As told by Davison Stivers
Come with me to those days that the ancients called ancient and to a land far beyond this one, where there was a young man who had been trained as a warrior. From his youngest days, he had been harshly and severely treated and during his training he had fashioned a breast-plate of armor to protect himself in battle. In time his training ended and he went out into the world, looking for and fighting many battles. He was proud of his breast-plate armor, seeing how well it protected him from any fatal wounds from the arrows and swords of his enemies. But for all of his challenges and battles, he longed for an even more exciting fight.
For many years, he traveled the land, fighting what he thought were the good fights. But in time, for all his successes, he was aware that there was something missing. He concluded that he needed a truly major battle, one that would satisfy his undefined longing. All his past battles, he saw, were but a series of skirmishes. Thus it was that he heard about a fierce dragon, a beast that had never been defeated and from which fights the challengers had never returned. This, he thought, is the one for which I have been searching. Straight away he sought this dragon, which he had heard now lived deep in a dark forest and it was there the warrior went.
Coming over a rise, he saw that forest in the distance. A mist rose from its depths, shrouding it in despair. An icy shiver rose up his spine, but he talked himself out of his rising fear and with a deep breath, he approached and entered the forest darkness. Never before had he experienced such a place. He knew the sun was high, but neither its light nor its warmth penetrated this canopied gloom. Sounds he could hear, but they were far off. Only around himself was there a silence as deep as the darkness itself. Deeper and deeper he walked into this forest until the trees themselves seemed to crowd around him to hold him back. Then suddenly he broke free of the trees and walked out in a clearing. As his eyes adjusted to the fierce sunlight, he saw, in the middle of the meadow, a little hut. He strode up to the house.
An old man came from the hut. "What do you want?" the old man challenged.
"I am looking for the fiercest of dragons that lives in this forest."
"Bah, you are no match for such as he. With one swish of his tail you would be severed in many pieces to become snacks with his afternoon tea. With one blast of his fiery breath, you would become as bacon for his breakfast. With one stare of his piercing eye you would become frozen as ice to cool his evening drink. So be gone and consider yourself lucky that you have not met this dragon!"
But the warrior stood even taller and straighter at this, replying, "Many battles have I encountered and have turned away from none of them. From this one I shall not do anything but as I have always done. I shall meet this beast; so tell me, where can I find this dragon you say is so fierce?"
The old man just gazed hard at this warrior and at the breast-plate he wore. At length he turned and beckoned the man to enter his home. There he gave him food and drink. After dinner the warrior felt a great heavy weariness fall upon him. The old man then prepared a bed and as soon as the warrior lay upon it, his gentle snoring gave sign that he was in a deep sleep.
At the full rising of the moon, the warrior suddenly awoke, uncertain as to where he was. Then he remembered the old man and turning in his bed, saw the old one by the fire, reading from a large book and there sitting across from him was a dragon. Thinking this was the one he was looking for, he jumped up from his bed and grabbed for his sword, but it was not within its sheath. Frantically, he looked about, but it was not in sight.
The old man looked up from his reading and said, "Did you lose something?"
The warrior looked at the old man then at the dragon. Surely, this dragon cannot be the fierce beast that was his quest: The one he was looking for must be at least the height of ten men and this one was but little taller that he. Hardly the fierce monster of tales! "I am sorry, but my sudden awakening must have dulled my brain, for at first I took this dragon babe to be the one I am seeking."
"Oh, but I am," the dragon said bemusedly. "Do not be deceived by my appearance in this reduced size. In the forest I am quite as big as you might imagine. But when I visit my friend, I accommodate to his size and proportions. Hence the size you see me now."
"Eh? Then where is my sword, old man? I have come to do battle with this dragon and here he is. But I need my sword. Would you have me fight without a weapon?"
"Now that is a wonderful idea: Fighting with no weapons," the dragon said, smilingly. "But an even better idea is 'no fighting at all'."
"What is this I hear? A dragon who will not do battle with me?" The warrior turned to the old man. "You just told me that this was the fiercest of dragons and now I discover that he is really a coward!"
With that the dragon raised his neck up to the ceiling and shot out a fire ball that ignited the warrior's clothes, blackened his face and singed his hair. The warrior yelped and jumped and danced around trying to slap out his burning clothes with no major success, then seeing a pail of water, doused himself with it.
"Now see what I was telling you? It is not a very good idea to get a dragon angry," the old man noted. "Besides, it really isn't a good idea to fight or even to talk of fighting." He paused a moment, glancing back at the book on his lap. Turning back to the warrior, he continued, "However, if you insist on some sort of adventure that would test your mettle, I do have one in mind, which I might add is the most dangerous one you could undertake."
"Adventure? To test my resolve and strength?" the warrior responded, trying to dry himself off but keeping a wary eye on the dragon. "What sort of adventure?"
"It is one that is pointed to in this old book. Come and listen. Then we will tell you what else we know that may assist you." The old man lifted the book and read:
If you would embark this dayYour steps will guide your wayBeyond the cliffs to find great gifts. If you would gain the extra sightYou must travel exceedingly lightAnd be a bird to fly o'er the rifts. But woe to the one who this prize woosAnd comes not ready to reverse and loseFor him, grief and death shall not lift.
The old man put the book down. "I can tell you that many have traveled to this place of great gifts and many have not returned. Some died quickly and some slowly with agony. Of those that have come back, many are filled with grief and carry deep sorrow, for they return without their souls. So I tell you this: It is not for those without heart and great courage. Only the bravest and the most foolish attempt this adventure. We shall see which you are."
"If this is the greatest of adventures as you say, then I must go. This is my quest!" the warrior exclaimed excitedly.
The dragon then spoke, "Well spoken, good warrior. I shall tell you what you shall find, for I have seen this place. When you come to the end of the world, you will find a plain deep in grass which is split by a deep chasm. On the other side of that deep split is where your treasure lies: A magnificent castle that glitters in the morning sun like gold whose king, the queen and the people await. There are no trails to get you there, but there is a spring of magic waters which may give you the means to reach your goal. However, you cannot get its waters directly, for it is guarded over by three witches. If you try to take the water, they will give you poison, but if you ask for the spring's water, they cannot refuse your request. You must choose from which witch to receive your drink, for only one will give you water which might help. If you drink of the waters given by either of the other two, you will die or be drained of your vitality and desire."
So it was that with the dawn, the old man and dragon, now gown into its normal and forbidding size, bid farewell to the warrior, who thanked them, and began his journey towards the end of the earth. He strode through the forest seeing a number of travelers, who avoided him, trudging in the opposite direction. In other time he would have challenged them to a duel, but he had no interest in that now. Besides, he began to really look at these people. They looked lifeless, sad, pathetic. Looking at them aroused some fear in himself. Putting aside his fear, he did stop several of them to ask them what had befallen them. Many would not talk to him, but a few did. These few told him being drained of their desire, though they could not remember what those desires were nor what had happened. They only knew that they were suffering from a deep sadness, a never ending grief.
After traveling for many, many days, he finally came out from the forest and before him was the plain and beyond that the huge rift in the earth. He walked up to the edge of the chasm and peered over. Even with the great depth, he could see the broken and maimed bodies that littered the floor of the canyon and he grew sad and fearful. Looking up he looked beyond the chasm and there, indeed, was the castle of gold, sparkling in the sunlight, flags and pennants, lazily waving from the towers in the wind, as though beckoning to him. He felt impelled to step off the edge, his desire for what he beheld was so intense. That impulsion departed as he remembered the spring of magical waters.
He looked to the west saw a modest dwelling and in the front of that cottage were, true again to the old man's words, the three witches and a spring bubbling just behind them. He strode over to them, trying to present an imposing figure, but aware of an inner quaking. He wanted to take his sword and cut away these creatures, but he recalled the dragon's warning. So to each he bowed low, marveling to himself that each hag was more ugly and more fearsome than the others. How, he wondered, could he correctly choose from which witch to take his drink. So to the first one, he bowed again and said, "Mother, give me a drink of your spring water, that I might fly over the chasm to gain my fortune." The three hags cackled and laughed at this, but the witch did present to him a golden, jewel encrusted goblet filled with the spring's water. He took the goblet and placed it on the ground in front of him. To the next witch he bowed and said, "Mother, give me a drink of your spring water, that I might fly over the chasm to gain my fortune." Again the three of the witches laughed and cackled at him, but this witch, too, gave him a goblet crafted of bronze and filled with the spring's water. This he also placed on the ground before him. He turned to the last, bowed and said as before, "Mother, give me a drink of your spring water, that I might fly over the chasm to gain my fortune." And once more they cackled and laughed. This one also gave him a cup, a plain earthen cup containing the spring's water, which he place beside the others.
Addressing all of them he said, "Before I choose which cup from which to drink, tell me what your cup of water will do to assist me in gaining my fortune."
The first witch spoke first, "I see that you have a fine breast plate of armor, but it can be penetrated. So drink mine, for mine will make your breast plate impenetrable to any wound. It will make you unbeatable in any battle, impervious to the arrows and swords of your enemies."
"I see not why I would need such, for my armor has protected me from any fatal blows which have come my way." At this the hag grew angry and shouted, "You cursed son, you meaningless pile of cow dung. Who are you to deny my gift. No wonder you are so worthless a fellow and an insult to your parents." On she raged and the darts of words struck him hard on the chest, penetrated his shield and wounded him severely. He collapsed and crumpled to the ground. At this the hag stopped her berating and softening her voice, soothed him saying, "See how you can be wounded even near to death. You need my drink to increase the strength of your shield."
"No," interrupted the second witch. "She would mislead you. Your armor is strong enough. Only against the evil bile of my sister's venom, can you be harmed. Drink of my waters, for I can see that you have suffered much and earned the right to the easy path to your fortune. Drink mine and you will see how much your pains will be assuaged and eased."
"Do not listen to her. Drink mine," the first yelled. "Mine will give you the strength to leap the chasm and gain all that you seek. With such strength as I shall give you, you will be unbeatable.
""She lies," cried the second, "She would trick you to jump to your death. But my cup will ease your path, for I know of a secret way to that treasure, an easy path to take."
And so the two of them argued, while the third remain quiet. But then she spoke up. "Oh, be not deceived by my sisters. The first drink will lead you to the death of your body, as you have witnessed on the chasm floor. Having stronger armor will drop you like a rock to your death. As for the second, there is no easy path and to attempt it will lead you to the shriveling of your soul, as you saw of those leaving this place. Only mine will take you to your goal. But be warned, mine is the most dangerous of all, for to drink of my waters will dissolve even the armor you have, all that protects you, so that you might travel more lightly."
The warrior pondered all that the witches said: My strength has seen me through my battles and my armor has protected me well. How much more might I be if I gained even greater strength and tougher armor - I would be invincible. But then, I have battled long and hard, vanquishing most, but never leaving in defeat. I have earned the right to take my life easier. Indeed, seeing that castle makes me yearn for an easier life. But then, again, I have always taken the more riskier path and been the better for it. Am I willing, however, to give up my whole way of being on the chance that the third is right? Should I let my protection dissolve completely. Also, I remember the words from the book: 'I must travel exceedingly light' and 'woe comes if not ready to reverse and lose.' So he reflected, then decided and took his chosen cup and drank its water. Suddenly two of the hags vanished and the remaining was transformed into a beautiful maiden.
So great was her beauty, that he quickly knelt before her saying, "Oh, my lady. Who are you and what have I witnessed?"
"I am the Queen of the Chasm Castle and I thank you for freeing her from my enchantment by those, now vanished, witches. Come with me and let us reign over these lands together."
And so they were wed and lived a long and fruitful life.
Oh, and by the way, which chalice have you been choosing?