Two hunters went into the forest one night with spears, and a burning branch to give them light. They went to a place where animals came at night to drink, hid themselves in bushes and put out their fire stick. They held their spears in readiness and listened intently. In a little while they heard an animal say:
“I smell hot charcoal.”
“You’re always smelling something,” said another.
The two hunters flung their spears in the direction of the voices:
But when they looked they found they had only spared two trees. They marveled that this be – for surely it had not been the two trees which they heard talking.
They heard the voice again, as soft as a baby’s sigh:
“If you listen, you can hear the forest talk.”
And of course you can.