Adventures of A Windy Day

Wind blew listlessly through the deep green forest, rustling the leaves on the trees half-heartedly before sweeping across a nearby meadow to bend each blade of grass gently in a reverent bow. It soared high into the air, weaving through a waterfall on the far side of the meadow, carrying a cascade of mist across the delicate blue and ivory flowers that grew along the edge of the little stream below. Then it raced through a tunnel high on the mountain side, moaning hauntingly. But the restless wind soon tired of such childish games and came to rest on the edge of a high cliff with a mournful sigh. There was nothing to do and worse, no reason to do it.

The early morning sky slowly began to grow lighter, the air warmed gradually, and the sun climbed lazily higher and higher. Soft billowy clouds nuzzled against the sun lovingly. Wind flew from its perch on the cliff, rushed high into the sky and pulled the clouds along. Together they danced around the glowing orb for a few moments then twirled higher and higher into the sky. The sun, eager to join them, strained to reach the same heights, blazing with more and more heat as it rose. The clouds waited patiently for it to reach them, sluggishly swaying about while the impatient wind left the fluffy companions to swirl tauntingly around the ball of fire, goading the sun into playing their favorite game.

Far below in the quiet meadow, a young girl carried a heavy jug of water from the stream. The hot rays from the sun reached her first. Mustering all the intensity it could manage, the sun focused its sweltering heat on the girl, stinging her wherever it found exposed flesh. She stopped to wipe the beads of sweat from her brow, glaring angrily at the beating sun above her. Wind pirouetted around her, gently brushing up against her reddened skin, sweeping away droplets of perspiration. It lingered just long enough to hear her sigh in relief. But the sun had already begun its assault on other targets and so the wind flitted off to continue their game.

The sun sent volley after volley of radiation, attacking a man and his son climbing the mountain side followed by a woodsman cutting a tree at the edge of the forest before turning its attention on a boy chasing about with his dog. Not far from the waterfall a family tried to enjoy a picnic but grew weary under the intensity of the sun. Undeterred, wind raced to their aid. Soaring up the side of the mountain, wind trailed gently over the climbers before diving into the forest shadows to pull the coolness hiding deep in the shade out over the woodsman. Wind gently stroked the dog’s thick fur and rushed through the boy’s hair before bouncing about in a game of duck-duck-goose with the picnicking family. Each sighed gratefully for the gentle relief from the beating sun as the wind twirled by.

Then the air began to cool, the light dimmed slightly. Throughout their game the sun had continued its arduous assent to the waiting clouds above. Upon reaching them, the tired sun pulled the blanket of clouds over it, ready for a midmorning nap. The wind rushed up to the sky, tugging the clouds forcefully off of the sun, not ready for the game to end. But the sun rolled over lazily, burrowing under the blanket of clouds again. The clouds clung tightly to the sun, eager to keep hold now that they had finally been reunited. The more the wind tugged on the clouds the tighter they clung and the deeper the sun burrowed.

Finally giving up, the wind dove back into the meadow and nuzzled up to the young girl again, then vaulted up the mountainside past the man and his son, and again plummeted down into the forest to brush against the woodsman. Without the sun glowing brightly above them, no one sighed happily when the wind flitted past them. Instead they wrapped their arms tightly about themselves, ducked their head, and grumbled. The wind sighed sullenly and listlessly swayed about looking for a game. Finally, the wind came to rest again at the top of the cliff in resignation. Without the sun, there was nothing to do and worse, no reason to do it.