Last item in the book of Creation. I continue to be astonished by what we are discovering here. Metal smelting is well described and its dangers as well.
Better yet we are introduced to the inner sun which i have also posited and two tiers of matter along with an interim space for less organized spirits that are adrift yet. all this conforms wonderfully to my Cloud Cosmology.
The true goal of life is also shown and so on.
Astonishingly we are shown the introduction of bronze making to a community and the scramble for its secret. It is brought by a teacher from somewhere else, but this must represent the experience everywhere. .
CHAPTER SEVEN
HERTHEW - SON OF THE
FIRSTFATHER
The Book of Beginnings
tells us all things began with Varkelfa, therein called Awenkelifa, from whom
flows gwinin, the energizer which stabilizes all things so they maintain their
proper form, and awen which responds to the moulding desires. This is well
enough, but men concern themselves more with the beginnings of their race, and
ours is rooted in Herthew the Sunfaced, son of the Firstfather.
While Herthew was still
young he was expelled from the lushlands where he was bom, and he journeyed
across the hasrshlands in the company and keeping of wise Habaris. After many
days they came to Krowkasis, cradleland of our race, land of mountains and
rivers, which is beside Ardis, and they encamped there in a valley. With them
were retainers and flocks.
[ first hint of sheep and retainers or slaves in this phrase - arclein ]
[ first hint of sheep and retainers or slaves in this phrase - arclein ]
Herthew grew to manhood
there and always Habaris was at his side, instructing him in all the things he
should know. He taught Herthew the Nine essential disciplines of Imain, and the
secrets of the three sacred vessels.
Herthew learned that
there was a place of gloom, where the air was foul and malodorous breezes
carried pestilence and poisonous particles. This was the source of all maladies
and ailments and of the things which cause putrefaction and decay. This place
had been closed off from Earth, for it existed in another realm beyond the ken
of mortals; but it had been brought into attunement with Earth when a forbidden
act was accomplished.
[ a rather interesting concept that posits a parallel universe slipping into attunement. a modern argument as well but not applying to disease although it could well enough. - arclein ]
Thus the bodies of mortals became susceptible to influences from the baleful place.
Thus the bodies of mortals became susceptible to influences from the baleful place.
To this and similar
parts of the Otherworld the wicked would be drawn when they passed through the
grim gates of death. But Habaris taught a different conception of wickedness,
one where lack of effort, indolence and indifference to duty and obligations,
the taking of the easy path, were just as wrong as actual deeds of wickedness.
He taught that men reach the true goal of life by transmuting lustlove into
truelove. That true victory is gained only over the defeated bodies of their
vanquished passions and baser selves.
These and many other
things were taught by Habaris, but many of his teachings displeased the people
of Krowkasis who were then as they were before Herthew's forefather was led
away. So Habaris concealed many things from them and taught, by simple tales,
things within their understanding. He taught them the mysteries concerning the
wheel of the years and divided the year into a Summer half and a Winter half,
with a great year circle of fifty-two years, a hundred and four of which was
the circle of the Destroyer. He gave them the Laws of Weal and Woe and
established the folkfeasts of harvest-tide and seeding-tide. He taught them the
ritual of Ulisidui.
But Habaris instructed
Herthew in the ways of the Otherworld. He taught him concerning the three rays
from the central invisible sun, which manifest all things, upholding them in
stability of form. Also concerning the Oversoul which filled everything in
creation, as the Soulself filled the mortal body. This Soulself, he declared, would
develop from mortal sensitivity and feeling transmuted into divine sensitivity
and feeling, through suppression of the baser instincts within mortals. It was
strengthened by development of feelings of love between man and woman and
between these and their kindred; by the appreciation of beauty and devotion to duty;
by the development of all qualities that pertain to humans and not to animals.
Herthew learned that the
Soulself is quickened by soul substances outflowing from the Godhead. That the
sfrong soul is transformed and moulded to the soul's desire, but the weak soul
is not its own master, it is flabby, unstable and is pulled into a state of
distortion by its own vices. In the afterlife there is unbounded joy for the entry
of a noble soul, it will glow with splendour and stand out proudly. The mean
soul of the wicked is duU-hued, twisted and drab, and, being drawn towards its
own compatible state, it shrinks into the dark places.
When Herthew had barely
crossed the threshold of manhood, black-bearded spearmen began to ravish the borders
of Krowkasis, and Idalvar, king of that country, called his fighting men
together and when word came to Herthew he prepared to depart. But Habaris bid
him stay awhile, for he was unprepared for battle. Then Habaris prepared a
strange fire with stones, unlike any fire seen before, and when it burnt low he
plucked out that which is called 'child of the green flame' and he beat it out
so it became a blade. This he fitted to a homed handgrip and when it was edged
and blooded gave it to Herthew, saying, "Behold, Dislana the Bitterbiter,
faithfiil servant of he who strikes hard and true". Then he made a shield
of wicker covered with ox-hide and a cap of hide which came down over the face
and neck. So equipped Herthew went to the encampment of Idalvar, taking eight fighting
men with him.
[ this describes possible use of coal to make a bronze sword - arclein ]
[ this describes possible use of coal to make a bronze sword - arclein ]
In those days men fought
with hand-thrown spears and clubs, with flung stones and sticks sharpened by
fire and weighted, but they did not close in the battle clash. So when Idalvar
saw the battleblade of Herthew, he wondered and it passed his understanding;
but when he saw Herthew close on the battleline and the foeman fall before him,
he was amazed.
No man about the king
could understand the making of such weapons, offspring of fire and stone, but
Habaris made others and Herthew became the king's right hand man and the first
hero of the Noble Race. The king offered Herthew his daughter's hand in
marriage, but Herthew declined saying, "The days of my manhood are not yet
fulfilled".
[ amazingly this is a tale in which a bronze sword is introduced to battle - arclein ]
[ amazingly this is a tale in which a bronze sword is introduced to battle - arclein ]
When the war-filled days
had passed, Herthew withdrew to the place where Habaris made the bright
battleblade, and already he had taught the mysteries of their making to others,
sealing their mouths with magic. But Herthew was less concerned with the
weaponry of war than with the mysteries of life and the battles of the Spirit
beset by mortality. So while his workmen drew bright blades from the
thunderstones, Habaris taught Herthew and his battlebrothers, and these were
the things they learned from his mouth.
"Beyond God there
is an Absolute which no man should try to understand, for it exists and has
always existed in a state beyond man's finite comprehension. It is from this
Absolute that God, The Ultimate in all Perfections, was engendered".
"To create, God
first visualized in thought, then He produced an outflowing wave of power which,
in a manner of speaking, solidified
what might be called building stones ( neutral neutrinos or foundational particle pairs - arclein ). The outflowing power also produced the
Celestial Hymn which brought the building stones together in harmonious forms.
So it is truly said that all creation is the harp of God and it
responds to His song and manipulations. It is an everlasting unfoldment. The
voice of God can also be heard in the voice of His beautiful daughter who
endows all growing things with life and beauty".
"There is a divine
purpose in creation which may be known only to the few, this knowledge is the
key to all unanswered questions. Acquiring it is like the drawing back of heavy
curtains which have kept a room in gloomy half light, so all things suddenly
became clear and distinct. He who gains this knowledge knows the Grand Secret,
the answer to the riddle of the ages, and knows beyond a shadow of a doubt.
This divine purpose, and the divine secret concerning it, is called
Gwenkelva".
"Apart from
Gwenkelva God gains nothing from His creation, except that as a Being
possessing infinite love and goodness He must have something to receive the
gift of love and respond to it. Even among mortal beings, who is there that
could find satisfactory fiilfillment in self-love? Also, He needed something
wherewith He could contract Himself, some medium wherein He could perform, and
this is creation".
"Creation is also,
for mortals, the school of life. The training ground for godhood. There are
Three Circles of Reality, three realms, three stages of existence. They are:
Heaven, where perfection visualized on Earth may be realized and desires and
ideals materialized; where hard-striven-for aspirations are attained; it is the
place where all the properly developed spiritual potential latent in man
reaches maturity and fulfillment.
Earth, the place of training,
development and preparation, the testing ground, the battlefield where men
discover their true natures when confronted by life's challenges, contests and
contentions; where competition and controversy are the rule.
It is here that aims and
objectives are conceived and thought-out for realization later in the proper
place. It is a starting point, the beginning of the journey; it is here that
the proper road must be wisely chosen.
Then there is the Realm of the Misty Horizon, the intermediate place, the place of spirits, where those above can commune with those below and where free spirits wander within their limitations".
Then there is the Realm of the Misty Horizon, the intermediate place, the place of spirits, where those above can commune with those below and where free spirits wander within their limitations".
These things which
Habaris taught in those far off days have been rewritten in transmission to
accord with our understanding, but it is unwise to voice them in these
troublesome days, when words become snares to entrap the unwary.
Now, Idalvar desired to
learn the secret of the bright blade engendering thunderstones, but no man who
came with Habaris or laboured for him would disclose any part of it, and the
king was afraid to put them to the test.
So, having thought the
matter out the king sent for his daughters and told them what he expected them
to do, for he had devised a plan to learn the secret. Then he sent an
invitation to Herthew and Habaris. When they arrived at the king's encampment
they found a great gathering in their honour and the king's daughters
favourably inclined towards them, one smiling upon Herthew and the other upon
Habaris who was at the age of hoaryheadedness. Though at first Habaris was
indifferent and wearied her, the king's daughter pandered to him, encouraging
even his follies, setting out to charm him with her wit and beauty.
It was no great length
of time before her womanly wiles ensnared the heart of Habaris and though he
was almost ripe for the surrender of secrets, the damsel's efforts had taxed
her and the game became tiresome, so there came an evening when she could not
endure his company. In the midst of the merrymaking, when the alebowls had made
many rounds and the sound of song and story was at its height, she slipped away
with a young battleman who attended upon her father. Many who sat among the
benches saw this and whispered to one another, nodding knowingly in the
directions of Habaris who was not unaware, though he appeared to have drunk to
his capacity.
Habaris had learned to
love the young woman, so he was sorely heartsmitten, but within himself he knew
the tree of Winter love bears only Winter's fruits. Yet he made excuses to
himself for her, thinking perhaps it was just some girlishness with no more
weight than a floating feather, nothing of serious import, for it was true the merrymaking
was better suited to the natures of men than the natures of women. Maybe, he
thought, it is just an innocent indiscretion.
So when the day came to
its fullness and those who had made merry went heavily about their tasks, Habaris
approached the king and asked for his daughter's hand in marriage. He said,
"Your daughter Klara has delighted me with her winsome ways, she has
charmed me with her gaiety and beauty; she has displayed much pleasure in my
company, surely I have not misread the signs". The king was not
overpleased, for though he greatly desired to know the secret of the bright
blade he had not intended giving his daughter's hand to Habaris, but neither
did he wish to offend him. Therefore, he was wary in his reply, saying,
"It is the custom for any suitor for a high bom woman's hand to be himself
highborn and worthily battleblooded. Yet such is my affection for you that I would
not let even the custom become a bar to this marriage, and you may be a
battleblooded man among your own people. But let us not enter lightly into this
thing, for the girl is still young and it would be well if you established
yourself favourably with her. She will be a worthy wife indeed, for she is one
who is ever ready to learn, one with an enquiring mind. Nothing gives her
greater pleasure than the acquisition of knowledge". So the matter was
left.
Now, some days later
Idalvar and his retinue, accompanied by Herthew and Habaris, went to the
gathering place for folkfeasts, some five days journey away. People were
accustomed to meeting here every thirteen moons to celebrate the season of
fruitfiilness, many coming a great distance. Beside the gathering place was the
compound of a far-framed seer and warlock called Gwidon, who, in the fullness
of the moon on the third night, would prophesy events for the forthcoming year.
Idalvar and those with
him presented their gifts and took their places before the compound. Presently,
Gwidon came out cloaked in the skins of wild dogs, with a homed crown and skull-headed
staff. He seated himself before a small fire into which he threw prescriptions,
making a cloud of smoke which completely enveloped him. When this had drifted
away he seemed to be asleep, but after a while he lifted his head, then raising
himself up he started to prophesy.
He talked awhile of
small matters, then told of dangers to the people through enemies who would
bear down from the Northlands. He prophesied a great bloodletting, telling
people they could be saved by a great war leader, a king knowing the secret of
the bright blade, himself a war-wielder of one. He exhorted the people to bestir
themselves and prepare, wasting no time in finding their leader.
No man among the people
knew the mysteries of the bright blade except Habaris, but he was not a man of
battle and Herthew was not high bom among them. So, though they talked long
they talked in tangles, failing to resolve the issue. It was then decided each
should go his own way, but they should meet at the same place again at the next
full moon, when Gwidon would be able to help with their decision.
When Idalvar retumed to
his encampment he was no longer hesitant about the marriage of his daughter,
ordering that it should take place forthwith. But he stipulated that Habaris
must initiate him and his sons into the mysteries of the bright blade
immediately. This being agreed, arrangements for the marriage were put in hand.
Habaris and Klara were
married and Idalvar and his sons partially initiated into the mysteries of the
bright blade, for the king was told it would take some time for the initiation
to be completed. So when they next went to the meeting place, Idalvar was
proclaimed the war leader, with his sons to follow according to their ages,
should he fall in battle. But Habaris had spoken to Gwidon in secret and
matters were so arranged that should the sons of Idalvar fall, then Herthew
would become the battle chief
The king and those with
him retumed to their homecompound where they were to prepare battlemen, but Herthew
was to go back to the gathering place and there train fighting men in the
battle tactics which brought them clashing into the fore.
Now, on their wedding
night, when they had retired to their bower, Klara burst into tears and fell
weeping with her head on the knees of Habaris, confessing she was not a virgin
and had deceived him, begging his forgiveness. Habaris raised her up and said,
"Even the wisest of men becomes a fool when his heart blinds him to
reason. The older the fool the bigger the fool". He did not question her
regarding love, for he knew she could not love and deceive him, she had given
her heart and with it her virginity to another. Yet he made an excuse for her
to himself, thinking that she had not willfully deceived him but had acted out
of duty to her father. Also, truly loving someone and wishing to demonstrate
that love, she necessarily had to sacrifice the happiness and content, the
self-respect of her husband-to-be, the choice had been hers to make. It is ever
so.
Habaris asked if her
father had known how things were and she said, "He suspected, for am I not
his daughter?" Thus Habaris found himself tied to an unloving wife, for he
chose to disregard the custom of the people. He wondered, was she also to be an
undutiful and unfaithful one?
A woman reserves herself
for her husband or she does not, according to her marriage criterion.
A woman reserved
for marriage is one unlikely to be unfaithful; a woman easily come by before
marriage is no less attainable afterwards, for if she says love is the criterion,
then she measures by something unstandardised, which may figuratively vary
from one inch to a mile.
A man declaring his love
may have seduction in mind or a lifetime of protective devotion, the
marriage proposal determines the difference and establishes the
intent. After the marriage the king showed little concem for Habaris, for
he kept Klara's young battleman in his retinue when he should have dispatched
him elsewhere. Nor did Klara maintain the restraint and decomm, which dignifies
wifehood, except in their outward manifestations, which is no more than a
deceptive cmst disguising the polluted love beneath. Thus Habaris bore the
shame of belittlement in the eyes of men, for Klara was furtively unfaithful.
Habaris visited Herthew
and on his retum told the king that he and his sons would now receive their
final initiation. So, having made preparation, they set off, accompanied
by Klara, to the place of the thunderstones, this being a deeply cleft
mountain wherein there was a large cavem from which flowed a river. Entering
the cave Habaris told those with him to bide where they were, for only
Idalvar, his sons and Klara were to accompany him into the place of
initiation, a small cave entered through a long narrow passage closed off by a
heavy door and lit by fire already prepared, a fire which burnt tardily
with a blue flame.
When a length of time
had passed those who waited without grew uneasy, but it was long before they approached
the door and when they did their throats were seized, so they were affrighted
and fled, and one among them died. Then those who knew the mysteries of
the thunderstones came and cleared the way, and all within the cave were
found dead. Habaris did what had to be done, for though it is well for men to
conform to the laws of men, there is a superlaw by which men who are men
should live and which sometimes decrees that they must die.
Herthew married the
daughter of Idalvar and they had a son who died in his seventh year. Idalvar's
daughter died in childbirth. The invaders came and were defeated with a
great slaughtering, and Herthew became the first king over all the people
of Krowkasis.
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