Das Mädchen in Rot - Chpt 2 [English - US]
Das Mädchen in Rot [English - US]
Description:
Das Mädchen in Rot (German: The girl in red) is a dark version adaptation from the original story wrote by Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm. The adaptation tells the story of Nella - a young girl that lived with her family in a tribe and her father was killed by a black Wolf-Being (it's how the tribesman call the werewolves) as he and a friend of him saved the young Nella. After she reached her full age, Nella was summoned to be part of a cult where the grown up women wears a red mantle and depart from the tribe to the Grandmother's house for the Ancestors blessing to keep the Wolf-Beings away from the tribesmen. According to the Oracle, the Grandmother's house is deep inside of the forest - the same where the Wolf-Beings and other dreadful creatures lurk inside, preying upon the visitors that venture without a portion of cautiousness.
My second Youtube channel:
My other Blogspot places:
My Instagram:
Note: Don't you dare to download these images and re-share it without my permission. If you do, please, leave the original author name.
Introduction:
About fifteen full moons ago, an ancient tribe lived in what would become a forest. This tribe was known for worshiping a mystical entity whose form resembled a wolf.
When the first Red Moon rose in the sky, the people of that tribe began to transform into the image of the entity. No one knew what happened to make them become the image of the entity, but it was said that the wind carried various howls throughout the world.
One night, a small group of hunters entered the forest in search of food. And when they spotted the first deer to take back to the tribe, a huge figure appeared and devoured three of the hunters who entered that place, leaving only one of them to tell what happened. He said the creature that killed the others who went with him had the shape of a man, but the head and fur of a wolf.
And it was on that day that the tribe began to fear the wolf creature that attacked our people in the forest.
Chapter 2
Stephen's body was brought back to the tribe, and a funeral was held to say goodbye. Nella's mother was devastated by the loss. Her daughter cried for more than two days. Johann left the tribe with his daughter Juliet, as Stephen had instructed before they set out to search for the little girl. From then on, everything changed for them. They could only rely on raising goats and bucks for food. Some people helped with some wood and other food.
At home, the girl stared at her father's bed. Empty, except for the blankets covered in fur from the creatures he'd hunted with Johann. All Nella could remember was the time she'd played with him, grabbing him and staying on top of him until she fell asleep, and her mother would tuck her in afterward. But now, she could only lie in an empty bed with only the memories to comfort her.
Her mother came into the room to keep her company. The girl looked up when she heard the door open and she entered. She sat down next to her, placing her hand on Nella's head, caressing it.
“Nella. Can I make you some warm goat's milk to calm you down?” she asked, trying to comfort her daughter.
Nella was a little quiet after all that. Her mother wasn't angry or blaming her for her father's death. Instead, she was more saddened by the loss. Without a response, she got up to go to the cauldron to cook something for dinner. At that moment, she heard something from her daughter, attracting her attention.
“It was all my fault.”
“What is it, my daughter?”
“It was all my fault. I shouldn't have followed that little goat into the forest. It was all my fault,” she said, crying.
Her mother came to hug the girl. Nella cried in her arms as she comforted her, telling her that none of this was her fault.
“No. It wasn't your fault. I know you tried to get the baby goat back into the pen, but none of this is your fault. Your father did everything he could to protect you, just like Johann did at that moment.”
“But then, why didn't he stay to save him?”
“He could have stayed to help you, but your father wanted to value your life. That's why he gave his life for you. Johann would also give his life for you and his daughter. Now that he's gone, we must do everything we can to keep living.”
She continued to comfort little Nella at that moment. She hugged her mother in response to her affection and protection. They spent that afternoon hugging each other, just mother and daughter.
////
Two full moons passed after the death of Nella's father. The tribe continued to miss him. Johann and his daughter Juliet left on the day of his funeral. Because of their departure, the Elder determined that another young woman be selected for the Great Journey. But most frighteningly, attacks by the Wolf-Beings became more frequent until someone could undertake the Great Journey to ask the Forest Spirits for help in keeping them away from the tribe. The other tribes were so frightened by the frequent attacks that they decided to sever ties with us. We had little to draw on due to the lack of resources from other regions.
Our people endured long days of cold, darkness, and fear. And when the day ended, we spent more time at home than outside, doing other things and even other festivals besides the Great Journey. Some of our people disappeared from the tribe for countless reasons: fearful of the Great Journey, just as Johann and Juliet had left the tribe; or because they became prey for the Wolf-Beings in the forest or outside their homes when they should have stayed within curfew to avoid attack.
A few of our young women were already frightened by being selected for the Great Journey, but the Chief and the Elder comforted them, saying that the Spirits of the forest would be protecting them from the Wolf-Beings. One after another, they were selected and prepared to journey into the forest to meet the Great Mother in her home. And until now, no one knows what truly happened to them. I remember how those faces disappeared from this tribe.
////
Time passed, and Nella, now 23, was a young adult with a mature body and modest-to-large breasts, dressed in long robes of wool and tanned leather. She helped her mother milk goats and distribute goat's milk to the villagers. On the way there, everything seemed calm and less hectic than before. The villagers only stopped at the markets to select what they could buy and return home.
Everything seemed normal, though the Wolf-Being attacked more frequently at night. She looked around every corner of the tribe. Her mother walked with jugs of milk to deliver to the market on the corner. And when they entered, they handed the jugs to the vendor to distribute the milk to whoever needed it. Then they returned home. Nella walked with her mother all the way back. At that moment, she decided to ask her.
“Mom, do you think the others will come here to get the goat's milk?”
“I hope so, Nella.”
“The market man seemed kind to me by his gaze.”
“A while ago, your father would bring back some meat so he could separate the essentials from the excess after hunting. And since we no longer have meat from hunting, we have to make do with what's available from livestock and crops.”
“Even so, we could count on the other tribes. They should help us.”
Hearing that, the mother paused for a moment. Her gaze seemed more serious than disappointed.
“Unfortunately, we can no longer count on the other tribes if we are forced to live under the curse of the Wolf-Beings of the forest. They are afraid of bringing their caravans to be attacked.”
Nella remained silent after that response. Her mother used to be calm, but she gradually became more strict with her daughter when she said something that wasn't pleasant to her.
“I'm sorry, Mom. I didn't mean any harm,” she replied resentfully. She sighed before finishing her answer. “It's just… I miss Dad.”
“I miss him too. I just wish you'd be a little more careful about what you say around me or others. Am I clear?”
“Yes, Mom.”
They continued home after that conversation and the trip to the market. Everything afterward seemed normal, with nothing much to do. Gradually, the sun disappeared in the west, allowing them to remain trapped in their own homes and avoid being attacked by the Wolf-Being. They could hear them howling through the trees and the wind echoing on the horizon.
Nella stared out the window at the forest, the howls echoing on the wind. Sometimes she remembered the wolf she'd seen in the forest when she was a child, and that creature with a man's body and a wolf's head. Nella slowly closed her eyes as the memory flooded her mind. Then her father appeared after shooting a few arrows at the monster, and then Johann.
“Nella!” he called in remembrance of her.
“Daddy!”
“I got your daughter, Stephen!” said Johann in remembrance.
“Great! Now go back to the village and bring help!”
“But what about you?!”
“I'll hold it as long as I can.”
“Daddy,” she said as she closed her eyes tightly, the memory growing darker.
“I won't leave you here with the Wolf-Being!”
“Do as I say! If I go with you, that monster will catch up to us and then attack the village!”
“Daddy!”
“Daddy,” she repeated, a tear running down her face.
“My daughter, whatever happens, I love you more than anything in this world.”
Nella remembered the moment Johann ran with her in his arms away from the place where her father had stayed with the Wolf-Being.
“Daddy! Don't leave me!”
And as the last scream echoed in her memory, the girl tried to call him.
“DAD!”
That scream woke her mother who was sleeping in the next bed.
“Nella! What a scare!” she exclaimed in surprise. Nella turned around, startled by her mother's sudden reaction.
“Mom.”
“You know this is no time to be awake! What were you doing?!”
“I… I had that memory again, from when I was little. And… Dad…” she interrupted as she brought her close and into her arms.
“Nella, it's over now. You don't need to keep reminding yourself of it. Try to forget about it for a bit and go back to sleep. Okay?”
“Okay, Mom.”
She returned to her bed to resume her sleep. The girl looked out at the forest once more and then headed to sleep in my bed. As much as I tried to forget it, this was the most striking and painful memory she would remember for the rest of her life.
////
The next day, they heard knocking. They had no idea who might be at the house, much less the reason for their visit. When Nella's mother went to answer the knock, she was surprised to find it was the Chief of the tribe.
“Ah, Chief. I didn't expect you to arrive so suddenly,” she said in surprise.
“Not at all, young lady. May I come in and talk to you and your daughter?”
“Sure. Come in.”
She opens the door, inviting the Chief of the tribe in. He is an elderly man with a thick beard and gray hair, green eyes, and white skin marked with several wrinkles. He is sometimes seen with a bear cloak draped over his back to distinguish him from the other villagers.
He sat at the table while Mom went to get Nella to talk. When I came downstairs, I was surprised to see him in person.
“Chief?” said the girl as she greeted him.
“Hello, Nella. I'm glad to see you. The last time I saw you, you were a newborn. But now, I'm surprised you're a young lady,” he greeted.
“Thanks, Chief. I… don't even know what to say.”
“It's alright, my dear. Come.”
Nella sat beside her mother to talk to the Chief of the tribe.
“So, Chief. What brings you here?” asked Nella's mother.
“The Elder is calling for the Great Journey. She asked me to gather another young woman to walk it in order to calm the Spirits.”
“And you chose Nella for this ceremony?”
“Dora, you know we're dealing with a very serious case when it comes to the Wolf-Being. Almost half of our people are gone into the forest, and the girls who went there haven't had much success summoning the Spirits to keep them away from the tribe.”
“Chief, you know very well that I couldn't get over the loss of my husband. I couldn't even handle losing my daughter,” she said, almost distressed.
“I know how you feel. That foolish Johann who dared to defy the Elder's request to remove his daughter from the sacred path is the one who brought disgrace upon your family.”
“Are you saying my father's death was his fault?” Nella asked the Chief seriously regarding the event that was marked by her father's death.
“Precisely. If he had obeyed our traditions, none of this would have happened.”
“This doesn't make sense. If Johann sacrificed himself to exile to get Juliet out of here, why would he risk his life to save Nella?” the girl's mother asked.
“This is not the case. But the important thing is that the Elder intends to undertake the next Great Journey, and she will be willing to accept Nella to embark on it.”
“It's very dangerous, Chief.”
“Don't try to follow Johann's path, Dora!” he shouted angrily. Nella and her mother fell silent at the sound of his voice. “Try to defy her, and you'll be going to the forest in your daughter's place.”
The two women were unable to respond appropriately. The Chief and the Elder's words often trumped the words of anyone who would challenge them. While her mother was right to put her on the Great Journey was a dangerous idea, the needs of our people ultimately came first.
The man got up from the table to go to the door. His gaze remained closed after his conversation with the two women. Opening the door, he returned his gaze to the girl.
“Be present in the Elder's tent tonight, Nella. Do not dare disobey her or attempt to stray from the sacred path, as Johann's daughter and others once did.”
Then he left, closing the front door behind him. Her mother fell to her knees, frightened and helpless by everything that had happened. Nella went to comfort her.
“Mom. Are you okay?”
“Nella, I beg you please. Don't go on the Great Journey,” she said as her tears streamed down her face.
“But Mom, didn't you hear what he said? If I don't go, they'll exile you to the forest and I'll be alone.”
“You don't understand. Before your birth, the Chief used to care too much about us in the past. The safety of every person in this tribe was invaluable until we began that ceremony that gradually led to many people going there and never returning. Acquaintances, friends, and relatives like your father. Some girls who are the same age as you are always taken from their parents by a tradition that has gradually proven absurd. I wish you could marry and thus escape this fate, but I see that is no longer within reach.”
“If I go there, I can seek help from the Spirits to save you and this tribe of Wolf-Being. I have to try.”
“Nella, trying is a very vague thing. But doing something with a greater purpose is another matter. It's too risky. Don't do it.”
“And who else could do it, Mom? There's no one else willing to do it.”
“Nella, please don't! Don't throw your life away for a foolish belief that has no answer!”
“But what about Dad? He'd do the same thing for those people,” the daughter said with a serious yet sad expression. Just as she was about to finish, she began to shift her attention to the door. “If you're not willing to accept this, then Dad would have died for nothing.”
Nella turned her back and walked outside. Her mother tried to call her, but to no avail. She was left alone to lament the things Fate had prepared.
////
The pale-skinned, brown-haired girl headed toward the center of the tribe, searching for the Elder's tent on her own. People wandered back and forth according to their interests and needs. On the way to the tent, she passed an alley where some children were playing with a ball, carrying it in their hands and kicking it between two posts. As the girl passed a house, a man called out to her.
“It's not very common to see her here.”
Hearing that, Nella was surprised.
“Excuse me?” she asked, wanting to know why he was saying that. He stood up and addressed her. He had the build of a healthy man, with muscles built for carrying wood, stone, and food. He had dark brown hair, white skin the same shade as hers, a long goatee, and brown eyes.
“It's been a while since you used to come here. I know your life was quite lonely, without contact with other people your age or understanding the meaning of our customs.”
“And how do you know that? Do I know you by any chance?”
“I'm just a guy who came from a faraway place where the sun didn't touch the sky at dawn.”
“Doesn't the sun touch the sky at dawn? Are you from the forest?” Nella was surprised to hear that he came from a distant place and that he hadn't seen sunlight for a long time.
He laughed at the answer. “No, my dear. I didn't come from the forest. On the contrary, I came from a region isolated by mountains. But I often say that the sun doesn't shine as much there because of the mountains.”
That answer relieved her, and sometimes she became curious about seeing the mountains. If she ever had the opportunity to visit this place, she would ask about it another time.
“Tell me. What made you come here, in this alley, all lost?”
Nella sighed at having to share this. “The Chief told me that if I didn't go on the Great Journey, they would send my mother instead. She insisted that I should not go, but I must speak to the Elder in her tent.”
“I understand. It can't be easy to deal with such a choice. But come on, why did you choose to meet her knowing your mother had expressed her resistance?”
“He thinks that if I met the Elder, I could save this tribe from the Wolf-Beings. Just like my father sacrificed himself to save me in the forest.”
Hearing that, the man felt sorry for the girl. “I'm sorry about your father. You know, I don't have children and I don't know many of the customs here. So, I wouldn't know if I'd be risking one person's life for several if I were to send someone on this Great Journey.”
“So, this is all new to you. Right?”
“I arrived here after the last Full Moon. I became aware that this place was suffering because of the Wolf-Beings. I wouldn't dare face them due to my lack of knowledge. I would consider leaving this place before anything else.”
“And, do you miss where you came from? Do you ever think about going back there, even if the Wolf-Being are roaming the forest?”
“I don't see much reason to return. Especially since it was deserted when my people decided to scatter to various parts of this world. And for these Wolf-Being, I know you're a little scared that one day you'll leave this place and be attacked by one of them.”
“Do you know more or less why they are attacking us?”
“I have no idea. I just imagine they tend to attack like the wolves we see when we wander in the forest.”
“So, you were a hunter too?”
“Yes. I used to hunt at night when possible. But then I stopped when the tribe started shortening the time we stayed at dusk. But what if I ever wanted a new blanket made of those animals' fur? I'd be willing to do that.”
Before continuing the conversation, he turned his gaze as he headed to the left.
“If you're looking for the Elder's tent, head left. You'll see a large tent with smoke billowing out of the exit. Near the vast, I'd say.”
“Thank you for the direction. I hope I didn't take up your time.”
“Not at all. I was just staying until I saw you there,” the hunter replied with a smile.
“I'm glad to hear that. Well, I must be going. See you later,” said young Nella as she headed toward the Elder's tent.
“See you later, young lady,” he replied as he looked at her heading towards the tent.
Nella ran toward the tent. Though it was still a bit early for dusk, she could see the structure of leather, fabric, wood, and smoke growing larger as she approached.
Close enough, she looked up at the top of the place and then at the entrance. Then she entered the place to see the Elder.
////
The Elder's tent, as in some stories my mother told, emanated something mysterious and mystical beyond the flames and the incense burned by the priestesses. It is said that the burning incense allows the Elder to have visions of the seasons and predictions of the future that only the Gods and Spirits can convey to her so she can communicate with our people. No one knows for sure how she does this, but she is the only one in this tribe who communicates through the Spirits.
In the background, Nella could see a figure sitting on some kind of chair or throne, though the curtain of linen, pebbles, and bones made it difficult to discern who was in that corner of the tent. She went deeper to see. As she passed through that curtain, she could see the person who wanted to see her tonight: The Elder.
“Welcome, Nella. I've been waiting for you,” she greeted, smiling at the pale girl.
“Elder,” Nella said, bowing before her. “I know I should visit you in the middle of the night, but I have so many questions I don't know where to begin.”
“I know, young lady. It's okay to see me anytime. I'm not conducting a ceremony right now, but I'm open to talking to anyone who needs me.”
The Elder rose from her seat to address the guest. Nella remained seated before the elderly woman. Then the young woman felt the touch of her hand on her face.
“I would answer all your questions without any reservation or regret. Name one of them.”
“Well, the first one is: Why me?”
Hearing that, she immediately responded again. “Nella, you know very well what is happening and what this tribe is going through. Several Full Moons ago, we sent our young, prepared women on the Great Journey to seek help from the Spirits to keep the Wolf-Beings out of this place. Unfortunately, many of them went and failed. You possess something that has long been hidden to the point of disappearing.”
“And what would that be?” she asked curiously.
“One thing that makes it special. Different from the others that have gone before.”
Nella was almost getting desperate. “Tell me, Elder.”
“Courage.”
“Courage? But weren't the others brave enough to venture into the forest during the Great Journey?”
“Calm down. It's not just a simple courage you carry around all the time. It's a unique courage that resides in your heart and spirit.”
“Really? And how can I be brave through this?”
“Yes, Nella. You can be brave. But you can only do that when you're truly ready to face danger. But I feel like you once managed to awaken some of that courage of yours.”
“When and how?”
“In the forest, when you got lost there until a wolf found you.”
When she heard that, she remembered the wolf who had found her that day, just before they were attacked by the black-furred Wolf-Being and Stephen, Nella's father, sacrificed himself to protect her.
“I know it seems confusing how I know about that day, even though I wasn't there to see you. Or your father.”
“You… you think my father sacrificed himself because he was a fool?”
“No. He wouldn't have given his life for yours so loosely and foolishly. Nor would his friend Johann.”
“But what about the Chief of the tribe? He thinks Johann was foolish and arrogant for leaving my father to take me out of the forest.”
“The Chief can believe whatever he wants, especially since our traditions are more important than anything else. But everything has a purpose in this life that must be obeyed. Although Johann took his daughter off the path to the Great Journey, he knew the risks your father would take in searching for you. If he had stayed with your father, you would have died to the beast that lurks in the shadows.”
The Elder's words soothed the young woman that afternoon. Nella knew her father wouldn't have died for nothing, nor would Johann have given up all his loyalty to the tribe by breaking one of our ancient traditions. Now her concern is her mother, who doesn't agree with her daughter's idea of embarking on the Great Journey, and something goes wrong along the way.
Before they could end the conversation, the girl decided to ask another question.
“Elder. Why do the Wolf-Beings attack us?”
“I have no idea about that, Nella. But I do know they act according to the wolf instincts they inherited from the Great Wolf Spirit.”
“Just like the stories my mother told me when I was little. And has anyone ever faced them?”
She shook her head. It was clear that no one had survived to tell the tale of defeating a Wolf-Being like that. “Our people tend to avoid them because there's nothing that can stand against them. Even if there were a way to fight them, we would have cleared the forest without any difficulty.”
“I remember hearing stories about a Great Mother, living in a house deep in the forest. Who could it be?”
“The Great Mother is one of the people who managed to venture into the forest until she was surrounded by the Wolf-Beings. She's as good as I am at predicting things. Many of our young women who went on the Great Journey were tasked with finding her and communicating with the Spirits to drive away the Wolf-Beings. But since we haven't been successful the last few times, we need to ensure this ceremony is performed once and for all.”
The Elder looked at the young girl tenderly, believing that she was destined to save this tribe after meeting the Great Mother and coming into contact with the Spirits.
“Will you join the Great Journey to save your people and your family, young Nella?”
The girl, in turn, was a little nervous about the Elder's question about joining the Great Journey. Giving her life for the tribe might be a path of no return. But she was determined to find the Great Mother and help her communicate with the Spirits to save all those people we knew.
“Yes. I will be part of the Great Journey.”
“I'm glad you chose our people,” she replied, smiling. “Tonight, we'll prepare you for the Great Journey. You can stay with us until nightfall.”
“Really? But what about my mom? She's afraid I'll go on the Great Journey and something horrible will happen in the middle of it.”
“Oh, don't worry. I guarantee your mom will be fine after this. She's just scared after the Chief stopped by to give her my message.”
“I hope so.”
Nella followed the Elder to a corner of the tent to rest a little and wait for nightfall for the initiation festival for the Great Journey.
////
The sun was disappearing below the horizon. Preparations for the Great Journey were underway. In one part of the tent, Nella stared straight ahead as the priestesses bathed her with warm water and incense. Cloth and woolen scarves slid over the girl's body, cleansing her of any trace of impurity. The Elder said this purified Nella's spirit of any negative emotions and would prepare her for the day of my journey into the forest.
After purification, they applied a red paint made from crushed plants and prepared in special pots to parts of her body. The girl's face was painted with a portion of red to symbolize the new beginner of the Great Journey. Afterward, they dressed her in a long white dress.
Outside the tent, Nella walked to the Elder. To her surprise, several people were around her, offering moral support and shouting her name. Two priestesses were guiding her to the Elder's meeting. Nella was a little nervous about the initiation, but as she progressed, courage grew. Drums beat as she walked toward a sort of altar. And upon reaching the top, the person who would initiate the ceremony ordered them to stop.
“By the will of the Spirits, I summon you here to begin another initiation rite for the Great Journey. Nella, who has willingly agreed to be a part of this journey.”
Everyone was more surprised, however, anxious and hopeful that the pale-skinned girl would be able to accomplish what the others had not been able to achieve before.
“And before I can begin this opening, I must remind you that Nella's role is to travel to the Great Mother's house and ask the Spirits for help. Through them, we can live in peace, keeping the Wolf-Beings away from here.”
The people clamored, shouting for the Wolf-Being to stay away. Nella looked at it all with a look of surprise. And to top it all off, she noticed a familiar face in the crowd.
“Mother?” she thought as she saw the face of the maternal figure.
Nella, in turn, turned her gaze back to the altar when the Elder called her again. She held a lit torch for her to use in the opening rite. As she approached the person who initiated the rite, the torch was passed to the young woman.
“Nella, hold this torch. When I tell you to place the flame on the altar, you must do so. Understand?”
Nella answered yes. As they walked to the altar, the drums began to thunder with each simultaneous beat. She looked at the fire spreading at the tip of the torch, then out at the audience. Her mother remained in that place among the crowd. Once again, Nella's attention returned to the Elder upon hearing her call.
“You can now put the fire on the altar,” she said, extending her hand toward that place.
The girl did as the Elder instructed. Placing the flame on the altar, a circle of fire appeared in that spot. Everyone cheered, shouting and celebrating the rite. Turning her gaze to the villagers and people, the Elder raised her hand high.
“May this be the beginning of another Great Journey, and may a new flame of hope guide us to salvation. Nella will fulfill the role the Spirits and the Gods conceived her for.”
Everyone present cheered the Elder's words. Nella was amazed at how strong they were in supporting her. Then she followed the Elder down the stairs to the large tent. On the way, they passed the young woman's mother.
“Mom,” said the daughter, surprised but relieved to see her. “I didn't expect to see you here.”
Her eyes were filled with hope and acceptance instead of disappointment, fear, disgust, or disdain.
“I know, Nella. Especially since you're my daughter. I couldn't leave you alone, even if you did something I didn't like. Your father would do the same for you.”
“Mommy…” she said in her mind as she was moved by her mother's words. Once again, the Elder called the name of the new initiate to the Great Journey.
“We must go, Nella.”
Nella looked into her mother's eyes once more before leaving. A tear rolled down her face. She wanted to stay by her mother's side once more, but the choice had already been made. In turn, she continued with the Elder to the tent. The drums and the sounds of people fell silent after the two women entered.
////
The next day, Nella was asleep on the tent bed. The initiation for the Great Journey had ended. One of the priestesses was coming to wake her. The initiate was a little too tired to get up as the priestess shook her awake. With the final shake, she opened her eyes and saw her.
“The Elder asked me to wake you. She's waiting for you on the other side,” she said with a smile.
The initiate looked at the other surprised person, and then at where the Elder was. She got up from the bed and followed that person to see our spiritual leader who was there.
Upon entering the place, several servants and she were waiting to prepare her for the Great Journey. They brought some clothing for Nella to wear: an underdress, an overdress, a pair of leather and fur shoes, a belt, and a red cloak. Nella looked at them, and when the eldest of them approached her with the first dress in her hands, she realized it was preparation for her journey to the forest.
“The Elder asked us to prepare you for your Great Journey. To do so, you must wear these clothes,” she instructed, holding up the lower dress.
Nella began to take off her clothes to wear the ones allowed by the Elder in the rite of the Great Journey.
Minutes after putting on that garment, along with the greenish upper dress, the Elder arrived from her meeting with the Chief of the tribe. The servants finished fitting her with the shoes and belt.
“I hope you like this color,” she said as she approached her protégé.
“It fit me perfectly,” Nella replied with a smile.
“I'm glad it fits you well. I'd like you to keep it for the rest of your life.”
The girl looked at the Elder as her servants brought her the red cloak. They draped it over her shoulders and tied a red ribbon in the front. The cloak came with a hood to protect her head from the cold and rain.
“This cloak. What is it for?” she asked, looking at the spiritual leader.
“The cloak is a form of protection designed by the Spirits. Those who went into the forest with this cloak on their bodies never needed to fear any harm. Believe me.”
“You mean if I have this on, the Wolf-Being won't come and attack me?”
“Yes, Nella. Nothing in this world, including them, will hurt you.”
Just before they finished their preparations, the Elder asked Nella to pay attention to what to do when she entered the forest during the Great Journey.
“Nella, I want you to pay attention. When you enter the forest, you must be very careful about where you go and who you meet along the way. Your first task is to go to the Great Mother's house and ask her for help in communicating with the Spirits.”
“And what to do after I meet her?”
“Only she will tell you your next task. All I can tell you is that you must meet with the Great Mother and summon the Spirits to help us. If you don't, this entire tribe, including your mother, will die. The Wolf-Beings will attack us in full force, and there will be no one to stop them.”
“Don't worry, Elder. I won't fail you.”
“I know you won't.”
With the cloak arranged over Nella, the Elder called to her.
“One more thing, Nella. On the Great Journey, you will receive a special name to use in the forest, just like the others before you.”
“A special name”? The girl had no idea what kind of special name the Elder was talking about. Because of this curiosity, Nella decided to ask.
“A special name? And… what should I be called like that?”
“You will be called The Girl in Red,” she replied, smiling.
“‘The Girl in Red’? Is it because of the cloak?” she asked, associating it with the cloak she's wearing.
“Yes. Many use this name because it is an ancient tradition of our people. It is essential that you use it instead of your own.”
Just before she could finish speaking, one of the servants came to the Elder to deliver a message. It was the Chief, wanting to know if the girl was ready to leave. The leader informed the other that they were about to leave the tent.
“I hope this is your last question. There's no way I can have your answers to sudden questions before your Great Journey can begin. Once started, there's no turning back. Do you understand it, Red?” she said seriously.
Nella answered it affirmatively. By saying that, she showed her that she was ready to face a world completely different from anything she had ever seen.
“Very well. We can go now.”
The two continued towards the exit of the tent, towards the gates of the tribe.
Everyone gathered to say goodbye to her. The Chief of the tribe, the Elder, Nella's mother, and others she didn't even know. One after another, they greeted her, wishing her good luck and blessings on her journey to the forest. When it was the Chief's turn, she looked at him with slight displeasure, but peacefully.
“Nella, because you volunteered for the Great Journey, I want to tell you that your role is extremely important. Be careful who you meet in the forest, and don't speak to anyone except the Great Mother,” he said as his last words before she left.
“Okay, sir. I will not talk to anyone there,” the girl in red replied with a serious look.
He closed his eyes as he shook his head to say what he needed to. Then Nella addressed the Elder.
“I'm glad I met you, Nella. When I met you, it seemed like Fate had this meeting in store the moment you walked into my tent,” she replied with a smile.
“I hope this works out. I'm willing to help everyone in this tribe to keep living.”
“I believe in you, Nella. Go in peace and remember. The spirits of our ancestors will always be with you.”
Having said that, she thanked her and continued to the last person: Dora, her mother.
“Mom, I know this isn't what you wanted for me.”
“It's okay, my daughter. I know it wasn't meant to be, but I see that the Spirits have kept something greater for you. Giving your life to save us all is something I can't hold back or stop. Your father would do the same for them,” replied the only member of the family she helped raise to this day.
She lifted a straw basket, made just for the trip. When she saw it, she had no idea what was inside.
“What is this?” asked Nella about the basket.
“It's a basket of food. It will help you on your journey to the Great Mother's hut. But remember to leave some for her to eat.”
“Sure thing, Mom.”
Nella took the basket she had lovingly and carefully prepared. As they looked at each other for the last time, her daughter noticed a look of sadness as a tear rolled down her mother's face.
“Mom, I…”
“I know, darling. I know I don't like not seeing you for a while, but you have an obligation to us. Just please, don't die before me,” she said, crying. Nella comforted her, placing her hands on her face.
“It's time to go, Red,” the Elder called by her new name.
Nella looked up at the tribe's spiritual leader as she comforted her mother. Then she looked back at her again. And in that moment, one last word emerged from her lips before she began her journey.
“Go Nella. The future of this tribe is in your hands.”
Nella continued forward, taking a step toward the gate. Then she turned to look at them one last time. This all seemed too strange to her, me leaving the tribe to accomplish a great deed for them. Seeing her mother smiling to encourage her made the Girl in Red advance further into the forest.
And it was on that day that she left her mother, her home, and her tribe to perform a sacred task that would determine the future of all the villagers. The future that would save them from the Wolf-Beings.
-x-
Main page where you can find available chapters (Das Mädchen in Rot):
Previous chapter:
Next chapter:
Coming soon
.jpg)
.jpg)
Comentários
Postar um comentário