Chapter 24: The Pinpoint of Light

ONCE UPON A TIME, long ago and more steps away than I can count, there was a little village near a river but very far from anything else. That village dwelt in darkness. This darkness was not metaphorical, as in ignorance. It was quite literal. The sun never shone. It was dark and cold like midnight under a cloudy sky in the middle of winter. The people huddled together for warmth. They wore sheepskin clothes to keep from freezing. Even their meager fires seemed to give no light or warmth, so complete was the darkness.

When it seemed the village would never see light again and despaired of all hope, the village elder called for Quaidulac the Shaman. Quaidulac had not been a shaman for long in this village. He had been caught sitting by the river’s edge some time before, thinking of how he could end his life, because he was so cold and miserable. The people found him there, nearly frozen to death and called him Quaidulac, which means “Dreaming by the Water.”

“Quaidulac,” said the elder, “we are a people of darkness who dwell in darkness, but we cannot remain like this forever. We call on you to journey to the Kingdom of the Sun and beg of him to visit our little village so that we might have warmth and light. Therefore, take what herbs you need, your sheepskins, and your staff, and undertake this journey on our behalf.”

Now, Quaidulac did not know what to do. He had never undertaken a spirit journey. He had simply been too cold to move when the people found him by the river. But he thought that it would be much better to travel to this Kingdom of the Sun the elder spoke of than to stay here in the village and continue to suffer the cold and darkness. So Quaidulac packed a satchel of herbs, donned his warmest sheepskins, picked up his staff, and left the village, vowing that he would return with the Sun and light.

Once away from the village, Quaidulac walked aimlessly in the darkness. He had no sense of direction, following the river when it let him and wandering in the forests when it did not. Wherever he went, it was cold and dark. Then, when it seemed most hopeless and Quaidulac sat dreaming of the Kingdom of the Sun, he saw a pinpoint of light in the distance. It flickered and was gone and then came back again. Quaidulac rose at once to follow this pinpoint of light. It seemed so far away, and often flickered out of his vision, but gradually it became steadier.

Quaidulac followed the light for many hundreds of steps, thinking always that it must get bigger or brighter, but it never seemed to change.

Then Quaidulac ran into a wall. He did not see the wall, so focused was he on the light. When he recovered his senses, Quaidulac realized that he had come to a cottage, and that the light he saw was a candle in the window. He found the door of the cottage and having scratched at the entrance, he pushed it open and said, “Hello.”

“Hello, Quaidulac,” answered a voice in the darkness. “Come in and sit down. I have been waiting for you.”

Quaidulac entered the tiny cottage and sat beside the candle. He could faintly make out the figure of a person on the other side.

“Do you know how to reach the Kingdom of the Sun?” Quaidulac asked his host.

“I do,” said the voice. “I am your guide.”

“What are you called?” Quaidulac asked.

“I am called Candlemaker. I offer a pinpoint of light to guide the seeker,” the voice said. “Now, about your quest. No one ever reaches the Kingdom of the Sun.”

Quaidulac was crushed. He was so certain a moment ago that his quest was over.

“But you said...”

“Yes. I will show you how to bring the Kingdom of the Sun to your village,” answered Candlemaker. “Kingdom of the Sun goes where it will and where it is wanted. You must call to it if you wish it to come to you.”

“And how shall I call?” asked Quaidulac.

“You must gather your village and teach them this chant,” Candlemaker answered.

And thus, Quaidulac began his education with Candlemaker. Candlemaker taught Quaidulac the chant and the lore of the Sun King. He told Quaidulac of the Sun King’s journey to the far lands and his desire to return home. The Sun King, it seemed to Quaidulac, yearned for his village as much as his village yearned for it.

“But surely, this is too simple,” said Quaidulac. “How will I get my people to believe such a simple chant can bring the Sun back?”

“Take this candle back to your village,” answered Candlmaker. “Have your people look deeply into its flame when they chant. They will see the Sun King approach.”

So, Quaidulac thanked Candlemaker and took the candle and returned to his village.

When Quaidulac gave his people the instructions Candlemaker had given him, they were doubtful, but they gathered around the candle and stared into its flame. Soon they began to chant.