The Whispering Flames
Little Sita stood very still. Her eyes, wide like shiny pebbles, watched the sacred fire pit. Orange flames licked the air, dancing high. Chanting priests wore long robes, their voices a soft rumble. Sweet sandalwood smoke tickled Sita's nose. Bright marigold garlands hung everywhere, smelling like sunshine. Sita felt a little flutter in her tummy. She had heard stories that the fire knew true hearts. She wanted to show everyone her heart was true and kind, like a warm hug. A big drum began to thump, thump, thump, making her toes wiggle. The head priest nodded his head slowly towards the fire. It was almost time for her brave walk. Sita took a very deep breath, her small hands clutching the edge of her simple white dress. Her heart went bump-bump-bump like the drum. She wanted to show them all how brave she was and that her heart was pure. The air felt warm on her cheeks as she took her first tiny step forward. What would the dancing flames do when she got closer?
The First Touch
Sita stood at the edge, her toes almost touching the hot air. The flames roared softly, like many tiny tigers purring. She could feel the heat on her skin, warm and tickly. The chanting priests hummed a little louder, their eyes on her. Sita looked at the bright orange and yellow fire. It looked so big, like a giant, playful flower. She remembered her grandma telling her to be brave like a lion. So, with a tiny wobble, Sita lifted her foot. Her small sandal hovered just above the dancing flames. A tiny bead of sweat rolled down her forehead. She thought about all the kind things she had done: sharing her berries, helping a bird with a broken wing. Her heart felt so full of goodness. She closed her eyes for just a second, then gently, very gently, placed her foot down. She expected a big WOOSH of heat, but something else happened. The air around her foot shimmered strangely. The roaring sound of the flames seemed to quiet down a little, like they were holding their breath. What was this strange feeling around her foot?
A Misty Surprise
The cool feeling tickled Sita's toes, then her ankle, and slowly crept up her leg. Her eyes popped open wide. The bright orange flames right where her foot touched were not orange anymore! They were turning a soft, pale blue, like the sky just before morning. Then, WHOOSH! A wisp of white, cool mist curled up around her small foot. It smelled fresh, like a gentle rain after a long, sunny day. Sita giggled, a tiny sound like little bells. The priests stopped chanting mid-song. Their mouths hung open a little, their eyes as wide as Sita’s. The heavy sandalwood smoke seemed to dance faster around the suddenly cool blue glow. Sita took another brave step. The same thing happened! Blue light, then cool, refreshing mist puffed up from the fiery coals. Each tiny step made more mist, like walking on soft, cool clouds. The air around the pit grew damp and fresh, making the marigold garlands look even brighter. Sita felt like she was walking on a rainbow, but it was all cool and soft. She looked back at the amazed priests. What would they do now that the fire was turning into a cool, blue cloud?
