The Ghost of the Glenn
Based on an old English Legend...
GoldenView
In the days when England was still a land of� castles, knights, & kings, there was a misty glen in the middle of a thick forest. Knights would rest there, for it was always cool and shady, a little spooky, but, most of all, it was happily enchanted by the presence of a wonderful ghost.
If a knight said, "I thirst!" the ghost would appear. He was quite astonishing to look at! He shimmered.....with features that were not easily discernable..... except for two very blue, twinkling eyes. He'd hover over a big granite rock,
offering them a drink of cool, sweet water. No one knew the source of this water, for there was no water to be found in the forest. And to add to the mystery, he would serve it in a beautiful golden cup from which the knights could drink & drink and drink.....yet NEVER empty. The knights would pass it around the group, each drinking until he could drink no more, and then they'd return the cup to the ghost. Without saying a word, the ghost would laugh a hearty laugh, as if to say, "I've enjoyed your company!"
He never actually spoke to them. He would take the cup
and simply vanish into thin air.
No one knew how he got there, or where he came from.
No one could remember when, or even WHY, the ghost had begun this hospitable tradition. The knights thought of it as a sacred bond between our world & the Netherworld, where spirits and angels reside
This� bond would exist today, if it were not for the deed of one evil knight. He was a loner...known mostly for his greed, & his crude, unsavory character.
One day, as this evil knight was out riding, he came upon the glen. "Hey! This is a great resting spot!" he said to
himself. I wonder how I never saw this before?"
Actually, only the good knights were aware of the glen and it's ghostly inhabitant, so the knight had no idea what was about to happen when, just by chance, he happened to mumble to himself the words "I Thirst!"
Of course, the Ghost appeared, offering him a drink from the golden cup!
Not knowing that there was such a thing as an evil knight,
the ghost assumed he would be treated in a gracious
manner......but he was terribly wrong.
The evil knight had just one overpowering thought when he saw the golden cup. He said, "That cup is worth a
fortune! I WANT that cup!" ...and the evil knight SNATCHED the cup and fled.....never even looking back.
The next day, another knight came to the glen to quench his thirst. He said, "I thirst!" But nothing happened! This was a VERY bad omen. Alarmed, he rushed to inform the king, but His Highness was not surprised by the news.
His men had told him of a renegade knight, making the rounds of the taverns and boasting that he had stolen a golden cup, from a ghost!
Immediately, the king sent 6 of his knights to find this evil man and arrest him. With so much bragging, he was not hard to find. Luckily he had not sold the cup. He was not even aware of it's magical qualities, which made it far more valuable than mere gold.
"Now if the ghost will forgive us, all will be well." said the King.� I will go to the forest myself to apologize for this
errant behavior. I'll assure him that it will never, EVER
happen again!"
He ordered his steward to ready his horse, and at dusk, the
King began the ride to the forest. As he neared the glen, he saw the rock where the knights had told him to look for the ghost. He hesitated, wondering what would happen.
He opened his mouth to say, "I Thirst!" but then he heard
a loud noise...rather like thunder.
It was coming from the rock! "CRACK"! He heard it again! The rock was splitting in two! And, something wonderful was happening!
From the cleft of the rock, water sprang forth, becoming a
stream...then a river!
Then, a soft breeze began to blow through the trees, and
there was a whisper in the air. It said, "The Ghost will appear no more. The bond between the humans and the Netherlands is broken. Yet, as you drink from this river, you'll remember the ghost's sweetness. As you listen to the rush of the water, you'll hear his laughter. Look into the water, and you'll see the twinkle of his blue eyes. He is here! And he will be with you, for all time. He KNOWS that� "Human-Kind" is, for the most part, as honorable as he is. He loves you, and this river is his gift to you.
The benevolent ghost has kept his word through the
centuries. Even today, a thirsty traveler can rest, after a hot day, and drink from the twinkling blue waters. If ever you visit England, and find yourself in a shady (rather spooky) forest, sit very still and listen! As the breezes blow through� the trees, they will whisper "Helloooooo!" But don't be scared! (It's only a ghost.)