| Blogs > dreampoet > My Blog, my way |
|
THE SOUL-PEARL... Part Fourteen. THE SOUL-PEARL... Part Fourteen. The shouts came from the other side of the Stream. Nipper-Crab awoke and sat up quickly on hearing the shouts sat up and looked around. “Wake up, you two!” shouted Nipper-Crab to Stinger-Scorpion and Slippery-Fish, so they sat up and looked around as they sleepily rubbed their eyes. “What is it? I was having a marvellous dream.” said Stinger-Scorpion, blearily. “Do you see who is on the other side of the Stream?” asked Nipper-Crab, pointing. “It’s the Toad!” exclaimed Slippery-Fish as he focused his eyes. “And who, or what, is that with him?” asked Stinger-Scorpion, squinting in the sunlight at the shape which stood next to Warty-Toad. The figure that stood next to Warty-Toad was tall and seemed to have a body, although it seemed as if the shape could be seen through, that it was invisible yet not invisible... Whole, though not whole. And all the while the ghostly shape seemed to have a shimmering shine to it. “Who is that with you, Toad? Or rather, what is it?” shouted Stinger-Scorpion, somewhat afraid. “Is it a Ghost?” called Slippery-Fish. “Is it an Angel?” enquired Nipper-Crab, hopefully. “We are the Wishful-Hopefuls” shouted Warty-Toad in a voice which did not seem to be like his normal voice at all. “Wishful-Hopefuls? What do you mean Toad? You are Warty-Toad. We know that!” exclaimed Stinger-Scorpion. “Watch!” said Warty-Toad. And the three friends watched as before their eyes they saw Warty-Toad disappear and the shape of another ghostly form take his place. “It is I, Warty-Toad... But in my true form as a Wishful-Hopeful” came the voice. “It is the Toad, in a new shape! Look! He’s holding up the Soul-Pearl for us to see. What shall we do?” asked Nipper-Crab of Stinger-Scorpion and Slippery-Fish, who simply stood with their mouths open. “What do you want us to do?” called Nipper-Crab, speaking up for the three of them. A very strange thing happened. As the three friends watched, the two formless shapes seemed to close and merge into one large shape and more shiny and visible, with eyes which glowed a piercing black. The new shape pointed. “Do you see that pile of wood? On your side of the stream’s banking?” asked the Wishful-Hopeful. The three friends turned to see a large pile of wood which was stacked high on the banking. Alongside the pile of wood lay three hammers and a sack of nails. “What is all that wood for?” asked Nipper-Crab after having got over the shock of seeing the two shapes merge into one. “That wood, Nipper-Crab, is for the three of you to build a Bridge which will allow you to cross over the Stream and come to me!” called the Wishful-Hopeful. The three friends drew their Lily-Pads to the bank and climbed out and began to inspect the wood. “Why do we need to build a bridge when we can make a small raft and float across?” asked Stinger-Scorpion. “It’s no good asking him, Stinger-Scorpion, the Wishful-Hopeful has gone.” said Nipper-Crab as he pointed across to where the Wishful-Hopeful had been. “Do you think it will be alright if we just sit on a plank of wood and paddle across?” asked Slippery-Fish. “Or will that be seen as being lazy?” “Yes, I agree with you, Slippery-Fish. I don’t see why we can’t just sit on a plank of wood and paddle across.” said Stinger-Scorpion as he began to drag a plank of wood down to the stream. “Well there’s no point in working hard when you don’t have to.” decided Slippery-Fish." as he began helping Stinger-Scorpion to get the plank into the water. “I’m not so sure.” said Nipper-Crab uneasily and then stepped back quickly as the plank sank under the waves. “Look at that!” gasped Stinger-Scorpion. “The wood just sank! I’ve never heard of wood sinking before!” “But why do we have to get to the other side of the stream at all? It’s so nice here, just lying in the warmth of the Sun and sleeping?” said Slippery-Fish, beginning to lie down again. “I really do suggest we try.” said Nipper-Crab, feeling very uneasy about the wood sinking. “Well, I agree with Slippery-Fish.” decided Stinger-Scorpion as he stretched out on the grass and closing his eyes. “I don’t see why we should do all the work and if the Wishful-Hopeful has magic powers then let him come over here to us!” he added and then began to snore. “Lay down, Nipper-Crab and enjoy the sunshine.” said Slippery-Fish. The he too began to snore loudly. Nipper-Crab sat on the grass and moodily staring out, his eyes on the opposite side of the stream. Suddenly he shivered, realising it had become quite chilly. Looking up he saw the sky darken and angry rain-clouds begin to gather directly over where the three friends were. And yet, at the same time, Nipper-Crab saw that the Sun shone brightly and the birds all sang across the other side of the stream. “Wake up! Wake up, Stinger-Scorpion! And you too, Slippery-Fish!” he shouted just as the storm broke and the rain began pouring down in huge lashes which soaked them all quickly. “What’s happening?” gasped Slippery-Fish, running for cover beneath a nearby tree. “I have no idea! But look over the other side of the stream. The sun is shining brightly!” shouted Stinger-Scorpion as he also ran to join his friends beneath the over-hanging branches. “Hurry, you three and build the Bridge!” came a voice from across the stream. The three friends looked across the stream to see the Stick-Insect-Guru, who was seated in a bucket which was carried by the two Bucket-Boys. “We can’t come out into the rain!” Stinger-Scorpion shouted back. “We’ll drown!” exclaimed Slippery-Fish. “What can we do?” asked Nipper-Crab in a most unhappy voice. “Do you understand what you have done? You have upset the Weatherman with your laziness and you still did not do the Rain-Dance for him. I would suggest if you want the rain to stop pouring you will have to do the Rain-Dance.” shouted the Stick-Insect-Guru, leaning out from the side of the Bucket. “Yes! We shall do the Rain-Dance straight away!” shouted Stinger-Scorpion. He then turned to Nipper-Crab… “You start doing the Rain-Dance and we will join in.” “But I’ve forgotten how to do it!” wailed Nipper-Crab as he desperately tried to recall the steps of the dance. “You must remember, Nipper-Crab! Think back to how the Moaning-Weasel showed you, in the circle!” said Stinger-Scorpion, trying to help Nipper-Crab remember. The memory of how the Moaning-Weasel had shown him how to do the Rain-Dance began to clear itself until he could see in his mind how the steps went. He then remembered the dance and the words which were sung as he danced. Slowly Nipper-Crab began to raise his arms with the fingers and thumbs opening and closing, like castanets. He closed his eyes his eyes, to retain the memory while his mouth opened so that strange words of the dance came out. “That’s it, Nipper-Crab!” shouted Stinger-Scorpion excitedly. “Come on, Slippery-Fish. Follow Nipper-Crab and do as he does!” From across the stream, the Stick-Insect-Guru watched as the three friends danced together, now shouting out the words with heads thrown back an with arms raised to the sky. “That’s it!” shouted the Stick-Insect-Guru as he encouraged the dancers and getting so excited that he almost fell out of the Bucket. “The rain has stopped!” exclaimed Nipper-Crab as he finished doing the Rain-Dance and the three friends fell to the ground in exhaustion. “What are those strange lines in the sky?” asked Slippery-Fish as he lay on his back and pointed upwards. The three friends stared up at the sky to see the white brightness of a clear sky with bending grey lines arching through the brightness. “That’s called a Rain-Bow!” shouted the Stick-Insect-Guru from across the Stream. “You can’t see the Reality-Colours of the Rain-Bow, not until you stop being lazy and build your bridge so you can get over to this side of the stream.” Getting to their feet, the three friends began to sort the planks of wood out and then set to the task of constructing a bridge which would span from their side of the stream to the other side. On the other side of the stream the Stick-Insect-Guru watched as the three friends began to work, swinging their hammers and nailing planks of wood together. The Bridge began to take shape, reaching out over the water. “That’s the way!” shouted the Stick-Insect-Guru and adding… “I will see you three when you get back to Cuttlefish-Avenue. I will see you all when you bring the Soul-Pearl back with you and I can be free from the depths of the Mournful-Cave. “Wait, Stick-Insect-Guru!” called Stinger-Scorpion, stopping his work and looking across the stream. “We have not got the Soul-Pearl! Warty-Toad took it with him before merging into a Wishful-Hopeful. Anyway, we have no idea how we can get back home to Cuttlefish-Avenue.” “The way will become clear once you have crossed to this side. Now I must go back to the Cave.” said the Stick-Insect-Guru. With that, the Stick-Insect-Guru tapped on the side of the Bucket. “Going down.” said Sydney-Boy Woodmouse. Suddenly, the ground opened up beneath them and the bucket, containing the Stick-Insect-Guru along with the Bucket-Boys disappeared down into the opening. The three friends stood and watched as the earth then smoothed itself and filling the hole through which the bucket had vanished. “Let’s get on with building this bridge. Then we can see what lies over there on the other side of the stream.” said Stinger-Scorpion. The three friends set to work even harder and working through the rest of the day and the night, they eventually finished the bridge and, testing each step, they walked across and stood, gazing around them on the other side. “Now what happens?” asked Nipper-Crab. “Now what happens Nipper-Crab is that you follow me." Before them appeared the Wishful-Hopeful, now more defined so that the three friends could see a most friendly and beautiful face behind the white veil. The three friends stood quite afraid at the sudden appearance of the Wishful-Hopeful. “Where did you come from and how did you know my name?” quavered Nipper-Crab, not quite daring to stare up into the face behind the veil. “I have watched you all from the start of your journey. It was I who caused you to go to the Mournful-Cave and speak to the Stick-Insect-Guru. I knew the three of you would have the courage to find the Soul-Pearl and take it back to the people of Cuttlefish-Avenue.” said the Wishful-Hopeful, in a gentle voice. “What do we do now?” asked Stinger-Scorpion, becoming bolder and feeling that the Wishful-Hopeful only had their best interests at heart. “I want us to all hold hands and for you to walk with me. Do not be afraid and have Faith in Me.” replied the Wishful-Hopeful, holding out his hands. Joining hands, the three friends were lead towards a large black rock and, walking ever closer so that they feared they would walk straight into it. Just as they reached the rock it opened up like a pair of sliding doors, splitting into two parts and they passed through the opening, coming into a large hall. It was a misty and magical place which seemed to have a bench that stood behind a Font and a Pedestal, on which sat the Soul-Pearl. “Please sit, my friends.” said the Wishful-Hopeful as he let go of the hands and indicating the bench. The three friends sat with their eyes on the Soul-Pearl and not saying a word. “Before I give you the Soul-Pearl, my friends, I need to explain to you exactly why you had to travel the journey and why you had to go through all those rooms, until you reached here” The three friends turned their eyes from the Soul-Pearl to the Wishful-Hopeful, who stood before them. “All your lives you and your friends in Cuttlefish-Avenue have only seen things in black and white and never knowing what Reality-Colours were, or what they gave.” said the Wishful-Hopeful. “You, Stinger-Scorpion… And you, Nipper-Crab… And you, Slippery-Fish. You were all sent on a journey of discovery. Those seven rooms which you went through were there for you to learn from. It was important for you to understand what happens when you all become aware of what feelings and emotions you undergo when you are exposed to Reality-Colours.” The Wishful-Hopeful reached over and took the Soul-Pearl in his hands. It shimmied in the light as he held it up. “This Soul-Pearl will give you the power of seeing Reality-Colours.” said the Wishful-Hopeful and continued… “But when you see in colour then you are alive to all kinds of feelings.” “I am not sure we understand.” spoke up Stinger-Scorpion in a timid voice. “You will not fully understand till you see Reality-Colours. But I tell you, when you see Gold you only see it as a piece of dark rock. But once you are able to see Gold in its burnished Reality-Colour then you will see its beauty and desire it. The same in whatever you see once it is exposed in colours. The beauty will drive you wild and give a need to own and show-off in ownership.” said the Wishful-Hopeful. “So those seven rooms we went through were to show us what to expect when we see things in Reality-Colours?” asked Nipper-Crab. “Indeed.” replied the Wishful-Hopeful gently and added… “Each of those rooms exposed you to each of the Colour-Sins, those sins you can expect once you have Reality-Colours. If you remember each room you came across, well each of them exposed you to the emotions of Greed and Envy, Anger and Pride, Lust, Gluttony and Laziness.” “Yes, I see that now!” exclaimed Slippery-Fish. “There, you see.” said the Wishful-Hopeful. “Understanding that Reality-Colours enliven the imagination and give visions of wealth and power and dreams, makes you all Wise-Beings and the High-Teachers to those who have to learn such Wisdom before becoming alive to Reality-Colours.” “I am wise to it all!” exclaimed Stinger-Scorpion, standing up. “It will be so. Once we get back to Cuttlefish-Avenue. We shall explain the seven Colour-Sins before the citizens see Reality-Colours!” announced Stinger-Scorpion. “Then you are ready to have the secret of the Soul-Pearl, the Pearl of Wisdom.” said the Wishful-Hopeful as he handed the Soul-Pearl to Stinger-Scorpion. Stinger-Scorpion held out the Soul-Pearl and felt its warmth and seeing it vibrate and pulse in luminosity. “Nothing is happening.” said Nipper-Crab as he and Slippery-Fish stared at the Soul-Pearl. “Look at it carefully.” instructed the Wishful-Hopeful. 
|
|||||
|
Thus sprake Wishful - Hopeful 
| ||||
|
Could you not look to the Soul Pearl for inspiration/advice? I used to date a fellow nicknamed Stick Insect, he was quite cute - a proud, cheerful leo, lol
| ||||
|
Ah, the seven deadly sins, I remember well having them drilled into me in religion class I trust the friends have learned their lessons well  Sorry to see this story coming to an end, it was my favourite one. Why don't you repost some of your earlier work ? Ron, you must have loads of stories. I remember some from years ago, one was about a cat and the other one had characters in it called Connie and Richard, if memory serves me right.
| ||||
|
No, referring to the cute Stick Insect as being cheerful :- )
| ||||
|
That's the very one, looking forward to reading it again  Thanks Ron
|
×
×