by J. M. Lee
The following is a song told by parents to their childlings as they rock them to sleep.
The Cradle Tree’s Lullaby
Rest, my babe, as a flower in the shade
Close up your petals, hide your face away
Nestle in my arms as you fall asleep
Listening to whispers of your Cradle Tree
A Final Word
I left my clan in Stone-in-the-Wood on a sunny morning, eager to set out before I fully woke and realized the permanence of my decision. It was not natural to me, as a Stonewood, to leave and open myself to the whims of Thra and the other Gelfling living alongside us. The Stonewood way is to remain put, like the stones of the rise, and grow firm and strong. To become one with the earth and the fire, to prosper and to take pride in what one has made.
And so I knew I had to leave all at once or not at all. Had to send the sturdy stone rolling down the hill, to land where it may.
I looked back only once to bid farewell to my beloved Bolentor. As I did, I caught tears in my eyes. Even then, some part of me knew that although I could always return to the safety of the wood and the friendly faces that waited for me in their shell-and-stone homes, it would not be the same. For at the very least, I would be changed by what I planned to do—else why heed the call of Thra at all?
The Spriton Plains are a collection of rolling, gentle hills and meadows south of the Endless Forest. Their golden-green softness undulates like a sea of grass and wildflowers, rife with creatures big and small, scurrying below in burrows and loping above on long, thin legs. Within each valley are copses of trees gathered around brooks and streams, and in one such wood hides a collection of thatch-roofed Gelfling houses built around a central hearth. This is Sami Thicket, the home of the Spriton clan.
The Spriton are a medium-size Gelfling community with some hundred families cohabiting within Sami Thicket and the surrounding area. While most of the Gelfling in the clan live in the homes that circle their hearth and the Pavilion, I also found dozens of homes dotting the hills and fields beyond the wood. These smaller households are often groups of three to six family members, all of whom take part in cultivating the land near their homestead. Produce is then brought into Sami Thicket, where the families are received warmly by the rest of their clan.
The Spriton have the reputation of being territorial and, in some cases, aggressive and combative. However, I found in my experience this was more talk than truth. Although they have some rivalry with their neighbors—the Stonewood to the north and the Drenchen to the south—generally when Gelfling from beyond Sami Thicket came to visit (myself included), they were greeted politely and with respect. Keeping face is of great value among many Gelfling, of course, and the Spriton are not any different in this regard. In fact, most of the competitive attitudes I found were only among the youth, as one might find in any Gelfling community. Spriton younglings spend much of their time refining their riding and hunting skills by participating in games of sport such as bola-throwing contests and knock-knee, a race-and-ball game played from the backs of Landstriders.
One of the most eye-opening things I learned during my time with the Spriton was how valuable generational knowledge is. This is true for any Gelfling community; however, the Spriton’s agricultural livelihoods are largely based upon seasonal events—the trine cycle, of course, but also the greater seasons. The memory of one Gelfling is never as strong as that of many; thus, passing on the wisdom from previous generations becomes ever more important to ensure the success of the crops.
Daily Life
The Spriton day begins with the suns rising and ends long after the sky grows dark. These long workdays are filled with the many tasks required to keep the Spriton community thriving. The Spriton have sorted their work into three categories, and as younglings grow into the age of apprenticeship, they are selected by mentors and begin training to participate in their work group of choice. Each group also has two elders who sit on the maudra’s council.
The first group are the hearth workers, whose daily tasks are integrated in the care of the hearth and home. This group includes the caregivers as well as the woodworkers who build and maintain the physical homes in which the Spriton live—and also the song tellers who stoke the flames of the Spriton’s spirits and hearts. Finally, the hearth workers also include the weavers, stitchers, and other artisans. Fine crafts and their creation are integral to the Spriton community, as interwoven with the clan’s way of life as the thousand threads of a tapestry.
The second group are the dirt workers, who protect the land and cultivate the many gardens both within the thicket as well as in the nearby fields. Dirt workers keep the oral records of the seasonal wisdom, mark the passing of time upon the sun-sticks posted in the fields, and are equipped with horticultural and agricultural knowledge of countless generations. Dirt workers also tend to the creatures of the surrounding area, including lowland Fizzgigs and Landstriders, keeping track of their numbers and health, and thus, the health of the land.
The third and last group are the path workers. These Gelfling are responsible for preparing, sorting, counting, and trading the many Spriton products. From the fruits of the gardens to sandals, the path workers are strong with numbers and counting, and are well journeyed beyond Sami Thicket and the surrounding area. They are an adventurous, outgoing bunch with sharp tongues and charismatic smiles. There is a saying, “smooth as a Spriton wagon driver,” which certainly finds its roots in these friendly, intelligent folk.
Spriton Craft
Spriton magic crafts range from woven textiles and quilts to functional items such as spades, hoes, and even weapons—though their metalwork is not as refined as that of the Stonewood or Vapra due to the dearth of materials. Instead, the Spriton work mainly in charmed wood and fiber, and they are experts at using spells to bind substances of both vegetable and animal sources. Spriton wool, spun from the shed undercoats of various plains creatures, is a widely sought commodity, especially after taking dye from one of the hundreds of pigments made within Sami Thicket.
Spriton textiles are easy to spot, with their extensive variety of magic-enhanced colors, visible stitchwork, and embroidery; these elaborate and magnificent pieces are desired even by the Vapra of Ha’rar. Needlework is a talent highly valued within the Spriton community, as it symbolizes how the Spriton view themselves as “stitchers” of the Gelfling clans through their well-developed trade relationships.
Spriton sandals are particularly famous, and a prime example of how the Spriton transform their powerful commitment to their role among the Gelfling into an item that is sought by Gelfling far and wide. Aside from the sandals’ inexhaustible soles, made from wood and leather, the straps and coverings feature intricate exposed threadwork. While sitting with a circle of sandal-making hearth workers, I learned that Spriton stitchers intentionally expose the threadwork on their garments and shoes instead of hiding it between the seams. The reason is that the sinews that bind the sandals are the most crucial element of any shoe. Without them, the sandal would fall apart, no matter how beautiful the coverings or durable the soles. Exposing the stitchwork highlights and respects it, instead of burying it within the shoe or seams.
Another example of this can be found in Spriton pottery. To make the clay more durable, Spriton potters often add tangle-weed to their mixture. This is not a process unique to the Spriton; many Gelfling fortify their clay with vegetation. However, when sculpting, the additives are encouraged toward the interior of the clay, or painted over after curing. It is not so with Spriton pottery. Instead, Spriton potters encourage the tangle-weed—often dyed and bespelled with beautiful, vibrant colors—to surface on the exterior of pots. In this way, like with the stitching, the strength of the clay is visible to all who gaze upon it.
Finally, the Spriton are superb instrument crafters. I have already shared my story of the instrument makers in my home of Stone-in-the-Wood; and although their skil
l was miraculous seeming, I must admit they may have rivals among the Spriton. I do not say this lightly, and only after having seen a Spriton lyre.
Most Gelfling lyres, as you know, have six strings, made from various materials, depending on the availability of natural sources. The Spriton lyre, however, has a seventh string, spun of Vapran metal mined from the mountains near Ha’rar. This seventh string is a mystery to me, though I have played the lyre since I was old enough to hold one; but in the hands of its maker, this lyre came to life with such sublime character, I cannot deny I was listening to the voice of Thra itself.
Cohabiting with Podlings
An interesting feature I noted in my time with the Spriton is that, while many Gelfling communities are populated only by Gelfling, the busy life in Sami Thicket is much more diverse. Landstriders wander through the Pavilion, Swoothu flit through the skies bearing messages from neighboring friends, and wild Windsifters make their nests among the trees. Even more remarkable to me were the number of Podlings who not only partake in daily life in Sami Thicket but have also built homes nestled between the Gelfling buildings and in the fields surrounding the thicket.
Podlings have always happily coexisted with Gelfling, whether in the Spriton lands or beyond, of course. I was delighted to see how seamlessly the Podlings were integrated among the Spriton, sharing in everything from farming tasks where the Gelfling and Podlings worked side by side all the way to a boisterous nursery of young Podlings and Gelfling, minded by a stern Podling mauddy.
Many Gelfling have learned the Podling tongue, and most Podlings can speak a bit of ours. I myself have studied several dialects of Podling and was able to have many a warm conversation with the Podlings who live among the Spriton. It was clear to me that the arrangement is one not of necessity but of enthusiasm; the Podlings and Spriton truly care for one another, and with great loyalty and joy call Sami Thicket their collective home.
The Pavilion
At the center of Sami Thicket is the Spriton Pavilion, a clearing that radiates out from the stone hearth at its core. The Pavilion is a wonder to behold, paved with multicolored stones in red and gray and blue, arranged in a complex mosaic that resembles the twisting branches of a tree intertwined with a river. The hearth itself is ringed with a stone ledge wide enough for several Gelfling to stand on, or in the evenings when music is played, for a band to use as a stage.
Here in the Pavilion, the Spriton gather as a community, both on a daily basis to perform tasks that require large amounts of space (such as tanning leather or tending to the Landstriders’ hooves) as well as to observe special events and occasions. The Pavilion is large enough that all the Spriton, including those who do not live within Sami Thicket, can gather. There is even room for the many Podlings.
Supper is also served at the hearth every evening for any who wish to attend. Hearth workers prepare these meals alongside the dirt workers who provide the food, either fresh crops or pickled produce and tubers, depending on the season. Fire keepers manage the firepit, which is large enough that it usually contains several smaller fires, though on special occasions, felled timber is brought in by wagon and a single fire is lit. When this happens, the flames tower above the village, lighting the entire Pavilion in the night as brightly as if it were day.
Patrons of the Landstrider
The Spriton take the Landstrider as their sigil, honoring its noble disposition, fearlessness, and endurance. During my time with the Spriton, I had the opportunity to climb into the saddle with a few expert riders. These saddles are worn happily by the Landstriders, who are treated to fruit and nectar—their favorite meals—for wearing them and accommodating the riders. Many Landstriders are so accustomed to Gelfling riders, in fact, that they whistle and chirp at any Gelfling they see in hopes of exchanging a ride for a delicious snack.
As everyone knows, Landstriders are large creatures and uncomfortable in small spaces (though they do move with surprising stealth and speed through dense forest). While the Spriton care for several large herds of Landstriders at a time, most of this interaction takes place in the valleys outside Sami Thicket, where the earth slopes into several grassy pockets where the Landstriders feel at ease. Here the Spriton have built a few structures to house Landstrider saddles and riding gear, and have erected feeding troughs and dug trenches to bend nearby rivers into the area for fresh water. The Landstriders come and go as they please, though in my experience, many of them find living in the valleys a peaceful and easy life—if there were a place I could go where I was fed and watered and groomed, I might prefer to remain there, too!
Riding is not as easy as it looks from afar. The saddles are made for standing in, with many straps that can easily entangle a novice rider—and the gait! With such long limbs, the Landstrider’s lope can be jaw-jarring for the uninitiated. I am grateful for the experience, and more grateful still that my sore behind finally recovered, even if it took a few too many days to do so!
Despite spending only a moment in the saddle myself, I still learned much about Landstrider riding by listening to the riders. One thing I found most fascinating is that the Landstriders’ most developed sense is their hearing, thanks to their enormous, sensitive ears. This allows the Landstriders to travel as easily at night as during the day: Although their eyesight is poor, they are able to listen to the echoes of their hoofbeats to “see” even at night—not unlike the Hollerbats native to the lightless Caves of Grot. Despite this remarkable ability, however, no Gelfling I asked would recommend the Landstrider as a steed for any nighttime adventure requiring stealth. Their heavy, ungainly bodies can be seen and their loud hoofbeats can be heard from far away.
Festival of the Sour Squash
Every autumn, the Spriton harvest the sour squash, a fruit of the earth that grows happily in the partial shade of the thicket. The squashes grow from yellow flowers, with thick flesh and rows of black pips along the center that are delicious when roasted. When the flowers are pollinated and transform into their bulbous squash form, they change slowly from green to an amber color. Finally, as they become ripe, they turn bright red. The ripeness of the squash marks the beginning of the harvest season and the coming of winter.
The Festival of the Sour Squash begins with the harvesting of the fruit and the gathering of the entire clan at the hearth. Younglings are given roasting poles heavy with squash, which they roast over the fire until the entire Pavilion is foggy with the sweet-scented smoke. The skin of the squashes grows crispy and flavorful, the inside warm and juicy. Their flavor matches their name; when raw, the sourness of the squash is almost unbearable. However, the roasting brings out a heady sweetness. If I could live on roasted sour squash alone, I would.
The festival celebrates the bounty of the harvest, giving thanks to Thra for its generosity. And so, it is considered very bad luck to decline to share. The roasted squashes are shared with the Podlings, of course, as well as any other creatures attracted by the scent. The tradition is that you must only give the squashes you roast. It is not until one is given to you that you may eat. In their eagerness, younglings with stomachs a-growling run with poles and squash, trying to deliver as many of the fruits as possible in the hopes of being gifted their first of the season in return. They do often discover that the joy of delivering the squash becomes its own reward.
Life Beyond Sami Thicket
Though most do, many Spriton do not live within Sami Thicket. This was a surprise to me, both because it is generally uncommon for Gelfling to live far from their maudra and hearth, and also because of the Spriton’s belief in community and clan above all else. Despite these truths, almost an entire third of the Spriton clan lives in small homesteads built beyond the wood of Sami Thicket—some a distance of more than a day’s journey.
When I asked the maudra about this and its effect on the community, she suggested I see for myself. She introduced me to a farmer who was visiting to deliver his crops and asked if he would take me wi
th him. He did, and the following morning we left Sami Thicket together. It took the better part of the day to reach his homestead, built of sturdy logs atop a little hill. There he lived with his partner and their children, as well as his elderly mother. The hill sprawled with their sour squash patch and other crops; the sky was open and blue, with no other Gelfling in sight. The evening we arrived, we ate before their cookstove as his children told him songs of their adventures since he’d been gone.
The answer to my question was simple: The Spriton who live beyond Sami Thicket are as much a part of their clan as those who live within it. I felt no disconnect between the family that lived on the hill and the maudra waiting for them back in the Pavilion. Should they have needed anything, their clan would have provided; in return, they brought vegetables and timber once an unum to provide for the others. And of course, when the entire family made the journey—on special occasions, or just for the practice of traveling—they always arrived to the Sami Thicket Pavilion to a warm and happy reception.
Could this be the future of Gelfling life? As our clans grow and spread, certainly we cannot always remain as secluded as we are now. At one time, it frightened me to imagine living out of sight of Stone-in-the-Wood’s Bolentor. But after spending some days with the Spriton family, and never once feeling alone or afraid, I wonder now what it might be like to, when I retire, take up a place within the Endless Forest. At home within the forest that is so much broader than the glade where my hometown rests. Would I still feel connected to my maudra? My family? My clan?