The shelters of stone - Jean M. Auel [170]
She birthed once again from Her cavernous room,
And brought forth the Children of Earth from Her womb.”
“From the Mother forlorn, more children were born.”
“Each child was different, some were large and some small,
Some could walk and some fly, some could swim and some crawl.
But each form was perfect, each spirit complete,
Each one was a model whose shape could repeat.”
“The Mother was willing. The green earth was filling.”
“All the birds and the fish and the animals born,
Would not leave the Mother, this time, to mourn.
Each kind would live near the place of its birth,
And share the expanse of the Great Mother Earth”
“Close to Her they would stay. They could not run away.”
“They all were Her children, they filled Her with pride.
But they used up the life-force She carried inside.
She had enough left for a last innovation,
A child who’d remember Who made the creation.”
“A child who’d respect. And learn to protect.”
“First Woman was born full-grown and alive,
And given the Gifts she would need to survive.
Life was the First Gift, and like Mother Earth,
She woke to herself knowing life had great worth”
“First Woman defined. The first of her kind”
“Next was the Gift of Perception, of learning,
the desire to know, the Gift of Discerning.
First Woman was given the knowledge within,
That would help her to live, and pass on to her kin.”
“First Woman would know. How to learn, how to grow.”
“Her life-force near gone, the Mother was spent,
To pass on Life’s Spirit had been Her intent.
She caused all of Her children to create life anew,
And Woman was blessed to bring forth life, too.”
“But Woman was lonely. She was the only.”
“The Mother remembered Her own loneliness.
The love of Her friend and his hovering caress.
With the last spark remaining, Her labor began,
To share life with Woman, She created First Man.”
“Again She was giving. One more was living.”
“To Woman and Man the Mother gave birth,
And then for their home, She gave them the Earth,
The water, the land, and all Her creation.
To use them with care was their obligation.”
“It was their home to use. But not to abuse.”
“For the Children of Earth the Mother provided,
The Gifts to survive, and then She decided,
To give them the Gift of Pleasure and sharing,
That honors the Mother with the joy of their pairing.”
“The Gifts are well-earned. When honor’s returned.”
“The Mother was pleased with the pair She created,
She taught them to love and to care when they mated.
She made them desire to join with each other,
The Gift of their Pleasures came from the Mother.”
“Before She was through. Her children loved too.”
“Earth’s Children were blessed. The Mother could rest.”
Ayla waited for more, but when there was only silence, she realized the Mother’s Song had come to an end.
People straggled back to their Caves in twos and threes. Some would not return to their homes until the middle of the night, some made plans to stay with friends or relatives. A few acolytes and Zelandonia remained behind at the gravesite, completing some of the more esoteric aspects of the ceremony, and would not be back until morning.
Several people went home with Relona and her children and stayed overnight in her dwelling, most sleeping on the floor. It was thought necessary for many people to surround her. The elans of deceased mates had been known to try to return to their homes before they understood that they no longer belonged to this world. The grieving mates were susceptible to invasion by the roaming spirits and needed the protection of many people to ward off malign influences. Older people in particular were sometimes tempted to follow their mates’ elans to the next world shortly after one of them died. Fortunately, Relona was young yet and had young children who needed her.
Ayla was one of those who stayed with the new widow, and Relona seemed pleased that she did. Jondalar had planned to stay as well, but by the time he completed the last of his ceremonial duties, it was quite late, and when he looked inside the dwelling, there were so many