The first of the Knowable Things were Grass below and Sky above. In the beginning, Sky could touch Grass but not see her, for color had yet to be born. Then one day, Sky accidentally pressed so far down on Grass that millions of blades pierced his belly, and Color came gushing out.
Color saw that she was going to flood the world, so she sent her two favorite children, Green and Blue, to become the souls of Grass and Sky. The rest of her children then had enough room to run and play and fill in everything else.
Green was soft and safe. It was gentle tickling and laughter and laying flat on your back. Blue was calm and quiet. It was learning to be curious and listening with widened eyes.
Grass wanted a companion closer than Sky, so she rubbed two blades together until they hummed and sparked—so was born Dragonfly. Dragonfly ruled Grass, but he had no throne on which to sit, so he flew up to Sky and pinched him over and over until Cloud formed. Dragonfly kept pinching and pinching Cloud until little bits of fluff started to rain down. One bit of fluff landed on Yellow, and that became Dandelion, from whose seeds were born Wishes and Dreams. When Dragonfly flew, the flashing of his wings created Magic and Mystery.
So came to be Yard, the firmament of safety and love, wonder and delight.
Yard was the great father. He stretched out his arms and legs, and these became the tree branches and roots that encircled and protected Grass and Dandelion and Dragonfly.
Beyond Yard was The Unknowable, a vast emptiness where time stretched and shrank and then stretched again. The Unknowable tied itself in knots, and the knots stretched and shrank and stretched again until they broke off and became The Outcomes.
The Outcomes were violent and hungry. They floated close along the perimeter of Yard, wanting to devour all he contained.
Yard said to The Unknowable, “Let us make an agreement. I will offer you a sacrifice if you’ll leave Grass and Dandelion and Dragonfly alone forever.” The Unknowable agreed to the terms.
Yard said to Dandelion, “Lend me your children, Wishes and Dreams. I must send them on a journey.” Yard would tell Dandelion nothing more, so Dandelion said, “Then you must also send Magic and Mystery to protect them.”
Cloud came down and Yard whispered to him. Yard then whispered to Wishes and Dreams, and then to Magic and Mystery. Cloud then carried all four spirits up and away, far from Yard and deep into The Unknowable. When they reached a great, cold island, they jumped down into the heart of woman and the mind of man. Wishes and Dreams and Magic and Mystery spun themselves around and around until the mind of the man and the heart of the woman knit together and became a bluejay.
The bluejay flew up into Sky, who gently guided it through the Unknowable until it reached Yard. Dragonfly flew up to meet the bluejay, who was so tired, she could fly no more. The bluejay fell down through Sky and Cloud, neither of whom could catch her. Dragonfly swooped down and caught the bluejay and set her gently on Grass.
The bluejay, who had sprung forth from the mind of a man and the heart of a woman, with Wishes and Dreams and Magic and Mystery to tie them together, then became Girl.
Yard said, “Girl, we must sacrifice you to The Unknowable to protect Grass and Dandelion and Dragonfly. We must feed you to The Outcomes to keep them safe.”
Girl said, “If you wait until I am grown, I will have many stories to fill up The Unknowable. If you wait until I am grown, I will be fat with potential for The Outcomes.”
Yard agreed to keep Girl safe until she was grown. Girl lay down on Grass and looked up at Sky. Dragonfly buzzed overhead and Dandelion danced near her cheek. She felt Green beneath her and stretched her hands up to touch Blue.
Girl sighed, and the breath that escaped her became Story.