Historical setting: 588 C.E. The vineyards of Ezra
Colleta is reciting rumors of the war so I won’t refute these details with actual fact. “We’ve heard you encountered a dragon. And we’ve heard that my son-in-law Bertigan nearly suffered death. And that my own son Daniel was the dragon slayer.”
“Are you asking me if the rumors are true?”
“I know what is true. My son is a hero. I knew that before he ever went into battle; but now everyone knows it. He’s been courting the daughter of a wealthy and literate aristocrat in Tours. Daniel, tall and handsome, intelligent and wise only needed the credential of war hero to be granted the hand of that maiden.”
“Are you asking me if the rumor is true?”
“I’m telling you that what matters is that it is believable. And I’m telling you dare not challenge that it is said that Daniel is a hero.”
I mean to change the subject. “Do you know, Colleta, what is the substance of dragons?”
“’Substance’ you ask. I know of substance as that which is the same in the Father and the Son, God and Christ.”
“Yes, Colleta, I thought you might know that. And so a dragon is of the substance of metaphorical beast. It breathes, not the breath of God but the breath of evil. The substance of a dragon is fear and lies, and the hurtful hates invented from rumor and skewed values. Didn’t you wonder why we didn’t bring back the meat of this monster or at least the head to parade on a pole?”
“For a moment I wondered what became of the carcass. But more important is that Daniel is a hero.”
“I don’t deny Daniel is a hero. I’ve always known him to be kind and honest and true. And even in my world of metaphor, that kind of hero conquers dragons. But what slays a dragon isn’t more lies and rancid rumor. The Ephesians knew Christian heroes are outfitted in metaphor – ‘the belt of truth the breastplate of righteousness and the sword in the Word.’ [Ephesians 6:10-18] Daniel is that kind of hero.
Colleta begs, “Whatever. I’m asking you, Papa Lazarus, please say nothing about the missing carcass of the dragon. Maybe in all the celebration of victory there will be no thought at all that there is no dead dragon.”
She continues, “And you should also know what we all know really happened with Bert away at the war.”
(Continues tomorrow)
Lazarus Ink 