BY CASSADER GARDUNA

In the great house where all things reside, Tsula the Blueberry King stands atop Blueberry Hill.

“Is this it? Is this all there is? What hell! What terror!” says Tsula as onlookers gathered at the bottom of the hill. “We are trapped in the dining hall! For each there is a plate set before them, and for each there is a plate with which to sit upon, for God has a plan to kill us all! My warriors, my wise ones, my tricksters, thieves, heroes and villains we must escape the dining hall, we must escape the plate!”

The Driftwood People debated amongst themselves as to what their plight was and if there was anything to do about it for a long time until King Migka Narudt (king over all the island) spoke up: “We will build long canoes and leave this world, we will find the edges of the great house and even those we will cross.” And so they began. They built three long canoes and thought themselves very clever.

“How will we leave the earth in canoes which cannot fly?” asked Tsula.

“We must wait until the next full moon and ask Yolla to come down from the moon and bless them,” replied Migka.

They waited for three nights and on the third night the moon was full and they asked Yolla to join them. Three days later she descended down to the island riding on the back of the night.

Her eyes were dark and sad, her hair silver, and her face pale. She wore a thick long hooded coat. On each of the canoes she wrote the name of the night, and eight days later a single baby was found in the bottom of each canoe. The babies were named Mim, Myr, and Magi, they were the first of the canoe spirits. In three days further, they had grown into adults. The three could paddle the canoes on land, air, and water, at great speed without becoming tired.

They took great delight in taking the Driftwood People high into the air and suddenly dropping only lifting off again seconds before hitting the ground and although the Driftwood People would scream they liked it as well.

“We now have the means to travel, but how will we know where to go?” asked Tsula.

“We must find Sigla the navigator to guide us. Send out a scout to find her,” replied Migka.

Tegla de Nammi Nishgwi was sent out to find Sigla. Tegla was the smallest of the Driftwood People, but also the bravest. In preparation for her mission she put on her finest white shoes, a sand colored cloak, and painted her face white with ash which was the custom for young scouts. Tegla loved to roam and explore and greatly admired the navigator who did so ceaselessly. Her tiny heart raced at the thought of meeting Sigla and possibly learning from her, and hearing her many stories. Sigla was at sea not far from the island fishing from her small house boat when she first heard Tegla’s call.

“What do you need, little one?” asked Sigla.

“King Migka requests your service as a guide,” Tegla answered.

“I can guide him anywhere he wants to go besides home, that is my curse,” said Sigla.

“Please tell me of your adventures. What have you seen out there, great navigator?” asked Tegla.

“Everything but home,” replied Sigla. “For thousands of years I searched here and there and in the spaces in-between for something, but I found only loss. Now I just fish and eat and sleep and play little games by myself. There is magic out there, but it’s not what you think it is.”

When Tegla rejoined the Driftwood People, she felt the weight of her steps were heavier than before.

That night the Driftwood People celebrated. A banquet was prepared, they danced and sung and ate and drank until a warm glow covered everything. Some speculated that before they left the world they should destroy it, that this would end all suffering and be the moral thing to do. Some thought about the things they might miss.

“I will miss the water and the fish,” said Nishdoa.

“I will miss nothing,” said Migka. “Well, maybe games. I always enjoyed a good game.”

“Will there be music where we are going?” asked Snalla.

“I suppose there is music everywhere, maybe songs we can’t even imagine.”

Agalisga and Tagi butted in, “Can father come with us? We won’t leave without him.”

“Yes children, everyone can go with the exception of Nagku who as you know cannot leave the forest,” answered Migka.

“What about our toys!?”

“You can each bring one.”

Agalisga and Tagi ran off giggling.

“I will miss the hunt and the fireflies,” said Heyaka.

Tsula asked, “What if we die on the journey?”

They all thought about this for a while and then agreed that seeing as they were always bound to die that it didn’t really matter, and that they were better off not thinking about it.

The next morning the tribes buzzed with excitement, eager to see something new, to face danger, to be the brave explorers they knew themselves to be, and they called this day leaving day. They first marched into the dark forest with offerings of food and blankets to leave for Nagku, which only annoyed the beast. They then boarded the three canoes, most carrying what little they owned. Some carried the tools of their various trades, others carried instruments, some packed food, and others took nothing. Mim, Myr, and Magi paddled them out to Sigla’s little house boat. Sigla greeted them happily as she always enjoyed company.

“Hello, my lovelies!” said Sigla.

She hopped from her house boat into Myr’s canoe which Migka also rode. She carried a

compass, a lantern, and a large freshly caught Flounder.

“I have thought over our journey, and where we need to go,” said Sigla.

“And what is your recommendation?” asked Migka.

“The Driftwood People are clever but not wise, so I propose we speak to someone who is wise, Ung.”

“Lead us to Ung, the great navigator.”

Sigla looked out to sea. Then in her biggest voice, “GULLA KA BRUGK! GULLA KA BRUGK! GULLA KA BRUGK!”

As she said this the third time, she threw the flounder high into the air, and before it hit the water an enormous golden serpent leaped from the sea and caught the flounder in its massive jaws. The golden serpent was longer than the three canoes combined. Its scales glistened in the sun, as it moved effortlessly through the water. It raised its head to Myr’s canoe where Sigla stood and Sigla’s reflection could be seen in its massive golden eye. Some of the Driftwood People trembled at the sight and made themselves small in their seats, others awed at the beauty of the creature and stood up to get a better look.

“Ka my old friend, will you please open the way?” said Sigla.

The great beast brought its face forward, and Sigla put her hand on the top of its head. It then swam some paces from the canoes. Its back started to arch out of the water creating what looked like a golden rainbow. Its head and tail disappeared under the surface of the sea and the golden arched back started to shift and transform, what began as a snake now looked more like a bridge, with each scale becoming a golden brick.

“Listen, as we pass under the bridge you must imagine yourself a puff of smoke restlessly pacing the floor in a futile attempt to occupy space, imagine yourself the vibration of a single plucked thread of a spiders web, imagine yourself the glisten in the magpie’s eye when it spies a shiny treasure, imagine yourself a keyhole and hold your breath. Myr, Mim, and Magi, forwards and through!”