The Owl Hoots

The reflection of the moon looks so mirror-like in the lake.  It is such a perfect image which can take one's breath away. The trees silhouette against the moonlit night and sway gently in the cool breeze producing very soft rustle that adds more beauty to the surrounding area . Above, surrounded by millions of stars is the round face moon. A full moon; it is the center of attraction!

All is quiet as the clock had struck twelfth. Suddenly an owl hoots. It is so melancholic like the cry of a lover with a broken-heart; piercing through the night and pains the heart that hears it. Such a beautiful night, no one should be sad. But why the owl hoots in a voice so distressful?

What is life without love and when there is love, there exists a  longing to be with a loved one? Dreams are made, dreams are achieved but some dreams are futile. The owl is missing the moon! The hooting has a lot to do with the heart that had been filled with unfulfilled dreams and a tragedy.

Once there lived a very loving couple in a small village near the mountain. Their marriage was strongly opposed by the headman, the girl’s father, however they had carried on with the ceremony. The headman was very mad with his daughter's decision marrying a poor peasant's son. He disowned his daughter and in anger cursed the couple that one day bad omen would befall them.

The couple carried on their daily life as usual without thinking much of what the headman had said. They were such a lovely couple. Little did they know that one day they were going to be separated forever and in a very sad way.

It was so devastating; the whole village cried on seeing the heart-breaking moment. It happened one evening, a sudden gush of wind swept the whole village and everyone was terrified. The wind howled in such an ugly manner and swept the house of the couple. Everything was thrown into pieces. The couple hugged each other tightly but the wind was too strong for them to fight back.  In a blink of an eye, the wind blew hard on them and they could not hold on any longer; the girl was blown upwards to the sky while the man was carried by the wind into the forest of the mountain. 

The cries of the girl and man was so heart-wrenching; a midst the wind they called out each others' names and said how much their love was and would be together again one day. But strange things happened when the girl reached the clouds; she felt that she had changed into something which she did not have any idea of. She felt her body curled up and became round. Her fair skin illuminated in the evening sky. She looked down at the devastated home she shared once with her beloved husband.  Her husband was no where to be seen. Strange feeling crept into her; she felt that she could not stretch out her hands nor move her legs. Everything seemed to be tied up round. She looked at herself;  her whole body was round and her face was round as well! Tears streamed down her cheeks and in a very shrieking voice, she cried, "Father, how could you punish me this way? You have torn apart two hearts that bloomed with love. You are so heartless, father!" 

Meanwhile, deep in the forest of the mountain, the girl's husband landed on a tall tree. He was unconscious and when he woke up hours later, he was very surprised to see feathers on his body. He could not believe what had happened. He was searching for his wife but in vain. He called out her name but instead he heard himself hooted in the middle of the night. His voice rang out through the forest. He looked at himself again and could not stop figuring out what had he transformed to.  He called out for help in  a voice that seemed to sigh. All he could hear was, "Ooh! Ooh!". 

Out of no where, he heard the spirit of the forest saying, "Stop sighing, young man. Be grateful that you are still alive and  you are an owl!"

His whole body frozen and he would had been dead if not for the thought of his beloved wife.

In a shaky voice, he asked the spirit, "Where is my wife?"

"She isn't far away. Look up above you, among those clouds, there she rests waiting for you to call out her name," answered the spirit.

His heart shrank and he just could not help crying bitterly.  As the nature of the owl, he hooted and broke the silence of the night. The couple looked sadly at each other from afar. Though distance and fate had separated them, their love was still strong and they were faithful waiting for each other's presence. 

Every time when there is a full moon, we can hear the owl hoots which sounds so melancholic and we will understand why.

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