The following blogspots center on a variety of subjects, which I have initiated. You are invited to look and respond.

http://esoschronicles.blogspot.com/ Not-Violence main subject

http://melnaysjanis.blogspot.com/ Temple of Janis (John) site

http://the-not-voter.blogspot.com/ Arguments for systems change

http://the4thawakening.blogspot.com/ Sacrificial crisis in Latvia

http://oedipusrexrewritten.blogspot.com/ Oedipus Rex Rewritten

I suggest you look at the links imbedded in these blogs or at the end of the blog as an integral part of my argument.  * text between [ ] is not part of quote.

The 4^th Awakening

43 Boots and Nettles

© Eso Anton Benjamins

Herewith ends the series of blogs called The4thAwakening. I may add in due course a Conclusion if it comes to mind. Those who have followed the argument will probably have realized that this series has argued for a history of Latvia with obviously severe shear marks, leaving however open the possibility that these are connected by a meme hidden within the language and able to project a kind of Forward Look that the last twenty years of renewed independence (1991-2011) have ignored in favor of reactionism against an enemy (the Soviet Union) long replaced by the European Union. Unsurprisingly, this has moved me to suggest Riga, the capital city of Latvia, as the capital city of Europe in the Europe of tomorrow, which Brussels knows nothing about. However, I present this latter argument as a discussion rather than a blog topic.

The Story of Crazy Jane and Clever John, The End

(…story begins at blog 15)

Boots and Nettles

Thus, while Rozinante and a messenger were galloping to the seashore of Livonia to fetch Clever John’s brothers, and while Clever John was converting the value of the heap of gold into money, King John 1^st and Queen Ragana continued with wedding preparations.

The first thing King John did was go to his cobbler and have him make a new pair of boots, since Rozinante would return with the old pair all worn. Since he wished to dance as if he were still a young man, the King asked that his boots be inlaid with the feathers of a crane.

For her part, Queen Ragana had her hatmaker make her a crown of a crane’s black tail feathers. Everyone at the court made preparations for the event. Clever John, of course, did nothing, but count money; the princess, as promised, was not to be seen anywhere; while Crazy Jane was worried that someone should steal her dress while she danced among those who danced undressed. Just so that no one was inhibited from dancing their best, everyone was to wear a mask.

After seven days the six brothers from Livonia came riding in, this time, on the backs of six flying crickets which upon entering the King’s garden turned into six black flies.

 

The wedding ball was a big tent affair with jet fighter pilots from India among those present. All the men kneeled before the curtain behind which Princess Wonderful was hid and spoke to her words of love. Clever John almost danced his heart out.

Unfortunately, King John 1^st, he whose enemies called him the Devil, did. His boots of crane feathers were too much for his age. He died in the middle of a hop for the unreachable.

Queen Ragana was in shock when the Devil died. She threw her hat of tail feathers off her head, and her true nature became revealed.

The ballroom was lit up with so much sunlight as when the Sun is at noon. The woman (whoever she was), whether the Sun or everyone’s Dearest Goddess, hovered as a witch would right over everyone’s head, scalped them with her heat, and declared with a queenly scream:

“You, John, are now the Devil! Hell is your kingdom, the dead are your slaves, and my daughter is your bride!”

John was taken aback by how quickly things were changing and how momentous events were not only taking place, but had overtaken him.

Not daring look anywhere else, he turned his head up to the Sun and asked: “Mother, where is your daughter?”

“Ask your brothers,” answered the Sun as she went behind a cloud, ashamed she had brought one such into the world.

Clever John turned to his brothers. “Brothers,” said Clever John, “I know that I never yet have asked you a question, because I always knew better, but do not hold this against me. Tell me where is Princess Wonderful?”

His six brothers started laughing, and all the maids of the kingdom who were at the wedding party laughed along with them.

The oldest brother of Clever John stepped forward: “Clever John, if you really do not know how to find a bride by yourself, she is waiting for you in that room,” he said and pointed to a door in the middle of the longest wall in ballroom.

As Clever John sought out the door with his eyes, everyone in the ballroom also pointed to the door and shouted: “There! There!”

Clever John started for the door. His oldest brother went to his side and offered encouragement. When they had come to the door, the brother whispered to Clever John some last minute instructions about what to do. He explained that the room had no light, and as soon as he was inside, the door behind him would be shut and locked. If he wanted his bride as hot as a hot pan, he had to jump into the bed without any hesitation—else the bride might cool off.

The brother of Clever John took him be the arm, opened the bedroom door, shoved Clever John inside, and closed the door fast behind him. Clever John jumped for the bed, which he had seen while the door had been open and was real enough.

Clever John felt a body beside him. He reached out his arm to embrace it.

It felt warm, but—then Clever John realized with an awfulness one can live without—it was inhuman. He had not embraced a Princess, but a warm plastic covered canvas bag.

Clever John screamed as if he was having a nightmare. At that very moment another door sprung open, and in strode Crazy Jane holding a huge candelabrum with dozens of burning candles. In her other hand she held the dead King John 1^sts pair of crane feather boots.

Crazy Jane set the candelabrum down on a stand, then threw the boots on the bed. “They are yours now, Clever John,” she said.

“Crazy Jane! Oh Princess Wonderful! What do I do with crane-feather-boots in bed?” asked Clever John.

“Put them on and never take them off,” ordered Crazy Jane.

When Clever John hesitated, he felt a swish of leaves of nettle across his bare middle. So, he pulled on the crane feather boots and felt a warm blush seize him. A shower of sparks shot through him.

“Stop it, Crazy Jane,” Clever John begged.

All those who stood behind the door of the wedding chamber roared with laughter. Rozinante neighed.

“I am not finished,” screamed Crazy Jane and whacked Clever John with the bouquet of nettles once again.

“Help!” screamed Clever John.

“It will be okay,” suddenly all tenderness offered Crazy Jane. “Let us now run to the sauna,” she said as she pulled Clever John out of the bed.

Everyone behind the door roared with laughter once more.

Clever John followed Clever Jane. It was quite a hop he did. Those who know to look know that he was holding an object or something in his hand.

(End of story.)

Asterisks & Links of Interest

Text between [ ], when within a quote, is not part of the quote.