The Storyteller And The Wolf Of Cushean

The Storyteller And The Wolf Of Cushean

by  Paul McCann

The storyteller was on his way to the Fiddlers Well where he had promised himself, he would be to share some stories with the people at the festival to welcome the beginning of spring . There was always an outreaching to the creator of life to send new crops for the gathering of harvests around Cushean . 
This festival was part of the Lunasa time when single girls picked wildflowers in the forests and fields to be presented to the men of their choice . 
It was a time for romance and with new life in abundance all over the land , it was a popular event to be part of . There was always something to do there as well as a time to discover someone new or find a different place to go with new seeds to sew in different fields where travellers could live and work together on crops that have never been grown .
Fires were lit around the places while the festival was on . Some say the fires could never be extinguished as long as there were people who believed in the power of
love and storytelling which was always welcome as was music . The power of love and the passion of life was alive in the hearts of those who continued to be there at Lunasa time .
It was an essence of a belief that ignited an invisible flame in their hearts . 
Deep down in the soul of the people was an understanding of something unseen like a flame that could never be extinguished .
At the festival time stories were shared and songs were sung . There was dancing and celebrations of people eating and drinking in a communal way all over the country  . Every year the Storyteller attended the festivals during Lunasa with events held in different parts of the country. In fact, he was a celebrity of sorts and a well-known figure by many around the land  . There was always a tent and food provided for him .wherever he went .  This was also a time to dream of places never seen and a time for a new voyage with another crew , a chance to ride away on a horse to where fields were greener  and to stay a while with those with different dialects and enjoy life after the cold days of winter had passed .

It was midday as he sat fishing by the banks of Nerset river that went gushing past and overhead the clouds were gathering fast . His first cast caught a fair-sized salmon that he cleaned and gutted for a meal later on . He wrapped the fish up in some leaves and placed it in his satchel . Then he continued his journey to Cushean for the festival . 
A little while later the weather turned fierce and the wind wildly blew around him , pelting against his face as he made his way down to Fiddlers Well . 
At the bridge of Cushean , he saw a Wolf struggling to swim in the raging waters that gushed downstream . 
Using his telepathic gift, he called out to the wolf ,

“Don’t fight against the current my four-legged friend . Relax and  let the current take you in its flow to where you have to go. “

The wolf turned his head and looked over and obeyed the command he had been given .  The wolf stopped fighting against the current that swept and him downstream to a fallen tree where the wolf was able to climb out from the river and back again to the bank where he lay to rest .

The storyteller continued his journey to Fiddlers Well walking as agile as a deer over the stones that lay scattered on the paths up the hills and down through the glen .
As twilight fell, he arrived at the waterfall at the foot of Shawls Mountain where he decided to rest up for the day in the hidden cave that lay behind the waterfall .
He made his way across the steppingstones to the ledge that went behind the cascading water to the mouth of the cave . As he entered the cave, he collected some sticks and small logs that were there and built a fire . 
There was always a supply of firewood there . It was a job of all who used the cave to maintain the firewood . There were some hammocks inside the cave suspended between alcoves of the inner walls . Once the fire was alight, he took the salmon from his satchel and placed it over the flames . An aromatic smell of cooked fish soon wafted through the air and at that moment into the cave came a wolf , presenting   with a limp as he walked . 

The Storyteller welcomed the wolf and again using his telepathic gift spoke softly to the wolf that he recognised as the same one that was in the river before  .

“I already know what you’re thinking so don’t fear there’s nothing to fear. You  are welcome to stay here with me through the night  .“

The wolf responded telepathically  ,

“You are the one who spoke to me before while I was in the river. “

“You were fighting against a wild current which was such a useless effort .“

“Thank you for your kindness .“
The wolf replied .

With a nod of his head he said ,
“You’re welcome . I see you’re limping can I check your leg ?”

The wolf went closer and rested by the storytellers’ feet . After a brief inspection he saw some thistles were lodged in the hind foot of the wolf and slowly and gently he removed them using his garment as a shield to protect his fingers  . 

The wolf whimpered a little and then groaned a response , 

“That feels so much better . Thank you for your kindness again . 

The storyteller  said .

“I’m sure you must be hungry . Try this salmon that I caught today .  “’

The storyteller patted the wolf and then hand fed some of the cooked salmon to the wolf who ate . Suddenly the wolf started to howl with a sound that resembled a gaggle of laugher . At this moment the water cascading outside the cave  froze .
It seemed that time was standing still and there was an  ethereal  presence that fell all around the cave . There was a shimmering light that appeared like a mist and the wolf shape and form was transformed into that of a man who was standing there in front of the storyteller .

The man spoke softly in a happy tone of voice . 

“Because of you I am saved from the curse of  the sorceress from the mists of time in a dark past when evil forces ruled over the land”.

“Who are you and what time are you from”?

The storyteller asked and they both sat down by the fire and the man replied , 

“My name is Cormac and I was King of The Glens from Cushean to the Lakes of  Marhill . Time has passed by like a thousand ancient mists and I know not how long ago it was or I have been cursed by the witch Of the dark willows who I had tried to destroy but instead she transformed me into a wolf . Her spell over me she had said , could only be broken by three acts of kindness from a human and back in the time when I was King there was very little kindness shown by anyone”.

The storyteller nodded his head and acknowledged what he had said .
There was an urgency in his voice as he looked at the King and said ,

“ King of Cushean, I am honoured to meet you but your presence here with me will not be for long because too much time has passed since you last walked the earth in your present form and very soon time will catch up with you and to dust you shall become before my eyes.”

The King bending on knee said. 
  
“It is I who am honoured to meet you kind sir for in my previous form you fed me and tended to my injured foot and guided me through the wild current . I shall be eternally grateful to you for breaking the spell that kept me as wolf and now my soul shall rest in peace at last. Who are you and what is your name ? “

At that moment the waterfall slowly began to trickle and the light within the cave began to dim . The storyteller spoke with an urgency and said ,

“My name is Sean McKay and I am a storyteller by trade and profession . I have been given gifts from those who travel through time and space.”

The King replied ,

‘What a wonderful gift you have Sean ,so tell me can you return to the time when I was King before the curse had been set upon me ?”
 

Not another word was spoken and in that moment the waterfall was cascading outside the cave and King Cormac had become a pile of dust lying at the feet of the storyteller. Gathering up the dust he threw it out of the cave into the waters beneath . He softly whispered , 

“Go to the light beyond the four corners of the earth and find your Castle where paradise awaits . This earth cannot hold you anymore . Go now to your home and find peace and happiness in that place “

He stood there in silence thinking and wishing he had more time to speak with the King to find out more about the Kings story . He had so many questions and not enough answers. Those very same intriguing aspects were always the key to many good stories leaving audiences to make up their own answers . The only difference this time was he had to make up an end to a story that had its beginning beyond the mists of time and as yet  so many pieces of the tale were missing . If only he had the ability to travel to and from each dimension in time and space he could find out the answer to all his question but the keepers of the time portals and guardians of time where in control of the movements and missions he had to go between the third and fourth dimension . At lease he had a new story to tell to all during Lunasa time this year .
The story of the King who became a wolf before his journey on earth was finished.

The End

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