Too Bright, Too Dark

Once upon a time, a little wooden sauna stood beside a quiet lake. Lilja lived in the cottage up the hill with Granny Jane.

One evening Granny Jane gave Lilja a lantern and a basket of birch logs. "You and Silas the Sheep must warm the sauna tonight," she said.

Silas the Sheep was already waiting on the low bench. His thick wool was falling off in soft white tufts.

Lilja lit the fire and hung the lantern from a hook. Warm yellow light filled every corner.

Silas closed his eyes tight. "Too bright, too bright," said Silas.

"I need the light to find the bucket," said Lilja.

Silas tucked his nose under his front hoof. He liked to sit in the dim and count the drips from the roof.

Lilja ladled water onto the hot stones. Hiss went the water on the stones.

Then she moved the lantern to the far corner, behind the woodpile. Only a little light stayed.

Silas peeped out with one eye. "Too bright, too bright," said Silas.

So Lilja carried the lantern outside and set it on the step. Now only a thin gold line glowed under the door.

Silas sighed a long sheep sigh and counted the drips. One, two, three, plip, plip, plip.

But now Lilja could not see the bucket. She patted the bench and patted the floor, and her fingers found only a log.

"Too dark, too dark," said Lilja.

She sat very still and hummed a low song. The steam drifted around her like a slow grey cat.

Near her hand lay a soft tuft of Silas's wool. It was so pale that even in the dim she could see it.

Lilja gathered the tufts from the bench, one and then another. She tied one on the bucket handle and one on the ladle.

Now the bucket shone like a small white moon. The ladle shone beside it.

Lilja dipped the ladle and poured. Hiss went the water on the stones.

"Is it dark enough for you?" asked Lilja.

"Just right," said Silas.

"And can you see?" asked Silas.

"Just right," said Lilja.

They sat and counted the drips together. The warm steam curled, and the lake lapped softly outside.

When the fire burned low, Lilja carried the lantern back up the hill. Silas trotted behind her through the cool grass.

At the cottage door, Silas rubbed his woolly side against the gatepost. He left a soft white tuft there, just at Lilja's height.

"Get well and strong very soon, Lilja," said Silas.

And that is the end of that.