who pass through to know that I am the Queen of the forest. If he fails to do that, I shall turn him and his father into ugly toads for the rest of their lives!"
"Agreed!" I cried. I knew she could have demanded something more difficult or hazardous from Yunzhi but because she still loved him, she was making it easy for him.
With a wave of her hand, she produced a small bottle of green liquid and threw it to me.
"Take it, now go away and leave me alone!" she said, slowly disappearing into the tree trunk.
I grabbed the bottle, called the spirit of the wind and in a trice, it appeared and we flew swiftly to the other side of the river.
"I knew you would be able to do it," said the spirit.
"Yes, but I was scared stiff," I said. "Now let's quickly find Yunzhi and change him back into a man."
To cut a long story short, Yunzhi and his father were joyfully re-united. Yunzhi kept his word and carved a life size likeness of the Forest Queen in the middle of the forest for all who passed through to see and admire. I often wondered whether the Forest Queen stopped by sometime to see it for herself. I expect she did ... perhaps not so much to see the statue but to have a glimpse of the man she once loved ... and still loves ...
 |
| "And what makes you think I'll give you the magic potion?" |
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