A Story of Vanch/Saird: The Test of the Water Dog

From: jajagapa <harald.smith_at_...>
Date: Mon, 15 Sep 2003 20:36:47 -0000


>From the Verenmars Saga: The Test of the Water Dog

Verenmars returned to Goramshold and asked of his own people, the Wentorth, "I would bring you together with all the folk of Saird. Though I now rule you, I would ask you to make Saird strong and throw off the yoke of Empire and dark shadows."

The Lawspeaker replied, "Tell us what you would propose and we will listen."

Verenmars told his own people of his plans for the Erindamic Council until the Lawspeaker nodded. "It is a good plan and we will accept if you can prove to us that you are worthy."

"Very well," said Verenmars.

"To prove your worth," said the Lawspeaker, "We ask that you perform
one task: to free the river of a knot which confounds us."

Verenmars agreed and swam into the river of the Blue Serpent. He came to the place where the knot was and dove deep in that spot to examine the knot. But when Verenmars had reached the verge of the deepest point, he was seized in the mouth of the Garaship.

The Garaship said, "You smell of rich blood and great power. I fear it is time for me to eat you. It has been too long since I've tasted good flesh." And so the Garaship swallowed Verenmars.

Verenmars lodged his spear in the throat of the Garaship, though, until the Garaship spat him back out.

The Garaship said then, "You taste of rich blood and great power. You have stymied me once, but I fear it is time for me to eat you. It has been too long since I've tasted good flesh." And so the Garaship swallowed Verenmars again.

Verenmars seized the uvula then and tickled the throat of the Garaship until the Garaship gagged and spat him back out.

The Garaship said then, "You taste of rich blood and great power. You have stymied me twice, but I fear it is time for me to eat you for good. It has been too long since I've tasted good flesh." And so the Garaship prepared to swallow Verenmars again.

But Verenmars replied, "Why eat me now? If you let me go, I promise that my people will honor you."

"Ah," said the Garaship, "but they already offer me their tasteless
prayers. I am bored with such dull and lifeless food. It is you I will eat, for you taste of rich blood and great power and good flesh."

Verenmars replied, "Then if you must eat me, I would ask for one boon."

"Ah," said the Garaship, "I can do that, but it must not relate to
your escape from me or to my own demise."

Verenmars said, "It does not. I merely ask that you allow me to scratch and stroke your head."

"Ah," said the Garaship, "Then your boon is granted."

Verenmars scratched and stroked the head of the Garaship until it was practically asleep. Then Verenmars stopped.

"Ah," said the Garaship, "I was almost asleep, but then you stopped.
I would have more of that."

Verenmars replied, "But I am ready to be eaten now. However, if you do not eat me, then I can scratch and stroke your head more."

The Garaship thought upon this for a time and finally said, "Very well. Though you smell of rich blood and taste of great power and look of good flesh, I shall not eat you, for I like this head scratching and seek more of it."

Verenmars said, "For your generosity and for my passage beyond, I would pledge this, that my people shall not only offer you prayer, but shall also scratch and stroke your head provided you do not eat them."

The Garaship accepted this and granted passage beyond. Verenmars gave the Garaship the Law of Friendship in return.

So Verenmars dove again, now down below the verge of the deepest part. He entered into a cave that he found there, though it was held in darkness. He followed a trail from the cave, though it was washed of all scent. And he came to a place where an old hag sat beside a loom. She was loathly, but Verenmars held his eyes and looked upon her. She wailed a song of sorrow and perpetual gloom, but Verenmars opened his ears and listened to it. She was tireless and never stopped, but Verenmars took up the threads and passed them to her without making a single mistake. And Verenmars kept watching her, listening to her, and aiding her until the tapestry she wove was complete.

The hag smiled her loathly smile and cackled a dolorous laugh and said to Verenmars "I ask who is it that can bear my sight and can hear my song and can aid my task?"

Verenmars answered her with his truth, "I am called Verenmars by some, and Dog by others, but I know that to myself I am but the Voice and Hands of the Heart God."

"Then you know much already," answered the crone. "For your help I
will offer you my own gifts, if you know what you seek."

"I seek to untie the Knot of the Blue Serpent."

"Then take these items in your quest," she replied as she drew three
items from her bag. "These are the Eyes of Discernment. Three times may you invoke them to clarify your sight. This is the Blade of Separation, which you may use but once. And this is the Lamentation of the Siren, whose use you must feel in your heart, if you are indeed the Voice and Hands of the Heart God."

Verenmars took these gifts and left the hag, passing through the Unnamed Arch. The Blue Arms, which sought to tear him asunder, seized him then, pinioning his arms and seeking his soul. His eyes were plucked, but he freed his arms and placed the Eyes of Discernment in his own bare sockets to clarify his view. He saw through the Blue Arms to their very joints and ripped apart those arms and retrieved his own eyes.

He swam forward then into the swirling waters, but the Twin Snakes of Ardethos coiled their tails about him and squeezed his breath from him. But he used the Eyes of Discernment again to clarify his view and saw how the Twin Snakes wove themselves around him. He opened wide his mouth and ate the head of each snake in turn. Each tail fell away and Verenmars gained the breath of the Twin Snakes of Ardethos for his own.

He swam forward once again, but a haze and peace descended upon him, comforting him in the Blue Grotto. He struggled against the peace and calm and used the Eyes of Discernment for the third time to clarify his view. Now within the Blue Grotto, he saw the Blue Lovers, Yerdetha and Galpolin, with arms and tails embracing in their never-ending love. Now did Verenmars recognize in his heart the time for the Blade of Separation, though the love of Yerdetha and Galpolin was beautiful and wondrous.

Verenmars raised the Blade of Separation and cut down, straight between Yerdetha and Galpolin, so that it separated their lips, their arms, and severed the member of Galpolin so that it stayed in Yerdetha. Galpolin screamed in agony and loss. Yerdetha cursed in rage and frustration. The lamentation of the river folk was loud and overwhelming and called on him, if he had a heart of hear the Lamentation of the Siren. But Verenmars did not hold the feeling in his heart and instead he released the breath of the Twin Snakes of Ardethos, which drove the two wounded lovers apart, and he rose from the water's depth.

When Verenmars returned to the surface of the Blue Waters, he found that the knot was gone from the river.

Verenmars returned to his people. He spoke to the Lawspeaker and the Wentorth then of his deeds and actions and they marveled at his prowess. He spoke to the Lawspeaker and the Wentorth then of his gifts and they marveled at this rewards. He spoke to the Lawspeaker and the Wentorth then of the beauty of the love of Yerdetha and Galpolin, the horror of their separation, and the feelings in his heart. And only then did he release the Lamentation of the Siren, which overwhelmed the hearts and minds of all present.

When all tears had been shed and had flowed into the streams of the world, the Lawspeaker said with sadness in his heart, "You have fared well, relieving us of a great knot and bringing a friend to our people. Thus we must accept your offer for you have proved yourself worthy, though I fear our hearts have been torn in two, and that you have released an undying sadness into the world."

"And you my people," replied Verenmars "have proved your loyalty by
your test. I myself shall take the Water Dog seat of the Council."

Verenmars then himself took up a torch and an arm ring, a necklace and a sard. He took up the talisman of the Water Dog, imbued with the deepest friendship and greatest grief, a friendship based upon the power of loyalty and trust and bound with the grief of the heart. Thus was the last seat of the Council filled by Verenmars, ruler of the Wentorth tribe along the great river valley from Goramshold to the Palace of Riverjoins.

Copyright 1996/2003 by Harald Smith

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