NAGA by Janice Slater

…..STORIES.

(Dedicated to Pearlie and to Gyalsey Tulku Rinpoche).

PROLOGUE

NAGA

One day, as if out of nowhere, in the spacious waters of Blue Bay a great creature emerged from the deep.

A Naga with scales of turquoise and gold, with flaming horns and two pointy fangs.

 

A Naga with claws like the talons of an eagle, and with radiant dark eyes. It could see very far and was steadily sailing across the bay towards her…

She concentrated her mind while fishing objects from the deep and was yet to notice anything outside of what she was attending to.

She set the objects she'd retrieved from the sea out in front of her. A crumpled horn of a sheep.  A lucky Rabbit's paw.  An old fob watch.  A silver shoe horn. She was delighted to find objects she'd not found before.  Then every now and then she would toss something up into the air and catch it, but those were just sea sponges.

The Naga stopped and stared at Fisher-Friend.  

She was just about to catch a sea sponge mid air when her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.  She stopped and stared at the great beast. She had never seen a giant creature from deep in the lagoon before. Although she had been told tales about them.  

To look up and find a colossus from the deep watching you!  She didn't know what to say or think?

The Naga’s warm eyes watched her every movement.

She smiled. 

She grew calmer inside.

The Naga sailed closer towards her.

Well well... said the Naga.  You have managed to accrue quite a collection.

Her voice flew a few octaves higher than she'd heard it before!  Her hands flew up in the air.Yes! Maybe from an old sailing ship or an ...Ocean Liner? She was astonished at her own calculations, an ocean liner indeed, in a lagoon... really? She reached down into her bucket, held up each piece and named them for the Naga. A crumpled horn of a sheep!  A lucky Rabbit's paw!  An old fob watch!  A silver shoe horn! Then she tossed them back into the bucket again. Clink, clank clank they went!

She let out a deep sigh.  Whew!  I'm exhausted! She said.

She looked exhausted.  

The Naga smiled and said.

Well ...we must return them to their rightful owners.

She had no idea what to say or how to address the Naga's request. She bit her bottom lip, paused for a moment then said; But I want to keep them! All.

Oh you do? The Naga said.

I just think they’re beautiful.

The Naga smiled.

(to be continued) 

Photograph  of lotus by Julianne Spicer

Janice Slater (Copyright of blog 2022).