sign in sign up
<<
Home , Acintya, Alloces, Amshuman, Ananiel, Arich Anpin, Barachiel

Some Brief Advice For The Curious Reader.

This story is what the Author would a ‘Modernist’ piece of literature. It will be a complex read.

It is a work that aims to maintain a self-conscious break with traditional ways of writing, and is in the same literary spirit as ‘Finnegans Wake.’ It may be a daunting, even slightly confusing, piece of literature for the general reader to tuck into.

Hence, the Author has taken the liberty to provide some brief advice on how to go about reading this particular work.

It’s structured like a dream. In fact, certain sections flow like dreams. Incorporating a technique called ‘magical realism’, the tale contains many fantasy elements in a realistic setting. Many sections of the piece can be interpreted literally, or allegorically. How much of the story is allegorical or literal? That is for the reader to decide.

The story is set in an unspecified , roughly in the early 1800’s when whale-hunting is at its peak. The language of the story is a varied mix of rich Jacobean English (known for its use of ‘thee’, ‘thou’, and so forth), rustic Quaker English (which is essentially Jacobean English without the ‘th’s at the end of certain present-tense verbs), and the standard contemporary

English of our time.

1

The story makes use of heavy symbology, including symbology of numbers and names.

Characters can embody concepts, be extensions of ideas, or just be plain fodder for the narrative. Which characters fill which roles is determined by the reader.

The story is mostly satirical, and generally makes light of commonly-accepted tropes for the purposes of comedic relief, delivering a social message, or paying homage through light- hearted derision.

It incorporates philosophy, poetry, song, and mythology in varied doses. Lists of names, neologisms, and coded numbers will appear often. Foreign languages (such as Greek, Latin, and ) appear at certain points in the story. Every name, number, and punctuation- mark has an intended meaning behind it, even if the meaning does not seem as obvious on the first reading of the text. Like an onion, this story will have many layers.

It is a tale inspired by Herman Melville’s ‘Moby Dick’, James Joyce’s ‘Ulysses’, and

García Márquez’s ‘One Hundred of Solitude.’ This story is dedicated to these three luminaries, and the shining legacies they left behind.

2

Episode One: Preamble.

In time passed, yea, not long ago, there lived pigs, in stature little, in number three, who, being of an age both entitled and inspired to seek their fortune, did set about to do thusly.

When they had travelled a certain distance, pig numbered first spake, saying,

‘Hearken, brethren! Heed this tempestuous realm! Tarry we long from hearth and home we shall fare, I fear, not well!’

And so being collectively agreed, but individually impelled, the diminutive swine set about each to erect for himself an abode.

Pig numbered first did construct his house from straw, pig numbered did likewise, though rather not from straw, instead from sticks.

Meanwhile, unique in his imagining, pig numbered three did erect as his domicile, stalwart and garish, a structure made from brick entirely.

Ah, but soon there happened along, as tis frequently the scenario in classic tale of protagonist-pig or red-hooded child, a wolf.

Carnivorous nature in full season, he called out to the straw-ensconced swine, saying,

3

‘Pray thee, little pig, grant me entrance!’

But pig one recalled with sage foreboding, that he is mad who trusts in the tameness of a

belly-pinched wolf, and responded immediately,

‘Nay it shall not be! Indeed, not by a whit or a whiskered jowl!’

To this most-expected response the wolf replied immediately,

‘Then steal thyself, little pig. Forthwith shall I endeavour, in blowing means both huffing and

puffing, to dismantle yon flippin flaxen fortress.’

Whereupon there issued forth from the wolf an exhale of gale proportions that quickly

rendered straw hovel to dregs and dross, and carried aloft piglet, and shattered quarters both.

Exposed now to claw and fang, piglet one made haste, wolf in pursuit, to the stick-festooned

sanctum of peccary secondary, causing pig two to cry out in dismay,

4

‘Well, this knots my knickers! The marshalling of feral wolf to my doorstep is nowhere among those endeavours amenable nor congenial!’

‘A thousand pardons,’ begged one, ‘It would seem the beast’s painful breath hath purged me both of home and sound judgment alike.’

The malevolent blasts of the wolf’s exhale splattered second swine’s shackered shortened sanctimonious scolding simultaneously.

‘Lo and behold’, squealed two, ‘Stand we now amid wooden wreckage, tremulous and vulnerable with nary a strategy for eschewing the canine devourer looming in deadly proximity!’

‘Strategy’, exclaimed one, ‘While tis noble the contemplation of tactical particularities, pressed as we are with time-restraints forbidding detailed strategical conversation, I would urge we...run!’

Whether by their own fleet-footed competence, or the wolf’s winless attitude, the bantam porkers arrived at their ultimate kindred neighbour’s inexpugnable brick ingress, unscathed.

5

Upon the third pig’s door with urgent hooves they pounded, calling out,

‘Unbar this entrance and with haste, we beseech thee!’

The third pig hailed from the American colonies.

Possessing a vocabulary substantially less robust than his impromptu visitors, replied,

‘Say what?’

‘Seek we sanctuary!’, they implored on the verge of hysteria, ‘Lest we fall forthwith to the ravenous appetency of yonder approaching carnivore!’

Still confounded by their importunate words, pig three did render ajar his portal, whereupon one and two spilled through and collapsed beyond his threshold, innervated.

‘So y’all just wanted to come in? Why didn’t you just say that?’

6

The hiss of the wolf could be heard,

‘Pray thee, pigs, grant me entrance...!!!’

‘The wolf!’, said one and two.

‘Wolf?’, said three, ‘What d’you s’pose he wants?’

‘He seeks to gain purchase within, indeed he would occupy, this very alcove, were he but

afforded the most meagre of opportunity!’

‘Right...reckon I’ll just ask him what he wants...’

‘Under no circumstances!’ squealed two, flinging self against portal.

‘There is not to be gained a costing external opponent, save our own immediate demise!’

7

‘What’d you say about my mama?’

House and occupants were again engulfed in a malevolent blast of wolfish wind.

The foundations shook, the frame rattled, and, lo, to the astonished eyes of piglets and encroaching scoundrel alike, stood the third pig’s lodging, undaunted.

Aghast and befuddled, two queried of three,

‘How does, against such relentless and torrential onslaught, this domicile endure?’

Pig three, puffed out chest, tapped a hoof to the hearth and responded,

‘It’s American-made.’

8

Episode Two: Call me Ishmael.

‘I thee beseech, O mild, the hateful hate to plain,

Whereby Achilles was so wrong, and grew in such disdain,

That thousands of the Grecian dukes, in hard and heavy plight,

To Pluto’s court did yield their , and gaping lay upright,

Those senseless trunks of burial void, by them erst gaily born,

By ravening curs, and vulturine fowls, in pieces to be torn,

The lonely songs of the sea, and that great white whale forlorn.’

The salty tang of the weepingwillowy wisps of wind wound round his waist and wasted watery eyes as he walked with wobbling waddles to the wallowing wanderer waiting for him.

‘Shalom aleichem.’

‘Aleichem shalom.’

They shook hands.

‘Ironside. Jedidiah Melchisedec Ironside. I would have said my first name first, but I decided to provide my surname first as it is a cliché most people assume in meeting for the first time.’

9

‘Tis quite quaint, I assure thee.’

‘Ta. Thou art far too kind. I would marry thee, if the laws on sodomiticum were revised by parliament. And who art thou?’

The stranger responded in the following fashion:

‘By I am the radiant Sun, by night I am the speckled Moon,

By dawn I am the rays of , by the twelfth I am Noon.

In spring I am the warm welcome wind, in summer the greenery the land yields,

In autumn the crisp brown leaves, in winter the snow amidst the barren fields.

In war I am the bloodlust brewing, in peace I am the silent sounds,

In sacrilege the broken statues, in sacredness the hallowed grounds.

In earth I am the adamant metal, in fire I am the light of flame,

In air I am the wind of battle, in water I am the salty spray.

Amongst cliffs I am the eagle valiant, at night the schrichowle softly screaming,

Amongst woodland burrows the clever crow, on lakes the divine swan gleaming.

In deserts the jackal laughing madly, in forests the blackbear growling,

In jungles the tyger prowling sadly, in caves the moon-drunk wolf a-howling.

Amongst the plains the lion steady, near muddy pools oxlike Behemoth sleeping,

In lakes the hungry ready, amongst trees the willow weeping.

10

With stars I am Arcturus mighty, and Pleiades amongst the sisters,

The Mazzaroth with chambers nightly, Orion amongst the cosmic whispers.

Beelzebub the Lord of the Flies, Ashmedai the king of lusts unfulfilled,

Belphegor amongst the greedy gluttons, Mammon amongst the rich and skilled.

The lightning in the skies at storm, the thunder in the quaking sheath,

Abaddon the swift destroyer Above, and Apollyon in the pit Beneath.

The Orient amongst the eastern grounds, and Occident amongst the western breeze,

The Euroclydon amongst tumultuous storms, and the gentle gales when the cyclones cease.

The tears within the sorrowed eyes, the cries amongst the angered souls,

The voice of revolt in of tyranny, and ambition in the pursuit of goals.

The spark of divine wisdom pure, the torch of creative freedom alit,

The artistic beauty simple and sure, and amongst men resourceful wit.

Mephistopheles lord of the night, Demogorgon amongst the souls long gone,

Baal the lord of fertility and sacrifice, and Beliar amongst the sins forlorn.

The king amongst the sovereign rulers, the beggar amongst the stricken and despised,

The philosopher in wise discourses, and holy Knowledge when realized.

The shark amongst the fishes many, the stallion amongst the hooved beasts,

The amongst the wyrms of legend, and cankerworm in carrion feasts.

The minotaur in bloody conquest, the centaur in drunken revelry,

Lucifer in artistic expression, and in creative devilry.

The source of all rest and joy, the wheel of time and Destiny,

11

The Fates that with the humans toy, and Lucifuge Rofocale the bringer of misery.

Michael the in celestial fight, Gabriel the Messenger in telestial messaging,

Raphael the Healer in terrestrial physick, the Torchbearer in astral light,

And Dreams amongst the dark sacred night.’

He bowed and winked.

‘These are my divine manifestations, O Zoroaster. Call me Ishmael.’

Jedidiah laughed.

‘Jolly well, then.’

The now-acquainted strangers trotted side-by-side to the inn, the Coffin.

Rusty, that old half-breed, a horrid mix between man and , greeted Jed with his usual assaults:

‘Ah, Jeddy! Tis a foreigner thou hast brought in our midst! Hast thou no shame? Behold this old London softie! His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy, sweat on his brow already! But not even a grain of sea-salt on his narrow frame! His posh jacket, those damned cufflinks!’

12

‘Cheer up, old boy! Think of this as a learning experience. Tis a stranger we have in our midst, yes. But we are all strangers on this titanic lump of dirt, by the Creator’s grace.’

Grumbling, the old duppy tossed a pair of rusted keys to Ironside.

‘Keep at it, then. Shew the foundling his room. The number of the Beast.’

It was Room 666, an unfortunate number, but Ishmael was in no mood to complain.

The room was like the inside of a wyvern’s mouth. Filthy, cramped, the smells of who knows what. A lonely window remained at the centre of the room, facing the sea, like a warstricken soldier lamenting the loss of his friends, standing on the edge of the great cliffs, before casting himself off.

A black cat of the breed known worldwide as ‘pain-in-the-neck’ lashed out at Ishmael, nicking him in the ankle as he stepped into the room. Almost tripping on the black brute,

Jedidiah cocked the critter with a kick and a curse:

‘Out, devil! Child of ! Accursed cockatrice!’

13

The imp scrambled out. His name was Old Nick, and he was on his seventh life so far. Only two more to go, and he was willing to squander them on riotous living and making the lives of the sons of miserable.

‘Apologies for the disturbance, Mister Ishmael.’

‘Please. Mister was my father.’

‘Then thy surname?’

‘I have none. An orphan by station, Lascar by nation, Stoic by disposition.’

‘Well, Master Ishmael, I hope thou feelest welcome in our presence. Warts and all.’

He gestured to the room, which was as unwelcoming as the naturale eius debent of a harlot.

Ishmael smiled.

‘I’ll be fine, my good sir. History is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake, and is a shout in the street. Tis my motto.’

With that, he gently shut the door with a smile and a nod of the head.

14

Now alone in his new room, he took in a deepseated breath, regretted it instantly, had a coughing fit, relieved himself with some gorillalike poundings to his midriff, and set about to unpack his things.

As he did so, he rhythmically sang the opening hymn of the , a Sanskrit poem dedicated to , the god of fire (brother of the god of wind, Prithvi the goddess of earth, and Anahita the goddess of water):

1. Agni mileh purohitam yajnasya devam ritvijam,

hotaram ratnadhatamam.

2. Agni purvebhirrishibhiridyo nutanairuta,

sa devaneha vakshati.

3. Agni na rayimashnavat poshameva diveh-diveh,

yashasam viravattamam.

4. Agni yam yajnamadhvaram vishvatah paribhurasi,

sa iddeveshu ghachhati.

5. Agni hota kavikratuh satyashchitrashravastamah,

devo devebhira ghamat.

6. Yadangha dashusheh tvam Agni bhadram karishyasi,

tavet tat satyam Angira.

7. Upa tva Agni diveh-diveh doshavastardhiya vayam,

namo bharanta emasi.

8. Rajantamadhvaranam ghopam ritasya didivim,

vardhamanamsveh dameh.

15

9. Sa nah piteva sunaveh Agni supayano bhava,

sachasva nah svastayeh.

Being a varnasankar (unwanted child) in his youth, he had time to learn much of the Sanskrit scriptures, and could recite large sections of them from memory. His birth name was Vijaya, but he changed it to Ishmael at sixteen.

Ishmael was carrying with him what our cultured folk would call a ‘suitcase’ or a ‘trunk’, what the locals of the small fishing village of Dunhamberrywestminsterdevonshirefield would call a ‘piss-box’, as the common rumour was that the rich and affluent would carry around such devices to store expensive glass bottles of fine crystal, into which they would relieve themselves when the call of nature summoned them so, not wanting to urinate in public or in shared facilities. This, and many other rumours, stirred up the fires of the stereotype that only the posh and high-and-mighty would carry around such things, and the flames were yet to be quenched.

Ishmael No-Last-Name set his trunk on his rusty creaky bed, which was nothing more than an iron frame garnished with a mattress. Upon sitting down on this spread, Ishmael was pricked in the perineum and realized that, upon inspection, the devilish device was stuffed with broken dishes and pottery, as well as shards of broken glass bottles and other unpleasant shrapnel.

16

Rubbing his rectum with as much rigour as a righteous reverend reeling with the rays of radiant responses from his roaring and rioting congregation, Ishmael pounded the mattress with as much ferocity as a man would beat his friend in the face with when he found out he had done the thing most convenient for those of a colonizing countenance and slept with his sister.

Feeling angry at his fists, his mattress, and his rectum, our new friend proceeded to pull out the various knickknacks present in his piss-box.

An old pistol barely of any use except to entertain guests with by producing a dusty exfoliating noise in the manner of what we would culturedly call a whizzpop and unculturedly call a fart, some oily bullets that looked like the fingertips of a skeleton, a small steel knife, a Holy , Authorized , a smaller black book containing addresses plus sketches of nude feminine figures obtained through means by virtue of a pencil and some hidden voyeuristic exploits at midnight, a glass vial containing some

Ceylonese tealeaves crushed to a fine powder, some teeth from a rabid hound Ishmael had the pleasure to wrestle with in the time of his youthful exuberances, a small clay statuette of the Ganesh, a crucifix made of burnished brass, a leather riding-crop used for the purpose of steering animals of an equestrian nature, a bowler hat with some holes in it in the shape of a tetractys, a miswak and a lump of coal for cleaning teeth, a tin lota from the Indian subcontinent through which Ishmael maintained his anal dignity, a comb made from the tusks of an African elephant dropped from the pocket of a drunk merchant who happened to have bumped into Ishmael one fine day when he was running for his life from a group of thugs led by a certain man who was the brother of a certain woman Ishmael happened to encounter on

17 one of his midnight voyeuristic exploits, a harpoon, and most importantly, a piece of whalebone.

The piece in question was carved in the shape of a . On the back of the amulet were the names of the thirty-three Vedic , the names of Senoy, Sansenoy and Semangelof (the

Three Shining Ones: the of Dawn, Angel of Daybreak and Angel of Dusk), the four

Kumaras (Axierus, Axiocersa, Axiocersus, and Casmilus), Cautes and Cautopates, the ten

Dactyls (Acmon, Damnameneus, Celmis, Herakles, Aeonius, Epimedes, Iasus, Idas, Paionios, and Acesidas), and the eight Princes of the Merkabah: Anapiel, Azbogah, Rikbiel, Soqed

Hozi, Zehanpuryu’h, Sopheriel Mehayye, Sopheriel Memeth, and Soterasiel.

This amulet was Ishmael’s lucky charm, although he neither believed in luck nor flying teapots, and he carried it with him wherever he went.

Finishing his unpacking, he lit and smoked a nearby pipe, invoking the deity a second time with the final hymn of the Rigveda, which happened to be dedicated to Agni:

1. Sam-samid yuvaseh vrishanna Agni vishvanyarya ah,

ilas padesamidhyaseh sa no vasunya bhara.

2. Sam ghacchadhvam sam vadadhvam sam vo manamsi janatam,

bhagham yatha purveh samjanana upasateh.

3. Samano mantrah samitih samani samanam manah saha chittamesham,

samanam mantramabhi mantrayeh vah samanena vohavisha juhomi.

4. Samani va akutih samana hridayani vah,

samanamastu vomano yatha vah susahasati.

18

He set his harpoon on his bedside, proceeding to oil and clean it. The harpoon was his pride and joy, after his country and religion, his country being his reading-chair near a warm fire at night, and his religion being himself.

His belt was inscribed with an esoteric Greek name:

‘Akrammachamari-Boulomentoreb-Geniomouthig-Demogened-Enkyklie-Zenobiothiz-

Eskothore-Thothouthoth-Iaeouoi-Korkoounook-Louloenel-Morothoepnam-Nerxiarxin-

Xonophoenax-Orneophao-Pyrobaryp-Reroutoer-Sesenmenoures-Tauropolit-Ypephenoury-

Phimemameph-Chenneopheoch-Psychompoiaps-Orion.’

Writing out the esoteric name in its Greek letters:

Alpha-Kappa-Rho-Alpha-Mu-Mu-Alpha-Chi-Alpha-Mu-Alpha-Rho-Iota-Beta-Omicron-

Upsilon-Lambda-Omicron-Mu-Epsilon-Nu-Tau-Omicron-Rho-Epsilon-Beta-Gamma-

Epsilon-Nu-Iota-Omicron-Mu-Omicron-Upsilon-Theta-Iota-Gamma-Delta-Eta-Mu-Omicron-

Gamma-Epsilon-Nu-Eta-Delta-Epsilon-Nu-Kappa-Upsilon-Kappa-Lambda-Iota-Epsilon-

Zeta-Eta-Nu-Omicron-Beta-Iota-Omega-Theta-Iota-Zeta-Eta-Sigma-Kappa-Omega-Theta-

Omega-Rho-Eta-Theta-Omega-Theta-Omicron-Upsilon-Theta-Omega-Theta-Iota-Alpha-

Epsilon-Omicron-Upsilon-Omega-Iota-Kappa-Omicron-Rho-Kappa-Omicron-Omicron-

Upsilon-Nu-Omicron-Omega-Kappa-Lambda-Omicron-Upsilon-Lambda-Omicron-Epsilon-

Nu-Eta-Lambda-Mu-Omicron-Rho-Omicron-Theta-Omicron-Eta-Pi-Nu-Alpha-Mu-Nu-

19

Epsilon-Rho-Xi-Iota-Alpha-Rho-Xi-Iota-Nu-Xi-Omicron-Nu-Omicron-Phi-Omicron-Eta-Nu-

Zeta-Xi-Omicron-Rho-Nu-Epsilon-Omicron-Phi-Alpha-Omicron-Pi-Upsilon-Rho-Omicron-

Beta-Alpha-Rho-Upsilon-Pi-Rho-Epsilon-Rho-Omicron-Upsilon-Tau-Omicron-Eta-Rho-

Sigma-Epsilon-Sigma-Epsilon-Nu-Mu-Epsilon-Nu-Omicron-Upsilon-Rho-Epsilon-Sigma-

Tau-Alpha-Upsilon-Rho-Omicron-Pi-Omicron-Lambda-Iota-Tau-Upsilon-Pi-Epsilon-Phi-

Epsilon-Nu-Omicron-Upsilon-Rho-Upsilon-Phi-Iota-Mu-Epsilon-Mu-Alpha-Mu-Epsilon-

Phi-Chi-Epsilon-Nu-Nu-Epsilon-Omicron-Phi-Epsilon-Omicron-Chi-Psi-Upsilon-Chi-

Omicron-Mu-Pi-Omicron-Iota-Alpha-Psi-Omega-Rho-Iota-Omega-Nu.

This 231-letter name, a name of the Creator, was said to grant users the power to cast out , heal the sick, prevent natural disasters, and kill enemies. And ‘231’ was the number of

Bababadalgharaghtakamminarronnkonnbronntonnerronntuonnthunntrovarrhounawnskawntoo hoohoordenenthurnuk, the Old Man of the Sea, who was the god of storms, a popular deity among seamen and pirates. Ishmael often polished his belt 231 times with a cloth for

Bababadalgharaghtakamminarronnkonnbronntonnerronntuonnthunntrovarrhounawnskawntoo hoohoordenenthurnuk’s blessing.

The belt was a gift from a friend. He would need luck where he was going.

You see, Ishmael did not come to this obscure fishing-locale to commit idolatry, blasphemy, murder, adultery, theft, false witness, fornication, or other leisurely activities.

He was here for whaling. To catch a big one. Hunting those great fish.

20

Episode Three: Can you get this out of my teeth, guv’nor?

When Ishmael awoke the next morning, he said his prayers to himself, had a quick wash in the lukewarm aequeosalinocalcalinoceraceoaluminosocupreovitriolic waters found endemically in the small town, combed his hair, brushed his teeth, cleaned his nose, and set about with his daily activities.

As his old teacher had taught him:

‘Clipping the moustache, letting the beard grow, using the tooth-stick, snuffing water in the nose, cutting the nails, washing the finger joints, plucking the hair under the armpits, shaving the pubes, cleaning one’s private parts with water, rinsing the mouth. Men who don’t do these ten things will not enter the Kingdom of .’

To clear his throat, he sang the 99 (Asma-ul-Husna), as he did consistently every morning:

‘Agla, Monhon, , Olydeus, Ocleiste, Amphinethon, Lamtara, Ianemyer,

Saday, Hely, Horlon, Portenthymon, Ihelur, Gofgamep, Emmanuel, On, Admihel, Honzmorp,

Ioht, Hofob, Rasamarathon, Anethi, Erihona, Iuestre, Maloht, Sethoe, Elscha, Abbadaia,

Alpha Et Omega, Leiste, Oristion, Ieremon, Hosb, Merkerpon, Elzephares, Egirion, Betha,

Ombonar, Stimulamathon, Orion, Erion, Noimos, Peb, Nathanothay, Theon, Ysiston, Porho,

Rothon, Lethellethe, Ysmas, Adonay, Athionadabir, Onoytheon, Hosga, Leyndra,

21

Nosulaceps, Tutheon, Gelemoht, Paraclitus, Occymomion, Erchothas, Abracio, Anepheneton,

Abdon, Melche, Sother, Usirion, Baruch, Sporgongo, Genonem, Messias, Pantheon,

Zabuather, Rabarmas, Iskiros, Kyrios, Gelon, Hel, Rethel, Nathi, Ymeinlethon, Karex,

Sabaoth, Sallaht, Cirhos, Opiron, Nomigon, Orihel, Theos, Ya, Horha, Christus, Holbeke,

Tosgac, Occimomos, Eliorem, Heloy, Archina, Rabur.’

He made his way to the common table, where breakfast would be had.

Ironside wished him good-morning, and guided him to a chair:

‘Setthatderriererighttheredownthere, my good lad! Have some rashers. Also, our special soup today is an old classic of our little town: the infamous

Lopadotemachoselachogaleokranioleipsanodrimhypotrimmatosilphioparaomelitokatakechym enokichlepikossyphophattoperisteralektryonoptekephalliokigklopeleiolagoiosiraiobaphetraga nopterygon Stew: a simple dish with the cooked parts of an adder, ant, asp, bat, bear, bee, boar, , chameleon, cormorant, cow, crane, deer, dog, dove, eagle, fish, flea, fly, fox, gnat, goat, grasshopper, hare, hawk, heron, horse, kite, lamb, leopard, lion, lizard, locust, moth, mule, ostrich, owl, ox, partridge, pigeon, ram, raven, scorpion, serpent, sheep, snail, sparrow, spider, stork, swallow, turtledove, viper, vulture, wolf and worm, served in a broth of hot water, pepper and salt.’

He was immediately greeted by a certain woman known locally as the Beldame: a 102-- old crone named Madame Duclos Champville Martaine Desgranges, a lady old enough to have lived in the time when good French was still spoken by the commoners. A former

22 prostitute, reaping the consequences of her old life. Pale and emaciated, missing three fingers, six teeth, and an eye. She had a son, the product of a polyamorous paranatural encounter with the Trayastrimsat (the Thirty-Three ) seventy-two years prior on Walpurgis Night: the eight Vasus (Dhara, Anala, Anila, Dhruva, , Dyaus, Samudra, and ), eleven

Rudras (Ajaikapada, Ahivradhna, Virupaksha, Sureswara, Jayanta, Bahurupa, Tryambaka,

Aparajita, Savitra, Hara, and Isha), twelve Adityas (, , , Tvastar,

Vivasvan, , , Martanda, Parjanya, Amshuman, Mitra, and Pushan), and two

Asvins/Ashwini Kumaras (Nasatya and Dasra). His youth spent as a kagema made him as sick as his mother. Stunted, hunchbacked, blind in one eye and lame, he had no hair or teeth.

He was usually drunk, vomited constantly, and had faecal incontinence. Really, quite a delightful to sit around and have tea and crumpets with.

The stricken joined his birthgiver at the table. His name was Winebibber. At least his mother still had a sense of humour.

Ishmael kept his distance from the two. He found more pleasant company in a certain Lupe

Lutziphar, whom he greeted with a friendly salam:

‘Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.’

To which Lutziphar responded cheerily:

‘Waalaikumsalam warahmatullahi wabarakatuh, by the grace of the heavenly mansions.’

23

An immigrant, Lupe was a vibrant individual, both literally and otherwise. He was accustomed to wearing a cloth with lemon-yellow, lime-yellow, spring-green, bottle-green, cream-yellow, decor-yellow, sunflower-yellow, canary-yellow, dark-brown, sepia, dark- sepia, chartreuse-yellow, chartreuse, mint-green, fig-green, pear-green, olive-green, avocado- green, -green, lime-green, seaweed-green, martini-green, shamrock-green, greyed- lavender, rosy-beige, clay-rose, summer-brown, imperial-violet, violet, indigo, orange, carboniferous-blue, cloud-blue, crimson, ice-blue, sienna-brown, photo-blue, lilac, cobalt- indigo, dark-indigo, dark-lilac, slate-blue, jade-green, aquamarine, blackberry, periwinkle, wine-crimson, indigo-blue, dark-umber, mineral-orange, Copenhagen-blue, lavender, grass- green, burnt-orange, Caledonia-green, light-green, parrot-green, peacock-green, light-aqua- blue, sapphire-blue, lake-blue, mauve-violet, pink, candy-pink, yellowed-orange, golden, silver, crystal-silver, blonde-yellow, pearl-grey, maroon, dark-maroon, pale-vermilion, pumpkin-orange, burnt-ochre, peach, terrarium-orange, light-peach, goldenrod-yellow, salmon-pink, carmine-red, poppy-red, rose-pink, magenta, hot-pink, cherry-red, dark- lavender, mulberry, Dublin-purple, dark-purple, raspberry, dawn-crimson, mahogany,

Tuscan-red, perma-violet, grape-black, aubergine-purple, olive-black, midnight-black, and titanium-white stripes, which he wove round his head in the manner of a turban to hold his thick luscious chocolate hair. His skin was the colour of a sunkissed tomato, pulsing with lifeblood and an optimistic vigour that attracted Ishmael as was attracted to that proverbial fruit. His muscly arms were tattooed with constellations, zodiacs, and various astrological symbols.

‘What brings thee to this humble hellhole, my friend?’

24

‘The waves of time and change do bring me here. As well as the prospects of hunting and killing a whale.’

‘What luck! I am also intent on slaying one of those sacred beasts. What ship wilt thou be on for the journey?’

‘I am undecided. There are many to choose from. The Gout, The Yellow Fever, The Tetanus,

The Pneumococcal Disease, The Measles, The Pertussis, The Diphtheria, The Chickenpox,

The Poliomyelitis, The Leishmaniasis, The Cholera, The Lyme Disease, The Inanition, The

Ergotism, The Pharyngitis, The Smallpox, The Trachoma, The Leprosy, The Typhoid Fever,

The Plague, The Neuralgia…all such wonderful choices!’

‘I would suggest thee the ship I am on.’

‘And what may that ship be?’

‘The Devil is beating his wife.’

‘When did the abuse start?’

‘No. Tis the name of the ship. The-Devil-Is-Beating-His-Wife. Quite a lovely ark, really.’

25

‘Sounds very appealing to any sane man. I’ll take it.’

Soon, however, Ishmael discovered he would not be the only one taking this particular ship.

The Beldame and her son Winebibber would also be there.

But that was the least of his contransmagnificandjewbangtantiality. There were other strangers he was not as warmly accustomed to.

There was a certain bigarmed Arab of the Bedouin variation, named Ahmad Abdullah the

Magnificent. Known to the Dunhamberrywestminsterdevonshirefielders as the ‘Saracen.’ He was the sort of fight-seventy-men-in-a-single-brawl-then-rip-each-of-their-throats-out-with- his-teeth-in-a-very-savage-wolflike-manner-before-forcing-them-to-their-knees-and-making- them-bow-down-to-him-as-an-act-of-intellectual-slavery-and-submission-before-finally- ending-each-of-their-painstricken-lives-with-a-sharp-blow-to-the-back-of-the-skull-with-his- heel type of person. He also loved puppies.

‘Pass the beef, or I will skin thee alive!’

Lupe was quick to comply, passing a hunk of bovine meat to the hungry Ishmaelite’s plate.

26

There was also Uvuvwevwevwe Onyetenyevwe Ugwemuhwem Osas, the son of

Uvuvuevuevue Enyuetuevuevue Ugbemmueka A’a’ad-buete-a-anderu Ugbuemuebue and

Ebebelsialsia Emecyare Emendeyende Rumumumuebue, the Lord and Lady of a small plot of

land given to them as a gift by their former slavemaster. Osas, as he was known to the

Dunhamberrywestminsterdevonshirefielders, was of Afroegyptian heritage. His parents were

descendants of slaves, now freemen. A man of great integrity, humility, strength and

intelligence.

‘Thou cambion! Pass me the plum jam!’

Winebibber, not looking to start any problems with this formidable man, slid the pot across

the table to his open hand.

There was also a certain Emsbry ‘Thunder-thighs’ Pistlethwaithe. To the

Dunhamberrywestminsterdevonshirefielders he was simply ‘the Bastard.’ The Bastard was a lethal warrior, a prodigious mountain of bone and muscle, white as a china-plate, with a fiery temper. Covering his body were ornate and exotic tattoos in various shades and colours, including a Hebrew-Latin mystic name: ‘Immanuel Pele-joez--gibbor-abi-ad-sar-shalom

Htoexorabaslayqciystalgaaonosvlarycekspfyomeneauarelatedatononaoylepotma.’ He

generally wore a shirt when outside, for modesty’s sake, but in the comfort of his associates

he was barechested, allowing Ishmael to have a good look at the intricate marks on his skin,

which he was more than obliged to present him. He had quite a colourful vocabulary:

27

‘Pass me the jug, ye artless, bawdy, beslubbering, bootless, churlish, cockered, clouted,

craven, currish, dankish, dissembling, droning, errant, fawning, fobbing, froward, frothy,

gleeking, goatish, gorbellied, impertinent, infectious, jarring, loggerheaded, lumpish,

mammering, mangled, mewling, paunchy, pribbling, puking, puny, qualling, rank, reeky,

roguish, ruttish, saucy, spleeny, spongy, surly, tottering, unmuzzled, vain, venomed,

villainous, warped, wayward, weedy, yeasty, base-court, bat-fowling, beef-witted, beetle- headed, boil-brained, clapper-clawed, clay-brained, common-kissing, crook-pated, dismal- dreaming, dizzy-eyed, dog-hearted, dread-bolted, earth-vexing, elf-skinned, fat-kidneyed, fen-sucked, flap-mouthed, fly-bitten, folly-fallen, fool-born, full-gorged, guts-griping, half- faced, hasty-witted, hedge-born, hell-hated, idle-headed, ill-breeding, ill-nurtured, knotty- pated, milk-livered, motley-minded, onion-eyed, plume-plucked, pottle-deep, pox-marked, reeling-ripe, rough-hewn, rude-growing, rump-fed, shard-borne, sheep-biting, spur-galled, swag-bellied, tardy-gaited, tickle-brained, toad-spotted, urchin-snouted, weather-bitten, sottish sons of serpents! Damn ye!’

‘Steady on, good sir! The milk is coming. Have patience.’

A ghostwhite jar of creamy froth was passed from hand to hand till it ended up with the barbarian, who chugged down the liquidy goodness in one glugging gulp.

There was also a certain Carolus Mahershalalhashbaz, a descendant of Mahonrimoriancumer

the brother of , whom the locals called Charles. On his forehead were tattooed Hebrew

words: ‘Yarim Ha’Am Veyokhiakh Shedvaro Vetorato Omdim’ (‘He will raise the people

and confirm that his word and law are standing’). These six words were an acronym for

28

Yehoshua (the Hebrew name of Jesus; Yeshuah being his Aramaic name, Yiesous his Greek

name, Isous his Coptic name, Yasu his Arabic name).

Along his chest he had tattooed the Ashtottara Shatanamavali (set of 108 names) of the

Supreme Being in Ancient Egyptian, Afrikaans, Albanian, Amharic, Arabic, Armenian,

Azerbaijani, Bangla, Basque, Belarusian, Bosnian, Bulgarian, Burmese, Catalan, Cebuano,

Chinese, Coptic, Corsican, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Estonian, Filipino, Finnish,

French, Galician, Georgian, German, Greek, Gujarati, Haitian Creole, Hausa, Hawaiian,

Hebrew, Hindi, Hmong, Hungarian, Icelandic, Igbo, Indonesian, Irish, Italian, Japanese,

Javanese, Kannada, Kazakh, Khmer, Kinyarwanda, Korean, Kurdish, Kyrgyz, Lao, Latin,

Latvian, Lithuanian, Luxembourgish, Macedonian, Malagasy, Malay, Malayalam, Maltese,

Maori, Marathi, Mongolian, Nepali, Norwegian, Nyanja, Odia, Pashto, Persian, Polish,

Portuguese, Punjabi, Romanian, Russian, Samoan, Scottish Gaelic, Serbian, Shona, Sindhi,

Sinhala, Slovak, Slovenian, Somali, Southern Sotho, Spanish, Sundanese, Swahili, Swedish,

Tajik, Tamil, Tatar, Telugu, Thai, Turkish, Turkmen, Ukrainian, Urdu, Uyghur, Uzbek,

Vietnamese, Welsh, Western Frisian, Xhosa, Yiddish, Yoruba, and Zulu:

‘Neter, God, Zoti, Igziabeher, Subhanahu-Wa-Ta’ala, Astvats Aramazd, Xilaskar,

Srishtikarta, Jainkoa, Boza, Boze, Bog, Pathian Khuazing, Deu, Dios, Tianzhu,

Ephnuti, Diu, Gospodar, Buh, Gud, Heer, Jumal, Kan-Laon, Jumala, Dieu, ,

Armazi, Gott, Theos, Bhagavana, Bondye, Ubangiji, Ke Akua, ,

Parameshvar, Vajtswv, Isten, Drottinn, Chineke, Sang Widhi Wasa, An Tighearna,

Iddio, Amenominakanushi, Gusti Allah, Devaru, Quday, Preah, Mana, Hananim, Xwede,

Kuday, Phrachao, Dominus Deus, Dievs, Dieve, Papp, Bozhe, Andriamanitra, Tuan, Daivam,

Mulej, Atua, Deva, Burkhan, Buba, Herre, Mulungu, , Khoda, , Ojciec,

29

Pai, , Dumnezeu, Perun, Tama, Ollathair Dia, Gospode, Mwari, Jhulelal, Deviyan

Wahanse, Boh, Gospod, Ilaah, Molimo, Padre, Gusti, Mungu, Fader Gud, Xudo, Iraivan

Katavul, Allah, Devudu, Phracea, Tengri, Huday, Hospody, Allah Taala, , Rabbim,

Chua Troi, Arglwydd Dduw, Heit, Thixo Qamata, Aibishter, , Nkosi Unkulunkulu

Umvelinqangi.’

A madman, good with a harpoon, he communicated purely in Latin, which led to some

occasional language-barriers.

‘Transire butyrum!’

Ishmael, knowing some rudimentary Romance from his late teacher Nates Maximus, passed

the butter straightway.

‘Tibi gratias ago, irrumator praetor matrem suam.’

‘Don’t mention it.’

There was also Quohog, a native of Rokovoko, an island far away to the West and South. He

kept to himself, preferring not to cause waves or commotions.

30

There was also a mister Surya-Archana-Bhagavana-Tvashta-Pusha-Arka-Savita-Ravi-

Gabhastimana-Aja-Kala-Mrityu-Dhata-Prabhakara-Prithivi-Jala-Teja-Akasha-Vayu-

Parayana-Soma-Brihaspati-Shukra-Budha-Angaraka-Indra-Vivasvana-Diptamshu-Shuchi-

Shouri-Shanaishvara----Skanda-Vaishravana--Vaidyuta-Jathara-

Agni-Aindhana-Tejohapti-Dharmadhvaja-Vedakarta--Vedavahana-Krita-Treta-

Dvapara--Sarvasurashraya-Kaala-Kashtha-Muhurta-Kshapa-Yaama-Kshana--

Ashvattha-Kalachakra-Vibhavasu-Shashvata---Vyaktavyakta-Sanatana-

Kaladhyaksha-Prajadhyaksha--Tamonuda-Varuna-Sagara-Amsha-Jimuta-

Jivana-Ariha-Bhutashraya-Bhutapati-Sarvalokanamaskrita-Shrashta-Samvartaka-Vahni-

Sarvadi-Alolupa-Anata--Bhanu-Kamada-Sarvotamukha-Jaya-Vishala-Varada-

Sarvabhutasevita-Mana-Suparna-Bhutadi-Shighraga-Pranadharana--Dhumaketu-

Adideva-Aditinandana-Dvadashatma-Ravee-Daksha-Pita-Mata-Pitamaha

Vimaladharmasuriya.

The locals simply referred to him as ‘The Ceylonese.’ A strong, proud Sinhalese, quick with

a dagger as well as a joke. Supposedly he was a deva-class warrior. The seven classes of

warriors were as follows: devas (capable of fighting 313,528,320,000,000 warriors

simultaneously), (capable of fighting 311,040,000,000,000 warriors simultaneously),

mahamaharathis (capable of fighting 207,360,000 warriors simultaneously), atimaharathis

(capable of fighting 8,640,000 warriors simultaneously), maharathis (capable of fighting

720,000 warriors simultaneously), atirathis (capable of fighting 60,000 warriors

simultaneously), and rathis (capable of fighting 5,000 warriors simultaneously).

‘Ironside! Pass me the bread slices, thou scoundrel!’

31

There was also mister Jedidiah Ironside, whom you have met already. Jedidiah Melchisedec

Ironside was a broad-shouldered, deep-chested, strong-limbed, frank-eyed, red-haired, freely- freckled, shaggy-bearded, wide-mouthed, large-nosed, long-headed, deep-voiced, bare-kneed, brawny-handed, hairy-legged, ruddy-faced, sinewy-armed giant.

He was the captain of the ship in question, naming it after a discussion with a friend about the condition of the weather in which his friend remarked: ‘Strange! Tis as though the Devil is beating his wife and marrying his daughter!’ which was a common expression used to describe phenomena that was considered unusual or disturbing.

Hey now, at least the name was much better than the

‘Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh!!! Cerberus hath bitten my leg!!!

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!’ which was the largest of the whaling ships present in the ports of Dunhamberrywestminsterdevonshirefield, and the most popular. Jedidiah believed himself to be the reincarnation of Charlemagne the Great, a process he called metempsychosis. He also believed he was destined for great things, tis what they all say.

Jedidiah was descended from a man named Urakabarameel, an Edomite farmer who slew

46,500 Reubenites, 59,300 Simeonites, 45,650 Gadites, 74,600 Judahites, 54,400

Issacharites, 57,400 Zebulunites, 40,500 Ephraimites, 32,200 Manassites, 35,400

Benjamites, 62,700 Danites, 41,500 Asherites, and 53,400 Naphtalites on his own in one battle with only an oxgoad, before running back into the field after seven and slaying

32 another 43,730 Reubenites, 22,200 Simeonites, 40,500 Gadites, 76,500 Judahites, 64,300

Issacharites, 60,500 Zebulunites, 52,700 Manassites, 32,500 Ephraimites, 45,600 Benjamites,

64,400 Danites, 53,400 Asherites, and 45,400 Naphtalites. Ironside still carried the strength and mental sharpness of his youth, despite his current age of sixty-one.

The ship’s cook was Aroughcun, a confident and goodnatured Virginia Algonquian. He was known as ‘Racoon’ to the locals.

Aside from them, there were a few other sea-hardy sailors from the Isle of Man, France,

Iceland, the Netherlands, the Azores, Sicily and Malta, China, Chile, Denmark, Portugal,

India, England, Spain, and Ireland. About 44 people in total.

Now, this crew, you see, were going on the same ship. By pure accident, of course, but things like this must happen to keep the narrative progressing. Wouldn’t it be dull if Macbeth ended with the of Duncan, with no story following?

They soon got prepared. Ishmael was excited, in spite of the fact that he would be on the seas with some very disagreeable individuals. With the song of the sea in his ears, he could really care less.

33

Episode Four: Devil Went Down to Georgia.

In the following four of preparation Ishmael had contracted typhoid, syphilis, cholera, pediculosis pubis, dysentery, herpes, anthrax, salmonella and tuberculosis. He had repeatedly consumed lethal doses of poison by accident, he had a festering dog-bite on his leg, and he was practically half-dead. With no time for a doctor to treat him, they set off.

At the port, Lupe prayed, invoking Mary (the Christotokos):

‘Protect me, Maria Madre Santissima del Lume, by the grace of Deus Exaltator, Deus

Auxiliator, Deus Spes, Deus Absconditus, Deus Salvator, Deus Laudabilis, Deus Longanimis,

Deus Adorandus, Deus Misericors, Deus Propitiabilis, Deus Exaltandus, Deus Refugium,

Deus Super omnia decantabils, Deus Custos et Servator, Deus Sublenator, Deus Erector,

Deus Mirabils, Deus Invocandus, Deus Festinus ad audiendum, Deus Redemptor, Deus

Solus, Deus Dextera, Deus Declinans malum, Deus Bonus ex seipso, Deus Largitor, Deus

Auditor in abscondito, Deus Propulsator, Deus Sublator malorum, Deus Expectatio, Deus

Patiens, Deus Doctor, Deus Rectus, Deus Omnium cognitor, Deus Clemens, Deus Gaudiosus,

Deus Honorabilis, Deus Dominus Virtutum, Deus Spes omnium finium terrae, Deus Velox ad condonandum, Deus Vivum laetificans, Deus Triunus, Deus Quis sicut ille, Deus Rex

Dominator, Deus Aeternum manens, Deus Motor omnium, Deus Revelator, Deus Iustus

Iudex, Deus Pater mittens, Deus Magnus et Excelsius, Deus Iudex misericors, Deus Secretus impenetrabilis, Deus Caligine tectus, Deus Superborum depressor, Deus Rex coelestis, Deus

Sempiternus, Deus Fulciens omnia, Deus Amabilis et Speraverum, Deus Auditor gemituum,

34

Deus Omnia penetrans, Deus Sublevans opressos, Deus Super omne nomen, Deus Ens supremum, Deus Mansuetus, Deus Vivificans, Deus Fons Sapientiae, Deus Omnia pascens et lactens, Deus Deliciae filiorum hominum, Deus Liberalissimus Dator, Deus Omnia videns,

Deus Verbo omnia producens, Deus Dominus universorum, Deus Finis universorum. Glory to Deus Omnipotens. Deo optimo maximo.’

Ishmael took a few of his things, piss-box excluded.

Right before he stepped on, a man named shouted at the crew from a distance:

‘Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch’intrate!’

(‘Abandon all hope, ye who enter here!’)

Ignoring the strange words, Ishmael hopped on the ship.

The Devil, as the ship was affectionately known, had tasted the seas before. But this time the journey would be different.

Among the crew was Lupe, the Beldame, Winebibber her son, Osas, the Bastard, Racoon, the

Ceylonese, Ironside the captain, old Rusty, the Saracen, Charles, Quohog, and our very-sick

Ishmael.

35

Our enigmatic friend’s sicknesses would be the least of his problems, however. They were now entering the jaws of the wolf.

Rusty was Ironside’s advisor of sorts. He was a mystic, and seemed to mirror Ironside’s movements like a dark shadow. The other ship-members were wary of this strange devil, who seemed to quench every light he passed by. He wore a brass medallion with the names of the seventy-two Archdevils (, , , Gamigin, , Valefar, ,

Barbatos, , , Gusion, Sitri, , Leraje, Eligos, Zepar, , , Saleos,

Purson, , , Aim, , Glasya-Labolas, , Ronove, Berith, ,

Forneus, , , , , , Stolas, , , ,

Raum, Focalor, Vepar, Sabnock, Shax, , , Vual, , Crocell, ,

Balam, , , Murmur, Orobas, , , , , Vapula, Zagan, ,

Andras, Flauros, Andrealphus, , Amdusias, , Decarabia, Seir, Dantalion, and

Andromalius) engraved on it. On the back of the medallion were the names of the twenty

Watchers: Samyaza, Arakiel, Rameel, , Tamiel, Ramiel, Danel, Chazaqiel, Baraqiel,

Asael, Armaros, Batariel, Bezaliel, , Zaqiel, , Sathariel, Turiel, Yomiel, and

Sariel. There were also the names of the five Adversaries (Yeqon, Asbeel, Gadreel, Penemue, and Kasdaye), and the names of and Mulciber (the blacksmiths of Hell, also called

Satanachia and Agaliarept). This medallion with the names of 99 powerful devils was allegedly gifted to him by his supposed biological father, Dobiel (the Bear-god: of Persia). There were rumours that Rusty was a djinn (a type of shapeshifting spirit).

Djinns can appear as humans, or animals such as snakes. Ironside doubted the rumours.

36

Ishmael was more cautious. To keep Rusty away, he engraved the 231-letter name on his room’s door with his harpoon.

The first few days were uneventful.

‘Captain, pray tell us what we are searching for?’

‘Whales, my boy.’

‘But what type?’

‘The spermite family, to be exact. Large, voluminous heads filled with rich oils and substances of sweet fragrance, earning us many-a-penny for our efforts. See, whale oil is the fruit of human advancement. And it hath wonderful properties when consumed; it stimulates the brain, exhilarates the spirit, rejoices the sight, opens the appetite, delights the taste, comforts the heart, tickles the tongue, cheers the countenance, striking a fresh and lively colour, strengthening the muscles, tempers the blood, disburdens the midriff, refreshes the liver, disobstructs the spleen, eases the kidneys, supples the reins, quickens the joints of the back, cleanses the urine-conduits, dilates the spermatic vessels, shortens the cremasters, purges the bladder, puffs up the genitories, corrects the prepuce, hardens the nut, rectifies the member, and cures blindness, deafness, lameness, leprosy, dumbness, possession by devils, and lunacy. Whale oil alights the whole world. Tis the nectar of the gods. How would society

37

function without lamps? Supposedly some madmen in the upper-colonies are working to find alternative solutions to coal and oil, but I call them lunatick. Lunatick to the core.’

‘Word on the deck says that many a legendary creature prowls these waters.’

‘Such as?’

‘Aspidochelone, Bakunawa, , Charybdis, Cirein-croin, Coinchenn, the Hydra, Iku-

Turso, Jormungandr, the Kraken, Lacovie, Leviathan, Makara, Nessie, , Scylla, the

Sirens, Taniwha, Tiamat, Timingila, Umibozu, and the Yacumama, to name a few.’

‘Forget not Mocha Dick.’

‘Mocha Dick?’

‘A massive white sperm-whale about 7500 Roman-Feet in diameter, which is roughly 1.4

miles, and exactly 56,280.58 Kosh Leagues in length, one Kosh League equivalent to 11,295

miles. Its metalrubbery skin is studded with exactly

808,017,424,794,512,875,886,459,904,961,710,757,005,754,368,000,000,000 endoxosillion

diamonds, each diamond weighing 3,106.75 carats (621.35 g). An endoxosillion is written as

a one followed by 37,218,383,881,977,644,441,306,597,687,849,648,128 zeroes.

38

Some say it was the first of a pair of sea-beasts to be made by the Creator. The same legend states that it consumed its mate.

The beast can be controlled by the Spear of Apam Napat, a legendary golden quadragintaquattuordent (spear with 44 prongs) studded with

94,143,243,431,512,659,321,054,872,390,486,828,512,913,474,876,027,671,959,234,602,38

5,829,583,047,250,165,232,525,929,692,572,765,536,436,346,272,718,401,201,264,314,754,

632,945,012,784,726,484,107,562,234,789,626,728,592,858,295,347,502,772,262,646,456,2

17,613,984,829,519,475,412,398,501 giant rubies, and

884,509,627,386,359,275,033,751,967,943,067,599,621,731,590,401,694,134,434,007,629,6

83,591,574,337,516,791,197,615,733,475,195,375,920,401,694,343,151,239,621,353,184,93

2,676,605,800,621,596,380,716,399,501,371,459,954,387,507,655,892,533,875,618,750,354,

029,981,152,863,950,711,207,613 giant pearls.

This immortal monster, known as or Tunnanu, lives in the oceans of the Pacific, usually in the waters near Mocha Island, off the central coast of Chile. Quite an impressive beast.’

‘How could such a colossal beast even exist on this small sphere? Tis scientifically impossible!’

‘I dunno. Tis a legend. But I am greater than legends. I am Charlemagne.’

The were generally uneventful. Winebibber and his mother were a terror, and had their own separate quarters away from the rooms of the other crewmen.

39

Rusty hung about Ironside’s room like a nail. Racoon was in the kitchen, working to prepare food for the weeks ahead.

Osas, the Bastard, the Ceylonese, and the Saracen were working their spears for the bloody conquests ahead.

Charles stayed near the deck, overlooking the darkness over the face of the deep. He engaged in smalltalk with Ishmael:

‘Bene tempestas?’

‘Quod sic.’

‘Quis?’

‘Penelopeia.’

‘Quid?’

‘Amica mea.’

‘Ubi?’

‘In corde meo.’

‘Quibus auxiliis?’

‘Mea terra.’

‘Cur?’

40

‘Amor.’

‘Quomodo?’

‘Peccatum.’

‘Quando?’

‘Aeternum.’

‘Volo orare pro itinere.’

‘Fiat.’

With that, Charles said some words for the journey:

‘Pater noster, qui es in caelis: sanctificetur nomen tuum; adveniat regnum tuum; fiat voluntas tua, sicut in caelo et in terra. Panem nostrum cotidianum da nobis hodie; et dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris; et ne nos inducas in tentationem; sed libera nos a malo. Quia tuum es regnum, et potestas, et gloria in saecula. Amen.’

Ishmael patted the enigmatic man on the shoulder, who responded with a grunt.

Leaving him to his musings, Ishmael made his way to his room, where Lupe was saying his evening prayers.

Ishmael lay in bed, on a mattress stuffed with the feathers of a buraq (a white winged horse with the face of a woman and tail of a peacock) and a broxa (a vampiric bird that feeds on the

41 milk of goats by day, human blood at night. A broxa lives for 1700 years, mating at 500 years; the chick of a broxa, after the egg breaks, stays inside and comes out after 125 years), taking gentle drags from a clay pipe found at handy.

Spinning in infinity, he softly recited ‘Bismillah Al-Rahman Al-Rahim’ exactly 786 times (as his nightly habit was), and fell asleep. Day one.

42

Episode Five: Let’s talk about sects.

Ishmael’s primary fear was what was known medically as

‘Cynigimenosapoenanandrapoucrataenaraudimecopranascylouphobia’, which is the fear of

being chased around by a person carrying a stick with dog poo on it (from Greek:

‘kynigimenos apo enan andra pou krata ena ravdi me koprana skylou’ meaning ‘chased by a

man holding a stick with dog faeces’, and ‘’ meaning ‘fear’).

He also suffered from mild ‘Toscotaditoupythmenatouoceanophobia’, which is the fear of the

blackness at the bottom of the sea (from Greek: ‘To skotadi tou pythmena tou okeanou’

meaning ‘The darkness of the ocean floor’). This fear stemmed from his view that something

terrifying could emerge from the darkness of those watery depths any . It seemed

ironic that he, afraid of the sea’s depths, would be on a whaleship. But he had confidence in

Ironside, who seemed a noble and strong man with enough courage for both.

Having some time to question Ishmael’s personal beliefs, Ironside received a unique answer:

‘My personal beliefs are as follows: the world was created by two gods: one evil, one holy,

both divine and of equal power. The first was named Aberamentho, called the All-begettress or Achamoth in his female form. The second was called the . Both emerged from

Agnostos Theos, the Monad, who exists in an imperishable realm along with his eternal uncreated Son, known as the Word, and the eternal uncreated Spirit, as one Deity in three

divine Persons. Quoniam tres sunt, qui testimonium dant in caelo: Pater, Verbum, et Spiritus

43

Sanctus: et hi tres unum sunt. The Demiurge emerged from the Monad’s left side,

Aberamentho from His right. Aberamentho created everything good in the world, the

Demiurge everything evil. The Demiurge hath three names: Yaldabaoth (Son of ),

Saklas (The Fool), and Sammael (The Blind God). The Demiurge appears as a serpent with the head of a lion and eyes of blazing flame. Aberamentho appears as a winged man with a lion’s head on his breast, while from his sides the heads of a ram and a buck are budding forth: his body is encircled by a snake. Where Aberamentho adds light, the Demiurge adds darkness. Where one adds fire, the other smoke. Where one adds water, the other salt. Thus the world is dual in nature, composed of opposites. The title ‘God’ is given to the Demiurge, who is to be sharply distinguished from the higher good God, Aberamentho, and the Monad, who is beyond both. The Demiurge is Dikaios (severely just), Aberamentho is Agathos

(loving-kind). Both are necessary in the sustenance of . When the Demiurge and

Aberamentho are fused together, they are the god Ablanathanalba. The seven letters of the name of ABRAXAS represent the seven Planetary Spheres: the Sun, the Moon, Mars,

Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn, which are governed by the , Gabriel,

Uriel, , Gabuthelon, , Arphugitonos, Beburos, and Zebuleon (Michael and

Gabriel working as one). Abraxas birthed the Archons: Abrasax, Astaphanos, Adonaios, Iao,

Sabaoth, Elaios, Horaios. Abrasax birthed the Protogods: Abyssos, , , ,

Hemera, , , Chaos, , , Pontus, , , , ,

Chronos, , , Nesoi, , , (symbolized in the twenty-two

Hebrew letters: Aleph, Beth, Gimel, Daleth, He, Vau, Zain, Cheth, Teth, Jod, Caph, Lamed,

Mem, , Samech, Ain, Pe, Tzaddi, Koph, Resh, Schin, Tau). Gaia is the mother of the

Titans: , , , , , , , , ,

Phoebe, , and . The Minor are (daughter of Coeus and ),

Astraeus (son of Crius and , the daughter of Gaia and Pontus), (son of Iapetus

44 and Clymene, daughter of Oceanus and Tethys), (daughter of Gaia and Uranus),

(son of Hyperion and Theia), (daughter of Hyperion and Theia), (daughter of

Hyperion and Theia), (son of Iapetus and Clymene), (son of Iapetus and Clymene), Lelantos (son of Coeus and Phoebe), (daughter of Coeus and Pheobe),

Menoetius (son of Iapetus and Clymene), (daughter of Oceanus and Tethys),

(son of Crius and Eurybia), (son of Crius and Eurybia), and (daughter of Tethys and Oceanus). Cronus begat the Olympians: , , , , ,

Artemis, , , , , , , and ; their Roman names are Jupiter, Juno, Neptune, Ceres, Minerva, Apollon, Diana, Mars, Venus, Vulcan,

Mercury, Vesta, Bacchus, and Pluto. Hades hath thirty-three titles: Adesius, Agelastus,

Agesilaus, Agetes, Aidoneos, Agesander, Zeus Katachthonios, Moiragetes, Ophieus, Altor,

Februus, Feralis Deus, Lactum, Larthy Tytiral, Manus, Niger Deus, Opertus, Postulio,

Profundus Jupiter, Quietalis, Rusor, Salutaris Divus, Saturnius, Soranus, Stygius, Summanus,

Tellumo, Uragus, Urgus, Amenthes, Plouton, Orcus, and Dis Pater. These thirty-three titles symbolize his manifestations as the Trayastrimsat, in which he splits his divine essence into forms called : Dhara (Earth), Anala (Fire), Anila (Wind), Dhruva (Stars), Chandra

(Moon), Dyaus (Sky), Samudra (Water), Surya (Sun), Ajaikapada (Bliss), Ahivradhna

(Knowledge), Virupaksha (Thought), Sureswara (Life), Jayanta (Speech), Bahurupa

(Revealing grace), Tryambaka (Concealing grace), Aparajita (Dissolution), Savitra

(Preserving aspect), Hara (Creation), Isha (Self), Indra (Cosmic law), Varuna (Fate),

Aryaman (Nobility), Tvastar (Skill in crafting), Vivasvan (Social law), Dhatri (Ritual skill),

Bhaga (Due inheritance), Martanda (Preserver), Parjanya (Power of word), Amshuman (Due share), Mitra (Friendship), Pushan (Prosperity), Nasatya (Medicine), and Dasra (Science). As the Trayastrimsat, he stands as the overseer of humanity. Hades birthed the Aeons (from highest to lowest: Bythos, Sige, Ennoea, Thelesis, Nous, , Anthropos, Ecclesia,

45

Logos, Zoe, Bythius, Mixis, Ageratos, Henosis, Autophyes, , Acinetos, Syncrasis,

Monogenes, Macaria, Paracletus, , Patricos, , Metricos, Agape, Ainos, Synesis,

Ecclesiasticus, Macariotes, Theletos, and ). Sophia, the lowest Aeon, birthed from her

essence the mighty Me-ko’u-wawae-‘akau-e-hana-ai-wau-a-me-ku’u-wawae-hema-e-luku- ana-au (the White Spider) who created the Seven Beasts from His navel: Abandu (the red wolf), Oshambo (the yellow peacock), Oo’ku (the blue gorilla), Amantu’ale’ale (the green serpent), Abanunulala (the orange iguana), Mumumatikakalu (the violet rooster), Obashina

(the indigo octopus). Each Beast then shaped the World we know over the course of six days:

Day and Night on the first day, Heaven on the second day, the Earth, Seas, and vegetation on the third day, the Sun, Moon and stars on the fourth day, aquatic creatures and flying creatures on the fifth day, land creatures, humans, and the two Man-Gods on the sixth day.

The two Man-Gods, ethereal demiangels, are and Achilles, representatives of the

entirety of mankind. Abraxas, the Archons, Protogods, Titans, Minor Titans, Olympians,

Aeons, Beasts, and Man-Gods form the Divine Council, which determine the events that will

unfold across the earth.’

‘Wonderful and complex are thy beliefs, indeed! Thy mythologies span the cosmos! I see

thou art a Zurvanite, or perhaps one of the Ovdey Kochavim U’mazalot, with mixed beliefs

from the Greco-Roman religions, the ancient animistic cults, as well as the Mystery Schools

and Gnostic movements of late antiquity.’

‘I am of a sect by myself, as far as I know. There are many sects, eighty of which I have

studied extensively. There are first the five ‘mother’ sects: Barbarism, Scythianism,

Hellenism and . Four varieties of Hellenism; Pythagoreans or Peripatetics, Platonists,

Stoics, Epicureans. Four Samaritan sects; Gorothenes, Sebuaeans, Essenes, Dositheans.

46

Seven Jewish sects; Scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees, Hemerobaptists, Ossaeans, Nasaraeans,

Herodians. Then the sixty Christian heretical groups: Simonians; Menandrians; Satornilians;

Basilideans; Nicolaitans; Gnostics, also called Stratiotics and Phibionites, but Secundians by some, Socratists by others, Zacchaeans, Coddians, Borborites and Barbelists by others;

Carpocratians; Cerinthians, also called Merinthians; Nazoraeans; Ebionites; Valentinians;

Secundians, with whom Epiphanes and Isidore are associated; Ptolemaeans. Then

Marcosians; Colorbasians; Heracleonites; ; Cainites; Sethians; Archontics;

Cerdonians; Marcionites; Lucianists; Apelleans; Severians; Tatianists. Then the Encratites;

Phrygians, also known as Montanists and Tascodrugians. But the Tascodrugians are differentiated from the two preceding. Pepuzians, also known as Priscillianists and

Quintillianists, with whom Artotyrites are associated. Quartodecimans; the Alogi; Adamians;

Sampsaeans, also known as Elkasaites: Theodotianists; Melchizedekians; Bardesianists;

Noetians; Valesians; Catharists or Cathars; Angelics; Apostolics, also known as Apotactics, with whom the Saccophori are associated; Sabellians also called Modalists; the Immoral

Origenists; the Origenists who follow Adamantius. Then the Disciples of Paul of Samosata;

Manichaeans, also known as Akouanitans or Acuanites; Hierakites; Melitians, an Egyptian schism; then the Arians. Then the Audians, a schism; Photinians; Marcellians; Semi-Arians; the Pneumatomachi; Aërians; Disciples of Aetius the Anhomoean, with whom Eunomius, also known as Anomus, is associated. Then the Dimoirites, also known as Apollinarians.

Then the Antidicomarians. Then the Collyridians and Messalians, also known as Euchites.

All these sects are still active in our time, though under different names. I classify myself as none of these eighty.’

‘The Seven Spirits (Amesha-Spentas) are emanations of the Creator, reflections of the ten

Sefirot (, Chokhmah, , , , , Netzach, , , )

47 who form the six (Keter into Atik Yomin and ; Chokhmah into Abba;

Binah into Imma; Chesed, Gevurah, Tiferet, Netzach, Hod, Yesod into ; Malkuth into Nukvah); their names are the Spirit-of-the-Lord, Spirit-of-Wisdom, Spirit-of-

Understanding, Spirit-of-Counsel, Spirit-of-Might, Spirit-of-Knowledge, and Spirit-of-the-

Fear-of-the-Lord. They, along with the Four Beasts (Michael the Archangel, Gabriel the

Messenger, Raphael the Healer, Uriel the Torchbearer), four Wheels (, ,

Barachiel, ), and twenty-four Elders (Aaoxaif, Avtotar, Habioro, Ahaozpi,

Htmorda, Hipotga, Aczinor, Acmbicv, Laidrom, Alhctga, Lzinopo, Lhiansa, Saiinou, Soaiznt,

Lsrahpm, Lganiol, Laoaxrp, Ligdisa, Adoeoet, Anodoin, Aaetpio, Aapdoce, Alndood, and

Arinnap) are in the presence of the Almighty. By the grace of the Eight Angels that encompass the : dost thou believe in the Devil?’

‘Helel ben Shahar? Yes. But I see the Lightbearer as less of a threat than the Christians may.’

‘What be thy favourite verses?’

Ishmael responded by reciting the first seven lines of the Iliad:

‘Menin aeide thea Peleiadeo Achileos

oulomenen, he myri’ Achaiois alge’ etheke,

pollas d’ iphthimous psychas Aidi proiapsen

heroon, autous de heloria teuche kynessin

oionoisi te pasi, Dios d’ eteleieto boule,

48

ex hou de ta prota diasteten erisante

Atreides te anax andron kai dios Achilleus.’

(‘Rage sing, goddess, of Peleus’ son Achilles

disastrous, that on countless Achaeans misery put,

many and mighty souls to Hades sent forth

of heroes, their bodies and spoils made to dogs,

to birds and all, but Zeus’ will was being accomplished,

from when indeed very first they stood apart quarrelling,

Atreus’ son and king of warriors, and godlike Achilles.’)

‘Thou art indeed a fascinating man, Ishmael. Pray to thy god Abracax, or whatever Its name is, that our journey may be smooth and fruitful, if It heed.’

‘What be thy religious convictions?’

‘My convictions are quite firm, my good sir. Christ (Messiah ben and Messiah ben

Joseph) hath revealed Himself to me through his Good Book. I am convinced of His deity, having beheld His glory, as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. I have the Answer to my questions.’

‘And thy favourite verses?’

49

Jedidiah recited the first fourteen verses of John’s Account in Greek:

‘En arche en ho Logos, kai ho Logos en pros ton Theon, kai Theos en ho Logos. Houtos en en arche pros ton Theon. Panta di’ autou egeneto; kai choris autou egeneto oude hen ho gegonen. En autou zoe en; kai he zoe en to phos ton anthropon. Kai to Phos en te skotia phainei; kai he skotia autou ou katelaben. Egeneto anthropos apestalmenos para Theou, onoma auto Ioannes. Houtos elthen eis martyrian, hina martyrese peri tou Photos, hina pantes pisteusosin di’ autou. Ouk en ekeinos to Phos, all’ hina martyrese peri tou Photos. En to Phos to alethinon, ho photizei panta anthropon erchomenon eis ton kosmon. En to kosmo en, kai ho kosmos di’ autou egeneto, kai ho kosmos auton ouk egno. Eis ta idia elthen, kai hui idioi auton ou parelabon. Hosoi de elabon auton, edoken autois exousian tekna Theou genesthai, tois pisteuousion eis to onoma autou: hoi, ouk ex haimaton, oude ek thelematos sarkos, oude ek thelematos andros, all’ ek Theou egennethesan. Kai ho Logos sarx egeneto, kai eskenosen en hemin, (kai etheasametha ten doxan autou, doxan hos monogenous par Patros,) pleres charitos kai aletheias.’

And the words of Eosphorus the Son of the Morning from chapter fourteen:

‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.’

50

Episode Six: There she blows!

They were quick to find a whale.

‘There she blows!’

That legendary cry signalled an ensuing battle. A whale is essentially a giant bull, with all the devils of hell within its being, covered with layers of blubber, and hide as rough as the skin of

Vritra. When calm, they are friendly, sociable creatures. When angry, they make Ahriman look like a kitty-cat.

This was a sperm-whale, of the don’t-mess-with-me variety.

As soon as the beast heard the approaching ship stirring the waters like a cat grabbing swipehandedly for trout at the edge of a lake, it made haste to speed away.

‘Slow the ship down! We don’t want to scare it off!’

They slowed their pace, and gradually used the strategy of the Hegelian Dialectic.

51

You see, lions also use the Hegelian Dialectic in hunting: the hunters will approach the wildebeest 100 yards close, causing the wildebeest to panic. So they will retreat back 80 yards. Now, you may assume that the lions have lost ground, but they have actually gained 20 yards. They continue this back-and-forth until they are up close to the wildebeest, and the wildebeest are used to their presence. Then they strike.

With the patience of Ddraig Blaidgwynn of

Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, who was buried by the devil

Agrogragrogatos (known as Aka Manah in the East, Surgat in the West, Huli Jing in the

South, and Púca in the North) in a cube of iron deep underneath the Bermuda Triangle for 20 years before being released, they edged closer and closer to the great fish, the hegeliandialectical approach working just fine to suit their purposes. They would approach a few yards, then stop and let the winds blow them back a bit, still gaining more and more distance.

The Maruts (the forty-nine storm deities) were in a good mood today. Also called the

Mystical Heptarchy (Mystica Heptarchia), their names were Baligon, Bornogo, Bapnido,

Besgeme, Blumapo, Bmamgal, Basledf, Bobogel, Befafes, Basmelo, Bernole, Branglo,

Brisfli, Bnagole, Babalel, Butmono, Bazpama, Blintom, Bragiop, Bermale, Bonefon,

Bynepor, Blisdon, Balceor, Belmara, Benpagi, Barnafa, Bmilges, Bnaspol, Brorges, Baspalo,

Binodab, Bariges, Binofon, Baldago, Bnapsen, Bralges, Bromila, Buscnab, Bminpol, Bartiro,

Bliigan, Blumaza, Bagenol, Bablibo, Busduna, Blingef, Barfort, and Bamnode.

Finally they were close enough to strike.

52

Whaleboats were let down. A few members in each boat. The Beldame and her son were in one boat on their own. And something amazing happened.

An eagle, four-feet-seven-inches long with a nine-foot wingspan, swooped down and snatched the Beldame in its claws.

Crone in its clutches, it carried the creature amidst the cries of cursing Winebibber, who protested the decision to eat the filthy hag.

The bird finally resorted to drop the crone into the sea.

But the height at which it was flying meant that, upon hitting the water, it would be like hitting a pavement.

She was dropped, smacking the waves with a wet crunch, her bones cracking as if on concrete. She floated there for a bit, and then was swept over by a rolling wave caused by a flick of the whale’s tail, who was surprised by the sound of the old witch hitting the sea with such brutality.

The eagle flew away. Winebibber had stopped his yelling. He didn’t even shed a tear. He was not sad that his mother was dead; the only reason he wanted the bird to not eat his mother was because he had a concern for animal life, and did not want the winged assassin to get indigestion.

53

Osas and the Bastard were the first two to get their spears into the rubbery hide of the animal.

The beast immediately tried to swim away, towing their boat with it. More harpoons were unleashed, a flurry of quick silver. Ishmael, watching from the distance on the ship in safety, was impressed, but also horrified.

They would launch more and more projectiles into the animal, being tugged about via the ropes attached to the spears, until the beast slowed down out of exhaustion. Then one harpooner would aim for the place where its heart was.

After a few hours, they managed to kill it. The creature let out one last deathspray, billows of blood bubbling ten feet into the air.

With a massive sigh the whale rolled on its back, and lay there drifting, a once-majestic beast brought to its knees by the greatest superpredator in existence: humans.

Winebibber had by now succumbed to immediate death by virtue of senility, boredom, the heat of the Sun, chronic alcoholism, the harsh conditions of hours of seaspray, sexually- transmitted diseases, and the geyser of blood that issued forth from the whale, tossing him overboard into the waters where a shark snagged him.

With that, both mother and son left the earth on the same day.

54

These unpleasant characters out of the way, the extra whaleboat was slowly towed back to the ship by the remaining two. They were also towing the giant corpse of the great sea-beast.

With the beast’s body on the side of the ship, they fastened ropes thereon and held it firm.

Harvesting would begin tomorrow.

The Bastard was quite happy about his endeavours. That night he ordered Racoon to fix him a whalemeat steak, cooked very rare. After gorging himself silly with the rich venison, he waddled over to the deck to observe the sharks that had by now encircled the dead whale, each fighting for a chunk of fat and blubber to bite into.

‘Tis strange, how similar sharks and humans are.’

55

Episode Seven: The Days Following.

Two days after this successful hunt, the Devil was hit by a sudden squall in the Gulf Stream.

She was knocked on her beam-ends and nearly sank. She lost her topgallant sail and two

whaleboats were destroyed, with an additional whaleboat damaged. Ironside elected to

continue the voyage without replacing the two boats or repairing the damage, at the advice of

Rusty.

The Devil rounded Cape Horn in January after a transit of five weeks, which was extremely

slow. With this and the unsettling earlier incident, the crew began to talk of ill omens. Their

spirits were temporarily lifted when the Devil began the long spring and summer hunt in the

warm waters of the South Pacific Ocean, traveling north along the western coast of South

America up to the Royal Audience of Quito.

Six more whales were killed. By now it was more of a sport than a to Osas and his

muscular manfriends. The task was to see who could kill the most whales by the time the ship

returned to Dunhamberrywestminsterdevonshirefield.

Along their travels they landed at smaller obscure islands to harvest whatever fruits and

resources they could, deciding to be cautious and smart about this. Unfortunately, at one

particular voyage to the island of Aina-Koko-a-me-Ke-ahi, a few sailors were savagely killed by a megatherion (a megatherion is a giant white elephant, with thirty-three heads, each head bearing seven tusks). It is said that the 231 tusks of a male megatherion have medicinal

56

properties. Megatherions feed off coconut-trees, and start breeding from the age of fourteen,

producing one offspring every five years, remaining fertile till death, living for exactly 969

years (no more, no less). They are generally docile, but greatly despise humans.

The remaining crew was divided into three groups, each of which manned one of the three

usable whaleboats whenever whales were sighted; the remaining men stayed aboard to

manage the Devil. Each whaleboat was led by one man.

Osas, the Saracen and two French sailors named Connard and Enfoire accompanied Ironside.

The Bastard, the Ceylonese, Quohog and two Sicilian sailors named Diavolo and Arcidiavolo

accompanied Rusty.

Two French sailors named Brise-Cul and Bande-au-ciel, an Icelandic sailor named Sterkur, a

Maltese sailor named Ajkla, and an Indian sailor named Sananda accompanied Lupe.

Racoon, Charles, and Ishmael manned the Devil.

In September of that same year, Brise-Cul deserted at Atacames. The desertion was bad news, because each of the whaleboats required at minimum a crew of six. This meant only two men would remain to keep the Devil while a whale-hunt was in progress, which was not sufficient to safely handle a ship of the Devil’s size. After finding the area’s whale- population exhausted, the crew reluctantly decided to explore a vast newly-discovered

57 hunting ground they had heard of from other sailors before they set off on their journey: the

‘offshore ground.’ This was an immense distance from known shores for the whalers, and the crew had heard rumours that cannibals (and more megatherions) populated the obscure islands.

To restock their food supplies for the long journey, they anchored off Hood Island on 8

October. During a at anchor, they captured 300 giant tortoises to supplement the ship’s food stores. They then sailed for Charles Island, where on October 22 they took another 60 tortoises. The sailors captured them alive and allowed some of them to roam the ship; the rest they kept in the hold. They planned to butcher them at sea as needed.

When the Devil finally reached the promised fishing-grounds thousands of miles west of the coast of South America, the crew was unable to find any whales for days. Tension mounted among the men of the Devil, especially between Ironside and Ishmael, whose relationship with Ironside was slowly being severed under the influence of Rusty. On November 16, a giant squid surfaced directly beneath Ironside’s boat, with the result that the boat was dashed to pieces.

At eight in the morning of November 20, the lookout sighted spouts, and the three remaining whaleboats set out to pursue a pod of sperm-whales. On the leeward side of the Devil,

Rusty’s whaleboat harpooned a whale, but its tail struck the boat and opened up a seam, forcing the crew to cut the harpoon-line and return to the Devil for repairs. Two miles away off the windward side, Ironside’s and Lupe’s boats each harpooned a whale and were dragged towards the horizon away from the Devil.

58

Ishmael was having a conversation with Racoon, about water.

‘What dost thou love most about water, my strongwilled Indian brother?’

Racoon replied by reciting the opening chapter of the Tanakh (Bereshit) in Vulgar Latin, while gesturing to the mighty waters surrounding them:

‘In principio creavit Elohim caelum et terram. Terra autem erat inanis, et vacua; et tenebrae erant super faciem abyssi. Et Spiritus Elohim ferebatur super aquas. Dixitque Elohim, Fiat lux: et facta est lux. Et vidit Elohim lucem, quod esset bona: et Elohim divisit lucem a tenebris. Elohim appellavitque lucem Diem, et tenebras Noctem. Factumque est vespere et mane dies unus. Dixit quoque Elohim, Fiat firmamentum in medio aquarium, et dividat aquas ab aquis. Et fecit Elohim firmamentum, divisitque aquas quae erant sub firmamento ab his quae erant super firmamentum: et factum est ita. Vocavitque Elohim firmamentum Caelum.

Et factum est vespere et mane dies secundus. Dixit vero Elohim, Congregentur aquae quae sub caelo sunt in locum unum, et appareat arida: et factum est ita. Et vocavit Elohim aridam

Terram; congregationesque aquarum appellavit Maria: et vidit Elohim quod esset bonum. Et

Elohim ait, Germinet terra herbam virentem, et facientem semen, et lignum pomiferum faciens fructum juxta genus suum, cujus semen in semetipso, sit super terram: et factum est ita. Et protulit terra herbam virentem, et facientem semen juxta genus suum, lignumque faciens fructum, et habens unumquodque sementem secundum, speciem suam: et vidit

Elohim quod esset bonum. Et factum est vespere et mane dies tertius. Dixit autem Elohim,

Fiant luminaria in firmamento caeli et dividant diem ac noctem; et sint in signa, et tempora, et dies, et annos: ut luceant in firmamento caeli et illuminent terram: et factum est ita. Fecitque

59

Elohim duo luminaria magna; luminare majus ut praeesset diei, et luminare minus ut praeesset nocti: et stellas. Et Elohim posuit eas in firmamento caeli ut lucerent super terram, et praeessent diei ac nocti, et dividerent lucem ac tenebras: et vidit Elohim quod esset bonum.

Et factum est vespere et mane dies quartus. Dixit etiam Elohim, Producant aquae reptile animae viventis, et volatile super terram sub firmamento caeli. Creavitque Elohim cete grandia, et omnem animam viventem atque motabilem, quam produxerant aquae, in species suas, et omne volatile secundum genus suum: et vidit Elohim quod esset bonum. Elohim benedixitque eis, dicens, Crescite, et multiplicamini, et replete aquas maris, avesque multiplicentur super terram. Et factum est vespere et mane dies quintus. Dixit quoque

Elohim, Producat terra animam viventem in genere suo, jumenta, et reptilia, et bestias terrae secundum species suas: factumque est ita. Et fecit Elohim bestias terrae juxta species suas, et jumenta, et omne reptile terrae in genere suo: et vidit Elohim quod esset bonum. Et Elohim ait, Faciamus hominem ad imaginem, et similitudinem nostram: et praesit piscibus maris, et volatilibus caeli, et bestiis, universaeque terrae, omnique reptili quod movetur in terra. Et creavit Elohim hominem ad imaginem suam, ad imaginem Elohim creavit illum; masculum et feminam creavit eos. Elohim benedixitque illis, et Elohim ait, Crescite, et multiplicamini, et replete terram, et subjicite eam: et dominamini piscibus maris, et volatilibus caeli, et universis animantibus quae moventur super terram. Dixitque Elohim, Ecce, dedi vobis omnem herbam afferentem semen, super terram, et universa ligna, quae habent in semetipsis sementem generis sui; ut sint vobis in escam. Et cunctis animantibus terrae, omnique volucri caeli, et universis quae moventur in terra, et in quibus est anima vivens, ut habeant ad vescendum: et factum est ita. Viditque Elohim cuncta quae fecerat, et, erant, valde bona. Et factum est vespere et mane dies sextus.’

60

Ishmael was repairing the damaged whaleboat on the Devil when the crew sighted an abnormal whiteness in the waters. It lay motionless on the surface facing the ship and then began to swim towards the vessel, picking up speed by shallow-diving.

Ishmael, whose eyesight was not that good, asked of Racoon what it was.

Racoon narrowed his brilliant brown eyes, focusing on the strange object.

‘O almighty Totrosiai Totrosyah Totrosya Totrosih Totrosiel Totrosig Totrosikh Totrosiph

Totrosiz Totrosish Totrosibh Totrosin Totrosis Totrosi Totrosik Totrosith Zurtag Zoharariel

Ashrawwiliai, merciful , help us all…’

‘What is it?’

‘A white whale.’

The creature in question was that legendary Mocha Dick.

The whiteness they could spot above the water was a portion of the massive creature’s blowhole, sticking above the water to take in fresh air. The creature had made its way slowly from Mocha Island, in pursuit of a new feeding-ground, and had happened upon the Devil by chance.

61

Being annoyed by the sound of a hammer as Ishmael worked to repair a damaged whaleboat by nailing in a replacement board, its unnatural temper was slowly kindled.

It raised one of its massive fins, then flapped it with a slow whiplash, producing a fast wave which rammed the left side of the Devil before there was time to move away, rocking her from side to side.

Moving with a ghostly speed, the beast then dived under the ship, surfacing close on the

Devil’s starboard side.

What made Mocha Dick so different from other animals was the fact that it possessed unusual characteristics both otherworldly and : each one of the

808,017,424,794,512,875,886,459,904,961,710,757,005,754,368,000,000,000 endoxosillion diamonds in its skin emitted 34 thousand billion watts of VUV (Vacuum Ultraviolet) radiation 8000 times per second (691,200,000 times a day). With 89,847,372,727,338 pairs of lungs, it could breathe fire like a dragon: 311,040,000,000,000 sprays of fire from its mouth or blowhole, each spray splitting into 311,040,000,000,000 long tongues of fire; each tongue of fire being 120 million miles in length and 25 million miles in diameter, burning at 5.5 trillion degrees Celsius (9.9 trillion degrees Fahrenheit), even under water. Its massive heart beat once every 313,528,320,000,000 years. One second to it was 8,640,000,000 human years, one was 311,040,000,000,000 human years, one hour was

37,324,800,000,000,000,000 human years, one day was 671,846,400,000,000,000,000,000 human years, one week was 4,837,294,080,000,000,000,000 human years, one was

62

87,071,293,440,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 human years, and one year was

87,071,293,440,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 human years (which is exactly one millisecond to the Creator). It could change its size and shape at will, from its normal size to that of a tennis ball in a hundredth of a billionth of a trillionth of a trillionth of a second, and any size in between. Right now its size was quite small, around 85 feet in length.

Ishmael was both shocked and fascinated.

He was looking at something that could not be explained via natural means. Seeing this beast, possibly the largest sea-creature to exist on his small pathetic planet, he was hit with the realization of his own insignificance in the face of cosmic indifference. The absolute futility of his small meagre life in the face of eternity. And it almost drove him mad to think that such creatures were, such creatures are, and such creatures shall be, wandering this earth serene and primal, undimensioned and to us unseen, at least for now.

Ishmael prepared to harpoon the legendary godbeast from the deck, but hesitated.

‘The titans are much older than the gods. They ruled this universe in absolute power before the gods even came to be. If thou wert a god, t’would be easier to slay thee. But thou art not a god, O serpentlike whale. Thou art a titan, supreme king of the ocean, with even the piercing

Leviathan under thy control.’

63

He lowered his spear. The titan swam several hundred yards forward of the ship, and turned

to face the ship’s bow.

Ishmael turned around and saw him about 500 metres directly ahead of them, approaching

them with twice his ordinary speed of around 24 knots (44 km/h). He came upon the Devil,

and struck the ship with such a thunderous blow that Ishmael wondered if the Almighty

himself felt the otherworldly vibrations that now shook the ocean for miles and miles around.

The great ship sank in less than fifty with a loud and mighty

duggabaaldurubanutukkubanrabishubanmaskimbanutukukutukkubakakalamubaalprikubarrma

ratubanatatudirrigugimgibbilannugiggimaganpamashgarzannamashshammashtimashshananna

mashinnannamashshanergalmashshadarmashshagarannumashtishaddumashshanebbueyungin

akanpaagghaburdishuapirikubabadazuzukanpabachachaduggaaggabalakkabalmashshayegurra

abbabaalalalalabaaalanndarabaalagnibaalarrababaalarataagarbalaramanngiaratagigibaldikhuzi

durbarerimuengaigainenigegaibaalagnitarrakakodammubaxtandabaldirgirgirigashdig that

echoed across the Pacific.

The crewmen barely had time to abandon what was left of the once-mighty American

seahearse.

The diamond-armoured, fire-breathing, snake-shaped, size-shifting, radioactive sperm-whale swam off, never to be seen again. It was the second time mortals had lay eyes on the immortal beast, since it was formed on 28 October 4004 BC, day five of the Creation Week.

64

Episode Eight: Homo, fuge!

Ishmael and the remaining sailors frantically tried to add rigging to the only remaining whaleboat, while Racoon ran below to gather the captain’s sea chest and whatever navigational-aids he could find.

The captain’s boat was the first that reached them.

He stopped about a boat’s length off. He was silent with shock. He was in a short time, however, capable of addressing an inquiry to Ishmael:

‘By Jove, Ishmael, what is the matter?’

He answered,

‘We have been stove by a whale.’

The understanding hit Ironside immediately.

65

‘Hast seen the White Whale?’

Ishmael nodded.

‘Then let the accursed creature’s name never be uttered among us ever again.’

The Devil was attacked approximately 2,000 nautical miles west of South America.

After spending two days salvaging what supplies they could from the waterlogged wreck, the

sailors prepared to set out in the three small whaleboats, aware that they had wholly

inadequate supplies of food and fresh water for a journey to land.

The boats were rigged with makeshift masts and sails taken from the Devil, and boards were

added to heighten the gunwales and prevent large waves from spilling over the sides. Inside

Ironside’s sea-chest were two sets of navigational-equipment and two copies of maritime

charts. These were split between Ironside’s and Rusty’s boats; Lupe’s boat was left without

any means of navigating except to keep within sight of the other two boats.

Examining the charts, the men deduced that the closest known islands, the Marquesas, were

more than 1,200 miles to the west, and Captain Ironside intended to make for them, but the

66 crew, influenced by Rusty, voiced their fears that the islands might be inhabited by cannibals and voted to sail east instead, for South America. Unable to sail against the trade winds, the boats would first need to sail south for 1000 miles before they could take advantage of the

Westerlies to turn towards South America, which then would still lie another 3,000 miles to the east. Even with the knowledge that this route would require them to travel twice as far as the route to the Marquesas, Ironside submitted to the crew’s decision and the boats set their course due south.

Food and water were rationed from the beginning, but most of the food had been soaked in seawater. The men ate this food first despite it increasing their thirst.

It took them around two weeks to consume the contaminated food, and by this time the survivors were rinsing their mouths with seawater and drinking their own urine. Several of the giant tortoises captured from the Galápagos were brought aboard the whaleboats as well, but their size prevented the crew from bringing all of them.

Never designed for long voyages, all the whaleboats had been very roughly repaired, and leaks were a constant and serious problem.

Storms and rough seas frequently plagued the tiny whaleboats, and the men who were not occupied with steering and trimming the sails spent most of their time bailing water from the bilge.

67

Days were long and uneventful. Nights were more interesting, with Lupe using his knowledge of the stars to guide his boat without navigational aids. One night he taught

Ishmael a few things about the heavenly bodies:

‘There are 28 mansions of the moon, divided among the Zodiac. Almath is the first mansion of the moon, and is the head of Aries, having three stars. Albothayn is the womb of Aries, having two stars. Aldoran is the end of Aries and the head of Taurus, having seven stars.

Albothan is the womb of Taurus, having eighteen stars. Almisten is the end of Taurus and the head of Gemini, having two stars. Althaya is the womb of Gemini, having five stars. Alderam is the end of Gemini, having two stars. Alnetra is the head of Cancer, having ten stars. Altrap is the womb of Cancer, having two stars. Algebatha is the end of Cancer and the head of Leo, having four stars. Alcorathen is the womb of Leo, having four stars. Alscarpha is the end of

Leo and the head of Virgo, having one star. Alana is the womb of Virgo, having five stars.

Alsameth is the end of Virgo, having five stars. Algophara is the head of Libra, having three stars. Alrauenen is the womb of Libra, having two stars. Alchild is the end of Libra and the head of Scorpio, having seven stars. Alcalu is the womb of Scorpio, having three stars.

Allebra is the end of Scorpio and the head of Sagittarius, having six stars. Alnathan is the womb of Sagittarius, having eight stars. Albelda is the end of Sagittarius, having four stars.

Alscaldabe is the head of Capricorn, having three stars. Ascaldolola is the womb of

Capricorn, having two stars. Ascaldacoth is the end of Capricorn and the head of Aquarius, having two stars. Ascaldacand is womb of Aquarius, having twelve stars. Algafal is the end of Aquarius and the head of Pisces, having two stars. Algarfalango is the womb of Pisces, having two stars. Alnathen is the end of Pisces, having twenty stars. Track the stars of each mansion, and thou wilt never be lost.’

68

On December 20, exactly one month after the whale attack, and within hours of the crew beginning to die of thirst, the boats landed on uninhabited Henderson Island, a small uplifted coral atoll within the Pitcairn Islands. The men incorrectly believed that they had landed on

Ducie Island, a similar atoll 220 miles to the east.

Had they landed on Pitcairn Island, 120 miles to the southwest, they might have received help.

On Henderson Island, the Devil’s crew found a small freshwater spring below the tideline and the starving men gorged themselves on endemic birds, crabs, eggs, and peppergrass.

After just one week, they had largely exhausted the island’s food resources. On 26 December, they concluded they would starve if they remained much longer.

As most of the crew prepared to set sail in the whaleboats once again, three men, Charles,

Diavolo and Arcidiavolo, opted to stay behind on Henderson.

Almost a year after the Devil sank, they were rescued and taken to Port Jackson, Australia.

69

Episode Nine: Way down we go.

The remaining crewmen, divided unevenly among the three boats, resumed the journey on

December 27 with the intention of reaching Easter Island. Within three days they had exhausted the crabs and birds they had stockpiled from Henderson in preparation for the voyage, leaving only a small reserve of the food previously salvaged from the Devil. On

January 4, they estimated that they had drifted too far south of Easter Island to reach it and decided to make for Más-a-Tierra instead, 1,818 miles to the east and 419 miles west of

South America. One by one, the men began to perish.

The Ceylonese, whose health had been poor even before the Devil left

Dunhamberrywestminsterdevonshirefield, was dying; as his condition steadily worsened, he asked if he could rest on Ironside’s boat until his death. The Ceylonese became the first crew member to die on January 10.

The following day, Rusty’s whaleboat became separated from the others during a squall.

Osas died on January 18 and, like the Ceylonese, was sewn into his clothes and buried at sea, as was the custom.

70

Episode Ten: Seven Trumpets.

On February 8, in Rusty’s boat, Quohog died.

Rusty was not exactly mad, but he was very manipulative. He exerted a certain level of control over Jedidiah Ironside, whose trusting character made him victim to the manipulations of others.

That night, with no one around to exert control over, Rusty’s self-esteem was plummeting.

With another man dead, and food in low supply, he was losing hope.

Wispy shapes could be spotted in the water. Feminine shapes, graceful in the gentle waves.

They approached Rusty’s boat, attracting the attention of the man in question, who was the only one still awake, since he suffered from insomnia.

Peering over the edge, he watched them come closer and closer till they were but a forearm from him.

They were all beautiful women, seven of them. Each one of a different form. Rusty could make out their appearances in the moonlight: the first had milk-white skin and fiery red hair, with sea-green eyes like firmly-set emeralds. The second had Native American features, with

71 elegant bronzed skin and steady onyx eyes, and course black hair braided in a series of intricate ponytails, like a nest of inky tentacles. The third had skin the colour of fresh snow, with blonde hair like that of molten gold, pure and supple; her eyes were a deep sapphire- blue. The fourth had Asiatic (specifically East Asian) features, soft moon-coloured skin, and delicate epicanthic folds over her deep-set night-black eyes; her hair was a lush river of matte-black cascading over her shoulders. The fifth had chocolate-brown skin, the colour of well-roasted coffee, with the features of those people commonly called Indians, Dravidians, and Ceylonese; her eyes were a deep golden-brown. The sixth had skin the colour of ivory, of a shade opaline enough to reveal the fine blue veins underneath. Her hair was auburn, what we would call brunette, and her eyes were a velvety chocolate-brown. The seventh appeared to be their leader; beautiful ebony skin that shone in the moonlight like clear black crystal, her hair afro-textured and braided in ornate tapestries of baubles and ponytails that made her look both fearless and petite, a warrior-goddess and a damsel at the same time.

All seven wore shells and seaweed to cover their generous bosoms, which Rusty could only sneak a peek at. Leaning over a bit more, he noticed that each woman had the lower-body of a fish, with the 100 hues of the rainbow. Each also possessed a pair of speckled wings, wingspans of four metres, folded up in the waters; Rusty assumed that the wings were vestigial, probably for the purpose of steering in the water and not for flying, since they were too small for flight.

Rusty realized these beautiful venuses were none other than the seven legendary Sirens.

72

Aglaopheme, Leucosia, Ligeia, Molpe, Parthenope, Peisinoe, Thelxiepeia; the seven daughters of the androgynous sea-deity Apam Napat, known as the ‘God With 1001 Names.’

Their celestial/heavenly names were Theodroga, Amberdecomaris, Alelelaxios, Supranos,

Haredigmon, Sempersefi, and Ridroganos. Their generative/oceanic names were ,

Electra, , , , , and (the Pleiades). Their cathartic/earthly names were Eros, , Himeros, Hedylogos, , , and Pothos (the ).

Aglaopheme, the ebony-skinned beauty, approached him first, speaking with a lambent voice:

‘Hail, stranger. What bringeth thee to our waters?’

Her voice was so warm and welcoming, Rusty could not refuse an answer.

He immediately expounded all the events that had transpired until now. The Sirens, listening with both patience and intrigue, hazarded a few more questions.

Leucosia, hailing from Poseidonia, asked the next question, her crimson hair like congealed blood in the waters.

‘Thou hast seen the white whale?’

73

Rusty, wanting to impress these gorgeous ladies, was quick to lie.

‘Yes. I even fought the beast on my own, with nothing but a spear.’

If only he had realized the Sirens could read minds.

Ligeia, hailing from Calabria, asked him the next question, her steely blue eyes fixed on him like a bird of prey:

‘Where are thy friends? We would assume there are more of ye.’

‘Ah, yes. Those scoundrels are not far off. Perhaps a furlong or two away.’

He pointed to the distance, where the small bobbing shape of the other two seacrafts could be spotted.

Rusty was too enamoured with the beauty of the sea-spirits to notice two of them, Leucosia and Molpe (the moon-skinned ), slowly drift away towards those distant boats.

Parthenope and Peisinoe, both hailing from Naples, approached him with more questions to distract his foolish mind, their onyx and golden-brown eyes tempting and seductive:

74

‘We see thou art low on food and water,’ said Parthenope.

‘Yea, ye assume correctly, O beautiful sea-damsels.’

‘We also notice a certain dead man in your midst,’ said Peisinoe.

‘Ah yes, the late Quohog. A fine warrior, and noble, albeit slowminded.’

And then Thelxiepeia, the brunette beauty, posed the deadly question:

‘Why not make use of the dead man’s carcass?’

‘In what manner?’

‘Food.’

This chilling remark was said with a little less warmth and innocence. Rusty was too foolish to notice.

‘Well, t’would be immoral, fair maidens.’

75

‘In what way?’

‘I mean, tis not right for a human being to consume another. Tis anathema.’

‘Do not animals do the same? And are not human beings simply animals, as we Sirens are?’

They gave a few more arguments for the horrid action, and slowly one by one the beautiful sea-witches drifted away, leaving Rusty in an enchanted daze.

Leucosia and Molpe had succeeded in convincing the other two boats to follow similar action.

Rusty was conflicted. On the one hand, he could care less about Quohog. He would be repulsed at the thought of his teeth touching the skin of the ‘coon.’ On the other hand, he and his men were starving, and the sweet song of the Sirens echoed in his mind.

With food running out they kept the body, and after a discussion, the men resorted to cannibalism.

76

Episode Eleven: Unsteady.

A few more crewmen soon bit the dust, or more accurately the sea-salt, and were either tossed overboard or kept for a later disposal.

Lupe’s boat, carrying Ishmael, exhausted its food supplies on January 14, and Ironside generously offered to share his own boat’s remaining provisions. Ironside’s boat carried

Racoon, Sananda, Connard, Enfoire, Bande-au-ciel, and Ajkla.

Rusty’s boat carried the Bastard and the Saracen.

Connard died on January 20, and the others decided they had no choice but to keep the body for food. Enfoire died on January 23, Ajkla on January 27, and Bande-au-ciel on January 28.

Their bodies were disposed of in the bellies of the other crewmen.

Ishmael was worried. How long would this barbaric practice last? By this point in time, he had long forgotten the taste of chicken or beef or lamb or pork, and the scent of human blood lingered on his chapped lips continually. His clothes stuck to his sunroasted body, his eyes pasted half-shut.

One cold night, Ishmael questioned Ironside about future action. Ironside, looking up at the moon away from Ishmael’s face, remarked with an obscure statement:

77

‘When I was fifteen, I lost my mother and father in the same month. I had twelve sisters. I was the youngest child, but they were all looking up to me as a man. Now, I wasn’t ready yet, but they needed me. So I stepped up.’

He turned to face Ishmael.

‘I stepped up. I will protect thee, Ishmael. If needed, I will die for thee. Thou hast been a good friend in this hellish trip, and I apologize sincerely for any bad feelings harboured between us over the course of this horrid ordeal.’

‘The feeling is mutual, Arjuna.’

‘If we survive this, I promise I will be thy friend for life onwards till the death, thy support if needed. I know thou art an orphan, Ishmael. But I see thee as my own son, if the Almighty had been merciful to grant me such.’

‘Dhananjaya, I fear Rusty.’

‘What is there to fear about him? Yea, he may have a few screws loose here and there…’

78

‘No, Gudakesh. I fear he may try some devilish business. As thou knowest, we have been forced to consume our own fallen comrades out of animal necessity. I only fear that Rusty may obtain a taste for the bloody business, and set about to…’

‘To what, Ishmael?’

‘…to take matters into his own hands.’

He let the statement linger ominously in the air.

Jed laughed.

‘Ha! Don’t be daft, my honorificabilitudinitatibus subductisupercilicarptor! Rusty may be a bit of an odd stehpinkler, yes, but he is no murderer.’

‘No one is a murderer until they are.’

With that dark uttered, both men settled down for the night and went to sleep, bidding each other good rest.

79

Episode Twelve: Eurocyldon.

Sananda knew the end was near. He felt his atman struggling to leave his body behind,

discard it as a husk. Feeling his strength fading, he said some final words to his fellow

whalers:

‘Insidious is blind inception. Remember my words before I leave, my beloved varnasankars!

Lest my knowledge die with me!’

With that, he proceeded:

‘In His form as the , the Most High assumes a likeness as a man of war, and

is called the Immachina Tou Sempre (Immaculate of Always). Of great size, He is white and

ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand. His head is as the most fine gold, His locks are

bushy, and black as a raven. His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed

with milk, and fitly set. His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: His lips like lilies,

dropping sweet smelling myrrh. His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: His belly is as

bright ivory overlaid with sapphires. His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine

gold: His countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars. His mouth is most sweet: yea,

He is altogether lovely. His raven-haired form is what He assumes when in His passive

aspect. When in His active aspect, He is clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and His hairs are white like wool, as white as

snow; and His eyes as a flame of fire; and His feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a

80

furnace; and His voice as the sound of . And in His right hand are seven stars:

and out of His mouth a sharp twoedged sword: and His countenance is as the sun shining in

his strength. His body is measured using parasangs: one parasang consists of three miles; there are about 5280 feet in one mile. Seated on His throne, clothed with a beryl fire, He is called ‘Rachmiel’ (‘God is mercy’). His garment is white as snow, and the hair of His head

like the pure wool: His throne is like the fiery flame, and His wheels as burning fire. The four

Ophanim and minister to Him around the levitating throne. The Living

Creatures are Michael in the form of a lion, Gabriel of a calf, Raphael of a man, Uriel of a

flying eagle. Each Beast hath six giant wings, 256 faces and 512 eyes: 64 faces of a lion

facing the east, 64 faces of a man facing the south, 64 faces of a calf facing the west, 64 faces

of an eagle facing the north; each face with two fiery eyes glowing with divine lightning.

They rest not day and night, saying: ‘Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and

is, and is to come.’ These four Beasts, when in the lower realms, appear slightly different:

having the bodies of men, straight feet with soles like that of a calf’s, four wings, and four

faces: a lion’s face facing the east, a man’s face facing the south, an ox’s face facing the west,

and an eagle’s face facing the north. In this form they fly above the four Ophanim, the Many-

Eyed Ones: appearing as beryl-coloured wheels covered with eyes, the names of the Ophan

are Jegudiel, Selaphiel, , and Jerahmeel. Jerahmeel under Uriel, Barachiel under

Gabriel, Jegudiel under Raphael, Selaphiel under Michael. The Ophan continually shout to

the Creator: ‘Blessed be the glory of the LORD from his place.’ was recorded as

hearing them in chapter three verse twelve of his chronicle. From the top of the Ancient

One’s great white throne and up is a distance of 1,180,000,000 parasangs, and from the

bottom of His throne and down is a distance of 1,180,000,000 parasangs (the throne room

itself is a round orb of light with the Great White Throne at the centre. This ‘bubble’ of light

is impenetrable. At the bottom of this ‘bubble’ is a sea of glass mingled with fire). The height

81

of His soles is 30,000,000 parasangs. From His feet to His ankles is 10,000,500 parasangs.

From His ankles to His knees is 190,000,000 parasangs. From His knees to His thighs is

120,000,000 parasangs. From His thighs to His neck is 240,000,000 parasangs. His neck is

130,000,000 parasangs tall. The circumference of His head is 10,000,033 and a third

parasangs. His beard is 11,500 parasangs. The width of His forehead is 130,000,800

parasangs. His right eye is 10,000,500 parasangs, similarly the left. From His right shoulder

to the left is 160,000,000 parasangs. From His right arm to the left is 120,000,000 parasangs;

the arms are always folded. The palms of His hands are 40,000 parasangs. The fingers of

each hand are 15,000,000 parasangs long. His nose is as long as one of His fingers. His toes

are 13,000,000 parasangs long. His lips are 77,0000 parasangs. His cheeks are 20,000,000

parasangs. The crown on His head is 600,000 by 600,000 parasangs. On His heart are written

seventy holy names: ‘Hadiriron-Meromiron-Beroradin-Neuriron-Gebiriron-Kebiriron-

Dorriron-Sebiroron-Zehiroron-Hadidron-Webidriron-Wediriron-Peruriron-Hisiridon-

Ledoriron-Tatbiron-Satriron-Adiriron-Dekiriron-Lediriron-Seririron-Tebiriron-Taptapiron-

Apapiron-Shapshapiron-Ssapssapiron-Gapgapiron-Raprapiron-Dapdapiron-Qapqapuron-

Haphapiron-Wapwapiron-Pappapiron-Zapzapiron-Tapptappiron-Appappiron-Mapmapiron-

Sapsapiron-Napnapiron-Laplapiron-Vapvapiron-Kapkapiron-Chapchapiron-Tabtabib-

Ababib-Qabqabib-Shabshabib-Babbabib-Ssabssabib-Gabgabib-Rabrabib-Harabrabib-

Pabpabib-Habhabib-Abhabhib-Zabzabib-Sabsabib-Chaschasib-Tabhtabhib-Wesisib-

Pabhpabhib-Basbasib-Papnabib-Lablabib-Mabmabib-Nupkabib-Mammambib-Nupnubib-

Paspabib-Sassib.’ On His forehead are written the seventy-two holy names of the Shem

HaMephorash: ‘Wahewa-Yolayo-Sayoteh-Alameh-Mehheshi-Lalaheh-Akha’a-Kahehtha-

Hehzayo-Aladha-La’awa-Hehheh’a-Yozala-Mehvehheh-Hehrehyo-Hehqomeh-La’ava-

Kalayo-Lawawa-Pehhehla-Nulakha-Yoyoyo-Mehlaheh-Hehhehwa-Nuthaheh-Heh’a’a-

Yoretha-Sheeaheh-Rehyoyo-Awameh-Lakhaveh-Washeereh-Yohehwa-Lahehheh-Khawaqo-

82

Mehnudha-Anuyo-Hehameh-Rehheha-Yoyoza-Hehhehheh-Mehyokha-Wawala-Yolaheh-

Sa’ala-Arehyo-Asheela-Mehyoheh-Vaheva-Dhanuyo-Hehhehshee-Amehmeh-Nunu’a-

Nuyotha-Mehbehheh-Fehwayo-Numehmeh-Yoyola-Hehrehheh-Mehtsareh-Wamehveh-

Yohehheh-Anuwa-Mehhehyo-Damehbeh-Mehnuqo-Ayo’a-Hehvehwa-Reh’aheh-Yovehmeh-

Hehyoyo-Mehwameh.’ His eyebrows are the same height as His eyes. His sideburns are the width of His forehead. The throne He sits on measures 100,000,000,000 parasangs high and

10,000,000,000 parasangs wide; it is named Ah-Tzitzah-ron Aklithah-ron Shemaqtharon

Demushah-ron Ve-Tzaphtzaphithron Hurmyron Brach Yah-ron Eresh Gadra-aon Basavah

Monahon Chazhavayah Havahayryhah Ve-Harayth-hon. Around the Throne are the Holy

Beasts: Michael is on its right, corresponding to the tribe of Reuben in the south; Uriel on its

left, corresponding to the tribe of Dan in the north; Gabriel in front, corresponding to the tribe

of Judah in the east; and Raphael in the rear, corresponding to the tribe of Ephraim in the

west. His glory fills the entire Creation. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O

daughters of Jerusalem.’

Sananda invoked the (an angel with 36 pairs of wings, 365,000 fiery eyes, and skin

made of sardius, topaz, diamond, beryl, onyx, jasper, sapphire, emerald, carbuncle, and gold.

He wears a crown of 49 gemstones. The feathers of his wings are the feathers of a peacock’s

tail, hence the title Melek Taus (Peacock Angel). His ‘twin brother’ is , an angel

with six wings and 70,000 heads, each head having 70,000 faces, each face 70,000 mouths,

each mouth 70,000 tongues. It would require walking 175 kilometres each day for 500 years

to travel from Sandalphon’s feet to the top of his heads. He is in a constant struggle against

Samael (the Angel of Destruction, and guardian angel of Rome), and is accompanied by

Azrael (the . He has 4 faces, 4000 wings, and 70,000 feet). Sandalphon was

the Elijah as a man, Gabriel was son of , Michael was Adam, Raphael

83 was Azarias the son of Ananias the great, Uriel was Esdras (Ezra son of Seraiah, son of

Azariah, son of Hilkiah, son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub, son of Amariah, son of

Azariah, son of Meraioth, son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki, son of Abishua, son of

Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the chief priest), Selaphiel was Salathiel son of

Jechonias, Jegudiel was Zacharias son of Barachias, Barachiel was Mardocheus (Mordecai son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish), Jerahmeel was son of Adam, and the Metatron was son of Jared. The Metatron, also called , controls the Cherubims;

Sandalphon, also called Ophan (‘Wheel’) or Seraphiel, controls the Seraphims). The Holy

Angels (each having three names: Michael/Mikhael also called or Galizur,

Gabriel/Gavriel also called or Reuel, Raphael/Rafael also called or

Zephaniel, Uriel/Ouriel also called or Arsayalalyur, Selaphiel/Tzelathiel also called

Sahaquiel or , Jegudiel/Yehudiel also called Pravuil or Vretil, Barachiel/Barkiel also called or , Jerahmeel/Yeremihel also called Jeremiel or Eremiel) each control

496,000 angels.

The Metatron was the highest angelic being, second only to the Creator in power, controlling many Sabaoth (angelic hosts) and leading the seventy-two Heavenly Judges: Vehuiah, Jeliel,

Sitael, Elemiah, Mahasiah, Lelahel, Achaiah, Cahetel, Haziel, Aladiah, Lauviah, Hahaiah,

Iezalel, Mebahel, Hariel, Hakamiah, Laviah, Caliel, Leuviah, , Nelchael, Ieiaiel,

Melahel, Haheuiah, Nith-Haiah, Haaiah, Jerathel, Seehiah, Reiiel, Omael, Lecabel, Vasariah,

Iehuiah, Lehahiah, Chavakiah, Menadel, Aniel, Haamiah, Rehael, Ieiazel, Hahahel, Mikael,

Veualiah, Ielahiah, Sealiah, , Asaliah, Mihael, Vehuel, , Hahasiah, Imamiah,

Nanael, Nithael, Mebaiah, Poiel, Nemamiah, Ieialel, Harahel, Mitzrael, Umabel, Iahhel,

Anauel, Mehiel, Damabiah, Manakel, Eiael, Habuhiah, Rochel, Jabamiah, Haiaiel and

Mumiah. He dwells in the (there are three , divided into ten Levels:

84

Vilon/Araphel, Raqia, Shehaqim in the First/Telestial-Heaven/Glory-of-the-Stars; Maon,

Makon, Zebul, Shamayim in the Second/Terrestrial-Heaven/Glory-of-the-Moon; and

Muzaloth, Kuchavim, Araboth in the Third/Celestial-Heaven/Glory-of-the-Sun). The

Metatron, along with nine other angels (, Zaphkiel, , , Raphael, ,

Michael, Gabriel, and Sandalphon) was assigned to one of the (from Keter to

Malkuth). There is only one Archangel (Michael), one Archcherub (the Metatron), and one

Archseraph (Sandalphon).

There are exactly 102,000,000 angelic beings (17,000 legions, 10,200 myriads) in Heaven

(Daniel 7:10, Revelation 5:11). One Legion is 6000 angels, one Myriad is 10,000.

There are three groups of angelic beings: Cherubims, Seraphims, and Angels, exactly

34,000,000 of each group. There are 51,000,000 devils (8500 legions, 5100 myriads) on the earth, because one third of the angels fell.

Cherubims (appearing as oxen or calves with four wings) and Seraphims (appearing as fiery flying serpents with limbs and six wings; one pair covers the face, one pair covers the feet, one pair is used for flight. They continually shout to the Creator: ‘Holy, holy, holy, is the

LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory’) are called ‘angels’ only in a generic sense: they are angelic beings, but are of a higher rank than Angels because they dwell closer to the Throne of the Ancient One.

One angel, , or has the physical strength of 185,000 men.

85

Sandalphon (the Tall Angel) has the physical strength of exactly

157,152,858,401,024,063,281,013,959,519,483,771,508,510,790,313,968,742,344,694,684,8

29,502,629,887,168,573,442,107,637,760,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 normal heavenly beings (angelic, cherubic, or seraphic).

The Holy Eight were each exactly

19,500,551,183,731,307,835,329,126,754,019,748,794,904,992,692,043,434,567,152,132,91

2,323,232,706,135,469,180,065,278,712,755,853,360,682,328,551,719,137,311,299,993,600,

000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 times stronger than Sandalphon.

The Metatron is exactly

208,168,199,381,979,984,699,478,633,344,862,770,286,522,453,884,530,548,425,639,456,8

20,927,419,612,738,015,378,525,648,451,698,519,643,907,259,916,015,628,128,546,089,88

8,314,427,129,715,319,317,557,736,620,397,247,064,840,935 times stronger than all eight of them combined.

The most powerful created beings in existence (from lowest to highest) were Sandalphon, the

Holy Eight, the Metatron, and William Shakespeare, who was 496,000 times stronger than the Metatron, though he was not an angel. In his luciform, his exalted state after death,

Shakespeare was known as Galadharagargitaghoshasusvaranakshatraragasankusumitabhigna, and was 236,000,000 parasangs tall, with 600 white wings, and 70,000 heads: each head with

4,900,000,000 faces; each face with 343,000,000,000,000 mouths; each mouth with

24,010,000,000,000,000,000 tongues, and 1,680,700,000,000,000,000,000,000 teeth.

86

When greatly angered, Galadharagargitaghoshasusvaranakshatraragasankusumitabhigna

transformed into : a giant hairy man exactly 13,996,800,000 miles tall, with exactly

31,415,926,535,897,932,384,626,433,832,795,028,841,971,693,993,751,058,209,749,445,92

3,078,164,062,862,089,986,280,348,253,421,170,679 large black leathery wings, two

hundred arms consisting of 50 fingers on each hand (each finger being a long serpent that

spews poison), two hissing snakes in place of legs, and a human head with 100 fire-breathing serpent heads forming his beard. Typhon’s proper name was Achchor-Achchor-

Achachachptoumi-Chachcho-Charachoch-Chaptoume-Chora-Choch-Aptoumime-

Chochaptou-Charachptou-Chachcho-Chara-Choch-Ptenachocheou, the Hundred-Headed. His

proper title was ‘Marduk-Marukka-Marutukku-Barashakushu-Luggaldimmerankia-

Nariluggaldimmerankia-Asaruludu-Namtillaku-Namru-Asaru-Asarualim-Asarualimmunna-

Tutu-Ziukkinna-Ziku-Agaku-Tuku-Shazu-Zisi-Suhrim-Suhgurim-Zahrim-Zahgurim-

Enbilulu-Epadun-Enbilulugugal-Hegal-Sirsir-Malah-Gil-Gilma-Agilma-Zulum-Mummu-

Zulummar-Lugalabdubur-Pagalguenna-Lugaldurmah-Aranunna-Dumuduku-Lugalanna-

Lugalugga-Irkingu-Kinma-Esizkur-Gibil-Addu-Asharru-Nebiru-Ninnuam’, the Lord of

Magicians.

As Typhon, Galadharagargitaghoshasusvaranakshatraragasankusumitabhigna was

6,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 times stronger than when he was in his normal luciform,

and could summon a chariot of fire, pulled by 133,316,666 creatures called Chalkydri: also

known as Phoenixes, the Chalkydri appear as giant brasen serpents (each one being 900

measures in size), with the colours of the rainbow, having heads of crocodiles, feet and tails

of lions, and twelve wings each; one Chalkydri has the strength of 6,400,000,000 angels.

87

There were two Metatrons: one was the transformed Enoch, possessing 76 titles, the other

was the Metatron Rabbah, also called ‘Akatriel-Yah’, ‘Yeshua Sar HaPanim’ (meaning:

‘Joshua Prince of the Presence’), the ‘Lesser YHWH’, or ‘Jehoel’ (meaning: ‘Jehovah is

God’), a primordial angelic who was the pre-incarnate Logos, possessing 93 titles.

Often the two were conflated, due to their similarities. But one is created, the other is eternal and all-powerful, and a of the Most High.

The Metatron Rabbah appeared as a great whirlwind (exactly 236,000,000 parasangs tall),

spinning at a speed of 186,000 miles per second, with exactly

31,415,926,535,897,932,384,626,433,832,795,028,841,971,693,993,751,058,209,749,445,92

3,078,164,062,862,089,986,280,348,253,421,170,679,821,480,865,132,823,066,470,938,446,

095,505,822,317,253,594,081,284,811,174,502,841,027,019,385,211,055,596,446,229,489,5

49,303,819,644,288,109,756,659,334,461,284,756,482,337,867,831,652,712,019,091,456,48

5,669,234,603,486,104,543,266,482,133,936,072,602,491,412,737,245,870,066,063,155,881,

748,815,209,209,628,292,540,917,153,643,678,925,903,600,113,305,305,488,204,665,213,8

41,469,519,415,116,094,330,572,703,657,595,919,530,921,861,173,819,326,117,931,051,18

5,480,744,623,799,627,495,673,518,857,527,248,912,279,381,830,119,491,298,336,733,624,

406,566,430,860,213,949,463,952,247,371,907,021,798,609,437,027,705,392,171,762,931,7

67,523,846,748,184,676,694,051,320,005,681,271,452,635,608,277,857,713,427,577,896,09

1,736,371,787,214,684,409,012,249,534,301,465,495,853,710,507,922,796,892,589,235,420,

199,561,121,290,219,608,640,344,181,598,136,297,747,713,099,605,187,072,113,499,999,9

83,729,780,499,510,597,317,328,160,963,185,950,244,594,553,469,083,026,425,223,082,53

3,446,850,352,619,311,881,710,100,031,378,387,528,865,875,332,083,814,206,171,776,691,

473,035,982,534,904,287,554,687,311,595,628,638,823,537,875,937,519,577,818,577,805,3

88

21,712,268,066,130,019,278,766,111,959,092,164,201,989 radiant golden wings, each wing being 236,000,000 parasangs in length.

Exactly 19,221,162,169,466,880,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 human years was the time that passed when the Rabb inhaled or exhaled.

His full title was: ‘The Omnipotent Omnipresent Omniscient Omnicompetent

Omnibenevolent Omnificent Omnimerciful Immense Incomprehensible Infinite Indivisible

Immutable Incorporeal Irresistible Unknown Undivided Unseen Unconquerable Unborn

Unoriginated Uncreated Almighty Pantocrator.’

Sananda softly whispered, his lips like broken butterfly wings, praying first to Enoch to be his psychopomp, then to the Rabb to send the Metatron to him:

‘Enoch Metathronos, I invoke thee by thy epithets: Adadiyah, Adrigon, Alaliayh, Amisiyah,

Asasiah, Atatiyah, Atropatos, Avtsangosh, Batsran, Bibiyah, Duvdeviyah, Emekmiyahu,

Estes, Eved, Gale Raziya, Galiel, Giatiyah, Geviriyah, Hadraniel, Hakham, Hashesiyah,

Hasmiyah, Hatspatsiel, Havhaviyah, Haviyahu, Hayat, Hoveh Hayah, Itatiyah, Itmon,

Kalkelmiyah, Magirkon, Margash, Malmeliyah, Matsmetsiyah, Mitatron, , Miton,

Mitspad, Mivon, Ozah, Palpeltiyah, Parshiyah, Patspetsiyah, Rasesiyah, Ruah Piskonit,

Safkas, Sagmagigrin, Saktas, Shaftiyah, Sharshiyah, Shosoriyah, Taftefieh, Tahsasiyah,

Tamtemiyah, Tatriel, Tavtavel, Tetrasiyah, Tishbash, Tishgash, Tsahtsehiyah, Tsaftsefiel,

Tsaftsefiyah, Tsaltselim, Tsaltseliyah, Tsavniyah, Tsavtsiyah, Uvayah, Vehofnehu, Veruah,

89

Yehovah Vehayah, Yahsiyah, Yefefiah, Yeshayah, Zerahiyah, Zerahyahu, Zevtiyahu. Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name , and rejoice before him. Jehoel, the Lord’s Angel, I invoke thee by thy epithets: Yahoel Yah,

Yoppiel, Apapel, Margayel, Geyorel, Tanduel, Tatnadiel, Tatriel, Tabtabiel, Ozahyah,

Zahzahyah, Ebed, Zebuliel, Sapsapiel, Sopriel, Paspasiel, Senigron, Sarpupirin, Mitatron,

Sigron, Adrigon, Astas, Saqpas, Saqpus, Mikon, Miton, Ruah Pisqonit, Atatyah, Asasyah,

Zagzagyah, Paspasyah, Mesamyah, Masmasyah, Absannis, Mebargas, Bardas, Mekarkar,

Maspad, Tasgas, Tasbas, Metarpitas, Paspisahu, Besihi, Itmon, Pisqon, Sapsapyah, Zerah

Zerahyah, Ababyah, Habhabyah, Pepatpalyah, Rakrakyah, Hashasyah, Taptapyah,

Tamtamyah, Sahsahyah, Araryah, Alalyah, Zazruyah, Aramyah, Sebar Suhasyah, Razrazyah,

Tahsanyah, Sasrasyah, Sabsebibyah, Qeliqalyah, Hahhahyah, Warwahyah, Zakzakyah,

Titrisyah, Sewiryah, Zehapnuryah, Zazayah, Galrazyah, Melakmelapyah, Attaryah, Perisyah,

Amqaqyah, Salsalyah, Sabsabyah, Geit Zeityah, Geityah, Perisperisyah, Sepat Sepatyah,

Hasamyah, Sar Saryah, Gebir Geburyah, Gurtaryah, Ziwa Rabba, Na’ar Ne’eman, Lesser

YHWH, Rabrakiel, Neamiel, Seganzagel; Prince of Wisdom. Voice of God, almighty Word, I pray thee, send me Enoch the son of Jared to lead me into the World Beyond.’

He smiled, shutting his eyes.

‘For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Amor, Spes omnium finium terra, Vita aeterna, Deus

Virtutum, Terribilis, Zelotes, Magni consilij Angelus, Admirabilis, Omnipotens, Pugnator,

Redemptor, Salvator, Protector, Pater, Causa causarum, Pelagus, Fons vitae, Sol, Bonitas,

Trinitas, Unitas, Alpha et Omega, Vita, Veritas, Via, Dux, Princeps, Dominus omni, Rex

90

Regum, Dies, Lux, Ignis, Creator, Finis, Medium, Principium, Providentia, Perfectio, Pax,

Iustitia, Pulchritudo, Sapientia.’

He decided to close with some final supplicatory words:

‘O Lord, Almighty God of our fathers, , , and , and of their righteous seed; who hast made heaven and earth, with all the ornament thereof; who hast bound the sea by the word of thy commandment; who hast shut up the deep, and sealed it by thy terrible and glorious name; whom all men fear, and tremble before thy power; for the majesty of thy glory cannot be borne, and thine angry threatening toward sinners is importable: but thy merciful promise is unmeasurable and unsearchable; for thou art the most high Lord, of great , longsuffering, very merciful, and repentest of the evils of men. Thou, O Lord, according to thy great goodness hast promised repentance and forgiveness to them that have sinned against thee: and of thine infinite mercies hast appointed repentance unto sinners, that they may be saved. Thou therefore, O Lord, that art the God of the just, hast not appointed repentance to the just, as to Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, which have not sinned against thee; but thou hast appointed repentance unto me that am a sinner: for I have sinned above the number of the sands of the sea. My transgressions, O Lord, are multiplied: my transgressions are multiplied, and I am not worthy to behold and see the height of heaven for the multitude of mine iniquities. I am bowed down with many iron bands, that I cannot lift up mine head, neither have any release: for I have provoked thy wrath, and done evil before thee: I did not thy will, neither kept I thy commandments: I have set up abominations, and have multiplied offences. Now therefore I bow the knee of mine heart, beseeching thee of grace. I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned, and I acknowledge mine iniquities: wherefore, I

91 humbly beseech thee, forgive me, O Lord, forgive me, and destroy me not with mine iniquities. Be not angry with me for ever, by reserving evil for me; neither condemn me to the lower parts of the earth. For thou art the God, even the God of them that repent; and in me thou wilt shew all thy goodness: for thou wilt save me, that am unworthy, according to thy great mercy. Therefore I will praise thee for ever all the days of my life: for all the powers of the heavens do praise thee, and thine is the glory for ever and ever. Amen.’

With that, he soundly slept. His fellow crewmen hungrily disposed of his body.

Later that day, the boats separated.

Rusty, slowly going lunatick, felt his hunger still not satisfied, despite the corpses he had consumed.

You see, although the men were stuffing themselves with flesh, they were still not nutritionally-satisfied: this is because the human body requires fat to absorb nutrients properly, and the men they were eating happened to be quite lean and malnourished at the time of death. All the gorging on human flesh was not helping, as they were consuming protein but not enough fat.

Rusty, however, was ignorant of this fact, the Sirens’ song still in his fragile eggshell mind.

Before long, he resorted to stoop down to a whole new level.

92

One night, as the Bastard and the Saracen were sleeping, Rusty whetted his hunting-knife on a piece of human bone.

Blade in hand, he proceeded to slit the throat of the Saracen with relative ease, like cutting butter.

The sound, however, awoke the Bastard, who tried to defend himself against the wild attacker. Sadly, even his great strength could not keep him from the blade of the madman.

‘Ego non baptizo te in nomine patris, sed in nomine diaboli!’

With that, he baptized his blade in the blood of the Bastard.

Standing there, crimson on both hands, he savagely laughed, a sanguinolent attercop.

He rambled incoherently:

‘Ashvini, Bharani, Krittika, , Mrigashirsha, Ardra, Punarvasu, Pushya, Ashlesha,

Magha, Purva-Phalguni, Uttara-Phalguni, Hasta, Chitra, Swati, Vishakha, Anuradha,

Jyeshtha, Mula, Purva-Ashadha, Uttara-Ashadha, Abhijit, Shravana, Dhanishta, Shatabhisha,

Purva-Bhadrapada, Uttara-Bhadrapada, Revati. Nel mezzo del cammin di nostra vita, mi

93 ritrovai per una selva oscura, ché la diritta via era smarrita. Pape Satàn, pape Satàn aleppe!

Raphèl mai amècche zabì almi!’

Facing the Saptarishi (Dubhe, Merak, Phecda, Megrez, Alioth, Mizar, and Alkaid), he quoted the final words of Siddhartha Gautama before his mind was endarkened:

‘All compounded things are subject to vanish. Strive with earnestness.’

That night, the wolf had a feast, gorging on the swine he had slain.

A few furlongs away, Lupe awoke.

‘What’s wrong, Stargazer?’

‘We are approaching a dark mansion, Ishmael. Bad stars ahead of us.’

With that, he rolled over and went back to sleep.

Years later a whaleboat was found washed up on Ducie Island, with three skeletons inside.

94

Episode Thirteen: The Tide Turns.

Ironside and Ishmael’s crew were by now far off. By February 1, the food on Ironside’s boat was again exhausted and the survivors’ situation became dire.

The men drew lots to determine who would be sacrificed for the survival of the remainder.

Sterkur drew the black spot.

Ishmael offered to take his place, but Sterkur replied:

‘No, I like my lot as well as any other.’

Lots were drawn again to determine who would be Sterkur’s executioner. Ishmael drew the black spot.

He shot Sterkur; Ironside, Lupe and Racoon consumed the body.

On February 11, Racoon also died. For the remainder of their journey, Ironside and Ishmael survived by gnawing on Sterkur’s and Racoon’s bones.

95

Lupe refused to eat any more.

On 18 February, 89 days after the Devil sank, the vessel ‘Indian’ spotted and rescued

Ishmael, Ironside, and Lupe.

Unfortunately, Lupe died from starvation just minutes after rescue, to Ishmael’s horror. His last words were as follows:

‘Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum. Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus. Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen.’

With that, Lupe left to join the starry mansions he had admired so much when alive.

As he gently closed Lupe’s sightless eyes with his palm, Ishmael recited the final line of the

Iliad:

‘Hos hoi g’ amphiepon taphon Hektoros hippodamoio.’

Right before they threw his body overboard, Lupe’s dry skin and hair peeled off, and Ishmael and Ironside were shocked to find that his whole body was made of pure gold, like unto clear glass, studded with jasper, sapphire, chalcedony, emerald, sardonyx, sardius, chrysolite, beryl, topaz, chrysoprasus, jacinth, and amethyst. It seems that they only really saw his true value after he was gone.

96

Several days after the rescue, the whaleboat was lost in a storm while under tow behind the

Indian. Ironside’s boat, now containing only him and Ishmael, was later rescued by the whaleship ‘Dauphin’, on February 23.

Ishmael and Ironside by that time were so completely dissociative that they were terrified when they saw their rescuers.

On March 5, Dauphin encountered ‘Two Brothers’, and transferred the two men to her.

The traumatized men returned to Dunhamberrywestminsterdevonshirefield, the few survivors of their ill-fated crew.

Two Weeks Later.

Ishmael was dishevelled.

The horrors of the trip stayed with him.

Deciding to stay at the Coffin for a little while, he slept little, ate little, talked little. Ironside, who recovered a bit better from the ordeal, noticed.

One day, Ishmael had enough.

97

He walked up to his window, and let out all the pain he harboured inside, loudly singing the

Sahasranama (The Thousand Names), a of ten sections that each contained a hundred names of Apam Napat, the Child of the Waters:

1. Upulvan, Vasudeva, Mahavisnu, , Vasava, Vasu, Balacandranibha, Bala,

Balabhadra, Baladhipa, Balibandhanakrit, Vedhas, Varenya, Vedavit, Kavi,

Vedakartri, Vedarupa, Vedya, Vedaparipluta, Vedangavettri, Vedesa, Baladhara,

Balardana, Avikara, Varesa, Varada, Varunadhipa, Viraha, Brihadvira, Vandita,

Paramesvara, Atman, , Pratyagatman, Viyatpara, Padmanabha,

Padmanidhi, Padmahasta, Gadadhara, Parama, Parabhuta, Purusottama, Isvara,

Padmajangha, Pundarika, Padmamaladhara, Priya, Padmaksa, Padmagarbha,

Parjanya, Padmasamsthita, Apara, Paramartha, Paranampara, Prabhoo,

Panditebhyah-Pandita, Pavitra, Papamardaka, Suddha, Prakasarupa,

Ratnasambhava, Pariraksaka, Pipasa-Varjita, Padya, Purusa, Prakriti, Pradhana,

Prithivipadma, Amoghasiddhi, Priyaprada, Sarvesa, Sarvaga, Sarva, Sarvavid,

Sarvada, Para, Aksobhya, Jagatodhama, Sarvadarsin, Sarvabhrit,

Sarvanugrahakrid, Sarvabhutahridisthita, Sarvapa, Sarvapujya,

Sarvadevanamaskrita, Sarvasyajagatomulam, Sakala, Niskala, Anala, Sarvagoptri,

Sarvanistha, Sarvakaranakaranam, Sarvadhyeya, Sarvamitra,

Sarvadevasvarupadhrik, Sarvadhyaya, Surasuranamaskrita,

Dustanamasuranamcasarvadaghataka, Antaka, Satyapala,

98

2. Sannabha, Siddhesa, Siddhavandita, Siddhasadhya, Siddhasiddha, Sadhyasiddha,

Hridisvara, Jagatahsaranam, Jagatahsreyah, Jagatahksema, Subhakrit, Sobhana,

Saumya, , Satyaparakrama, Satyastha, Satyasankalpa, Satyavid, Satyada,

Dharma, Dharmin, Karmin, Sarvakarmavivarjita, Karmakartri, Karman, Kriya,

Karyam, Sripati, Nripati, Srimat, Sarvasya, Urjita, Devanampati, Vrisinampati,

Hiranyagarbhasyapati, Tripurantahpati, Pasunampati, Praya, Vasunampati,

Akhandalasyapati, Varunasyapati, Vanaspatinampati, Anilasyapati, Analasyapati,

Yamasyapati, Kuberasyapati, Naksatranampati, Osadhinampati, Vriksanampati,

Naganampati, Arkasyapati, Daksasyapati, Suhridampati, Nripanampati,

Gandharvanampati, Asunamuttamahpati, Parvatanampati, Nimnaganampati,

Suranampati, Srestha, Kapilasyapati, Latanampati, Virudhampati, Muninampati,

Suryasyauttamapati, Candramasahsresthapati, Sukrasyapati, Grahanampati,

Raksasanampati, Kinnaranampati, Dvijanamuttamapati, Saritampati,

Samudranampati, Sarasampati, Bhutanampati, Vetalanampati, Kusmandanampati,

Paksinampati, Pasunampatee, Mahatman, Mangala, Meya, Mandara,

Mandaresvara, Meru, Matri, , , Manuvarjita, Maladhara,

Mahadeva, Mahadevenapujita, Mahasanta, Mahabhaga, Madhusudana,

Mahavirya, Mahaprana, Markandeyapravandita, Mayatman, Mayayabaddha,

3. Mayayavivarjita, Munistuta, Muni, Maitra, Mahanasa, Mahahanu, Mahabahu,

Mahadanta, Maranenavivarjita, Mahavaktra, Mahatma, Mahakara, Mahodara,

Mahapada, Mahagriva, Mahamanin, Mahamanas, Mahamati, Mahakirti,

Maharupa, Mahasura, Madhu, Akasagarbha, Mahasthamaprapta, Mahesvara,

Makhesta, Makharupin, Mananiya, Makhesvara, Mahavata, Yamantaka, Mahesa,

99

Atitamanusa, Manava, , Manavanam-Priyankara, Mriga, Mrigapujya,

Mriganampati, Budhasyapati, Brihaspatehpati, Sanaiscarasyapati, Rahohpati,

Ketohpati, Laksmanah, Laksana, Lambostha, Lalita, Nanalankarasamyukta,

Nanacandanacarcita, Nanarasojjvaladvaktra, Nanapuspopasobhita, ,

Ramapati, Sabharya-Paramesvara, Ratnada, Ratnahartri, Rupin, Rupavivarjita,

Vaisravana, Ugrarupa, Saumyarupa, Nilameghanibha, Vajrapani,

Kalameghanibha, Dhumavarna, Pitavarna, Nanarupa, Avarnaka, Virupa, Rupada,

Suklavarna, Sarvavarna, Mahayogin, , Yajnakrit, Suvarna, Varnavat,

Suvarnakhya, Suvarnavayava, Suvarnasvarnamekhala, Suvarnasyapradatri,

Suvarnamsa, Suvarnasyapriya, Suvarnadhya, Suparnin, Mahaparna,

Suparnasyakaranam, Vainateya, Aditya, Adi, Adikara, Siva, Mahatahkaranam,

Puranasyakaranam, Buddhinamkaranam, Manasahkaranam, Cetasahkaranam,

Ahankarasyakaranam, Bhutanamkaranam,

4. Akasakaranam, Prithvyahparamkaranam, Andasyakaranam, Prakritehkaranam,

Dehasyakaranam, Caksusahkaranam, Srotrasyakaranam, Tvacahkaranam,

Jihvayahkaranam, Pranasyakaranam, Hastayohkaranam, Padayohkaranam,

Vacahkaranam, Payohkaranam, Indrasyakaranam, Kuberasyakaranam,

Yamasyakaranam, Isanasyakaranam, Yaksanamkaranam,

Raksanamparamkaranam, Bhusananamsresthamkaranam, Dharmasyakaranam,

Jantunamkaranam, Vasunamparamkaranam, Manunamkaranam,

Paksinamparamkaranam, Muninamsresthamkaranam, Yoginamparamkaranam,

Siddhanamkaranam, Yaksaanamkaranam, Kinnaranamkaranam,

Gandharvanamkaranam, Nadanamkaranam, Nadinamparamkaranam,

100

Samudranamkaranam, Vriksanamkaranam, Virudhamkaranam, Lokanamkaranam,

Patalakaranam, Devanamkaranam, Sarpanamkaranam, Sreyasakaranam,

Pasunamkaranam, Sarvesamkaranam, Dehatman, Indriyatman, Buddheh-Atman,

Manasah-Atman, Ahankaracetasah-Atman, Jagratah-Atman, Svapatah-Atman,

Paramahadatman, Pradhanasyaparatman, Akasatman, Apam-Atman, Prithivyah-

Paratman, Vayasyatman, Gandhasyaparamatman, Rupasya-Para-Atman,

Sabdatman, Vagatman, Sparsatman, Puruusa, Srotratman, Tvagatman, Jihvayah-

Paramatman, Ghranatman, Hastatman, Paramapadatman, Upasthasya-Atman,

Parama-Pavyatman, Indratman, Brahmatman, Rudratman, Manoh-Atman,

Daksasya-Prajapateh-Atman, Paramasatyatman, Isatman, Param-Atman, Rudra-

Atman, Moksavid, Yati, Yatnavan, Yatna, Carmin, Khadgin, Asurantaka,

Hripravartanasila, Yatinamhiterata, Yatirupin, Yogin, Yogidhyeya, , Siti,

Samvit, Medha, Kala, Usma, Varsa, Mati,

5. Samvatsara, Moksakara, Mohapradhvamsaka, Mandavya, Badavamukha,

Samvartaka, Kalakartri, Gautama, Bhrigu, , , Vasistha, Pulaha,

Pulastya, Kusta, , Devala, , Parasara, Sarmada, Gangeya,

Hrisikesa, Brihaccravas, Kesava, Klesahantri, Sukarna, Karnavarjita, ,

Vajrayaksa, Pranasyapati, Apanasyapati, Vyanasyapati, Udanasyapati,

Samanasyapati, Sabdasyapati, Sparsasyapati, Rupanamadyanripati, Khadgapani,

Halayudha, Cakrapani, Kundalin, Srivatsanka, Trailokyavijaya, Kaustubhagriva,

Pitambaradhara, Sumukha, Durmukha, Mukhenavivarjita, Ananta, Anantarupa,

Sunakha, Surasundara, Sukalapa, Vibhu, Jisnu, Bhrajisnu, Isudhi,

Hiranyakasipuhantri, Hiranyaksavimardaka, Putananihantri, Bhaskarantavinsana,

101

Kesidalana, Mustikavimardaka, Kamsadanavabhettri, Canurapramardaka,

Aristanihantri, Akrurapriya, Akrura, Krurarupa, Akrurapriyavandita, Bhagaha,

Bhagavan, Bhanu, , Uddhava, Uddhavasya-Isa, Uddhavenavicintita,

Cakradhrik, Cancala, Calacalavivarjita, , Matee, Cittam, Gaganam,

Prithivi, Jalam, Vayoo, Caksus, Srotram, Jihva, Ghranam, Vakpanipada, Javana,

Payu, Upastha, Sankara, Kharva, Ksantida, Ksantikrit, Nara,

6. Bhaktapriya, Bhartri, Bhaktiman, Bhaktivardhana, Bhaktastuta, Bhaktapara,

Kirtida, Kirtivardhana, Kirtidipti, Ksama, Kanti, , Paradaya, Dana, Datri,

Kartri, Devadevapriya, Suci, Suciman, Sukhada, Moksa, , ,

Sahasrapat, Sahasrasirsa, Vaidya, Moksadvaru, Prajadvaram, Sahasranta,

Sahasrakara, Sukra, Sukritin, Sugriva, Kaustubha, , ,

Hayagriva, Sukara, , Parasurama, Prahlada, , Saranya, Nitya, Buddha,

Mukta, Sarirabhrit, Kharadusahantri, Ravanasya-Pramardana, Sitapati, Bharata,

Vardhisnu, Kumbhendrajitnihantri, Kumbhakarnapramardana, Narantakantaka,

Devantakavinasana, Dustasuranihantri, Sambarari, Narakasyanihantri,

Trisirsasyavinasana, Yamalarjunabhettri, Tapohitakara, Vaditra, Vadyam,

Boddha, Varaprada, Sara, Sarapriya, Saura, Kalahantri, Nikrintana, ,

Virudhaka, , Naradapriya, Prana, Apana, Vyana, Rajas, Sattva, Tamas,

Sarat, Udana, Samana, Bhesaja, Bhisak, Kutastha, Svaccarupa,

Sarvadehavivarjita, Hastendriyavihina, Padabhyamvivarjita, Payupasthavihina,

Mahatapavisarjita, Prabhodhenavihina, Buddhyavivarjita, Cetasavivarjita,

Pranenavivarjita, Apanenavivarjita, Vyanenavivarjita, Udanenavivarjita,

102

7. Samanenavivarjita, Akasenavihina, Vayoonaparivarjita, Agninavihina,

Udakenavivarjita, Prithvyavihina, Sabdenavivarjita, Sparsenavivarjita,

Sarvarupavivarjita, Ragenavivarjita, Aghenavivarjita, Sokenarahita,

Vacasaparivarjita, Rajovivarjita, Sadvikaravivarjita, Kamavarjita,

Krodhenavivarjita, Lobhenavigata, Dambhenavivarjita, Suksma, Susuksma,

Sthulatsthulatara, Visarada, Baladhyaksa, Sarvasyaksobhaka, Prakritehksobhaka,

Mahatahksobhaka, Bhutanamksobhaka, Buddhehksobhaka, Indriyanamksobhaka,

Visayaksobhaka, Brahmanahksobhaka, Rudrasyaksobhaka, Caksuradeh-Agamya,

Srotragamya, Tvacanagamya, , Jihvagrahya, Ghranendriyagamya,

Vacagrahya, Panibhyam-Agamya, Padagamya, Manasah-Agrahya, Buddhya-

Agrahya, Haree, Ahambudbhyagrahya, Cetasa-Grahya, Sankhapani, Avyaya,

Gadapani, Sarngapani, Krisna, Jnanamurti, Parantapa, Tapasvin, Jnanagamya,

Jnanin, Jnanavid, Jneya, Jneyahina, Jnapti, Caitanyarupaka, Bhava, Bhavakara,

Bhavana, Bhavanasana, Govinda, Gopati, Gopa, Sarvagopisukhaprada, Gopala,

Gopatee, Gomati, Upendra, , Sauri-Krisna, Janardana, Araneya,

Brihadbhanu, Damodara, Trikala, Kalanjara, Kalavarjita, Trisandhya, Dvaparam,

Treta, Prajadvara, Trivikrama, Vikrama, Dandahasta, Ekadandin, Tridandadhrik,

Samabheda, Samopaya, Samarupin, Samaga, , Atharva, Suktra,

Sukharupaka,

8. Atharvavedavid, Atharvacarya, Rigrupin, Rigveda, Rigvedesu, Yajurvettri,

Yajurveda, Ekapat, Bahupat, Supat, Vajraparamita, Catuspat, Dvipat, ,

Nyayopama, Balin, Sannyasin, , Caturasrama, Brahmacarin, ,

103

Vanaprastha, Bhiksuka, , Ksatriya, Vaisya, Sudra, , Silada,

Silasampanna, Duhsilaparivarjita, Goksa, Adhyatmasamavista, Stuti, Stotri,

Pujaka, Pujya, Vakkaranam, Vacya, Vacaka, Vettri, Vyakaranam, Vakyam,

Vakyavit, Vakyagamya, Tirthavasin, , Tirthin, Tirthavid, Tirthadibhuta,

Samkhya, Niruktam, Abhidvaita, Pranava, Pranavesa, Pranavena-Pravandita,

Pranavena-Laksya, Gayatri, Visistacaritra, Salagramanivasin, Salagrama,

Jalasayin, Yogasayin, Sesasayin, Kusesayin, Mahabhartri, Karyam, Karanam,

Prithividhara, , Sasvata, Kamya, Kamayitri, Virat, Samrat, Pusan, ,

Rathastha, Sarathi, Balam, Dhanin, Dhanaprada, Dhanya, Yadavanamhiterata,

Arjunasya-Priya, Arjuna, Bhima, Parakrama, Durvisaha, Sarvasastravisarada,

Sarasvata, Mahabhisma, Parijatahara, Amritasyapradatri, Ksiroda, Ksira,

Indratmaja, Indragoptri, Govardhanadhara, Kamsasyanasana,

9. Hastipa, Hastinasana, Sipivista, Prasanna, Sarvalokartinasana, Mudra, Mudrakara,

Sarvamudravivarjita, Dehin, Dehasthita, Dehasyaniyamaka, Srotri, Srotrayantri,

Srotavya, Sravana, Tvaksthita, Sparsayitri, Sparsya, Sparsanam, Caksustha,

Rupadrastri, Caksusahniyantri, Drisyam, Jihvastha, Rasajna, Jihvaniyamaka,

Ghranastha, Ghratri, Ghranendriyaniyamaka, Vakstha, Vaktri, Vaktavya, Vacana,

Vanniyamaka, Pranistha, Silpakrit, Silpa, Hastayohniyamaka, Padavyah, Gantri,

Gantavya, Gamana, Padayohniyantri, Padyabhak, Visargakrit, Visargasyaniyantri,

Upasthastha, Sukha, Upasthasyaniyantri, Upasthanandakara, Satrughna,

Kartavirya, , Alarkasyahiterata, Kartaviryanikrintana, Kalanemi,

Mahanemi, Megha, Meghapati, Annaprada, Annarupin, Annada, Annapravartaka,

Dhumakrit, Dhumarupa, Devakiputra, Uttama, Devakyanandana, Nanda,

104

Rohinyahpriya, Vasudevapriya, Vasudevasuta, Dundubhi, Hasarupa, Puspahasa,

Attahasapriya, Sarvadhyaksa, Ksara, Aksara, Acyuta, Satyesa, Satyayahpriya,

Vara, Rukminyahpati, Rukminyahvallabha, Gopinamvallabha, Punyasloka,

Visruta, Vrisakapi, Yama, Guhya, Anantacaritra, Budha, Rahu, Ketugraha, Graha,

Gajendramukhamelaka, Grahasyavinihantri, Gramani, Raksaka,

10. Kinnara, Siddha, Candas, Svacandas, Visvarupa, Visalaksa, Daityasudana,

Anantaroopa, Bhutastha, Devadanavasamsthita, Susuptistha, Susupti, Sthanam,

Sthanana, Jagastha, Jagartri, Jagaritamsthanam, Svapnastha, Svapnavid, Svapna,

Sthanastha, Sustha, Jagradvihina, Svapnavihina, Susuptivihina, Caturthaka,

Vijnanam, Caitrarupa, Jiva, Jivayitri, Bhuvanadhipati, Bhuvananamniyamaka,

Patalavasin, Patala, Sarvajvaravinasana, Paramanandarupin,

Dharmanampravartaka, Sulabha, Durlabha, Pranayampara, Pratyahara, Dharaka,

Pratyaharakara, Prabha, Kanti, Arcis, Acala, Sphatikasannibha, Agrahya, Gaura,

Sarvah, Kundali, Abhistuta, Vasatkara, Vasat, Vausat, Svadha, Svaha, Paktri,

Nandayitri, Bhoktri, Boddhri, Bhavayitri, Jnanatman, Uhatman, Bhuma,

Sarvesvaresvara, Nadi, Nandin, Nandisa, Supratisthitacaritra, Tarunasana,

Cakrapa, Sripatee, Nripa, Cakravartinamisa, Sarvadevanamisa, Svavakasasthita,

Puskara, Puskaradhyaksa, Puskaradvipa, Visuddhacaritra, Janaka, Janya,

Sarvakaravivarjita, Nirakara, Nirnimitta, Niratanka, Nirasraya, Deva, Ksitigarbha,

Manjusri, , Cakri, Samantabhadra, Amitabha, Virupaksa, Avalokitesvara,

Vairocana, .

He knew the neighbours would hear, but he did not care.

105

All that mattered right now was getting this pain out.

And he had always found that, when all hope seemed lost and only darkness remained, there was music, dance, and song to drown out the voices.

Collapsing to his knees from exhaustion, he wept bitterly, the tears pooling down his face.

Ironside rushed into the room and held Ishmael in a firm fatherly embrace as he let out all his inner turmoil in a salty deluge of water, the same as the waters that started his journey.

After what seemed like hours, Ishmael felt the pain starting to ease.

It would never fully go away, but this was a start. Ishmael felt he would move on.

Ishmael gifted his amulet to Ironside, as a token of their friendship.

Adopting the surname ‘Ironside’, Ishmael soon moved back to London, where his lover

Penelope was waiting for him with open arms.

She understood that he was still healing. She was willing to wait.

106

Sometimes he would awake in the night, nightmares of cannibalism and of Lupe. He always kept Lupe’s multicoloured cloth tucked in his pocket, for succour.

Ishmael and Penelope Ironside had 101 sons.

In their order of birth: Duryodhana, Yuyutsu, Dushasana, Duhsaha, Jalasandha, Sama, Saha,

Vinda, Anuvinda, Durdharsha, Suvahu, Dushpradharshana, Durmarshana, Durmukha,

Dushkarna, Karna, Vivinsati, Vikarna, Sala, Satwa, Sulochana, Chitra, Upachitra, Chitraksha,

Charuchitra, Sarasana, Durmada, Durvigaha, Vivitsu, Vikatanana, Urnanabha, Sunabha,

Nandaka, Upanandaka, Chitravana, Chitravarman, Suvarman, Durvimochana, Ayovahu,

Mahabahu, Chitranga, Chitrakundala, Bhimavega, Bhimavala, Balaki, Balavardhana,

Ugrayudha, Bhima, Kaarnaa, Kanakaya, Dridhayudha, Dridhavarman, Dridhakshatra,

Somakitri, Anudara, Dridhasandha, Jarasandha, Satyasandha, Sada, Suvak, Ugrasravas,

Ugrasena, Senani, Dushparajaya, Aparajita, Kundasayin, Visalaksha, Duradhara,

Dridhahasta, Suhasta, Vatavega, Suvarchas, Adityaketu, Vahvashin, Nagadatta, Agrayayin,

Kavachin, Krathana, Kunda, Kundadhara, Dhanurdhara, Ugra, Bhimaratha, Viravahu,

Alolupa, Abhaya, Raudrakarman, Dridharatha, Anadhrishya, Kundabhedin, Viravi,

Dhirghalochana, Pramatha, Pramathi, Dhirgharoma, Dirghavahu, Mahavahu, Vyudhoru,

Kanakadhvaja, Kundasi, and Virajas. They were each named after the one hundred Kauravas, plus one son named after the mighty Yuyutsu.

They had one daughter, Duhsala (born after Duhsaha).

107

The Ironside children had children of their own, establishing the infamous Ironside Family, whose descendants were known for many heroic, often dangerous, journeys, and countless adventures across land, sea, and sky.

The two Ironsides would sometimes write to each other.

They maintained contact till the day Ironside died of a heart malady, ten years later.

Before Ironside slept, he said the following words:

‘Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.’

Thus spake Zarathustra and left his cave, glowing and strong, like a morning sun coming out of gloomy mountains.

108