realized that he was one with The Lords!"
49 "Lord," I cried, "surely you do not speak
of me! I am a simple shepherd! I know only the flocks and
the fields. I know nothing of teaching men!"
50 "There is no other in the entire land,"
answered The Messenger, "save you, that has The Power! I ask you
to leave your service here, journey to The Southern City to the small
Temple by its Western gate, find there a Speaker named Gray Crow, say
to him only, 'I am the one The Lords have sent. Teach me!'
Go soon, for the time is short, and the hours are numbered."
51 The Messenger then rose. "Peace.
Prosperity," he said, and with that he began to twinkle, like the stars
in the sky, and one by one the stars went out until he was gone.
52 Now I slept wearily that night, and when
the porter came with my provisions, I told him, 'Tell my master I must
come down from the hills, that he must send someone to replace me. I
must have words with him."
53 So it was, the following evening I had
supper in my master's house, and afterwards told him all that had
passed between me and The Messenger. When I was done speaking,
The Master turned to his elder son on his left. 'What say you, heir of
my house? Should we let this man break his contract? Do you
believe The Lords have called him?'
54 'This man is like my own brother,' praised
his eldest, 'and has taught me rightly. Always he has spoken the
truth, and I do not doubt his words at this moment. If he says The
Lords have called him, They have.
55 Two contracts has he honored, and twice he
has taken our animals to market. I say, The Lords have called
him. If we stand in his way, a curse will be on us. Though
it breaks my heart to lose the one I was to make my steward, bid him
go, and give him what is his due.'
56 Then my Master turned to his youngest son on his right. 'And what says my youngest?' he asked.
57 'If there was any way,' the younger
answered, 'I would bar him from leaving. For when I was foolish
and left your house, who was it that came after me, and cooled my
anger, and made me understand my father's love? I speak with my
brother. The Lords have called him. We must release him.'
58 The Master rose, went to his desk and
withdrew a parchment. Taking a pen he wrote upon it 'Fulfilled With
Honor,' dusted it, then rolled it back up.
59 Taking a coin box, he counted out some
coins and came to me with the scroll and coins. 'Half the
multiplying of your flocks,' he said, 'in the time you have served
me. Go in peace, my friend, and may The Lords be with you!
But if you ever need assistance, send for The Red Goat Clan. They
will stand at your side .'
60 So it was I came to The Southern City, and
found Gray Crow. He took me immediately as a student. Though I
offered him board, he refused it. 'My days are almost over,' he
argued, 'I will not live to see you complete your task. But I
will cheer you on from The Spirit World.'
61 So for many months he worked with me until
I took The Speaker's Tests. The rest you know. Since then I
have been speaking in The Temple, in the marketplace, in private
houses, wherever any would hear me."
62 The Voice looked up to see everyone in the
room staring at him quietly. Red Blossom and Yellow Blossom made
the Sign of The Star on their chest, and the children followed their
lead. Mountain Glory smiled, and returned to her embroidery.
63 "A marvelous story!" cried Gray Deer, "To
actually be chosen by The Lords, and have them send a Messenger to
you! How honored can a man be?"
64 "But enough of me," said The Voice, "let us return to our work. You must be a Speaker!"
65 So it was their labor began. Night
after night they studied covering every subject a Speaker must
know...The Law, The Ceremonies. Swiftly Gray Deer learned.
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