Saruman believes it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. It is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love. Why Bilbo Baggins? Perhaps because I am afraid, and he gives me courage.
In ancient times, religious ideas, myths, and fairy tales gave souls light for the spiritual world. It is easy to say that myths and fairy tales developed in the childhood stages of the human race. Of course, people did not physically meet the angels that myths and fairy tales speak about. But thinking based on philosophy will be of little use in the spiritual world where such knowledge has no meaning. It is easy to say fairy tales are not based on truth. Spiritual researchers are not so naive, and know that fiery dragons do not really fly through the air. However, they always knew it was necessary to form the Imagination of the fiery dragon, for when it lives in the soul, it casts light on the spiritual world. These are powerful Imaginations. That is the principle behind all myths; they are not intended to reflect external reality accurately, but to enable us to live in the spiritual world. Materialists say myths and fairy tales originated in the childhood stage of the human race. But in its childhood, humanity was taught by the gods. In the process of our evolution, myths and fairy tales are gradually lost, but children should not grow up without them. It makes a tremendous difference whether or not children are allowed to grow up with fairy tales. The power of the fairy tale images, which give wings to the soul, becomes apparent only at a later age.
Growing up without fairy tales leads later to boredom, to world-weariness. Indeed, it can even cause physical symptoms — fairy tales can help to prevent illnesses. The qualities that seep into our soul from fairy tales later emerge as a zest for life, enthusiasm for being alive, and an ability to cope with life, all of which can be seen even in old age. Children have to experience the power of the content of fairy tales while they are young and can still do so. People who cannot live with ideas that have no reality on the physical plane will be dead to the spiritual world. Philosophies based only on the material world are the death of our soul. Physical evolution leads to the death of the spiritual world. We must reach a view of the world based not on appearances, but resting solidly on its own inherent structure. We have to move toward the principle: I believe what I know.
"It can't be, I can't be! No, you have to be wrong. False positive - something like that...”
"Ms Silver both your blood and your urine tests have returned positive and your scan just confirmed fourteen weeks. Give it a day or so...”
Marley drew the white gown around herself protectively; her mind went blank with the shock of it all.
"You don't understand," she persisted very definitely, "I simply can't be - I mean ... well, I have not been with a man like that. This is not happening - it is just not possible."
The Doctor looked concerned and a little irritated also.
"This can be a natural reaction I promise you - especially when your hormones are fluctuating, emotions become confused. In time you will familiarise yourself with the idea of motherhood...”
Marley glared back at him.
"Doctor Tilden, how can I possibly be pregnant if I have not as much kissed a man in well over a year?"
"Here" he said in a much quieter voice as he drew back the curtains, "you can get dressed now and when you are ready come out and talk with me we can go over your history and treatment plan."
Marley hurriedly put all her layers back on and tried her best to compose herself. She realised, quite rightly, that the doctor was very uncomfortable with her.
One year later and Marley's business had begun to decline badly. She had not been able to source the unique floral substances that were the base notes of her perfumery.
She had tried to match the aromas with high-end synthetics, but because she had used some ghostly olfactory counterfeits, they had taken on the signatures of the cheaper brands. The ever responsive public quickly moved to the counters beside her's, taking their money with them.....
Her fairy-luster charm had fallen away, and, in the eyes of most, she was quite insignificant. Her former glamour had been taken for granted, and now Marley was at a loss as to where her attractiveness had gone.
She thought commonly with paraphrases and spoke using blanket judgements. Marley lived with a tabloid acceptance of the world, unquestioning the 'norm' - resolute, resigned, and although only in her early thirties, her demeanour had grown decidedly elderly.
She preferred her own company second only to the cat, who would idly brush up against her now and then with an unspoken yet persuasive dominance.
There was a noise coming from down the road - angry voices were name-calling and shouting loud. He looked and could see a man, a tall man, sitting astride a very small donkey.
Darius loved donkeys and his immediate inclination was to go and pat his furry head. As fortune would have it the beautiful beast had stopped right in the front of the sweetbread shop.
With a round bun in his little hand he went over to feed the shaggy animal. Missiles of waste and pebbles were being thrown in his direction and long palm fronds stretching out from irritants within the crowd were pelting the man from the sides of the road.
A piece of rotten fruit caught little Darius on the ear. Master Donkey had stopped still to contentedly chew over the bun he had been fed - Darius steadied himself, putting one little hand upon the thigh of the stranger, who caught him by the wrist just before he was to slip being struck by yet another rancid missile.
The noise from the clamouring spectators was raucous and rude - but he was not frightened, keeping his hand inside that of the man's. He stared at his face wonderingly. The eyes of the stranger looked back as though they were trying to tell him something - and he felt happy - really happy - and everything around him seemed to sparkle.
***
"You've had too much sun out there my boy", his father had said when he tried to describe the sparks and stars he was seeing almost everywhere about him.
They stood and waited dutifully. After five minutes Darius's legs were getting sore and he wanted very badly to go home. His father saw his boy fidgeting and handed him a roasted nut from his pocket fold.
Another usher with silent footfall came in and drew back a black curtain from the wall. Behind it sat a throne and upon its seat was a character enmeshed in woven gold, wearing a metal mask that had a weave of craggy horns high above his head.
This figure produced a small pouch and handed it to his father. It weighed so heavy that it bulged the material. Inside was a fine metal dust, so fine it looked like black flour and sparkled in the lamplight as he opened it.
The usher who had been waiting behind them moved forward and motioned to silently leave through another door to their left. He then took them through the maze, with no words having been spoken until they were back into the light.
"Portius instructed me to tell you that you will prosper in your business. You are to add a dram to each bale of molten iron and the metal will be all the stronger for it. Success will come shortly ... and fame of your wares will span the centuries."
This was a great honor and the prophecy did prove true. The foundry flourished and the metal polished strong - and they secured the city's tender ... a consignment of nails to be supplied, in all sizes.
Darius hid within the folds of his father's robe. He did not like these expeditions into the caverns.
The people down there scared him greatly, for they wore bizarrely decorated costumes, which when seen only in the half-light looked very threatening to such a small child.
He could hear the sound of trickling water and the whole enclosure smelt exceedingly damp. The rock was warm to the touch, and incense wrote over the notes of the vaporous mould.
Women, or perhaps young men, were veiled all in black, moving all about. They blended with the shadows well, for their faces were covered also.
They transported the offerings and replenished the firelights - some had trays to sup from, some drove out the rats and swept the halls.
Smaller caves were hollowed out from the larger one.
When an usher in black led them into an anteroom Darius saw his face through the veil, and how his skin was black too - shining like polished wood.
