Showing posts with label loyalty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label loyalty. Show all posts

Monday, 22 September 2025

THE FIERY DRAGON - THE HEART OF STONE AND THE HEART OF GOLD (Revised by BoSt 2025)

 THE FIERY DRAGON - THE HEART OF STONE AND THE HEART OF GOLD (Revised by BoSt 2025)


 

The adorable little Princess residing (since baby) in a high tower, always woke in her little white bed at crack of dawn when the starlings began to chatter in the pearl-gray morning. As soon as the (forest) woods were awake, she would excitedly throw off the warm quilt and sit upright,  and then (not bothering to don her slippers) with her little bare feet treading on the cold flagstones, she would run up the twisting turret-stairs; beaming in face she would stand on the top of the tower in her white bed-gown then, after an intake of a deep breath, she would kiss her hands to the sun. Subsequently, in her sweet melodious tone, she would greet the woods, the sleeping town below (whom she’d never ventured to) and the fresh new day: "Good morning world, I with joyful, grateful heart, greet you all!"

Next, she would run down the cold stone steps and dress herself in her short skirt and her cap and apron and begin the day's work. She would tidy-up, sweep the rooms spotlessly clean, and then hasten to make breakfast (from available rations) for two, for herself and for her Nurse; afterwards, she would wash the dishes and scour the pans, then with the mourning chores done, she would sit by her old faithful nurse (for of all who should have served her, only one remained faithful ) and listen in rapt attention to her reminiscences of the past, the golden era when her parents were still alive, and she was just a baby. This world she had never truly known, a wonderous world of bygone era, nevertheless, with her fertile imagination, still thrilled and palpitated her heart with special warmth.

Her old nurse, bound by loyalty of the heart, had willingly endured this solitary existence, where both had been virtually held captive in the tower, to present time. And now that the nurse was in her advanced years and rather feeble and had gray streaks adorned most of her hair, the princess had taken on all the responsibilities of menial housework and necessary chores, completing them without grievance and with a smile, while the Nurse sat still and did the sewing, because this was a real Princess with skin like milk and hair like flax and a heart like gold.

The little princess Sabrinetta’s grandmother Sabra had married to St. George, a legendary figure, who had rid the country of the terrible, fierce dragon that had once terrorized the people and beasts. He had ruled the land wisely for many years after that. The country should have by rights, through her(royal) lineage, belonged to Sabrinetta: the woods that stretched away to the mountains, the downs that sloped down to the sea, the pretty fields of corn and maize and rye, the olive orchards and the vineyards, and the little town itself—with its towers and its turrets, its steep roofs and strange windows—that nestled in the hollow between the sea, where the whirlpool was, and the mountains, white with snow and rosy with sunrise.

But when Sabrinetta’s Royal father and mother had died quite unexpectedly because of a hunting accident and left her ambitious cousin to take care of the kingdom, at least, till she grew up he, being ambitious and evil, took everything away from her, and all the courtiers (ministers and imp. People) followed him, and now nothing was left to her, save for the great dragon proof tower that her grandfather, St. George, had built during his reign. And of all who should have been her servants only the good nurse remained by her side. This arrangement of her confinement suited him fine, so he let it be.

As she resided in this tall tower, this was why Sabrinetta was the first person in all the land to get a glimpse of the wonder. This morning again rising at first daylight, while all the majority townspeople were fast asleep, she ran up the turret-steps and looked out over the field, and at the other side of the field there was a green, ferny ditch and a rose-thorny hedge, and then came the wood. And as Sabrinetta stood on her tower she saw a shaking and a twisting of the rose-thorny hedge, and then something very bright and shining wriggled out through it into the ferny ditch and back again. It only came out for a minute, but she saw it quite plainly, and she said to herself: "Dear me, what a curious, shiny, bright-looking creature! If it were bigger, and if I didn't know that there have been no fabulous monsters for quite a long time now, I should almost think it was a dragon."

The thing, whatever it was, did look rather like a dragon—but then it was too small; and it looked rather like a lizard—only then it was too big. It was about as long as a hearthrug.

"I wish it had not been in such a hurry to get back into the wood," said Sabrinetta. "Of course, it's quite safe for me, in my dragon proof tower; but if it is a dragon, it's quite big enough to eat people, and today's the first of May, and the children go out to pick flowers in the wood."

When Sabrinetta had done the housework (she did not leave so much as a speck of dust anywhere, even in the farthest corner of the winding stair) she put on her milk white, silky gown with the moon-daisies worked on it and went up to the top of her tower again.

Across the fields troops of children were going out to gather the may (whitethorn, English hawthorn), and the sound of their laughter and singing came up to the top of the tower.

02- CHILDREN GATHERING FLOWERS IN A FIELD JP

"I do hope it wasn't a dragon," said Sabrinetta, recalling all the terrible tales the Nurse had enumerated (tallied) one stormy night, when they had little else to do, about the of dragon’s horrible temper, his wrath, the time the dragon’s peace had been disturbed.

The children went by twos and by threes and by tens and by twenties, and the red and blue and yellow and white of their frocks were scattered on the green of the field.

"It's like a green silk mantle worked with flowers," exclaimed the Princess, marvelling at nature’s exquisite tapestry and smiled.

Then by twos and by threes, by tens and by twenties, the children vanished into the wood, till the mantle of the field was left plain green once more.

"Most of the embroidery is unpicked," said the Princess, sighing. The sun shone, and the sky was blue, and the fields were quite green, the few remaining clusters of flowers at the edges of the field were very bright indeed, because it was May Day.

Then quite suddenly a cloud passed over the sun, and the silence was broken by shrieks from far off; and, like a many-colored torrent, all the children burst from the woods (forest) and rushed, a red and blue and yellow and white wave, across the field, screaming as they ran. Their voices came up to the Princess on her tower, and she heard the words threaded on their screams like beads on sharp needles: "The dragon, the dragon, the dragon! Open the gates! The dragon is coming! The fiery dragon!"

And they swept across the field and into the gate of the town, and the Princess heard the gate bang, and the children were out of sight—but on the other side of the field the rose-thorns crackled and smashed in the hedge, and something very large and glaring and horrible trampled the ferns in the ditch for one moment before it hid itself again in the covert of the wood.

The Princess went down and told her nurse, but the nurse, instead, at once locked the great door of the tower and put the key in her pocket.

"Let them take care of themselves," she said, when the Princess begged to be allowed to go outside and assist the children to safety. "My business is to take care of you, my precious, and I'm going to do it. Old as I am, I can turn a key still."

So Sabrinetta went up again to the top of her tower and there with a burdened (worried) heart shed some tears, as well, prayed that the children, despite the seeming danger, got to their home in safety. For she knew, of course, that the gates of the town were not dragon proof, and that the dragon could just walk in whenever he liked. In her heart of hearts, she hoped that the dragon would not be too angry and instead, be more tolerant of the disturbance, as children were naturally rambunctious.

The children, meanwhile, had first ran straight to the palace, where the prince (the reigning King) was cracking his hunting whip down at the kennels, and told him what had happened.

03- CHILDREN ARE FRIGHTENED BY DRAGON

"Good sport," said the prince, and he ordered out his pack of hippopotamuses at once. It was his custom to hunt big game with hippopotamuses, and people would not have minded that so much—but he would swagger about in the streets of the town with his pack yelping and gamboling at his heels, and when he did that, the green-grocer, who had his stall in the marketplace, always regretted it; and the crockery merchant, who spread his wares on the pavement, was ruined for life every time the Prince chose to show off his pack.

The prince rode out of the town with his hippopotamuses trotting and frisking behind him, and people got inside their houses as quickly as they could when they heard the voices of his pack and the blowing of his horn. The pack squeezed through the town gates and off across country to hunt the dragon. Few of you who had not seen a pack of hippopotamuses in full cry will be able to imagine at all what the hunt was like. To begin with, hippopotamuses do not bay like hounds: They grunt like pigs, and their grunt is very big and fierce. Then, of course, no one expects hippopotamuses to jump. They just crash through the hedges and lumber through the standing corn, doing serious injury to the crops, and annoying the farmers very much. All the hippopotamuses had collars with their name and address on, but when the farmers called at the palace to complain of the injury to their standing crops, the prince always said it served them right for leaving their crops standing about in people's way, and he never paid anything at all.

04- EVIL PRINCE WITH HIPOPOTAMUS - JP

So now, when he and his pack went out, several people in the town whispered, "I wish the dragon would eat him"—which was very wrong of them, no doubt, but then he was such a very nasty Prince.

They hunted through the field and hunted through the forest; but the pack drew blank; this dragon, contrary to belief, was not innately nasty (confrontational), and even though they had evaded his space, had elected not to show himself.

But just as the prince was beginning to think there was no dragon at all, but only a cock and bull story, his favourite old hippopotamus gave tongue. The prince blew his horn and shouted: "Tally ho! Hark forward! Tantivy!" and the whole pack charged downhill toward the hollow by the wood, prince thinking only of future fame and glory, to annihilate the dragon and destroy his refuge. Forced into defending mode, the Dragon confronted them; however, he did so in manifest form as big as a barge, glowing like a furnace, and spitting fire and showing razor sharp teeth.

05- FIERCE, FIRE BREATHING DRAGON- JP

"The hunt is up!" the prince, drunk with power, bellowed his order. “Charge! “And they all surged (rushed) forward.

Meanwhile, the brave young dragon—instead of behaving as a sensible quarry (target, game) should and running away—ran straight at the pack and the prince perched on his elephant. The prince was mortified now, shocked, seeing his prize pack swallowed up one by one in the twinkling of an eye, by the dragon they had come out to hunt. The dragon’s fury unleashed, he’d swallowed all the unsavory hippopotamuses, just as a dog swallow’s bits of meat. It was a shocking sight. Of the whole of the pack that had come out sporting so merrily to the music of the horn, now not even a puppy-hippopotamus was left, and the dragon was looking anxiously around to see if he’d missed anything. And true enough, he had! 

The real culprit, the once arrogant prince thinking only of his salvation, had in fact slipped off his elephant on the other side, and cowardly ran into the thickest part of the wood. He hoped the dragon could not break through the bushes there, since they were very strong and close. He went crawling on his hands and knees in a most un-Prince-like way, and at last, finding a hollow tree, he crept into it. The woods were soon very still—no crashing of branches and no smell of burning came to alarm the prince. He drained the contents of silver hunting bottle slung from his shoulder and stretched his legs in the hollow tree. He never shed a single tear for his poor tame hippopotamuses who had eaten from his hand and followed him faithfully in all the pleasures of the chase for so many years. For he was a false Prince, with a skin like leather and hair like hearth brushes and a heart like a stone. He never shed a tear, but he just went to sleep.

When he awoke it was dark. He crept out of the tree and rubbed his eyes. The wood was black about him, but there was a red glow in a dell close by. It was a fire of sticks, and beside it sat a ragged youth with long, yellow hair; all around lay sleeping forms which breathed heavily.

"Who are you?" said the prince.

"I'm Elfin, the pig keeper," said the ragged youth. "And who are you?"

"I'm Tiresome, the Prince, your Sovereign." declared the other in an arrogant tone. “You should bow your head to me.”

Elfin nodded slightly, obliging the haughty prince. "And what reason takes you out of your safe palace, your Grace, at this time of night?" then asked the pig keeper, deferentially.

"I've been hunting," said the prince.

The pig keeper laughed. "Oh, it was you I saw, then? A good hunt, wasn't it? My pigs and I were looking on."

All the sleeping forms grunted and snored, and the prince saw that they were pigs: He knew it by their manners.

"If you had known as much as I do," Elfin went on, "you might have saved your pack."

"What do you mean?" asked Tiresome curiously, forgetting his ready scoff (deride).

"Why, the dragon," said Elfin. "You went out at the wrong time of day. The dragon should be hunted at night."

"And I imagined that you were going to say something intelligent." said the prince, mockingly. “Dragons are not nocturnal and besides, a daylight hunt is quite good enough for me, you silly pig keeper."

"Oh, well," said Elfin and shrugged. "Do as you please, Your Grace; however, I feel that I should warn you, that the dragon will surely come and hunt you tomorrow, as likely as not. You have after all, trespassed on his domain, which incidentally he’d quietly existed all this time, without giving anyone least cause for fear or harm. You have disrespected him and caused him to be violent, for that ruin (violation, harm), he will carry a lasting grudge against you."

"You're spouting nonsense," said Tiresome. “Dragons are abomination; they are to be hunted down and terminated (eliminated) without hesitation. Furthermore, you a pig keeper, how dare you try sermon (lecture, admonish) your betters! I should have your head for this breach (infraction), this outrage! “

"I am only being truthful; but my counsel falls on deaf ears." said Elfin shrugging, more to himself. He’d with admirable control, had stopped his tongue from uttering, ‘daft’ (silly, stupid) ears.

06- HANDSOME BOY ELFIN  WITH PIGS

"Well, tell me the truth, then. What is it that, if I had known as much as you do about, I shouldn't have lost my hippopotamuses?"

"You don't speak very good English," said Elfin. "But come, what will you give me if I tell you?"

"If you tell me what?" said the tiresome Prince.

"What you want to know."

"I don't want to know anything," said Prince Tiresome.

Elfin stifled a laugh, “Then you're more eccentric,” He said, instead of the word, ‘daft’, “even than I thought." again, with admirable constraint. "Don't you want to know how to settle the score with the dragon before he settles with you? But first, you must promise that he will just be contained, not destroyed."

" It might be as well; also, another treasure to keep. Oh well, why not.”  The prince somberly, outwardly acquiesced; inwardly meanwhile, he gloated. “Hah, I will have more time to think of ways to torment the captive dragon”

“Well, what are you waiting for, do tell.”

" All right, I will impart the knowledge, as I need some sleep tonight." Elfin reluctantly nodded, not entirely trusting the prince." However, this ancient knowledge, whom I was lucky to be privy to, should not be given freely; hence, what will you give me for it?"

"Half my kingdom," said the prince, "and my cousin's hand in marriage."

"Done," said the pig keeper. "Here goes! The celestial dragon grows small at night! That’s when he is most vulnerable. He sleeps under the root of this tree. He is not aggressive; in fact, when asked politely, he will even oblige one with a spark of light for a campfire. “This said, Elfin fell silent and looked away, thinking of a time in the dead of night, when once he was in dire straits and the dragon had saved his life, with that life giving fire. He hoped, he was not, by his action now, being ungrateful wretch.

“Take me there now; I want to see this for myself.” The prince ordered. And, sure enough, there under the tree was the dragon on a nest of scorched moss, and he was about as long as your finger.

"How can I capture, I mean, contain him?" asked the prince eagerly.

"I suppose there is one sure way," said Elfin, " you can take him away if you've brought anything to put him in. That bottle of yours would do."

So, between them they managed, with bits of stick and by singeing their fingers a little, to poke and shove the dragon till they made it creep into the silver hunting bottle, and then the prince screwed on the top tight.

"Now we've got him," said Elfin. "Remember your promise! You are not to hurt him any. Gently take him home and put Solomon's seal on the mouth of the bottle, and then he'll be contained and be safe enough for you. Later tonight, after I had some shuteye, I shall call on the palace to reclaim my reward. At least this way, I shall have some money (means) with which to buy fine attire and so, be presentable when I meet the princess."

“Sure, you will… In a pig’s eye!” Prince inwardly sneered, looking away to hide his contempt. True enough, the wicked Prince had made promises he had no intention of ever keeping. Returning to the palace, darkness still blanketing the earth that night, the prince summoned the Prime Minister secretly, at once, to his private chambers.

The Prime Minister was urgently awakened from deep sleep, still groggy, he hastily dressed in his garbs and rushed compliantly to the prince’s private chambers. He was briefly informed of the facts, told of the dragon’s capture, then set to task of finishing the job.

Subsequently, the P.M. had obligingly, solemnly put Solomon's seal on the mouth of the bottle, and the bottle was then carried off to be put in the Treasury, which was the impenetrable, strongest building in the palace. For it was made of solid copper, with walls as thick as Waterloo Bridge.                     

                                                                                         ~

Later still that night, Elfin had innocently shown up but was barred entry to the palace by the rude, hostile armed guards. "Go on, be off with you! What do you mean?" They bellowed at him. “You have the goal to show your face here at this ungodly hour and demand to see the prince; just who do you think you are!”

The prince did not even deign to deny or give excuses when two of the guards came forth to report Elfin’s claim, as well, give reasons for the sure ruckus (disturbance) created at the town’s main gate.

"I alone found and captured the dragon. Imagine, a nobody like him having the audacity to spread such lies, such vicious, disrespectful claims.” The prince indignantly complained to his two trusted ministers that happened to be by his side at the time.”  However, as I am benevolent and merciful ruler, otherwise, I would surely claim his head for this bold, brazen audacity…” Then turning to the guards, he ordered: “Clearly, he is insane, so just drive him away, and if he dared to show his face at the gate again, tell him he will be executed on the spot."

"All right," said Elfin, shrugging his shoulders. "I'm better off than he is, anyhow."

"What do you mean?" one of the guards scowled (glowered) at him incredulously.

"Prince has got a kingdom (and a dragon), but I've got clean hands (and five and seventy fine black pigs)." His reaction was duly reported to the prince, who sneered (jeered, scoffed), but outwardly said nothing.

In small hours, few hours before daybreak, not the usual time at noon, at the assembled court, his Parliament, the Prince with some flare and elaboration recounted to his captive, sleepy audience, how clever and brave he had been in finding the fierce dragon and imprisoning it, even though it had cost him his entire hunting party and his longtime pet hippopotamuses and the riding elephants.

Noting his lack of remorse (sorrow), some ministers suspected the prince (their present Sovereign), of duplicity (deceit, lying), however, none dared to voice this; instead, they in unison said: "You are indeed brave and clever, your Majesty." For they knew what happened to people with whom the prince was not pleased.

08- PRIME MINISTER PLACES THE IMPRISONED DRAGON IN BOTTLE, IN TREASURY

Back at the Treasury, the bottle had been securely placed (stored) among the sacks of gold, and the junior secretary to the junior clerk of the last Lord of the Treasury had been duly appointed to sit up rest of the night with it and see if anything happened. The junior secretary had never seen a dragon, and what was more, he did not believe the prince had ever seen a dragon either. The prince had never been a truthful boy, and it would have been just like him to bring home a bottle with nothing in it and then to pretend that there was a dragon inside. So, the junior secretary did not at all minded being left to guard it. They had entrusted him the key, and when everyone in the palace had gone back to bed, he (smuggled in) let in some of the junior secretaries from other Government departments, and together they had a jolly game of hide-and-seek among the sacks of gold and played marbles with the diamonds and rubies and pearls in the big ivory chests. In this care-free manner they had enjoyed themselves very much, but by-and-by the copper treasury began to get warmer, and suddenly the junior secretary cried out, "Look at the bottle!"

All heads turned to look where’d he pointed, and they saw the bottle sealed with Solomon's seal had swollen to three times its proper size and seemed to be pulsating, and furthermore, was blazing red hot. The air, same time had gotten intolerably warmer as the bottle  grew bigger and bigger, till all the junior secretaries agreed that the place was too hot to hold them, and out they went, tumbling over each other in their haste, and just as the last got out and locked the door the bottle burst, and out came the dragon, very fiery, and swelling more and more every minute, and he began to eat the sacks of gold and crunch up the pearls and diamonds and rubies as if they were sugar.

By breakfast-time he had devoured the whole of the prince’s treasures, and when the prince came along, his feet nearing the treasury building, around the bend, he came face to face with the dragon coming out of the broken door of the Treasury, with molten gold still dripping from his jaws.

09- DRAGON HAS EATEN HIS FILL OF THE TREASURY GOLD

The terror-struck  Prince hastily turned and ran for his life, and as he ran, naturally towards the only safe place, the dragon proof tower, the Princess who had awoken early, happened to see him coming, and she ran down at once and quickly unlocked the door to let him in. She had slammed the dragon proof door in a nick of time, right in the fiery face of the dragon, who, instead of being furious, quietly sat down at outside and morosely (sullenly, grumpily petulantly) grumbled, because he really wanted to get back at the despicable Prince.

The Princess, unaware of the committed wrongdoing, ushered Prince Tiresome into the best room, and laid the cloth, and gave him cream and eggs and white grapes and honey and bread, with many other things, yellow and white and good to eat, and she served him just as kindly as she would have done if he had been anyone else instead of the bad Prince who had taken away her kingdom and kept it for himself—because she was a true Princess and had a heart of gold.

When he had eaten and drunk, he asked the Princess to show him how to lock and unlock the main door to the tower. The nurse was asleep, so there was no one to tell the Princess not to, and she did.

"You turn the key like this," she said, "and the door keeps shut. But turn it nine times around the wrong way, and the door flies open."

And so, it did. And the moment it opened, the prince showed (pushed) the Princess out of the main door and cast her outside of her safe abode, just as he had pushed her out of her kingdom, then quickly, heartlessly bolted the door behind her. For he wanted to have the tower all for himself. And there she was, left stranded (forsaken, left )and vulnerable in an open street, and across (on the other side of the way) the assumed, fierce dragon which happened to be sitting, presently, intently  gazing at her. Other than this, however, he did not stir, nor try to eat her; for beknows (unknown) to all citizens, celestial dragons could not do harm or eat innocent Princesses with hearts of gold.

As the dragon initiated no hostile action towards her, the Princess’s fears were allayed (dispelled); however, knowing it would be most improper of her to walk through the streets of the town in her milky-silky gown with the daisies on it, and with no hat and no gloves, she naturally turned the other way, intending to ran out across the meadows, toward the woods.

As it were, she had never been out of her tower before, so, stopping briefly at the perimeter of the fields, she had first bent down and swiftly removed her silk slippers; subsequently, her bare feet had tread (glided) over the plush soft grass, like silk-grass of Paradise it was, an experience  she most immensely enjoyed.

She, without thought, had simply ran right into the thickest part of the dense forest; perhaps, it was to fulfill her yearning secret desire for any adventure; or perhaps it was fate, leading her steps towards what she was meant to go.  And lo and behold, there in a dell she suddenly came upon Elfin and his five and seventy fine pigs. He was idly sitting by, playing his flute, and around him the pigs were dancing cheerfully on their hind legs.

"Oh, dear me," said the Princess rushing towards her perceived rescuer, "please do take care of me. I am so lost and ever so frightened."

"I will," said Elfin, putting his arms around her. "Now you are quite safe. What were you frightened of?"

"The dragon of course," she, with a slight quaking (trembling) in her voice, responded. “The Celestial being may still change his mind and come after me!”

"So, it's gotten out of the bottle," said Elfin. "I hope it's eaten the notorious prince."

"No," said Sabrinetta. "But why would you say that?"

Elfin then briefly told her of the mean trick that the prince had played on him.

"And he promised me half his kingdom and the hand of his cousin the Princess," said Elfin.

"Oh, dear, how brashly inappropriate, the ruling prince can be!" said Sabrinetta with her face flushed crimson, she then strove to gently get out of Elfin’s protective embrace. "How dare he make promises he had no business doing? Doesn’t she get a say in this?"

"What's the matter?" Elfin asked, holding on to her still tighter, reluctant to let her go. "It was of course inappropriate, a shame, or at least I thought so. But now he may keep his kingdom, half and whole, if I may just keep what I have."

"What's that?" in a nervous, shy voice asked the Princess.

"Why, you—my beautiful fairy." said Elfin coyly, noting her flushed face just then, and unable to resist his harmless teasing of her. “And as for the Princess, his cousin—forgive me, dearest heart, but when I asked for her, I hadn't seen the real Princess, which my eyes now behold, and the only one I will ever love, till the end of my existence."

"Are you in earnest with your declaration of ….?" Sabrinetta blushed crimson.

"Of course?" he asked.

"Yes, but five minutes ago you hadn't seen me!"

"Five minutes ago, I was a pig keeper—now I've held you in my arms I'm a Prince, though I should have to keep tending pigs to the end of my days."

"You proclaim that I’ve captivated your heart and that you’ve chosen me; but aren’t you also being brazenly presumptions akin (similar, like) the prince, in deciding my fate?" said the pouting, Princess.

"You asked me to take care of you," said Elfin, feigning being cross, "and I will—all my life long."

Sabrinetta regretting hurting his feelings, moreover, she could not dispute his sound reasoning, nor did she want to, and for the first time taking a long hard look at his features, she noted the genuine sincerity in his eyes, and something more, a hint of vulnerability, also, how captivatingly handsome he truly was.

Sharing the certain kinship of the heart, they sat close but not touching, and then they began to talk of important things, such as the dragon and the prince, and all the time Elfin did not know that this was the Princess. Listening to her concerns however, about the dragon, and the welfare of the common folk, he knew that she had a heart of gold, and in his heart the spark of attraction, perhaps it was true affection, which had ignited into a flame, growing by degrees, till it made him rather uncomfortable, and he rose, to supposedly go check on his pigs.

He returned to her side more composed, "The mistake," then said Elfin, "was in not having a dragon proof bottle. I see that now. I could have long ago, utilizing such, to gently relocate the unfortunate dragon to a safer place. I owed him that much."

"I’m glad you feel the same way as I do and do not blame the dragon for his innate nature, for which he is now unfortunately more feared and hated, more so after the terrible destruction and the burdensome the costs he’d incurred by his decimating the treasury, this on top of the losses of the hunting group, though in every instance he was the victim of his circumstances?" said the Princess.

"Nevertheless, we can try mending some of the harm; I can easily get you one of those flagons (bottles, flasks)—because everything in my tower is dragon proof. We can contain the dragon and transport (deliver) him to safety, and in doing so, prevent any inadvertent (accidental) future harm to any meek and vulnerable beings or creatures (animals)." For she still believed what she had been told all her life, that dragons when hungry fed indiscriminately, whether it be any kind of wild animal, herd (sheep, pack, flock, steer) or the little children.

So, at dawn subsequent morning, she quietly rose and headed towards the town, (started off) to acquire such a bottle; and when he awoke with a start sensing her absence and rushed after her, catching up with her in no time, she still adamantly refused to let Elfin accompany her to town.

"If what you say is true," she stressed, "if you are sure that I have a heart of gold, the dragon won't hurt me, and somebody must stay with the pigs."

Elfin was quite sure (of her golden heart), so he let her go.

She found the door of her tower wide open. The dragon had patiently waited all day long for the prince, and the moment he opened the door thinking he was safe and came out—though he was only out for an instant to post a letter to his Prime Minister saying where he was and asking them to send the fire brigade to deal with the fiery dragon—the dragon ate him. Then the dragon after that had quietly retreated back to the wood, for rest and solitude after the unusually hectic, perhaps exuberant day. Furthermore, having just escaped a near disaster, he did not wish to be found in town when the night fell, and then in his small form be rendered vulnerable and fall prey (a sure target, a victim) to the evil designs of any conniving and powerful men.

Sabrinetta quickly entered the tower and went straight to check in on her nurse; she lovingly caressed her hand and planted a soft kiss in the palm to gently awaken her. By the time the nurse had completed (finished) washing up, Sabrinetta had returned, this time holding a tray of steaming cup of tea and some hot breakfast pastries and sliced fruit tidbits the nurse usually partook every morning.  She set quietly by her side and patiently watched and waited till the nurse completed her routine breakfast; then in a calm, composed manner, explained what had transpired during the night while the nurse had slept, and her careful plans for the future to assure security and well being (welfare) of all. She assured the nurse that since she had a heart of gold, the dragon hadn’t harmed her and would never eat her; the nurse noted that the Princess was quite safe and so, kissed her on the cheek and with prayers on her lips, simply let her go.

Sabrinetta without delay secured the small dragon proof bottle made of burnished brass in her pocket and ran back to the woods and to the dell, finding Elfin sitting among his sleek black pigs, impatiently and with obvious trepidation, waiting for her return.

11- ELFIN  THOUGHT HE'D NEVER SEE HER AGAIN

"I thought you were never coming back," he said as he rushed forward with his extended arms wide open to at once fiercely embrace her. "You have been away for so long, a year, at least."

“Silly boy, “The Princess smiling chided, as her affectionate (loving) gaze held his for a moment or two. She sat down beside him among the pigs, and they held each other's hands, talking till darkness encroached on them. They went then to find the dragon, trailing the scorched ground, each bent, charred blade of grass or branch or moss, followed key identifiable marks carelessly left by the dragon as it had crawled, getting smaller by degrees, till he had reached his favorite place, he then exhausted, had simply curled up under the root of the tree and instantly fallen asleep.

"Now then," said Elfin, "you hold the bottle." Then he poked and prodded the dragon with bits of stick till it crawled into the dragon proof bottle. But there was no stopper. In her haste, she’d neglected to obtain one.

"Never mind," said Elfin. "I'll put my finger in for a stopper."

"No, let me," said the Princess. But of course, Elfin would not let her. He stuffed his finger into the top of the bottle, and the Princess cried out: "The sea—the sea—run for the cliffs!" And off they went, with the five and seventy pigs trotting steadily after them in a long black procession.

The bottle got hotter and hotter in Elfin's hands, because the dragon inside was puffing fire and smoke with all his might—hotter and hotter and hotter—but Elfin held on till they came to the cliff edge, and there was the dark blue sea, and the whirlpool going around and around.

Elfin lifted the bottle high above his head and hurled it out between the stars and the sea, and it fell in the middle of the whirlpool.

11B- DRAGON TRANSFORMS IN THE WHIRLPOOL

The dragon being a celestial being, naturally did not expire; Heaven taking pity on him, transformed the dragon into another form, which he could then, in his new form, shot upwards, to permanently disappear in the clouds.

"The dragon is free now, free to live his life in Heavens, “rejoiced the princess. “You've saved the dragon, all the earthly creatures, all the little children!” But then suddenly noting the (flicker) spasm of pain, which he could not hide, registering in his face, her heart now palpitating with dread, she urgently asked: “Show me your hands."

"I can't," said Elfin, his eyes pricked with tears. “I don’t want to frighten you; but regretfully, I shall never as before, be able to hold your dear hands again. My hands are badly scorched and scarred."

“What?” She screamed and reached for his hands, and sadly, she saw how charred and badly marred his hands were.

The Princess gingerly (cautiously) placed her hands underneath his, if only for support and, despite his stoic words and assurances, her heart in tatters, she could not help but shed copious (profuse) inconsolable tears. Then getting a grip on her senses, she tore pieces of her silky-milky gown to gently cover the worst parts, for no herbal medicine, no poultice of any kind would hell the dragon breath burns. And the two, walking side by side, shoulders barely touching, went back to the tower and told the nurse of all that had happened. And the pigs hearing this, sat outside and mournfully shed tears.

"He is the bravest man in the world," with a heavy heart, whimpered Sabrinetta. "With his heroic deed, he has saved everyone at a terrible cost to him. Why is fate so cruel to allow this? Now, his beautiful hands are scorched, marred forever—My poor, dear, darling, how can I make things better for you!"

Just then, the door of the room was pushed open ajar, and the oldest of the five and seventy pigs came in. It went up to Elfin and rubbed itself against him with little loving grunts.

"See the dear creature," said the nurse, wiping away a tear. "It knows, it knows!"

Sabrinetta stroked the pig, because Elfin’s hands were too painful for stroking or for anything else.

"The only cure for a dragon burn," said the old nurse, "is pig's fat, and well that faithful creature knows it——"

"I wouldn't for a kingdom," cried Elfin, stroking the pig as best he could with his elbow.

"Is there no other cure?" asked the Princess.

Here another pig put its black nose in at the door, and then another and another, till the room was full of pigs, a surging mass of rounded blackness, pushing and struggling to get at Elfin, and grunting softly in the language of true affection.

"There is one other," said the nurse. "The dear, affectionate beasts—they all want to die for you."

"What is the other cure?" said Sabrinetta anxiously.

"If a man is burnt by a dragon," said the nurse, "and a certain number of people are willing to die for him, it is enough if each should kiss the burn and wish it well in the depths of his loving heart."

"The number! The number!" cried Sabrinetta.

"Seventy-seven," said the nurse.

"We have only seventy-five pigs," said the Princess, "and with me that's seventy-six!"

"It must be seventy-seven—and I really can't die for him, so nothing can be done," said the nurse, sadly. "He must have cork hands."

"I knew about the seventy-seven loving people," said Elfin. "But I never thought my dear pigs loved me so much as all this, and my dear too—and, of course, that only makes it more impossible. There's one other charm that cures dragon burns, though; but I'd rather endure life without the use of my hands or be burnt black all over, than marry anyone but you, my dear, my pretty."

"Why, who must you marry to cure your dragon burns?" asked Sabrinetta.

"A Princess. That's how St. George cured his burns."

"There now! Think of that!" aghast, said the nurse. "And I never heard tell of that cure, old as I am."

12- HAPPINESS AT LAST

But Sabrinetta threw her arms round Elfin's neck and held him as though she would never let him go.

"Then it's all right, my dear, brave, precious Elfin," she cried, "for I am a Princess, and you shall be my Prince. Come along, Nurse—don't wait to put on your bonnet. We'll go and be married at the basilica (cathedral, church), this very moment."

So they went, and the pigs came after, moving in stately blackness, two by two. And, the minute he was married to the Princess, Elfin's hands miraculously got repaired. And the people, who were weary of Prince Tiresome and his hippopotamuses, hailed Sabrinetta and her husband as rightful Sovereigns of the land.

Next morning the Prince and Princess along with key religious affiliates, went out to the cliff top by the seashore and after the solemn ceremony, all eyes looking up, loudly apologized to the Celestial dragon, for all the past prejudices, misdeeds and sins of men, still a good lesson had been learned, one they will never forget. Afterwards they expressed their hopeful desire that the dragon will be happy and at peace at long last and living joyful existence among his own kind in Heaven.  For surely, they knew, where he must be.

They could see nothing, not a trace of the celestial dragon; but when they looked out toward the whirlpool, they saw a remanent cloud of steam descending from the clouds to join the whirlpool. The dragon was so moved, he pardoned the humanity for their past transgressions; furthermore, he conveyed (imparted) on that region, one final gift. The local fishermen reported later on that the water there for miles around was hot enough to shave with! And as the water is hot and maintained its therapeutic benefits to present day, along the shoreline sprung up countless hostels (inns and clinics) that prospered, treating and curing all manner of impossible ailments. Meanwhile, citizens of the region remained permanently grateful to the benevolent dragon that had once existed, though reticently (guardedly, evasively), among them.

*****

The Prince and Princess since their happy union, ruled the land well and wisely. The nurse lived with them, and did nothing but fine sewing and narrate stories, chiefly about the benevolent dragon, delighting in the eager, wide-eyed children’s faces as they listened to her accounts, with such innocent, rapt attention. The prince kept no hippopotamuses, and consequently, remained very popular. The five and seventy devoted pigs lived in white marble sties with brass knockers and Pig on the doorplate, and were washed twice a day with Turkish sponges and soap scented with violets, and no one objected to their following the Prince when he walked abroad, for they behave beautifully, and always kept to the footpath, and obey the notices about not walking on the grass. The Princess fed them every day with her own hands, and her first edict on coming to the throne had been that the word pork should never be uttered on pain of death, and should, besides, be scratched out of all the dictionaries.

Fin

Thursday, 26 June 2025

THE DRAGON LONGZE AND THE LOST DAUGHTER BERDIS (PART 2)

 THE DRAGON LONGZE AND THE LOST DAUGHTER BERDIS 

(PART 2)




(Original story By Bost 2025)

 

Temuz’s feet was suddenly bolted to the ground and, with his arms fastened to either side of him like led weights, try as he might he could not move a single muscle, nor could he take a single step forward. That same instant, his mouth had contorted in pain, as the look in his eyes indicated dread, for he had just then grasped the gravity of his predicament (situation); ahh, but bit too late! 

Subsequently, the rising gale winds that had mercilessly thrashed him had also heralded the dark, ominous clouds overhead, instantly turning day into night. Then came the torrential downpours, a deluge, but it all fell only on him; Berdis few feet away remained totally dry. Angry skies repetitively thundered and shook the very ground which he stood; but worse was yet to come, a streak of lightening next finding its mark, Temuz’s body just then was set alight (busted into flames).

 And promptly, he was reduced to a large heap of ash! Berdis, meanwhile, witnessing all this, in fright had collapsed suddenly on the moss-covered ground, unconscious yet breathing.

When she came to, the shocking event suddenly recollected, her face turned ghostly white, but not a single alarming cry escaped her lips; instead, she had simply sat there on the ground, in numbed state, barely listening to Longze’s rationalizations (explanative) and urgent appeals (entreaties) ringing in her head. She had never seen anyone perish (die) in front of her before, let alone someone she knew, though detested.

Later that afternoon Berdis had quietly returned to her home and gone straight to her room. She had said nothing to her parents even though her pallid complexion had greatly alarmed her mother, Elin.  Berdis had obligingly ingested (swallowed, consumed) some chicken bouillon, a nourishing soup, and was allowed to retire early to bed that evening. Her ill health, and melancholy state did not dissipate following morning but rather, lasted for nearly a week.

The whole village, meanwhile, was cast in tumult, when Temuz and his bond servant’s sudden mysterious disappearances without a trace, was discovered. For weeks, dire speculations, unfounded accusations and unsolicited (unwelcome) ominous predictions wildly circulated, fingers pointing at likely culprits, all the while causing emotional soup of fear, grief, anger and foreboding, not only among his immediate family and wide network of friends but also, with countless others that had dealings (favorable or otherwise) with Temuz in the village. Some of Temuz’s closest friends, recalling Berdis’s demeaning (belittling) rejection of Temuz at the dance earlier on, now put their heads together in conspiratorial whispers against Berdis, suspecting that somehow, she must have begotten (caused) this trouble. Some even shunned her or spread nasty rumours about her, even deeming her unlucky and ill-fated.  All expanded efforts searching for Temuz, meanwhile, lasting for weeks and months, had all been in vain:  no resolution, no answer came forth despite the indebt investigation; this eventually forced the authorities to register the disappearances of both in official report, as unresolved, unexplained phenomenon.

Eventually, things in the village had quieted down and ordinary life seemingly returned to norm, especially since summer was nearing its end, and soon there would be the Autumn Harvest Festival. Subsequent days, the activity in the village was electric; the air was permeated with excitement as all neighbours congregated in the community hall, planning the future Autumn Harvest celebrations. 

Reluctantly, Alec and Elin had participated in some of the ongoing rush of events, even though their hearts were not in it. By then, also not wishing to worsen Berdis’s malady, Alec and Elin had temporarily postponed making any final decision about Berdis’s prospects (nuptial), which by the way, had been greatly diminished.  They were quite contented, meanwhile, because Berdis now a subdued, proper young lady, rarely went out lone on excursions, and even then, she never ventured too far. Even so, many of her friends had now kept their distance and furthermore, Berdis’s introverted traits being unusual- consistently sequestered in her room reading horticulture books and taking notes on medicinal herbs, and as oft she seemed, distracted, moody or unhappy- inaudibly concerned, her mother, Elin.

Back at the mountain cave, meanwhile, Dragon Longze had just finished paying for his past violation, when barely released from his chains, he was now informed of a new charge, having already been found guilty in absentia, of his breach (infringement), of yet another forbidden, stringent Heavenly rule. Any intimacy or love relations was strictly prohibited between divine(immortal) and the mortal beings. When he had hopelessly fallen in love with a mortal being, his transgression had condemned him.

Longze hence, was summoned at once to Heaven’s court, to answer this charge and to submit to his dire punishment.  Even though some had pleaded on his behalf, he was still given the only recourse (option) as recompense sentence (verdict):  to either forever forsake his love, Berdis, and incinerate her, or suffer as penance (fine, punishment) the Hundred Heavenly Thunderbolts, an extreme chastisement which none had ever survived; and on the unlikely chance he did, he would  thereafter be deprived (stripped) of his immortality. Kneeling before the Heavenly Court, he had begged for the opportunity to first contact her, before he gave his final decision. Though reluctantly, he was given this singular chance.

LONGZE

That night he had appeared to her in his, almost-human form, in a dream and truthfully explained his reasons for his long abstinence. He had not forsaken her, far from it, he’d done his best to alter the course of their otherwise doomed relationship, the forbidden love and the inevitably consequential tragic fate (certain outcome,) that had awaited them both. He had then asked tentatively, if she still carried the flames of passion (love) for him in her heart. She had looked at him, unafraid and straight in the eye, hurt registering in her pupils temporarily for his doubting her affection, and then nodded in the affirmative.

 “Yes,” she had then declared resolutely and, with deep emotion in her voice, “I have never once, stopped loving you.”

His heart in ruptures, he had manifested (in absolute human form) in her room, and she also awakened, presently on her feet, for a moment they had simply stared at each other.  Then he smiled and drew near to passionately embraced her, afterwards, lowering his head, he tenderly kissed her rosy lips. But then quickly pulled away and shook his head. “First, however, you must be in the know…. “Longze hesitated, looking grim, then forcing calm to his voice he slowly, hence, began recounting (relaying) albeit grave consequences, of what their forbidden love entailed:

After his punishment of Heavenly thunderbolts (he’d purposely omitted the number hundred, insinuating instead that it would only be couple of bolts), he would then be stripped of all his innate (divine) powers of immortality and then be cast on earth, to live a single lifetime, with his beloved Berdis, if fortune favored them. He reiterated, making sure she understood the full implications, that he and she would be cast forlorn and helpless, him a mere mortal being, in some distant, foreign lands where they would have to rely only on their own devices, receiving no support or backing, from Heaven, relations or friends. She may suffer greatly from being segregated (separated) from her parents, the comforts of home, the routine life in the village, all that she had known, loved and cherished in her growing years. Together they would survive and perhaps even thrive, but at a cost to her, and this fact(ached) deeply pained his heart. Then, his voice strong and resolute, he avowed to love and protect her to the best of his abilities, to cherish and provide for her to the end of his mortal existence. Falling silent momentarily, however, he looked up at her to somberly confess, that he had no certain way of knowing or predicting what his future physical shape or abilities would be. He bit the corner of his lover  lip, as he silently considered his inner dread that after his punishment he could be disfigured or worse; then, forcing a smile to his lips, he had quietly asked, “When we meet again, I may appear far different from this current physical form; please consider this carefully, are you still willing to take this great risk, simply on a leap of fate, just to attain this singular chance at happiness with me?”

She had nodded without hesitation and stanchly (steadfastly) said, “Yes.”  Then went on to add that life’s uncertainties (unpredictability) had never frightened her, however, possibility of loosing his love did. She would willingly go through fire, literally, to be with him. 

He was so touched, tears pricked his eyes, and he reached out to gently hold (grip) her hand; turning it over, he raised it to his lips and tenderly kissed the palm of her hand, which was a symbolic gesture, a pledge of his deep, eternal love for her.

And all this was observed in Heaven, not just by his supporters but all, even those ardent opponents (critics) who by having witnessed this rare fervour (zeal), courage, this unequivocal(undeniable) deep affection (love) and unwavering devotion (dedication, fidelity), resultantly hence, had wavered (faltered) in their staunch resolve.

Meanwhile back on earth, from that night on, anticipation of joy, hope and love along with melancholy and worry (chiefly for him), in continuous emotion, though alternately (by turns) had existed in Berdis’s heart. That was partially the reason for her solitude and oft manifest mixed emotions: as her heart habitually palpitated, basking (delighting in,) in Longze’s deep professed love, while her mind considered all that she would be leavening behind, and the myriad (innumerable) possibilities their future entailed. Additionally, her mind also was beset with silent worry about the outcome of his impending (looming) punishment; knowing his nature, she had guessed (supposed) he had not fully disclosed to her, the full gravity (extent) of his sentence (penalty).

                                                                                          ~

In the village, the Autumn Harvest Festival celebrations, which lasted for a week, was now in full swing. During one such event in which all the eligible young people had obligingly participated in symbolic harvesting the terraces, a small measure of the strips of ripened wheat fields that had been purposely left untouched- they had not been long at it when one of the girls, one called Helga, coincidentally one noted for her beauty, joyfully cried aloud having found a specific purple flower.

 Everyone hurried over to at once congratulate her for this, artfully implanted, though purportedly (ostensibly) rare and most fortunate find, which foretold that a brave admirer would soon be on his way to her father’s dwelling to claim her hand in marriage.  The girl blushing crimson, quickly tucking the trophy to her bosom, awkwardly intoned her thanks to all the well wishers and then rushed off to home to relate this good knows to her parents.

That same instant, one of the young men (a distant cousin of Temuz) who happened to be the local blacksmith (the metalworker) and more importantly a malevolent person well-known in the community for his prophetic, ominous predictions, supernatural powers, had noted Berdis’s unease as she had stood aloof off to the side. Langu looking more intently, spied in Berdis’s hand before she could conceal it, impromptu (unplanned, yet genuine), another specific purple wildflower: though this one had two purple blossoms, a much rarer find, more importantly, it had an ominous red stem and leaves.

Excitement bursting in his chest, “Dragon comes!” At once an alarmed cry rang out from Langu.  “The ominous blossoms exist, check out the mark of the red stalk and leaves that is in her grasp!” He insisted in an urgent shout, drawing unwarranted attention to Berdis, and this time his accusatory finger pointed directly at Berdis’s hand, causing everyone gathered to take an intake of deep, fearful breath. All eyes mechanically next, turned to the sky, in search of, predicted, wrathful, baneful Dragon; for the sky had just then suddenly, ominously darkened, as the abruptly rising winds heralded the flotilla of clouds overhead, swiftly concealing the sun behind it.

Berdis subsequently had striven to run away, but Langu persisting with his dire warnings, “Beware all! Watch out for the sure signs...” he, same time, had maneuvered his body to effectively block her way and prevent her escape (flight). “The vengeful dragon, will soon emerge from the cave and seek his revenge on us all!” Langu had continued in his exaggerated tones (unaware of the danger he might beget self), accompanying his ardent words with the mimicked action of many facets of death.  “Run, run for your lives.” 

He turned abruptly and burrowed his hard, suspicious, contemptuous eyes on Berdis. “You! You are in league with that dragon! You are also responsible for my cousin’s disappearance, and perhaps, untimely demise, I know it!” In a venomous whisper, he hissed (murmured). “I will expose you; you wait and see! “

Berdis stockily met Langu’s accusatory glare and simply shrugged.  Her eyes next, with an unreadable expression regarded the purple flower with red stem and red leaves. Inwardly however, she was fighting to steady her heart and to contain her surging inner elation (joy), knowing what her find meant. She had been subtly given the answer, of the Heaven’s merciful verdict.  He’d survived his ordeal, his mated punishment, and soon, very soon, she would be reunited with her beloved Longze.

Langu’s eyes (popped)opened wide, as if he’d just then read her thoughts, as he loudly this time, (reiterated) screeched, “Berdis, she is in league with the Dragon!”

Some among the crowd of onlookers that had gathered, shook their head as if to say, this was bit too much… Suddenly, rounds of laughter erupted spontaneously in waves, as everyone thought that Langu was playing a prank on them, a cruel one at that, just to frighten them and to augment the excitement of the festivities.

Berdis ceasing this opportunity, hastily tugged the precious find into her pocket and darted away, this time successfully.

Of course, no Dragon manifested; furthermore, Langu’s dramatics lost its effect entirely when just then the sudden downpours had everyone running for cover. And, before long all that hype was forgotten, save for Langu who had menacingly and doggedly from then on kept a surreptitious eye on Berdis.

Some things are never put off, even though the numerous events and festivities had many villager’s schedules hectic, and multitudes franticly engaged. Surprisingly at dawn one day, a representative matchmaker of Overseer (supervisor) Kendo Ren, who was from another prominent family, laden with gifts, had formally called at Alec and Elis’s home, to put forward this time a more persuasive proposal for Berdis’s hand in marriage. Supervisor Kendo Ren was way older than Berdis, but he enjoyed such renown (fame) for his aptitude, dexterity and courage especially in the last skirmish (scuffle, fray, fight)  that had secured the highways, including the one leading to their village, from relentless highwaymen, permanently eliminating threat from the notorious White Hawk Gang, that Berdis’s parents accepted him readily at once as an apt suitor for their daughter.  They had long suspected the cause of Berdis’s malady being her secret infatuation of a malevolent spirit; hence, Alec and Elin’s decision had been based on the dire hope that Kendo Ren, with his proficiency as a warrior, would ultimately rescue Berdis from the clutches of that harmful, phantom spirit.

BERDIS

Berdis, when informed of her parent’s decision, did not express any objections to the suitor’s age or give any other plausible reason; she simply shook her head in the negative, clearly rejecting the marriage proposal. Her parents spent the entire night arguing the point between them. By the following day, with their mind set, ascribing the young daughter’s hesitancy to maidenly fear, they went ahead anyway and fixed the date for the upcoming nuptials. Elin, despite her intuitive worry, for Berdis had remained adamant despite pressure, that she would never acquiesce to this match, chose instead, to busy herself for the next couple of weeks with the customary preparations. The wedding date was fast approaching and on the fifth of November, three days after Berdis’s sixteenth birthday hence, the Overseer (supervisor) Kendo Ren would present himself in person, in full regalia, with pomp and ceremony, with a contingent (delegation) of mounted men, at their door, to collect his bride. The wedding celebrations would then take place in his residence, lasting, at least four weeks, owing to his importance.

Alec and Elin had no way of knowing of course that, on the day Berdis had found that two purple blooms on a single red stem, in her heart of hearts she’d understanding its message. Subsequently, she had covertly visited the  forbidden zone one last time, and in front of then sealed cave’s entrance, sitting on a rock, under that broad-topped young pine whose leaves whispered in the gentle murmur of the air in the evening hours when the twilight steals by with night on its heels, she had declared openly , her voice resonating in  the air, her affirmed, avowed fidelity to Longze. 

                                                                                         ~

Two days prior, to the day November 5th, that was to be her marriage date, she donned her best garments, arranged her hair according to the tradition of her village and wore all her maiden ornaments in beautiful array.  With a smile, she then came forth just before dusk and presented herself to her parents.

“I am sorry to have caused you so much worry,” She said, “It is time for me to now, take my leave of you. My place is with my intended, future husband, Longze, who is patiently waiting for me at this moment, to whisk me away.”

Her face was radiant with joy, and the parents, thinking what she had said was a fanciful way of expressing her acquiescence to their plans, and that Longze was a nickname she’d given to her intended, nodded their ready acquiescence (consent). They had of course expected her to now, to go forth and have that clandestine meeting with her intended suitor Kendo Ren, as this was the accepted norm, before the actual wedding day. 

Her father Alec had stood at the doorway and wished his precious daughter Berdis plentiful good fortune in her anticipated, happy meeting with her soon to be husband, and then briskly turned on his heels and went inside, not wishing for his daughter to witness fresh tears just then brimming in his eyes. Her mother Elin had accompanied Berdis, part of the way.

"I leave you with some trepidation in my heart," Berdis said finally, in a somber tone, when they had halted their steps; from thence, they would part.  "Joyful as this event is, my heart is beset with sadness for I am going from one who has loved and nurtured me since my infancy; one who has guarded my youth; who has given me medicine when I was sick and taught me to cook and sew.” Turning to take one last teary-eyed look at her childhood home, she added. “I am going from a father who diligently kept us safe from all danger, as he oft has ranged the forest to procure the choicest meat and furs, and liberally had his home supplied with food and warmth.  I am going from a place which has been my shelter from the harsh storms of winter, and my shield from the heat of summer. My gratitude is boundless for all that you’ve both done for me. I love you both dearly; but now I must leave you. Farewell, my beloved mother,” Berdis looked at her home one last time and mouthed the words, “farewell also, my respected father, farewell!"

And then, she sped faster than any could follow to the periphery (margin, edge) of the fairy wood, and in a moment, she was lost to sight.

That night Alec and Elin seated by the fire, with mixed emotions had patiently awaited till small hours for her safe return. Subsequent day was the waiting day, which all would rest, reflect and pray, just one day before the big day, the joyful event that would unite their precious Berdis with Kendo Ren formally (legally) before the assembled key witnesses and officials, in an anticipated, blissful matrimonial ceremony.

Time passed.  Hour followed yet another hour, as the clouds of evening rolled up in the west; darkness faded eventually and, the first daylight was about to be manifest in the east, yet Berdis had still not returned. 

They jumped from their seat at a loud knock on the door at down, and with pounding hearts, rushed to open it. But instead of Berdis, they came face to face with the forlorn and decidedly angry face of the bridegroom to be, who demanded an explanation for this insult.

KENDO REN

He had gone through a lot of trouble the night before, with magnificent preparations (arrangements), to woo (court, flatter) Berdis with words of passion, sonnets, gifts of food, wine, music and personal tokens of love, ancestral jewellery to be bestowed on her. He’d patiently waited all night long at the rendezvous point for hours on end, his steps (boots) to and for wearing out the ground and ultimately, his patience, but she had failed to show up. He demanded an explanation for this great breach of etiquette and time-honoured custom (tradition, ritual).

Alec and Elin were mystified and bit horrified at this unimagined outcome; they were of course beset with silent worry thinking some grave mishap must have befallen her. They carefully, meticulously enumerated, the last night’s spoken words and events, in their head, still disbelieving their senses, instead, seeking any plausible explanation for this unexpected outcome.

Kendo Ren had great influence and power not just in the village but in the entire region; and because of his prominence, soon, many armed men were dispatched (rounded up) , utilized, spread about, some on horseback, searching the byways, steep hills, the periphery shoreline of the lake, wilderness and whereabouts, even trespassing into the forbidden zone, in an exhaustive, thorough search of Berdis. The all-encompassing search had lasted all day and night; at night with torches lit, they (examined) still investigated every dark recess of the mountain, probed each and every chasm (crevice), combed every leafy brush, examined every disturbance on the ground (tracks belonging to wildlife or men), still it had been in vain. The huge cave entrance meanwhile had been sealed, it was solidified into a mountain, and the cavern existed no more. Nor did they care. They hoped it had sealed and imprisoned the dreaded Dragon there permanently. At least that was something to be thankful for.

Kendo Ren’s rage could not be so easily assuaged; though he concealed his innate nature well, he was in truth an arrogant, possessive, cruel and spiteful warrior who’d always gotten his way. Moreover, Kendo Ren had, for a long time secretly lusted (hankered) after Berdis, and when Temuz’s proposal of marriage had been accepted, incensed Kendo Ren had then made certain arrangements to bring about Temuz’s accidental, premature demise (death). But before this was to happen, Temuz had gone missing, robbing Kendo of the satisfaction of personally illuminating his rival. Now after the extensive search, having failed to yet again possess Berdis, he’d now sought to utterly destroy her parents Alec and Elin, for his unrequited lust and, as scant satisfaction, of his need for revenge.

It took some doing but eventually Kendo Ren was persuaded by the influential officials from his village, to instead, merry Helga. She was vein true, but also well endowed; moreover, on her seventeenth birthday, just shy of three months, she would be bequeathed with an additional wealth, a sizeable inheritance left to her by her only uncle, an enigmatic adventurer, who had never married or sired any known children. Joining her in matrimony will enhance his wealth and power, and so he had opportunely altered his (nuptial) plans and thought of Berdis no more.

Many suns rose and set, and in time all forgot the existence of Berdis, save for her parents. They had endlessly, in lamentation oft at night called out her name, but she answered not.  Nevermore in their light did the bereaved parent’s eyes behold the lost form of their beloved child. Soon they had to come to grips with a harsh reality: their beloved daughter had been lost to them forever. Wherever she had vanished, it was to a place no mortal eyes could see, and no mortal tongue could tell.

Essentially, when the Dragon Longze was first freed from his chains and  emerged from the cave: before his going to Heaven to answer for the new charges, it had been him that with his magic breath that had permanently sealed the entrance of the cave, forming an impenetrable, solid, charred rockface, so that no other would ever be held captive there ever again.

Afterwards, he had gone to Heaven and had suffered the extreme punishment of 100 Heavenly thunderbolts. He had endured the unimaginable torment and furthermore, survived just so he could be with his beloved Berdis. He could not allow himself to expire, not when he was so close to fulfilling his heart’s desire. His love had sustained him through the searing flames slicing, carving deep lines in his flesh and bones, the agonizing, soul shattering bolts that threatened to unhinge his mind.

He remained most grateful to his friends that had unstintingly cared for him after the fact, tended to his wounds and soon as the danger had passed and he was able, though a deep scar on his right cheek now marred his beautiful face and his left arm was permanently debilitated (hindered, encumbered), he had not with resentment but with humility, knelt before the Heavenly Mighty God and accepted, the just, final verdict.

Heaven being (lenient) merciful, he was manifested back at the mortal realm, in perfect health, as the same handsome young man of twenty with long, cascading blond hair and grey blue eyes, the same image he’d assumed in his last encounter with Berdis. 

He had patiently waited that night, there under the canopy of infinite no of stars and moonlit sky, at the mouth of the old cave, for her to come to him. She did not disappoint his trust; and joyfully reunited with her, the two then embraced and closed their eyes; instantly they were cast (transported) to a distant land, but not an inhospitable one, for Heaven was compassionate and forbearing (tolerant, forgiving).

Longze and Berdis settled down in a modest dwelling, perched on the remote, however picturesque, segment of the majestic mountain, with cascading waterfalls and breathtaking scenery.  These mountain rages and the surrounding area, being at the periphery, was still under the jurisdiction, therefore apt protection of a just kingdom.

They mostly kept to themselves, though the monastery and the two towns nearby, still at some distance, provided Longze and Berdis with the necessary, annual provisions they could not otherwise attain. There, in their humble dwelling they lived happily ever after in perfect, blissful existence, Longze earning a living through hunting with abundant game on this high elevation (not altogether hostile topography, beside the densely forested mountain range); and Berdis, contributing to their livelihood, by being a healer, as she had some knowledge of the healing herbs.  She often gathered wild herbs that was found sometimes only on the mountain slopes (gradient, incline, hill), and categorized these accordingly, using them as treatment for myriad (innumerable) afflictions. And so, they lived peacefully ever after, till their hair turned grey, surrounded by three beautiful children, and two boys and a girl and many grandchildren.

The End.