"This is the last story," he says. "And when it's over... the rest of the way I go alone."
They pass now under the wide branches of an apple tree; behind here, the path slips down a gentle heathery slope to an open place. A clearing.
"From the waterfall, along the water's edge and deeper into the woods. In the darkest, deepest woods she found a fool. His name was Bob, and he had been sent into the wilderness for one too many bad jokes at court. Kings can be touchy."
"When he saw her, he fell to his knees and plead for her hand in marriage. She was very beautiful, like all the daughters of Gan, and he was very silly, and you can get away with a lot if you make it a joke."
He pauses under the shade of the tree; here time is space is thought, and here is the gentle edge of night; the sweet twilight.
(Just as the brutal tangolight that comes just past sunset is cruel, though we love the day and fear the night. On the edges, things shift and trade places.)
"And Chloe laughed, and said 'no.'"
"And then Bob made his true offer. Because, he said, he couldn't give her a place to shelter or his protection or any fine gifts. He had no home and no kingdom and nowhere to lay his head. But they were lost there, together, and he would go with her as long as she would have him, and he would keep her company, and give her what comfort he could."
"And Chloe said, 'I don't care,' and she went on, and Bob followed after. And he gave her--" Eddie reaches up and plucks one from the tree and tosses it to her; one for himself. "An apple."
"And for the first day and night Bob never stopped talking," Eddie goes on, "and Chloe said nothing. And on the second day and night Bob said nothing," he tells her, "and neither did she."
"And on the third day, Bob said, 'do you know where we're going? Only you walk with such purpose.'"
"And Chloe said, 'don't you know the way out of the woods?' and Bob said, 'Alas, I do not.'"
Re: Green grow the rushes, oh
"This is the last story," he says. "And when it's over... the rest of the way I go alone."
They pass now under the wide branches of an apple tree; behind here, the path slips down a gentle heathery slope to an open place. A clearing.
"From the waterfall, along the water's edge and deeper into the woods. In the darkest, deepest woods she found a fool. His name was Bob, and he had been sent into the wilderness for one too many bad jokes at court. Kings can be touchy."
"When he saw her, he fell to his knees and plead for her hand in marriage. She was very beautiful, like all the daughters of Gan, and he was very silly, and you can get away with a lot if you make it a joke."
He pauses under the shade of the tree; here time is space is thought, and here is the gentle edge of night; the sweet twilight.
(Just as the brutal tangolight that comes just past sunset is cruel, though we love the day and fear the night. On the edges, things shift and trade places.)
"And Chloe laughed, and said 'no.'"
"And then Bob made his true offer. Because, he said, he couldn't give her a place to shelter or his protection or any fine gifts. He had no home and no kingdom and nowhere to lay his head. But they were lost there, together, and he would go with her as long as she would have him, and he would keep her company, and give her what comfort he could."
"And Chloe said, 'I don't care,' and she went on, and Bob followed after. And he gave her--" Eddie reaches up and plucks one from the tree and tosses it to her; one for himself. "An apple."
"And for the first day and night Bob never stopped talking," Eddie goes on, "and Chloe said nothing. And on the second day and night Bob said nothing," he tells her, "and neither did she."
"And on the third day, Bob said, 'do you know where we're going? Only you walk with such purpose.'"
"And Chloe said, 'don't you know the way out of the woods?' and Bob said, 'Alas, I do not.'"
"And Chloe said, 'it's easy.'"
He grins.
"'The way out of the woods is to keep walking.'"
He bites the apple. With purpose.