Greek tale

It was pouring outside, the cliffs were just visible through the curtain of water coming down from a forbidding sky, the clear light of the lighthouse was drown into this landscape, and only the forlorn foghorn could be heard over the din made by the storm.

In minutes I was affected for the general atmosphere and a heavy coat of grief descended on my mind.

I fought against this deep sorrow and decided to look for Elf to help me out of the soft ache that threaten to impinge my spirit.

The hall to my mind was very bright, a soft chilling music drifted above me; I thought Elf was aware of my predicament and filled the place with brilliance and relax. When I reached the conference room, one of the many places the hall led to, there was Elf mounting a slide projector and aiming it to a large screen on the stage.

Elf

"Hey pal", he said, "come and sat anywhere, I have a story to tell you"

There it was, he knew my condition and prepared everything to recompose my feelings.

The first slide showed a pretty sunrise and Elf started his tale, projecting different slides according to the progress of the story:


The sun rose softly into heaven, the clear sky witnessed the Olympian gods creating new creatures, but these creatures were deprived of all traits.

Zeus filled a big bag full of different gifts and calling Prometheus and his brother Epimetheus gave it to them telling: "Distribute these talents to the new created creatures so they will become complete"

Epimeteus (Greek word that means "afterthink", in the sense that he was prone to act before thinking about his deeds) asked his brother Prometheus (which means "foresight", that is, act after considering all angles involved) to let him do the job, and Prometheus consented.

Epimetheus started his work delighted to give a different gift to each one of the creatures, he was so intent in the task that he did not realize the bag was being depleted, When he reached the

Epimetheus

representative of Humankind, there were no more gifts in the bag, and so human beings were incompleted.

Prometheus was very upset when he discovered this omission, it was only a few days before Zeus comes to visit their work and put all creatures on Earth. He sat on a rock of the mountain and thought deeply.

After a long meditation he reaches a solution: That night he went to the workshop of Hefesto and Pallas Athena where they developed their craft and stole "the Fire" from Hefesto's forge, and "The Secrets of the Arts" from Athena's bureau.

Soon after this offense, Prometheus presented humankind with these two divine gifts, and human beings were completed.

But it was not the end of the story, Humankind started to develop all the knowledge that the "Secret of the Arts" suggested to their minds and with the help of the energy from "The Fire" created new things, as speech, cult to the gods, houses, learned to work the soil, and produced food.

Pandora & her box

When Hefesto y Athena discovered the robbery, they asked Zeus to punish the culprit. Zeus advised Hefesto to create a woman in his forge, so beautiful and charming that no man could resist her. Hefesto did as told and Zeus offered Prometheus this woman as good will. She brought a wooden box as her dowry.

Hefesto had made a small mistake, following Zeus orders he made his woman irresistible for men, but Prometheus was not a man, he was a Titan, a demigod, so he could reject Zeus gift. Also, he warned Epimetheus not to accept it.

Prometheus & the eagle

Zeus angry because his trick failed ordered to chain Prometheus on the Caucasus Mountains and brought an eagle to eat his liver each day, and the organ reappeared during the night. Prometheus was in this dire situation until Heracles decided to help him, killed the eagle and freed the Titan.

Meanwhile, Epimetheus, following his thoughtless behaviour, was captivated by the charms of the woman made by Hefesto, asked her name and was told she was called Pandora, name that means "full of beauty", despite Prometheus warnings he accepted the woman and her box.

Zeus had warned Pandora not to open the box, but Epimetheus was very curious to know what the dowry was, and spurred Pandora's own interest, so together they opened the box that the devious Zeus had filled with all the evils, letting them befall over humankind, although they tried to close the box it was late and only rest in it Hope, as the last expectation of humankind.

After evils were loose on Earth, humankind was deteriorated by slothfulness, and depravation, it was so big the pride and senseless deeds of humankind that Zeus decided to send a deluge to kill everybody on Earth.

Warned by Prometheus, his son Decaulion, and his wife Pyrrah, daughter of Epimetheus,  built a wooden chest, or box, and in it they floated in the waters until nine days later their chest was left on the slope of a mountain.

Being the only humans on Earth, they decided to consult an oracle in Themis how to repopulate the world. The oracle said: "Cover your head and throw the bones of your mother behind your shoulder". They understood that the oracle refers to Gaia, the mother Earth, and covering their head started to throw rocks over their shoulders, thinking those rocks to be the bones of Gaia.

If there is life, there is hope.

From the stones tossed by Pyrrah came forth women, and from the ones hurled by Deucalion came forth men.

So the Earth was inhabited again by human beings who learned to live with the evils that fled from Pandora box, helped by the last that was still in it: Hope.




Elf put out the projector and lighting the room asked: "Feeling better?"

Yes! I was feeling better, all that Greek mumbo jumbo had the virtue to make me forget my depression. I felt happy and thankful to Elf, and so I told him.

He strutted a little telling me that I can always rely on him for my wellbeing, and asked if I wanted to hear another story.

I hurried to tell him not, it was enough with all he had done up to this moment and that I appreciate his good will.

He was very happy and promised me to get some of his cousin for the next time to tell me a story about the life of fairies in the non-existent fairyland. Go figure!

I thanked him again and went back to my room looking for a book, I closed the heavy curtains over the bay window and started to read...

I want to make public "A Big Thank You, Elf!!"



 The music is "Zorba's Dance" a Greek folkloric song by Mikis Theodorakis

© 2013 Od Liam.

Finances

The little bat started its flight toward the mouth of the cave, dinner time called in the way of instinct to look for something to be part of the daily sustenance, in the other direction darkness was queen and mistress, and the development of other reality .

It was early evening and the forces of Evil were preparing their army to enter the eternal fight for prevalence.

Big Eligos

Big Eligos was ending his ablution of sulphur and fire and girdle his new sword around his waist. He was proud of the new sword, a gift from the Master Himself as recognition for services well done.

The sword was named "Astaroth" in honor to the Great Prince, and you could see the faces of those slain by it reflexed from the beautiful, shining blade.

Little Eligos

Little Eligos was playing on the floor of the cavern trying to melt the rock with a new trick about fire he has learned recently, and in his intent play he almost burned the tied sandal of Big Eligos. 

Annoyance showing in his countenance, Big Eligos discharged a blow on Little Eligos's head with the hilt of Astaroth, and said: "Keep quiet, little angel. Go and invent something bad".

Little Eligos, retired rubbing the sore place where he was struck by the sword, and said pouting: "Do not call me angel, Dad!" 

As a final act of rebellion he showed his small tongue in the direction of the back of Big Eligos, he would not dare to do this in front of the grown demon since if he was seen doing it, it would earn him another painful reprisal.

Little Eligos went to the next cavern and started to draw some things on the face of the rocky wall with great care.

Big Eligos donned his new helmet of Commander and with his breath made a hole in the cavern wall for the heck of it, and laughing contently, prepared to leave.

In that moment, from the hole in the wall, appeared the head of Little Eligos showing a small piece of paper and crying: "Look Dad, I just invented money!" 

Euro

American dollar

                                                                                              

Ringgit

 The music is "Dancing in Hell" by China Fight.


© 2013 Od Liam.

Learning

The disciple neared the Master and with deference said:

Master I was watching closely for a long time a bud, I saw it develop into a flower that disseminated its aroma around it, and I understood the reason of the existence of the flower. 

The Master remained in silence with the eyes closed for a while, then addressed the disciple, saying:

Go and do the same again but stay the double of time you used the first time.

The disciple went and after carrying out the order came and said:

Master, I did as you prompted me, I saw the flower open, and spread its aroma, then it rotted, fell down to the ground, and disappeared. I was puzzled because I did not know the reason for the sequence of these events.

The Master opened his eyes and said:

Now, you understood!


The music is a fragment from "Dark Music".

© 2013 Od Liam.