I grew up being told by adults that folklore was “stupid.” The stories about elves living along streams, or trolls in mountains, or fairies flitting among flowers were untrue and that was the end of it. Even trying to think about it further was silly.
Now that I’m older I’m not so certain of that easy disdainful dismissal.
I took this picture when we were walking in the woods. In northern Minnesota. My first thought when I initially saw this fungal scene was that it was a miniature village. Had to be. And an inviting, lovely one at that. Doesn’t it look like a woodland village for little folk? It does.
Ah, I realized—I’ve just taken the first step into folklore.
We know that nature is often a place where we touch lightly on the Interface between the visible and invisible realms of creation. I certainly was intrigued by that reality as I paused to examine this moss-covered, mushroom / toadstool-growing log. It seemed so perfect I wondered that perhaps a loving angel had arranged it as a thing of beauty. A thing of beauty to honor the Creator since He might have been the only one to see and enjoy it if I hadn’t stumbled on it.
No, I didn’t notice any tiny woodland creatures, except in my imagination. And I do know this. There is far, far more to created reality than we can see, or touch, or experiment on, or taste, or discover. It may not be a village for hidden woodland creatures, but it definitely is a lovely testament to the glory and imagination of the Creator, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Photo credit: Taken by the author with his iPhone.
