... and a Story. A few years ago I wrote a bed-time story for a little girl - the daughter of a very dear friend. Her name is Maria and I met her when she was little more than two years old. We instantly loved each other and I soon saw that we share great Owl energy together - owl wisdom. She is my soul daughter. Today I'd like to share this story here on the Owl Tribe site in the hope that it will be read to children everywhere.

Grasshopper Magic
by Joyce Louise

One sunny Spring morning young Grasshopper awoke in the fresh, green grass of the Big Meadow. She hopped upon a warm rock, shaking the dew from her long and slender legs. Grasshopper blinked her eyes as the mysteries of dreamtime began to fade away. A brand new day of adventure lay ahead and the sun was bright above the Meadow.

Soon it would be time to leap across the Meadow and into the Wood to gather with all the other young creatures for lessons with the wise one, Owl. Grasshopper loved listening to Owl’s stories and being with her friends. On her way to see Owl she would stop by the stream for a quick splash of water and a few juicy tidbits for breakfast. For now, Grasshopper enjoyed the warm rock and basked a few minutes more in the Spring sunshine.

The stream was alive with birds and bees and dragonflies, singing and buzzing and darting to-and-fro. Grasshopper hopped to the edge of the water where the moss was thick and soft under her tiny feet. There were insects everywhere and soon she was no longer hungry and set off to see Owl and her friends.

Owl lives in a big old oak tree in the Wood not far along the path by the stream. Every day all the little creatures from the Meadow and the Wood make their way to Owl’s tree. Mother and father animals of the Meadow and the Wood teach their babies that when they grow big enough it is Owl who will teach them the wisdom of Mother Earth.

As Grasshopper hopped along on her way to join her friends at Owl’s oak tree she came to a clearing on the path through the trees and stopped and stared, gazing upon something she had never seen before.

“What is this creature?”, Grasshopper said to herself.

It looked like a very, very small pony with a golden spiral horn sticking out from its forehead. The horn gave off a pretty, bright glow like rays of sunshine. Grasshopper stared and did not move. She blinked and the creature was gone, but a halo of light lingered in the air. Grasshopper blinked again and the halo disappeared.

“Hhhmmmm,” she said, “Am I dreaming?”

After a moment she continued on through the woods to Owl and her friends.

Grasshopper reached Owl’s tree where all her friends were gathering. There was Fawn, Beaver and Badger, and Squirrel, Rabbit, and Fox-kit. Little Mouse was there too, busy scampering around looking for seeds. Snake slid out from under a rock and Turtle plodded near as Owl came out of his hole in the tree and walked out onto a thick, low limb. Owl ruffled his feathers and slowly blinked his big, round eyes.

“Good morning to you all” he said in a deep, strong voice.

The creatures below looked up and smiled and quietly nodded in respectful reply.

“Is everyone safe and well this morning?” Owl asked.

Grasshopper, rather ignoring the question and excited about the tiny, strange pony she had seen, jumped up onto a large rock and hopped up and down seeking attention.

“I see our little Grasshopper is eager to share something with us this morning. What is it, Grasshopper?” said wise, old Owl.

“Oh teacher, I have seen a magical pony on the path through the Wood” she replied, “and it had a golden horn growing out of its head!”

Grasshopper then quickly took a leap to a higher rock where all could see her and hear her tale. “There was a bright light and then the pony vanished!”

All the animals looked at Grasshopper and up to wise Owl and then they all began whispering questions all at once.

Little Fox came boldly over to the high rock where Grasshopper was perched. “The hole I call home is along the path through the Wood and I know the path well. I have never seen such a creature.”

Grasshopper knew Fox well and she also knew the young vixen never missed a thing as she was always on the alert, being keen of eye and ear and quick of foot.

“Did you see where the little pony went?” asked Owl.

“I blinked and it disappeared, Mr. Owl”, Grasshopper said, “But it was real and very beautiful.”

Owl gently swooped down to perch upon a big fallen tree near the rock where Grasshopper stood. “Come close, my little friends and I will tell you what I believe our young Grasshopper has seen.”

“A long, long time ago when the Wood was a wide, deep forest filled with many animals and creatures both big and small a Magician lived in a cave behind the big waterfall. In the cave there also lived bats. These bats were big, friendly bats with luminous blue wings, little pink ears and innocent wide eyes. They hung upside down from their feet all day long keeping cool in the depths of the cave while the Magician brewed love potions and cast spells of goodness and harmony.

The Magician knew that love, goodness and harmony are the laws of Mother Earth and so he made it his life work to honor Mother Earth with acts of kindness. He was a powerful Magician, and he knew that he would always be in favor with Mother Earth as long has his power and his magic are used only for the good of all.

Early one night as the sun sank below the horizon and a full moon peeked through the trees and the North Star shone bright in the darkening sky the bats woke up from their daytime sleep, unfurled their big, blue wings and flew out of the cave into the night.

With his bat friends all gone the Magician was all alone in the cave. His fire, which burned day and night to bring light to the cave and keep the Magician warm, was dwindling so he threw a few logs on and tended the embers until the flames grew big and the cave grew bright.

The Magician had a long day and he grew sleepy, so he laid down near the fire to take a nap. As he drifted off to sleep he felt the love of Mother Earth filling his warm cave and with his eyes closed he whispered, “Thank you for another fine day,” and soon he began to softly snore.

Mother Earth knew the Magician was a good man and day after day, year after year he had been good and kind to her and to all of the creatures who lived in her forest. It was the night of the Harvest Moon and Mother Earth decided it was time to give the Magician a special gift for always honoring her laws and loving everything with his big, kind heart. She went to Father Sky and asked him to help her make the Magician a little companion who would stay with him every night when his bat friends were all away.

Together Mother Earth and Father Sky created Unicorn, a very special tiny horse. Horse serves Mother Earth with strength and loyalty, power and freedom of spirit and the Magician had served Mother Earth with all of these qualities too. Upon the tiny horse’s Third Eye, the eye of enlightenment and knowledge, Father Sky placed a bright star which he swirled and swirled until it turned into a golden, spiraling cone that grew from the little horse’s forehead. Next they decided to give the little creature wings to fly wherever the Magician asked it to go, spreading love and goodness throughout the land.

Unicorn was born and she stood proud and brave by the fire as the Magician snored and dreamed. Soon she curled up against the broad back of her sleeping companion and tucked her little feet under the warm cloth of his cloak and waited.

Dawn came and the bats returned home to the cave. The Magician, with his sleepy eyes closed, heard their fluttering wings and little screeches as they headed for their daytime perches. He yawned and slowly opened his eyes as his pretty blue friends flew above. The fire before him had dwindled to faint embers in the night. He had slept for a very, very long time.

As he reached out a hand over the embers to warm himself he realized the cave was not dark. How could it be so bright when the fire had burned so low?

The Magician felt something stirring against his back. He gently turned his head and shoulders and there lay the tiny, winged horse, complete with a bright and golden spiral which lit the cave as well as any fire. It slowly stretched its little legs and opened its eyes.

“Well, who do we have here?” the Magician said.

The Unicorn stood up and said, “I am Unicorn, a gift of the Harvest Moon from Mother Earth and Father Sky and I am to be your companion forevermore.”

The Magician was delighted! He had loved and cherished all of the creatures of the land but this was a very special blessing, indeed!

For the rest of the Magician’s life, which was long and very happy, he had the warm companionship of his little friend, Unicorn. They were never apart except sometimes when the fire in the cave was big and warm, Unicorn would fly off into the night to visit Father Sky as the Magician slept.

Unicorn and the Magician honored Mother Earth with love and goodness and kindness and she gave them in return their safe cave and quiet Wood, the beautiful waterfall and many sunny days. When her forest was thirsty she sent gentle rains, and the plants and flowers grew and rainbows threw color across the wide, blue sky.

When the Magician was one-hundred years and a day, he died and Unicorn and the other creatures placed his body deep within the earth not far from the waterfall. Then Unicorn, with her horn burning bright, called upon Mother Earth and asked her to send the Magician’s spirit back to the stars. Father Sky received the Magician’s spirit with great honor and love.

Unicorn returned to the cave. It is said that many good Magicians lived their lives in the cave, and Unicorn was a good and devoted companion to them all.”

Grasshopper and all of the other young creatures stood silently and in awe of the story Owl told of Unicorn.

“So, my little Grasshopper” Owl said, “that is the tale of the little horse of the Wood with the bright, glowing horn.”

“But why have we not seen her before, Mr. Owl?” Grasshopper inquired.

Owl replied, “Because, my little friends, there are fewer and fewer good Magicians in the land and so Unicorns have become very rare. You will find a Unicorn only where there is a kind Magician who spreads love, goodness and harmony in honor of Mother Earth.”

Grasshopper thought long and hard. She wanted to see the pretty little Unicorn again.

So she decided right then and there that she would love all the creatures and the beings of the Earth, and she would be good and care for the ground and the plants, and the trees and the waters of the land. She would always be kind and act in peace and harmony with all things, honoring the laws of Mother Earth.

A year passed and Grasshopper had grown. She kept her promises to honor Mother Earth, but still she had not seen Unicorn. The memory of the beautiful small horse with the magical, golden horn burned bright in her mind and in her heart.

Then one evening when the mid-Summer Moon was rising through the tall trees of the Wood casting yellow moonlight across the meadow where Grasshopper rested in the thick, green grass, a light appeared. Grasshopper turned around and there next to her was a teeny-tiny horse with little wings and a bright, golden spiral horn beaming bright in the growing darkness. Its small, round eyes were filled with love and it spoke to Grasshopper.

“I am the Unicorn of Love and Light. I will stay with you all of your days of peace and kindness. Mother Earth and Father Sky made me to be your friend and to guide you through the long and dark nights ahead. Honor the laws of the higher good and I will be your companion always.”

Unicorn curled up next to Grasshopper in the grass of the Meadow. They fell sound asleep under the golden glow of Unicorn’s horn. Mother Earth was pleased and she breathed warmth upon them through the night. Father Sky looked down upon them with pride and in the darkness all of the stars in the heavens twinkled brightly in their honor.

As the two little creatures slept they dreamed a dream of Peace for the Earth when every being walks through life as a good Magician — with a Unicorn by their side.




©2006 Joyce Louise
Reading and sharing of this story is permissible with the understanding that proper credit always be given to the author.