Peray Ra Ree

While the floater floated on his back looking to heaven, the crowd was chanting Peray Ra Ree. A hush grew over the crowd and the floater continued to chant Peray Ra Ree, Peray Ra Ree. Down below entered a man with black shinny boats and he looked up at the floater who continued to shout Peray Ra Ree, without a moment’s hesitation, the man reached up and struck the floater with a razor blade from the back of his neck down his back to the tips of his feet and immediately the floater was soaked in red while shouting Peray Ra Ree.

The floater stopped in front of the man with the shinny boots and stood in a pool of blood and with a smile on his face and said to the man, “Peray Ra Ree.” The man glared at him and yelled how dare you say such a thing in my presence. The floater just smiled and said, “I only wish you feel what I felt as I came and floater over the lake and made it to the other side. The peace, the joy, the contentment the excitement of looking over all that I saw and hearing the crowds chanting with me Peray Ra Ree, then you would know why I stand here with a smile on my face in this pool of blood.” In rage, the boot man struck him again and the floater dropped to his knees, with his last breath, he said, “may you know the peace of saying, ‘Peray Ra Ree’ and then collapsed and floated away to the sights of golden streets, gates of pearls, a building of Jasper, sapphire, chalcedony, and emeralds with smiles everywhere and the sound of “‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’

The crowd quickly found covering  for the floater’s wife and covered her over so that the men in shinny boots could not find her for it was common for a floater to have his wife in the crowd below dressed in the light weight clothing that a floater must use to float his way along the surface of the earth. His spouse was there to see and enjoy the moment of the floaters return. Though many try it, few actually make it down the hill, across the lake and to the land below where the people shout and chant Peray Ra Ree. The outlawed words spoken only in closets and in hushed tones so that the men in boots can never hear the words they wish to never hear for they only want the words that they want spoken for they delude themselves into thinking they are in control of the world. They do not know how the world was made or how to make it work properly but they stand tall and proud and they decide what can and cannot be said out loud in this world they think they are in control of.

They cannot see nor can they enjoy what the floater experienced in this world as he climbed to the top of the mountain and with one giant leap he threw himself off the mountain and began to see:

The mountain goats that lived at the top of the mountains that moved among the rocks that caused minerals to escape from the rocks which moved down the mountain sides to the valley below to replenish the land with minerals that were carried from the top of the mountains to the valley below by way of melting snow that was water stored for the people below to be able to drink when there is no rain. He saw the great forests that provided oxygen for him to breath and with each exhaling breath he gave back co2 that the forests needed to create the oxygen he needed. He saw great wide areas of flowers that were producing pollen that the bees needed to produce honey while giving to the flowers what they need in order for the flowers to produce the pollen that the bees needed. He saw great bears that were delighted with the honey they just found in the rotting log that they tore open which provided what  the ground needed to produce the nutrients that the trees needed to grow tall and strong. He enjoyed the wind in his face though he could not see the wind, he knew it was there supporting him as he floated his way down the mountain. He saw one floater after another get tangled up in the trees which stopped their decent down the mountain and kept them from enjoying the marvelous experience, he was having descending the mountain.

Peray Ra Ree floated out of his mouth as he descended the mountain. Just as he said Peray Ra Ree he saw a beautiful stream of water and he glided over the top of the stream and received refreshing water into his mouth.

 As the floated down the mountain, he thought back to all the struggles he had climbing the mountain. He remembered paths that wandered for what seemed like forever only to find himself at impossible dead ends only having to return down again to start over to find a new way up the mountain. The ice castles that lead to disappointment, the loneliness, the frustration, the anger he felt the harder he tried to find the right path, the more dead ends he found. He thought back to the ravine he fell into and the three days and three night he spent alone and lost not able to find any paths out, fearing he would just die never reaching the top of the mountain. He remembered the desperation he felt as he laid there not finding any way to turn and no way to climb out. Then he thought back to the peace that he began to have as he thought about the mountain itself, the paths, the ravines, the crevasses. None of this was made by themselves so he cried out, Designer and maker of this world including me, you put this desire in my heart to climb this mountain, please show me the path you want me to take up this mountain.

 Suddenly a gentle breeze began to blow and he dropped his heavy coat and followed the breeze into the tiniest of entrances to a cave he could not find before and it was full of crystals and some of the crystals glowed in the dark and he took them and used them as light to guide him through the twisting turns of darkness until he found his way out of the cave and onto a path, headed back up to the top of the mountain.

It was that moment when his ascent up the mountain changed. No longer was he climbing the mountain because he wanted to, but he was climbing the mountain, created by the creator and asking to follow the paths that the creator of him wanted him to follow. He entered the ice castle that before had brought him to the deepest despair and the ravine that he fell into, but this time it turned into a wonder of beauty and re-fractions of beautiful light that brought him into awe and wonder on how things were made.  

He now went into deep dark caves that at the entrance of the cave seemed scary and foreboding but he went in knowing he was on the path he was to follow and the darkest cave of all brought him to a pool of the deepest blue water he ever saw and when he dove into the water he experienced more peace then ever experienced in his life; who knew that the darkest cave he ever experienced would actually bring him into the deepest pool of peace he would ever experience. Who knew? His creator knew and he wanted him to experience peace that no one in this world could give him.

He remembered that pool of peace as he floated his way across the great lake at the bottom of the hill. He looked over and saw many a floater stop floating and fall into the lake, never able to float their way across the lake to the land on the other side where the people were chanting, Peray Ra Ree. He could feel the pull of all that water trying to weigh him down and pull him into the lake but it was not where his creator wanted him. He was to float to the other side. And so he did.

 

The Broken Lights

There once was a little boy who lived among many friends and he really enjoyed his life. He took many walks and hikes into the woods and he came across many animals and plants and trees. He loved all that he saw and never wished to harm anything he saw. He was very content with his life and he often had some very special time with his friends. That special time with his friends was shooting his airsoft gun. He really felt a strong desire to get better at shooting then his friends. But he was not sure what he could shoot that would help him get more accurate than his friends.  He thought, if I shoot plants, I could possibly kill the plants and he did not wish to hurt a plant. He thought of shooting a bird, but he was afraid the airsoft pellets could kill the bird and he did not want to harm any living creature. He enjoyed all that he saw in life. So, he questioned what he could shoot that would not harm anything but could improve his skills to win over his friends and show he was the best marksman amongst him.

 Sitting on his balcony, he noticed some lights that were a long way away and he wondered if anyone still used those lights. So, night after night he checked for any sign that the lights were still used by anyone. Each night he checked, he found there was no glow from the lights. So, he went to investigate. Upon arriving at the lights, he not noticed parts of the lamp posts were burned and the paint was old and faded so he thought these lights were old and abandoned. I could use these old things for target practice. Nobody values these old things anymore, he thought. He noticed in the in the center of each pane of glass there was a circle, so he thought this is a perfect target. I could aim for the center of that circle and I will become better than all my friends.

So, each day he practiced, and no one ever mentioned the lights. So, he was very content with his improving his aim and hitting his target. What this boy did not know that each day the owner of the lights trudged up the hill looking down at the ground from the weariness of his day and each night he climbed the hill never turning on the lights because his bills had become so high he could not afford to turn the lights on but these lights were very precious to him. For they were custom made and the creator of the lights were dead and gone. But he often smiled as he trudged up the hill thinking to himself, “one day, I am going to be able to turn the lights on when I go up the hill.”

 But year after year he was unable to afford to turn the lights on. Only using moonlight on some days to climb the hill or the glow of his phone to light his way for his phone was too old to have a flashlight app. One day as the owner climbed the hill, he was feeling a new sense of hope and he thought maybe soon, I will be able to turn these lights on so he looked up at the lights instead of staring at the ground as was his usual practice. To his horror, he saw the glass in his precious lights were all shattered in hundreds of places. He walked his path and found every one of his lights were cracked. Some were cracked as if they were hit by tiny pellets. Some were hit as if a stray pellet hit the glass here or there but the two in the middle were hit over and over again as if someone had purposely shot and destroyed the glass in his very precious lights.

Who could have done such a terrible deed? He thought and then he noticed way off in the distance a balcony and he wondered if anyone stood on that balcony and shot at his lights. He went to the home and asked the boy who lived there if he knew anything about the lights across the way. The boy who no longer was a little boy wondered if the man was talking about the old abandoned lights he had been shooting at for years. He asked if he was talking about the old lights across the valley. “Yes,” the man responded. “It looks as if someone has been shooting at them with an airsoft gun and has shattered the glass to pieces.” The boy thought, no that is not possible that the lights could be damaged for he was only shooting them with an airsoft gun. So, he went straight away with the man to see if it were true. To his dismay, he stood in front of the lights and now that he was close to the lights he could see all the damage he had done through the years to the lights to become the best marksman. He held his head in shame and said, “I am very sorry for it was me that shot your lights. I thought they were old abandoned and worthless, so I used them as my target practice.  I am very sorry is there anything I could do?” Then he learned how priceless these lights were to the old man.

The boy set out to find a replacement and every replacement he found was cheaper but never came close to beauty of the lights he had broken. The only lights that were found was something he could never afford.  So, he went to his mother who was coming to visit him for she had been away for many years while he had done this very deed. With his head down in shame, he told his mother what he had done. To his surprise his mother put her arm around him and said, “I know that whether you meant it on purpose or accident, I will take care of this for you.” Her son said, “I know I can never repay you.” She said with smile, “I will still do this for you.” She paid the debt he could never pay, and his son questioned, “Why would you do this for me?” And she said, “Because you are my son and not a good son or a bad son, you are my son and I love you.” The son was restored to his family. The old man forgave the boy for his deeds and his lights were restored. The old man learned what he needed to know about his life, and he was able to afford to turn on the precious light that lit his way in the darkness.

Kingdom Eyes

There once was a knight who lived in a great kingdom. Each day he walked through the kingdom to arrive at the castle where he would grind, polish and renew the swords of the kingdom. Each day he would walk from his home through the streets to the castle and again grind, polish and renew the swords of the kingdom. Day in and day out, he would get up, walk through the streets and arrived at the castle to grind, polish and renew the swords of the kingdom. This became such a routine that he almost could walk blindfolded through the streets to arrive at the castle to grind, polish and renew the swords of the castle. His own sword that he carried on his side seemed to be a huge burden to him as he made his way through the streets to arrive at the castle to grind, polish and renew the swords of the kingdom.

Nothing seemed to change for him. His life had become a routine of getting up, dressing, walking through the streets to arrive at the castle to grind, polish and renew the swords of the kingdom. It was such a routine for him that he barely even noticed the familiar sights of what he actually saw in the streets on the way to the castle. Just outside his home, there was the same woman seated inside a cage. Further down on the right side of the street, there was the man who had a shackle on his foot and chained to a post and each day he would stretch his arm out and reach as far as he could to the water that dripped from a rock near him. He would get just a couple of drops of water in his cup at a time. Often he would only receive a couple of drops of water for the entire day, just enough to keep him alive. Further down the road, just before the castle, each morning he would see this older knight yelling, sometimes screaming at the paige, telling him what a terrible job he was doing keeping the walkways clean and in good condition for the knights to enter the castle. The paige hung his head in shame as he tried to make the knight happy with his work, knowing each and every day he was going to be yelled at for the same poor job he was doing.

These were the familiar sights and sounds that the knight saw each day as he traveled along the streets to the castle in order for him to grind, polish and renew the swords of the kingdom.

One day the knight decided to not just walk through the streets to arrive at the castle to grind, polish  and renew the swords of the kingdom. Instead he decided he would go to the king and ask him if he could have a new job in the kingdom.

Instead of going to his polishing room, he walked to the door of the king and gently knocked on the door hoping he would be received. He knocked on the door so quietly it's a wonder that anyone could have possibly heard his knocking but much to his surprise there was a warm and gentle voice that said, "I look forward to speaking with you, come in."

The knight opened the large door and walked in. Not daring to look up, he asked the king if it were possible for him to receive a new job in the kingdom. The king responded, "you are my best polisher, grinder and renewer of the swords throughout all of my kingdom. What you do is so important for the increase of my kingdom, I could not see you stopping this important work. Why would you want to do a different job?"
"King each day I get up, I walk through the streets to I arrive at the castle to grind, polish and renew the swords of the kingdom. I see nothing new and I am tired." "Ah," said the king. "I would love to grant to you a new way to see my kingdom. Would you like to see my kingdom as I see it?" "Yes, I would like to see the kingdom as you see it."

"Then tomorrow, look at each person that you see on the way to the castle and study everything you can about their situation and then go to the castle and then grind, polish and renew each sword and say thank you King for the opportunity to serve you and your kingdom. And you will begin to see my kingdom differently. And then each evening listen for my voice to tell you each different route to take to walk through the streets past the castle and out into the hillsides and note all that you see in My kingdom on your way back to your home and we will talk about what you see."

"But sir, you want me to leave the walls and go throughout the countryside?"

"Yes I do."

"But I understand there are robbers and thieves and evil men in the hillsides throughout the countryside and you still want me to try a new route to my home?"

"Yes my Knight, I will always be with you but note carefully what you see."

So the next day after having walked through the streets that were so familiar to him seeing all the same sights, the woman in her cage, the man shackled and chained to the post and the page being yelled at by the Knight.

That night, he left the castle and roamed throughout the countryside and through streets he had never been down before and to his amazement, he saw men using swords to touch the locks on cages that held men and sometimes women inside and the locks fell off and they opened the cage doors to set the people free.

He was so excited by what he saw that he could not wait for morning to arrive so that he could go to the king and talk about all that he had seen in the kingdom. He got up early, dressed and rushed off to the castle seeing all the scenes that he sees every morning with new eyes and a different joy in his heart. Arriving at the castle, he immediately went to the king's chambers and knocked. A loud and strong voice said, "Enter."
"Okay, there's so much I want to say to you. There is so many things I saw that I had never seen before. There were men carrying swords and touching locks on cages and shackles and the locks fell off. The people were set free. They were so joyous that they were dancing in the streets with the ones who were set free. I have never seen so much excitement that I almost forgot that there were evil men throughout the countrysides."

"Yes there is great joy in my kingdom, when my people are set free. What else did you see?"

"Well I noticed that throughout your kingdom those men were using their polished, ground and renewed swords to strike the locks that fell off when they touched the locks with their swords."

"Yes"

"Well each person that I see on the way to the castle, sit in cages, or have shackles, and are sometimes badly treated and can not seem to stop the way they are treated. But each one of them do not have a lock holding them in."

"Yes my knight you are beginning to see my kingdom. You have a job to do and you need to do more then just grind, polish and renew the swords of the kingdom which others are using to break locks. You need to learn to hear my voice to say to those who are trapped with no lock, that they need to be reminded that I have already broken their locks but they need to do my will to be set free."

So the next morning the knight could hardly wait to get up and listen for the king to tell him what to say, to the people he saw each day, to be free. He dressed hurriedly and rushed out the door. He walked over to the lady in the cage and said, "forgive him." She looked at him with anger in her eyes and he looked back with the love of the king and she hung her head and begin to weep. He walked down the street and said to the man with the shackle on his foot, "you are already forgiven go and seek rivers of living water. The man immediately reached down and removed the shackle and ran to the river."

He walked up to the paige and said "tell the knight, please do not yell at me but give me a new broom for the bristles on my broom are gone and I cannot do a good job. And then stand there and offer the broom to the Knight. Do not begin to sweep until he gives you a new broom."

He went quickly to his polishing room and began to grind, polish and renew the swords of the kingdom with a smile on his face and a thankful heart. Thanking the king for each sword he got to renew.

The next morning he got up dressed and begin his journey to the castle. To his surprise, the woman was no longer in her cage and there was no one shackled to the post. When he neared the paige, the paige was smiling and holding a new broom in his hand. The knight went straight to the king and spoke of his excitement about all that he saw.
The king was pleased and told him that he needed to always listen carefully for his voice to know what to say to those with no locks and always be ready to draw his sword to break the locks for those he says to strike the locks and sometimes to hold his sword high for those who need to see his sword.
The knight left the room to go grind, polish and renew the swords of the kingdom, looking with glee each day for the new adventures the king was going to send him on each day.

The journey home

There once was an elder beaver that loved all the animals in the forest and he spend his time at the river helping the other animals navigate the treacherous waters in the river to help the animals to arrive safely on the other side of the river. But the weasel, rats and gophers had infested this forest and they hated the elder beaver and all the beavers that lived in the forest. For beavers always lived in and around flowing water. The weasel hated water. He did not like what it did to his beautiful fur. He felt he was so beautifully designed that any water touching him destroyed the natural beauty of his fur coat so he stayed away from flowing water and made sure that every other animals in the forest stayed away from flowing water. The rats hated flowing water to for it would wash away the stench that they loved to smell that flowed from their wretched bodies for they loved to dig into every garbage pile they could find and roll in the rotting smell of garbage. The gophers hated flowing waters to for it could drown them in their tunnels of darkness. They rarely came to the light for they loved to spend their time in darkness and creating tunnels into other animals home to create as much disaster as they could while not being seen. The beaver lived in such a way that the weasel could not hurt him nor destroy his home in the river. The rats could never seem to get into his home under water and destroy his place for the rats loved to destroy other animals homes and drive them crazy until they felt they had to flee their homes and run to another place. If the gophers tried to tunnel their way into a beaver's home the flowing water would rush in and destroy them so they knew enough to stay away from a beavers home, yet they hated them still for beavers lived in the light and the gophers hated that.

The elder beaver was at the rivers edge when an owl staring at the moon began to draw close to the waters edge. "What are you doing," said the elder beaver? "I am preparing to go to the to the other side of the river," declared the owl. "How are you planning on doing that?"  asked the elder beaver. "I am planning on following the moon. All my life I have followed the moon. It has guided me. I have flown the great skies and its light has guided me to every prey I have ever needed to sustain my life. I have known that the moon is the great guiding light in the sky and it has guided me here to the waters edge and I know that the winds across this river are too great for me to traverse for they would cause me to weaken and tire only to fall into the river and drown before I reached the other shore. So the moon has guided me to the waters edge and I am now to lay on my back staring at the moon and float my way across the river and the moon will guide me safely to the other shore." "Have you not read the signs in the forest?" inquired the elder beaver. "Yes I saw the signs. They spoke of asking the beavers for successful living and guidance to the other shore but they are creatures of the sunlight. I am a creature of the moonlight and I do not believe they have any knowledge of how a great owl like myself can live. It is the moon that has guided me here and I am ready to float to the other side" and with that he laid down on his back, stared up and the moon and floated on his back. Only to be washed out to sea and pulled under and drowned; forever living under pressure and torment, crushed under the land he will never see nor the moon he loved to worship.

The weasel began to laugh. "Did you here that boys? The moon guided me here! Great work boys. That bird brain never saw it coming. Hey joey you rat, I loved the part when you whispered,'The moon has shown you your prey.'" "Yep." " I guess he remembered that line and he never saw you hanging on to that mouse from your gopher hole." The two of then rolled in laughter. "Yes, nice work," said the weasel, "but I especially liked my added touch that I told him. 'Beavers are creatures of the sunlight but you are the great owl who follows the moonlight.' He actually thinks the moon can talk. I always made sure I whispered that when it was a full moon.'You are a creature of the moonlight,'" laughed the weasel. "You are a creature of the forest and now your not going to be living in this forest any more." Off they went laughing their heads off. The elder beaver was sad as he heard them say "one wise owl down, how many more of these great owls can we con with this moonlight story? This is great," they said as they slapped each other on the back and walked off into the darkness. "If only he would have asked a beaver", said the elder beaver.


A few days later a great grizzly bear approached the rivers edge and began to enter the water. "Stop," shouted the elder beaver. "I am going to the other side," declared the mighty grizzly bear. "How are you planning on getting there?" "I am going to swim the great river. I am the mightiest of all the animals in the forest and I am not afraid of any flowing water." "I take it you have never been to the inside of a beaver's home before," remarked the elder beaver. "Of course not," declared the mighty grizzly. "What could a little tiny beaver show me?"  "He could have showed you how to trust a beaver to live in and near the flowing river safely, declared the elder beaver. "I have crossed all the flowing rivers safely with my great strength, my way," declared the mighty grizzly. "I will do it again with this flowing river," with that he entered the flowing water and was swept out to sea and drown. Never to arrive safely on the other shore.

"I am the mighty grizzly," roared the weasel in a squeaky mocking voice. "Your a drown grizzly," laughed the gopher. "I did it my way", mocked the rat. "He did it your way," said the rat to the weasel."He sure did," said the weasel. "I whispered from behind that rock at the waterfalls edge, 'you are powerful and you can swim across this waterfalls edge.'"  "I thought we had him there boys but that brute was strong enough to actually swim across the river." "Yea he was so busy buffing himself up to get across the river that he never noticed the sign 'beaver home safe crossing in here.'"

"Well one less grizzly in this forest," remarked the weasel. "Yep," said the gopher. "Sometimes I wish this was our home," said the gopher. "Don't talk like that," said the rat. "You know how that upsets the boss. He knows what his future home looks like and well, let's not talk about it," and with that they scurried away from the rivers edge.

The elder beaver was very sad. He wished he could have saved the mighty grizzly.



The very next night a great massive grizzly bear arrived at the waters edge and said to the elder beaver, I guess it is time to go to the other shore and the elder beaver smiled and said, "I see you have been to a beavers home." "Yep," said the massive grizzly and with that the grizzly entered the water with  the elder beaver. The elder beaver said when I say go under, you go under and as the water began to be above the grizzly's head the elder beaver said "now" and the massive grizzly went with the beaver under the water and they went inside the elder's beaver tunnel and made it safely to the other side.

The weasel scowled and said "well boys we did not convince that hulk to do it our way" and with that they left looking for other animals in the forest to speak to from the shadows.

When the elder beaver returned he saw a skunk sitting at the water's edge. She did not even look up with the elder beaver approached her. "What are you doing here?" asked the elder beaver. "Sitting." said the skunk. "Do I have to leave?" she inquired. "I 'll move on" and she started to move into the river. "You are not to be here," said the elder beaver. "I don't belong here," said the skunk. "Sure you do," said the beaver. "This is the home of all the forest animals and you are loved in this forest." "No I am not," said the skunk. "I am hated by all." "Haven't you been to a beaver's home." "Yes," said the skunk "but no one could really love me." "They do, all us beavers do." "I heard that many times, but I am a skunk." "You are loved and accepted for who you are now. This is once again my forest. I gave up my life for you so that you could be washed in the flowing water and cleansed once again." "But I stink. All the creatures of the forest used to stink but because of what I did the flowing water can wash away all smell of what used to be," encouraged the elder beaver. "I just can't accept that. I will never be better no matter what you did for me" and with that she walked into the river and was washed out to sea. She never looked up at the beaver's smiling face at her. She drowned and will live forever under the torment of never seeing the elder beaver's smiling face.


"Don't move," whispered the bunny. " No I have to move," whispered the frantic bunny. "If you move they will see you, whispered the calm bunny.  "If I don't move they will see me since I am standing right here, but if I move they will see me. Can't they see me standing right here?" "Mooovvveee," said a voice from the shadows. The frantic bunny darted across the open area. "Mooovvveee," said another voice from the shadows. The frantic bunny ran into the trash can and made a great deal of noise. Frightened he ran to the shadows of the trees. The calm bunny said, "Be still, there is no need to be afraid." "Haven't you heard all the noises?," questioned the panicked bunny. "I have heard all the same whispers and the noise of you running into everything." "I can't help myself," said the frightened bunny. "Be still, the elder beaver is near and you have no need to be frightened. The beavers have told us the way home. We just need to get to them. So stop running into everything and we will get there safely," remarked the calm bunny. "Mooovvveee," said a voice from below the feet of the frightened bunny and the frightened bunny jumped so high that he actually jumped off the edge of the cliff and landed in the water and was swept out to sea. The calm bunny said to the shadows, "I hear your cry to 'Mooovvveee,' but I will not move until I am told it is safe to do so. I will not listen to you," and with that he quietly moved to the sign of the beaver's home and was guided safely home.

"Well we got that one bunny worked into a tizzy but man that other bunny wouldn't budge," moaned the rat. "Yes but we did get one more bunny out of this forest," remarked the gopher with a devious grin. "Ah looking on the bright side," said the weasel. "Let's frighten some more bunnies. That was so much fun! I love our 3 fear approach: from below, from the shadows and from the trees. That seems to get them every time. Let's go!," demanded the weasel.

As the weasel team left there, a turtle walking ever so slowly with a beaver arrived at the river's edge.
"I have walked with you all my life and I have followed the good ways and it is now time for me to go home," said the turtle to the beaver. "It is true you have walked all your days with patience and kindness but there is more to it than just doing good that needs to be done in order to prepare you for your journey home," explained the beaver.

"More to it you say," mocked the turtle. "You think you have the only way to get home? I have studied many a day. I have read the ancient manuscripts. I have learned the writings in their original languages. I have studied the text and have memorized great portions of those words in my slow methodical movements and study. It is clear that I have learned the correct ways and you are not the only ones who know the way. You wish to tell others that you know the only exalted way home but I too am of the ancient tribes from long ago and my fathers have shown me the way home so it is not right for you to try to tell me that you are the only ones who know the way home. I will arrive safely home as I have arrived safely to everywhere I have gone. Slowly, carefully, conservatively, restrained in movement and careful with approach. I will traverse the flowing water with my floating shell that has protected me from the attacks of others and has been a comfortable home for me as I have often pulled myself in during great trials and tribulations and I will do the same as I cross the flowing river and will eventually arrive home." There was nothing more to be said and then the turtle left the presence of the beaver and the turtle began his journey in the flowing water. He floated for a long time. He moved slowly and carefully but he never reached the home he longed for since he floated out to sea and was tormented forever knowing he never had the right path to make it home though he studied often to try on his own to find the correct path.


The beaver began to weep as he saw the turtle float away. I tired, he thought. "You failed, your a failure," whispers came to the beaver's mind. "There are so many beaver's who have walked in so much more success than you." "One little turtle that is all you had to do and you could not turn that situation around." You know that turtle will never find his way home and you couldn't help." The whispering began to come faster and faster. Whispers that reminded him of every failure he has ever had. Whispers of loss, whispers of loss he will have. Whispers of uselessness. Whispers of regret. Whispers of accusation, of how unlovely he is. Whispers of confusion. Whispers of fear. Fear he will never get it right. Fear that he has always gotten it wrong. The beaver froze and was unable to move. he could not help one more forest critter find his way way. The beaver's saw how frozen their beaver friend was and they brought him to the elder beaver and the elder beaver began to speak to his beaver. He quietly began to ask the beaver, "did I say that about you?" "Did I ever say that to you?" Did I ever treat you like that?" The little beaver began to come alive as he started to hear the elder beaver's voice again. "No, you never said that" "No you never acted that way to me." "No that is not what you said." Lies, yes they are all lies, I have been lied to, the little beaver realized. "Yes you have been lied to and you were believing those lies and that is why you were frozen. Go now and free every creature in the forest letting them know that they do have enemies in the forest and their weapons are lies. Set my critters free and help them to not only find their way home but help them to have fun right now in my forest until I do bring them home. This is my forest and my ways will bring you the greatest joy and the best life you can ever have.
With that the little beaver went with great joy talking to every critter he could find to not only help them find their way home but help them enjoy their life in the forest now.