Muriel's Tears

Thanks Sky – the story is the heart of this creation, it is absolutely heart stopping and so beuatiful – A wonderful read.

Thanks mcquaid – I am so very glad that you like it.

Thanks Deliriousgirl – This one comes straight from the heart, inspired by another very big heart.

Thanks Yvonne – Glad yo uthink so – I was so determined to get this one right – the story is so good, it cannot be let down.

Thanks Faizan – this one was a little hard with 3d being still quite new too me, but like I said, I was determined.

Thanks Andy – the pain will go soon I am sure – one way or another. I am glad you are going to read the story – you will love it.

Thanks Sky – that is highly appreciated.

Thanks Larry – Erin is the inspiration behind this one – thanks goes to her and her written work.

Thanks Mar – Glad you approve. Did you read the story behind this piece, it explains a lot.

Thanks cdwork – Glad you like it, and glad you agree on the story

Thanks Marvin – Much appreciated and thanks for reading the story too.

thanks Irene – yes its really sad, Glad you like it.

Thanks Hilary – So happy that you like it and its had the desired effect on you

Thanks Catherine. The story is just brilliant and Im glad you liked it and this image.

Thanks Walter – a great compliment from such a brilliant 3D artist as yourself.

Thanks Max – Glad you like it – you will love the story

Thanks David :) Glad you think so

Thanks Sue – I believe that your son was actually standing somewhere around where the large elephant is standing on the right – and of course – you were snapping away at me laying on the floor getting the shot of the tree and pond. Glad you like what I did with this shot.

thanks Tom – glad you like it – hope you like the story that inspired it too.

Thanks Sandy – Yes, the story had that effect on me too, and a lot of other people – Glad you liked my vision to accompany such a beautiful piece of written work.

I am not sure why the story isnt there, but here it is for you to read – it is beautiful.

Once upon a time, deep in the heart of the dark continent, there lived an elephant named Muriel. All elephants are given gifts, and Muriel’s gifts were with words and with memory. Because of the nature of her gifts, she had been assigned a very important task within her herd: she was the chief storyteller. As the chief storyteller, it was her job every night to weave tales from the preceding day’s events to preserve the memories of the herd in a form that would be etched in their hearts as well as their minds. But the job of the chief storyteller wasn’t that simple, as it was also her duty to weave tales to inspire the herd for the new day that followed. Muriel, like all chief storytellers that preceded her, inspired her herd in many different ways. Some nights she told of humorous tales that allowed the elephants to see and learn from the folly of their actions. Some nights she left them in awe of another elephant’s bravery or sacrifice, inspiring them to do greatness in the days that followed. Other nights she told them sorrowful tales of loss that wrenched their hearts and caused them to shed great tears, so that they would be moved to appreciate life and live and love more the next day.
As chief storyteller, Muriel had an even greater gift than those of words and memory: she had a gift of true love. It was widely known amongst the elephants that all chief storytellers must also have a great love, for without a great love the gifts of words and memory fade. Muriel’s love was a big, strong, elephant who had the gift of finding water during the hot summer months, and he had been named the chief water-dowser of the herd. During those hot, dry months, he would lead members of the herd out and together they would find life-giving water for the rest of the herd. Upon returning home, he would walk together and he would share his travels with Muriel. Muriel would then use his words and his love to ignite her gifts and string together the words for her stories. He was Muriel’s life and breath, and she was his.
One hot, dry summer day the need for water was growing more urgent. Muriel’s love knew that he was going to have to lead his group to far away places to find water, and they set out early in the morning on their task. That night Muriel anxiously awaited for her love to return with the other elephants after the long day of water-dowsing. She was anxious because she knew how desperately her herd needed a new source of water, and because it had been a long day for her love and his group, and such long days were dangerous on the plains. Her heart lifted as she saw the group return, but then fell as she saw that her love was not among them. The members of the herd explained that they had searched for water but had been unable to find it, and that her love had stayed behind to continue looking overnight. Her heart grew heavy at the thought of her love out alone in the night, and she set out with her heavy heart determined to find him.
Muriel walked the paths that she and her love had visited together so many times before and saw no trace of him. She called out to him with her heart and for the first time since they had begun their lives together she felt no reply. As the night grew colder and she continued to wander in search of her love she suddenly felt a warmth flowing through her veins. It was a warmth she had experienced many times before; it was the warmth she felt every time she used her gifts to weave her stories and share them with her herd. Muriel felt the warmth guiding her, and she followed its unseen hand through the bush until she came upon a hidden and flowing river. She approached the river as the warmth filled her and completed her and she breathed a sigh of relief knowing her herd would be safe now that water had been found.
Her sigh of relief was temporary, as she had still not found her love. Muriel walked for a distance down the edge of the river, still clinging to a rapidly fading glimmer of hope. She continued, calling out to her love with her heart and having the unfamiliar experience of feeling no reply. She rounded a corner and saw a figure in the moonlight. As she neared the figure, her world suddenly and unexpectedly fell out from underneath her. She gazed at the figure, stunned, seeing what she had known was true in her heart long before. It was the motionless body of her love.
Muriel laid down next to her love and she cried deep tears of an incredible and overwhelming sadness. She cried these tears into the river that her love had found and to which his gift had guided her. As she cried for the loss of her greatest gift she felt her other gifts leave her. She watched helplessly as her memories slipped away. Her heart, losing its own inspiration, lost its gifts with words, and her own ability to inspire fell into the river.
While she cried she determined she would compose one last story. It was the story of her love, of how his gift had led him to the water, of how this pursuit had led him to be shot down by hunters. It was the story of how their love had transcended death so that she would find him and so the herd would be safe. It was a story of wisdom and a story of sacrifice and hardship but ultimately, it was a story of profound and deep love.
As Muriel was too weak to return to her herd, she called out to them. It wasn’t an audible call, but rather it was the same call that her love had sent to her: one that was deep and from the heart. Because the elephants knew her heart from her stories, and had felt her calling them night after night, they felt her immediately and began the trek to be by her side.
When they arrived, Muriel proudly told the story of her love. As she slipped away to join him she finished her story by asking her herd to drink from the river, which they reluctantly did. As they drank from the river, each member of the herd felt a warmth fill them as her gifts of words and of memory that she had shed with her tears flowed into each of them. Though they felt a sadness as they bade their storyteller and dowser goodbye, the herd also felt a sense of oneness and of peace that they had never before experienced.
Over the next few days the herd attempted, with sadness, to choose a new chief storyteller to etch memories in their hearts and minds and to inspire them for each new day. As they tried to choose, however, they realized with great surprise that they no longer needed a storyteller, as each elephant had taken Muriel’s gifts and was now a storyteller in his own right. But they soon realized that what she had given them was even greater than a herd of storytellers. As it is widely known amongst elephants that all storytellers must have a great love, the true meaning of her gift became apparent: Muriel had given them all the gift of true love.

ECGardner

Thank you Karen

Thanks.

No Liquify filter used though – no filters at all in this one ;)

Took a look at that guys work – yes, it is awesome, thanks for the link.