The traveler looked about himself, sighing wearily. He must have taken the wrong path earlier, he thought to himself. But had he not been told that taking the left path would bring him to the next city quicker? Or had that been the right path instead? The traveler shook his head. It didn't matter now; over the last hour he had become hopelessly lost in this strange forest. He wandered aimlessly among violet flowers and bluish-hued foliage, hoping for some sort of landmark but certain he would never find his way out, when suddenly a faint singing voice caught his ear.

  His head immediately turned in the direction of the sound, straining to make it out as he carefully approached. The voice sounded to be that of a girl, and while the language was unknown to him, the strange and beautiful melody drew him closer and closer to the source, until eventually he found her - a young girl with a brilliant red cloak around her shoulders, singing from her perch on a large tree root.

"Usugurai fukai mori no oku
Hitorikiri uta o kanade tsuduke ru
Yasashii kaze no oto wa
Sabishi sa o iyasu...
Sasayaki..."

  The traveler felt a twig snap under his boot, and the girl turned. "...Hello?" the girl said hesitantly, slipping off her perch onto the grass. Her eyes met those of the traveler. "Sir?" She approached him slowly. "Why are you here?"

  The traveler, finally finding his voice, cleared his voice and said, "My apologies for eavesdropping, miss. I lost my way searching for a nearby city, and I overheard your song..." He trailed off, his mind clinging to the memory of her singing, before giving his head a quick shake and continuing. "Perhaps you could help me find my way?"

  The girl thought for a moment, then peered at the sun through the trees. "Hmm... I would love to help you tonight, but the sun is already so low. Perhaps, if you would spend the night..."

  The traveler smiled. "I would be honored to, m'lady."

  "Oh, wonderful! I haven't had any guests for such a long time!" The girl took his hand and led him off into the woods. "Come, I have a cottage that lies yonder this way."

  As the two began their journey, a thought occured to the man." Oh... I don't believe I asked your name, miss."

  The girl smiled at him. "My name is Poppy. And yours?"

  "Jonathan," he told her, rolling her name in his mind. Poppy. What a lovely name.

  "Ah," she said, turning back to their path, "then it is a pleasure to have you as my guest, Jonathan."

---

  As the sun began to sink below the horizon, the two came across a small wooden cottage deep in the forest. Poppy turned back to her guest and said,"This is it, Jonathan. We have arrived."

  Jonathan studied the small house and nodded his approval to Poppy. "Quite a lovely cottage you have," he said.

  Poppy blushed. "Oh, it is nothing," she insisted. "Come, I suppose you are hungry after our journey." She hurried inside, and just as quickly came back bringing a basket of fruit and bread out in one hand, two cups in the other. "We will have to drink from the river," she told Jonathan, handing him one cup. "Do not worry, the water is pure."

  The pair filled their cups and proceeded to feast on the food Poppy had brought out. When they had finally finished, Jonathan sighed contentedly, sitting against a nearby tree. The two sat side by side in the grass, Poppy lighting a small fire to cut the night chill, Jonathan weaving a small chain of violet flowers. When he finished, he tied the chain into a loop and held it out to Poppy. "For you, my dear."

  Poppy blushed as he set the small crown of flowers on her head. "Jonathan, you have been too kind to me."

  Jonathan smiled warmly at her. "It is the least I could do," he insisted, "for such a kind hostess as yourself."

  Poppy's face turned an even deeper shade of red at his words. The two sat in silence for a moment before Poppy mused, "Even so, I cannot accept such a gift and not give you anything in return." She paused, then smiled softly and turned toward Jonathan.

  "Would you like me to sing for you?" she asked.

  "Oh, yes, please!" Jonathan exclaimed, recalling the beautiful song she had sung when they had met.

  Poppy's smile grew wider. "Wait here a moment," she told him, rising and running toward her cottage. In a minute she had returned, a lyre held in her hands. She knelt down across from Jonathan, gave him another smile, and began to play.

"Usugurai fukai mori no oku
Hitorikiri uta o kanade tsuduke ru"

  Jonathan smiled back at her, quickly recognizing the melody from their meeting.

"Yasashii kaze no oto wa
Sabishi sa o iyasu...
Sasayaki..."

  He sighed and lay back against the tree, calmed by Poppy's soothing voice. Still strumming her lute, Poppy leaned toward him and whispered, "Sing with me." She took a breath and, as she began the next verse, Jonathan found himself half-singing, half-humming along with her.

"Aa utsukushi i koe wa
Murasaki no kiri ni tsutsuma rete
Tsumeta i yami no naka e
Suikoma reruyouni...
kie ru..."

Jonathan's mind wandered to how hopelessly lost he had been when he had met Poppy. How without her, he would have still been searching for... what had it been? A city, or town maybe - it mattered not. Had he not lost his way, he would not be here now, listening to his new friend's song. Today was, he decided, a day he would not give up for anything in all the world.

"Usugurai fukai mori no oku
Utau hibi kesshite sabishi kunaiwa
Yori soi tomoni utau
Anata ga sou bou ni...
Irukara..."

  Jonathan's eyelids grew heavy, and he found himself drifting off against the tree, Poppy's song still chiming in his head.

---

  "Wake up."

  Jonathan stirred and opened his eyes to find Poppy still kneeling before him.

  "Jonathan," she said, "wake up. There is something I wish to show you." She helped the man to his feet and guided him to the other side of the tree. In between the roots, partially covered by foliage, there seemed to be a tunnel. Jonathan could swear he saw a faint glow from within it. He gave Poppy an uneasy look. "What is down there?"

  "Let me show you." Poppy climbed down into the tunnel and, after a moment, Jonathan followed her. She took his hand and began pulling him toward the light. "Just a little farther now..."

  Jonathan squinted into the light, hoping to glimpse what it was that Poppy intended to show him. The light grew brighter and brighter, until he had to shield his eyes with his free hand. Suddenly, Poppy stopped. "Jonathan, look!" she exclaimed.

  He took his hand away from his eyes ang gasped in shock and awe. The two stood at the edge of a magnificent lake surrounded by flowers. Jonathan stumbled forward, struggling to find his voice. "They are beautiful, are they not?" he heard Poppy say from behind him.

  "Oh my stars," he managed, "this is absolutely glorious, Poppy. How ever did you find-?" He turned back to Poppy in wonder.

  But Poppy was not there behind him. All he found was a lone tree.

  "...Poppy?" Jonathan hurried to the tree, hoping she was simply hiding behind it, but this was not the case. "Poppy, where are you?!" His head snapped up, suddenly aware of a distant shadow smothering the fields. "Poppy!"

  "Poppy!"

---

  Deep in the forest, a young girl climbs onto a high root and sits down, carefully surveying the woods around her. She smiles, adjusts her red cloak and crown of flowers, and begins to sing...

"Murasaki no fukai kiri no oku
Sono saki e anata mo sasoi mashou
Fushigi na mori no himitsu
Tora etanara mou...
Kaesa nai...

Eien ni..."