The School Without Walls

Have you ever seen a cow climb a tree?

No cow would climb a tree unless it was the right tree. No cow would consider climbing just any tree.

******

Once upon a time, there was a black cow named Horace. She was named by a young boy who loved her and so she loved her name. But because her name was Horace, she feared that no bull would ever ask her out, though admittedly she had never let any bull get to know her.

The little boy, whose name was Nakoa, visited Horace every day on his way home from school. Often when Nakoa went to sleep – and when Horace went to sleep, the two met each other in the real time of dreams. This is the way it is with friends.

One day in this dream world, Nakoa and Horace came upon three trees. The first tree was a koa tree. It had been planted by Nakoa’s ancestors and it climbed high into the sky, farther than Nakoa could see. Nakoa knew – this was his tree and he climbed it.

The second tree had flat branches as wide as an endless road and on it grew great branches of corn, hay, barley, beet pulp, grass and wheat. Horace knew this was her tree but she wondered was it safe enough, would it carry her weight, would she still be able to see Nakoa from her tree? She watched Nakoa climb his tree, easily shifting from branch to branch like a monkey.

Nakoa waved to Horace. “Let’s go!” “It’s easy!”

Horace began to shake. She was afraid. She turned and looked towards the third tree. To her surprise she saw a tall, dark and handsome bull. He was on the third branch of his tree. He called to Horace, “Hola! My name is Sí.”

Horace woke up.

For the next few days, Horace did not dream. The third night when Horace dreamed she stood beneath Nakoa’s tree. “Where have you been, Horace?” Horace put her hooves on Nakoa’s tree but she could not climb. “You can’t climb my tree, Horace. You have to climb your own.”

Sad, Horace turned and walked slowly towards her tree. From the third tree, Sí called out, “Hey chica! Don’t you want to know me?”

Horace looked at Sí with a surprise longing. She walked towards Sí’s tree.

“You can’t climb my tree,” Sí said. ”You have to climb your own.”

Even though the steps were easy, Horace did not know how to climb her tree.

From over the hill, a black and white dog heeled her sheep through the gates. Sí called out, “Hello Love! Que pasa?”

“I’m just doing my thing, just herding my sheep.”

Nakoa called from his tree, “Love! I think you have another sheep here.”

Love came down the hill and stood before Horace. “My, what a beautiful tree you have. Are you going to climb it?”

Horace cried and cried. “I don’t know how,” she said.

“Yes you do. In this tree is your innate magic. It is not to be feared it is to be loved and embraced.”

Horace was shaking now and the tree shook with her. To her surprise, Horace felt the shaking of her tree.

With a great comforting sound, the tree extended her branches to Horace.

Horace turned to Love. “Will you come with me?”

“I’ve been waiting for you to ask.” And together the herding dog and the shy cow walked to the Horace tree of magic.

Sí looked towards the beautiful black cow. “I’ll be waiting for you ‘mi querida.’”

Nakoa climbed his tree even higher and jumped for joy.

******

Yes! Cows can climb trees, when it is their tree. Are you ready to climb your tree?

Julia Carmen, Curadora de Alma

Within us there is innate magic.

The little boy loved Horace who knew her and loved her would have told her that any bull would be proud to know her. But Horace had never really taken the time to look into herself.