La Historia de Mis Comienzos [ES]

Learning to Change

I was nearing the end of my teaching when a day that was years in the making arrived:

My teacher asked me to sit next to him, which was also near that tree where I first met him and he said, ”Young Gonzalo,” he said, using my name before I became a druid, “I’ve done almost everything for you. I’ve been a great teacher and you have been an honorable apprentice. I’br taught you everything except one thing: lycanthropy.” He paused.
I thought that seemed dangerous and complicated, so I said, “Why do you delay?”

“It’s that lycanthropy is very risky, and you’re very young. You use Mother Earth and give up half of your soul. You share your life with the forest and you can never get away from it. That’s not all, even if used for good, it takes a lot of your energy, and it goes without saying that if you expend that energy, you can be trapped by forces of darkness and you will never be the same. You may be damned forever!
“Think well about this before you decide.”

And I did. I spent many days and nights thinking about what I would do, finally deciding that since I’d come this far, I would not stop for anything, even if it meant sharing my life. I said as much to Giledgel, who understood my decision and ordered me to immediately prepare everything for the journey that would take many years of my life. Before leaving, he told me, “Remember that even the longest journeys begin with a first step. See that old sturdy oak? Before, it was but a small and tender shoot. Everything takes time.”

After long and tiring travels around the world to face different challenges and difficulties—which I have noted in another story that I will share later—it was finally the day for which I was prepared to carry out the ritual where I would offer half my soul to the forest to receive the gift of becoming part animal. I had chosen three forms.

First I became an eagle. This animal form has a two meters wingspan and is very powerful, like the animal form of my teacher, but less effective in the flight. For this, I spent whole days observing these beautiful birds, understanding the world and perceiving it as they do.

The second beast I chose was the wolf, a species I had developed a close relationship with during my childhood.

Finally I chose the cheetah, which is the fastest land animal in the world. I chose it to always remind me that all abilities—speed in this case—must be accompanied by responsibility and wisdom, given that this animal can risk serious injury, and even death, if it is careless when using its abilities.

Now half of my soul belongs to the forest! I feel strong and powerful at times, but I also notice the damage suffered by nature, almost always by action of man.

The sun rose while Giledgel and I were walking. He stopped my quiet passage with his cane, looked at me with his deep green eyes, and said, “There’s nothing left of my wisdom that can serve you. I have taught you everything I learned in my many years of travel and adventure, but you must understand that you still have much to learn, and you must do it through the best teacher he could one have: Nature. It will share everything with you.
“I always knew you were the ideal person to replace me in caring for nature. My last task for you is that when the time is right, you must teach someone else our legacy as well as I did with you.
“It was an honor to be your teacher and remember that if you want to protect the forest, help maintain a balance between the forces of light and darkness in every being. Goodbye.” Before he left to live in the deep woods forever, he gave me his prized walking stick. He then walked away quietly. For a long time I was sad at the departure of my best and only human friend. I will always remember his last words to me and the job I am responsible for the rest of my life.

Harming the forest will cause the forest to punish the intruder.
Nature flows though all my being!