On the edge of a large old forest there lived a farmer and his wife and their two children, Jordan and Maria. For seven years there had been very little rain and the farm was not doing well. The animals were thin and sickly and the fields were dry and barren. When it came time to go to market and sell their goods, they had little to take, and returned home with only enough money to buy food for one more week.
One evening after a meager meal of stale bread and water, they sat around the fire to talk.
“We are down to our last pennies,” said the father, “and the land will produce no more crops until the rains come. I don’t know what to do.”
They all sat there feeling very sad. The one thing they all agreed upon was that the family would stay together. They would help each other and find a way to get through this most difficult of times.
The next day, Jordan and Maria decided to take a walk in the forest. They both felt very sad, but walking through the beautiful old trees always made them feel better. The birds began chirping cheerfully as they passed, as if to say, “Don’t worry — be happy! Life is beautiful!” They noticed the squirrels and chipmunks scampering skillfully from tree to tree, playing games of tag. Their comical antics prompted a much needed fit of the giggles in the children as they held their sides and rolled in the soft green moss and fallen leaves that littered the forest floor.
On hot summer days, sitting in the cool shade of the thick forest canopy had always been a favorite pastime for Jordan and Maria. After finishing their early morning chores on the farm and helping their mother get the midday meal started, they frequently took the opportunity to go to their favorite place for a few minutes. It was magical indeed. There was a small pond with a seasonal assortment of birds who would stop to drink, sing a sweet song, and eat a few berries. Jordan had a special fondness for his feathered friends and he always kept a small journal and pencil with him to try and capture each one’s unique appearance. His book was filled with drawings of all kinds of interesting things he saw in the woods, not just birds.
Maria also loved the birds. She would spend hours trying to imitate the unique song of each one. There were times when Maria was sure she could understand what the birds were saying.
Jordan and Maria sat in the woods watching the animals go about their daily routine of gathering food, finding shelter and, of course, playing. They loved to watch the graceful deer nimbly pick their way through the dense manzanita bushes that grew at the base of the tall pine and spreading oak trees. Gently the doe would nibble at the manzanita berries, and show her fawn how to do the same. Then they would find a tender young tree and nibble some bark before taking a drink from the crystal clear stream that ran through the woods. All of the creatures seemed to lead such a carefree life in the forest, where everything they needed was right there.
In the twinkling of an eye, Maria had an idea that might save her family. She turned to Jordan and said, “If the animals of the forest can survive by eating berries and nuts, well, maybe we can, too!” She was so excited! She was sure she had found the answer to her family’s problem.
Being older and more cautious by nature, Jordan asked, “But how will we know which ones to pick? What if some of the plants or berries are poisonous and we get sick?”
“Silly boy!” taunted Maria, “all we have to do is watch and learn from the animals! We’ll eat what they eat, and surely we won’t get sick.”
It sounded reasonable to Jordan, so they ran home to get their baskets and tell Mother and Father the good news.
“You expect us to eat bark and berries?” Mother asked after Maria told her of the wonderful idea. “Don’t you know that these things can make people sick? Why, some plants are very poisonous and can kill you if you eat them. Acorns are good for squirrels, but impossible for people to eat. I think it is a silly idea and I don’t think you should waste your time collecting things we can’t eat. We have only enough grain left for one more meal. I just don’t know what we will do after that.” Mother was crying as Maria kissed her gently. Maria then snatched two handmade baskets from the rafter where they hung above her bed. With Jordan close behind, Maria ran into the woods to gather wild edible plants so her family wouldn’t starve. Even if Mother didn’t think the food would be good, Maria knew in her heart just what she must do.
All that afternoon, Jordan and Maria watched the animals as they ate the berries, nuts and seeds. They collected the same ones, being careful not to take more than they needed and to leave plenty for their animal friends. Deeper and deeper into the forest they went in search of food. At one point, Jordan asked, “Maria, do you know where we are? It seems we are lost.”
Maria, being very sure of herself, said, “We’ll find our way back, don’t worry, brother dear. Oh, look! There are lots of acorns and pine nuts!” and off she went.
It must have been several hours before the children felt they had enough to take home for a meal. But they had lost track of the time and suddenly realized the daylight was almost gone and they really had no idea where they were.
“We are lost and it is almost dark,” cried Maria. “I’m scared, Jordan. What are we going to do?”
After a quick moment, Jordan said, “Why, we can do what the animals do at night. If they are safe here in the deep woods, then we will be, too. I can make a small fire, and we’ll make a bed of pine needles and leaves and grass. We’ll find our way home in the morning.”
“And we can eat some of the things we collected today, for our meal!” said Maria, suddenly forgetting her fear. The thought of spending the night in the woods with her animal friends excited her.
Jordan made a little fire for warmth and they both collected soft fallen pine branches and dried leaves to make their beds for the night. Then they sat down to eat the goodies they had found in the forest that day. The berries were sweet and juicy and the nuts were tasty, but the acorns were impossible to chew. The children ate until they were satisfied, then fell fast asleep in their beds made of gifts from the forest floor. They slept soundly for most of the night, but as the sun rose, Maria suddenly awoke with a terrible stomach ache. “Jordan, are you awake? I feel terrible!” moaned Maria.
“Me, too,” cried Jordan.
“What could make my tummy hurt so badly?” Maria wondered.
“Do you think it was the food we ate last night?” asked Jordan, holding his stomach as he leaned forward.
“I don’t know, the animals eat it and they don’t get tummy aches,” said Maria. “Ooooohhhhhh, I wish Mother was here. She would know what to do.”
“We are really in trouble now. Here we are, sick and lost in the forest!” Jordan complained. “What are we going to do?”
“I think we should try to find our way home, Jordan,” Maria suggested.
So the brother and sister gathered up their things and slowly started walking in the direction they thought would lead them home.
Soon they came upon a stream and decided to follow it. After a while, Jordan spotted something. “Look, Maria, off in that clearing! It looks like a cottage!”
“Who would live way out here in the middle of the woods? Maybe it’s a witch or an evil sorcerer who bakes little kids into statues! Look at that huge oven next to the cottage!” exclaimed Maria.
Cautiously they approached the charming little cottage with its beautiful garden filled with all kinds of flowers and plants.
As they neared the edge of the clearing, an old woman’s voice called out;
Acorns and rosehips
Biscuits and brew
Things from the earth
I offer to you.
Jordan and Maria looked at each other and shrugged. Just then the old woman appeared in the doorway.
“Hello, children!” greeted the crone in a kind voice. “Are you lost?”
“Lost and sick, too!” Jordan blurted out. “Who are you?”
“My name is Alexandra. And who might you be?” she asked.
“I’m Jordan and this is my sister, Maria. We went into the forest yesterday to gather wild things to eat because our family has no money to buy food, and we got lost. Then we slept in the forest last night and woke up this morning with bad tummy aches. I think it was something we ate.”
“Well, show me what you ate and maybe I can brew up a tea that will make you feel better.” Alexandra reached for the basket that Maria offered to her. “Ah, yes. I know just what will help you to feel better. See that little plant at the corner of the house? Pick ten of the most tender leaves and bring them into the kitchen. We’ll make mint tea for you.”
Soon the three new friends were sitting around a table sipping tea and enjoying the most delicious cakes the children had ever eaten. The children were already feeling much better and felt so lucky to have found this kind old woman in the middle of the forest. As they visited, they asked Alexandra what she did all alone so far from town. She told them that she enjoyed the woods and loved to prepare good things to eat from its berries, nuts and seeds. When she heard about their situation, she agreed to share her great wisdom with them so they could go back and help their family to survive. She showed them how to make the delicious little cakes they had eaten, called Johnny Cakes, from acorns prepared in a special way. She had recipes for delicious soups, breads, and even desserts that could be made from the gifts of the earth. She took them out to locate the things they needed, and then she showed them her huge oven. It was built from red clay bricks and had an enormous iron door shaped like a huge “D.” It had a large wooden handle and creaked when it opened on its huge iron hinges. Alexandra showed them how she built the fire below and let it get to just the right temperature before putting the raw cakes and breads inside to bake. The children were fascinated and learned quickly.
Soon it was time to make their way home. Alexandra told them to follow the stream until it forked. At the fork, Jordan and Maria were to walk in the direction of the sun until they came to a large, very old oak tree. The lowest branch pointed in the direction of a path. That was the path that would take them home.
They said fond farewells and promised to return to visit Alexandra as often as they could. Maria’s basket was stuffed with samples of all the tasty foods they had learned to make and they were anxious to get home to tell their parents the good news. They followed Alexandra’s directions and soon found themselves home. Mother and Father were so happy to see them! They had been very worried when they hadn’t returned from the woods the day before, and had searched the woods all night, without finding the children. Mother hugged and kissed them both. Then Maria showed Mother the goodies in her basket, and they all went in the kitchen to enjoy the treats and hear the story of how Jordan and Maria found a way to save their family from starvation.
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