The White Stag

Snow drifts slowly to the ground. It creates a blanket of silvery white

Soft are the colors in the sky, not a harsh gray of the dead of winter

No, the colors are almost pastel and ever changing

There are no sounds, for most of the forest creatures' sleep

They dream of warmer days and abundant food

All but a few slumber, and one of those few is the White Stag

Its brilliant albino coat tinted with tones of flesh and pale pink

about the ears and nose make it a beautiful sight to behold

It moves quietly through the dead trees, nibbling here or there,

wherever it can find moss or a lone leaf. Its great rack crowns its

magnificent head as well as two deep black eyes. It was so beautiful,

so swift, so dangerously alluring. No man has ever caught him

No man has lived through the chase

No dog has ever cornered him, no beast ever could

Such a prize was he that even the Goddess of the Hunt,

Diana, was enthralled. So she took up her bow and arrows,

called to her sleek gray hounds and journeyed down to earth

She came prepared to hunt this illusive creature,

her heart pounding with the thrill of the chase

Hounds at heel, she leapt through the drifts of snow and fallen trees

She danced across the blanket of white as if her feet had wings

The hounds caught the scent and with a glance at their mistress,

and a wave of her hand, they were off

The sounds of the hunt grew louder as the pack of unearthly dogs

entered the grove where the White Stag grazed

At one end of the grove stood the stag, at the other, Diana

So impressed was she with this beast that she swore aloud

she would not use her goddess powers to hunt it

She would challenge it on its own ground

The beast seemed to nod, and then leapt off with a bound

"Away!" cried Diana and her hounds bayed for the chase,

the goddess following close behind

then it became a dance

a dance with death

Diana knew that the beast would grow tired

and were she not a goddess, so would she

So in all fairness she stopped awhile and called her hounds to do the same

" 'Tis not fair," she cried out so the beast would hear her

"There are some things that even I cannot control

So we shall give the beast an even chance,"

she said as she stroked a nuzzling hound. Time elapsed slowly

The beast stood at a great distance but was still in sight

She marveled at it. Its breath came out in great puffs as it hit the chilled air

Even some moisture froze a bit on its chin. It bellowed, raising its head up high

"How magnificent," thought Diana. Again the chase was on

she stood poised and ready, then she let a bolt fly

A horrible cry struck the air. She had missed!

She wounded the beast, and now its pain gave it inner strength

It whirled off leaving a track of blood. "Nooooo!" she cursed aloud

The dogs instantly followed the stag. "How can this be?"

Diana questioned aloud. But her query was left unanswered,

and her quarry was getting away. She gathered herself and dashed off after it

It was an easy track since the beast bled profusely. She cursed to herself

She had never wounded any animal before, never let it suffer

Soon she found the stag

Her hounds had it trapped in a thicket

The beast was kneeling, its breath was uneven

It struggled to regain its footing but to no avail. The beast stared in amazement

Never before had it been bested. Diana felt ill

This glorious animal was not meant to be run down

It was a creature of mystery, of fantasy. She realized this now

She raised her bow again, and as a bolt flew a tear flowed

The snow stag's pain ended

Diana's just began

She went to one knee and bowed her head

Then she raised her voice up to Hera, the All-Mother, and called for her aid

As Hera appeared, Diana stood up

"Great Mother look what I have done. I've made a grave mistake,"

she said shaking her head

"How could you! You, a goddess with such love for beasts do such a thing?" asked Hera

"I know not! The beast's beauty bewitched me and I forgot myself totally," Diana cried in shame

"I cannot help you my dear, if you seek penance

Call on Vespa, the goddess of animals. Though Vespa may either condemn or aid thee."

With that, Hera disappeared

Diana called upon Vespa as Hera advised

When the goddess appeared, the pack of hounds went to her

Being the protector of all animals, and often revered as Earth-Mother

she instantly drew these beasts to her

"Vespa forgive me," whispered a lamenting Diana

Vespa stood horrified

"How?" was all she said, pointing at the bloody beast

"How could you?" she said now with anger

Diana threw down her bow

"I make this vow to you and this beast

If you restore its life I will serve its cause for ever more."

"Serve its cause?" questioned Vespa.

"Yes. Restore this magnificent beast and I will hunt those who hunt it!

I will turn them into stags themselves. I will protect this animal forever,

and I will take it as my symbol along with the moon

Give the forests back this great prize and I shall forever swear to ne'er hunt such beasts again."

"So be it!" said Vespa

and with a flash of light the beast was restored to life

and a pact sealed forever

And now on cold winter nights

when the moon be full

a snow-white stag can be seen racing like the winds

Beside it strides a woman with a bow

Bound together, forever

Forever.