Tale of the Wood Nymph
by EpiosKurios



The rain had stopped falling and the sun was starting to peek out from behind the clouds. The woods had once again coming alive with the sounds of wildlife. Thunder could still be heard off to the southeast. Not too far away I could see a Downy Woodpecker with his little red spotted head making his way around the trunk of a tree, sampling the wood here and there for tasty insects. Somewhere near, a Northern Cardinal was calling to his mate. Then there were the ever present squirrels jumping from tree to tree causing the rain droplets to shake off the leaves. It was a very pleasant and warm day, all and all. I have spent most my life in the woods and I am fourth generation in this particular woods, taught by my father and grandfather. I have seen and experienced many awesome things out here but none of it prepared me for what I was about to see today.

The trail I was on brought me down the side of a hill into a small secluded valley. There was a brook running through the bottom of this valley. Normally it is a sedate babbling brook but because of the recent rain it was running just a little faster and louder that usual. I move through the woods fairly quiet, but the rain soaked leaves made my foot steps virtually undetectable this day. Because of the recent rain I opted to cross the stream by way of a fallen log that was just off the trail by a few yards. As I worked my way down the hill toward the log through the thick under growth I came up short at what I saw just down below me.

Sitting on the log, dangling her feet in the swollen stream was a naked young wood nymph, a tree sprite to be exact. My grandfather used to tell stories about them with a certain twinkle in his eye, but we always thought that they were only characters in his stories and didn't really excist. The way grandfather told it, if you could sneak up on a nymph and catch her before she got back to her tree, she was yours and had to obey you until the sun went down. The significance of that never really struck me until today. I couldn't take my eyes off her. She was truly beautiful, not in the super-model way, but more in the classical-art sort of way. She was well shaped, yet softly rounded. Coming down the hill, I slowly worked my way toward her. I was at a slight right angle to her, just outside of her peripheral vision. The stream was running just loud enough to mask any mistakes my feet might make on the wet leaves. About fifteen feet from the end of the log and paradise, the unexpected happened. Nestled just under the edge of a bush was a Ruffed Grouse. As my leg brushed against the edge of the bush he exploded into the air, his wings beating me from my feet all the way up to my face. What a reality check! In this moment of excitement I lost my footing and went sliding, very ungracefully, down the rest of the hill and into the stream. 

There I lay, spread-eagle on my back and soaking wet, which was probably a good thing because I think I wet my pants when the Grouse beat me silly. I found myself staring up into the most beautiful pair of eyes I think I've ever seen. The moment we both realized that we were staring at each other with our mouths opened, she stood up on the log and gracefully darted to the other side of the bank. In my lighting fast mind I realized that paradise was getting away. I got to my feet and ran, no running isn't quite what I was doing since I had twenty extra pounds of water in my boots, snailed would be a more accurate description, up out of the stream to the other bank. My nymph had turned around and was watching me as I made my crossing and seemed to be enjoying the sight of me trying to get rid of my ballast of excess water. She let out a musical sounding giggle and started running up the side of the hill. I started after her, water flowing out of the folds of my clothes and pockets.

The hill was very steep and about three-quarters of the way up I had to stop and catch my breath. I bent over with my hands on my knees and was wheezing for all I was worth. As the sensation of passing out passed, I looked up in desperation to see if I could still see my prize. To my delight she was standing with her back to me looking at me over her delectably smooth shoulder. What a sight! Nice firm legs, rounded bottom, arched back and then those inviting eyes. All of a sudden I had a new burst of energy. I scrambled on up the hill. The nymph hesitated for a moment, smiled devilishly at me and then started down the other side of the hill. I topped the hill and also started down the other side. I was crashing through the thick woods leaving a trail an elephant could easily pass through. To my surprise I was actually gaining on my ravishing quarry. She gave a quick glance over her shoulder and seeing me gaining on her, she gave an almost pouting frown. The ground leveled out some and we came to an outcropping of rocks that made a ridge. My light-footed wood nymph scrambled up over them with ease. Oh the view of her from this angle, wow! I scrambled up the side of the rocks, but not as easily and gracefully as she did. Near the top it was almost straight up.

Just as I was starting to pull myself up over the top of the rocks she popped her pretty little head back over the edge and kissed me on the forehead. I liked to have lost my grip. With a wicked little laugh she was off and running again. Getting my thoughts and composure back, I pulled myself up over the edge and started after her. Once again I was gaining on her, whether she was tiring or purposely letting me gain on her I don't know, but I do know it was a great motivater to keep after her. Soon we came to a wide shallow stream. She actually danced acrossed the water, almost on tiptoes, and over to the other side. I hit the stream like a thundering bull, water arching on both sides of me for ten feet. The water was only ankle to mid-calf deep but some how I managed to trip and fall, this time spread-eagled, face down. I laid there for a moment, stunned. I raised up on my hands and looked at my elusive woodland beauty on the edge of the bank.

There she was, squatted down on her heals, knees apart. There was a look of concern in her eyes, as she looked to see if I was all right. The sight of her just about made me lose my mind. I eased myself up onto my feet and did a quick check to see if everything was still okay and working. Seeing that I was fine, my little tree sprite turned her back to me and wiggled her bottom, then sprinted up the hill. Just ahead of her was the most magnificent tree I think I have ever seen. It towered at least a hundred feet high, the top full and wonderfully shaped. At that moment I realized that this was her tree, the place where she lived and the thing she cherished most. If she got to it before I could catch her I would lose my chance to be with her. I started running with every ounce of strength I had left, but alas it just wasn't enough, her lead was too great. As she reached her tree she turned around. Knowing that I had lost this chance I stopped just six feet away from her. She arched her back against the trunk and raised her arms up over her head and around the tree. She then gave me the most seductive look I think I have ever seen on a beautiful woman and then lovingly she winked at me. The next thing I saw startled me. She actually faded into the tree. Dumbfounded I stumbled up to the tree. "You Brat!", I heard myself shout. Then in a soft whisper, " You brat", I said with my lips lightly brushing the trunk of the tree. And then from inside the tree I heard a soft loving giggle.