The Three Trees

An Old Story

There was a time once, trust me this is true, before Rome and writing and testament in leather bound; when prophets travelled the lands and the shamans kept all things close in mind...

And here a minor prophet, minor in that she never saw the outcome of great battles, or felt the pull of great events; all her prophesies, and they all came true, were as the one that follows.

_And here a minor prophet planted 3 trees in 3 years saying,_ "As these have come will they also return". .And the trees lived 399 years, which was not long in those days, save that the life of a man, or a woman, was still shorter.

And she died some time after, and was brought to a high place, where her flesh could leave without the interruption of animals. And nine months having passed, the bones were returned to her followers and those relatives who would have them, to use as talismans... .But that's another story.

The trees lived for 399 years. .And being on a ridgeline somewhat removed from the settlements of the area, no-one was around when the first tree fell. .So for that matter, no one could say whether it made a sound. .But then, no-one asked themselves these questions in those days.

But they saw it was down, and took note of the day. .And those who had in mind the prophesy, kept in their mind that they would return the next year a day earlier, for her word always came true, and that was a good thing in those times too.

So a year passed, less a day, and a gathering of 52 people waited; and it was windy, and rainy, and lightning struck the second tree and it came down and made a sound. .Some of the people shouted, and some of the people prayed.