I find this beautiful story authored by Elizabeth Harrison to be an inspiring testament to the power of being committed to face any sacrifice on behalf of others. In that sense, it is an inclusion I feel is worthy of our reflection as we approach the end of our Lenten journey.
Once upon a time there lived a child whose name was Avilla. She was sweet and loving, and fair to look upon, and had everything in the world to make her happy, but she had a little blind sister, and Avilla could not be perfectly happy as long as her sister’s eyes were closed so that she could not see God’s beautiful world, nor enjoy His bright sunshine. Little Avilla kept wondering if there was not something that she could do which would open her blind sister’s eyes.
At last, one day, she heard of an old, old woman, nobody knew how old, who lived for hundreds of years in a dark cave, not many miles away. It was said that this strange old woman knew of a secret enchantment by means of which the blind could receive their sight. Upon hearing this, Avilla approached her parents and asked their permission to make the journey to the cave in order that she might convince the old woman to tell her secret. “Then,” she exclaimed joyfully, “my dear sister need sit no longer in darkness.” Her parents gave a somewhat unwilling consent, as they had heard many strange stories about the old woman. At last, however, one fine spring morning, Avilla started on her journey. She had a long distance to walk, but the happy thoughts in her heart made the time pass quickly, and the soft, cool breeze seemed to be whispering a song to her all the way.
When she arrived at the mouth of the cave, initially it looked so dark and forbidding that she almost feared to enter it, but the thought of her little blind sister gave her courage, and so she entered. At first, she could see nothing, for all the sunshine was shut out by the frowning rocks that guarded the entrance. Soon, however, she discerned the old woman sitting on a stone chair, spinning a pile of flax into a fine, fine thread. She seemed bent nearly double with age, and her face wore a look of worry and care, which made her appear still older.
Avilla moved toward the side of the old woman. The old woman did not turn her head or stop her spinning as she came closer, so she thought to herself, “she looks so old that I’m sure she must also be hard of hearing.” Avilla paused for a moment to gather fresh courage and then spoke loudly, “Pardon me, my Lady, but I have traveled here to ask you if you will tell me how to cure my blind sister.”
The strange creature turned and stared at Avilla as if she were very much surprised. She then spoke in a deep, hollow voice, so hollow that it sounded as if she had not spoken for a very long time. “Oh,” she said with a sneer, “I can tell you well enough, but you’ll not do it. People who can see rarely trouble themselves with those who are blind!” These last words were said with a sigh. Then the old woman scowled at Avilla until the child’s heart began to beat very fast.
But the thought of her little blind sister continued to bolster Avilla’s courage and she cried out, “Oh, please tell me. I will do anything to help my dear sister!”
The old woman stared long and earnestly at Avilla in response to her plea. She then stooped down and searched in the heap of fine-spun thread which lay at her side until she found the end of it. This she held out to Avilla saying, “Take this and carry it all around the world, and when you have done that, come to me and I will show you how your blind sister may be cured.” Little Avilla thanked her and eagerly seized the tiny thread and wrapping it carefully around her hand that she might not lose it, turned and hastened out of the cold, damp cave.
She has not traveled far before she looked back to be sure the thread had not broken for it was so thin. Imagine her surprise to see that instead of it being a gray thread of spun flax, it was a thread of golden light, that glittered and shone in the sunlight, as if it were made of the most precious stuff on earth. Avilla felt sure now that it must be a magic thread, and that it would somehow help her to cure her sister. So, she hastened on, glad and happy.
Soon, however, she approached a dark, dense forest. No ray of sunlight seemed ever to have fallen on the trunks of the trees. In the distance she thought she could hear the growl of bears and the roar of lions. Her heart almost stopped beating. “Oh, I can never go through that gloomy forest,” she said to herself, and her eyes filled with tears. She turned to retrace her steps, when the soft breeze which still accompanied her whispered, “Look at the thread you have been carrying! Look at the golden thread!” Avilla looked back, and the bright, tiny line of light seemed to be actually smiling at her, as it stretched across the soft green grass, far into the distance, and, strange to say, each tiny blade of grass which it has touched, has blossomed into a flowery path with a glittering line of golden light running through it. “How beautiful!” she exclaimed. “I did not notice the flowers as I came along, but the enchanted thread will make the next traveler see them.”
This thought filled Avilla with such joy that she pushed forward into the dark woods. Sometimes she knocked her head against s tree which stood in her way, sometimes she feared she was lost, but every now and then she would look back and the sight of the tiny thread of golden light always renewed her courage. Once she felt quite sure that she could see the nose of some wild beast poking out in front of her, but when she came nearer it proved to be the joint in a tree trunk. Avilla laughed at her own fear, and she continued onward.
One of the wonderful things about the mysterious little thread was that it seemed to open up a path behind it, so that one could easily follow in her footsteps without stumbling over fallen trees or bumping against living ones. Every now and then a gray squirrel would frisk by her in a friendly fashion, as if to assure her that she was not alone, even in the twilight of the dark woods. By and by she came upon the part of the forest where the trees were less dense, and soon she found herself out in the glad sunshine again.
But now a new difficulty faced Avilla. As far as she could see stretched a low, swampy marsh of wet land. The mud and slime did not look very inviting. Again, it was thoughts of her little blind sister that resurrected her courage and she bravely plunged into the mire. The dirty, dripping mud clung to her dress and made her feet so heavy that she grew weary lifting them out of it. Sometimes she seemed to be stuck fast, and it was only with great effort that she could pull out, first one foot, and then the other. A lively green frog hopped along beside her and seemed to say, in his funny, croaking voice, “Never mind the mud, you’ll soon be through it.” When she had at last reached the end of the slippery, sticky marsh, she looked back at the tiny thread of golden light which trailed behind her. What do you think had happened?
Wherever the beautiful thread had touched the mud the water had dried up and the earth had become firm and hard, so that any other person who might wish to cross the swampy place could walk on a firm path. This made Avilla feel so happy that she began to sing softly to herself.
Soon, however, her singing ceased. As the day advanced, the air grew hotter and hotter. The trees had long ago disappeared and now the grass became parched and dry until at last she found herself in the midst of a dreary desert. For miles and miles, the scorching sand stretched on every side. Avilla could not even find a friendly rock in whose shadow she might rest for a time. The blazing sun hurt her eyes and made her head ache, and the hot sand burned her feet. Still, she toiled on, cheered by a swarm of yellow butterflies that fluttered just ahead of her. At last the end of the desert was reached just as the sun disappeared behind a crimson cloud. Dusty and weary, Avilla was about to throw herself down on the ground to rest, but before doing so, she turned and glanced at where the golden thread had trailed behind her all day over the hot sand. Lo and behold! She saw that tall shade trees had sprung up along the path she had traveled and each tiny grain of sand that the wonderful thread had touched was now changed into a diamond, or ruby, or emerald, or some other precious stone. On one side the pathway across the desert shone and glittered, while on the other the graceful trees cast a cool and refreshing shade.
Avilla stood amazed as she looked at the beautiful trees and the sparkling gems. All feeling of weariness has disappeared. The air now seemed mild and refreshing and she thought she could hear in the distance some birds singing their evening songs. One by one the bright stars came out in the quiet sky above her head, keeping watch as Avilla slept through the peaceful night.
The next morning she started forward on her long journey around the world. She traveled quite pleasantly for a while, thinking of how cool and shady the desert path would now be for anyone who might have to travel it, and of the precious jewels she had left for someone else to gather up. She could not stop for them herself, for she was too anxious to press forward and finish her task in order that her little blind sister might sooner see.
After a time Avilla came to some rough rocks tumbled about in great confusion, as if angry giants had hurled them at each other. Soon the path grew steeper and steeper, and the rocks sharper and sharper, until they cut her feet. Before her she could see nothing but more rocks until they piled themselves into a great mountain which frowned down upon her, as much as to say, “How dare you attempt to climb to my summit!” Avilla hesitated. Just then two powerful eagles with outspread wings rose from their nearby nest and soared majestically and slowly aloft. As they passed far above Avilla’s head, the eagles screeched loudly seeming to say, “Be brave and strong and you shall meet us at the mountaintop.”
Sometimes the ragged edges of the rocks tore her dress, and sometimes they caught the tiny golden thread and tangled it so that Avilla had to turn back and loosen it form their hold. The road was very steep, and she was compelled to sit down every few minutes to catch her breath. Still, she climbed on, keeping the soaring eagles always in her sight. As she neared the top, she turned and looked back at the enchanted thread of golden light. Another miraculous thing had happened! The rugged path of sharp, broken rocks had changed into broad and beautiful white marble steps, over which trailed the shining thread of life. She knew that she had made a pathway up this difficult mountain and her heart rejoiced.
Avilla turned again to proceed on her journey, when only a short distance in front of her, she saw the dark cave in which lived the strange old woman who had bidden her carry the line of light around the world. She hastened forward, and upon entering the cave, she saw the old creature, almost bent double, still spinning the mysterious thread. Avilla ran forward crying out, “I have done all you told me to do, now give sight to my sister!”
The old woman sprang to her feet, seized the thread of golden light and exclaimed, “At last! At last! I am freed!”
Then came so strange and wonderful a change that Avilla could hardly believe her own eyes. Instead of the ugly, cross-looking old crone, there stood a beautiful princess, with long golden hair and tender blue eyes, her face radiant with joy. Her story was soon told. Hundreds of years ago, she had been changed into the bent old woman and shut up in the dark cave on the mountainside, because she, a daughter of the King, had been selfish and idle, thinking only of herself, and her punishment had been that she must remain thus disguised and separated from all companions and friends until she could find someone who would be generous and brave enough to take a long, dangerous journey around the world for the sake of others. Her mother had been a fairy princess and had taught her many things which we mortals have yet to learn. She showed Avilla how, by dipping the golden thread into a spring of ordinary water, she could change the water into golden water, which glittered and sparkled like liquid sunshine. Filling a pitcher with this, they hastened together to where the little sister sat in darkness waiting for someone to come and lead her home. The beautiful princess told Avilla to dip her hands into the pitcher of enchanted water and then press them upon the closed eyes of her sister. They opened! And the little blind girl could see.
After that the fairy princess came and lived with Arvilla and her sister and taught them how to do many wonderful things.
We feast on the rich food of your house; from your delightful stream you give drink.
For with you is the fountain of life, and in your light, we see light. –Psalms, 36: 9-10
William “Bill” Bacque