5"x7" | Oil on panel

The tearful maiden ran into the forest of her childhood. Sympathetic to the child who had been practically raised in their midst, the trees bowed their branches and gently asked her what could cause her such distress. Leaning heavily against one of the grand old trunks, the girl sobbed her explanation:

She was being made to marry a man from a distant village. That would mean leaving her beloved woods forever, a thought that she could not bear. She desperately wished tomorrow would never come.

Saddened to hear this news, the trees consulted amongst themselves for a moment. Then, the tree before her lifted its roots slightly. It was an invitation.

"We can keep you safe here for eternity," the forest told her, "if you would discard your earthly raiments and become one with us."

She did not even need to think twice. Quickly she undressed and sank gratefully into the proffered embrace. As warmth enveloped her, she felt at peace at last, with only a thin dress hanging on a branch to mark her passing.

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