The Moon Worshippers (27 page)

“That has happened in Italy. How are your cities guarded against this happening?” asked Isaac.

“They have democratically elected assembles, the Iberians call them ‘juntas.’ Great care is taken that they are secured by honest elections and it is the same with our military structure. If we are threatened and have to go to war, captains are elected. Once the war is over, they revert to common men; thereby ensuring that no one has an army with which to subjugate others and thus our freedoms and rights are protected.”

“Many in the world would find your ideas and way of life dangerous to them, especially the great noble families of Europe.” Isaac reflected. “How did these ideals come about?”

“Through our family structure,” Inaki replied simply. “You see the law of primogeniture is of great importance to the Basque people and the permanence of the family structure. This brings us nicely back to towns and cities. Freedom and families need space and air in which to flourish. This is reflected in the appearance of our homesteads, which differ markedly from town houses. The typical Basque house is built on a site that includes a vegetable garden, vineyard, pasture and woodland. It has space, an air of dignity and stability. You can’t get that in a city or town.”

“Fine, but what about defence? You know that we live in a world of constant war and invasion. Your towns, cities and people are few.

Your homesteads are so spread out that you can be picked off like flies!” Isaac replied, with a wicked grin.

Inaki smiled. “You would think so, but you are wrong. We have several advantages that our enemies have not. Because we are so spread out, there is no centre to attack. There are few cities you can lay siege to and no large army to engage in battle and defeat. Warnings of incoming peril are longer and then we have our beloved mountains to shelter and protect us.” Inaki stopped and thought for a moment.

“Have you ever seen a shoal of small fish attacked by a large fish, or partridges attacked by a hawk when they come to a pool of water to drink, Isaac?”

“Of course I have, but what is the meaning?”

“Well,” said Inaki thoughtfully, choosing his words carefully, “the meaning is this. We are like the little fish or birds. The hawk thinks he has a large target to hit, but cannot focus on one amongst so many. As they scatter he invariably misses, because he is confused and chases too many at once, instead of focusing on one only. When a stronger force attacks us we scatter into the mountains. The larger invaders are forced to break into smaller armies to follow us. There are places up there where a handful of men can hold off an army. If they follow us, we lead them higher into the mountains, to places were only goats and Basques can go, and then when they are exhausted and lost, we descend upon our enemies and destroy them, like wolves descending on a flock of sheep. In this way we have withstood the Romans, Visigoths, Moors and now Charlemagne.”

“The way you dealt with Charlemagne was a little different for the rest, was it not Inaki?”

“The principle was the same. Hold the heights. Hit him hard. And use the element of surprise. Then withdraw quickly.”

“How did you learn to fight like that?”

Inaki laughed. “It’s in our blood. From father to son and through games and dancing. In particular, a very strenuous game called Jai Alai. Now tell me Isaac, how is it that a Jew manages to live amongst the Moors with impunity?”

Now it was Isaac’s turn to laugh.

“By being useful to them. We lend them money, provide medicine and knowledge. In return we keep our religious beliefs and live under their protection. It’s a form of symbiosis.”

“What sort of knowledge do you have that is so useful to the Moor, Isaac?” Inaki asked.

“Well we, the Jews, are a much travelled people and have learnt much from other people. We are great collectors of books. The best way to explain it is if I give you and example.”

“Go on then,” Inaki said.

“Take your dog. Did you know that there are people who think that such dogs are sent by Gods to guide the spirits to their resting places?” Isaac asked.

“No,” Inaki said.

“Have you heard of the Norsemen?” Isaac asked.

“Yes, our brothers in Aquitaine, report that they are raiders who attack from the sea. That they are fearsome and come from lands somewhere in the North Sea,” Inaki replied.

“Well, they believe that black dogs are not only man’s close companions, but also provide a close very specific spiritual guardianship. The Greeks believed that the Goddess Hecate was a black dog, who watched the entrance to Hades, but I digress. The Norsemen have a hunting song that goes:

Behold, sitting beside Odin

Black as the night

Who goes pointing the path?

And blazing the trail

Marking the sides of the path

Straightening planks over swamps

He slashes a trail upon the slopes

That this fool may feel the way

This utter stranger may know!

That the black dog has led him home.

“The dog is showing the pathway to the Gods. So, you see Inaki, to some people your dog appears in their religious beliefs and is to be revered,” Isaac said.

“He’s certainly been revered by some people I know,” Inaki said laughing. “But the only guiding he has done is to show me the way home at night when I have been too drunk to find it myself!”

“I think you do him an injustice. There is more to your relationship with that dog that you care to speak of, but it is late and I must rest my old bones. One thing more before I retire. The men of Aquitania will call for you. It will be your awakening to some great deed that you must perform and the raising of a Basque nation.”

Without another word he wished Inaki ‘goodnight’ and retired.

That night, as he prepared to go to bed, he told Olatz what Isaac had said about Storm. As she placed her clothes on the chest by their bed she listened and then turned.

“Inaki, why has he stayed with us so long? Do you not find it strange?”

“No, why do you ask?”

“I don’t trust him, Inaki. He wants something for us. He has stayed for a purpose.”

“For what purpose, Olatz. Do you think he is a spy?” Inaki was clearly angry.

“I don’t know,” she said firmly. “All I know is that there is a reason for him to be here and you had better be careful!”

Inaki did not utter another word. He never argued with Olatz. She was right too many times. But her words troubled him, as had Isaac’s last words and he didn’t get much sleep that night. Early the next day he went to Patxi.

“Do you think Isaac is a spy?” he said, as he marched into Patxi’s house.

“Well good morning to you, my young bear!” said Patxi, a little taken aback by Inaki’s entrance. “Why do you ask?”

Inaki spent ten minutes explaining the conversation that had taken place the previous day between himself and Isaac and what Olatz had said. Patxi thought for a moment. “A woman’s intuition is not to be ignored, especially not Olatz’s. However, if it’s any consolation, he has told me that he is leaving in a few days.”

“Then that’s all right,” said a relieved Inaki.

“No it’s not,” Patxi said firmly. “If he is a spy, we need to find out. You say he asked to join us in the ritual?”

“Yes.”

“Then we will grant his request.”

“But that could kill him, Patxi.”

“If he is a spy, it will, but if not you and I will safely bring him back. Now go and get him. I need to ask some questions of him.”

Some time later, Inaki returned with Isaac. Patxi very courteously welcomed him into his house. When the formalities were over Patxi began; “I understand that you wish to join us in our rituals?”

“Yes,” replied Isaac. “You would do me a great honour, which I know I don’t deserve.”

“What do you know of our rituals and our Gods?”

“Correct me if I am wrong, but you believe that all things have potency. Your Gods represent those things that have the most powerful potency. Like the Sun, Moon and Earth. I am sorry, but I don’t know all your Gods.”

“That is not important for the moment, please continue.”

“You have a way of drawing potency out of things, have you not? You can harness this latent power and use it. You have a particular mushroom?”

Inaki was dumbstruck. The old Jew knew far more than he had ever realised. For a long time Patxi said nothing. Finally he spoke.

“You have obviously studied our pagan beliefs and come with an opened mind. That is rare in this day and age. You are partly right in what you have said but in other ways you are totally wrong.”

“I would be grateful if a great Nagusi such as you would enlighten me,” replied the Jew.

“No,” said Patxi. “Inaki will do that over the next twenty-one days. On the fortieth day there will be a full moon and then you will enter into the ritual.”

“Good,” said Isaac, and as an after thought added: “Sirius will be in all his glory. Now if you will excuse me?” He bowed and left.

“Sirius, who the hell is Sirius?” asked Inaki.

“The Dog Star,” Patxi replied.

Chapter Nineteen

The Book of Zohar

For twenty-one days Inaki tutored the Jew. He started by explaining that they believed everything had a latent potency: rocks, mountains, plants, animals, planets and people. Some were in greater measure than others, but all were as important as each other. This potency could be extracted and was used for many things. Tiny extracts from plants would be diluted many times and could be used to heal or ward off evil spirits. To move in a supernatural world, one had to become a part of a more powerful potency. In many cases this involved one of their Gods, but not in all. He explained that this was part of their sacred ritual and men were chosen by one of their Gods or a sacred object with great potency. He gave two examples to illustrate his point. He explained how the great God of the Sea had chosen him. That God was the Octopus, and that the Sacred Oak had chosen Patxi. Travelling in the supernatural world enabled them to locate their enemies, fend off evil and in some rare cases foretell the future.

As had happened before, the Jew asked endless questions and Inaki was quite exhausted at the end of the day. However, he learnt as much as he gave and on one occasion far more than he bargained. They had been talking about the importance of the planets, when suddenly Isaac became very excited and started talking rapidly. It appeared he had a Holy Book in which it was revealed that his God acted through the cosmos. He believed that a cosmic catastrophe had occurred when his God had created the world and that vessels of divine light, which He had used in the creation, had accidentally been shattered. As the divine light had shattered, sparks had been imprisoned in our world by evil forces. Isaac believed that this accounted for the potency that Inaki was able to release and that it was man’s task to gather the larger sparks together and return them to God. He believed that when men do this, they are rewarded by a place at God’s side by climbing a divine ladder. He quoted the Old Testament to Inaki.

“And he dreamed, and behold he saw a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to Heaven: and he beheld the angels of God ascending and descending on it.”

Inaki looked into the soft, grey eyes of Isaac and he knew. This man was seeking through their rituals to gain the knowledge of where the divine light was imprisoned. If he found them, he would be shown this divine ladder and would achieve his reunification with his God. The thought occurred to him that Isaac could be totally mad. He was certain of one thing now: Isaac was not a spy. He looked at the man kindly and spoke in a soft voice.

“Isaac, are you absolutely certain that you want to take the risks involved in the ritual? There is a very real possibility that you will die. The other risk is that you will aimlessly wander the spirit world for all eternity.”

“Have no fear, Inaki. I know what I am doing.”

“Very well, Isaac. Be it on your head. But know this: what you seek is all around you.”

“I know, Inaki. That much you have taught me, but where are the greatest spiritual forces to be found?”

“One of the places is in Gorbea, that mountain in the far distance, behind you.”

“I will go there and pray to God.”

*

Isaac left, returning on the twenty second day after he had ascended the mountain. When he returned, they prepared for the ritual the following evening. The three men entered the conical stone hut that was used by Patxi and Inaki for their rituals. It was twenty paces in circumference and round in shape and a fire had been prepared at its centre. Around the fire was a circle of sacred stones and within the circle the men sat down. Patxi lit the fire. Inaki and Patxi sat together with Storm on the left. Across from the two men, Isaac prepared himself. He placed a shawl about his head and opened a scroll of parchment, written in Hebrew. This he set before him.

Patxi spoke. “Before the fire goes out and before the night’s end, we must complete the ritual. Do you understand Isaac?”

“Yes.”

“Then begin your meditation and when you are ready our spirits will join yours and together we will move outside our earthly bodies.”