Wise old Owl sat upon a limb with a twinkle in his eye, as he listened to the forest children in the glen nearby.
Old Turtle sat upon a stump with his mouth set in a grin, listening to those children speak with silent mirth within.
"My Mother took me to the strangest place," a fawn said to his friend, "It was a place so scary, I'll not go back again.
There were giant creatures chasing each other along long paths of stone, with bright and shiny eyes, I'm sure glad I was not alone"!
"I've seen this place! I've seen this place!" said the young Squirrel hopping in the tree, "I have been to this strange place, it's as scary as can be."
"We saw the signs of a great limb eating spider as plainly as can be, it's thick web strung all along those paths, where it ate the limbs from all the trees."
"I've been there!" cried the Bunny, hopping up and down, "And it is indeed the strangest place I've ever seen around."
"The ground out there is almost all stone with only a little grass to be found, and that which there is has all been cropped by some roaring beast clear down to the ground."
"That's where the beast have their homes!" Declared the small Racoon, "I too was there with Mother and won't return there soon!"
"For I have seen those monster's dens, made of sticks and stones, and all about them could be seen the shiny remains of their many victims bones."
""How true," piped in the sleepy opposum, hanging by his tail, "I too have seen the strange monsters race on that stony trail. I too have seen the giant spider webs upon the limbless trees"
"But that is not all the strangeness out there that one sees. For not only have I seen the roaring grass eaters feast, but have seen strange two legged animals urging on those beast."
Above them the old Owl chuckled, and he and the old Turtle winked. And then the old Owl hooted, "There's more there then you think! What you have seen is the land of man, and there is no fiercer beast. All you have seen is at his command, he's not like us in the least."
"So avoid him my dear children, don't trust him in the least. For if you do, you may become just another of his feast. He will destroy your homes and grind your bones without a second thought. Because he thinks that he owns everything he's got."
With a voice like the whisper of the wind, the old Turtle spoke, His loving voice filling the air much like a pipes sacred smoke.
"Those paths were not made for us to walk upon, nor were we to climb those trees. Those things you see were made by man in his vain attempt to bring nature to her knees. This which we have, was made by our Creator, and time alone will prove out which of them is greater."
"It is not for us to question the great Creator's plans for man, we can only trust His judgement and survive the best we can.
So my children just be grateful, for what has been given you, and pray we still have something left when foolish man is through."
So saying the great Turtle withdrew into his shell again, and all knew the tale of the strange land, had now come to
THE END
BLUE TURTLE
