The Brezas of Carifa

By Gindy Farmer

Asha is a young breza trying to figure out the world in which he lives. At first, Ashas world revolves around him, his needs, and his wants. His world is perfect, until his little brother comes. Asha must now learn about sharing his world with the new little nuisance that has come into his life.

When he meets Raimi, quite unexpectedly, he joins her on an exciting, magical journey through the world of being in a different level of awareness. She shows him, in her unworldly way, his tree and the history of choices he has made. He learns about his choices and how his choices have affected others, in positive and negative ways.

He thinks he has it all figured out until Rudo, who had once been his friend, turns on him in an unimaginable way. He must deal with the feelings of unworthiness and hate he feels when Rudo makes fun of and bullies him.

When an emergency situation arises, Asha responds in a way that surprises him, as well as those close to him in the herd. He learns about the power of love and that it wins out over fear and hate every time.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Balboa Press
• Release date: Dec 19, 2017
• ISBN: 9781504389549

Gindy Farmer

Gindy Farmer is a native of the southwest and enjoyed photographing the flowers, plants, and landscape there. As an amateur photographer, she began to use the photographs she took as inspiration for us a tool for fine tuning her water color skills. Her involvement in many creative endeavors kept her busy, but it is watercolor, and now writing, that keeps her challenged in new and exciting ways.

Book preview

PROLOGUE

Far away in the middle of a big ocean is an island called Carifa. There, the island inhabitants roam free in the open plains, jungles and mountains. It is a place where no people live. There are savannahs, rivers, lakes and a spectrum of plants and animals that rival even the most vivid imagination. Carifa is surrounded by an ocean full of dolphins, whales, fish and many other beautiful sea creatures that swim in the turquoise waters off of Carifa’s shores.

Of all the animals on the island, one species is magical. Similar in body shape and size to zebras, the brezas of Carifa are unusual in many ways.

This is a story about the brezas of Carifa.

CHAPTER 1

THE NEW FAMILY

The most beautiful breza of all was named Andrema. She had many stripes all over her body in all the colors you can think of, and all colors in between. Some of the brezas were not nearly as colorful as Andrema. She was special.

Lying beside her in the emerald grass of Carifa was her first baby breza. As she and his father, Robban, gazed at their new baby, their hearts filled with love, joy and wonder.

Look at him Robban, just look at him! How tiny he is…and look at his pure white coat. Andrema could not take her eyes off of her baby breza.

Asha, said Robban, we couldn’t have picked a better name for him. It’s perfect! He’s going to be strong and special, just like we knew he would be!

Asha’s coat was as white as the clouds that drifted above in the sky that day, white like a new canvas ready to be painted. His hooves were small like the golden apricots on the trees that grew in the grasslands of Carifa.

He is so tiny, I hope he never grows up, said Andrema as she shifted her gaze between the baby and Robban. I want the others to see him! She was imagining the other brezas adoring him as though he was the only baby breza to ever be born on Carifa. I am so happy, I am so lucky, life being this good! she said.

We have so much to teach him, to share with him. We’ll show him the wonders of Carifa, Robban said.

CHAPTER 2

ASHA GROWS

Asha stayed close to his mother in the weeks and months that followed. Robban stayed close by too. Andrema and Asha went out on daily expeditions. She talked with her baby about all of the plants that flourished and animals that lived in unity on Carifa. Asha asked a lot of questions.

What is all that noise?

Those are cuckoos, Asha, and they are sneaky little birds. They play tricks on the other birds.

What kinds of tricks? How can a bird play tricks?

They trick other bird families into raising their baby birds! Mama cuckoo birds lay their eggs in other bird’s nests. The other bird mothers think all the eggs are theirs, so they sit on them and care for them as if they were their own. Isn’t that amazing?

Would you ever do that to me, Mama?

No Asha, never! How could I ever go off and leave you with another? You’re my little cutie patutti!

As Andrema and Asha explored the island one cloudy day after a night of constant rain, they came upon a mud flat where they saw some tracks. Look Asha, see these footprints? One set is tiny. The other set is big. What animals do you think made these?

It had to have been some mother and her little cutie patutti!

Andrema smiled as she marveled at Asha’s quick mind and at the depth of love that she felt for him. Excellant Asha! You’re too funny! But look at the shapes. These are deep and big prints. I think a mama giraffe and her calf were here before us. I wonder if they are still nearby?

Andrema stood very still. In a quiet voice she said, Stand still, here, close to me, Asha. Where do you think they are? What do you think they are doing?

I think they are doing the same thing we are doing Mama, exploring the island.

I think you are right, so let’s keep walking and see what there is to discover.

As they walked, several birds flew overhead. Their feathers were bright against the cloudy sky. Asha noticed them too, but he paid more attention when Andrema said, One of the cuckoo birds is flying into that tree. Why do you suppose they can fly and we can’t?

Because they can, Mama. But why are there so many different kinds of birds?

Look at all of the different kinds of birds, animals, trees, plants and flowers. Do you remember the day we were at the seashore, when we saw all those fish? All animals have a purpose, a reason for being here. Each of them contributes to All That Is, each of them does something so that everything works together, so that everything stays in balance. Each day all these animals grow and change.

Each day, Asha asked many questions and Andrema answered them in a way that made Asha think. He wanted to know how fish breathe under water. He wanted to know why the sky is blue, why the sun is a bright light and why clouds are gray. He wanted to know why the plants have flowers on them. Andrema answered all of his questions with patience and with words Asha would understand.

In the evenings Asha talked with Robban about everything he’d learned. Mama told me that worms turn into butterflies. Did you know that, Papa?

Yes, I did, but now it’s time for you, my little breza boy, to lie down beside me. Did you know that little brezas grow up to be big brezas only if they get enough sleep?

I’m not sleepy, Asha said as he bent his front knees and rolled to his side. Are you sleepy?

Yes. Robban reminded Asha in a loving way that it was time for all living things on Carifa to go to sleep. Listen while I say goodnight. Robban began by saying, Goodnight, Andrema.

Sweet dreams, Robban, she said. Sweet dreams Asha. I love you both.

Goodnight Mama, I love you.

Andrema lowered herself to the matted grass that covered the ground; then she nuzzled the soft, white coat behind his ears.

Robban continued the ritual they had come up with to get Asha to go to sleep. Goodnight, stars.

Do the stars really go to sleep, Papa? They don’t look sleepy to me. They look like they are blinking.

No, the stars don’t sleep—they twinkle. They are the eyes in the sky that watch over everything while the sun goes away for the night. The moon is full. Goodnight, moon.

I don’t think it’s going to go to sleep tonight, it’s watching over us too. Asha’s eyes were filled with moonlight.

Robban lowered his voice, Now that we know the stars and the moon are watching over us, we can go to sleep.

Maybe I can sleep now. Asha said as he yawned and put his head on Robban’s hind leg.

CHAPTER 3

STRIPES

As Asha grew, he noticed that he was different from both of his parents. His coat was pure white. Andrema and Robban had colorful stripes all over their bodies but he had none. There were other brezas in the herd. Some had colorful stripes like his parents, some had just a few pale stripes, some had no stripes, some had stripes that were gray and dull.

While grazing one early morning, Asha asked, Mama? Papa? Why do some brezas have different stripes than you?

Andrema answered, "The brezas with colorful stripes have learned what it is that brings joy to life. They know how to hold that good feeling