Psyche

Chapter 36

The distance Psyche walked was long. Longer than she had expected and her feet developed blisters that were bleeding. She pressed on, even as the sun went down. She knew the forests likely home to some threatening animals, but she could do nothing about that except carry Brownie and hope she herself was too big to be worth the trouble. Finally, sometime after midnight, she reached the river, which ran clear and strong toward the edge of a cliff. Thanks to the moonlight, she could see the flock of sheep in the distance, their wool glittering as they slept.

Psyche inhaled the night air and sat down next to a tree. She cuddled Brownie to her and closed her eyes, wondering how she was going to retrieve the golden wool. She fell asleep, but she didn't remember her dreams.

She opened her eyes as the sun rose, with light coming through the tops of the trees. She stood up, brushed herself off, and fed Brownie some of the last of the morsels she had with her. She ate an apple for herself, knowing she would be faint if she did not eat something herself.

As she allowed the meager breakfast to settle, she watched as the golden sheep began to stir, moving in the meadow across the river. Several rams were tussling, battering at each other. Psyche sighed. She had no idea how she would retrieve the wool. She'd first need to cross the river, then she'd need to approach animals that would likely trample her.

There had to be a solution, but she was tired and frustrated and hungry and her back hurt and her feet hurt and her heart hurt. Her normally logical mind kept spinning into frustration.

She leaned down and petted Brownie, who looked up at her expectantly.

"You poor thing," she said. "You lived in a palace, and now thanks to my foolishness you may not get another meal for a while."

Psyche felt, for the first time in her life, like a failure. She didn't know what to do. She stepped toward the river, and she looked toward the cliff, toward which the water rushed. There was a waterfall there, just beyond view, which would no doubt take anyone over an ominous drop and, by extension to the underworld. The rushing sound confirmed this, but Psyche still walked nearer to the cliff and saw the blinding white, churning water. Just getting to the golden rams would be dangerous, and then they would likely not let her approach. The ants couldn't help her, either. Brownie stayed at her feet, but the little dog's loyalty couldn't help her.

She took a deep breath, and she walked back to where the river was most narrow, thinking. She kept trying to come up with a solution, but her mind would wander and despair would overtake her.

She walked to the river, and she wondered if it would be better if she just got it all over with. She could jump in the river and she'd be taken to the underworld swiftly. She wouldn't feel so lost and so sad anymore. The guilt wouldn't be tearing her soul apart.

"Psyche..." came a whisper.

She was started, and she looked around. She saw no one.

"Down here," came the whisper again, seemingly from the reeds against the river bank.

"Who is there?" she asked.

"The reeds," came the reply. "Our caretaker is the water sprite that has also cared for you. She wishes us to offer you a solution, but first, you must put aside your despair."

Psyche knelt down and peered into the reeds, which were ordinary looking. Her curiosity began to bubble forth, her despair faded. After all, it wasn't often that such peculiar things happened.

"How do I retrieve the wool without being mauled?" she asked.

"It's simple," replied the reed. "Wait until dusk and the rams are exhausted. Make your way across the river but do not approach the beasts. They have left fleece of the rocks and ground. Gather it while they sleep."

Psyche looked across the river and the rams, who were still locked in ferocious combat. It was so simple. All she needed to do was wait.

"I can't believe I didn't think of it myself," she said. "Thank you."

The reed make a whistling sound. "Your mind was being clouded by despair and exhaustion. Never forget that there are always solutions. They will appear when the fog of despair lifts."

Psyche thanked the reeds again, and then decided to rest for the rest of the day. She sat in the shade of a tree and closed her eyes. She could hear the banging and vocalizing of the sheep, but she still managed to get some rest.

At dawn, she watched as the rams began to sit down to rest. She then carefully forded the narrow river, making sure that the current did not take her. It was chilly water, and her legs were cold and wet, but Psyche didn't let this distract her. Brownie watched quietly from the safe side of the river.

She carefully gathered tufts of the golden fleece, putting them in her bag, before returning to the opposite bank. She then twisted all the golden tufts together into a large mass.

"This will do," she said.

"It certainly will," said a deep, masculine voice.

She looked up to see a handsome, bearded man, with dark hair and curls. She smiled at her. Instinctively, she knew this was a god in disguise. She dropped to her knees.

"Please," he said, reaching out his hand. "There's no need for that. I'm Hermes. I've come to take you to Hades."