Tales Of Dead

Hymes Of Shadow

"Beloved sister" read Oliver " received your letter reads.." He was being interrupted by Rebecca.
"These are meant for Lady Maria to read so we have no right to read it. Skip this part and start the story."
"Sure!" He replied shortly, skipping the greeting part he started the story " I have been to Czarina last month and a lady told me a tale and it was 'magical'." Oliver paused a little then starting with the real content of the story he said, holding letter with both hands.
"A long time have passed now, since the villagers last heard the mystical panpipe used to play at night for the sake of the good sleep of civilians. 
       There was a bridge (still there) connecting the village with the highway of the city but no one dared to cross it. There was a common superstition about that bridge that if anybody tried to lay a foot on it, it would destroy everything in that person's possession. The bridge was considered as the symbol of misfortune but someone, one day lifted that misfortune.
One night villagers heard the enchantingly melodious tune of panpipe. Dominated by the feeling of curiosity, men went out and women peeped out of the windows. They saw a a very unusual sight, a person was playing panpipe, standing on the middle of the bridge. The person was neither an elderly man or woman nor of a child but a young boy.
"Someone drag him back!" Cried a woman.
People shouted "Come back! Come back!"
But he kept playing panpipe as If those voices were inaudible to him. His back was towards the villagers and his front facing the other end of bridge so even on the night of full moon, villagers couldn't see his face. All they saw was a silhouette.
Seeing him not moving an inch people started going back to their houses. The piety of night which laid in silence was restored. The boy stayed there whole night playing panpipe.
Next morning every villager was talking about that boy who was not there anymore. As the time passed people got used to of the sound and boy. That silhouette only helped them sleep soundly but it developed the belief that the boy is a God of panpipe and he showed up in their village to lift the curse of bridge. Now villagers tend to cross the bridge bravely keeping His blessing in mind.
      The village was now more prosperous for now there was export and import system. People were happy and were giving all the credits to celestial boy, who has brought them fortune and wealth so, they built a whole temple over the hill to show their gratitude by worshiping Him.
        One day the village shepherd was running here and there, asking people if they had seen his boy, his herd was running in wild but the shepherd did not care at all. That day many villagers complained about their animals went missing but he kept on saying the same thing.
"I have lost my dearest sheep, have you seen him?" With a blank stare each time, he said.
People started to ignore him, they thought he had gone mad.
        That boy of shepherd was indeed very sweet but he was little rebellious in nature so the elders, with their Orthodox beliefs were never really pleased by him so they kept telling his father that he had left the village and never shall he come back but the father said
"No! He would not. Why he would? He promised that he will make everyone's life better that he will make this village a better place. I know he is man of his words he would never break his promise unless.... No!No!"
          Days passed, seasons changed but since then nobody heard the panpipe again neither they saw the silhouette again. They were anxious at first but then the thought that "Celestial boy" never bothered them. The temple was now deserted. Faith tends to get weaker when there is no answer or symbol to keep it alive.
        Exactly after two years, when the shepherd came screaming in joy that his lost boy was found. He was out of breathe. Some villagers asked him where his boy is. He told them to follow him so they went all the way down the valley. They could see the bridge above their heads. They were all walking even when walking there was not that easy and all thanks to those rocks in their way. But they followed the old man until he stopped he pointed his finger towards what laid behind the big rock, his eyes sparkled with joy as he spoke.
"It has been two years! Ever wondered why the panpipe boy never showed back then?'"
"We should not have followed you! you are just a miserable man whose boy had ran away."
"No! He never did! Here he is." Old shepherd grabbed the person's hand and drag him to rock where he was pointing, with a shriek the man stepped back, eyes and mouth wide open. He could not take his eyes off the object. Out of curiosity, others also stepped forward and their eyes met with an unexpected sight.
"It rained that night, he might have slipped." The shepherd smiled. Every person there could see the "corpse" of shepherd's boy and it was as fresh as if it was yesterday when he died.
    On his gravestone they carved some lines in his praise it says,
"In praise of 'shadow' who lifted the misfortune of narrow insight from us."
"Rest in peace 'God of panpipe'."
This is the story but who died in the end actually? The boy the misfortune or the Orthodox beliefs?" Oliver took a deep breathe when he complete reading the story and read the last part" send my regards to Oliver and Rebecca. Good night."
"Regards received" Rebecca spoke.
"That's it! Now we have to wait for the next story until next month.". Oliver folded the letter and put in envelope, stood up and put it in the drawer where there were many more like this.