Winter Solstice Deer Mother

It was the darkest, longest night of the coldest harshest winter (in the Northern hemisphere); the winter solstice. All the creatures of the forest were usually underground keeping themselves warm inside the earth. But it was so cold that the earth, and even the water, had frozen solid. All the animals had come out from hibernation and huddled together in a glade to keep warm. Among the smaller creatures that were all on the outer edges of the huddle, one pushed through to the center where there was the Great Bear. The one who had burroughed through was the fox who said to the Great Bear, “Something must be done. The small creatures on the edge of the huddle will not make it through the night, as they are too small and too weak to survive this cold night.” The Great Bear agreed and spoke to the others, “Someone must travel to the southern isles and bring back the sun and break this winter. Who will volunteer to do this?” Fox said, “One who goes must travel fast, be able to cover long distances, have a courageous heart, and be able to bring the sun back. Perhaps a bird?” Fox called to the raven, and the raven said, “yes, we can fly, but alas we are too weak to carry the sun and it will burn our feathers.” The Great Bear asked once more, “Who can go and bring back the sun?” The silence was broken, and then approached a majestic creature with velvety antlers that reached skyward. The reindeer said to the bear, “I will go.” “Yes,” said Fox, “you will go! You have a courageous heart, and can travel long distances quickly. But how will you bring back the sun?” The reindeer lowered its head. “These antlers are perfect for bringing back the sun,” it said. And the Great Bear proclaimed, “brother reindeer, you have my blessing!” The reindeer looked wide eyed at the bear. “Oh Great Bear, do you not know anything about the herds of the reindeer? “In the winter, the brother reindeer shed their antlers. I am not brother reindeer, but mother reindeer.” And with that, she turned and began her journey into the dark cold night. The southern isles were so far away that the journey could take days and days. On and on she went when off in the distance she heard something in the forest. She walked into a clearing where she saw the Holly King: a big burly man with a white beard, dressed in a green cloak made from the plants of the forest and carrying with him a sack. He bent down on one knee and said to the reindeer mother, “What are you doing in the forest at this time of year?” to which she responded by stating her mission to bring back the sun. “Reindeer,” said the Holly King, “that journey to the southern isles will surely take you weeks. If you are to save the forest creatures, you must go faster. Let me help you, for I know the magic of the forest.” He reached into his sack and out he pulled a mushroom with a big red head, covered in white spots. “Eat this mushroom and you will have the magic of the forest.” And the reindeer mother ate the mushroom, thanked the Holly King and was on her way. This time, as she ran faster and faster, she went skyward and began to fly over the treetops. She headed southward until on the horizon she could see the sun. And she said to the sun, “Sun, please return with me to the northern lands. This winter has been so cold and this night so long. If you do not come back soon I am sure we will perish.” “But I am tired,” said the sun. “I have spent the past 6 months warming the southern lands and I do not have the energy to move so quickly.” The mother reindeer lowered her head. “Climb into my antlers and I will carry you north.” The sun obliged, and as quickly as she had gone south, the reindeer mother turned and flew north back to the forest with the sun in her antlers. The light of the sun began to break the darkness and a beautiful sunrise appeared in the northern forest and warmed the northern lands. And all was well.

**Fun Fact - of all deer species, ONLY the REINDEER female grow antlers 🤗

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