The Secret of Twah, part II

The story so far...our hero, a farmer from the village at the base of the mountain, has journeyed to the top in order to discover the Secret of Twah. However, since he is not a monk, he cannot know. We join the farmer as he waits for his Rite of Monkhood.

One month passed. Since he could not return home and make it back to the monastery in time, the farmer used the opportunity to explore the area around the monastery. He found many wonders, including a cave that led underground to a large cavern where the natural rock formations had eroded into beautiful shapes over time. He found a field full of flowers that he had never seen before, and were so lovely they made him weep. He found a grove of trees that seemed taller than he though was possible, stretching until they seemed to scrape the sky.

For every wonder the farmer found, however, he found more trouble. The cave was inhabited by a ruthless swarm of tiny bats, and he had to flee into the light to escape their terrible stinging bites. In the field of flowers, he encountered a giant bee that tried to harpoon him, and managed to escape by hitting it between the eyes with a rock. In the forest grove, he encountered several roving bands of vagabonds, some of whom he thought had attacked him during his journey up the mountain, and all of whom attacked him this time too.

After the month had passed, the farmer returned to the monastery and knocked on the door. The peephole slid open, and the same eye peered out at him. "Yes?" said the voice.

"I'm here to complete the Rite of Monkhood," said the farmer.

The eye looked at him. "Why do you want to become a monk?"

"So I can learn the Secret of Twah."

The eye stared unblinkingly at the farmer, who didn't move. Finally, the voice said, "Very well. To the south is a grove of trees with trees that grow taller than anywhere else in the world."

"I've been there," replied the farmer.

"Good. In the center, there is a tree, even taller and wider than the others. You will know it because the entire base is covered in ivy. It is the only tree where this is so. Climb the tree, and remain among its branches for one full year. When you descend, come back here and tell me what you learned."

The peephole closed, and the farmer set off to the grove of trees. He found the ivy covered base, fought off the roving band of vagabonds that were camped there, and climbed the tree. Over the course of the next year, the farmer learned much. He learned that nature provided everything necessary for his survival. Fruit and leaves to eat from the tree, water to drink from the sky, air to breathe, and beauty to enjoy. However, nature also provided its own challenges. Packs of ravenous wolves would stand at the base and howl at him. Giant eagles would swoop down from the sky to try and pluck him from the tree. Mad squirrels would taunt him and flee from his grasp. The giant bee from the flower field tracked him down and the two did battle two hundred feet above the earth. The farmer managed to defeat the bee with a well aimed kick at the bee's stomach.

The autumn came, then the winter. Leaves and fruit were no longer available, but the farmer subsisted on a steady diet of bark and insects. The spring arrived, and the farmer rejoiced to be able to eat fruit once again. Finally, the summer arrived, and the year had passed. The farmer descended from the tree, and returned to the monastery.

NEXT: The Next Phase