Reflections

Reflections

Stabbing her walking stick into the dirt and dragging it, Galatea walked the perimeter of a campground. She whispered a chant at the four directional winds. Jumping across a stream the spell changed but then her voice went back.

“Rise up high

From earth to sky

Protect all that dwell

on the inside.”

Once the circle had been completed Galatea walked over and set her supplies down by a circle of rocks. Opening the flap of her leather pouch and lifting out a bullfrog she said,

“Hi sleepy head,”

Beaming back at her Litho replied, “Hi Galatea.”

Holding him higher and slowly turning around she explained, “Look where our journey has taken us. It’s a perfect spot for us to spend the night. You know… It’s almost time for our bedtime story.”

“Nice Place, Litho answered as he eyed several snacks crawling near the water and a drop of spit fell from his lips. “Oooooo, yes, yes, and yes,”

Sitting him down Galatea giggled, “You always make me laugh, you silly frog.”

Litho leaped off in the direction of the stream and then turned around and smiled at her. “You always make me feel safe…and loved.” Then he left with a little dance as he sang.

“Bom bom bom bom

Slurp them down

Bom bom bom bom

Squishy and round

Bom bom bom bom

Wings or feet

Clap clap clap clap

They are a treat

Bom bom bom bom

Bugs are yummy

Bom bom bom bom

Bugs are sweet

Clap clap clap clap

Tasty…tasty…

Tasty….treats.

Hm hm hm hm”

Galatea watched Litho dance and sing until he reached the water and then she walked in the opposite direction. Finding a large branch she reached down as a beetle ran out. “Ug….I hate… nasty…crawly…things.”

Shaking her shoulders she continued on the search for firewood until….darkness began to move in. Her arms heavy with wood she walked towards a circle of rocks and noticed Litho hopping back. Dropping the wood Galatea mentioned, “I have been thinking about storytime, I want to share a family story.”

Patting the ground Litho replied, “Galatea….come sit over here and tell me a story.”

Rubbing bits of debris off her arms she sat on top of her bedroll. “At home on the first day of winter we would wear something special and head into the village. I liked to wear my dark… rose velvet shirt which is embroidered with different colors of snapdragons.

Litho asked, “What did you do in the village?”

“Arriving the breeze greeted you with the scent of rosemary. It is our custom to use these sprigs of evergreens to summon the spirits of good fortune and health for the new year. Families brought dishes of food as an offering for their support of the community. People wished each other well as they tasted spicy and sweet foods placed in various locations around the town center.”

“Eating all day, You are my kind of people. Did you do anything else?’

“Yes, When it got dark we would sit around a bonfire and sing about our history. I look forward to the lore of the heath.”

“Yes, there is nothing better than a good lore story,'' mentioned Litho as he watched Galatea stack the firewood from largest to smallest.

“Galatea, Your story reminds me of a celebration my family had.”

Galatea turned around and smirked, “You're kidding me, what do bullfrogs have to celebrate?”

Litho's front lip rolled out and he glared. Pointing a toe at Galatea he said, “We have special celebrations.”

“No way…bullfrogs have special celebrations.”

”We do…and you shouldn’t make fun of me.”

“I am sorry. I should not have made fun of you. Please tell me your story.”

Litho leaned in. “Bullfrogs celebrate the winter solstice by selecting their favorite place to hibernate. You stake your claim by squatting down and croaking your song. Mine sounds like this, Rru, Rru, ruuuu! Rru, Rru, rruuu! The celebration continues until the entire family has become a choir and the day is ending. Oooooo, then my favorite thing happens.”

“You burp.”

“No…no, I don’t burp,….okay you're right I do but that’s not my favorite thing that happens. I stand up and point my toes….. drilling them down into the squishy mud… shoving myself as far as I can go. Then I move my legs back and forth. Like I’m doing a little dance. I gotta make room for my butt to slither down. As I get into a comfortable sitting squat the mud oozes in around me ..until I’m all…. cozy and nice. Then…I..Zzzzzz”

“That’s cool the mud tucks you in for the winter.” replied Galatea while standing up and leaning over the woodpile. Snapping her fingers she cast a spell.

“Fire Bright

but no smoke

tonight.”

Flames erupted throughout the wood as she opened her bedroll and asked, “Is there any more to your story?”

“Absolutely! In the spring when it rains and the sun warms up the mud, you wake up. The rain washes the dirt off you. Animals of all kinds get together to eat, lullaby all night and of course there are events.

My friend Stewart the albino mouse leads a treasure hunt. While we search he makes us laugh with a quick card trick or a bit of magic.

Bun Bun of the dirt usually wins at the game, Find your Friend. The boy is so camouflaged I have sat down right next to him and not noticed. He never even blinks. To find me he calls out…Litho…I laugh and he yells, found you!

Jeremiah the bullfrog with the raspy voice, uses his calm and cool attitude to snap his fingers in a rhythmic beat as he sings and directs the bullfrog quartet of Taddius, Wild Bill and me. Together we sing those low notes down by the pond.

Impy Jr. who is a ball of green slime sashays around greeting everyone. It is all organized by Splotch the black cat. Since she doesn’t hibernate she has all winter to think of wonderful mischievous activities.”

Nodding her head, Galatea poked the fire, put on another log and said, “Sounds like it was really fun.”

“Fun times and great memories,”

Litho stared at the fire for a few moments and then snuggled closer to Galatea. He laid his head on her foot. The glow of the fire reflected off his eyes and Litho asked, “Galatea, what are you thinking?

“I am reflecting on how much we are the same. My family ate and sang songs like your family…and your community.”

“Except we are really different too.”

“Litho, being different isn’t good… or bad….It’s just being different. Life is about finding others who accept you no matter who you are or what you look like.”

“Galatea, Most would look at us and say, What do they have in common? You have antlers and I am a green bullfrog.”

Leaning forward until they were face to face Galatea said, “I care about you. You care about me. We are totally different in looks but we are the same in so many ways. You are my family and community now.”

“Yes, yes I am and you are my family too.'' Litho replied as he blinked away happy tears. Movement caught his eye. A centipede was headed towards Galatea’s bedroll until….it wasn’t.

“Ugh, I hate….nasty…. crawly… things,”

“I know you do Galatea, Goodnight.”

“Goodnight Litho”, she replied while laying down.

All was quiet…..until….softly

“Bom bom bom bom

Slurp them down

Bom bom bom bom

Squishy and round

Bom bom bom bom

Wings or feet

Clap clap clap clap

They are a treat

Hm, hm, hm, hm.”

The following wizard friends allowed me to use their familiars in my story.

Warder- #7084 Aldus of the Astral Plane and his familiar a lucky black cat named Splotch

Milk-#4769 Impy and his familiar an emerald slime named Impy Jr.

Henry-#7238 Druid Merlon of Dreams and his familiar a dirt rabbit named Bun-Bun of the dirt.

Wizdaddy-#5564 Hydromancer Soran of the Psychic Leap and his familiar swamp bullfrog named Wild Bill.

Madotuski-#9815 Mystic David of the Bastion and his familiar an albino rat named Stewart.

Tadmajor-#4044 Druid Froggy of the Gnostics and his familiar a swamp bullfrog named Taddius.

Magus Wazir-#1229 Sage Bartholomew and his swamp bullfrog named Jeremiah.