Mouse & the Light

click here to download The Mouse Symphony

The Mouse and the Light

By Lisa Suhay

In the center of the most beautiful garden in the world stood the Tree of Wisdom. From this great tree there grew many branches and leaves. It spread its roots throughout the land.

The tree was a place of comfort. Creatures would often come to it and sit in its shade and feel its great truths.

For many years there was harmony. Then one day a shade from one long, branch decided that it was not happy.

The shade did not wish to give comfort or shelter. It did not like being stretched across the ground beneath the great tree.

"Fools," cried the shade, as it looked at all those who flocked to the Tree of Wisdom. "I know more than any of them. I am not made to serve. I should rule over everything."

And so it was that in pride and hatred the shade tugged and pulled and stretched itself until at last it was able to break its attachment to the great tree.

It became the first shadow.

Instead of using its power to give shade, it created a cold darkness that blinded all those it touched to the truth.

Instead of using its voice to impart great truths to those around it, The Shadow whispered only lies to those around it.

The Shadow crept away from the Tree of Wisdom and drifted far into a barren place where it crawled into a hole in the ground. It sank deep into the earth.

From its place deep in the earth The Shadow grew and plotted. It would wait beneath the surface until a sad or doubting creature came near. Then The Shadow would rise up and overtake the unsuspecting creature and blind it to truth and bend it to its will.

Over many years and many miles the shadow created an underground army. Then the army of The Shadow began to strike without warning bringing fear, sadness and hate to innocent creatures.

"You cannot fight. I will win," it lied in a cold breath.

Some began to hide and fear the very light of day, for they thought that it was the cause of The Shadow.

Others began to hate and fear all the shade of the world, not being able to tell the difference between shade and shadow. They began to believe the cold whispers.

It came to pass that creatures began to feel anger toward all things different from themselves. They even became afraid of their own shadows.

They stayed in their homes. When they went out they didn't go far.

One day a field mouse went to the Tree of Wisdom, shook its small fist and shouted, "How could you create such a terror upon us? Why is this allowed to continue?"

The great tree bowed its huge trunk. It shook and leaves fell like tears. But it did not answer.

Then a voice spoke from all around, "I created light and darkness. I made creatures great and small. To one and all I gave the power to build or destroy, bring joy or pain. One among you has chosen darkness and pain. This is not my wish."

Though dazzled by being in the presence of this great power the Mouse was still angry. "Why do you not stop The Shadow?" cried the Mouse.

"Because I have given that power to those The Shadow harms. The Shadow has grown through the lack of caring in creatures. Now it is your job to stop it," the great voice answered.

The Voice told the mouse how to win.

"You cannot live in fear. Fear only makes The Shadow grow. To be rid of darkness - shine a powerful light of truth. To be rid of cold - bring only warmth wherever you go."

The Mouse answered, "I will go out and tell the others what you taught me. I will remember not to hate, because hate makes The Shadow stronger."

But Mouse worried, "I am only one small being and the shadows are now many. How can I ever hope to succeed?"

Suddenly Mouse was surrounded in a beautiful golden light and warmth, "You will know that as The Shadow began with one small dark being; now the light will grow with you, my small messenger."

So it was that one tiny creature set out into the world. With every kind word and every truth it spoke, the world around it healed. Others joined the mouse and soon the light grew and the shadows faded.

One by one, The Shadow's followers fell before the mouse and the light. The Shadow sank back into its hole in the earth, vanishing like drops of water in the burning sands of time.

##

The Mouse & the Light Quilt

Erin Woods Elementary School, Alberta

Erin Woods Elementary School in the Spotlight

The Mouse and the Light was never published as a conventional book, but has been online on numerous sites since 9-11. It has also travelled the globe through symphony performances, with an original score by Violinist/Composer Eric Chappelle of Seattle, Washington.

I had taken it off this site, until today, when Teacher, Cheryl Zelmer of the Erin Woods Elementary School in Alberta, Canada wrote to tell me about the miraculous journey this mouse fable has taken with her students.

In October 2005, her class was studying Light and Shadow and was also connected with the Children's Global Arts Project (www.childrensglobalarts.ca) and in particular with a class in Deenabunhu, India.

Ms. Zelmer searched the Internet for a story that spoke about Light and Shadow metaphorically to try to reach the children.

She wrote, "My teaching partners (Jeff Belcher and Angie Jones) and I hoped that it might have an impact. Well it did. Not only did the children want to hear the story again and again - it became the inspiration for the artwork we wanted to send to Deenabunhu as a part of our Global Arts connection."

The school worked with a resident film maker and created scripts and eventually a movie. They also created a quilt that told the story in images. Both of these projects are being sent to Deenabunhu as a part of our artwork exchange with them. The film is also going to go to other Global Arts connections. At least 30 out of 52 students worked on the quilt itself - but every student contributed to the actual design.

"Once we had finished piecing it together and appliquaing the pieces - the teachers sewed the initial panels together and a GrandMother (Diane Osberg) put the amazing finishing touches on it," Ms. Zelner wrote.

It was far too impressive a feat to go unheralded by the Mouse's mother. So, this page has now been added to the site in salute to the students and teachers at Erin Woods Elementary School in Calgary, Alberta and the the Children's Global Arts project.

Thank you all for bringing the Mouse and the Light to new places in the world and for reminding me that the light we create never dies. The shadow must surely be shrinking away in the light of your brilliance.

With Love,

Lisa Suhay

Mouse and the Light

Translation into Indonesian provided by

Lily Wibisono of Surabaya, Indonesia

TIKUS DAN CAHAYA

Oleh Lisa Suhay

"Ditulis untuk anak-anak dunia ini yang telah melihat Bayangan. Dengan cerita ini kalian diberi kekuatan cahaya. Pergilah dan bersinarlah."

Di tengah taman yang paling indah di dunia berdirilah Pohon Kebijaksanaan.
Pohon yang besar ini mempunyai banyak cabang dan daun. Akarnya menyebar ke
seluruh negeri.

Pohon ini tempat yang menyejukkan. Banyak mahluk datang dan duduk dalam
bayangannya dan menikmati kebenarannya yang agung.

Selama bertahun-tahun kerukunan hadir. Tetapi suatu hari bayangan dari
sebuah cabang yang panjang merasa bahwa ia tidak bahagia.

Bayangan itu tidak mau memberikan rasa aman atau keteduhan.

"Bodoh," kata si bayangan. "Saya tahu lebih banyak dari mereka semua. Saya
bukan dibuat untuk melayani. Saya harus memerintah di atas segala sesuatu."

Dan demikianlah, dengan kesombongan dan kebencian, bayangan itu menarik dan
meregang dirinya sendiri sampai akhirnya ia dapat melepaskan diri dari pohon
yang besar itu.

Ia menjadi bayangan yang pertama.

Bukannya memakai kemampuannya untuk memberikan keteduhan, bayangan itu
menciptakan kegelapan yang dingin, yang membuat semua yang disentuhnya buta
terhadap kebenaran.

Bukannya memakai suaranya untuk menyampaikan kebenaran yang agung pada semua
di sekitarnya, Bayangan itu hanya membisikkan dusta..

Bayangan itu beringsut pergi dari Pohon Kebijaksanaan dan terdampar jauh ke
suatu tempat gersang, di mana ia merayap masuk ke sebuah lubang di dalam
tanah. Ia masuk dalam-dalam ke perut bumi.

Bayangan itu tumbuh dan membuat rencana jahat. Ia menunggu di bawah
permukaan sampai ada mahluk yang sedih atau yang ragu-ragu datang mendekat.
Kemudian Bayangan itu akan bangkit dan menguasai mahluk yang tidak curiga
itu, membuatnya buta terhadap kebenaran, dan mengikuti kemauannya.

Selama bertahun-tahun dan bermil-mil jauhnya, Bayangan itu mendirikan
tentara bawah tanah.

Kemudian tentara Bayangan mulai menyerang tanpa peringatan untuk membawa
ketakutan, kesedihan dan kebencian pada mahluk-mahluk tak berdosa.

"Kalian tak dapat melawan. Aku akan menang," bohongnya.

Ada mahluk yang mulai bersembunyi dan takut pada cahaya matahari, karena
mereka mengira cahaya itulah yang menyebabkan timbulnya si Bayangan.

Yang lain mulai membenci dan takut pada semua keteduhan dalam dunia, karena
mereka tidak dapat membedakan antara keteduhan dan bayangan.

Akhirnya mahluk-mahluk mulai merasa marah pada semua yang berbeda dari
dirinya sendiri. Mereka bahkan takut pada bayangannya sendiri.

Mereka tinggal di dalam rumahnya masing-masing. Kalau mereka keluar, mereka
tidak pergi jauh.

Suatu hari seekor tikus ladang pergi ke Pohon Kebijaksanaan, mengepalkan
tinjunya yang kecil dan berteriak: "Bagaimana kau dapat menciptakan
ketakutan ini pada kami? Mengapa ini dibiarkan terus? "

Pohon yang agung itu merundukkan batangnya yang besar. Ia bergoncang dan
daun-daunnya berguguran seperti air mata. Tetapi ia tidak menjawab.

Kemudian sebuah suara terdengar dari sekitar: "Aku menciptakan terang dan
gelap. Aku membuat mahluk-mahluk besar dan kecil. Pada masing-masing dan
semuanya kuberikan kemampuan untuk membangun atau merusak, membawa kesukaan
atau rasa sakit. Satu di antara kalian telah memilih kegelapan dan
kesakitan. Ini bukan keinginanku."

Meskipun terpana oleh kehadiran kuasa yang besar ini si Tikus masih tetap
marah. "Mengapa tidak kauhentikan si Bayangan?" teriak Tikus..

"Karena aku telah memberikan kemampuan itu pada semua yang disakiti oleh si
Bayangan. Bayangan itu tumbuh karena kurang kepedulian dalam diri
mahluk-mahluk. Sekarang tugasmulah untuk menghentikannya," jawab suara yang
agung.

Suara itu telah mengatakan pada Tikus bagaimana ia dapat menang.

"Kau tak dapat hidup dalam ketakutan. Ketakutan hanya membuat si Bayangan
tumbuh. Untuk membebaskan diri dari kegelapan - pancarkanlah sinar
kebenaran yang berkuasa. Untuk bebas dari kedinginan - bawalah kehangatan
ke manapun engkau pergi. "

Tikus menjawab: "Aku akan pergi dan menceriterakan pada semua apa yang
kauajarkan padaku. Aku akan ingat untuk tidak membenci, karena kebencian
akan membuat Bayangan lebih kuat.."

Tetapi Tikus kuatir: "Aku hanya satu mahluk kecil dan sekarang ada banyak
bayangan-bayangan. Bagaimana mungkin aku akan berhasil?"

Tiba-tiba Tikus dikelilingi oleh cahaya keemasan yang indah dan kehangatan,
"Engkau tahu bahwa sebagaimana Bayangan mulai sebagai satu mahluk kecil yang
gelap, sekarang cahaya akan tumbuh bersamamu, utusan kecilku."

Begitulah terjadi bahwa satu mahluk kecil maju ke dunia yang luas. Dengan
tiap kata ramah dan tiap kebenaran yang dikatakannya, dunia di sekitarnya
mulai sembuh. Mahluk-mahluk lain mulai bergabung dengan Tikus dan segera
cahaya bertumbuh dan bayangan-bayangan mulai hilang.

Satu demi satu, para pengikut Bayangan jatuh di hadapan si tikus dan cahaya.
Bayangan kembali masuk dalam lubangnya di dalam tanah, lenyap bagaikan
tetesan air dalam pasir yang panas sepanjang masa.

The Mouse and the Light

Peace fable and symphony Suhay/Chappelle