Cable’s hands shook as he pondered the poem that he’d just read. “Jimbo, do you know what this means?” he asked.
“Yes, of course I know what it means,” Jimbo replied. “It means that my mysterious friend was a right clever poet. I’ve always enjoyed rhymes, ‘cause I’ve never been particularly good at them myself. That man had a real gift.”
Cable grew impatient. “No, Jimbo. I mean, do you understand what the poem means? It means that we’ve got to go back up that that place atop the cliff, where I was nearly killed!”
“Oh Herc, surely it can’t mean that!” said Jimbo. “It would be a bit of a challenge to go back up that cliff, and anyways, I’m in no hurry to meet those ugly chaps again. Once is enough for today, wouldn’t you say?”
Cable looked back at the paper before speaking. After a brief pause, he spoke again. “But listen to what the poem says, Jimbo. One day you shall save the life of the one who’s just saved yours. That’s what just happened! Way back when we first met, I saved your life. Oh, I didn’t save it by keeping anyone from killing you. But I saved it by interrupting the fight and keeping you from killing my father! If you’d done that, you’d have gone back with Dor-ko’s army. And even if your body was alive, your soul would be dead, which is even worse.”
“Wow, Herc,” replied Jimbo. “That’s pretty deep.”
“Well, that’s what my dad says, anyway. I don’t always understand what he says, but it always seems to end up that he’s right, so I just have to believe it. But back to the poem...the next line is On that day you must make your way to the mound with the fearsome doors. That means that, on the day that you save my life, we’ve got to hustle over to some ‘mound’. Well, the only mound that I know of is that mound of earth on top of the cliff. That’s where the gruesome twosome tried to throw me into the smoke-filled chamber, through the ‘fearsome doors’. Somehow, we’ve got to get back there.”
Jimbo pondered that thought for a moment. At length he said, “I guess you’re right, Herc. We’d better get moving and start looking for a trumpet.” He then started to rummage around the tee-pee to find some weapons.
“Why should we look for a trumpet?” Cable asked.
“Look, you’re the poetry expert,” said Jimbo. “Didn’t you read the last line? Take courage my friend, let the trumpet resound, that the evil ones shall be no more. Well, I may not be the most astute person in the world, but I’m smart enough to know that in order for a trumpet to ‘resound,’ you need to have a trumpet. And so we’d better start looking before we strike off for that mound of yours. As you can see, I don’t exactly have a vast collection of trumpets hanging around me castle.”
Cable shook his head and replied. “No, Jimbo. That’s not what the poem tells us to do. The poem simply says that we need to make our way to the mound. That is the command. As for the trumpet--I can’t really explain it. I think it’s one of those things that we’ll figure out as we go along.”
“That doesn’t make sense, Herc.”
“Here’s another thing I learned from my dad--when you do the things that are clear, the things that are unclear kind of take care of themselves. He’s told me a million times: ‘Don’t let the things that you don’t understand get in the way of the things that you do understand.’ Well, I don’t know how this trumpet is going to resound, seeing as how we don’t have a trumpet, and seeing as how neither of us even knows how to play one. But the command is to start making our way to the mound today. And that is what we’ve got to do.”
Jimbo grabbed his chin with his hands and squinted his eyes, as though trying to squeeze a deep thought out of his brain. He finally nodded and said, “All right, Herc. You’ve convinced me. We’d better be on our way. But here’s the thing--it’s a long way back to the top of that cliff. In fact, I’m not quite sure how to get there. We can start out today, but sunset will likely be here before long, and we’ll have to spend the night in the woods. Oh well, it can’t be helped.”
Jimbo then resumed his retrieval of various weapons from the tee-pee. He handed Cable a bow, a quiver full of arrows, a sword, and a couple of daggers. After grabbing a similar collection of items for himself, he reached up and grabbed a few slabs of dried meat that were dangling on ropes from the roof of the tee-pee. He wrapped them up and tucked them inside a small bag that he slung over his shoulder. Finally, he grabbed an empty waterskin. “We’d better fill this up on the way,” he said. Within 10 minutes, Cable and Jimbo were ready to head out.
Once they exited the tee-pee, Jimbo whistled. Within seconds, a loud crashing sound was heard nearby in the woods. Jimbo’s pet wild boar Doofus soon emerged. The happy creature vaulted into the air and landed on Jimbo, who was knocked from his feet and sent sprawling to the ground. The boar repeatedly rubbed Jimbo with his snout. “Take it easy!” Jim giggled. “I’d hate to scratch your face with me scraggly whiskers!” Jimbo then got to his feet and said, “Look me in the eyes, Doofus!”
Doofus sat on his haunches and looked right at Jimbo.
“Doofus, you need to be our guide. Are you ready?”
Doofus wagged his pitiful little tail. Cable thought he could see the boar nod his head as well. He was impressed.
“All right, then, we’re all set,” said Jimbo. “Take us back to the top of that miserable cliff. Lead the way!”
Doofus snorted once, as though he were thinking. A few seconds later, he laid down and buried his head in the grass, as though trying to hide. Jimbo stepped over next to him and started petting him. “Look, old boy, I’m not crazy about going there either. But orders are orders. That’s what we’ve got to do, and there ain’t nothin’ we can do except do it. So buck up, Doofus. Let’s roll.”
Doofus was unconvinced. He still refused to move. Jimbo squeezed his chin again, then quickly dashed back into the tent. Re-emerging moments later with a small slab of meat, he said, “Hey, boy! Would a bit of grub cheer you up?” Doofus still didn’t move. So Jimbo walked over and held the meat in front of Doofus’ nose. This seemed to revive the boar. He leaped back to his feet and started to grunt eagerly. Jimbo tossed the meat into the air, and Doofus grabbed it like a shark snatching up a sleeping bluefish. Jimbo then pointed and said, “Lead the way, O Fearless One!” Doofus seemed encouraged by the vote of confidence, and he lumbered away into the woods. Jimbo and Cable followed close behind.
Doofus led them back toward the river from which they’d emerged earlier. But instead of turning to the right back toward the cliff, they turned to the left and headed upstream. “Are you sure he knows where he’s going?” asked Cable.
Jimbo was indignant. “How dare you question my personal guide?” he responded. “Of course he knows. I wouldn’t call him ‘Doofus’ if he was a dummy. Didn’t we already talk about that, Herc? Listen--it really wouldn’t make much sense to go back to the cliff. What are you going to do, climb it with your bare hands? I don’t think so! But this river kind of loops back on itself, and it will eventually lead us toward the trail that you were on earlier. Then we can climb up the same way we did before.”
It wouldn’t be too exciting to recount the journey of the threesome through the woods. The traveling was fairly slow. If they had simply walked up the riverbed, they could have made good time. But the river was too deep in most places. And besides, in the back of their mind, they were afraid of being seen by the fearsome creatures that they had encountered atop the cliff. They each had a feeling that they would see them again, but no one was in the mood to hasten the moment when that particular reunion occurred. They figured that if they stayed inside the woods, they had a better chance of staying hidden. But of course, this made the journey upstream go very slowly. The woods were thick, and Jimbo and Cable often had to use their swords to make their way through the underbrush.
Nightfall quickly overtook them, and--unable to see a thing--they had to stop. Jimbo piped up and said, “Well, we might as well sleep. One of us can stand watch while the other two sleep. We’ll take turns every hour. Anyone volunteer to take the first shift?” The question was met with silence. Finally, after about 20 seconds, a grunt was heard in the darkness. “Thanks, Doofus,” said Jimbo. “Just wake Cable up in an hour. G’night, fellas.” And with that, Jimbo hit the ground. It took nearly 30 seconds for loud snores to start echoing through the trees.
Cable reached over, petted Doofus, and said “Wow--he doesn’t waste any time hitting the sack, does he?” Cable could feel Doofus shaking his head. He then asked, “Are you okay if I close my eyes for a few minutes?” Cable could then feel Doofus nodding his head. Reassured that his life was in good hands (or, more precisely, hooves), Cable laid down and closed his eyes. While snoring would normally keep Cable up for hours, this time he hardly noticed it at all. The events of the preceding day had tuckered him out. Within seconds he too was asleep.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Chapter 27 - The Envelope
Jimbo sat and stared at his young companion. He wasn’t sure what to make of Cable’s enthusiasm. Jimbo kind of enjoyed life on an even keel, and he was slow to get excited. Still, he was intrigued by Cable’s declaration. At length, he said, “So...what exactly do you mean, mate?”
Cable couldn’t contain himself. “Look, Jimbo, get up and grab that envelope! I know your mysterious friends name. I know everything! Today is the day you’ve been waiting for!”
Jimbo remained unmoved. “Look, Herc, I know you’re a pretty smart boy and everything. I suppose you couldn’t help that, being the king’s son and everything. But I think you’re slightly (‘sliiiiiiiiightly’) exaggerating when you say that you know ‘everything’.”
“For goodness sake, Jimbo, I don’t mean ‘everything’. I mean, I know everything that you’ve just been talking about! You remember the boy in your story--the one that came up to the man that had been fighting you? That was me! And that man was my father!”
Jimbo squinted and pursed his lips slightly. He looked Cable up and down and declared, “Look, make, you are confusing me. For one thing, your father is the king, and I may be as numb as a brick, but I know that I never fought the king. And for another thing, you just don’t look much like the boy I saw that day. He was little.”
Cable jumped up and down in exasperation. “Of course I don’t look like that boy, Jimbo! That was about 12 years ago! Kids grow up! And as for that man...well, let me explain.
“When I was two years old, my dad had to send me away for awhile, because the kingdom was under attack. It’s a long story, and I can’t explain it all right now, because we’ve got to get moving! But anyway, my brother Andres and I were sent to a remote village named Corrin, to the home of a couple named Hannah and Torey. They took care of us for 10 years, until it was time for the king to return and for us to go home. Well, one of my first memories was of sitting in my house and playing one day, when all of a sudden my dad grabbed his weapon and dashed out of the house. I tried to follow him, but mama wouldn’t let me. So I just sat there and listened. After awhile, I could hear swords clashing and people cheering, and I just couldn’t take it any more. Mama was obviously distracted, so when she turned her back, I snuck out the window and ran to see what the excitement was all about.
“I kept asking, ‘What’s going on? Is there a fight?’ No one would tell me anything--everyone just tried to hush me up and send me back home. But I couldn’t turn my back. I kept moving toward the sound of the swords. Finally, I heard a hush, and I pushed my way through, and I saw my dad lying on the ground. I thought he was dead! So I cried out, ‘Daddy!’ And somehow he managed to get back up and keep fighting. So anyway, I was there on the day that you were fighting! Get it?”
Jimbo continued to look at Cable with skepticism. “So, you think you were there, eh? Well, I’ll allow it’s possible, even though your hair is longer and your voice sure doesn’t sound the same. But what makes you so sure you know the name the mysterious chap that took care of me after the swordfight?”
“Because Andres and I were sent on a mission by that same man!” Cable replied. “His name is...”
Before he could get the name out, Jimbo quickly interrupted. “Hold on there, Herc. Uh...I don’t think you ought to tell me that just yet. Er...well, could you go and grab that envelope from under me pillow? Then maybe we can talk.”
Cable turned, walked over to Jimbo’s bed, and reached under the pillow. After pawing around for a moment, he exclaimed, “Yuck!” He then pulled out a dead mouse, turning his head and holding the rodent up by its tail.
“Whoops, I forgot to warn you about him,” Jimbo declared. “Yep, that’s my watchmouse. His job is to make sure no one grabs that envelope unless they’ve been authorized by me. He’s done a good job over the years.”
“But Jimbo...he’s dead!” Cable replied.
“Well, you are an observant chap,” said Jimbo. “He indeed is. And he’s still faithfully doing his job. What a mouse. Anyways, keep looking. The envelope is under there somewhere.”
Cable continued to look, and finally found the envelope. He grabbed it and started to open it, when Jimbo interrupted his excitement by saying, “Wait just a minute, mate. There’s something you’ve got to tell me.”
As Cable turned to face Jimbo, he was shocked to see him with a bow and arrow in his hand. The bow was drawn and the arrow was notched and aimed right at Cable’s heart. Cable dropped the envelope in shock. “Uh, Jimbo...what is this all about?” he managed to mumble.
Jimbo stared unmoving at Cable. “Look, I hate to do this, Herc. But here’s the deal. Are you sure you know the name of the mysterious chap who nursed me back to health? If you do, that’s great. If you ain’t sure, then I’d recommend that you just walk out that door, and we’ll forget anything ever happened. Trust me, it’ll be better that way.”
Cable raised his hands. Speaking slowly, he mustered up the courage to say, “Jimbo, you are one of the strangest men I have ever met. First you save me, and now you threaten to kill me. I just don’t get it. But if you want to open that envelope, then trust me--the man’s name was...”
“Careful, Herc,” Jimbo interrupted, the arrow still pointing at Cable’s chest. “I’d hate for you to get it wrong.”
“Well so would I!” bellowed Cable. “But it won’t be wrong, because I know what I’m talking about! His name was Ronaldus!”
Jimbo took in a deep breath and exhaled. Then, as a smile slowly spread across his face, he pointed his arrow up in the air and let it fly. Of course, it tore a hole through his tee-pee, which Cable hated to see. But he much preferred a hole through the tee-pee to a hole through his body.
Jimbo then began to dance around the room. “Oh my, Herc, that was amazing!” he declared. “You are one courageous chap! I don’t think I’d have dared to do it, Cable. But you did! What a hero!” Then Jimbo stopped his dance and looked up. “Oh Rachel,” he continued in a somewhat mournful tone, “I’m sorry about the hole in the tee-pee. I really am. If you fix it, I’ll kill you a wild boar for dinner. Doesn’t that sound dandy?”
Cable just shook his head. He sure hoped Jimbo met Rachel some day. He then asked, “Jimbo, was it really necessary to threaten to kill me? Wasn’t that just a bit dramatic?”
“Not really, mate,” Jimbo answered as he reached down and grabbed the envelope from the floor. Opening it, he pulled out two smaller envelopes. One of them had already been opened. Handing it to Cable, he simply said, “Take a look.”
On the outside of the envelope was a note that simply said, “Open this first.” Cable pulled out a small piece of paper that said the following:
My name is Ronaldus--I have no other!
And this is what you must do.
If the one before you names another,
Draw your weapon and run him through.
Cable’s heart stopped for just a moment. He didn’t realize just how serious a decision he’d made to name Ronaldus. His life truly had been on the line. Then another thought struck him. “Uh, Jimbo--this envelope has obviously been opened before. Have you had someone...uh...get the wrong name before.”
Jimbo nodded. “Yep. It was a couple of years ago or so. Some chap came up to me and told me what a good friend I was and a lot of rot like that. So I shared me story with him and everything. Then he claims to have known the name of my mysterious friend. He said, ‘His name was Rolando, old boy! So let’s see that envelope and learn what all the fuss is about.’ So I opened the envelope, and I see this little note that says, ‘Open this first.’ Being the perceptive chap that I am, I opened that one first. And then I read the note, and I said to myself, ‘Self, he didn’t get it right.’ Now I wasn’t particularly crazy about killing a guy that was kind of friendly. So I simply turned to him and said, ‘Mate, I think it’s time for you to leave.’
“Well, his face got kind of dark and mean-like. He was obviously angry with me, and he acted like he was going to try and start a fight. But then he caught himself and said, ‘Well, I’m awfully sorry, Jimbo old boy. It’s been good knowing you.’ And he left.
“I took a deep sigh of relief, thinking that all was well. But within a few minutes, my little home was surrounded by those fearsome chaps that you met up with on the hill. Surrounded, I say! I was as scared as a cornered mouse. Half of them had sword that they flashed back and forth, and half of them just laughed and said, “Surrender! Surrender! Surrender!” They said it over and over again. I was just about to give in, when old Doofus came barreling through. He evidently surprised the ghostly guys, and they separated just a bit to make way for him. Without thinking, I grabbed the envelope and dashed through the gap. I ran into the woods without turning back. The fearsome fellows filled the woods with laughter as I ran. They then set fire to my home and destroyed everything I had (except Doofus), which wasn’t very much anyway.
“So that’s when I realized that I’d have been better off if I’d just done what the note had said. And that’s why I drew the arrow and pointed it at you. I wasn’t going to make the same mistake twice, if you know what I mean.”
Cable swallowed hard and nodded. “I guess I can’t blame you,” he said, fumbling around with the second envelope. Holding it up, he asked, “But can we see what’s in here now?” Jimbo nodded, and Cable slowly pulled out a second sheet of paper. It said the following:
One day you shall save the life
Of the one who’s just saved yours.
On that day you must make your way
To the mound
with the fearsome doors.
Then take courage, my friend,
Let the trumpet resound!
That the evil ones shall be no more.
Cable couldn’t contain himself. “Look, Jimbo, get up and grab that envelope! I know your mysterious friends name. I know everything! Today is the day you’ve been waiting for!”
Jimbo remained unmoved. “Look, Herc, I know you’re a pretty smart boy and everything. I suppose you couldn’t help that, being the king’s son and everything. But I think you’re slightly (‘sliiiiiiiiightly’) exaggerating when you say that you know ‘everything’.”
“For goodness sake, Jimbo, I don’t mean ‘everything’. I mean, I know everything that you’ve just been talking about! You remember the boy in your story--the one that came up to the man that had been fighting you? That was me! And that man was my father!”
Jimbo squinted and pursed his lips slightly. He looked Cable up and down and declared, “Look, make, you are confusing me. For one thing, your father is the king, and I may be as numb as a brick, but I know that I never fought the king. And for another thing, you just don’t look much like the boy I saw that day. He was little.”
Cable jumped up and down in exasperation. “Of course I don’t look like that boy, Jimbo! That was about 12 years ago! Kids grow up! And as for that man...well, let me explain.
“When I was two years old, my dad had to send me away for awhile, because the kingdom was under attack. It’s a long story, and I can’t explain it all right now, because we’ve got to get moving! But anyway, my brother Andres and I were sent to a remote village named Corrin, to the home of a couple named Hannah and Torey. They took care of us for 10 years, until it was time for the king to return and for us to go home. Well, one of my first memories was of sitting in my house and playing one day, when all of a sudden my dad grabbed his weapon and dashed out of the house. I tried to follow him, but mama wouldn’t let me. So I just sat there and listened. After awhile, I could hear swords clashing and people cheering, and I just couldn’t take it any more. Mama was obviously distracted, so when she turned her back, I snuck out the window and ran to see what the excitement was all about.
“I kept asking, ‘What’s going on? Is there a fight?’ No one would tell me anything--everyone just tried to hush me up and send me back home. But I couldn’t turn my back. I kept moving toward the sound of the swords. Finally, I heard a hush, and I pushed my way through, and I saw my dad lying on the ground. I thought he was dead! So I cried out, ‘Daddy!’ And somehow he managed to get back up and keep fighting. So anyway, I was there on the day that you were fighting! Get it?”
Jimbo continued to look at Cable with skepticism. “So, you think you were there, eh? Well, I’ll allow it’s possible, even though your hair is longer and your voice sure doesn’t sound the same. But what makes you so sure you know the name the mysterious chap that took care of me after the swordfight?”
“Because Andres and I were sent on a mission by that same man!” Cable replied. “His name is...”
Before he could get the name out, Jimbo quickly interrupted. “Hold on there, Herc. Uh...I don’t think you ought to tell me that just yet. Er...well, could you go and grab that envelope from under me pillow? Then maybe we can talk.”
Cable turned, walked over to Jimbo’s bed, and reached under the pillow. After pawing around for a moment, he exclaimed, “Yuck!” He then pulled out a dead mouse, turning his head and holding the rodent up by its tail.
“Whoops, I forgot to warn you about him,” Jimbo declared. “Yep, that’s my watchmouse. His job is to make sure no one grabs that envelope unless they’ve been authorized by me. He’s done a good job over the years.”
“But Jimbo...he’s dead!” Cable replied.
“Well, you are an observant chap,” said Jimbo. “He indeed is. And he’s still faithfully doing his job. What a mouse. Anyways, keep looking. The envelope is under there somewhere.”
Cable continued to look, and finally found the envelope. He grabbed it and started to open it, when Jimbo interrupted his excitement by saying, “Wait just a minute, mate. There’s something you’ve got to tell me.”
As Cable turned to face Jimbo, he was shocked to see him with a bow and arrow in his hand. The bow was drawn and the arrow was notched and aimed right at Cable’s heart. Cable dropped the envelope in shock. “Uh, Jimbo...what is this all about?” he managed to mumble.
Jimbo stared unmoving at Cable. “Look, I hate to do this, Herc. But here’s the deal. Are you sure you know the name of the mysterious chap who nursed me back to health? If you do, that’s great. If you ain’t sure, then I’d recommend that you just walk out that door, and we’ll forget anything ever happened. Trust me, it’ll be better that way.”
Cable raised his hands. Speaking slowly, he mustered up the courage to say, “Jimbo, you are one of the strangest men I have ever met. First you save me, and now you threaten to kill me. I just don’t get it. But if you want to open that envelope, then trust me--the man’s name was...”
“Careful, Herc,” Jimbo interrupted, the arrow still pointing at Cable’s chest. “I’d hate for you to get it wrong.”
“Well so would I!” bellowed Cable. “But it won’t be wrong, because I know what I’m talking about! His name was Ronaldus!”
Jimbo took in a deep breath and exhaled. Then, as a smile slowly spread across his face, he pointed his arrow up in the air and let it fly. Of course, it tore a hole through his tee-pee, which Cable hated to see. But he much preferred a hole through the tee-pee to a hole through his body.
Jimbo then began to dance around the room. “Oh my, Herc, that was amazing!” he declared. “You are one courageous chap! I don’t think I’d have dared to do it, Cable. But you did! What a hero!” Then Jimbo stopped his dance and looked up. “Oh Rachel,” he continued in a somewhat mournful tone, “I’m sorry about the hole in the tee-pee. I really am. If you fix it, I’ll kill you a wild boar for dinner. Doesn’t that sound dandy?”
Cable just shook his head. He sure hoped Jimbo met Rachel some day. He then asked, “Jimbo, was it really necessary to threaten to kill me? Wasn’t that just a bit dramatic?”
“Not really, mate,” Jimbo answered as he reached down and grabbed the envelope from the floor. Opening it, he pulled out two smaller envelopes. One of them had already been opened. Handing it to Cable, he simply said, “Take a look.”
On the outside of the envelope was a note that simply said, “Open this first.” Cable pulled out a small piece of paper that said the following:
My name is Ronaldus--I have no other!
And this is what you must do.
If the one before you names another,
Draw your weapon and run him through.
Cable’s heart stopped for just a moment. He didn’t realize just how serious a decision he’d made to name Ronaldus. His life truly had been on the line. Then another thought struck him. “Uh, Jimbo--this envelope has obviously been opened before. Have you had someone...uh...get the wrong name before.”
Jimbo nodded. “Yep. It was a couple of years ago or so. Some chap came up to me and told me what a good friend I was and a lot of rot like that. So I shared me story with him and everything. Then he claims to have known the name of my mysterious friend. He said, ‘His name was Rolando, old boy! So let’s see that envelope and learn what all the fuss is about.’ So I opened the envelope, and I see this little note that says, ‘Open this first.’ Being the perceptive chap that I am, I opened that one first. And then I read the note, and I said to myself, ‘Self, he didn’t get it right.’ Now I wasn’t particularly crazy about killing a guy that was kind of friendly. So I simply turned to him and said, ‘Mate, I think it’s time for you to leave.’
“Well, his face got kind of dark and mean-like. He was obviously angry with me, and he acted like he was going to try and start a fight. But then he caught himself and said, ‘Well, I’m awfully sorry, Jimbo old boy. It’s been good knowing you.’ And he left.
“I took a deep sigh of relief, thinking that all was well. But within a few minutes, my little home was surrounded by those fearsome chaps that you met up with on the hill. Surrounded, I say! I was as scared as a cornered mouse. Half of them had sword that they flashed back and forth, and half of them just laughed and said, “Surrender! Surrender! Surrender!” They said it over and over again. I was just about to give in, when old Doofus came barreling through. He evidently surprised the ghostly guys, and they separated just a bit to make way for him. Without thinking, I grabbed the envelope and dashed through the gap. I ran into the woods without turning back. The fearsome fellows filled the woods with laughter as I ran. They then set fire to my home and destroyed everything I had (except Doofus), which wasn’t very much anyway.
“So that’s when I realized that I’d have been better off if I’d just done what the note had said. And that’s why I drew the arrow and pointed it at you. I wasn’t going to make the same mistake twice, if you know what I mean.”
Cable swallowed hard and nodded. “I guess I can’t blame you,” he said, fumbling around with the second envelope. Holding it up, he asked, “But can we see what’s in here now?” Jimbo nodded, and Cable slowly pulled out a second sheet of paper. It said the following:
One day you shall save the life
Of the one who’s just saved yours.
On that day you must make your way
To the mound
with the fearsome doors.
Then take courage, my friend,
Let the trumpet resound!
That the evil ones shall be no more.
Chapter 26 - A Reunion of Sorts
“Who was the little boy?” Cable asked abruptly. He seemed somewhat annoyed with Jimbo’s habit of introducing dramatic pauses into his stories. Patience was not one of Cable’s strong suits.
Jimbo didn’t answer right away. Instead, he stood up and paced around the tee-pee for about two minutes. He could have continued to speak, but he rather enjoyed making Cable wait. When Jimbo exposed a weak spot in someone, he tended to exploit it, if only in fun. When he could sense that Cable was about to explode, he finally said in a soft voice, “Let me tell you this, mate. I never did find out his name. But he changed the course of my life.
“You see, I was about to kill a man when this boy came out. But as he stood there, with his eyes wide open and a really (reeeeeaaaaallllllly) scared look on his face, I couldn’t move. I couldn’t do anything. I just stared at him as he stared at me. I--the mightiest chap of all the Black Knights, entrusted by Dor-ko to assault this remote little village--felt powerless before the stare of a little whelp.
“Finally, I came to my senses as a I heard a sound behind me. I turned, and I just had a split second to deflect a sword thrust that was heading straight for my heart.”
“What happened?” Cable interrupted.
“I’ll tell you what happened, if you give me a minute!” Jimbo replied, with feigned irritation. “While I’d been staring at the boy, the man I’d been fighting had managed to get his strength for one last round of combat. It was a stunning sight to see. The man’s face was drenched with sweat, his clothes were torn, and his right arm looked like it had a spring of blood tucked inside it. But his eyes were wild and his blows were powerful. He’d shifted the sword to his left arm and he fought with a fury that I’d never seen in all my life. He pressed the attack, and I fell back as if blown by a hurricane wind. The rest of his village comrades erupted in a tremendous cheer that nearly made my ears burst.
“You see, I’m pretty sure that he was the father of the boy I’d just seen. As the cheers grew, the man seemed to get stronger and his attacks were bolder. I felt utterly unable to fight back. I dodged and parried, but I couldn’t attack. The village champion fought with the fury of a grizzly bear protecting her cubs.
“My will to fight was draining away. The sword in my hand felt like it weighed a hundred pounds. My throat was parched. I tried to swallow and nearly vomited. Finally, the man landed a blow that ripped the sword from my hand and knocked me squarely onto the ground. I was ready to die.
“I don’t know how the chap did it. I don’t know how he mustered the strength to fight on. I don’t know how he could take me on with his left man and treat me like I was a rag doll. But he did, and I knew that I’d been defeated. As I lay on the ground, though I was paralyzed and though I could hear nothing, my eyes remained open. It was like I was too exhausted to close them. I saw the Black Knights--the greatly feared army of Dor-ko--flee as though they were a cluster of mice escaping from a stampede of buffalo. The men of the village chased them, flinging arrows and slaying some. I saw my foe walk toward me, staggering slowly, his sword upraised. But then, as I lay there waiting for the chap to separate me little brain from the rest of me body, I saw my enemy collapse. He just fell to the ground, not two feet from where I lay. The sword fell also, and I saw it tumble to the ground and land just six inches from my hand. But it might as well have been six miles. I didn’t have the strength to grasp it, much less to lift it.
“As I continued to stare, deaf and paralyzed, I saw that same little boy run up to the man I’d just fought. He had a skin of water, and he came up to pour the water into the man’s mouth. Oh, how I yearned for just a drop of that water! I felt certain that I was about to die of thirst. I’d have given my right arm for just a mouthful of water to relieve my burning throat. But I was powerless. In agony I closed my eyes. I was about to pass out, and I didn’t think I’d ever awaken again.
“But before I drifted into unconsciousness, I felt a hand grasp my shoulder. I thought that perhaps it was my brother. He’d gone with me to attack the village, and I was certain that he wouldn’t just abandon me. But as I opened my eyes, it wasn’t my brother’s face that I saw.
“It was the face of that little boy.”
Jimbo paused once again from his narrative. Rather than being irritated, Cable was puzzled. “I don’t get it!” he declared. “Was he going to be the one that was supposed to chop your head off?”
Jimbo smiled slightly and directed his gaze off to the right. “No, Herc, that wasn’t it at all. The boy didn’t have a sword; he had a skin of water. You see, the man that I’d been fighting never even took a sip. He’d simply told his boy to come give me a drink. The man was bleeding and dying, yet he told his son to give me the water. I thought I was going to die, mate. But that boy--he didn’t just bring me water. He brought me life.
“After I drank, I tried to get up. But I’d lost so much blood that I could hardly walk. I staggered around, nearly delirious. All of the Black Knights had fled. As I stood there, staring into the distance and trying to make sense of what had just happened, a man came alongside of me. He wore a cloak with the hood draped over his face, so that I couldn’t see him. But he was obviously a very strong chap. He draped my right arm around his shoulders and he helped me walk. We walked quite a ways--it must have been at least a mile. I can’t remember much, because I was so exhausted and weak. But anyways, he ended up leading me to a hut tucked into the woods. There, he led me to a small bed and told me to lie down and rest. I didn’t argue. I think I fell asleep before my body even hit the bed.
“Well, Herc, I think I must have spent about a week in that hut. Every morning, the bloke would get up early and prepare me a nice hot meal. Usually it was some sort of bird that he’d somehow managed to kill while I was sleeping. While I ate, he’d carefully dress my wounds. When that was done, he’d tell me to continue to rest while he went out. He ordered me not to leave the hut--he was quite stern about that. And since he’d been so nice to me, and since he could probably squash my head as easily as a boy could squash a grape, I figured I’d oblige him and obey. Then he’d leave, and he wouldn’t come back till near sunset. At night, he’d prepare another meal and make sure I drank plenty of water. Somehow he managed to find the coldest, most refreshing water that has ever passed over my lips. And I’ll tell you this--I’ve tasted a lot of water in my life. This was the best.
“Anyways, one morning--once it was clear that I’d regained my strength--the mysterious man told me that it was time to go. Before I left, though, he sat me down and stared into my eyes. He gave me the most fearsome look that I’ve ever seen. I felt like a timid little mouse under the watchful gaze of a dinosaur. His tall frame towered over me, and I just wanted to crawl into a corner and disappear. I say, it seemed like he stared at me for two or three days, though it was probably only about 10 seconds or so. Finally he said, ‘Friend, your life has been spared. But listen to me now. Listen, I say! Don’t you ever attack another village again. You have been forgiven once, at great cost, I can assure you. But there will not be a second time. Do you understand?’
“I just nodded my head. I didn’t dare to speak. But I knew that once I’d nodded my head, there was no turning back. I would never be a part of the Black Knights again. After seeing me reaction, the mysterious man turned and started to head out the door.
“Before he could leave, I regained my senses (what little I have, anyway) and said, ‘Sir, me name is Jimbo, and I know I can never repay you. What is your name, sir? I owe you my life, but all I have is my thanks.’
“The mysterious man paused and stared at me again. Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope. He said, ‘Do you want to repay me? Then listen to me closely. One day, you will find someone who knows my name. When that day arrives, then--and only then--you are to open this envelope and read its contents and act immediately. Until that day, you are simply to wait and prepare. Do you understand?’
“Well, that chap sure had a way of asking if I understood. I felt like I had no more choice of whether to obey than a raindrop has a choice of whether to fall. I nodded my head again. Then the man handed me the envelope and left. It was the last time I ever saw him.
“I gathered my belongings and left. It didn’t take long to gather me things together. When all you’ve got is a sword, an envelope, and a little packet of dried meat (which the mysterious man had kindly left for me), it really doesn’t take long to pack. I looked around, snuck out the door, and melted into the woods.
“I felt free again, Herc. It was the most wonderful feeling I’d ever experienced. I was free. I heeded the warning of the mysterious man to stay away from the Black Knights. But at the same time, I felt unworthy to join those that were still loyal to King Maximilian. So rather than join myself to a village, I just lived in the woods. From time to time, I would disguise myself and wander into villages and try to find out the name of the mysterious man. But whenever I’d describe him to people, they’d always shake their head and shrug their shoulders. No one could recall the giant man with the fearsome stare. To be honest, I’m not sure whether he was really a giant or not. But he sure seemed like one to me.
“And so, me friend Herc, that is the end of me story. The envelope remains tucked under my pillow, to this very day.”
Cable had listened intently to the whole story. Listening wasn’t exactly Cable’s greatest strength--he was a bit more of an interrupter than he was a listener. But this time was different. Jimbo’s story had triggered some thoughts in Cable, and he felt as though he was on the verge of putting together a great puzzle. Finally, when the last piece slid into place in his mind, he burst out, “Jimbo, this is the day!”
“What do you mean, mate?” a puzzled Jimbo replied.
“Don’t you see?” Cable replied with urgency in his voice. “We’ve met before! Grab that envelope, Jimbo. Today is the day!”
Jimbo didn’t answer right away. Instead, he stood up and paced around the tee-pee for about two minutes. He could have continued to speak, but he rather enjoyed making Cable wait. When Jimbo exposed a weak spot in someone, he tended to exploit it, if only in fun. When he could sense that Cable was about to explode, he finally said in a soft voice, “Let me tell you this, mate. I never did find out his name. But he changed the course of my life.
“You see, I was about to kill a man when this boy came out. But as he stood there, with his eyes wide open and a really (reeeeeaaaaallllllly) scared look on his face, I couldn’t move. I couldn’t do anything. I just stared at him as he stared at me. I--the mightiest chap of all the Black Knights, entrusted by Dor-ko to assault this remote little village--felt powerless before the stare of a little whelp.
“Finally, I came to my senses as a I heard a sound behind me. I turned, and I just had a split second to deflect a sword thrust that was heading straight for my heart.”
“What happened?” Cable interrupted.
“I’ll tell you what happened, if you give me a minute!” Jimbo replied, with feigned irritation. “While I’d been staring at the boy, the man I’d been fighting had managed to get his strength for one last round of combat. It was a stunning sight to see. The man’s face was drenched with sweat, his clothes were torn, and his right arm looked like it had a spring of blood tucked inside it. But his eyes were wild and his blows were powerful. He’d shifted the sword to his left arm and he fought with a fury that I’d never seen in all my life. He pressed the attack, and I fell back as if blown by a hurricane wind. The rest of his village comrades erupted in a tremendous cheer that nearly made my ears burst.
“You see, I’m pretty sure that he was the father of the boy I’d just seen. As the cheers grew, the man seemed to get stronger and his attacks were bolder. I felt utterly unable to fight back. I dodged and parried, but I couldn’t attack. The village champion fought with the fury of a grizzly bear protecting her cubs.
“My will to fight was draining away. The sword in my hand felt like it weighed a hundred pounds. My throat was parched. I tried to swallow and nearly vomited. Finally, the man landed a blow that ripped the sword from my hand and knocked me squarely onto the ground. I was ready to die.
“I don’t know how the chap did it. I don’t know how he mustered the strength to fight on. I don’t know how he could take me on with his left man and treat me like I was a rag doll. But he did, and I knew that I’d been defeated. As I lay on the ground, though I was paralyzed and though I could hear nothing, my eyes remained open. It was like I was too exhausted to close them. I saw the Black Knights--the greatly feared army of Dor-ko--flee as though they were a cluster of mice escaping from a stampede of buffalo. The men of the village chased them, flinging arrows and slaying some. I saw my foe walk toward me, staggering slowly, his sword upraised. But then, as I lay there waiting for the chap to separate me little brain from the rest of me body, I saw my enemy collapse. He just fell to the ground, not two feet from where I lay. The sword fell also, and I saw it tumble to the ground and land just six inches from my hand. But it might as well have been six miles. I didn’t have the strength to grasp it, much less to lift it.
“As I continued to stare, deaf and paralyzed, I saw that same little boy run up to the man I’d just fought. He had a skin of water, and he came up to pour the water into the man’s mouth. Oh, how I yearned for just a drop of that water! I felt certain that I was about to die of thirst. I’d have given my right arm for just a mouthful of water to relieve my burning throat. But I was powerless. In agony I closed my eyes. I was about to pass out, and I didn’t think I’d ever awaken again.
“But before I drifted into unconsciousness, I felt a hand grasp my shoulder. I thought that perhaps it was my brother. He’d gone with me to attack the village, and I was certain that he wouldn’t just abandon me. But as I opened my eyes, it wasn’t my brother’s face that I saw.
“It was the face of that little boy.”
Jimbo paused once again from his narrative. Rather than being irritated, Cable was puzzled. “I don’t get it!” he declared. “Was he going to be the one that was supposed to chop your head off?”
Jimbo smiled slightly and directed his gaze off to the right. “No, Herc, that wasn’t it at all. The boy didn’t have a sword; he had a skin of water. You see, the man that I’d been fighting never even took a sip. He’d simply told his boy to come give me a drink. The man was bleeding and dying, yet he told his son to give me the water. I thought I was going to die, mate. But that boy--he didn’t just bring me water. He brought me life.
“After I drank, I tried to get up. But I’d lost so much blood that I could hardly walk. I staggered around, nearly delirious. All of the Black Knights had fled. As I stood there, staring into the distance and trying to make sense of what had just happened, a man came alongside of me. He wore a cloak with the hood draped over his face, so that I couldn’t see him. But he was obviously a very strong chap. He draped my right arm around his shoulders and he helped me walk. We walked quite a ways--it must have been at least a mile. I can’t remember much, because I was so exhausted and weak. But anyways, he ended up leading me to a hut tucked into the woods. There, he led me to a small bed and told me to lie down and rest. I didn’t argue. I think I fell asleep before my body even hit the bed.
“Well, Herc, I think I must have spent about a week in that hut. Every morning, the bloke would get up early and prepare me a nice hot meal. Usually it was some sort of bird that he’d somehow managed to kill while I was sleeping. While I ate, he’d carefully dress my wounds. When that was done, he’d tell me to continue to rest while he went out. He ordered me not to leave the hut--he was quite stern about that. And since he’d been so nice to me, and since he could probably squash my head as easily as a boy could squash a grape, I figured I’d oblige him and obey. Then he’d leave, and he wouldn’t come back till near sunset. At night, he’d prepare another meal and make sure I drank plenty of water. Somehow he managed to find the coldest, most refreshing water that has ever passed over my lips. And I’ll tell you this--I’ve tasted a lot of water in my life. This was the best.
“Anyways, one morning--once it was clear that I’d regained my strength--the mysterious man told me that it was time to go. Before I left, though, he sat me down and stared into my eyes. He gave me the most fearsome look that I’ve ever seen. I felt like a timid little mouse under the watchful gaze of a dinosaur. His tall frame towered over me, and I just wanted to crawl into a corner and disappear. I say, it seemed like he stared at me for two or three days, though it was probably only about 10 seconds or so. Finally he said, ‘Friend, your life has been spared. But listen to me now. Listen, I say! Don’t you ever attack another village again. You have been forgiven once, at great cost, I can assure you. But there will not be a second time. Do you understand?’
“I just nodded my head. I didn’t dare to speak. But I knew that once I’d nodded my head, there was no turning back. I would never be a part of the Black Knights again. After seeing me reaction, the mysterious man turned and started to head out the door.
“Before he could leave, I regained my senses (what little I have, anyway) and said, ‘Sir, me name is Jimbo, and I know I can never repay you. What is your name, sir? I owe you my life, but all I have is my thanks.’
“The mysterious man paused and stared at me again. Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope. He said, ‘Do you want to repay me? Then listen to me closely. One day, you will find someone who knows my name. When that day arrives, then--and only then--you are to open this envelope and read its contents and act immediately. Until that day, you are simply to wait and prepare. Do you understand?’
“Well, that chap sure had a way of asking if I understood. I felt like I had no more choice of whether to obey than a raindrop has a choice of whether to fall. I nodded my head again. Then the man handed me the envelope and left. It was the last time I ever saw him.
“I gathered my belongings and left. It didn’t take long to gather me things together. When all you’ve got is a sword, an envelope, and a little packet of dried meat (which the mysterious man had kindly left for me), it really doesn’t take long to pack. I looked around, snuck out the door, and melted into the woods.
“I felt free again, Herc. It was the most wonderful feeling I’d ever experienced. I was free. I heeded the warning of the mysterious man to stay away from the Black Knights. But at the same time, I felt unworthy to join those that were still loyal to King Maximilian. So rather than join myself to a village, I just lived in the woods. From time to time, I would disguise myself and wander into villages and try to find out the name of the mysterious man. But whenever I’d describe him to people, they’d always shake their head and shrug their shoulders. No one could recall the giant man with the fearsome stare. To be honest, I’m not sure whether he was really a giant or not. But he sure seemed like one to me.
“And so, me friend Herc, that is the end of me story. The envelope remains tucked under my pillow, to this very day.”
Cable had listened intently to the whole story. Listening wasn’t exactly Cable’s greatest strength--he was a bit more of an interrupter than he was a listener. But this time was different. Jimbo’s story had triggered some thoughts in Cable, and he felt as though he was on the verge of putting together a great puzzle. Finally, when the last piece slid into place in his mind, he burst out, “Jimbo, this is the day!”
“What do you mean, mate?” a puzzled Jimbo replied.
“Don’t you see?” Cable replied with urgency in his voice. “We’ve met before! Grab that envelope, Jimbo. Today is the day!”
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