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Papa
Joe ~ Stuff & Things
James' Story
In another part of the Walnut Forest, there lived a
hunter who had three sons. The two older sons were fine strong
men. The youngest son, James, was sickly and prone to fits. Often
the fits would leave James so weak that he couldn't move for
days.
Every day the hunter and the two eldest sons would go out hunting
in the forest, but James would stay at home doing nothing. The
hunter thought James lazy and though he loved the boy, he often
became vexed with him.
"You worthless fool. When will you do something with your
life? You stay at home day in and day out. You don't know
anything about anything. What did I do to earn such a worthless
child?"
One day James answered his father. "Father, I have stayed
home day after day. It's true that I know little about anything.
I've been thinking about it for a long time and I have decided
that I would like to learn something."
The hunter was pleased. He thought that finally James would learn
a trade and earn a living. "I'll give you three gold coins
to get you started. What trade do you wish to learn?"
James shook his head. "No trade, father. The something I
wish to learn is 'what makes life worth living?'."
"What makes life worth living? That's the stupidest thing
I've ever heard. I've wasted my time on you long enough. Get out
of my house! See if you can live on your foolish question."
James answered his father quietly. "It might be a foolish
question. Yet foolish or not I'll take the three gold coins
you've promised and leave this very hour."
"Boy, it will be worth the coins to be rid of you, but don't
you dare tell a soul who your father is. If you go out into the
world acting like a fool, I don't want anyone to know that you
are my son."
So James went out into the world with three gold coins in his
pocket, the clothes on his back, and a question on his mind. As
the sun was setting, he came to the top of a hill. There he found
an old man wearing rags and drinking from an old clay jug.
James greeted the man. "Good eve to you, traveler. I'm
James. Are you planning to spend the night here?"
The old man grinned at James, for his name was Misery and Misery
loved nothing better than company. "Yes, yes, my lad. I did
plan to stay here. Come sit by my fire and be warm."
James sat by the fire, but he didn't feel warm. He notice that
the old man had nothing with him but the jug. "Do you have
no food, old man? I brought none with me, but perhaps we could
find something to eat before it gets full dark."
Misery grinned again. "I need no food, James. Nor will you
while you stay with me. In this jug you'll find all you
need."
James' eyes were wide. "Is it a magic jug?"
Misery grinned his grin. "Yes it is. It's always full."
James asked, "What's in it? Some magic potion?"
"Something like that. Have some."
James took the jug and drank. He coughed and gagged. "What
is that stuff?"
"It's beer, boy. It will help keep your mind off hunger and
the cold. Once you get use to it you'll even like the
taste."
James and Misery sat and drank. The more they drank the more
James talked. He told Misery about his life. He told how he had
fits that left him too weak to hunt with his father and brothers.
He told how worthless he felt.
Misery just sat and listened until he heard James' great
question. Then Misery grinned again.
"I'll tell you where to find the answer to your question,
boy, if you give me the three gold coins."
James said, "I'll give them gladly. Where can I find my
answer?"
"In a tower with an iron bell at the edge of this forest. If
you go there and spend the night, you'll find your answer. Sleep
now. Tomorrow, I'll show you the bell tower."
The next day, James woke up to a terrible headache. Misery was
shaking him. "Get up, boy. I have the cure for that headache
of yours. It's called the hair of the dog."
At first James could not imagine drinking more beer, but at
Misery's insistence he drank. After a few drinks he felt better
than ever.
Misery brought James to the edge of the Walnut Forest. They came
to an old stone bell tower. Misery turned to James. "Here's
the place to find your answer. We'll make ourselves comfortable.
Nothing will happen until dark."
They sat in the tower and drank from the jug. James talked.
Misery grinned. They sat and drank until the sun set, then Misery
got up. "I'll be waiting outside. You won't need me, but
I'll take my three gold coins."
James handed Misery the coins and waited alone in the tower. As
the night closed in, the bell began to toll.
"Bong! Bong! Bong!"
The tower started to shake. From the floor a mound of earth was
forming. The mound grew larger and larger. It began to form
itself into the shape of a large troll with glowing black eyes.
It had clear sharp teeth, like crystal quarts. It had huge
misshaped hands, arms, legs, and feet. It was looking at James.
"Miserable human, what are you doing here?"
James was shaking with fear. "I came because I was told that
I could find the answer to my question in this place
tonight."
The troll laughed. "Ha! The only thing you shall find here
is death."
The troll strode across the room, picked James up with one hand,
and threw him across the room. James hit the wall with a crash
and passed out.
Sometime later James woke up. He had no feeling in his left side.
He had had another of his fits. He was frightened. How could he
escape this tower if all of his strength failed him. He tried to
crawl to the door when the bell began to toll again.
"Bong! Bong! Bong!"
A wind began to blow around the tower. It came through all the
windows. A wind demon began to form in the center of the room.
James could see dust and sand whipping around in the body of the
demon. It's eyes glowed yellow. It was looking at James.
"Miserable human, what are you doing here?"
James was frightened, but he could not crawl out of the room. So
he pushed himself into a sitting position and faced the demon.
"I came because I was told that I could find the answer to
my question in this place tonight."
The demon laughed. "Ha! The only thing you shall find here
is death."
The demon reached out a spiraling arm. It shot across the room to
James. He felt himself being lifted, spun and turned. He was
flying round the room. He couldn't breath. Then James blacked
out.
When he awoke, he was having trouble breathing. He
still had no feeling in his left side. He was trembling with
terror as the bell began to toll.
"Bong! Bong! Bong!"
James could hear a roar growing in the tower. The room grew
warmer and warmer. There was a crackling noise. He opened his
eyes and shut them again, but what he had seen had burned into
his vision.
In the center of the room stood a creature of fire. It's flames
ran blue and amber, yellow and green, from the floor to the
ceiling. It's fiery red eyes were burning into James.
"Miserable human, what are you doing here?"
James didn't know what to do. He just lay there hoping the
creature would leave him alone.
"Answer me mortal lest I fry you to ash."
James answered. "I came because I was told that I could find
the answer to my question in this place tonight."
The creature laughed. "Ha! Pitiful man, the only thing you
shall find here is death."
The crackling and roaring grew louder. The heat became
intolerable. The sweat on James' body evaporated. His clothing
began to smolder. James began to gasp for air, then everything
went black.
When James finally became aware again. He couldn't see. He was to
weak to move. He heard the thing he least wanted to hear. The
sound of the bell beginning to toll.
"Bong! Bong! Bong!"
There was a soft sound in the tower. It came from everywhere. His
face felt damp, then wet and cold. He knew there was something in
the room. Something cold and wet. And he knew it was staring at
him.
The voice reached him like a wave. "Pitiful man, what are
you doing here?"
James didn't know if he could speak. He opened his mouth because
he was afraid not to try. He didn't know what words would stop
this thing from tormenting him. He could think of nothing to say
but what he had said before. "I came because I was told that
I could find the answer to my question in this place
tonight."
The thing laughed a gurgling laugh. "Ha! The only thing you
shall find here is death."
Water filled the boy's lungs. He couldn't breath. In his mind
everything was blue. Then everything was gone.
Later James woke up. He knew he was awake. He couldn't see or
feel, but he knew he was awake. He knew that. And he knew that
the bell had begun to toll. Not with his ears, for he could hear
no sounds. He just knew.
"Bong! Bong! Bong!"
What happened next, James knew rather than felt. A white glow
formed in the room. It grew brighter and stronger. There was a
low hum too. It was more of a vibration than a sound. James knew
that there was someone in the room with him. He was sure it would
ask him the same question. He knew that if he gave it the same
answer he would die. He tried to think of a different answer.
Then he heard a voice.
It was more like a cloud than a voice. He didn't hear it with his
ears, but he heard it just the same. The words came as he knew
they would.
"Foolish mortal, what are you doing here?"
James answered without opening the mouth he couldn't feel.
"What makes life worth living?"
A vision opened in James' mind. He could see a young woman
wearing a tattered dress. She had yellow hair and a smile that
could light up the darkest night. She was walking though the
Walnut Forest. She was looking for James. The vision faded.
James opened his eyes. He was lying naked on the floor in the
tower room. His body was red from burns and black from bruises.
He was so weak he could hardly move. The sun was beginning to
rise. One last time, James heard the toll of the bell.
Misery walked into the room. "Did you find the answer to
your question, James?"
James whispered, "No! Give me back my three gold
coins."
Misery grinned, "Not as quick as that, James. Did you find
no answer to your question?"
James sighed, "No answer I could understand."
Misery grinned again. "Then it wasn't a total loss. Let me
help you out of here. I don't think you'll want to spend another
night with your friends in here."
It was morning again when James woke up. His left arm and leg
were weak. He couldn't move them. Misery was sitting on the other
side of the campfire.
"Have a drink, James."
James said, "I don't want any more of your drinks. I want my
three gold coins back."
Misery grinned, "What! Give you back your coins? You got
your answer. Don't you believe in your visions?"
James thought about the things he had faced in the night. "I
do believe in visions. I don't believe that you brought me here
to help me. You probably thought those monsters would kill me and
then you'd keep the gold."
"Nothing in life is that easy, James. So. You do believe
that the girl with the yellow hair and the wonderful smile will
answer your question? These gold coins are mine. If you want them
back then make a bet with me. I'll wager that the girl won't help
you without my help. If she does, I'll give you back your gold
coins."
"And if she doesn't, Misery?"
Misery reached out and took the boy's hand. James felt ill. The
hand was cold and clammy. It made James feel dirty. It was if he
were in a grave with worms and bugs crawling on and through him.
It was worst than being in the tower.
Misery fixed his eyes on James and grinned his grin. "Then I
get you James. You will belong to me! Drink, James."
Part Three
Papa
Joe ~ Stuff & Things |