“Peace in the Great Spirit!” he greeted them with the customary religious form of address. “Brothers, novices and plantings, children of our first father, the Him (Inta)! This tree, which stands in the midst—at the centre-most point—of our tvagshaff, is the cutting of a cutting of a cutting from Melekraffu, the Primeval Tree which was planted by the great Inta—by our first forebear—many thousands of years ago. Behold its mighty roots which dig deep into the fertile ground and which, like a great mother, provides us with every goodly fruit and vegetable. Behold its wide bole which stands against the blasts of time and turmoil. It stands like our faith, rooted in the soil of virtue, impervious to the winds of self and passion which beset us morn and eve.”
Then he looked up, motioning to the canopy.
“Behold its enshadowing boughs, its long branches and multifarious stems. These are the many branches of our great theocracy, the many congregations and monasteries which lie across our amplexive realm. The leaves which, in lofty heights above us stand, represent each one of us, joined by stems to one body of believers, each tossing to and fro at the command of the Great Spirit—He Who moves like a rushing wind! Brothers! Let us hear the words which that Spirit has uttered with might and power, ere we retire for the night. Then, at the break of dawn, we shall again awake and repeat our daily labours in service to that Holy One, exalted be He! I will ask Brother Gubwa, whose voice is sweet like unto nectar, to recite in accents of joy and wonder, the seventh shiffgatv of the Holy Tamitvar!”
Brother Gubwa, a short, thin novice whose curly locks descended to his elegant shoulders, moved towards the tree and, bowing, received a large, bejewelled copy of the Tamitvar from the Assistant Abbott. This, however, he did not need to even open as he closed his eyes and recited the text from memory. His long nose and short stature enabled him to chant with a high-pitched, nasal quality that was sonorous and hauntingly moving. The words flowed from his mouth like a choice wine poured in profusion from a newly opened, chilled bottle. Before beginning, he chanted a verse of protection to ensure that his chanting was without error. It began thus:
“Wabak Kakanim kvefft akvayo okt harijyotv. Owaman Aretveyengim Afflish Tvukimyo okt harijyotv!”
(I take refuge with the Great Spirit, from all evil. I take refuge with the Lord of the Worlds from Afflish the Accursed!)
Then he began. The Tamitvar is written, for the most part, in Old Tremni, i.e., the language spoken at the time of the High Kings of Tremn (from the reign of Ishmael until Gven Dakit, i.e. ‘Gven the Last’), with some portions being in Proto-Tremni and Vocatae. Vocatae is softer and more melodious than Tremni, similar to Latin in sound, while Old and Proto-Tremni are somewhat nasal in character and have slight variations in vocabulary and grammar from Standard Tremni. The language had, however, changed little in the basic syntax and vocabulary—at least compared to Terran languages. What follows is only the first ten verses (two tvin) of the chapter Brother Gubwa chanted, the entire chapter making up a total of sixty verses:
Yonffe di ditvakim shiffgatv shiyanyo Tamitvar Kubarayeng!
Sing Wabak Kakanyengelaffsh Owaman Aretveyeng, Wonff ffakvazinyengi Tremfilaffsh!
1. Ai Ultaon Arreteic, Niato Cam! Cab caem amuton le cel arret beniphvonso?
2. Ffogashkra: Ay Votskuya, gelff yikralishwakaim kalzisheim yifka tvaonamfi kabazinamfi vuliff, einu nyatog oboiffilei.
3. Ai Ultaon Arreteic, Niato Cam! Cab eran amuton le cel arret beniphvonso?
4. Ffogaskhra: Ay Votskuya, gelff yikralishwakaim gobish eimfi, okaniyeimfi, kogeimfi yeshugavt, kaim ritva vash sogyiffavtfi ritva rengon vashiffavtilei.
5. Ai Ultaon Arreteic, Niato Cam! Cab sanan amuton le cel arret beniphvonso?
6. Ffogashkra: Ay Votskuya, gelff yikralishwakaim ritvayeim kaladavtfi yikralishwakim lishavt garimffashilei.
7. Ai Ultaon Arreteic, Niato Cam! Cab sinan amuton le cel arret beniphvonso?
8. Ffogashkra: Ay Votskuya, gelff yikralishwakaim babanifunkafi, ikwilonfi, pretelfi lishumavtilei.
9. Ai Ultaon Arreteic, Niato Cam! Cab vuan amuton le cel arret beniphvonso?
10. Ffogashkra: Ay Votskuya, gelff yikralishwakaim heffmiyahfi, ffilamahfi, amlishavtfilei.
(Verses one to ten from the seventh shiffgatv of the Holy Tamitvar!
In the Name of the Great Spirit, Lord of the Worlds, Master of the heavens and Tremn!
1. O Maker of the worlds, Holy One! Who is the first righteous one who delights the world?
2. Say: O Votsku, (it is) the faithful one who erects a house for his wife and children, where holiness is thriving.
3. O Maker of the worlds, Holy One! Who is the second righteous one who delights the world?
4. Say: O Votsku, (it is) the faithful one who cultivates corn, grass and fruit, who waters ground that is dry and dries ground that is wet.
5. O Maker of the worlds, Holy One! Who is the third righteous one who delights the world?
6. Say: O Votsku, (it is) the faithful one who tills the field and gives generously to (another) faithful one.
7. O Maker of the worlds, Holy One! Who is the fourth righteous one who delights the world?
8. Say: O Votsku, (it is) the faithful one who feeds the orphan, the poor one and the monk.
9. O Maker of the worlds, Holy One! Who is the fifth righteous one who delights the world?
10. Say: O Votsku, (it is) the faithful one who is merciful, just and forgiving.)
Being from a long family of very modest means, Ifunka had not heard a full shiffgatv before and certainly not in such sweet tones as these. Each word melted on the tongue like butter, stirred up the depths of his soul and lifted him up to a spiritual plane he had never before experienced. Even those naughty boys who had instigated the violence of a previous hour were moved to such an extent that they were filled to the brim with intense remorse and shame. In fact, so powerful was the melody, that it seemed to cause every atom to vibrate and every object and creature to be recreated and reborn through its subtle, pulsating influence. Ifunka was ignorant of the Old Tremni tongue and more so of Vocatae, but it seemed as if he understood the spirit that was latent within each word, like a light beaming through a lampshade. Brother Gubwa himself became so overwhelmed with his chanting that he seemed to be caught up in a paroxysm of spiritual ecstasy, such that, when he had finished, his whole body continued to tremble and he fell on his knees holding his face in his palms, rocking back and forth. The Assistant Abbott then called another boy to remove the ecstatic novice before he spoke again.
“Let us say the wogane wabak (i.e. ‘soul-words’), which is a phrase repeated many times each day by the acolytes. Am, Owaman, Tesa, Owaman – Owaman, Owaman, Tesa, Am. Then we shall say the pala amlegyanoyeng (i.e. ‘theocratic call of loyalty’):
“Amkim yoshfi, Soliskim orutvfi, Intakim baba aftoktionfi. Shawaku Pretkubara Pespukimfi kemifi gutvfi! Amlegyano Tremn-ahyeng Kubara lektmin spufi ardipashekimfi patsipashekimfi kodmetsuipashekimfi herffipatvekimfi afkafi akshaffob koffifi!”
Praised be to God, and thanks be to Amon-Ra, and to Inta, our father. And mercy and glory be to High Priest Shawaku! Long live the Holy Theocracy of Tremn, and death and eternal damnation to the royalists, imperial monarchists, philosophers and rebels!”
When the chanting finished, each planting, novice and monk returned to his cell and prayed before doing ablutions and going to sleep.
Chapter III.
The Young Planting
Ifunka awoke, startled and confused, to the ringing of the infernal bells and drums which mark the time for the dawn prayer, which the Tremna call kashroim. Not knowing how to do the prayer, however, Ifunka stumbled out of bed, washed his face in the wash-basin beside the circular window and sat back down on the bed. He intended to remain there for
a while, collecting his thoughts, but was not allowed the privilege to continue this occupation as he heard a sudden rapping on his cell door. He leapt from the bed and started towards the door when it was imprudently swung open by his planting trustee, Ffen Weshga, who inadvertently knocked the poor Ifunka flat on his back. Dazed and much alarmed, he thus remained on the stony floor for some moments as Ffen earnestly tried to revive him. He pulled him up, was apologetic, and positioned him again on the bed to comfort his charge, to whom he had taken an instant liking. His kindly attitude derived from a goodly nature instilled in the boy by his parents who, being very pious, had sent him to the monastery in the hope that he might bring great blessings upon the family.
“Sorry about that,” said Ffen. “I was overly eager to wake you up and didn’t realize you’d be standing there.”
“Didn’t realise? Well, never mind. It was thoughtful of you to wake me.”
“I’ve been instructed to do so, actually. I am to teach you how to perform the dawn prayer before we are to proceed to the office of the Abbott in order to receive our punishment.”
“I’m not scared of the Abbott,” Ifunka replied boldy. “He’s just a man. What scares me is praying in the wrong way. What if I offend the Great Spirit?”
“Don’t worry about that,” Ffen comforted him. “One of the attributes of the Great Spirit is mercy. His mercy is greater than His justice. He’ll forgive you if you have the right intentions.”
“All right then, show me how to pray,” he replied. “What must I do?”
“First, you must forget about Tremn and all the heavens and worlds above and then raise your hands, palms facing upwards, until they are parallel to your head. This movement is called tvush and, by doing tvush, you cast Afflish the Accused One behind your back.” Ifunka performed tvush with some conviction, such that he nearly fell backwards in doing so. “Then say, Ay Wabak Kakan (‘O Great Spirit’), and lower your hands until they are shoulder-length, which action is called wegvesh and say the wogane wabak: ‘Am, Owaman, Tesa, Owaman – Owaman, Owaman, Tesa, Am’” Ifunka did this as well, with full concentration and sincere intention. “Then,” continued his guide. “Bend over with your hand touching your knees and say, Ay Wabak Kakan. This is called beffesh. Next, prostrate yourself on the ground and recite the first five verses of the Holy Tamitvar. This action is called shiffesh. Finally, sit on your knees, facing the ancient Tower of Inta in the west, where the great Seer is buried, and say:
“‘Ay Wabak Kakan! Oktfi mamafi babafi ishipatvfi kakazinfi dadazinfi amlishkra. Oktim yumigfi ramtufi sogyifi kultvumotv lishkra. Afflish Tvukimyo okt tatvelkrafi Ontva Tamitvar Kubarayengzivt okt gamail nayafi. Yosh Taikimitvmin, Ay Wabak Kakan, Owaman Aretveyeng, Wonff ffakvazinyengfi Tremfi!’
( ‘O Great Spirit! Forgive me and my mother and father and my teacher and brothers and sisters. Give me food, light and water this day. Protect me from Afflish the Accursed One and may I walk in the Way of the Holy Tamitvar. Praise be to thee, O Great Spirit, Lord of the Worlds, Master of the heavens and Tremn!’)
“When you have done this, sit for two minutes in silent contemplation and then arise. All the daily prayers are like this, except for the final action, called gatvush. The verses recited during shiffesh and gatvush differ slightly in the next two prayers and the prayer said at sunset.”
Ifunka performed each of the actions and recited the first five verses of the Tamitvar during the action of shiffesh, these being as follows (each verse rhyming on –lei):
Sing Wabak Kakanyengelaffsh, Owaman Aretveyeng, Wonff ffakvazinyengfi Tremfilaffsh!
1. Ffehan! Keffge wogane gel Hashemaff spiktomiantilei;
2. Kumkaipatv Wabak Kakanyengim! Atva Votskukim, envaipatv, kumkaipatv nahon spiktomiantilei;
3.Wogan Wabak Kakanyengeim gel Tamitvarotvzivt edfilkimileikum spiktomiantilei!
4.Ffogashkra: Ay Wabak Kakanya! Hobk lektultveim nahon aftoktikim keffge ffogaffoge ffilamahlasht lishtkrafalei!
5.Gvokare heriffeyengeim aftokti natvas ilatvem, atva Afflish Tvuyemkimalei.
“In the Name of the Great Spirit, Lord of the Worlds, Master of the heavens and Tremn!
1. Behold! These are the words which Hashemaff hath spoken;
2. Spoken to the servant of the Great Spirit! Even unto Votsku, the Seer, thy servant;
3. He hath spoken the Word of the Great Spirit which is revealed in this Tamitvar.
4. Say: O Great Spirit! Grant us, through these just utterances, thy vigorous support—so;
5. So that we may overcome the hostilities of the enemy, even Afflish the Accursed.”
Satisfied that Ifunka had successfully performed the prayers, they arose and set off to see the Abbott. Ifunka felt revivified, as if he had stood the whole day in sunlight. The energy he felt was spiritual. When he shared this with his guide, Ffen explained: “Just as the great Vukt, the sun, is the source of heat and light, the Great Spirit is the source of spiritual heat and light. A soul which turns away from the Great Spirit must wither and fall into the dark realms of Afflish, who resides in the nethermost abyss, Gahimka.”
The Abbott was in his round, multi-storied residence outside the main building of monastic complex, so they had to enter the crisp morning air as the great sphere of Vukt slowly rose above the horizon to shed its supernal splendour on every living thing. Their sandaled feet were moistened by the cool morning dew while the kogabish-cockerel warbled its gurgled melody in the otherwise serenely silent surroundings. Its long neck and glorious crimson plumage were enhanced in their brilliant radiance by the blood-red solar effulgence which cast its ruddy glow on every object with great profusion. Already a number of monks were out and about, milking the ffentbaffs, getting started with agricultural tasks or, in the case of more senior monks, performing walking meditation before breakfast, which is eaten two hours after sunrise. When they reached the Abbott’s stately home, they found a large, wooden door with a knocker. Not having called on the Abbott before, they were uncertain as to what they should do next. It seemed somewhat intrusive to knock at such an early hour and their antagonists were nowhere to be seen. Perhaps they were already inside, in which case any further delay would prove imprudent. If they were the first, however, knocking ahead of the arrival of their peers would seem most inconsiderate. Such was the dilemma facing the young boys.
After a while, they concluded that knocking would be the best option and Ifunka took the large, heavy door-knocker in his hand, ready to bring it down upon the ancient door. As he swung, however, the door abruptly opened and Ifunka fell forwards, slamming into the step. When he looked up, he saw the face of a bald, decrepit senior monk whose face was riddled with warts and crowned with a large, crooked nose, beady eyes and overly-long, hanging earlobes. He had a grim expression and failed in his hospitality by keeping silent and not offering a hand to assist Ifunka. Rather, he simply turned around and walked back inside, evidently a signal that they should both follow his lead. Ifunka could scarce believe this was the Abbott but who else would live in the Abbott’s habitation? The two boys exchanged confused glances as they both apparently wrestled with this conundrum. One might think the planting trustee would know the Abbott’s face, but this was not so, as the Abbott hardly ever met with plantings and novices, preferring to cloister himself with his senior peers.
Not deigning to greet the young boys, he simply motioned for them to enter and slowly closed the doors behind them. They found themselves in a large and spacious entrance hall with round windows beaming in the morning light. They waited as the silent monk turned round and began to ascend the steps of the great staircase, and they forthwith followed in his footsteps. The staircase, made of durable kaptitv-wood, ascended in spiraling fashion to the left and right up four floors to the uppermost chambers constituting the sunlit apartments of the Abbott himself.
When the two boys had reached the top of the stairs, they were told to wait before a large and i
mposing door marked ‘Abbott’ in runic script. After a few moments, a bell was wrung and they were ushered into the circular, well-lit and capacious chamber which constitutes the office of the Abbott, whose name we will shortly learn. When they had entered the room, they found it to be occupied by the odious presence of their assailants, Gashiff and Wigash, who sat with all the personality and presence of seaweed, their glum expressions and dead eyes indicating a vacuousness of character and spiritual emptiness which rendered them unfit for the monastic roles they currently occupied. They were seated on wooden stools which seemed to cry out from the ungainly weight of their occupants, who were stooped over with evident discomfort. Before them, there was a rectangular desk behind which was the Abbott, an exceedingly old and wisened man with snow-white hair that was tightly held in a hair clip, falling in a pony-tail which reached to his waist, and a silky-smooth white beard which flowed to his belly. His deep-set eyes were dark green with startingly-green irises, a long, refined nose, protruding cheeks and a small chin hidden beneath the beard. His ears were long, indicating great wisdom and good fortune and his face was lined with deep wrinkles etched into his statuesque frame, as if he had been carved from a single slab of marble. His dark, green robe, almost black in appearance, stood in contrast to his bright green sash and gold-lined black ffitv, similar to the skufia, a priestly hat like that worn by Greek Orthodox priests. His bony hands rested on the desk as he pierced their souls with his penetrating glare.
Green Monk of Tremn, Book I: An Epic Journey of Mystery and Adventure (Coins of Amon-Ra Saga 1) Page 4
