Lesson, Lesson!, Part I
Zaben

Once upon a time, in a world with scenery not so much different than the one we dwell in now, there was a house upon a hill. That is to say, there was a bit of land designated as a kingdom, which included a castle and surrounding town, fields, rivers, mountains, and of course a forest; the forest, of course, had hills, and atop the larest, but not necessarily the tallest, there was a house.

It was not a cabin, nor was it a mansion. It was simply a house large enough to hold all those who dwelt within, which simply happened to be fourteen people. Two were married, and as one could guess, the other twelve were the sons and daughters of those two. The man?s name was Kalison, and his wife?s Sheridan.

Their children?s? names, however, were quite more extraordinary. From eldest to youngest they were as follows: a son, January; a daughter, February; a son, March; a daughter, April; a daughter, May; twins June and July, a son being former, a daughter the latter; a son, August; a daughter, September; a son, October; a son, November; and finally the youngest child and daughter, December.

One day not so much different from any other day in the house at it?s start, Sheridan died, much to the grief of Kalison, and of course the twelve offspring. It was not a painful death, nor a long one; the years had simply left her and nothing was to be done but to leave her sleeping peacefully for the rest of eternity. However, the house of Kalison had not the means to provide a decent coffin, nor a decent headstone, and so that very day Kalison spoke to his many children.

?Your mother I loved most deeply of all things living on this earth,? he said to them, ?And so of all living things, I think she to require the most fitting and benevolent of final places to sleep. Sadly, I myself am too old to complete this task; therefore, I charge thee, my twelve beloved children, with its completion. Firstly, she will need a coffin, and a most fitting and beautiful one it must be. Also, a headstone is required, and it must also be both handsome as well as attune to the name it bears. Finally, a place is needed for the burial; the most sacred and tranquil ground to be found. Go now from the house, let you seek out what you may, and in one year?s time I shall see you here again with whatever you may bear.?

And so the twelve set out that very afternoon to do their father?s bidding and thereby honor their mother?s memory and name, agreeing to meet in eleven months in a clearing in the wood that they had played in as children, and talk of what they had found and who should present what.

January and March set out together towards the town, where they hoped to find the most elegantly made coffin they had ever lain eyes on and bring it home. Although they had but little money in their purses, neither was unaccustomed to labor nor was he loathful to it, and so they thought that within the town they would surely find what they desired, as well as the means to procure it.

February, April, and May all set out together towards the river, where they thought to find a stone smooth and shapen enough to be later engraved as their mother?s marker. Though they were not particularly strong or knowledgeable, they were determined, and determination goes a long way.

June and July of course went together, and September went with them as well. These three set out for the mountains, hoping to find a towering peak grand enough to lay their mother to rest within. Of these three June was the wisest, but often July and September nevertheless had their way.

August, October, and November decided that travel to the castle would be their best course, where they would attempt to win a place to work and sleep until they could inquire to the king as to where the best coffin- and headstone-makers could be found. All three were stout young lads, each with a good head on his shoulders.

Finally the youngest daughter and child, December, stay for a few minutes longer than the others. She kissed her mother on the cheek, told her to sleep well, and then was off. Having never left the hill before, December was quite afraid of the task at hand and what it entailed, but although she was young she was very brave.

And so days became weeks, as they often do, and weeks became months.

January and March were working for a carpenter in town, sawing and chopping wood each day, and saving for their master?s most elegantly made coffin, one lined with gold trimmings and a silver plate on top to be engraved with their mother?s name in the most elegant script they could seek out, and they were well on the way to their goal.

February, April, and May had not been having as good of luck as could be said of January and March, however. Shortly after their arrival at the river, the three settled on spot of land to erect a small hut, and were presently more engaged in forging for food to fill three than they were in searching for the perfect stone from which to carve their mother?s marker. Although the river was normally full of fish, they had fished their particular spot quite dry, and were now constantly attempting to find other game, or at the very least fruits and berries.

December had been wandering about the forest, as she was still taken by it, having never been so far into it until she left the hill. She was amazed by how alive and yet how peaceful it was, as it seemed that the forest had a life of its own, and that if one knew how to listen, and listened carefully, he could hear it breathe in a melodious way as the wind swept through its highest bows. December had been walking for quite some time, drinking from streams, eating fruits and berries, and sleeping when she felt the need, often beneath whichever tree would give her shelter for the night. One morning she awoke to a rather off sight, however. As she scrubbed the sleep from her eyes she looked up to see the tree smiling down upon her. Startled, but not frightened, she stood up and back a step.

?Come, child; be not afraid,? spoke the tree in a voice that was both booming and at the same time soft and airy. ?We of the forest have been watching you for a great many weeks, and have come to know of your task. You have the ears and of one who knows the life of the wood, and so we wish to aid you in your quest. There, to your right, stands my brother, Oak, who has but a few months left in him. He wishes that when he has perished that he should not fall like so many other, but be felled by your hand, or a hand you guide, and used to the end you wish.?

With this the towering oak to December?s right seemed to lower its branches in a stately bow towards her, and the girl shed a single tear as she smiled and replied.

?Thank you. I shall return in three months? time to claim what you have offered so selflessly. I wish only that I had something to offer in return.?

?We ask that you simply tell others of the beauty of the forest, and safeguard us for the rest of your days, young one. We are strong and tall to the winds and rains, but weak to man?s axe and saw.?

Whereupon the youngest daughter and child, December, nodded and went on her way towards the river on the other side of the forest.