Stephen Lawhead - Taliesin

Taliesin considered this. “As you know,” he said, “I have met the True God-in the Qtherworld.” He noted Collen’s grimace at the words and said, “Does this alarm you?”

“To be sure,” allowed Dafyd, “it is not the usual way in which our God reveals himself to men. But,” he added with a generous wave of his hand, “you are not at all the usual sort of man. Our Lord makes himself known however he will, to whoever he will, in whatever manner serves his purpose.” Dafyd paused and smiled. “We tend to forget that we are his servants and not the other way around. It is not the servant’s place to rebuke the master. If nothing prevents you, tell me about this revelation. I should like to hear it.”

“Nothing prevents me,” replied Taliesin, “and I tell it gladly.” He began to describe the Otherworld and the fog that he encountered while trying to discern the future for his people. “The fog grew thick and I became lost. He came to me in the form of an Ancient One in a shining raiment. He met me there and revealed himself to me… showed me the secrets of the ages…” Taliesin fell silent, reliving the wonder of it.

Dafyd did not intrude and in a little while Taliesin continued. “For many days thereafter I could not eat or speak. My mind was filled with the glory of what I had seen and heard, but I could not express it. That is why when I saw you, I cried out-my tongue was suddenly loosed and I spoke the words that had been burning in my heart.”

“Your words were a hymn, Taliesin,” replied Dafyd. “I will remember it always.”

“It is-um, fortunate,” offered Collen, “for you to meet us. Who else would have known what you said?”

“Fortunate indeed. Providential!” said Dafyd. “But you are a druid, Taliesin, and honor many gods among your people. How is it that you should renounce all others and choose to follow this God?”

“It was at his command. But even so, among our people a man is free to follow whatever god he will-sometimes one, sometimes another, or none at all-depending on his fortunes. We know many gods and not a few goddesses and worship all alike. There is even one that has no name but is known only as the Good God.

“Among the learned, however, it is Believed that all gods are aspects of the same god; so a druid may worship any god acceptable to his people and know in is own heart that to worship one is to worship all.”

“I still do not understand how you knew it was the True God who called you.”

Taliesin smiled expansively. “That is no mystery. Truth is alive, is it not? All my life I have sought the truth of things; how then should I not recognize it when it was revealed to me?

“Besides, it was not the first time I had met him,” continued Taliesin. “Once before, when I was a boy visiting the Otherworld for the first time, he appeared to me and told me that he would be my guide and teach me what to say. But I did not see him again until we came to this place.”

“And here he revealed who he was?”

“Yes. But he would not allow me to speak of what I had seen. He sealed my speech until I saw you. He told me again that he would teach me what to say.” Taliesin leaned forward and touched Dafyd on the arm. “Now, I have been pondering this and I Believe it means that you are to be the instrument through which this teaching is accomplished.”

Dafyd pushed the notion aside with his hands. “You honor me, Lord Taliesin. It is more fitting for me to sit at your feet and receive instruction from you. Certainly a man who has spoken with the Christ face to face has much to teach the rest of us.”

Taliesin was surprised. “You have never seen him?”

“Never,” replied Dafyd, smiling. “Do not wonder at this.

Not many of his followers have been so privileged. Very few, in fact.”

“I wonder that you follow him then,” remarked Taliesin. “A Lord you have never seen.”

“It is written: ‘Because you have seen me you have Believed; blessed are those who have not seen, and yet have Believed.’ Our Lord knew the difficulty and put his blessings on the faith of those to whom it is not given to see him. In that we are content. I suppose it is like your Otherworld: many Believe, although few mortal feet ever tread those paths.”

“True, true,” agreed Taliesin. “Still, men would Believe more readily if the One God showed himself more openly, would they not?”

“Perhaps,” said Dafyd. “Once he walked in the world as a man, and though many Believed, many others did not. Belief is not always born of sight. Therefore, it is the Savior’s striving to bring faith into the world. We Believe by faith, and by faith we are saved from sin and death. What kind of faith is it that Believes only what can be seen with the eyes or touched with the hands?”

“Faith is so important then?”

“Oh, aye, it is. So very important,” remarked Dafyd. “There is no other way to come to the True God but through faith.”

Taliesin mused on this and at last said, “Why should he choose me? And why choose this place to reveal himself?”

Collen, who had been following the conversation as well as he could, piped up then. “He is bringing all together in his good time,” he said and smiled triumphantly. “You are here. We are here. We are together.”

“Well said, Collen,” Dafyd praised him. Collen smiled sheepishly and stooped to stir the fire with a stick. “It is true.” The priest turned to Taliesin, his face eager in the firelight. “We have been brought together for this purpose. Very well, I will teach you, Taliesin. And together we will raise a fortress-a fortress of faith which the darkness will not overcome!”

They talked long into the night. As Dafyd expected, Taliesin proved a most astute pupil. The quickness of his mind was rivaled only by the keenness of his insight and his remarkable memory.

Dafyd talked until he became hoarse. He described the land of Israel and the old, old prophecies concerning the Messiah; talked about Jesu’s birth, his life, and the miracles he performed; explained the meaning of the cruel crucifixion and the miraculous resurrection when Jesus came forth triumphant from the grave, and would have gone on talking- for Taliesin would have gone on listening-had the fire not died and the night chill stolen in upon them. But Dafyd rubbed his eyes and peered at the smoldering ashes and at Brother Collen curled sound asleep. A deep quiet lay on the hill and the night was dark, for the moon had set some time ago.

“I have talked enough for one night,” said Dafyd wearily. “Ah,” he sighed, “listen… The sound of the world at peace.”

“The night itself calms the world’s strivings,” replied Taliesin, “in honor of the Lord of Peace.”

“So be it,” Dafyd replied, yawning. “Let us enjoy some of that peace now while we may.”

In all, Taliesin spent four days with Dafyd and Collen. At the end of it, Dafyd shook his head wearily and exclaimed, “I have told you everything I know! Only the Holy Brothers in Tours could tell you more.” He looked up sharply. “Why, you should go there, Taliesin. Sit at their feet-wring them dry, as you have wrung me! At least their knowledge would not be exhausted so quickly.”

“You have done well, Brother Dafyd. Better than you know,” said Taliesin. “And I thank you. I would reward you, had I anything of value to give. Still, if I possess anything which you desire, you have but to name it.”

“Freely you have received, Taliesin, now freely give. We are not to put a price on our knowledge or make learning a wall between us and the people. Besides, do not feel you have to reward a friend for a small thing done out of friendship.”

Taliesin embraced the priest. “My friend,” he said, and then set about saddling his horse.