The Celtic Tree of Life

The Crann Bethadh is the oldest tree in town, hundreds of years old. The town of Aberdale was founded around this tree. It was said that a man, Thomas Blair, was walking through the meadow, wet, hungry, and exhausted after being robbed by vagabonds. He decided to sit against the tree to rest his weary legs. A bird sang a tune so sweet that it lulled him to sleep. As he dozed, the tree's thick foliage kept him sheltered from the rain. 

Thomas awoke to pangs of hunger in his stomach. As he stood up to search for food, he noticed the tree was covered in beautiful red berries. Strange, as he had not noticed them when he first came upon it. He picked a handful and began to eat them. They had a unique sweetness to them he had never tasted before. When he had eaten all the berries he could, he set on his way home, but he never forgot the way the tree saved him that night. He would return to the tree every season to give it offerings of gratitude. He would bring it bird seed, the fruits and vegetables he had grown himself at his farm, and he would sit under it and share what had happened to him since the last time he visited. 

Years later, a terrible storm passed through the man's village and he and his fellow townspeople lost their homes. The land was ruined and they would need to move. Thomas knew the perfect meadow to set up their new village. He convinced a few men to go see the meadow and told them his story. He said it had sheltered and provided for him and it would do the same for them. 

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The Crann Bethadh offered the villagers more than just shelter and food. It offered them a place to gather and come together in harmony. The school children would play around it and climb its branches. Couples would sit under it and talk for hours. 

It was a symbol of hope to them in hard times. Every year the tree would lose its leaves and be barren, but then it would bloom and the tree and its leaves would be even more beautiful. It showed them that the bad times will pass and the good times will come again, even better. It never blew down in a storm, never even lost a branch. It taught them to be strong and resilient.

The Crann Bethadh was the center of the village, seen from every angle. Loved by every villager, woman, man, child, even the birds and squirrels. 

Author's Note

I have always been really interested in the Celtic Tree of Life and the history of its significance. So I wanted to write a story about how they could have become so important to the people near them.

Picture credit to wazzy88: https://www.deviantart.com/wazzy88/art/Tree-of-life-217331014

Reviews

[barleygirl]

First, let me say happy thanksgiving, becuz I know you haven't been at the cafe often & I don't want to miss this opportunity to reach out to you. I hope you'll be finding more time to write & post your writing becuz you have one of the most memorable & unique ways of presenting the things you write about. I take it this is a fictional story, but so well-told, I questioned myself a few times, thinking it might've been non-fiction. You are amazing in your ability to build a fulsome setting within such a short vignette. You really pour in so much imagery & feeling (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[varnika]

It's written very beautifully. For a while, I actually forgot that it was fiction