Willow: a Fable

Timmy Tom Tuck was a young fellow with charm who one summer stayed at his grandfather's farm. He loved to eat ice cream and Grandma's baked goods but his favorite thing was to play in the woods He so loved the willow oak tree near the spring to lie flat on his back and hear the birds sing. The bunnies and ducklings would come to his call as Timmy Tom Tuck was best friends with them all. One day young Timmy was watching a cloud. All at once his name was called plainly out loud! He looked all around but naught did he see till a marvelous creature stepped out of the tree. "Willow is my name", softly sang out the sprite. Her skin was quite crinkled, her hair purest white. "I am your friend, so you have nothing to dread. This tree is my home. I'm a dryad.", she said. "A dryad dwells deep in the heart of her oak and she speaks through its roots to all forest folk: to mosses and mushrooms, the ferns in the fen, pink lady slippers, and the grass in the glen. For all things are akin, all substance is one: the earth and the stars, the moon and the sun, the grass and the trees, the air high above, the birds and the bees, the people we love." From that time on they were never apart, and Timmy loved Willow with all of his heart. All day they would play in the rocks and the streams and at night sweet Willow would dance in his dreams. Dryads live long but young summers do fly. Soon Timmy and Willow spoke words of goodbye. He promised he'd surely come see her next year. Sadly smiled Willow; her eyes glistened with tears. But Timmy came not in that year nor the next as summers were filled with exciting prospects: soccer and baseball and Boy Scout Jamborees. Those days with Willow turned to faint memories But at last one summer he went back to the farm and contritely thought of his vow in alarm. He gave hugs all around, and once he was free, with his heart in his throat, ran down to the tree. The oak was all withered, no leaves anywhere. "Oh Willow! Oh Willow!", he cried in despair. "Oh Willow! Oh Willow! Oh where can you be?" then embraced with both arms the willow oak tree. From the tree there came a soft tremulous sigh. "Oh Timmy, dear Timmy, my end is now nigh. I've lived and seen wonders in these many years, but now I must go; you must not shed any tears. For all things are akin, all substance is one, the earth and the stars, the moon and the sun, the grass and the trees, the air high above, the birds and the bees, the people we love. I'll kiss your sweet cheek with every small breeze. I'll cool your hot brow with the shade of the trees. In dewdrops I'll wash your bright face with the dew, and in dreams my soul will be always with you." With those words, kind Willow then faded away. Near her Timmy stayed till the end of the day. That evening quite late he was able to sleep, then dreamed such a dream, and the dreaming was deep. The forest was big and the forest was bright. Sweet sunshine shone through it in golden daylight. Then all the wood fairies came out at twilight, and fair Willow danced in the silver moonlight. "Spend time with those you love"