There is jewel, perhaps you’ve seen one. Simple enough in appearance, really... a small roundish drop of crystal that can easily be mistaken for glass. Some are clear, others have strange distortions within them, and they appear in every color of the rainbow. If you should come to acquire one, then you may consider yourself blessed indeed, for these are the sacred Dragon Tears.

They cannot be bought – to purchase one is possible, of course, but the act of buying renders you merely the vehicle for the Tear’s ultimate arrival into the hand of its true owner. If you find one (or better yet receive one as a gift), you have received a blessing from the very Earth herself.

This is the tale of how the Dragon Tears came to be.

Long ago, before humanity had decided to share in the dwelling of the Earth, the land was a place of wonder. The grasses would whisper songs in the morning breeze, the rains would fall as liquid diamonds and sapphires, and mountains danced much more quickly than they do today. The world was an abundant place, indulging in quite literally every whim and wondering of Life... Griffins soared, bandersnatches mumbled, and Faery-kin cavorted amid the webs of shimmer-spiders (who were weaving silk robes for the Goblin King). Imagine every wonder of plant and beast and you will hold in your mind but a shadow of the magnificence that was (and may yet be again).

Of all the amazing creatures that walked, flew, or shambled in this time, the most amazing of all were the Dragons. Their magic was legendary even then, and they were the keepers of tales and the advisors to the Faery Lords, Desert Efreet, and Mountain Gnomes who ruled the many lands. Their songs could bring peace and joy to the cruelest heart, and their tale-weaving was so intricate that often the stories they made up became true!

The Dragons loved the earth more than anything else in all Creation. The shimmering deserts, the surging sea, the mysterious forests, and noble mountain peaks were sacred and glorious places and they every day they would sing their songs of love and devotion to the land.

Every year, the Dragons would gather at a grand tower high in the great EarthHeart Mountains. It was always a splendid event, filled with music and rare foods and entertainment from the finest performers. Every Dragon in the land would gather in their finest silks and brightest jewels to celebrate and make plans for the coming turn of the seasons.

One year, during the opening reception feast, a radiant Crimson Dragon from the Flaming Desert rose from her seat and addressed her kinsfolk.

"Brothers and Sisters!" she called joyously, "I have brought with me a blessing from the shining deserts to share with you. The Earth has always been our greatest love and our deepest joy. She sustains, delights and inspires us always. But always have we been separate from her, embracing her but never truly joined to her. For years I have watched her in her glory and I have had an inspiration. We hold the greatest magics the world has ever seen. Let us use that gift and join the Earth!"

An excited murmur rippled through the gathered Dragons. "Will she accept us?" called the Storm Dragons. "She accepts all," replied the Crimson Dragon, "for she is the keeper of all things." Another asked, "Will we loose our magic?" "How can we?" countered the Crimson Lady. "Is not the magic that turns the seasons the greatest magic of all?"

For the rest of the week-long gathering, the Dragon-kin discussed and pondered the Crimson Dragon’s proposal. There were a few doubts and one or two petty fears, but on the whole the entire Dragon population was aflame with the prospect of finally joining the Mother Earth in a union never before seen in the world.

At the end of the Gathering time, the Dragon King announced that the sacred union of Dragon and Earth would occur on the morning of High Summer that very year in the Vale of the Seven Trees. Each Dragon was charged with composing the most exquisite song they could in praise of the Earth to honor her and fuel the magic of the great Making.

High Summer’s eve came swiftly and once more the Dragons gathered in the Vale. The Vale of the Seven Trees was a place of great beauty, for it was said that here the Earth’s heart was nearest. Seven trees grew there, their majestic branches spread wide and mingling with one other to form an arching canopy of leaves. The scent of seven different blooms and the tang of seven different fruits mingled in the air like wine on a breeze.

A hush fell over the assembled Dragons. Then, a single sweet voice began the song. Soon another joined, and then another. Harmony over harmony, verse over verse, the symphony of love and devotion swelled, sending ripples through every branch and twig of the seven sacred trees. And from there, the whole world echoed the song. In the distant deserts and high mountains, deep in the oceans, and high in the clouds, the song of the Dragons pulsed. The Jewel-Feather swans took flight, the Shadow Wolves howled in chorus, and the Rock Giants beat their great drums in unison. Every creature of water, earth, sky, and fire danced and sang to the tune carried to them by the Earth’s Heart.

In the Vale, the Dragons had gone blind with tears of joy and the radiance of the magic they wove. Their love was given voice at last in the highest and truest form they knew. A great light rose out of the earth and embraced each one. Thunder rolled and the sky opened to the tears of the Earth as she welcomed the invitation of her dearest children.

At last the song was finished. When the singers awoke to themselves once more, they beheld a wonder. Each of them had been transformed into the form of the Earth they loved most. Those that loved the sky and clouds had become thin and light, with gossamer wings and glistening sapphire scales. The forest loving drakes had grown slender; their eyes were dark emeralds in the fading light. The Dragons of the mountains were stout and thick, their voices becoming the shifting stone.

A great cheer arose as the Dragons celebrated their achievement. The Earth had accepted them into her breast and at last they could each dwell in her heart and share the joy of her beauty.

But one Dragon stood alone, weeping quietly in the shadow of the indigo tree.

"Why do you weep, brother?" they all asked him.

"I weep for us," replied the Dragon, whose name was S’yndal, the Dragon of Dreams. "We have indeed achieved a wonder this day. We are truly of the earth now and share her blessings and her magic. There is joy in my heart, but sadness as well. For soon humanity shall come into the world. And their magic is greater than ours."

"We shall welcome them," said the other Dragons. "The Earth welcomes all creatures and is home to all Life."

"Indeed," said S’yndal, "We shall welcome them and they shall work their magic. Humans are a wondrous race and have many gifts, but they also have one other quality... they forget. They shall come and join us and then we too shall forget."

The other Dragons laughed at such a prospect, chiding S’yndal for needless worry. But indeed, humanity came unto the Earth, and the Earth welcomed them and taught them the ways of life and living. And humanity took the learning and made wonders with it. And then humanity forgot the source of the Earth’s teachings. They forgot their heritage, the source of their magic.

And as humanity forgot, so too did the Dragons. One by one they removed themselves from the Earth, forgetting their love and the promise of unity they once had. They moved into high remote caves or deep in the forest or under the sea where no one could see them in their loneliness.

But every once in long while, a Dragon will come to a river to wash. And as they stand over the flowing waters, they see their reflection...

...and they remember.

And in the remembering they weep at the beauty of what once was. Their tears strike the rushing waters and instantly crystallize. As these crystal tears roll across the riverbed, they become worn and smooth. When the waters slow, the tears settle to be found by wanderers and gathered up.

To receive a Dragon Tear is to receive a blessing of the Earth, a reminder of the beauty and magic that once was...and may yet be again.

© copyright 2000 David Robison
All Rights Reserved