The Green Man

The Green Man story represents a return to nature. I have created my own version of the story based on one told to me by a storyteller, as is normal in the oral story telling community. Feel free to take the main points of this tale and use them to create your own Green Man story.

It was a long an arduous journey across very difficult terrain. On horseback I travelled many miles in the searing heat of the summer sun and to cut my journey short decided to travel through the great forest. There were many myths about this forest and most people avoid it, fearing that they may become lost or pixie led. It was however the quickest route and would cut down my travel time by a whole day. So it was with some trepidation and some excitement I drew into the forest along a small track.

The track seemed to be well travelled at first, but quickly became quite overgrown. I began to doubt whether or not to proceed, but decided not to turn back. It was nearing noon and the sun was radiating with its full midsummer heat. I had travelled a long way and was thirsty and hot. My clothes clung to me with sweat and even my horse was beginning to flag. After some time to my delight I found a river. This river was flowing with fresh water and had luscious vegetation growing along its banks. I guided my horse downstream until I found a wonderful pool of water next to a cascading waterfall. At last I could rest!

I tied my horse to a tree by the river and we both drank greedily from the fresh water we had so fortuitously found. It was the middle of nowhere, so I decided to strip off completely, peeling off my sticky clothes and putting them on the riverbank to dry off in the sun. With joy I jumped in the pool and swam, rejoicing in the cool water. I decided to explore a little and swam over to the waterfall, which was very loud and beautiful. I stood under the falls loosing myself in the moment, feeling the joy of the crystal clear water cascading over my tired body. Wandering by the green bank I foraged for some edible mushrooms, wild and tasty. I sat and watched the river, resting my weary body on the grassy bank. The sun was not so high in the sky, so I thought it was time to return to my journey and thanked the river for its refreshment.

As I returned to the pool I was shocked to see no sign of my horse or my clothes. I searched around for a while, thinking I must be lost. Frantically I ran through the forest searching, but to no avail. All I managed to achieve was to get lost, totally. It was now late afternoon and I was in the middle of the great forest, I was tired and frightened and lay naked against a tree.

I must have dozed for a good while, because when I came too it was dusk. The forest became eerie and I was aware of the seriousness of my predicament. I foraged around finding some wild berries to snack on and a few edible mushrooms. I found shelter in a small cave and after the initial shock became resigned to my fate. Perhaps someone would find me.

The next day was beautiful, I felt rejuvenated after spending a night in the forest. There was a slight mist in the trees and my belly told me it was time to find food and water. I spent that morning finding my bearings and by the afternoon could hear the rushing of the river. I ran towards it and jumped in, greedily drinking the fresh water. I also found plenty of food to forage on the banks and sighed in relief, I could survive.

For the next few weeks I stayed close to the river and made a shelter out of branches and leaves. It was simple, but joyful. I found as time went on that the wildlife approached me and accepted me into their home. My friends became the hawk and the deer and I even managed to communicate with them in a primitive way.

Summer did not last long. It was getting colder and colder by the day, the water almost too cold to swim in. My shelter did not seem up to the task of keeping me warm, so I ventured to the cave I found all those weeks ago. Life became more difficult, most of my time was spent foraging for food or walking to and from the river. The days became shorter and colder. The food became scarcer and I began to worry about the onset of winter.

To keep warm I took one last swim in the river and then rolled in the mud, caking my entire body. I found some fallen leaves, as it was now well into autumn, and rolled in them. The sun had enough heat left in it to dry me. I became clothed in the forest and it kept me a little warmer. I gathered leaves for my bed and lived like a wild man.

As food became even more scarce I began to get hungry, eating only a handful of berries each day. I was cold and weak and could not manage my trips backward and forward to the river. I collapsed outside the cave and waited for nature to take me. Then something miraculous happened. A wolf bitch and her cubs had taken residence in a nearby cave and the wolf had become an uneasy friend as we co-existed. The wolf took it on to herself not only to feed her cubs, but to feed me too. I stayed in the cave with the small family for warmth and was brought rabbit, birds, rodents and other small creatures. I slowly regained my strength and watched as the forest became white with snow.
The snow provided me with a source of water and the wolf continued to feed me throughout the winter. I learned to communicate with her using growls and grunts and when the snow had cleared ventured out into the forest again. It was now spring and the sun was beginning to have warmth. I could find mushrooms and as time went on, berries and fruit. Having spent three seasons in this forest I decided I now had my best chance of finding my way back to civilisation.

I journeyed further and further into the forest until one day found a settlement at the edge. I did not want to approach, as I was still clothed in mud and leaves. I feared that they would imprison me. Then, one day, I heard the crying of a little girl, many miles into the forest. I recognised her as one of the people from the settlement and approached her carefully. She was frightened at first, but I won her trust by offering her some wild berries. I led her out of the forest and to the settlement. I often wonder if those people developed a myth about a wild man living in the forest that rescued their child, as from then on they left food offerings at the forest edge. I took them gratefully, cooked food once again was wonderful!

I lived close to the settlement for some time and it drew into summer. The sun was hot again. I decided to venture back to the river and bath in the magical pool by the waterfall. To my amazement there was somebody else swimming. A naked man, a weary traveller. As I got closer I found that he had left his horse tied to a tree and his clothes out to dry, just as I had, all that time ago. I silently put on his clothes and stealthily untied his horse and led it onto the path. When I was clear I rode off, the next green man had arrived to take my place!

Tags: green man, myth, return to nature, storytelling, survival, wilderness