Medicine

"Look, here is my bundle," said Meredith, showing it to her mother and taking out the beaded pouch.

"I have the chanuga and the sacred leaves. I will show you." She began unfastening the pouch.

"What is the secret of this sacred plant?" asked her mother.

"This has not been taught to me yet," said Meredith. "I only know that I must use it to heal the evils of our world, the destruction that is coming to poison and kill us all." 

Woman of Truth

Meanwhile the shaman, roused from his sleep, approached Meredith's mother respectfully and fell to his knees saying, "Great Mother, I honor you."

"Stand up, my dear friend," said Meredith's mother. 

The shaman, rising, said, "This young maiden, your daughter, has been purified and initiated by our fire ceremony. She too is now a woman of truth."

An Assignment

Meredith, watching them with amazement, saw that they were indeed old friends. "How do you know each other? Where did you meet?"

Her mother said, "Your father and I journeyed to the Third World many times and talked often with the shaman. It was he who saved us from the devastation of the avalanche that would have crushed us. He took us to safety in the cave of the Third World." She bowed to her old friend. "When we had recovered from our wounds, he asked us to take on a task."

A Mother's Work Is Never Done

Meredith's mother went on. "This is the hardest of all my tasks," she said pensively, "yet it is also my crowning joy. I had already given my life to studying and helping the people of our world. But now through my struggle and suffering, I hope to bring great healing."

The Promise

"Please tell me what you do here," said Meredith, taking her mother's hand and stroking it.

"You will see soon enough, but you must promise not to interfere, even though you may wish to. Whatever happens, you must only watch and learn," said her mother.

"Surely nothing bad could happen in this pleasant grove."

Her mother only said, "There is no time to explain now. Give me your promise." Then Meredith saw that she must honor her mother's wishes.

Behind Boulders

Mother Earth looked up. The sky was growing dark and threatening. She gently guided her daughter to a hiding place behind some boulders where the shaman joined her.  

Meredith, hearing distant sounds, peered out from behind the boulder. She saw her mother now standing and facing toward the mountains, her long red hair streaming in the wind, while lightning flashed beyond her.