Now it was so that the Hermit was seen to roam the lands, never staying in one place and never needing to, always moving on to other environs. Sometimes he was spotted with the Enchanted Deer, other times he was by himself, but always was he open and willing to talk and show people the way of the world now the veil had lifted.
Fairy paradise used to be locked behind a gate, now it is all around, he said.
How so? Asked the people.
How? It simply is. How do you speak the words in your mind aloud? You simply do.
How are we supposed to simply do?
Now that is the thing I will help you with. This can only be done through two ways only, through inspiration from stillness, or from being shown. I can do both with you.
Please show us. Please show us!
Well then let’s find a suitable place.
If you can work fairy magic now the veil is lifted, can you not make the place itself suitable?
The Hermit laughed.
I see some of you already know the extent of what it is you all are capable of now! Very well, instead of moving to a suitable place, I shall make the place where we stand suitable. Behold!
The Hermit stretched his hands out to the ground on which they were standing and from all about them, fairies of all sizes started to stream past him over his arms and through is fingers towards the ground where they disappeared and made it into a beautiful marble square with many mosaics inlaid. And the ground itself lifted higher with trees and flowers sprouting from beautiful gardens among giant pillars growing just as fast as the oak trees until they all stood on a beautiful staired terrace, shining and shimmering in the brilliant sunlight.
Unbelievable! So said the people.
Now you have seen, do! Said the Hermit, smiling.
The townfolk started to spread their hands out to the ground.
I would suggest, so said the Hermit, to try it on virgin ground, as I had done. Please spread out and try.
And so the people spread out and started to create their own mosaics, their own splendorous gardens and their own giant columns, whatever they were most impressed with that they had seen the Hermit do.
And remember, you needn’t make exactly the same as I did. The fairies know best how to create what you want when you mean it from your own heart.
Well in that case, said one of the people, I don’t see any reason - seeing that the veil has lifted and all - I don’t see any reason to…
The man hesitated. His wife nudged him, since the Hermit was still listening to what he wanted to say.
Well, the reason I said what I said was because all I haven’t had enough of my whole entire life and had been trying and trying to get, and now you come and tell us…
And show us, added his wife, afraid her husband would say anything humiliating among their friends and family.
Yes, indeed, my love, even showed us… Well, there would be no reason at all, on the contrary, there would be all reason to - seeing as we’ve struggled so as a family…
But we have always made the best of our time as well we could, added the wife again.
Yes exactly - and as ever so grateful for your support and good humor always, my love - there would be every reason to simply… make coins, wouldn’t there?
Grave silence.
Make coin? Asked the people. Is that… allowed?
Others said: make coin, instead of earn it?
There ensued a whole ruckus, yet the Hermit did not answer. He waited patiently.
What say you, Hermit? Asked the people.
Well, first answer me this, kind sir. What is it you would use the coin for?
First of all - as well we all know - we need coin just to get by.
What does that mean, kind sir?
We need to buy food, for example, so we can eat when we are hungry. This you surely know, Hermit, you jest, don’t you.
The reason I ask, my friend, is this: why would you not instead of making the coin, just make the food?
You can make food appear out of thin air, just like that?
You can. Just like in fairy paradise.
But then, how is the fisherman supposed to get paid for his fish? We always buy fish from him. If we all just conjure up fish out of thin air, then how would the fisherman earn his coin?
Indeed! Yelled the fisherman.
Well, he could make his own coin, just like us, couldn’t he? Said the husband.
But the Hermit already interjected.
I ask you this, fisherman, what do you need the coin for?
Well, to repair my boat, first of all. I also need to buy materials to make a bigger net, so as to catch more fish.
Why do you need to catch more fish?
So that I can make more coin…
You need a bigger boat and more fishnets to earn more coin, to what end exactly?
Well, interjected the Fisherman’s wife, we have many repairs that need to be done to our old house, don’t we?
We most certainly do, said the Fisherman, proud.
What you are saying it that you need people to keep paying you coins, so that you can repair your boat and buy a bigger fishing net to earn even more coin by catching more fish and you need to take all these steps and to all those things because all you want is to create a cosy and loving home.
I… stuttered the Fisherman.
That’s right, said the Fisherman’s wife.
The Hermit then said. Why don’t you skip all those steps and just create that home?
The Fisherman and his wife simply stared at one another.
Well then, whatever is coin good for then, if we can get everything we want with fairy magic?
I haven’t the slightest idea, said the Hermit.
If there’s no use in fishing, why would I still call myself a fisherman.
There is absolutely no reason to stop doing what you love, Fisherman.
The people started talking busily amongst themselves.
At the same time, said the Hermit, now the veil has lifted, there is absolutely every reason to stop doing what does not fill you with love.
Will you not go and explore the wonders of this land now that whales fly and there are waterfalls that pour their magnificent water up into the the cities in the sky that shine down their sparkle as an invitation?
And yet even knowing that all that is true, here is the true frontier, the ultimate exploration you can make: to find the limits of what it is you can create out of doing what you love unrestricted!
Some cheered, others remained silent and then some other rascals asked while giggling naughtily: and what with the things we create unrestricted from what we don’t love?
The Hermit laughed as he threw his cape back over his shoulders and grabbed his walking stick.
Aren’t you tired of that?
Copyright © Clark Gillian Van Herrewege on April 27th 2023
