The Moon in the Morning
Excerpt Book of Learning Chapter Five
"Heads turned
at once toward the window, in the direction of the voice. There stood a woman.
She had on a blue cape over a white dress of such a fine thread it seemed to
move like water over her body. Around her neck hung a huge golden pendant in
the shape of a wheel with spokes, like the wheel a captain of a ship uses to
steer. She glided toward the bed arms spread wide.
“Why do you
look shocked? I’m not a ghost. I am Brigit. Dost thou not recognize me? Thou
summonedst me with thy flute.”
“I did?” Jean
asked with wonder and awe in her voice, her mouth gaping.
“Thou most
certainly didst.”
This sure is a ‘Wizard of Oz’ moment. This must be the way Dorothy felt when
Glinda the Good Witch arrived in a bubble.
“Come, come now, be thou not afraid. I
bite not.”
Sikee fluttered over to Brigit and
alighted on her hand.
“Sikee. Good morning love. Canst thou show
me thy work?”
Sikee flew like Tinker Bell over to the
loopy heap on the floor.
Brigit moved soundlessly to the bed and
looked down. The trailing air smelled of spring after a rain, earthy and light,
delicately perfumed, but with a whiff of wet wool.
“I’m supposed to wind this up but I have
no idea how. It is all such a jumbled mess. I don’t know where to begin.”
“For this hast thou summoned me. What a
curious maiden thou art.” Brigit swooped her arms down, lifted the bundle from
the floor and placed it carefully on the jeans quilt. Jean’s embroidery caught
her eye. “Ah, I see thou hast been busy.”
“Unh huh.”
“Come, settle
thyself here next to me and I will teach thee to wind.” She patted the bed. Her
fingers fluttered as she spoke, beautifully casting a spell on Jean who moved
mesmerized to her side. “Didst thou know this yarn can tell thy fortune?” Her
face turned so close Jean could smell her breath.
Like lilacs."
