The Waltz of a Windy Night

Wind perched sullenly at the top of the cliff, anxiously looking for the next great adventure. Darkness began falling across the land. Deep in the heart of the forest, a light began flickering cheerful orange and bright yellow. Both curious and hopeful, Wind swooped down for a closer look.

A man had set a lantern on the edge of a rock as he dug through a pack for his dinner. Wind whistled past in indignation. This man had trapped fire in a tiny little prison. Fire longed to be set loose, to sway and frolic with freedom. Wind circled back around and roared down in a burst of fury, sending the lantern crashing to the ground. Immediately, fire leapt free, jumping eagerly across the leaf strewn ground. The man jumped up cursing and stumbled to stamp out the flames, but wind was too quick. With another gust of energy, wind picked up tendrils of flame and scattered them far from the man’s reach. Fire skipped about gleefully, spinning about the trees and bushes, leaving each with a loving kiss before moving on.

The man rushed about frantically with a bucket of water, dousing as many flames as he could. Wind roared angrily at the man before twisting through the flames and scattering sparks about the forest. The man watched helplessly as twenty more flames burst to life throughout the trees, mocking his futility with joyous crackles.

Wind and fire spun together in a perfectly choreographed waltz, much more elegant than the tumultuous dances with storm or the sparring battles with rain and ocean. They spun together through the forest, leaving a glowing carpet of embers behind them, sweeping the bushes into shining globes, and draping the trees with glimmering scarves of flickering lights. Fire danced mesmerizingly while wind spun it to the left and right, tossing it gently over a stream and up a small hill. Fire climbed high into the sky and wind rippled around it, flinging tiny glowing sparks across the dark green canopy of the forest. Fire let out a merry little cackle, as it leapt from tree to tree. Wind whistled a soft melody as it spun the flames further and further through the trees.

The forest glowed brightly as though the sun had come back out to play, though night still clung to the edges of the woods. But soon fire began to fade, tired from the long dance that had lasted through most of the night. Wind spun about trying to reinvigorate the flames, but the glow quickly faded and fire laid down for a late night sleep. Wind blew out the last of the embers as it soared back through the trees and came to rest on the edge of the cliff with a tired groan. Without fire, there was absolutely nothing to do, and worse, no reason to do it.

The night sky filled with twinkling lights and stillness fell across the land. No sun peaked into the sky. No clouds of rain gathered above. No waves broke the surface of the ocean. No storm rumbled in the distance. No fire beckoned to be set free. No friends waited for wind to join their fun. Wind tumbled from the edge of the cliff in a somersault, sauntered casually through a crevasse in the mountain side, whining forlornly. Then, wind came to rest in the back of a deep dark cave with a final sigh of resignation. There truly was nothing to do, and worse, no reason to do it. So like the others, wind settled in for a long overdue nap.