esson 55: The Investiture of the Stone
esson 55: The Investiture of the Stone
Part Three of Five
travel on to visit the Maria, the
Stone Queen. As I enter, she rises and
kisses me on each cheek. (No problem turning the other cheek here!) I
pull out the package from the Hermit. It's cookies to go with the
coffee she will inevitably serve. He knows she loves to hostess.
"He said he taught you everything you know about playing
chess."
"Yes, he did. And it's an interesting pastime for the winter months
when one spends so much time indoors. But now my thought are turning
once again to outdoor occupations. I so enjoy tending the gardens.
Soon the sun and warmth will return to life-giving height. The snow
will melt and water the soil. The
Schneeglöckli4 have already bloomed!"
"And in Florida, people are already nearly-naked on the beach!" I
say.
We enjoy a long coffee klatsch [*days* long, actually] and talk about gardening, weather, and a variety of 'homemaking' topics. She takes me to her kitchen, and on a windowsill is a large, oblong glass box with herbs growing in it.
"We have to use our herbs sparingly in the winter," she says, "but we'll have them all over the place before too long. I want you to have this." She pulls twigs of Salbei, Rosmarin, Thymian and Oregan5, tying them in a bundle with a long thread from her head scarf.
"You are more likely to get sick with this changing weather this time of year. Take these herbs with you." She reaches into a cabinet and pulls out a bag of Ricolas6. "And take these too, for when you don't want to fuss with the herbs." (Reciprocal smiles, laughs, hug and kisses, thanks and waves as I go.) She sings me off.
While I'm nearby, I think I will revisit the
Stone Six circle. Although it's dark by
the time I reach the plain, I find the stones easily, as they glow in
the half-light of the first quarter moon. Dark and quiet here now,
but I still feel a comfortable camaraderie. Perhaps it is just my
relatively-fresh memories, but it feels more like 'sleeping
friendship.' I depart from some friends now, but I go to make friends
of acquaintances, and make yet more new
But for now, I enjoy the solitude, and sleeping under the
sparkling stars. The whole next day is also spent in solitude,
walking eastwards across the plains. The Stone Queen told me that if
I follow Adrian's wall, I will come to the Sword Realm in about a
week. As I follow this course, I come to the place in
Stone Seven where the wall had fallen,
and stop to inspect my handiwork. Looks good. I climb on top, jump up
and down,
Pick myself up, dust myself off and start all over again. After rebuilding the wall, more securely (I hope), I limp off to the grove, where I know there's a spring. I wash up, and use some of Maria's herbs to make a poultice for my skinned knees. (How handy!)
A night in this enchanted grove brings a ('nother) dream/vision of
the Washer at the Ford. I find her
already occupied with her washing. Looking up at me, she says:
"You cannot pass this way. The first time was practice, but the next
time you cross this ford, it will be for real, and there will be no
going back! You still have much to do in these realms. Travel in
health and strength."
A light snow begins to fall. "Go back now," she says, "before you
catch your death of cold!" As she cackles madly, I come to myself in
the predawn light in the grove.
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