Obi-Wan was sitting on a fallen trunk near one of Dagobah murky swamps, watching as Luke practiced levitation under Yoda's guide.
Huge, twisted trees covered with vines and moss outlined the misty landscape and the small clearing opening in front of Yoda's little hovel. It was really a depressing environment, but taking Luke there had been a good idea.
Not only did the planet's strong Force signature perfectly mask the Jedi's, but also the lack of distractions was helping with Luke's concentration.
Obi-Wan smiled as Yoda praised Luke for a good effort and he saw his Padawan beam with satisfaction. The old Master and the young man got along well, despite their rocky beginning.
During their trip to Dagobah, Obi-Wan had not said much to Luke about Yoda, aside from the fact he was a powerful Jedi Master. He had not described the little green troll to the boy and so Luke had made up a completely different image of the old Master in his mind.
Obi-Wan's smile became a full grin when he remembered the first meeting between the pair…
…They had just landed, but the manoeuvre had not been one of the best as their starfighter had crashed into one of the swamps. Moving their supplies to the shore had left them muddy, damp, and uncomfortable.
Obi-Wan started a fire to fight both the cold and the fog rising from the swamp while Luke cleaned Artoo from the mud it had gathered from its unscheduled swim in the murky water.
"How will we find Master Yoda, Ben?" Luke asked, as he worked.
"He will find us, Luke, don't worry," Obi-Wan answered. He had sensed Yoda's presence from the moment he had stepped on the shore, and knew the older Master wanted him to keep silent and play along with whatever he planned to do with Luke. Obi-Wan had the feeling Yoda was going to test Luke in some way, and it was not surprising given the circumstances.
"I hope he is quick…I don't like to wait," Luke commented, giving a final sweep with a rag over the top of Artoo's domed head.
Obi-Wan shook his head with a mixture of fondness and exasperation at the youngster's impatience, then straightened when he felt a familiar Force signature come closer.
He heard a loud snapping crash in the dense jungle right behind them, but did not react. Instead Luke did, unclipping his lightsabre and peering into the darkened forest.
"There's something familiar about this place, Ben. I feel like-"
"You feel like what?" A voice Obi-Wan had not heard in twenty years exclaimed.
Luke jumped out of his skin as Artoo screeched in terror and Obi-Wan played along, his hand running to his lightsabre hilt.
He watched as his Padawan spun around, looking for the speaker, until his eyes posed on the little, green creature that was observing them from atop a tree branch.
The wizened Master was dressed in rags, but Obi-Wan thought Yoda had fared well, all considered.
"Like we're being watched," Luke completed his line.
"Away put your weapon. I mean you no harm," Yoda said.
Luke glanced at Obi-Wan, who nodded. The young man hesitated for a moment longer, then
put away his lightsabre.
"Wondering I am, why are you here?"
"We are looking for someone," Luke answered.
"Looking? Looking? You've found someone I'd say. Heh? Yes!"
Obi-Wan could not help but smile at Yoda's sense of humour, but he quickly sobered, not wanting Luke to see him.
"Yeah ..." Luke said, showing no enthusiasm at all for that encounter.
"Help you I can ... yes ... yes," Yoda answered, pointing at the youth with his gimer stick.
"We're looking for a great warrior."
"A great warrior?" Yoda shook his head. "Not many of those. Wars don't make one great."
The old Master jumped down the tree and landed on one of the cases of supplies, beginning to rummage around.
"Get away from there," Luke ordered, looking at Obi-Wan as if asking him what he had to do, but he refused to give the boy any indication. Luke had to react on his own or the test Yoda was submitting him to would not work.
Yoda picked up a container of food, opened it and took a bite.
"Hey, that's our dinner!"
Yoda spat out the bite he had taken, making a disgusted face.
"Peewh! Awful, awful. Thank you, no. How get you so big eating food of this kind?" He flipped the container in Luke's direction and reached into one of their supply cases.
"Listen, friend, we didn't mean to land here, and if I could get our fighter out of this puddle I would, but I can't. So-"
"Can't get your ship out? Have you tried? Have you tried?" Yoda asked, but this time his eyes looked at Obi-Wan, who shook his head. No, he had not even tried to levitate the starfighter out of the swamp, because he hoped that, by the time they left Dagobah, Luke would be able to do it by himself.
Apparently satisfied with Obi-Wan's silent answer, Yoda continued to rummage through their belongings, until the moment Luke lost his patience and grabbed the case away.
Yoda retained his prize, a tiny power lamp, which he examined with delight.
"Give me that!" Luke ordered, but Yoda stepped back, clutching the lamp.
"Mine! Mine! Or I'll help you not."
"We don't want your help and we want my lamp back. We'll need it in this slimy mudhole."
"Mudhole? Slimy? My home this is."
Artoo grabbed hold of the lamp and the two little figures were immediately engaged in a tug-of-war over it. They struggled for a bit, as Obi-Wan looked on, amused.
Finally Luke rolled his eyes and said, "All right, Artoo, let him have it. Now get out of here, little fellow, we've got things to do."
"No, no! Stay and help you to find your friend I will."
"We are not looking for a friend. We are looking for a Jedi Master," Luke turned around to look at Obi-Wan, as if he was asking for a confirmation. Obi-Wan was a bit surprised Luke had not yet wondered why his mentor was not taking part in the conversation. He just hoped the boy was not thinking Obi-Wan reputed himself too far above these menial details to talk with a creature Luke clearly believed to be not very smart.
"Oh, a Jedi Master. Different altogether. Yoda you seek, Yoda."
Luke was both surprised and sceptical. "You know him?"
"Of course, yes. But now eat we must. Good food, I have good food. Come, come."
Yoda started hobbling toward the clearing where Obi-Wan had sensed his hovel was located, while Luke turned to look at his mentor.
"What do we do, Ben?"
"We follow him. He has offered us food and it wouldn't be polite to refuse."
"But he's so exasperating! And he talks so strangely!"
"Patience, Luke, you must learn patience. The little troll has said he knows where Yoda is, and I have a feeling he really does."
"Me too," Luke grumbled.
"Then let's not make him wait too long."
Yoda's hovel was plain, but cosy—and small. The ceiling was high enough to allow Obi-Wan and Luke to sit, but nothing more.
Yoda had prepared them a meal and served it in two tiny bowls. Obi-Wan was eating it, for despite its look the food was quite good, but Luke barely tasted it. His impatience and mounting irritation was pouring off in waves and Obi-Wan was starting to worry about how Yoda would react to it.
The old Master's ears were low, showing his disapproval, but he kept on with his charade.
"Eat, eat, good it is," he encouraged Luke.
"Yes, I'm sure it's delicious, but I don't know why we can't see Yoda now."
"It's the Jedi's time to eat, too," Yoda answered patiently.
"Will it take long to get there? How far away is he?"
"Not far, not far. Be patient. Soon you will see him. Why wish you become a Jedi?"
"Because of my father, I guess."
"Oh, your father... a powerful Jedi was he, powerful Jedi."
"How could you know my father? You don't even know who I am," Luke snapped, angry, putting down his bowl with so much force the soup splashed on the ground. "Can't we get on with this already?"
Yoda then straightened and turned to face Obi-Wan.
"No good is this. This will not do. We cannot teach him. The boy has no patience!" he said, his tone completely different from the one he had used until that moment.
Luke's head spun around, looking at his mentor with a surprised expression.
"What's going on, Ben?"
"With your teachings, he will learn patience," Obi-Wan answered Yoda, ignoring Luke for the moment.
"Much anger in him, like in his father," Yoda replied, observing Luke.
"He is learning to control and release it."
Luke, having finally realized the creature was Yoda, tried to repair the mistakes he had done.
"Ben…Master Obi-Wan says I can be a Jedi. I have been training with him for months, and I am sure with your help, Master Yoda, I will do great things."
Yoda grumbled. "To do great things, a Jedi does not aspire." He shook his head and turned to face Obi-Wan. "This one I have watched a long time. All his life has he looked away... to the horizon, to the sky, to the future. Never his mind on where he was, on what he was doing. Adventure, excitement..." He faced Luke again," a Jedi craves not these things!"
Luke looked down, knowing well Yoda was right.
"I have followed my feelings."
"Reckless you are!"
"We will teach him to be less impulsive," Obi-Wan said calmly.
"Too old he is. Yes. Too old to start the training, just like his father."
"But I have already learned much under Master Obi-Wan!" Luke tried to back his request.
Yoda turned his piercing gaze on Luke and stared at him for a long while. Then he glanced back at Obi-Wan, who met his look evenly and nodded.
"Will he finish what he has begun?"
"I will not fail you, Master Obi-Wan, Master Yoda," Luke interjected. " I am not afraid."
Yoda turned slowly toward the boy and murmured, "You will be, my young one. Heh. You will be…."