Your village left you behind in the forest to die as a sacrifice for the god of the forest. After a while the god shows up, but it's not interested in your death, instead it's looking for a new servant.
My name is Marya. I sat alone in the forest upon a small stone altar covered in moss. I wrapped my woolen shawl tightly around my body as night began to fall. Through the leafy canopy of the Black Forest I could see rays of light fading into darkness. Shadows creeped and danced around me as a sharp pain twisted in my stomach as my heart beat faster. I didn't get lost. I was left here by the elders of my village. Supposedly good Christians who would leave an 18 year old girl here to die.
Despite the whole of Europe having been Christian for 200 years, those who lived near the Black Forest still held tightly to the pagan religion. Why? Because the villagers and hunters who inhabited this vast foreboding wood knew better than the priests or the princes who worshipped a dead god. The gods and monsters of the Black Forest were real, as real as a burn from a candle or the touch of a lover. Every now and then the forest gods needed to be placated and unfortunately I was chosen. My family already had 3 daughters and didn't need a fourth.
I tried humming to myself to block out the nightly sounds. My only source of light and heat was a candle. At least they left me that much. I hummed a song that my mother used to sing to me. An ancient lullaby that always helped to chase my fears away. Whenever I had a nightmare I would hum that song then the nightmares seemed to evaporate.
Just as I was in the middle of humming the refrain for the hundreth time I heard a rustle in the distance. I froze as I gripped my shawl tightly and stopped breathing. My heart beat so loudly it pounded in my ears. I feared that the creature hiding in the darkness would hear my hammering heart. Then I saw something emerge... It was taller than a man and wore a hood. For a moment I thought I was saved and I exhaled... until I looked down at the visitor's feet. They weren't human feet but goat hooves.
"So they sent me a pretty girl this time," said the hooded figure in a deep scratchy voice.
"Are you the forest god?" I asked tentatively.
"Very forward," the creature responded. "Bold."
I fell on my knees and pleaded, "Please do it quickly then! Devour me as you must and spare my village!" I lowered myself, my face practically smothered in the earth, hands open and outstretched in complete submission. For a moment there was silence. I cautiously looked up like a wary doe. The hooded creature only continued to stare.
"Devour you?" the creature finally spoke somewhat confused. Then he bellowed in laughter. "Is that what those sheep farmers told you?"
"Aren't you going to spill my blood and placate the spirits of the woods and satiate your wild hunger?" I lifted her head up, face somewhat soiled.
"I don't like raw meat," the god replied in revulsion.
"You're to cook me then?"
"Heaven's NO! I don't eat people... anymore," the creature god shrugged. "No now I prefer deer, wild boar, geese, and the occasional dog but I like them cooked. Are you a good cook?"
I couldn't answer right away. I was still trying to process it all. Was this some kind of trick?
"Speak, girl," the creature impatiently demanded.
"Yes," I flinched. "The best in my village."
"Splendid, then come with me," the creature walked passed me. "Unless you want to stay here in the darkness where the wolves can get you..."
I quickly climbed to my feet and followed the forest god taking my candle with me to lead the way though the god didn't seem to need any light. He weaved in and around the brush with ease or did the branches and bushes part for him like Moses and the Red Sea?
* * * *
We came to a large oak tree with a twisted trunk. Fireflies danced and brought light to the place. They glowed brighter than normal fireflies until I looked closer seeing that they were tiny people with dragonfly wings and wicked smiles.
"Don't mind the pixies," said the god. "Don't trust them either. They cause much trouble especially when stealing my laundry. Of course that will be your responsibility now."
With a wave of his hairy clawed hand the trunk of the oak tree groaned and untwisted to reveal a passageway where the was a light at the end. I was afraid to go in. Perhaps he meant to eat me after all. Perhaps this was where he was going to boil me alive to make a soup out of me. But I followed him anyway. It wasn't as if I could out run a god...
* * * *
Underneath the oak tree was a palace. Many stone halls with fireless lights and a large fire place built into the earth. Roots twisted and writhed along the columns and tapestries with golden trees decorated the walls.
"This is my home," the creature removed his hood to reveal a goat head with a long beard and stag horns. His eyes were like two green emeralds, as green as the forest in summer time. I was entranced by them.
"Now your home too...," the god showed me around and told me about my duties. I was to cook and clean for him. He liked his meals taken in the south corridors. He had a library as large as the Burghermeister's house. I was also to feed the god's pets. The wolves slept in their own room. They all looked frightening even in their sleep.
"If you do your job well then you will be well treated," the god explained. Then I saw a large door with no lock on it.
"May I ask where that leads?" I pointed.
"That," the god's voice became harsh, "is never to be open. I had a servant before you who opened it and she was fed to my pets." The god bent over to look me in the eye.
I nodded vigourously. Since there was no lock it wasn't as if I could open it anyway.
* * * *
I was up at the crack of dawn doing chores. I cooked for the forest god and fed his wolf pets who weren't so menacing after all (since I presented them with food; gladly it wasn't myself). I went about dusting the books when the forest god told me that his cloaks needed washing. Before I went the forest god gave me a bracelet made from simple rope.
"Wear this whenever you are out so others know that you are mine and under my protection," he explained.
I went outside with my load of laundry and sat next to the river to do my work. I was out for hours until the sun was high in the sky beating it's rays down on me. I splashed some cold water on my face. Then my stomach began to rumble.
"Damn," I swore aloud, "why didn't I bring an apple?" As soon as I said it I heard a rustling in the trees. I looked around but saw no one there. Just as I was breathing a sigh of relief beside me walked out a large bear. I moved back, heart racing wondering if my bracelet could protect me from being mauled to death. The bear looked at me with curious eyes. It left me be only to venture into the quiet river and stick it's head beneath the surface. Then after a few minutes the bear pulled out its prize: a large fish in it's jaw.
The bear climbed out of the river and dropped the flipping fish at my feet. I looked up at the bear who stared back at me expectantly. When I did nothing the bear nudged the gift closer to me.
"For me?" I marveled.
The bear let out an impatient groan. I took the fish and set up a small fire. I gave the raw half to the bear and cooked the other. We unlikely companions ate together and I felt full and had enough strength to finish my wash.
"Thank you... Bear," I nodded. The bear didn't make a sound but left me with questions. After letting the cloaks dry for an hour, I folded them then made my way back to the large oak tree. On my way I heard an animal cry in distress. It was an ugly sound which could only have been a fox. I knew their sounds. It was like listening to a man being murdered. I went to investigate it and sure enough found a fox with it's leg caught in metal trap. I was overcome with pity for the animal.
"Poor fox," I looked around to see if anyone was near by. "Well the poacher isn't here so I'll just help you out."
I was the daughter of a hunter. I knew my way around a trap but I preferred a creature die with dignity not to be tormented with waiting to die. I tore a piece of my dress and bound the fox's wounded hind leg. The fox seemed to smile. It ran off into the forest and I thought I heard the creature say "Thank you."
* * * *
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