Between the Mountains

8/6/2019 Between the Mountains

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Between the Mountains



Once there lived a poor couple that lived in thecountryside in a small, old weathered house with their five-year-old son, Eli, who was a scrawny little boy.

Eli asked one day, ³Can I go to the northbetween the mountains?´

His parents simultaneously said no to him rightaway. He did not know why and will not find out until

many years later. Everyday, Eli would stare out thewindow, with fascination and desire in his eyes, atthose two majestic mountains that stood erect like thebacks of two sleeping lions far off in the distance.



When Eli was 22, now an able-bodied and

dazzling young man, his parents sat down with him

and told him that he was old enough to know why

they would not allow him to go between themountains.

³A long time ago, there was a war and a lot of

people were killed. Ever since then, anyone who ever

went between the mountains never came back,´ saidthe father as a deep crease appeared between his

eyebrows.



On the same night that he found out about thisgruelling story, Eli grabbed a knapsack from his roomand filled it up with food, fire-making materials, tools,ropes, blankets, and warm clothing. After filling it up tothe top, he tied an old, battered tent made of cloth to

the bulging knapsack. Subsequently, he crept quietlyout the door of the small house and began headingnorth between the mountains, toward the mysteriousland he had been so curious about since he was ayoung boy. Whether he went in search of an adventure

or in search of an answer to the mysteriousdisappearances, he did not know. All he knew was thatthere had always been some inexplicable forceattracting him toward that place.



Upon arriving in the valley, he quickly put up his tentand went to sleep after a long, tiring journey. He wassleeping quite soundly when suddenly he heard somefaint steps outside of his tent. Alarmed by the sound,he quickly turned on his lamp and lifted the tent flap

when all of a sudden an animal the size of a small foxpup jumped onto him. Prying the animal off of hischest and looking more carefully, it turned out to be asmall, black cat. Not knowing what to do or say, Eliplaced the cat across from him and observed it

meticulously.U

nexpectedly, the cat began to talk!Eli¶s heart began to pound and his eyes were opened-wide as he stared at the animal thinking that this mustbe a dream.



³I am a princess,´ the cat articulated slowly in a

gentle, soothing female voice, ³but I was turned into a

cat by a wicked wizard. Many people who came to this

valley and heard me talk died of horror. I hope thatyou, a brave-looking man, will be an exception.´



Although his heart is thumping loudly, Eli is no

faint-hearted man.

³I, most sincerely, ask if you could please help

me,´ the cat said after studying his reaction and

realized delightedly that he did not faint. Receiving no

reply from Eli, the cat continued to plead earnestly,³Could you climb up this mountain on the right, search

for a tree marked with an X on its trunk and dig around

it to find my crown?´ Seeing Eli¶s face of hesitation,

she quickly added, ³I will reward you trunks of gold if you could help me transform back into my human form

so that I return home to my family.´



After a moment of contemplation, Eli attempted

to sound calm and uttered slowly, ³I will help you.´

Believing in the cat¶s sincerity and considering his

own family¶s financial circumstances, he decided to

take on this task.



Early the next morning, Eli began hiking up the steepmountain observing every tree in his path carefully to see if

there are any signs of a clear X mark on it. By noon, he feltthe heat of the blazing sun as if he was facing a burningstove. Exhausted and weary after hours of attempting thisnearly impossible mission, he fell asleep with his backleaning on a tree.

Deep in his sleep, he dreamed of a voice telling himthat the marked tree is very near. Eli woke up in an instantand hastily turned around to look at the tree behind him.There it was, the tree with an X on it. Impulsively, he begandigging around the tree with is bare hands when suddenlyhe felt something hard. He started digging faster until theshining crown was lying there in front of him, glittering

under the radiant sun. Without a moment¶s hesitation, helifted it up, wiped the dirt off, placed it carefully in hisknapsack, and started to make his way down the mountain.



When he reached the bottom, the cat was alreadythere waiting for him anxiously. With no delay, Eli walked up

to her, took the crown out of his knapsack, and presented itto her with dirt-ridden, yet steady, hands.

³Please place the it over my head,´ she requesteddelightedly with a voice full of anticipation.

Eli kneeled down and gently put the crown over her head and ³Poof!´ A cloudy, white mist formed immediatelyin front of him. When the mist slowly dissipated, he lookedup and a dazzlingly, young lady appeared before him. Shehad fine, flowing, long hair that must have felt as soft as a

flower¶s petals and a face glowing like a the inside of a shellunder the sun. Mesmerized, Eli stumblingly stood up to havea clearer look at her. The princess smiled, took out ahandkerchief, and reached for his hands. Taking his large,tanned hands into hers, she delicately wiped the dirt off.



She lifted up her head and looked into his eyes

with blushing cheeks while expressing her gratitude,

³Thank you so much for doing this for me. Words

cannot express my gratitude. I will not forget what I

have promised you.´

It was clear that the two fell in love and Eli

offered to accompany her on her way back home.

Sometime during the journey, he confessed his lovetoward her and she timidly reciprocated his love.



Eli and Princess Ava, the name he found out

during the journey, got married a few months after

she returned home to her royal family and they lived

together with Eli¶s parents in a grand and exquisite

castle.

And of course, the couple lived happily ever

after.

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Between the Mountains