New Gods

By G. W. Thomas

"To talk of the Old Gods is to invite destruction. None of you would leave this inn alive. Nor would I."

"Is there nothing you can tell us?" wondered one fellow.

"I can tell you of the new gods--or rather how a new god is born. Would that satisfy your curiosity?"

The men all nodded yes, for the Rainbow Man was infinitely wise, some said ageless.

"If you you will forgive a parable, I think I can explain best with a story..."

A man climbed the mountain to see a girl and her god. The girl was about eight years old, raven-haired and sun-tanned brown. The god was a carved log about a foot long.

"Is this your god?" the man asked.

"Yes, this is Venn, the love god, the bringer of sunshine to the day and sweet rain to the night," the girl answered.

"I want your god," declared the man. "I have been searching all my life for a god."

"You can not have my god."

"Give him to me or I will kill you."

"Take Venn. It is not worth dying for. I can always make another."

The man took the idol and returned to his village below the mountain. Once home, he set up a shrine and placed Venn in it. People asked the man who this god was.

"This is Venn, the love god, the bringer of sunshine to the day and sweet rain to the night," he answered.

The villagers nodded without interest. They all had their own gods and goddesses to worship. No one but the man came to worship at Venn's feet or to give alms at the shrine. The man grew very angry. The next villager to pass him was assaulted with blows about the head with the wooden god.

"Venn is not a god of love or sweet rain," the villagers cried. "He is a god of hate and greed. Take him away."

The man picked up the god and left the village. He returned to the mountain and the girl. He threw the idol at her feet. "Here is your god back. Venn is not a god of love but a despoiler of crops and a tyrant over men."

The girl took up the fallen idol, placing it beside another she had made.

"Venn is the god of every man's heart. Scorn not the idol, for his vices are your vices. Every man must be his own god, for are we not our own sternest judges? If Venn is evil, then you are not worthy of his presence."

Seeing the girl was right, the man threw himself before the shrine and begged a forgiving reply, but none came.

"You will never learn."

"What does the story mean?" asked one of the drinkers. A round of "Aye" went up.

"If you don't know, you'll never learn it from me," answered the wizard, finishing his drink.

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