by Bear, Robert
Elsigar studied Jesus, who looked a wreck. “You’re late.”
Jesus explained how he and Arvigarus had crossed the mountains. No wonder he looked such a mess.
Like all druids, Elsigar was a creature of enigmas, but of all the people he had encountered in his long years as a druid, none was as enigmatic as this young outlander. Even as a boy, Jesus had been childlike in his innocence and yet mature in his wisdom. Jesus often showed extraordinary kindness, and yet now he was the owner of a slave—the very man he had condemned more than a year before. No doubt that punishment was just; it was also terrible.
Once Jesus and Arvigarus had told the story of their journey, Elsigar said, “You’ve missed two weeks of classes. Nevertheless, Arvigarus, you will join the third year fuchloc.” It was too bad the prince had to be lumped with younger students, but it couldn’t be helped. “Jesus, you will be in the anruth class.”
“Why is he ahead of me?” Arvigarus said. “We’re about the same age.”
“You missed many years of instruction after you and your brother…” Elsigar paused, then said, “While you were away from your father’s house. But Jesus has studied elsewhere.”
Elsigar nodded to the slave. “He’ll work with the servants of the school. No student may be attended by a personal servant or slave. This is a place of disciplined study, not a place for coddling the rich.”
“That suits me well, sir,” Jesus said.
Early the next morning, Elsigar walked into the hall, sniffed the air, and snorted.
“Problem, sir?”
He looked back to find Jesus behind him. “This place is confining.”
“It’s a fine hall.”
Their feet padded quietly across the flagstone floor. “A druid belongs in the outdoors, where he may be at one with the gods of forests, glens, and streams. We druids have no love for temples or monuments.”
“But what of the henges and stone circles? I’ve seen them all over the British landscape.”
“They were constructed in an age long past, before the discovery of the secret of iron and before the coming of the Tuatha Dé Danaan from the isles of the north. We respect those structures as the holy places of the people of the older age, we preserve them, and occasionally we conduct rites among those ruins. But we do not emulate them with structures of our own.” His eyes roved over the beams above. “This hall and the others in the school are exceptions, constructed of necessity to protect us from the weather.” Elsigar reached his place. “Now take your seat. I hear the others coming.”
A dozen novices, mostly men in their late twenties but also a few women, sat attentively before Elsigar on their mats. Elsigar called his class to order. “For the benefit of our new arrival, I will repeat what I said two weeks ago. You all have much to learn. Anyone may try to become a druid. Kings and warriors entrust their children to us for their education, but few stay the course.
“Over the next several months, the other senior druids and I will assess your progress. For those we select, we will start the final and most challenging phase of training.” These students were all members of the noble stream, a ranking among the novices that took nine years of study or more to achieve. “By now you have mastered the telling of many legends, but rote memorization will not be enough to advance to the degree of ollamh, and then move on to your specialized training. Now you must show you can think like a druid.”
He paced in front of them. “Today, we are joined by an outlander, and he arrives just at the right time. We will be talking about the very elements of druidic faith and belief, the transits through which gods and druids transform and regenerate the energy of the cosmos. We will see how these transformations link all people to the same elements, and thus in turn link them to the cosmic realm of the gods.”
Jesus raised his hand. “That is very interesting, but what does that have to do with me? As you know, my people believe in one God.”
“I am not yet sure if this involves you or not,” Elsigar replied. “We will see. I will first ask the class to identify these elements and explain how they figure in our teachings. After the class discusses each element, I will call on you to tell us if that element has any comparable significance in your Scriptures. Perhaps we will see that we have more in common than you think. Perhaps not.”
“What are Scriptures?” asked one of the class members.
“My people are blessed to have Scripture, which is the written word we live by,” Jesus answered. “It has the law of God and the story of the relationship between God and his people. It also has psalms, which lift our hearts and console us in times of triumph and calamity. Our great prophets wrote down Scripture, with inspiration from God.”
One young man turned to Elsigar, wide-eyed. “Committing matters of faith to writing. Isn’t that…strange?”
Another student chimed in, “Some of the Cantiaci and the surrounding tribes in the southeast of Britain learned writing from the Romans.”
“That’s for business,” said one of the star pupils. “For matters of faith, it’s an abhorrence. Writing something like that gives it an unholy permanency.”
“Isn’t there danger of empowering an error or a curse,” one of them asked, “to allow the writing of any druidic doctrine or teaching?”
Elsigar said, “We want to explore areas of common belief, but there will be many areas of difference between ourselves and the outlander.” He cleared his throat. “Now: the elements I am looking for are four in number. Name them.”
He rejected several possibilities offered by the class: wands, potions, mistletoe, and so forth. “These are certainly implements of the druids, but they are not the transits themselves that connect us to the cosmos. Anyone else?”
Finally one of the men in the back said, “Fire.”
“Explain yourself,” said Elsigar.
“We mark the two poles of the Celtic year with fire at Beltane and Samhain,” the student said. “Beltane in particular is the feast of fire and light. The name for Beltane itself refers to a purifying fire. The druidic fire we make requires meticulous preparation of each pyre, with the logs assembled precisely. We follow the same prescriptions that the druid Mog Ruith gave to his assistant in the Siege of Druim Damghaire. The same preparation is made for the fire that puts the earth to rest at Samhain.”
Elsigar nodded. “Yes, fire transforms everything. Even when the Tuatha Dé Danann arrived from the isles of the north, they burned their boats as they transformed themselves.” Elsigar turned to Jesus. “Does fire play a role in your Scripture?”
“Definitely,” said Jesus. “Ever since the days of our first prophet Abraham, my people have burned offerings to send them to God in heaven. Scripture records that God used fire, along with brimstone, to bring down wickedness. He even appeared to Moses in the form of a burning bush. So, in many ways, fire connects man to God.”
“Can we name another element?” said Elsigar.
“How about wood? It is consumed by fire,” suggested another student.
“Yes, but wood is not a basic element. What would you say, Jesus?” Elsigar asked.
“In our book of Genesis,” answered Jesus, “we learn that God brought forth trees bearing fruit on the third day of Creation, but that was along with grass and herbs, and all of those things come from the earth. So, I would say that earth is more fundamental as an element. Before he made trees, God made the dry land appear, and he called it Earth. Men often fashion their works from wood, but wood is weak and fragile. Our greatest laws are the ten commandments that God gave to Moses in the form of tablets carved from rock. Even man himself was formed from dust of the ground.”
“Interesting,” said Elsigar. “Who can give me an example from our druidic teaching in which earth is an element?”
One student related how one of Lugh’s magicians claimed he could throw down mountains until their tops rolled on the ground. Another student added a tale from the Courtship of Etaine about how Oengus obtained the help of the Tuatha D
é Danann in clearing a dozen plains and in hollowing out twelve river valleys, all in a single night.
“That sounds like something from the book of Isaiah,” said Jesus. “In his prophecy of the coming of the Messiah, he says that every valley shall be exalted and every mountain and hill shall be made low. There shall be a voice crying in the wilderness to prepare the way of the Lord, to make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
“I think I can name another of your elements,” Jesus continued. “I remember you blowing air upon the pirates from the battlement of Rumps Castle.”
“That would be an example of the druidic wind,” Elsigar replied. “Can anyone tell us where the element of air is found in our teachings?”
Another student answered that the druid Mog Ruith used the druidic wind to turn his enemies to stone with the assistance of the gods in the Siege of Druim Damghaire. Others speculated that gods and goddesses often took the form of crows and swans because the air was a mysterious realm where only sacred beings can move about.
“Are there examples of this element of air in the Scripture of your people?” Elsigar asked Jesus.
“In the book of Genesis, after God formed man from the dust of the earth, he breathed into his nostrils to give him the breath of life. In the book of Job, God himself took the form of a whirlwind.”
“We’ve named fire, earth, and air,” said Elsigar. “Who can name the final element?”
The students quickly settled upon water. They talked about sacred thermal springs and how various springs, wells, and fountains were known to purify and cure in both the spiritual and physical planes. Jesus responded with a story of the prophet Moses parting the Red Sea. He also spoke of how the Spirit of God moved upon the waters of chaos at the time of Creation.
“That is good, but you have left out the greatest teaching about water as a spiritual element,” said Elsigar. “Remember the story of the cauldron of Bran Vendigeit and how it brought cadavers back to life.” He turned to Jesus. “Do you remember that discussion at Samhain?”
“Yes, I remember,” said Jesus. “I told you then that the story reminded me of something from my Scripture, when Elisha told Namaan how the waters of Jordan would cure his leprosy. It could not be just any water; it had to be the waters of the Jordan. The legend of Bran’s cauldron takes the point further, because the soldiers first had to die before they were reborn in the cauldron.”
“As I recall, you said that point rang true with you, but it did not seem to come directly from your Scripture.”
“I have tried to think about that since,” said Jesus. “I am not sure how anyone can be born again. We cannot go back into the womb of our mothers.”
“The womb is only how we are born of the flesh,” said Elsigar. “We do not need the womb of our mothers to be born again of the spirit. Perhaps that is something your Messiah will show your people when the time comes.” Now I’ve given Jesus something to ponder.
When Elsigar dismissed the class, Jesus lingered. “I am glad I was inspired to come. When I first arrived on these shores, I thought that druids were nothing more than pagans. I see now that we can learn much from each other.”
“Maybe we need each other even more than you think,” said Elsigar. “Bran’s cauldron has been destroyed, but you say your people have a river of holy water. It seems to me they have no idea how to use it.”
Joseph
Kendrick and his sons held the craft as Joseph waded out from the shore. It was a crude structure of reeds, branches, and pieces of wreckage, lashed together with vines. At first Joseph had thought Kendrick had taken leave of his senses, when the Armorican captain had begun to gather up pieces of driftwood, and carved joints to bind them without so much as a nail. Joseph had to give Kendrick and his sons credit: they had fashioned a craft—more a raft than anything else—with only the few knives they had kept on their persons through the shipwreck.
Kendrick had erected a crude rig with a small square sail made from their rags. With only a small oar carved from a branch to steer by and no keel, they would be at the mercy of wind and wave. For now a fair wind blew from inland, but would it take them to a more hospitable shore? Would they die of thirst in the middle of doldrums? Would the fragile craft even hold together through the pounding of waves? Kendrick had certainly done as well as any man might, but he made no promises.
It was madness to go, but it would be madness to stay, too. As he stood in the water next to the craft, Joseph closed his eyes and prayed for protection. When he reopened his eyes, he knew at once his prayer had been answered. A rainbow spanned the distant horizon.
Daniel
Daniel applied another compress to Mary’s forehead. The fever was not as bad as the day before, but she was still pale and weak. He had Roman coin to hire workmen now, but she was far too ill to care for herself, and he still felt obliged to stay at Mary’s bedside.
He looked up and saw a Celtic woman at the doorway. He smiled at her. This was the first visitor since Mary had taken ill.
“I am Tomzica,” she said. “I came by to ask about Mary. I have not seen her for more than a week. I hope you don’t think that I am intruding, but I was worried.”
“Come in. She is sleeping deeply. I don’t think you will wake her.”
The woman came in and sat on the bed. She put her hand on Mary’s forehead. “The fever does not seem so bad.”
“It was much worse a few days ago. I was afraid of losing her. She’s been getting better, but she is still very weak.”
“You didn’t tell anyone she was sick?”
“I did not think of it.”
“Men! Humph! You are always too proud. You think it is shameful to have sickness in your family.”
“I wasn’t trying to keep anything secret. I was just so busy taking care of her—”
“Yet how is anyone supposed to know if you don’t tell someone? We wondered what had happened to her. She lives in this house so far away from any neighbors, and we thought she just wanted to be by herself. We never can tell what you outlanders might be doing, and no one wanted to intrude. Here, give me that compress. This is woman’s work.”
“But she’s my family, my responsibility—”
“Just as it was up to me to take care of my little girl. Mary was an angel, coming by every day when my little Guinevere fell ill.”
Within a day, women from the surrounding homesteads were taking turns at Mary’s bedside. Daniel began to feel useless, but also relieved. The next day Mary was staying awake, talking and laughing with her visitors. She was clearly in capable hands.
With the crops planted in the surrounding fields, most of his workmen were ready to come back, and now Daniel had the coin to pay them. “I’ll be in Priddy,” Daniel told Tomzica. “You must send for me immediately if Aunt Mary takes a turn for the worse.”
“Tsk.” Tomzica shooed him out of the house. “Of course we will. Now go about your business.”
Daniel’s heart lifted as he gathered his men and supplies and started toward Priddy. All he had to do now was gather samples of the ore, and Grengan would grant the claim.
The villagers in Priddy seemed pleased to see Daniel return with his men. They told him that Horshak’s men were digging near the discharge of the Cheddar from the nearby cave. Good for Horshak, he must have found another lode.
Later, though, one of his men pointed out someone spying on them from the nearby woods. Daniel thought better of setting out immediately for the lode site he and Jesus had discovered the previous season. Instead, he took a few trusted men and headed out to do his own reconnaissance of Horshak’s work.
Daniel soon had his answer. Horshak’s dig was nowhere near the discovery Jesus had made. But this was no coincidence. Daniel could tell why Horshak’s men were digging in this place. Someone had seen the map, but they had not understood it.
Leaving his men to prepare their huts for another season, Daniel took a horse and galloped off. He was soon in Grengan’s house in the Lak
e Village, pleading his case.
“I tell you that Horshak is spying on us, ready to steal our rightful claim. His men are watching us. If I bring my men to the site, Horshak will have his men digging right next to us.”
“I cannot grant your claim until I see the ore samples,” Grengan replied. “Those are the rules we set, to be fair to you outlanders and to my own people. You must bring me the sample first.”
“But I can tell that Horshak saw our map, or maybe someone else did and told him what was on it.”
Grengan waved his hands helplessly. “I am afraid that’s a claim you need to take up with the druidess.”
“Esmeralda! You can’t be serious!”
“I know she has no love for you or your family. But if you accuse Horshak of spying, it is out of my hands. That is a matter for the druid, not the king. And one other thing: you had better be prepared for a trial by combat, with Esmeralda as the referee.”
“I would have to fight Horshak?”
“That is our way.”
Daniel rolled his eyes. “It’s our discovery, but Horshak has more men. He’ll reach the ore first if he starts digging alongside us, even if we have a day’s head start.”
“I have an idea for you. You should fast against him. Call on him with the power of the fast to stop spying on you and leave you to work on your claim without interference.”
At first Daniel thought the idea was crazy, but Grengan explained the ancient Celt custom for seeking redress from a wrongdoer. What do I have to lose?
The next day, Daniel was back at Priddy. He let his workmen go but told them to be ready to return soon. He then walked boldly to the site where Horshak’s men were digging. They looked up from their work as Daniel took a seat on a nearby log. He waited for the men to get back to work. Then he started laughing and jeering at them, saying that there was no silver, and how they were working for a thief. One by one, Horshak’s men looked up at him, listened, and then went back to their digging.
For the rest of that day, Daniel took no food or drink. Nor did he eat or drink on the next day or the day after. Horshak’s men did not respond directly to Daniel’s taunts, but they began to look more embarrassed every day.
