The fact that I was summoned by the great Finn so soon after my first bad experience with the Great Shout, made me feel certain that I was going to be kicked out, or even worse, sent back to earth. I was sad beyond belief, and could hardly keep the tears from flowing. I walked with solemnity toward the great stone structure where Finn sat, in "at onement" with the cosmic streams. But my heart was so sad, and certain, that life would always be hard beyond belief, and that this was the start of a great sorrow.
When I arrived Finn motioned for me to sit down on one of the steps of the great outdoor hall. He smiled gently and said, "you feel you have failed, don't you?"
"Haven't I?" I said glumly, but with a little hope.
"Let me tell you a story," he said in answer. And this is the story that he told.
Once there lived a strange man who was an angel, but he didn't know it. He thought that he was like everybody else. But everyone knew, and no one trusted him.
The good people said that since he is an angel, he must be a fallen angel, and therefore he can't be trusted. The evil people agreed, so that the good people would accept them, but secretly they knew that this man was their enemy, so they too worked against him.
Well life was very hard for the strange man. No one would help him, and no one would love him. Yet he was able to scrape a living somehow. One day life for everybody changed drastically. A strange ship came out of the sky and landed. It was a strangely colored ship. At first nothing came out of it, and it was the topic of great conversation. No one knew what it was. And since it came from the sky, and the strange man was a human angel, they asked him what it might be, and what was it's purpose.
The strange man said, "I haven't a clue. I'm like you, I'm ignorant of such things. But my common sense tells me to be cautious of those who do not introduce themselves right away."
"Oh you're no help," said the good people. And went away more against him then before.
"You're a fool, and an idiot," said the evil people, sneering. And went away gossiping about him more than before, sure that he was an obstcle to all their evil plans.
Soon enough everybody found out what was inside. Three giant and many colored frogs came out of the ship and said, or croaked rather, "All of this, everywhere, is mine, and I will have it." And then they hoped away into the distance.
But after only one weeks time they had already built a great fortress on a nearby mountain that looked down on the valley where the good and the evil people lived. And after only one month there were already hundreds of frog people living in the fortress. The good people talked quitely about how they could deal with this strange occurance that was beginning to feel more and more like a threat everyday. And the evil people talked about how they could make friends with the frog people, and what advantages could be wrought from such a friendship.
Then it happened. People began disappearing. Sometimes their remains were found, eaten away by some strange animal. And then people began to notice that the frog people had grown sharp teeth. First it was decided that they would try to negoiate with the frog people. But the negoiaters were sent back in a box without their heads. Then the good people got angry, and the evil people got scared. So they sent their best warriors against them, and they were sent back without their arms and legs.
That's when the strange man said, "I know what to do."
Then Finn looked down at me, "Do you? Know what to do?"
"Me!" I said.
"Yes strange angel boy. What will you do?"
"Me!" I said again, astonished. "I have no idea."
"Then I will tell you," said Finn, leaning forward in his great chair. "The Great Shout." Then he motioned for his foot maid to get something for him. "I have a gift for you," he said, and then the girl brought out a magnificent harp (333k wav file). It was a lap harp, but with wonderful carvings. It was of a red wood much like the wood in Pellenas' house. I was instantly in love with it. "I had this made for you about a year ago. I knew you would be coming here. The strings are in good shape, they will hold their note for you. Play it often, play it always. And come here every evening. I want to hear how you progress. Now off with you, and quite looking so glum. You must learn to never be sad, although I doubt you will until you are old and withered like me."
As I was leaving with my harp tucked safely under my arm, he hollered out to me, "Ask Arthur to tell you of his first adventure with the Great Shout." I was happy again, and my heart was full of joy.
When I got back to the village, Kian and the rest were standing in front of their hut smiling at me. Kian said "It was so hard pretending to be mad at you. I wanted to hit you for being such a vagabond. But they said you needed to feel punished. Do you feel punished yet?"
"I should hit you back if you hit me," I said smiling.
Kian laughed and looked mockingly at his quite companions, "Did you hear that, the vagabond has fight in him. Well come along then fighting vagabond, we have something to show you." It was a glorious day, and I had never felt more saved, I mean really saved in my whole life.
Get your own Free Home Page