Once upon a time, long, long ago when the world was young, there lived in the Land of Plenty a Mother and two daughters. The Mother loved both daughters very much (as did their Papa, her Husband, but this story is not about him, so no more will be said here about the Papa/Husband). Both daughters were kind, generous, and caring, but each was set on her own path in this world. And each was beset by her own snags and hitches along the way. And the Mother strived to help them find their own true self.
As the First Day of Learning loomed ever closer, the Mother yearned to take her daughters for one last adventure into the world. As fate would have it, neither daughter could venture forth when the other was available. So it was that the Mother arranged to take Elder Daughter to the Land of the Big Water and two days hence take Younger Daughter to the Land in the Sky.
The day of the adventure to the Land of the Big Water dawned hot and cloudless, and the Mother and Elder Daughter set off. Arriving at the Land of the Big Water, they set up their meager shelter and went to greet the Water. They walked up and down the edge of the Big Water, marveling at the creatures that took sustenance therein as well as the power and strength of the Big Water. After the greeting time was over, the Mother and Elder Daughter returned to their shelter, sticky both from the salt spray and the warmth of the sun. Immediately, they were besieged with thousands of hungry Blood-suckers. The Mother and Elder Daughter found that their armor was too thin, so it was with great speed that they took themselves to the Marketplace beside the Big Water, and laying out many pieces of silver, now found themselves with stronger armor that could withstand the Bloodsuckers. After hurriedly taking their sup, they built a great fire around which they huddled, hot and sticky though they were, to further dissuade the Bloodsuckers.
The next morning they again donned their armor and dressed to greet the sun. Breaking their fast with hot cakes drizzled with sweetness, they made to spend their time at the Water’s Edge. Elder Daughter wisely took her swinging mat, and finding two strong limbs of a downed tree, she fastened the ropes such that she and her Mother could swing out facing the Big Water, refreshing themselves both with the cool breeze and the occasional splash of waves on their feet. After a time of quiet repose, they found their skin blushing with its unaccustomed exposure to the elements, so they took it upon themselves to depart. Gathering their belongings quickly through a haze of Bloodsuckers, they headed back to their home in the Land of Plenty. And Elder Daughter was energized and set to take on the First Day of Learning.
Two days passed, and it became time for Younger Daughter to set off with the Mother. After journeying for half a day, they found themselves in the coolness of the Land in the Sky. Stopping at the Marketplace, they purchased food, which they quickly ate, having had nothing since the morning’s dawn. A merchant’s shop beckoned, many pieces of silver exchanged hands, and they left with many Special Day gifts for those in their family who were younger in years.
The Mother and Younger Daughter set forth once again, this time not stopping until they reached a spot near a babbling stream where they could set up their shelter. Invigorated by the crisp, cool air in the Land in the Sky, the Mother set off to dip her feet in the stream while Younger Daughter rested her eyelids. The Mother and Younger Daughter then supped on hen’s eggs and built a fire. There were no Bloodsuckers to intrude upon their happiness, yet still the gentle warmth of the crackling logs was welcomed in the coolness of the air. No light came through wires in this Land in the Sky, so the Mother set up a small light box, the better to read by as the dusk edged toward darkness. Before long, they were joined by one, then ten, then twenty-leven furry-winged flutterbyes, who, crazed by the brightness, circled the light box in erratic motions, at times landing upon their limbs, causing them to shake and squirm. The Mother and Younger Daughter soon retired into their shelter, where they rested peacefully until the break of the new day.
Again, the Mother and her daughter broke their fast with hot cakes dipped in sweetness. Making do with no Awakening Elixir, they set off to greet the edge of the sky. Trudging ever upwards, over creeks, beside steep hillsides, back and forth up they climbed. Many times, the Mother called out to her Younger Daughter to slow her steps so she could examine an herb, gaze off into the distance, or pass water. Just when they thought they must have been led astray, they came to a great flat rock that fell off into nothingness. They had at last reached the edge of the sky. Pausing for a short while to catch their breath and affix in their minds the vista upon which their eyes feasted, they said their farewells to the Big Sky and tripped back down the mountainside. 
Running downhill, dodging roots, rocks, and branches, the Mother’s knees and ankles became as jelly. Yet still her fit Younger Daughter tramped on. In a shortness of time, they found themselves back on the bottomland, glowing with exertion and thirsting for bubbly water. Their adventure accomplished, they journeyed back to the Land of Plenty. And Younger Daughter was refreshed and ready for the First Day of Learning.
And verily, although each daughter had taken different routes, with different desires and struggles along the way, each had found joy in her true self. And the Mother was satisfied, for she had given each daughter an adventure to nourish her throughout the long Time of Learning.
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