The Tale of the Shining Tower
(A Confusing Confession . . .)
Once upon a time, a very long time ago,
a writer sat down to write a story. He was very careful about his choice of words because there were many Watchers who would destroy his story (and probably him, too) if they did not like it. So he hid the true meaning of the story in a simple fable, knowing that if his story survived throughout the ages, the right people would hear his words and piece together the clues.
And it went like this: A group of gifted people decided to build themselves a shining new city with beautiful buildings, comfortable living quarters, and scenic views. They were a fair and goodly people, who were educated and shared the same vision, and the more they worked together, the more they had in common and enjoyed one another’s company. After all, they had been living together for millennia. It was wonderful to have the same common goal, that of a beautiful city admired by all.
One day while in laughter and conversation
talking about the great feats they would accomplish, they came up with an idea to build a huge tower in the center of the city. This would be no ordinary tower, though. It would be the greatest tower ever, grand with spires and balconies and the finest artwork in the land both inside and out. The idea took off like wildfire! And because they were all a similar people of similar mind, they immediately agreed on the plan and set to work.
Just as they had envisioned,
a beautiful tower began to emerge. It was breathtaking—even more beautiful than they’d hoped! Everyone in the city loved it and visited it daily. They spared no expense—paintings by the greatest masters, exquisite sculptures with impossibly tiny details, stained glass windows etched with classical scenes, imposing gargoyles amid the lofty spires . . . It was a tower like no other.
Because they loved their tower so much, they just kept building and building it, always thinking of something new and beautiful to add, always going just a little higher. As time went on, the tower became so monumental, it began to approach the clouds, and still the people wanted to continue to build it and add to it because they loved it (and each other) so much.
Of course, an object this beautiful and unique
is bound to attract attention, both good and bad, and that is exactly what happened. Word went out far and wide about this wonderful city filled with happy people, wealth, camaraderie, and most especially, the mesmerizing, breathtaking tower that reached up to the heavens. Soon a group of dark-hearted people heard about the beautiful tower, and they knew they could never create something nearly as beautiful themselves. That enraged them, and they decided to destroy this beautiful and shining people with their beautiful city and stunning tower.
Now, you will recall that I told you
the writer of this story was a careful writer. He was careful because he had to be. You see, he lived in a time where dark-hearted Watchers examined everyone’s actions and motives carefully, being sure to weed out anyone who exposed them for their parasitic nature, as they liked to exist very low-key and in the shadows. The Watchers were an evil people bent solely on their own success and the enslavement of everyone else around them, and the writer had to be extra careful in his choice of words about the beautiful tower.
So our writer came up with a clever idea. In the story, the people of the beautiful city had a wonderful god they worshipped and lived with. This god was their patron and creator, and they sang his praises night and day. So the writer decided he would cleverly twist this idea, and he introduced a mean and petty god into the story. He knew that those with understanding would know the difference between the benevolent, gracious god and the cruel, petty god. He knew that those with ears to hear would know that the writer was not really talking about a mean and petty god but instead a mean and petty people who believed themselves to be gods.
And so, in the story, the cruel god disguised himself
as the kind god and came to see what the commotion was all about. He wanted to see the beautiful city and the amazing tower for himself, and when he did, he was filled with an unbelievable fury, rage, and jealousy. He was so angry! He felt that the people had something far better than anything he could ever have, and in his darkness he decided he would not only destroy the tower, but the city and the people as well.
So he came up with a diabolical idea
to destroy everything but to do it in a way where the people would never know it was him. You see, when they were conquered, he wanted the townspeople to think it was all their own fault, that they had caused their own destruction. He wanted them to think that their beloved city had been ruined by their own devices. He wanted them to blame one another and not realize that he was the true purveyor of evil.
And here is what that petty god did: He cast a spell, a small spell, a spell so tiny you might think it was nothing at all. But this spell caused the people to start to talk in different ways. Whereas before, they always sat together and talked of great legends and ancestral stories, now they began to separate into groups. Their talk became babbling and strange until one group couldn’t understand the next. They began to actually speak in multiple, different languages.
Of course, because they were unable to communicate,
their work was halted. How could you ask someone to hand you a hammer if they had no idea what a “hammer” was? It all sounded like babbling nonsense. This went on for a while, and the frustration grew terribly until each group became very angry with the other groups. Soon they began fighting outright, throwing things at one another and hurling terrible, lying insults.
Eventually, the fighting grew so fierce that they began to dismantle their own city and throw it at one another, laughing at the outrage it caused. And the tower—the lovely, beautiful tower that reached for the heavens—they dismantled it with glee, piece by piece, until it crumbled to the ground. Then each group grabbed its possessions and left the once-shining and beautiful city. They headed in 12 different directions, never to talk to one another again.
Then the petty, jealous god,
who had caused all of this awfulness and destruction, sat back and laughed at the people. He prided himself on his cleverness, telling himself that he was still the greatest being and that no one would ever discover what he had done or would think again of building a tower that went straight to the heavens.
And so . . . in this story within a story, as I sit with the Watchers all around me and with chains on my hands and shackles on my feet . . . I will echo the ancient writer in the care of my written words. I will tell you that once upon a time, there was a great and beautiful city filled with kind and giving people who built a tower that approached the heavens in its freedom and grace. I will tell you that an evil people who have always lurked in the shadows came and distorted the thoughts and words and desires of this fair people so terribly, that soon the tower fell because the people fought relentlessly amongst themselves. In the background, the wealthy and greedy Watchers rubbed their hands together with glee. He with ears, let him hear.
If you liked this story, check out my book “Fairy Tales of Maine” for 37 unique stories that can be read and interpreted on many levels.
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Reminds me of today
Very clever writer!