Trees and trees as far as the eye could see, covering the
land down to the plains of the midland.
The leafy boughs shading the land from the most of the
summer’s heat, and the worst of the summer rains.
He liked it here.
Lost among the growth of decades it was a place to loose
time in all of the best ways one can lose it.
Inhaling deep and slowly the Dagda took in the heady scents
of the woods all about, the leaf and loam, and the rich earth beneath.
Twice to three times the height of a tall warrior these
plants had seen the turning of many seasons and with it the passing of many
generations.
His feet inevitably took him along familiar trails, moving
easily through the brush in some places, or across the expansive clearings kept
beneath the tallest and broadest of trees.
This was a pleasure that not many seemed to appreciate.
People seemed to spend too much time with their eyes fixed on the destination,
rushing to meet at some place and time without allowing space to appreciate the
trip in the middle.
The Dagda's eyes fell on the trail in front of him and he took a
moment to squat down and really look at what the earth was telling him.
Deep brown and firm, the soil told him that the rains had
been through here no more than a day or so before.
The roots of the nearby trees found their way to the surface
here and there, reminding the traveller of their hold upon the earth, and to
watch their step.
Slight scuffs in the dirt indicated that he was not the only
creature to recently use this trail. His eyes roamed forward but were denied a
clear print, until they came to rest on some hair captured in the embrace of
earth.
With another deep inhalation the Dagda mentally sorted what
he was smelling until he found it. Deer.
Luckily he was here for a different prey. With a smile on
his broad craggy face he sauntered off down the track pondering what he smelt
like to the deer as he passed its hiding place in the brush to the far left.
Within a long slow
hour he came upon his prey. Large and broad it lay on its side. Almost as wide
around as he was, limbs splayed out at odd angles.
Approaching slowly he saw how it had died. The earth was
tossed about at its foot and showed where its grip on life had failed.
The storm's wrath was played out all around the fallen tree.
The Dadga moved to it and placed his broad hands upon its
rough bark. Closing his eyes he tried to imagine the years it had seen. Though
not as old or as big as its brothers it still would have held many stories.
Listen hard enough and you will hear even the echo of the
land's birth, he thought.
Shaking his head with a smile at his own conceit, he opened
his eyes and patted the fallen tree.
Time to go little one.
Don’t worry, I will find the heart of you and keep it safe.
With that the Dagda set to work, with axe and saw he stripped the
roots and branches, stacking the limbs to dry beneath a near chestnut. He often
left little stores of drying wood for travelers who may come upon them, or
indeed himself should he need it on a dark night.
With the trunk stripped and the area tidied, he took the
last tool from the bindle, its chains ends clanking.
Setting the wood hooks firmly in the tree, he settled the
leather covered section square across his shoulders.
Time to make a new trail.
The Dagda chuckled to himself and settling his wide
shoulders to their burden, leaning his broad back forward, he planted his feet
and set the strain against his big round thighs.
At first the battle went to the earth, as it jealously tried to
hold to the tree, but the Dagda could not be stayed once set to task.
With a groan from the wood, the earth finally gave up its
stubborn resolve, in the face of one which out stripped it.
The Dagda's legs began to push on, and within moments they
were pumping back and forth with a steady rhythm, the tree willingly moved to
follow the man.
As the day found its afternoon the Dagda came to stop at his
destination.
The building was broad and tall, walled with stones fit snug to
one another to keep out drafts, and the roof set to a high apex built around a
wide opening so that the thick smoke could escape.
Set carefully about the edge of the building where various
tools of trade.
Right now the plume rose high and dark in to the sky. Work
was being done.
With a deep breath the Dagda shucked the chain off and
allowed his burden come to rest.
Stretching out his arms and rolling the ache from his
shoulders he strolled to the trough of water kept right beside the door. A
musical rhythm came from beyond the leather covering and the Dagda did not
enter.
Instead he dunked his head and shoulders in the cold water,
then stood and let the water find its own path down his skin.
Returning to the log he removed the chains and again allowed
his fingers rest on the bark stroking thoughtfully.
With a glance to the sky, one last shoulder roll and a
nod to himself, squatted down by the middle of the logs span.
Feet set flat and wide he pushed his hands in under the log
and with a grunt of effort, he straightened, his powerful legs locking, his back
straight.
Once again the earth could not hold its embrace of the log,
and gave in to the Dagda's strength. With a dead lift, the wood rose in to the
air cradled in his big arms.
With a few steps the wood was placed upon the logging horse
and retrieving the saw he set the blade to bark. With one last caress on the
tree the Dagda pulled the blades teeth through the wood. With his feet planted
wide and shoulders set he pushed the blade back sending saw dust to fly.
Finding his rhythm in the hammering clangour coming from the
building the Dagda set muscles to work and found himself humming along
tunefully.
After the sawing would come the axe, the rise and fall to
crack and split. The pleasant reassuring rhythm of a job the body can do whilst
the mind wanders the paths of thought and dream.
Still the Dagda eye didn’t stray from the wood rounds as they fell
one after another.
He had a promise to keep.
******************
The forge fire burned hot and hungry.
It's persistent ravenous need something that any who
laboured with this force needed to understand intimately.
Standing over it, the light shining upon his muscled
labourers form, it's heat setting a sheen of sweat to mix with the ash and soot
upon his skin, Goibhniú smiled.
He knew this kind of hunger very well indeed.
The fire would need a large feed tomorrow but for today at
least the labour was done.
With a sigh the smith, battled his gaze away from the fire
and looked to the wood stock in the forge. This was the last of it, with
nothing set by. He would need to leave
his fires tomorrow.
Turning from the heat Goibhniú pushed the leather curtain
back and stepped out into the late evening’s cool air. Blinking in the poor
light of the sun’s set he saw that he had a guest.
Dagda, What brings you to my door this late?
The smith saw the chieftain seated in the dirt by the water
trough, turning something over and over in his big hands.
Looking closer with a squint he saw it was a section from a round of
wood, looking to be fresh cut from some tree.
That was when his nostrils, so used to ash and the burn of
metal, picked up the scent of fresh cut timber.
Turning about to follow his nose Goibhniú stopped to take in an unexpected sight. Stacked against the wall of his
home, set up to its very height, the smith saw logged lumber, cut and ready for
burning.
It stormed about three days ago but this tree’s heart was
kept warm and dry. It's lumber should set a nice fire for your work.
Would you have
anything to drink; I have quite a thirst upon me.
The Dagda’s voice was quiet as he rose ponderously to his
feet. Goibhniú looked back and saw him stash that little round of heart wood in his satchel.
The smith stood, knowing the surprise on his face must look
comical indeed but he couldn’t shift it. There was at least another few weeks worth of fuel for his labours, suddenly stacked neatly right by his door.
The smith layered the pieces of the process together in his
mind trying to fuse his thoughts into a whole which he could grasp.
The wood alone was a great gift. The effort required to
bring, break, and stack it was more than he could expect.
True, Dagda would not
leave him wanting for the asking, but that was it, he hadn’t asked.
The whole piece came together for Goibhniú and there was but
one word needed.
Why?
The Dagda looked at the smith, with his deep dark eyes.
Because this is where the work is;
His gaze slipped to the neatly stacked wood, and came back
with that usual smile of his.
Was.
Now about that drink?
******************************************************************************************************************************
******************************************************************************************************************************
For more stories and exclusive content please considering supporting me on Patreon
