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‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  The sounds that came to the man’s ears were as beautiful as they were familiar. They were of the rain forests he knew so well.’  But it was in effect the silence that dominated. It seemed to be a part of the mist that hung like a veil of gossamer over all.’  Sounds seemed only to accentuate the silence; the kind of silence that could be felt..
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Occasionally the shriek of a Teeka would shatter the stillness like the shattering of a fine sheet of glass but silence would return, as always, accompanied only by the sound of rain drops from leaves as they fell onto a world as primaeval as it had been a million years ago.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Wetson, a renowned scientist,’  was one of the leading authorities on tropical forests. Here on a special mission that he had set himself,’  it was crucial to the success of the venture that he undertake it alone.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  The man was of stocky build. By appearance it would have been hard to judge his age, partly perhaps because of his beard and weather- beaten skin. His dress was a heavy-duty khaki while on his back a light pack and sleeping bag .
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  The pathway he treaded snaked through a large tract of virgin jungle in South Thailand,’  one of the few that had not as yet been disturbed by man nor his machines; a place occupied by peoples who had known nothing but their jungle existence for many centuries.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Now there were plans to develop the valley beyond the coastal range for rice after marketing its rich timbers.’  For the purpose,’  a road was being constructed northwards along the hill.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Wetson trod carefully.’  He was forced to push aside the under- growth in order to confirm that he had not wandered off the path. A’  forest inhabitant that he met on his way he questioned closely, his dialect fluent. He face brightened when he was informed that he was close to his goal.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  He pressed on.’  After some hours, he arrived at his most important land-mark.’  This was a tree. The tree, a teak, was very ancient. At its base, the undergrowth had been cut away to form a small clearing. The people of the forest attributed godly, powers to it and next to it they would rest meditating or expressing a prayer. Many tales were told about it.’  Many forest men claimed that The Giant could speak.’  They did so with awe believing that in the sounds was a portend.’  The tree had never spoken to previous generations.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  The one person who could have interpreted the message was the ‘Silent One’.’  A hermit of the forest,’  he had never been known to appraoch or speak with anyone, but would converse only with the trees and plants.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Wetson’™s gaze travelled up the Giant with admiration until its canopy disappeared beyond those of adjacent trees.’  He paced around’  it’  estimating the circumference to be about eleven yards. As for the sounds reportedly heard, he was sure that behind them there was some rational explanation.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Removing his pack, he sat at its base to rest a while.’  He was tired from the long climb.’  Without realising it, he dosed. He came fully alert by sounds apparently quite close to where his head leaned against the trunk. The sounds sent a chill up his spine and into his sculp – his hair roots prickled.’  He was prepared to swear that they had a human quality about them. They came randomly and were quite unintelligible.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  His training took over and initial surprise turned to curiosity. He walked around the tree, but could find nothing to explain them.’  There was no wind to cause movement to the trunk. The sounds ceased as eerily as they had begun.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  As curious as he had become about them,’  he’  decided he must continue.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Fom the pocket of his tunic he produced a compass and scrutinising it carefully turned North and started into the jungle. With his machete he cleared a path when required and blazing the trees in order to mark his trail.’  He travelled some two hundred yards when he came then upon a clearing on a steep slope.’  This matched the directions he had received from Toomy.’  At the upper end of the clearing was a rock face at the base of which grew a thick isolated bush.’  Toomy had told him, too, that behind this was the entrance to a cave.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  He sighed. The first, and relatively easy,’  stage of his journey had been completed. His friends had jeered at his mad quest. He’  too doubted the sanity of it.’  But now,’  his goal was in sight’  excitement was high.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Wetson did not step out into the open, but carefully following instructions, cupped his hands to his mouth and made a long call of a blue owl.’  Again and again he repeated the call.’ ‘  These were not intended to deceive but a signal for the ears of the hermit – the man who spoke to no man. He sat down to wait.’  He knew now that if not for his chance meeting with Toomy his quest would certainly have been in vain.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  He thought back to how it began; to the rowdy party thrown by some friends. There he had heard that there was said to be a hermit in Thailand known as ‘The Silent One’™; a man who spoke to no man, but who could,’  if reports were correct, communicate with plants.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Wetson had become fascinated and began making inquiries. It transpired that there was, indeed,’  such a man and Wetson decided that as feeble as his chances were of a meeting, he would nevertheless try to seek him out.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Lady luck, who also has a role to play with adventurers had led him to Toomy – the one and only person who could have informed him about The Silent One. Toomy who had been the Silent One’™s only friend in boy-hood.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  He had related to Wetson that at their coming of age ceremony,’  Kilo, The Silent One’s real name, had spoken to him of his dreams. In them he lived completely alone as a man of the forest speaking to no one. He’  confided that this he was going to do but made Toomy swear that he would not seek to communicate with him.’  The call of the blue owl had’  been their signal to one another. Toomy had been faithful to his word all the years although, secretly kept up a knowledge of his old friend’™s whereabouts.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Now, however, with the construction of the road and the danger of the Giant being felled,’  Toomy’™s anguish was reason enough to get a message through to Kilo. Of course he could not do himself, nor too any of the forest dwellers.’  He would need a stranger’™s help. It was then that he heard of an Amercan seeking out The Silent One.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  It was only after some three hours when no breath of air stirred even the smallest leaf, that he detected the slightest of unnatural movements in the bush.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Wetson held his breath. Finally a thin, high- pitched voice, speaking’ ‘  with obvious difficulty, tensed him.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  “How many are you?”
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  “One.” Wetson kept his words to a minimum.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  ” Why did the owl call?”
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  “The road-men may cut down The Giant”.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  “Why?”
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  “It’s price is big.”
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  “Show yourself.” Wetson stepped forward a few paces, then stopped.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  The bush at the end of the clearing became difficult to make out but Wetson could just make out a figure that moved out and slowly came forward. Wetson waited.’  When he was closer Wetson saw that the man was clothed in something that appeared to be woven from bark. It seemed that the hair on his head and face had not been touched for all of the twenty years that he had not come in touch with humanity.’  He was as thin as a twig and of medium height. He stopped when about ten feet from Wetson.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  “They will be sorry”.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  “I can talk to them.”
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  “Talk to them.” His words echoed Wetson’s.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  “They say that you talk to plants.”
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  “It is my secret.”
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  “I don’t want your secret. Just a few portions.’’  Wetson guessed that the hermit may use some plant extract. ‘œGive me to try,’ he continued, ‘œI will talk to the road men.”
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  “You will not understand.”
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  “Just hear the sounds.”
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  The man held out a long, thin hand.’  Wetson, disbelieving his luck,, twisting his body extracted from his pack a plastic jar with a large cover he had packed for such an eventuality. Not moving, he held it out at full reach.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  The man also at full reach took the jar from Wetson’s fingers being careful not to touch Wetson’s hand. He turned and moved across the clearing towards the forest – a moving shadow that was almost instantly swallowed up by the dark.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Without moving from where he stood, Wetson sat down, put his arms around his knees for support, and waited. He was strained from the strange encounter. He closed his eyes.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Suddenly, with a terrible fright and like a spring uncoiling, he sprang to his feet his heart racing.’  A few feet off he could just make out Kilo’™s gaunt figure slightly darker than the night his arm extended. Careful not to close the distance, Wetson reached out and took the jar ubelievingly.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  “If they cut the Giant no one will find me again.” Then, as if in after thought,”only two drops with water.” The Silent-One, turned and without Wetson quite knowing how, disappeared into the darkness.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Wetson placed the cover on the jar, made it fast and pushed it into his pack without examining it. He was suddenly tired.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  He made his way a short distance back into the forest. There he prepared his ‘œhammok’ by tying his sleeping bag between four trees.’  Over this he wove some vines which , when covered with some small branches afforded protection from above..
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  The call of a Teeka declared a new day, though under the canopy it was still as dark as night. Much refreshed,’  Wetson’s first thought was of the jar and reaching, withdrew it.’  By the light of his torch’  he estimated that in it were only some twelve to fourteen brown- coloured drops. He opened the jar. There was no smell.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Phoney, was his first thought as he replaced the cover,’  pushing it one again into his pack.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  He set out in the direction of the Giant, guided by the blazes he had made on his way in. From it he followed the contour of the hill, knowing this would take him to where the gang of workers were clearing the forest.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  After some ten minutes,’  he began hearing the sounds of several powerful’  chain saws and, a bulldozer.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  As one of the clearers came in sight, a saw screeched and a small sapling went down. Wetson made a sign with his hand and the motor died. The Thai raised his eyebrows in a question without speaking.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  “The boss?” asked Wetson.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Still without speaking, the man motioned towards the bulldozer further on ripping at a large stump. The driver, seeing Wetson’™s approach, allowed the engine to idle. They exchanged greetings.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  “Have you heard of the Giant?”, asked Wetson above the noise of the engine. The driver shook his head.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  “It’™s holy.’  Very bad luck to cut down.”
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  The driver’™s reply was a shrug.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  “May I see your work program?”, Wetson asked.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  The man opened a muddy satchel and from it withdrew a rolled paper much crumpled and soiled. Wetson opened it. A glance was enough to see the contour of the road was the same as that from the giant.’  Wetson knew that it was useless talking to the man. He handed the plan back, and, thanking the man started back.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Soon he found himself again approaching the Giant. He sat at its base, and relaxed for but a moment. The time had come to try the drug. Two drops only? Could it be? Perhaps he had not heard right. Yet there was so little in the jar. Conflicting thoughts went through his mind. Surely not enough to kill … would Kilo want him out of the way so that he would not relate that The Silent One had spoken?’  Any listener would be sure that Wetson was simply lying.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  In spite of such questions and doubts, with the aid of a syringe, he dropped two drops in the half- filled cover of his water bottle. A moment he hesitated, then drained the contents.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Barely two minutes had elapsed when Wetson became aware of a feeling of numbness creeping over him. He tried pinching his cheek and found that he hardly felt it. Except for this numbness he had never felt better. In fact he had a particularly strong feeling of well- being.’  He waited excited and tense.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Then he noticed that the forest sounds were hushed; that they had become background to other sounds. These were remarkably soft, beautiful, and very absorbing. He stood up to see how his body reacted to movement. He had no problem in walking, though it was a little as if he was walking on air his feet having lost their sensitivity. He walked slowing, wonderingly.’  He moved towards a small bush that grew at the edge of the clearing at the Giant’™s base.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  There was a sound ememnating from it but that this was absorbed’  more by his body rather than through his ear. The effect was soothing and pleasant. Calming. He went carefully from one species to another trying for the variations.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  He approached the Giant.’  The vibrations from it penetrated with a greater strength and were extraordinary and rich in tone.’  He compared them to several cellos and bases of unusual resonance.’  Wetson was upilfted and felt a calmness he had never before experienced. Excitement gripped him. His weightlessness Exhilarated him to a point he never thought existed.’  He moved to a teak sapling and noted that its vibrations were similar to the Giant’™s but higher in pitch.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  His heart beat was much faster than normal. He found that he had lost all sense of time and was not sure whether several hours had passed or a minute.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Wetson stood’  and concentrated on what he was feeling. It was all like an exquisite symphony. He relaxed’  and just let it be absorbed by his body.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Quite suddenly he began to feel drowsy. His previously weightless body became ever qicker heavy.’  Soon he was forced to take the weight off his legs. It was with difficulty that he dragged his feet toward the Giant. He quite collapsed at it’s base and, keeling over sideways,’  fell into a state of semi-unconsciousness.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  He awoke having no idea of how long he had slept. It was the morning after his extraordinary experience.’  Around him were’  the familiar sounds. He pinched his cheek. It hurt. His body felt heavier than usual and he had to struggle’  a little to rise.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  He had a craving to return to the sounds he ha heard under the effect of the drug. The desire became almost physical.’  He bathed his face with a wet flannel.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  He was urged to carry on with his experiences. This time he would make notes. He noticed now’  too,’  the scream of the chain-saws and, more weakly the the dull roar of the bulldozer.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  He began climbing away from them up the hill. Some fifteen minutes later, when no trace of their noise could be heard, he prepared himself a second dose.’  This he took with a rising excitement and anticipation.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  In the heady feeling of lightness and joy of the effects passing through him he exulted. This time’  he striggled to make notes although he had much difficulty in writing and concentration.’  Notwithstanding these difficulties,’  his notes became voluminous.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  He was stunned by the contrast between the matter of factness of his note making, and the extra sensory world of sound around him.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  When the heaviness began coming on, Wetson decided that he would risk a second dose before the effect of the first wore off, realising only too well the risk. He mixed another portion.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Feeling no after effects, still clutching the jar, he made his way down towards the place where the clearers were working. The excitement and feeling of weightlessness had not left him.’ ‘  In a short time he could faintly make out the sounds of the chain saws.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Suddenly it dawned on Wetson that his feling of the sounds now was quite different.’  This time there was no mistaking their purport.’  No longer tones of harmony, these sounds could only be of dismay and suffering.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Wetson himself absorbing them, underwent the same frightening emotions. A large teak tree fell and’  a pain went through him that was as much mental as it was physical. He was stunned and hurting. He found himself wanting to rush down the hill to stop the workers, but realised that they’  would only treat him as insane.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  He felt a trapped animal. The pain became unbearable. Another tree went down and he found himself unable to catch his breath. Breathless, panting for air, his fingers tore at his stomach as if by doing so he would regain his breath,’  he began whimpering like some tortured animal. His shirt was soaked with his sweat.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  He summond all his strengh.’  He would have to tear himself away from this hell.’  To do so he turned’  to back up the hill using every ounce of strength he could muster.’  And then it came – the worst of all feelings.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  It was low and loud and long. To Wetson it sounded like a lament.’  Unable to control himself, he joined in with it. What came from his mouth was a long sigh that seemed to go on and on without an end. His lungs emptied of air, he gasped’  but could not gain his breath.’  Still the sigh persisted.’  In his darkening mind he knew it was the giant falling.’  He knew, too, that he would fall with it.’  He fell to his knees the pain unbearable. All then went black.’  He fell forward to the forest floor unconscious.
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‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  *’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  *’ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  *
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‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  He had no idea when he awoke whether he had lain there an hour, or a day. His head was one throbbing ache. By dint of effort he struggled to his knees, rested a moment, then slowly stood.’  He squinted at this watch. It was the day after his terrible experience – the time mid -morning.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Wetson remembered hazily that he had not replaced the jar in his pack after taking the last dose. In a panic he looked around. In his torment he must have flung it from him.’  It was somewhere irretrievably lost in the dense forest floor.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  He began also to wonder at the strange silence.’  There was no sound of the workers. His head splitting, he retraced his steps down the hill heavily cast his eyes from side but with no hope of finding the precious jar.’  He was shaking,’  giddy,’  his head in a seisure of pain and felt that he may fall at any moment.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Ahead of him was the cleared area, but no-one was to be seen. He was standing at the uppermost reach of the Giant.’  Out of habit he began counting paces as he struggled towards its base. About one hundred and twenty. At its base he noticed that its centre was hollow and chared.’  Peering, he saw’  that this hollow section continued a short way up the fallen trunk.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  He began to wonder at the discontinuation of work when he saw that the heavy blade of the bulldozer was level with the ground a little ahead of him, the rest of it’s great body out of sight. Putting pain aside. he drew closer. The silence was eerie.’  The body of the heavy machine sloped steeply backwards deep down into the earth. When he came to the spot,’  Wetson saw that the interior was stained with blood. He climbed down into the cabin through a tear in the canvas roof.’  By the blood- soaked seat and stains the driver’™s injuries were severe – possibly fatal.’  He put this down to the cause of’  the workers’™ disappearance.’  Superstition, too,’  was still strong among many of the area.’  The Silent One had been right. To his right and still further down he could see a natural cavern extending away. He could not tell how far.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  His torch in his hand, with difficulty he climbed over the heavy tracks of the machine, then down to the bottom. He found himself standing in a cave some eight feet high.’  The cave continued in two directions – one towards the base of the giant. This, he thought, explained the source of the sounds from the’  great tree.’ ‘  No doubt The Silent One, “conversing” with it inside the hollow.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  He saw, too, that the cave in the oposite direction branched into two. At the point where the two met was a pile of straw. He was sure that one of the passages must reach on to the clearing where he had met with Kilo.’  Was sure, too, that’  the Silent One was by now far away.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  He retraced his steps and, still in pain,’  climbed back up over the tracks of the bulldozer and drew himself up into the cabin – from there’  to the forest floor.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Wetson’  began making his way down the hill to the village; a hill that though he had come up but two days before seemed now a century ago. He thought of Toomy and how sad he would become at hearing Wetson’™ tale. thought sadly, too of what he would relate to his friends.’  No one would believe such a wild tale.
‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘  Wetson knew that the marks of these few days would be with him forever. He would not only be hearing the sounds that had tormented him but also those other sounds. Sounds that no other man but one had ever heard.’  Sounds of exquisite harmony creating a symphony of indescribable beauty. Never could he be the same person that just a few days previously had made his way up this hill towards an extraordinary hermit and a legendary tree.