Previous Section : The World Outside the Valley

Facing the Rock Turtle

The view was breathtaking: The valley, which Areus had hiked down all morning, opened up to the sea far below, and revealed the wanderer's goal: A giant sea turtle of rock, 1000 feet high and a mile in length, risen from the waters, and firmly biting with its turtle head into the rocky shore, its slim neck being the only joint to climb its body out there in the water. On top of the turtle body in the distance he saw a white building glittering in the sun, without any discernible path up the steep vertical rock of the stony tortoise shell.

Beyond the turtle's neck and close to the water, unmistakably stood out the grand Palace of Pillars, built of stone, plastered white, two to three floors high, windows and balustrades on the upper floors and the striking carmine pillars, used by the people of Keft to decorate their buildings. Its roof was crowned with something like bull's horns.

The people he had met on his three day journey had done all they could to discourage him: Never would he be admitted to the Pillar Island. But now Areus remembered the humiliating scene on the beach a year ago. Looking down at the magnificent emporium, he tried to imitate - with little success - the accomplished smile and mannered speech of the Keftiu merchant: "Please don't force upon us this incommodious journey, ... oh what a smug!" - He thought: Why do we have to be such dimwits? More than ever he was determined to get at their secrets and bring them home.

He looked around: The neck of the turtle, the sole way to enter, was crowned with a solid wall and a pair of small towers. From his position he could oversee all the roads leading to the peninsula. At some distance, on this side of the wall, he saw a few houses of familiar shape, clinging to the mountain slope. Farmers and shepherds seemed to live here, working for the Keftians. He also recognized a few fields of green emmer and tender barley. But most striking were quite a few well tended vineyards on the steep slopes down to the sea.

On his climb down through those vineyards he ran into a dark skinned man with awesome bushy eyebrows, carrying a big snarling dog at a leash. The man asked him gruffly for his name, his origin and his purpose. - "Hello noble stranger", he replied: "Areus is my name and I offer you greetings from Mittentown, my fair home. This lamb" - and he pointed to the timid animal he was holding on a string - "I am bringing to the Keftians and ask them to resume our trade we entertained for so many years. The building over there with those strange horns on top, their palace, can you tell me how I get over there?"

The sour face under the bushy eyebrows became even grimmer. - "I reckon you have no clue what you are up to. The horns you talk about are the sign of the bull, their god. You know what this god brings about? He makes the earth shake and the sea drown the lands. He is an evil god. Dare not to mock him." - And he added: "Beware the Keftians. They appear friendly, but they are tough masters. Yes, masters. Even if they wear women's skirts", and he spit to the ground.

No news to me, Areus thought, even if he couldn't remember having seen the merchants ever in women's skirts. And he asked: "Then why don't you leave them?" - "Not your business", bellowed the other, and added: "If you serve them well, they reward you big, and soon I will be able to make off from here." - He took a taxing look at the traveler. - "You are one of those poor souls desperate to get to their island, aren't you? You burst with curiosity, right? Forget it. And in particular, take advice from somebody who knows: If they offer you to row their ships: Don't do it. Never. Never." - He suddenly turned around, and left without a word of farewell.

Next Section : A Little Stone Opens Doors