THE SARACEN
A time
came when Mary
wanted a quiet place to relax
and enjoy the beauty of Gods creation.
So God gave her a place in the Mountains where there
were deer and cool grassy glades and fat silver trout and great
Golden Eagles. Some of the best of all his creation.
She often came there all dressed in white
with a blue sash and golden
roses on her shoes.
Lorus
was a dashing
figure. He would sometimes
Take a deer or a fat silver trout to eat.
He even caught an eagle and trained it to hunt.
She saw immediately that he was gentle and pure of heart.
When he glimpsed her one day, he fell in love.
He knew she was the single most
beautiful woman in all
Gods creation.
Nights
He dreamed of her.
He searched but could not
find her. Only unexpected glimpses.
So gradually he came to understand she was
a special creature of God. It occurred to him to convert
to Christianity. Still how could he be sure. He
yearned for a sign. Anything to make
Gods will clear to him. And
then Carlemagne
came.
Siege,
Terror and hunger
claimed the city and castle.
All seemed lost. A golden Eagle he had
trained and released just for Her, swooped down from
heaven and caught a fat silver trout as it leaped from the stream.
Then back up and over the castle wall where Lorus
watched, astonished. It was the sign he
had been praying for. Quick,
He flayed the royal
trout.
Not for
himself but for
the King. A feast for
Charlemagne.
That same day
The bishop came and
made the Saracen a Christian.
And Charlemagne moved on, another
city conquered. Lorus continued in his rule beloved
by all, but most by Her, His royal queen, the queen of heaven.
And so when Bernadette came by, and spied Her in
her Grotto, it was no great surprise.
And miracles yet prevail at
Lourdes.
tg