There was an old woman brought before King Korale one afternoon. The guard said, “My Lord here is the Seer you called for.”
He spoke to her saying, “Word has come to my ears you are one who practices the dark Arts, is this true?”
She answered, “I Thaslah do practice the Arts sire, but it up to others whether they be dark or light. For God makes it rain on the just and unjust; as do destroying forest fires replenish the woods. Pray Lord, what is it really that thou seeks, Oh King of the West?”
She answered, “I Thaslah do practice the Arts sire, but it up to others whether they be dark or light. For God makes it rain on the just and unjust; as do destroying forest fires replenish the woods. Pray Lord, what is it really that thou seeks, Oh King of the West?”
“To amuse us as I weigh the case of your kind before me,” Korale said to her.
“As you wish, sire,” She stepped forward and took the kings own bowl of water for cleaning his hands and cast it before court on the chamber floor. “In time we all vanish before the world.” Suddenly the water on the floor dried away before the onlookers. From a pouch on her waist cord the old woman withdrew a velvet bag. Emptying the contents into the bowl she set it before the king again. Stepping back to where the guard had introduced her, the old woman requested of the king. “Oh King, before this council chose and do with them as you wish.”
Looking into the bowl he saw gem stones, acorn, almond and various seeds, crow, rabbit and rat’s foot and various bones. Then King Korale picked out the gem stones: red ruby, black onyx, blue sodalite, purple amethyst, snowflake obsidian, rose quartz, blood garnet, white agate, and the yellow leopard skin stone. The king set them in a row, and then looked up at the old woman. She gave no attention to him with regard to reaction.
Thinking he had been made to play a fool’s game, king tried crushing the stones with the hilt of his side dagger, then brushed them and the bowl from off his table crying out, “Rubbish and nonsense, this is all foolishness. If we are called to play games then name it as such, and if it be some lesson of fate then instruct such as well.”
The old woman covered her face in her hands and began weeping as she rocked back and forth. Then answering the king’s question of ‘What is wrong’ the old woman rose to her feet from the floor?
“I would, that you had chosen another course of action my lord. At my leave, shall you set many undoable things into motion.
“As you wish, sire,” She stepped forward and took the kings own bowl of water for cleaning his hands and cast it before court on the chamber floor. “In time we all vanish before the world.” Suddenly the water on the floor dried away before the onlookers. From a pouch on her waist cord the old woman withdrew a velvet bag. Emptying the contents into the bowl she set it before the king again. Stepping back to where the guard had introduced her, the old woman requested of the king. “Oh King, before this council chose and do with them as you wish.”
Looking into the bowl he saw gem stones, acorn, almond and various seeds, crow, rabbit and rat’s foot and various bones. Then King Korale picked out the gem stones: red ruby, black onyx, blue sodalite, purple amethyst, snowflake obsidian, rose quartz, blood garnet, white agate, and the yellow leopard skin stone. The king set them in a row, and then looked up at the old woman. She gave no attention to him with regard to reaction.
Thinking he had been made to play a fool’s game, king tried crushing the stones with the hilt of his side dagger, then brushed them and the bowl from off his table crying out, “Rubbish and nonsense, this is all foolishness. If we are called to play games then name it as such, and if it be some lesson of fate then instruct such as well.”
The old woman covered her face in her hands and began weeping as she rocked back and forth. Then answering the king’s question of ‘What is wrong’ the old woman rose to her feet from the floor?
“I would, that you had chosen another course of action my lord. At my leave, shall you set many undoable things into motion.
“Hear now, oh realm of Eriduah for your king has selected your future oh Mithar! Not the bones of your various enemies did he seek to wipe out nor the various seeds of your children doeth he care to plant; but those who desire to instruct with wise council has your king chosen to crush before him. Yeah, for many kings and Judges after them shall rise up and crush those with firm voices; yet shall the un-thrown Prophet remain before the city falls!”
Looking before him, the king saw that the white agate remained where he had placed it. Then to the guards he pronounced, “Take her from my sight, and to the caves of Sinjar you are confined till I call for you, one year from this very day.”
Looking before him, the king saw that the white agate remained where he had placed it. Then to the guards he pronounced, “Take her from my sight, and to the caves of Sinjar you are confined till I call for you, one year from this very day.”
(c) 2024 The Eclectic SNOWber Productions
All rights reserved, the logo, scarfed, pipe-smoking polar bear, maps,
and images are all the works of the author.
No "AI" was used in the story conception!
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