Chapter Twenty-Two
Early the next morning The Priest of Tr entered The High
Court. "Your Majesty," he announced, "I bring
distressing news. The Children of Spirit have raised a vast army
and their people have sold their homes, bought ox carts and
tents. They are preparing, Your Majesty, to leave the cities,
join together, seize part of your kingdom, and make war on you.
There is no other reason they would do such things, other than to
make war."
2 The King called his council. "What do you say of
this?" he asked.
3 "There have been some strange things happening, Your
Majesty, which I have received reports on, but as to their
meaning, I do not know. The Children of Spirit HAVE been selling
their property and promising the buyers they could take
possession by mid-winter. They have gathered a military force,
but it is small, Your Majesty, more of a Temple Guard than an
army."
4 "Tell me," asked The King, "by chance have YOU
sold your property?"
5 "I, Your Majesty? I have no property. All my wealth is in
cattle and sheep. I rent all the land I use."
6 "Send for The Old Fox!" The King ordered. "I
want to hear of this."
7 "Your Majesty," cried a page, "The Old Fox is
here! He has been standing in the doorway for some time."
8 The King looked to the doorway in great anger. "Bid him
enter," roared The King. "Now!" He rose and took
his staff as The Old Fox entered, and stood before him. "Old
Fox," he asked, "do you have an army that you intend to
put into the field against me? Do you intend to make war on
me?"
9 "We intend, Your Majesty," The Old Fox said, "to
make war on no one. We have no army, only a few fighting people
to defend our property."
10 The High Priest of Tr stepped forward and banged his staff on
the floor several times. "He lies, Your Majesty, he lies!
Every man, woman and child among his people is being trained to
bear arms! Anyone who can pull a bow, practices. Anyone who can
hold a spear marches. If this army is not for war, why is he
preparing his people for movement? What other purpose could he
have?"
11 "I do not like the way you ask," snapped The King.
"Next time, hold your place. But it is a good question. If
you do not plan war on me, Old Fox, what do you plan?"
12 "I plan, My Lord," The Old Fox told him, "to do
what Spirit has told me, for They have said, "The Priests of
Tr have made this land unbearable for you. The King's harshness
made it unfair. Therefore, you will gather your people from among
those of Tr, and lead them through the wilderness to the north.
There we will show you a new land, an empty land, which the
people that own it do not want, and which they will sell to you,
so you may make it your own...where you will have no King over
you, only The Speakers of The Law.' So, Your Majesty, I say to
you this day, here before all; let me gather my people from your
land and go in peace, in good will towards you all."
13 Now The King stepped back and sat on his throne, staring at
The Old Fox. "Take your people!" he muttered,
"Leave...all of you? Go?"
14 Now, a councilman rushed over and whispered in The King's ear.
"Your Majesty, you cannot permit this! They are over
one-third of our numbers! They hold more than one-third of our
gold, silver, precious jewels, cattle, sheep and, their household
goods! They will be removing from our land treasure
uncounted!"
15 Now The King thought for a moment. "I will make an offer
to The Old Fox, an offer that he cannot accept. Perhaps then he
will see the foolishness of this idea, and not desire to leave my
land, or, make me an offer I can accept."
16 So The King rose. "Old Fox," he announced,
"being a just and honorable King, I respect my people's
wishes. Therefore, if you desire I will let your people go. But
you must leave behind all your gold and silver that is in coins,
half your cattle, sheep and goats, and the first born son and
daughter of each household, to be sold as slaves."
17 "No, Your Majesty," answered The Old Fox, "you
will let all of my people go with all their goods, and all their
cattle, for The Lords have said it shall be so. And if you
refuse, not one drop of rain shall your land see until you say to
me 'Old Fox, take up your people and go.'"
18 The High Priest of Tr banged his staff on the floor.
"Blasphemy!" he cried, "Treason! Treason!
Blashphemy! Hang him, my lord! Send your armies to seize the
people! Sell them into bondage!"
19 The King just stared in disbelief. "Are you saying,"
he asked, "that if I do not let your people go, your
Spirits, your Lords, will hold back the rain? That you will make
no compromise?"
20 "Not a lame goat or an ailing child will we leave
behind," answered The Old Fox, "not a half copper or
even an eighth copper will we pay. For The King has already
received the taxes for the sale of our land, and three years
extra, by our reckoning! So The Lords have said, 'No rain shall
they see until they let my people go.'"
21 The King was shaking inside, with both fear and anger. He
jumped to his feet. "Get out!" he cried, "Get out!
And don't ever come back again! If you do, you will swing from
the city gate and after that your skull will rest on one of its
spikes. Get out! Go! If my eyes ever see you again, you are
dead." The Old Fox bowed and left.
22 "Your Majesty," cried The High Priest, "hear
me. Now is the time to act while they are scattered. Send your
soldiers to the city now! Destroy them!"
23 The King turned on The Priest. "Back to your
temple," he roared, "holy man! Pray to Tr for the rain.
If it does not come, we are in a bad position, do you
understand?"
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