THE BAMBOO SPIRIT - DAY 192: 5 Minute Freewrite

He could smell the early mist in the air as he heard an incessant crowing in the distance, It's another morning in this small rural village, A small piece of vegetation tucked between hills and mountains, A very humble community of rice farmers, It is mostly known as the rice valley, A diverse people content with their way of living.

He stretched his limbs as He let out a prolonged yawn, there is a solemn build up of chattering outside, almost everybody is up before the sunrise, The rice valley is a very busy and budding community, He looks outside the window of his mud house as He sets his gaze on the bamboo trees. A prideful look shined across his drowsy face, He feels very fortunate to own a piece of land opposite the bamboo forest, which is no surprise because the bamboo is worshipped in the rice valley.

The story of the bamboo spirit is as old as the rice valley. Long ago before there were any settlements when the mountains were dry and arid, A young shaman had a vision of a flourishing land held up by bamboo pillars, The young shaman gathered a number of able-bodied men following the spirit guides and journeying into the mountains they came across a budding bamboo with its young roots. That same bamboo became the seed that grew into the bamboo forest, It is believed that the bamboo spirit dwells in the forest and its presence brought back rains to the land, the rivers flourished and the rice valley was born.

He picks up his farming tools as he puts on a thatched hat, getting ready for work, He stretched his back as his early joints cracks slightly, he slowly steps out of his house when he heard gallops of horses approaching his domicile.

He could recognize the banners and crest carried by the soldiers that rode the horses. They belong to the royal house.

"Oh, dear God," He whispered to himself as his hands slowly trembled while clenching his jaw.

He knew what was about to happen, The royal monarch of the kingdom has been putting pressure on the small village to allow for harvest of bamboo trees from the sacred forest for constructing buildings and boats.

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The Freewrite prompts is organized by @mariannewest, the prompt for Day 192 is "BAMBOO". If you are interested in freewriting you can check out her blog for the daily prompts.