a campfire tale by bet walla

this is a story from long ago, when the earth was still young--in those early days, life was still
forming and the elements were still settling--the world was quite a different place from what we
know today--the oceans were still learning not to boil, the mountains were restless rovers, and
even the sun was an inconsistent wanderer who would weave across the sky like a drunk

and so it came to be one day, as he rose over a quiet earth, that the sun decided to burn hotter
than he had burned the day before, or the day before that, or even the day before that--in fact,
the sun burned hotter than he could remember ever burning before--long crackling wreaths of
flame sailed away in all directions--the sun burned so intensely that his fires even kissed the
earth--every momentary union leaving a newly born fire spirit in the aftermath

one fire spirit in particular, a creature of joy by nature, entered life dancing--how beautiful and
exciting everything is!--i must know it all!--from flower to flower, tree to tree, the little spirit
leaped and tumbled in exploration--he danced with reckless abandon, only burning brighter as
his own inner light spread--it wasn't until the sun had long sunk below the horizon that the flame
spirit stopped to rest--he looked around and realized he was all alone in a wasteland of his own
making--everything else had been burnt up--there was nothing left here to fuel his dance
anymore

he moved on the next morning, and the next morning after that, and many more mornings after
that as well--but destruction always followed in his steps--he burned with such passion for the
beauty of life that he couldn't help but twist and whirl in the joy of his dance--oblivious to the
burning always burning until nothing remained and it was time to move on again

the nights spent waiting were always the worst--sitting there in sorrow with his fire beginning to
fade--counting the moments between now and dawn--but sometimes a soft light would fall on
him and he would look up to see the serene face of the moon watching over him--and the sight
of her never failed to move him, to inspire him to hope, that he too could let his inner light burn
brightly in a way that nourished, rather than destroyed, all he loved so dearly

it was at the darkest point of night, when the moon had just sunk down below the distant
mountains, that the flame spirit flared up tall and confident--he would go to where the moon
went to rest, and he would ask her to share the knowledge of her cooling flame--and then, he
would dance as freely as he wanted--no more destruction

many days went by as he journeyed, leaving a trail of ash across the land behind
him--sometimes, the spirit would look at the mountains ahead in dismay, for they seemed to
never get any closer--but he would never look behind him, already knowing what lay there--for
the longest time, there was no obvious return on his hopeful journey--but whenever the fire spirit
thought of giving up, he would look up in the sky for the comforting presence of the moon and
remember--and then came finally the day where he realized the mountains were getting
closer--and not much longer to the day where he was walking through the foothills--onwards
and onwards--down into sheltered valleys and up over windy passes--always following the
moon

the trail was getting rougher--more time was now spent going up then across--more rocks and
less plants--his flame struggled but never quit--always hoping for something just over the next
horizon--so when the flame spirit stumbled upon the lake, it was both a surprise and expected

water with the calm smoothness of glass; nestled in the rocky embrace of the surrounding
mountains; covered with a soft blanket of trees, bushes, flowers, and moss--and sitting there,
right in the center of it all, was the moon--the object of his affection for so long--without thinking
twice, he gave his most spectacular leap and sailed right through the air towards the moon
resting on the water

SPLASH

HISSSS

too much, too fast--the flame spirit nearly extinguished himself!--sputtering on the shoreline, he
looked back to see the moon still in the center of the lake--this time, he crept slowly
over--HISSSS--he couldn't venture into the water and keep his fire burning at the same
time--instead, he began to call out for the moon--come to me!--but to no avail--this was
heartbreaking--what had been the purpose of everything leading up to now, if he was only ever
meant to fail?--in his sadness, he fell back into familiar comforts of old--dancing around the lake
in a poignant waltz--as close to his moon as he will ever be

the mountain glade went up in flames

it was only when the fire spirit was almost extinguished for a second time that he became aware
of the results of his actions--the moon was gone, broken into a thousand pieces by the choppy
water--the formerly smooth surface of the lake was cloudy from ash and dust--the shelter of the
trees replaced by chill winds blowing down from the high peaks--even this sacred place was not
immune to his poisonous self

ripping himself away from the desolation, the fire spirit resolved to never be a cause of suffering
again--and so he began climbing towards the nearest peak--committed to exile himself to where
no other life remained for him to harm

higher and higher he went, leaving behind his worldly woes

higher and higher he went, past the last of the trees to where ice and stone ruled
the higher he went, the weaker his flame became, until, at the very peak, the fire spirit was
barely more than a slight flickering--just one more star in the infinite night sky--he felt
afraid--what would happen when his flame went out?--he thought that maybe it would be better
to return back down--he could learn how to live in balance with the trees and the flowers if he
tried harder--just like the moon!

but he didn't go back down--the fire spirit was tired--tired of hurting and tired of being hurt--tired
of always searching for a place that might not even exist--today, i feel good--right now, in this
moment, there is no missing part of me--there is nothing missing--ive gratitude for the life ive
lived--ive gratitude for the life ive left to live--if i have any strength left, let's use it to take one
more step along this beautiful path i walk and see the joys that lie beyond just one more horizon

and so the flame spirit took one last step before his flame went out--continuing right off the
mountain peak into the infinite sky--and like a fallen star returning home, his twinkling light went
higher and higher and higher--until there was no more light at all

BOOOM

suddenly, he was burning with a fire undreamed of--blues and greens and reds and violets--he
began to fly about the night sky--the world looks so beautiful from up here!--and the stars
so many of them--all the beauty he had ever desired, all around him--so close he could
dance with it, yet just far enough--the land was burning no more--his was the only firelight this
night

at least until the moon rose up from her hidden home, and joined him in the dance--bathing the
world below in her silver dawn--reflecting like candlelight in countless still pools hidden all over
the land--a rival to the star filled night sky above

and now, if you could ever find that quiet mountain glade and that still mountain lake, it is said
that you will see all of the trees have regrown, the waters have settled, and the sacred has
healed--and some nights, you will see that the moon still rests in these waters--and other nights,
she is gone, and the flame spirit dances in the water on his own--but, i have heard it said, on the
nights when both spirits dance together, the beauty of their two lights brings peace to all
hearts--joy bringing joy bringing joy bringing joy