The elf stared gloomily at the sheets of rain that obscured his view of the sea. From his little shelter in the trees he was accustomed to looking far out to the horizon. Now he could see only a few feet. The day had started out so beautifully; how could it now be so dreary?
"Into each life some rain must fall.... Some days must be cold and dark and dreary."
Where did those words come from? He knew them to be poetry from their lyrical feel, but it was not the poetry of his people, nor of any of the peoples he had known so many years ago. At last the memory pierced his consciousness.
*******************
He had heard the people coming his way and retreated quickly to the rocks. For so many years he had been alone that he could not bear to see these people, or at the least he could not bear to have them see him. The language they spoke was one he had learned ages ago, though it was some changed. A man and a woman, he decided, hearing a distinction in the soft tones. From his hiding place he could see them walking hand in hand. Their manner of dress was much different than that of the last men he had seen. The man was dressed in long gray breeches with a matching tunic that fasted down the middle. The woman wore a skirt of thick black cloth and a white high-necked tunic. Her hair was gathered on top of her head in a round knot and puffed softly. The two seemed absorbed in one another, each speaking in soft, loving voices. If he had not been an elf he would not have been able to hear them, but he was an elf, and he understood most everything they said.
"Darling," the woman said in cultured tones, "must you go? I don't know if I can bear it."
The man had bent protectively over her little head. "You will bear it, love. You'll dig deep down in that womanly bosom and find that you are stronger than you could ever have thought." At this the woman had leaned against him and gave a little sob. He pulled her close and kissed her. "Dearest Anna, things are happening that must be stopped! In this free, intelligent world there should never be war. If the civilized peoples of the world don't put an end to this there won't be any civilized people left. Don't you understand? If we, if I don't do my part to put an end to this then I am no better than they!"
The woman stopped her weeping and lifted her head to look in his eyes. "I understand, Edward darling. I will sacrifice you if I must. I will give my dearest gift to the world." He kissed her again when she said this, and for a few moments they were silent. Then she spoke again, in a much calmer, sadder voice. "It was foolish of me to think that I could go through life with no real sorrows to make me strong."
He held her at arms length and smiled at her, "No darling, not foolish, just hopeful. But you know, 'Into each life some rain must fall, somedays must be cold and dark and dreary."
She nodded. "So cold, unless there is someone with me." The man had touched her face. "I must make this world better for the children we will someday have. Anna, will you?"
The elf had intruded long enough on their private moment. He scaled the rocks, knowing that the young couple would not have looked up if a whole mountain came rushing their way.
***************
The elf's mind returned to the present time. The rain had passed away while he day-dreamed. He climbed down from his shelter and walked to the cliff, looking out at the grey, restless sea and the empty coast.
"Into each life some rain must fall.... Some days must be cold and dark and dreary."
Where did those words come from? He knew them to be poetry from their lyrical feel, but it was not the poetry of his people, nor of any of the peoples he had known so many years ago. At last the memory pierced his consciousness.
*******************
He had heard the people coming his way and retreated quickly to the rocks. For so many years he had been alone that he could not bear to see these people, or at the least he could not bear to have them see him. The language they spoke was one he had learned ages ago, though it was some changed. A man and a woman, he decided, hearing a distinction in the soft tones. From his hiding place he could see them walking hand in hand. Their manner of dress was much different than that of the last men he had seen. The man was dressed in long gray breeches with a matching tunic that fasted down the middle. The woman wore a skirt of thick black cloth and a white high-necked tunic. Her hair was gathered on top of her head in a round knot and puffed softly. The two seemed absorbed in one another, each speaking in soft, loving voices. If he had not been an elf he would not have been able to hear them, but he was an elf, and he understood most everything they said.
"Darling," the woman said in cultured tones, "must you go? I don't know if I can bear it."
The man had bent protectively over her little head. "You will bear it, love. You'll dig deep down in that womanly bosom and find that you are stronger than you could ever have thought." At this the woman had leaned against him and gave a little sob. He pulled her close and kissed her. "Dearest Anna, things are happening that must be stopped! In this free, intelligent world there should never be war. If the civilized peoples of the world don't put an end to this there won't be any civilized people left. Don't you understand? If we, if I don't do my part to put an end to this then I am no better than they!"
The woman stopped her weeping and lifted her head to look in his eyes. "I understand, Edward darling. I will sacrifice you if I must. I will give my dearest gift to the world." He kissed her again when she said this, and for a few moments they were silent. Then she spoke again, in a much calmer, sadder voice. "It was foolish of me to think that I could go through life with no real sorrows to make me strong."
He held her at arms length and smiled at her, "No darling, not foolish, just hopeful. But you know, 'Into each life some rain must fall, somedays must be cold and dark and dreary."
She nodded. "So cold, unless there is someone with me." The man had touched her face. "I must make this world better for the children we will someday have. Anna, will you?"
The elf had intruded long enough on their private moment. He scaled the rocks, knowing that the young couple would not have looked up if a whole mountain came rushing their way.
***************
The elf's mind returned to the present time. The rain had passed away while he day-dreamed. He climbed down from his shelter and walked to the cliff, looking out at the grey, restless sea and the empty coast.