The coming of the Green Man

One day a man was sitting in a field

And he thought there was someone beside him

Standing there dressed darkly.

He turned and it was a cedar.

He said out loud: "That bush looks like a man!"

After he left, the bush thought to itself,

If I look like a man

Maybe I can be a man.

Maybe my roots can walk.

He pulled up a root and it became a foot.

He pulled up another root and it became another foot

And he began walking.

As he walked his boughs began to shapeshift

Into the features of a man dressed in a green cloak.

He passed some children playing.

They stopped playing to watch him.

He smiled for the first time and said,

"Good day children."

As he spoke, leaves came from his mouth.

The children laughed.

They asked how he did it.

He did not know

But he was glad that it made them happy.

He walked and walked.

Soon it was dark and he stopped

But he did not sleep.

The moon rose and shone on him.

He heard it say something to him.

It said, "You are the Green Man.

You used to be on Earth.

Now you are back.

I am glad to see you."

"What did I do?" he asked.

"I do not know what to do with myself."

The moon said, "You are here for a reason."

"But am I a tree or am I a man?"

The moon said sweetly, "Sit down.

I need to tell you something."

She said, "You used to be a face of stone, like me.

You appeared in the oldest cathedrals

So that when people came to worship

You reminded them of the spirit of the forest.

But now the forests are in trouble,

So you must walk about."

With that she grew silent

And was covered by a cloud.