[Click Dogs to see all installments of the Legend of Fowl Feng. If you are reading this in a reader, you'll have to come to the blogsite.]
You remember hurtling through space. That’s what you’d say if there were someone to tell. Hurtling through space with great purpose and destiny, only there was no way to tell really that you were moving at all. No air to blow against you, the stars so distant they never moved day after day. At first, you really didn’t think about going anywhere.
Slowly the darkness grew gray and thin, and even more slowly you realized this must be light. Then you spent some time hovering or hurtling through the light until you started feeling that maybe your were going somewhere. As if your thought conjured it, a faint breeze began to press against your cheeks, if you had cheeks, which is about as certain as the day.
The wind, however, doesn’t seem to care if it’s blowing against a cheek, or a meteor, or a wave of energy, or any of the other things you imagined you might have or be. The wind just blows stronger and stronger, pushing against your every contour like a hand pressing back and you get the idea that you have spent something like time imagining all the things that hand might be touching.
You are really moving now. You are getting someplace. And now the idea of a destination comes to you, a place where this hurtling will stop and this idea in you head makes the whole light around you shift so that you are no longer hurtling though space but are falling towards some ground. Just as you realize you are falling way too fast to stop, you hit something.
You look down and see you are wearing a long dress. “Princess dress,” you think wistfully.
“Oh bloody hell! We’re rescuing a princess?” exclaimed a horrified Rubeus. Sophie gave an exasperated sigh at the interruption. Hydra kept silent, turning her long beak from one side to the other. Chalydrus rolled his giant dragon eyes.
“You will not be rescuing anyone, Rubeus. You have other duties.”
“Then why am I here?” Rubeus stuck out his chin and Fowl Feng thought Chalydrus was going to blast him right there, but instead he just held Rubeus' gaze for a moment and then turned to Sophie. “Continue, dear maiden.”
Sophie was silent for a moment. Feng wanted her to continue because it seemed so important to her. He put his paw on her leg and said, “I’ve never rescued a princess. Might be fun?”
She reached out and rubbed Feng's ear. “Oh you are a sweetie, aren’t you Fowl Feng.”
“Um, no, actually I’m not. Bit of a bastard really.” He nosed around in the dirt for a moment and then said under his breath so no could hear. “I’m pretty sure I’ve eaten puppies.”
Sophie just smiled and turned back to the fire to continue her story.
Showing posts with label Dogs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dogs. Show all posts
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Saturday, June 6, 2009
At The Campfire
[Click Dogs to see all installments of the Legend of Fowl Feng .]
“I am the Wisdom of the Ages, the companion of Adam before she was Adam,” said the small child with her chin lifted just a bit and her voice solemn, then she broke out in a smile and said, “But you can call me Sophie.”
The girl turned to the man next to her.
The man's skin was as red as a ruby, and his eyes were small and black. “Oh, are we giving out our names now? Shouldn’t we wear nametags? ‘Hello, my name is…’ and that sorta thing?”
He said this smiling, but he was looking right at Sophie and leaning toward her in such a way that Fowl Feng bared his teeth and growled, “I wouldn’t be saying that kind of thing what with you looking like a boiled lobster and me being rather hungry!”
From the other side of the campfire, the pelican shook its feathers and replied, “Don’t let him get under your skin Feng. It’s just his way. He’ll argue to the death but he wouldn’t actually fight.”
“Oh, I may just come over there and teach you otherwise!” said the red-skinned man.
“Of course you may,” said the Pelican, and turned to Feng, “You may call him Rubeus. And I am Hydra, the Augmenting Mother.”
“Nice to meet you all, I’m sure,” said Feng, and then because Rubeus was smirking at him, he swallowed his fear, tilted his chin up, and added, “And who are you, big guy?” to the hooded figure.
“Hmmm,” rumbled the figure.
Something moved a few yards behind the voice and then Feng made out more motion above. He shivered as he realized it was all the same giant form rising up into the sky just beyond the light of the fire. Feng was suddenly filled with a burning need to stammer an apology, but stopped as a face loomed out of shadow. The long snout was dead white, the eyes above looked blind with pearly light, and over them two gilded horns curved gracefully.
“Yeah, he’s a big freakin’ dragon,” laughed Rubeus.
The dragon turned to Rubeus and snorted, whipping the red man's clothes about his burly body for an instant.
“Hey, it was a joke!” yelled Rubeus.
“I’m laughing on the inside,” said the dragon. He turned to Fowl Feng. “You may call me Chalydrus.”
Fowl Feng hesitated then dipped his head, not sure what to say. He had a sudden image of himself, racing across a plain, the sky above blackened with the shadow of giant wings. He shook his head and forced his hackles down, refusing to look afraid.
Introductions over, the dragon turned to Sophie and said, “Child, now that we are all here, tell us why we have come.”
“I am the Wisdom of the Ages, the companion of Adam before she was Adam,” said the small child with her chin lifted just a bit and her voice solemn, then she broke out in a smile and said, “But you can call me Sophie.”
The girl turned to the man next to her.
The man's skin was as red as a ruby, and his eyes were small and black. “Oh, are we giving out our names now? Shouldn’t we wear nametags? ‘Hello, my name is…’ and that sorta thing?”
He said this smiling, but he was looking right at Sophie and leaning toward her in such a way that Fowl Feng bared his teeth and growled, “I wouldn’t be saying that kind of thing what with you looking like a boiled lobster and me being rather hungry!”
From the other side of the campfire, the pelican shook its feathers and replied, “Don’t let him get under your skin Feng. It’s just his way. He’ll argue to the death but he wouldn’t actually fight.”
“Oh, I may just come over there and teach you otherwise!” said the red-skinned man.
“Of course you may,” said the Pelican, and turned to Feng, “You may call him Rubeus. And I am Hydra, the Augmenting Mother.”
“Nice to meet you all, I’m sure,” said Feng, and then because Rubeus was smirking at him, he swallowed his fear, tilted his chin up, and added, “And who are you, big guy?” to the hooded figure.
“Hmmm,” rumbled the figure.
Something moved a few yards behind the voice and then Feng made out more motion above. He shivered as he realized it was all the same giant form rising up into the sky just beyond the light of the fire. Feng was suddenly filled with a burning need to stammer an apology, but stopped as a face loomed out of shadow. The long snout was dead white, the eyes above looked blind with pearly light, and over them two gilded horns curved gracefully.
“Yeah, he’s a big freakin’ dragon,” laughed Rubeus.
The dragon turned to Rubeus and snorted, whipping the red man's clothes about his burly body for an instant.
“Hey, it was a joke!” yelled Rubeus.
“I’m laughing on the inside,” said the dragon. He turned to Fowl Feng. “You may call me Chalydrus.”
Fowl Feng hesitated then dipped his head, not sure what to say. He had a sudden image of himself, racing across a plain, the sky above blackened with the shadow of giant wings. He shook his head and forced his hackles down, refusing to look afraid.
Introductions over, the dragon turned to Sophie and said, “Child, now that we are all here, tell us why we have come.”
Saturday, April 4, 2009
A Road Travelled, Anyway
[Click Dogs to see all installments of the Legend of Fowl Feng .]
FOWL FENG IS DEAD! KILLED BY RARELY THERE! LONG LIVE FOWL FENG!
Fowl Feng found himself surrounded by moonlight that faded after a moment until he could barely see. He was walking on a path, but he couldn’t tell where. He stopped and looked behind him. This was not his city. The dirt scar of a road just cut through darkness until it disappeared in the distance. He decided to keep going.
After a short time or a long time, the darkness opened up and he came to a campfire surrounded by a startling collection of individuals. Nearest to him was a man with red skin. You been sitting too close to the fire, thought Fowl Feng. The man chuckled. On the other side of the fire was a big bird of some kind. Feng had seen them at the beach. Not a gull.
“A pelican,” said the bird, and Fowl Feng realized something else was going on.
A third figure, off to one side said in a deep voice, “Come Fowl Feng. We’ve been waiting for you.”
Fowl Feng cringed and his fur stood straight up. He tried to see who was speaking, but the firelight didn’t seem to reach that far. Feng could only get a whiff of something metallic overlaid with the scent of decaying leaves.
He was about to run when a small child sitting next to the red man said, “It’s okay, Feng. You can sit next to me.”
The child had black skin and looked just like any other child, except that from her back two large, green wings arched over her head. She patted the ground next to her and Fowl Feng walked to her and lay down.
FOWL FENG IS DEAD! KILLED BY RARELY THERE! LONG LIVE FOWL FENG!
Fowl Feng found himself surrounded by moonlight that faded after a moment until he could barely see. He was walking on a path, but he couldn’t tell where. He stopped and looked behind him. This was not his city. The dirt scar of a road just cut through darkness until it disappeared in the distance. He decided to keep going.
After a short time or a long time, the darkness opened up and he came to a campfire surrounded by a startling collection of individuals. Nearest to him was a man with red skin. You been sitting too close to the fire, thought Fowl Feng. The man chuckled. On the other side of the fire was a big bird of some kind. Feng had seen them at the beach. Not a gull.
“A pelican,” said the bird, and Fowl Feng realized something else was going on.
A third figure, off to one side said in a deep voice, “Come Fowl Feng. We’ve been waiting for you.”
Fowl Feng cringed and his fur stood straight up. He tried to see who was speaking, but the firelight didn’t seem to reach that far. Feng could only get a whiff of something metallic overlaid with the scent of decaying leaves.
He was about to run when a small child sitting next to the red man said, “It’s okay, Feng. You can sit next to me.”
The child had black skin and looked just like any other child, except that from her back two large, green wings arched over her head. She patted the ground next to her and Fowl Feng walked to her and lay down.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Dog Fight 2
[Click Dogs to see all installments of the Legend of Fowl Feng .]
The two dogs fell upon each other all slaver jawed and writhing mass, each aiming for the throat and twisting out of reach at the same time. These were dogs whose ancestors had been bad ass alley monsters for generations. They got down to business.
“You’re some well-brushed monkey’s leash bait, you are!” yowled Fowl Feng.
“Your mother suckles cats!” snarled Rarely There.
What had been red-hot rage turned brilliant white as both dogs found purchase. But Rarely There’s was just that much closer to the vein. He turned his head to stare into Fowl Feng’s yellow eyes as he let his rage clamp down. The alley turned silent as the life left Fowl Feng. The beaming eyes dimmed and faded, and he fell to the alley floor.
Rarely There stood over Fowl Feng in triumph. He felt the blood of his ancestors rising up through his paws. It was good to be victorious.
He looked up to realize the day had passed. He hadn’t thought that any dog could fight a whole day! This had been a glorious battle. He would find his pack and tell them of the death of Fowl Feng of the Yellow Eye. He would tell how he had fought an entire day to rid the city of… He looked down at Feng’s lifeless body. Rather small, really. And it looked like he hadn’t eaten in a while. Well, that just made him "Feng the Ravenous," didn't it? And Rarely There was pretty sure he had heard that Fowl Feng killed puppies. Yes, he knew it was true. So he had killed, no, he had destroyed the Puppy Killer, the ravenous Puppy Killer. Yes. They had fought the entire day, and Rarely There had prevailed!
He turned to leave the alley and found the Moon, full and round, rising up over the distant mountains. She was singing.
“So many dogs,” she sang. “So many alleys, dark and fowl. My children, my children.”
Rarely There listened to the song, at once so sad and sweet. It pushed all other thoughts from him and he sat down and howled. The Moon sang with him.
“So many ways, so many songs.” And the song changed. It became a lilting, traipsing song, a song that made the roads stretch toward the mountains.
Rarely There jumped up and ran from the alley.
The two dogs fell upon each other all slaver jawed and writhing mass, each aiming for the throat and twisting out of reach at the same time. These were dogs whose ancestors had been bad ass alley monsters for generations. They got down to business.
“You’re some well-brushed monkey’s leash bait, you are!” yowled Fowl Feng.
“Your mother suckles cats!” snarled Rarely There.
What had been red-hot rage turned brilliant white as both dogs found purchase. But Rarely There’s was just that much closer to the vein. He turned his head to stare into Fowl Feng’s yellow eyes as he let his rage clamp down. The alley turned silent as the life left Fowl Feng. The beaming eyes dimmed and faded, and he fell to the alley floor.
Rarely There stood over Fowl Feng in triumph. He felt the blood of his ancestors rising up through his paws. It was good to be victorious.
He looked up to realize the day had passed. He hadn’t thought that any dog could fight a whole day! This had been a glorious battle. He would find his pack and tell them of the death of Fowl Feng of the Yellow Eye. He would tell how he had fought an entire day to rid the city of… He looked down at Feng’s lifeless body. Rather small, really. And it looked like he hadn’t eaten in a while. Well, that just made him "Feng the Ravenous," didn't it? And Rarely There was pretty sure he had heard that Fowl Feng killed puppies. Yes, he knew it was true. So he had killed, no, he had destroyed the Puppy Killer, the ravenous Puppy Killer. Yes. They had fought the entire day, and Rarely There had prevailed!
He turned to leave the alley and found the Moon, full and round, rising up over the distant mountains. She was singing.
“So many dogs,” she sang. “So many alleys, dark and fowl. My children, my children.”
Rarely There listened to the song, at once so sad and sweet. It pushed all other thoughts from him and he sat down and howled. The Moon sang with him.
“So many ways, so many songs.” And the song changed. It became a lilting, traipsing song, a song that made the roads stretch toward the mountains.
Rarely There jumped up and ran from the alley.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Dog Fight
[Click Dogs to see all installments of the Legend of Fowl Feng .]
On the day that Fowl Feng faced Rarely There in battle, the morning sun came in on blazing clouds, hustling the stars out of the sky to look upon the great booming day. Fowl Feng took one look at Rarely There's mangy coat of piebald wire and hated the dog deep down in his empty belly. Rarely There returned the favor, immediately harboring a deep disgust for Fowl's wild yellow wolf eyes. The two squared off. The city around them would have hushed in anticipation, but it had two car chases, a wedding, an apartment fire, and an indie-rock concert to contend with. As the adversaries circled each other, a current built up between them, raising their fur and making their jaws ache and slaver. In the sky, a bird banked sharply to the south like a flag being dropped. Both dogs fell upon the other.
On the day that Fowl Feng faced Rarely There in battle, the morning sun came in on blazing clouds, hustling the stars out of the sky to look upon the great booming day. Fowl Feng took one look at Rarely There's mangy coat of piebald wire and hated the dog deep down in his empty belly. Rarely There returned the favor, immediately harboring a deep disgust for Fowl's wild yellow wolf eyes. The two squared off. The city around them would have hushed in anticipation, but it had two car chases, a wedding, an apartment fire, and an indie-rock concert to contend with. As the adversaries circled each other, a current built up between them, raising their fur and making their jaws ache and slaver. In the sky, a bird banked sharply to the south like a flag being dropped. Both dogs fell upon the other.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
First Matters
Dogs fighting to the death in laboratory beakers. Green, drooling lions swallowing the Sun. A peacock standing on a two-headed hermaphrodite.
In the Western Mystery Traditions, Alchemy is just plain weird. Sure it’s got dead women having sex with giant snakes, but can Alchemy really speak to modern people?
Of all of the various practices and philosophies that make up the spiritual apparatus in the West, from Qabalah and Christian Mysticism to Wicca and the various Reconstructivist movements, Alchemy gives us a process, a practical guide to the direct experience of the universal reality underpinning all mysteries. It is the Western version of Tantra, Taoism and Ayerveda. And it just may involve having sex with giant snakes.
You never know.
In the Western Mystery Traditions, Alchemy is just plain weird. Sure it’s got dead women having sex with giant snakes, but can Alchemy really speak to modern people?
Of all of the various practices and philosophies that make up the spiritual apparatus in the West, from Qabalah and Christian Mysticism to Wicca and the various Reconstructivist movements, Alchemy gives us a process, a practical guide to the direct experience of the universal reality underpinning all mysteries. It is the Western version of Tantra, Taoism and Ayerveda. And it just may involve having sex with giant snakes.
You never know.
