(Continued from 5/10)

When Gilbert reaches
the other side of the flying river
(as if the water was not flowing
But, remained still and seem
the boat was not floating on it
but flying),
while stepping down,
he asked the one eyed helmsman,
“how do I go back to my
home?”

The helmsman replied
in his usual voice,
“time travels fast,
thus the whispers of the forest,
I will know what to do next.”

Thus he took farewell and
approaches the dark forest-
unknown birds chirping,
wild wind was blowing,
coyotes were howling from the distant
even during the day
(because inside the dark forest,
it is so dark and it seems
always night).

He was afraid, but not that much
afraid, when his sisters face
was flashing before his eyes-
thus he took bold steps to
reach the destination.

Continued….

(Continued from 4/10)

The wicked witch
by looking at the future glass
shut down her eyes
with much explanations
and whisper into his ears
silently-
she says, “It is ultimate danger
to cross the river
and the dark forest
to reach the spiritual ghost.
but, I will give you
this lucky charm. You keep it
on your neck
and all the evils will be
frightened of you.”

Choosing a shiny day
he started his journey
towards the dark forest
by taking a very few things
those were necessary he thought arrived.

He arrived at the riverside
to cross,
an one eyed helmsman was there,
as if he was waiting for Gilbert-
the one eyed helmsman said
in a very dull but deep voice,

“I don't take impure souls to cross
the river and since you are a pure soul
I will take you to the other side.”

Thus he started crossing the river.

Continued…

(Continued from 3/10)

Gilbert used to sit
alone and grieve-
none could understand
or feel his grievances,
nor his friends,
nor his father
(his stepfather),
nor any neighbors,
perhaps, his mother
could realize a bit,
but, she could do nothing.

One day he asked
his mother,
“where people go after death?”
his mother could not
able to give a simple answer,
rather, she said,
“all souls go to a special place
where they like the most.”

From the childhood
he heard a fable of a spiritual ghost
who lived inside the dark forest
and could defy the death
by bringing back those lost souls.

No one knows where he lives
except inside the remote forest,
but, a wicked witch who lives
at the very end of the village
has some idea,
she sells to the one
who fervently requests.

Gilbert, by breaking his piggy bank
went to the wicked witch
to seek advice on how to reach
the spiritual ghost.

Continued…

(Continued from 2/10)

While the days are passing
Gilbert was becoming
more sad and sad
because his only sister
(younger than four years)
was gradually dying
because of scarlet fever.

All the doctors of the
township came,
all the medicine men came,
they even went to
the next big town
for her treatment,
but, nothing was working
and day by day
her health was deteriorating.

One day came,
she did not wake up,
and Gilbert was the first person
to observe this-
he yield, “Mother,
sister is not waking up!”

Entire community came,
they used to love her very much
because of her politeness and beauty-
they came all together
they mourn all together
they sympathized all together
and left,
while Gilbert was
standing alone, with her
motionless body.

Thereafter,
the preacher came-
all took her dead body
for the funeral,
the preacher state those words
Gilbert already memorized,
but, his sadness
never abridged for a single moment.

Continued…

(Continued from 1/10)

But, the most important
thing in this fable
is that he also
could see many other ghosts
gathering and standing
behind those mourning people.

He also could recognize
many of those ghosts
as they were familiar to him.

Though he could see
those ghosts,
but could not hear
what they used to
whisper among themselves.

He never told this story
to his mother
(his father died when
he was a little child,
so he does not have any
memory of his father),
his younger sister
(whom he used to love the most),
his classmates,
or, any neighbors.

Continued….