A Journey to the Woods
It went back to the year when I was nine years old. That summer, after a long term’s study, my buddies, Ming and Shu, and I were planning to do something meaningful and adventurous. It was Ming who suggested us taking a journey to the woods at about the top of the mountain. We had long been informed that that area was overgrown with big pine trees, flourished cypresses, and concealed many small animals like rabbits, pheasants and so on. What’s more, when it rained in summer, a delightful amount of funguses would come out and fill up all the woods area. Thus people nearby the mountain, mostly adults, would seize every chance to come to the woods to fetch those delicious funguses. I had tasted for three times or more, and I knew how flavorful and goluptious it was when cooked with other certain foods.
After a week’s preparation, we got the permission from parents and had got everything necessary for the journey in hand, such as bamboo bags, knife and fork, watch and lighter, solid food and potatoes and corns etc. We even got d detailed plan: reach time, dinner time, and back time. Now the only thing we needed was a heavy rain.
Fortunately it took us only three days when it rained and another two days to let the funguses come out. We three were overjoyed. That night before we started, I could not help fancying about what a great day it would be tomorrow and I could hardly fall asleep. The same thing, I suppose, went to them, too.
That day I got up earlier than any day before and so did they. Over-thinking about the journey, we ate a little at breakfast. At half past six we got started. The air was so fresh that as if I had never breathed before. Birds were singing as if they were even more delightful than us. Fogs twisted at the waist of the mountain as if they were welcoming us. Grasses and trees around the side of the path were filled with dews on their leaves as if they were too moved by our courage, with tears in their eyes.
We went quicker and quicker as if we were flying. Soon we arrived. It was about a quarter past seven. We cheered and could not help looking down. What a wide sight! The sun had already risen up and now seemed to smile at us; fogs were disappearing, while smokes from the now small village waved high up in the sky. Together with the fogs, they were of excessive charm under the sunshine. Houses were now like small toys. Actually everything in sight was a beautiful and smooth piece of painting.
After a short rest, we were eager to begin our work. We went into the dense woods. Like hunters, we were of great desire for our quarries-- funguses. To our joy, there were plenty of them. Don’t think it so easy. We had learned from parents and other villagers that not all the funguses were esculent and more colorful the fungus, more likely to be poisonous. Under this instruction, we found it easy for us to find the wanted one. Thus before noon we had got our bags full. This was out of our plan.
Now it was time for us to make a fire. We divided the work: Ming for timbers, Shu for food, and I for fire. Soon we made it. The smoke went straightly up as if they were splurging. We were even envied by the clouds, because they were now staring at us right up our heads. Soon the food was cooked well. We used knife and fork and chopsticks to help ourselves. It was so delicious that even now when I am describing about it I can smell its flavor.
After a full dinner, we lied down on the grand, with a never sensed satisfaction. Because we had finished our original plan much before the time. For the rest of the time we planed to stay for a while and then went back, because we were so eager to let our parents acknowledge our great victory.
Although having passed for almost a dozen years, it remains fresh in my mind. Due to all kinds of reasons, we failed to find another time to visit the woods. So I cherish the sprits we had very much: courage, brotherhood, and love of nature. So that time-that journey, that adventure- has been my constant memory of the nature beauty and will always be.
