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Maria Eugènia
Franco
2n
Batxillerat
Lleida
Arabell
Chants of Truth. Once upon a time
in a distant and unknown small village called Candleshoe
where everything was light and splendour, was a modest
little home where a milkman lived with his wife and
three children, two twins called Thomas and John and
the older son called Edmund, a brilliant and handsome
eighteen year old boy. His parents wanted him to have
a better life, but since Gregory II inherited the
throne, taxes were increased and a humongous shadow
covered the kingdom. People began to taste a sour
life within injustice and oppression; the worst part
of it was the sudden presence of a humongous ( black
and scarlet) evil dragon. Dwaleth was the dragon’s
name and everywhere it was pronounced happiness turned
into terror. Dwaleth used to burn every field he may
find and then, eat the cows and sheep of hose fields
leaving people without homes or life itself. Was the
king really evil? Definitely stupid and that was his
real problem, because his counsellor used to do everything
he wanted as long as he spoke highly of his kingdom
whenever the king was around. Indeed, Cophrens ( the
counsellor’s name) did a great job, the king
had no idea of what was really going on, since he
was too concentrated in new clothing models and modern
ways of dancing and travelling almost every month
abroad. Contemplating how his parents were sinking
in misery and his brothers dying of hunger, Edmund
decided to help bringing money doing the only thing
he liked best: a fiddler. He would go now and then
to the places where people used to see each other,
such as streets or festivities, where he earned enough
money to cover his brother’s needs. He became
quite popular among Candleshoe. One day, in a glorious
and fresh morning within the singing of the birds
and the sweet fragrances of flowers, a monk called
Friedrich of the Order of Dominicans that lived on
the top of Saint Joseph’s Hill asked Edmund
to play in a religious ceremony because the fiddler
that was appointed to go changed of mind and decided
not to. The problem was that they didn’t had
money to pay, so the milkman didn’t wanted to
allow his son, but the words of Friar Friedrich and
Edmund’s smiles reminded him that the real misery
begins when you don’t do any good in this world…so
he let Edmund go to the Monastery. After the ceremony
Friar Friedrich was amazed of the gift Edmund had
and saw something hidden inside his soul ready to
emerge once developed and decided to talk to Edmund
with the excuse to make some observations of his violin.
Once they were left alone in the Church, Friar Friedrich
left the violin in the floor where they were sited
and said: - I see a lot in you. - A lot of what Your
Excellence? - You are capable of much more than to
be a fiddler for the rest of your life. - I don’t
understand… - It is very simple: Do you think
that your parents would let you come every afternoon?
- Maybe… - Would you like to learn knowledge,
mathematics, philosophy, physics, arts…? - Why
yes! I always enjoyed learning until… - I know…hard
times always strike in our hearts, but we must fight
back. - I guess so. - So, I’ll be seeing you
tomorrow? - I’ll try Your Excellence. - Have
a nice evening. - You too. After meditating every
single detail, Edmund arrived home where his mum was
washing the dishes and his father returning form milking
the cows, after a deep breath, he told his parents
everything that happened at the ceremony, but when
he decided to tell them what Friar Friedrich had in
mind, the neighbours were screaming and running so
exasperating that the milkman and Edmund left the
house as quickly as their legs could and saw Coprens
with Gorgoroth ( a Red Beard pirate) who was taking
one of the daughters the poor butcher had because
he couldn’t pay the taxes. The milkman said:
- What’s that bloody pirate doing here? - More
respect milkman…we are doing business here…
- The, oh so counsellor! With pirates? - Gorgoroth
is the name…you filthy little milkman. - Don’t
involve my friends Red Beard! - Shut up butcher! And
give me Marian! - Why don’t you take anything
else but my daughters? - Because it’s your daughters
I want. - I would say you want them to see the butcher
suffer. - Indeed, that is exactly the point now leave
before I get interested in your wife….hehehehehehehe.
- Don’t you dare think about it. - So milkman,
you taught your little boy how to talk, eh? Excuse
me but I am leaving. - Leave me alone you…let
go of me! - You heard the lady! - So little boy…what
are you going to do about it? Edmund couldn’t
contain himself any more and took out his sword when
many pirates began to approach to the milkman and
the butcher and his son joined Edmund and his father
in the battle where Coprens left after giving a lot
of money and excuses to Gorgoroth who also left leaving
some pirates to stop Edmund from gaining on him.Some
hours latter Marian ran to her mum’s arms and
thanked the milkman and his son for their courageous
help, they stayed for dinner and on their way home,
Edmund told his father that he wanted to learn more
about life and that the Friar wouldn’t ask for
money. The milkman though long enough for them to
arrive home when suddenly he smiled at Edmund and
said: >. The next morning Edmund left home to buy
some fruits and vegetables. Then he went to clean
the horses and feed the chickens. In the afternoon
he went to the Monastery where the Friar was already
waiting for him. He was sitting in the grass with
some books and blank sheets of paper and a black ink.
When he saw him he smiled and signalled him where
to sit. That is how he began to learn…first
accepting his ignorance and then wanting to learn.
In so little time he became quite an expert on every
single subject, it was amazing, Friar Friedrich couldn’t
think of a logical explanation, unless he remembered
that God works in mysterious ways. He became a master
with swords; he could ride the must fearful horses
and still…he was modest and helped whenever
anyone needed his help. On the other hand, the king
became confused…he didn’t knew if he was
doing the right stuff even though Coprens assured
him every time he met him for dinner or recess time.
Dwaleth approached to the kingdom with every passing
day and Coprens couldn’t hide it to the king
anymore. Candleshoe began to shiver, every person
that passed near the castle of the King would think
what could the king possibly be doing that he never
cared to solve any of the problems the village encountered
everyday. Finally that day arrived… the king
told Coprens to choose among the best knights of Candleshoe
one how may be courageous enough to fight Dwaleth
and intelligent enough not to fall for any of the
dragon’s cheating strategies. Many people of
the village gathered to show their skills, but when
Coprens told them that they would fight against Dwaleth,
only Edmund didn’t backup. On the contrary,
he gave one step forward. Coprens saw this as an opportunity
to get rid of Edmund, so he selected Edmund and presented
him to the king who doubted because of his young age,
but Coprens ( who wouldn’t give up easily) convinced
the king to accept this one opportunity to free Candleshoe
from the dragon’s menace. Edmund was made knight
and sent to fight Dwaleth, but before he left he wanted
to say goodbye to Friar Friedrich and to get advice
from him: - All I can tell you Edmund is to be brave,
use your heart, remember God is with you and don’t
let yourself be fooled by the dragon’s words.
- I wont. - Then God bless you. He left on a white
horse to the forgotten Hills of Sephens where Dwaleth
was awaiting. When he arrived he found more than half
of the mountain covered with ashes and dust. Then,
after walking for an hour and a half he found himself
face to face with the sleeping dragon. Dwaleth woke
up and said astonished: - What is a young boy doing
here? - I came to give you some advice. - Heheheheheh…an
advice to me? - Yes Dwaleth. - How do you know my
name? - You must stop doing this or they’ll
kill you. - And you think I will listen? - You better,
because I am Edmund of the house of Demangeth and
I was taught the secrets of Dragorus your herd master.
- What….how….who…? - You owe me
your life service for not killing you and for being
who I am. And a beautiful copper medal hanging in
Edmund’s neck began to shine, Dwaleth knew the
boy wasn’t lying and even though he tried to
cheat, his word would be his salvation or loss. Then
he said: - I am afraid that you leave me no choice
but to serve you Edmund of the house of Demangeth
our beloved friend. I shall respond in the name of
my herd as your ally. - Very well. Stop attacking
everything you see and you may stay here on the condition
of helping me whenever I rub my medal. - So be it
dear Edmund. By the time Edmund returned to Candleshoe,
the king was already waiting for him when he said:
- My boy you deserve much more than money for such
a valorous act. You and your family will be living
in a castle…my castle…because many people
have spoken of your knowledge and heart, we know you
didn’t kill the dragon when you had the opportunity.
You may seem young but I hear by now proclaim you
my new counsellor. - But I really don’t deserve
all this Your Highness. - Oh yes…you deserve
much more. Come, my son… From that day on, taxes
were lowered and misery left the streets of Candleshoe.
People felt happiness had reborn and even the king
began to pay more attention to his people’s
needs and even started to sing religious songs on
his free time. Everything began to grow and develop
in a perfect balance between physical and spiritual
needs. Coprens felt deceived and swore to revenge
from being exiled. He gathered every single pirate
and promised Candleshoe’s kingdom to Gorgoroth
in return of his primacy and Edmund’s death.
One October evening the pirates invaded Candleshoe
killing everyone they would find. Edmund knew that
if he didn’t hurry the whole kingdom would be
lost forever. So he told the king not to give up and
contacted the kingdom of Lonernthen and began to defend
his people. The battle lasted many days…weeks…months…but
the pirates weren’t going to give it up so easily.
Edmund encouraged the king to show how much he cared
about his kingdom and advised him to fight for truth
itself among evil, because at the end of the day,
a new light guides the good hearts out of the shadows
of the dark. Some pirates who were fighting Edmund
conduced him (without his knowledge) to an old and
dark cave where he was left alone and suddenly herd
a familiar voice: - Finally the little hero decided
to leave the battle to fix some businesses. - Coprens?
What are you doing here? - How dare you talk to me
like that! You owe me respect. - Excuse me but my
king needs me… - If !...you get out of this
one alive. - What do you mean…? - Very simple…I
have always hated you since the first day I saw you
and you have been my nightmares since you took away
my job…so …kill him boys! Edmund was surrounded
by at least twenty pirates with unusual weapons such
as: snakelike lances, hook shaped and thunder shaped
swords. By the time they were one meter far from Edmund,
he noticed it was a tramp. He held his sword with
all the courage a person can have within the One who
strengthens the will of good inside human souls, and
as they laughed stupidly, he approached close enough
to encounter the pirates who fought as if they were
forced by a dark will to act like savages…Edmund
fought bravely until he was faced with an enormous
giant about 25 meters tall who was holding an axe
big enough to tear a mountain apart. Edmund suddenly
felt this was the end, but the light of hope enlightened
him when he remembered Dwaleth, so he held his medallion
and called Dwaleth in dragonish dialect. Suddenly
Edmund felt form a hill when the giant smashed his
axe against Edmund who tried to move before being
trespassed by the axe. When Coprens was laughing and
Edmund couldn’t hold on to a bush any longer,
Dwaleth arrived as quick as lightening and picked
up Edmund leaving him in safe ground while he fought
and persecuted the giant down the hill. When Edmund
turned his back on the hill and began to leave the
place to join the king. Coprens threw one of the snakelike
lances left of the last battle and it harmed Edmund
in the thorax, but he got up as fast as he could and
fought against Coprens who was loosing ability with
each jump or fast move Edmund would unleash. Finally,
when Coprens was about to fall of the great bridge
of Nugantha, Edmund said: -You must understand that
I am not like you and that I can’t kill you…why
don’t you just give up? -Because I hate you
and I always will until I see you dead. In the precise
moment he was going to kill Edmund who felt on his
knees because of the deep wound, Dwaleth threw him
of the bridge where he would burn into ashes. Then
Dwaleth picked Edmund up and took him to the castle
where the king was being cured from his several battle
wounds just like some of the soldiers. When Gregory
II saw the dragon with Edmund, he got up from his
armchair and ran to the window where now lied Edmund.
He was taken to his room where he continued his battle
between life and death in the presence of the king
who was as sad as he could be if he had lost a son,
Edmund was agonising when Dwaleth turned into a wizard
and said: -This will not be the end of Edmund of Demangeth…on
the contrary, it is a beautiful start, for I have
foreseen with the help of the Friar, that as wise
and cunning the One will not want him to leave until
the seed of his example is well cemented. From now
on you will live as the man who survived “power”.
And Edmund lived to see his seed grow until it was
time to part to that voyage in which you can only
take your good acts and mistakes…
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