Legends of the Bard: Tale of the Mollaphi Crann

part II

What softly caressed a broken head, whose blood was spilled on stone? Twas the voice of a man; a tone she did know. From the depths of the ravine to a mat under a tree, he sang to his dear Mollaphi:

"Oh how far and how wide, did my sweet lassie fly?

Through the spaces ‘tween our lives, you kept memory of me in spite of time.

Love me Molly, love me sweet. Waken from this blurry dream.

Love me Molly, love me darling, see who I am, though you are a girl and I a tree.”  

Her eyes opened, body resurrected below the gaze of emerald eyes. What marvelous jewels were framed by the face of a singing wooded elf. His hair of curly vines, flowed down his head and brushed her cheeks. On each strand, flowers blossomed; goblets of sweet, refreshing nectar. Mollaphi sipped on this ambrosia and, a surge of life pulled her mouth to meet her savior's. The taste of his tongue was earthy and foreign, but deep within his eyes she could see the face of an old friend, a  mate in the past life. She pulled back with astonishment.

"It has been awhile hasn't it, Mollaphi," he said, his voice deep and vibrant, like magma flowing underneath layers of rock, "do both kin and foe, still call you by so?"

She nodded. He chuckled, "I lost my name long ago, do you remember it?"

"Laiowen," Molly whispered and stroked his hands of velvet bark.  

"Thank you my, dear for refreshing a memory as barren as a desert."

"Gracious Goddess, it really is you!" 

"Indeed it is." Laiowen embraced her. 

"Ahhh is that I kiss I saw," inquired a curious little voice.  A little wood nymph flew over to the elf's ear and smiled mischievously at Molly. "The virgin broke her oath to the Barren Queen, hehe."

Mollaphi blushing pushed herself away from her lover. "No! Oh no! No, no, no," she cried in despair as covered her face in shame, "I am an unfaithful slut. How will I ever be forgiven!? Danu, my gracious Mother, have mercy on a sinner like me!" Nymphs all around the Laiowen giggled.

"There, there my little rose, bear no guilt. The Crone you fear, is the one who needs forgiveness. For it is she who has sinned," the wooden elf soothed.

"How so? She is pure and kept her children pure."

"That is her wrong doing. You see, her will against sex has sterilized the land and all who dwell in it. That is why our forest is dying and overrun with daemons. The Gods are destroying the plains, the rivers, all the animals; even your tribe to one day rebuild it. It breaks our Mother's heart to see her children suffer but, no matter how she pleads to the Crone, she refuses to lend an ear." 

"What must we do to save our land?" 

"Love one another," he said with a wink.

The word made Mollaphi squirm and blush. Usually love was referred to the compassion and empathy sentient being should have with one another, but this had a different connotation. 

She shook her head, " I, I cannot. Those desires are dirty. I am ashamed of you Laiowen, having such thoughts."

He chuckled, "Ahh but we all come from the dirt, no? Do not be ashamed of the fire the burns from within. For once it erupts, magnificent creations can be built."

Mollaphi stubbornly kept her head turned. Laiowen wrapped his hair around her and caressed her,  the sweet scent of his blossoms took her breath away. With his right hand he turned her head towards him and stared her in the eyes.

"I love you," he said and kissed her.

A rush of heat ran through her and a spark of desire ignited a bright, burning passion. 

"I love you too," and she kissed him back. Fairies, nymphs, and all living creatures gathered round the mating couple and courted each other. As love was being made, slowly the darkness disbanded and the rays of the Sun kissed his yearning wife, the Earth. With his warmth, the ground was fertilized and the green returned. Up from the soil, sprouted new grass and shrubs, bearing new fruits and sweet flowers. 

At the height of their pleasure, Laiowen's seed was planted into Mollaphi's earth and the two become one. They shed their flesh to transform into a great tree. Her roots reached deep into the gournd to hug her Mother. His branches reached high towards the sky to hail his Father and from the branches opened flowers and fluorescent colors that sparkled in the daylight. The Tree Spirit picked up the colors from the blooms and painted the forest with them. The flora was cascaded in shades of red, orange, blue, violet and green and would not stop glowing, even during the night. 

The flowers of the great tree grew into plump ripe fruits that fed all the animals of the woods. The Tree Spirit again blessed the forest's trees and shrubs and they produced a bounty of fruit.

And thus, the forest was restored.