Chapter Eleven
Now, as the people of Eastern had heard that The
Voice had gone into the hills and they did not know when he was coming,
there was no great crowds to greet him as he neared the gate, only the
normal traffic going to and fro.
2 But The Voice noticed many beggars by the
entrance, and he stopped for awhile, watching them. One man sat on a
pallet, begging coins from the passer bys, saying he was crippled.
3 Now, The Voice came up behind him, put his
foot on his back, and gave him a hard shove. "Liar!" cried The
Voice, "Thief!"
4 The man rolled over on the ground, jumped to
his feet, and drew a large knife out of his robes. "You son of a
pig!" he cried, "I'll cut your guts out!"
5 Behind The Voice four swords were undressed,
but before anyone could move, a large figure stepped between The Voice
and the beggar. "Beggar!" he pleaded, "Put away your blade.
You do not want to harm this man."
6 "The son of a whore kicked me!" screamed the beggar.
7 "He does not understand," the large man
answered, "what is happening here. I ask you to forgive him, and
you will have to put that blade in me, before you put it in The Voice
Of The Lords!"
8 The beggar's eyes widened. "The
Voice?" he stammered. "Well, all right, Gentle Bear. But
only because of what you have done for my daughter, and so many others."
9 "Good," continued Gentle Bear, "now take your pallet and go to another gate."
10 The Beggar put away his weapon, picked up
his platform, and hurried off. "He didn't have to kick me!" he
muttered. "What's wrong with begging, anyway?"
11 Gentle Bear turned to The Voice. "Lord," he
announced, "I welcome you to our city! I have been waiting here
for your arrival, and invite you to the hospitality of my humble
dwelling until you can find more suitable quarters."
12 "Is there room also," asked The Voice, "for my four traveling companions?"
13 "More than enough!" answered Gentle
Bear. "But I should tell you, mine is a House of The Gentleness,
a common house. My brothers and sisters and I share it with two
other families. Your friends are welcome. But on our table
is no meat, only cheese and nuts."
14 One of the guards came forward.
"Whatever is put before us," he commented, "we will gladly accept, as
if it is the meat of a leaping deer."
15 "Very well, then," agreed The Voice, "your
hospitality is gratefully accepted. Tell me," he asked as they
walked, "why are there so many beggars at the gate? Is there no
money in the city to employ the poor?"
16 "Oh, yes," answered Gentle Bear, "but The
Speaker of the Temple believes it is more important for the Temple to
be glorified than for the poor to be employed.
17 He is not really an evil man, though. He
means well. He believes the poor can fend for themselves.
He believes it is more important to adorn The Temple, and to dress his
Speakers well, so that they are like the priests of the temples, and
the people will better respect them."
18 By now the word was spreading like fire
through the crowd that was gathering around them. "It's The
Voice!" they cried, "It's The Voice! He's come!"
19 Suddenly another voice cried over the
multitude. "Servant of The Lords," he pleaded, "In Their Holy Names I
beg of you stop, and hear my prayer!"
20 The Voice stopped and turned around. "Who calls upon The Name of The Lords?" he inquired.
21 A blind man made his way through the crowd.
"I am Faithful Crow," he announced, "a devoted servant of The
Lords. From my childhood, to the best of my ability, I have kept
Their Laws and taught Their Wisdom. Now, I am an old man, and I
know my days are numbered.
22 Now, Lord, in my eleventh year I had a
fever, and it took my sight. Never have I seen my children, or
their children, and with all my heart I desire to do so. I ask
you, Lord, pray for me, that before I join my Fathers I may look upon
my loved ones!"
23 "By your faith this day," The Voice cried,
"your prayer is answered." He put his hands upon the blind man's
eyes and prayed.
24 "They burn," moaned the blind man, "as when the fever took my sight."
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