I feel I must apologise for the huge gaps in between posts...
But the only excuse I've got is that for the last month or so I have been away on a meditation retreat in Myanmar (Burma).
Now that I'm back it is my intention to type up at least the odd Lansky poem to keep some action going in this blog...
peace.
Wednesday 11 February 2009
THE FLEEING GIANT (excerpt, 9k)
The Fleeing Giant is, as far as I could gather, the only children's story that ML ever wrote. It tells a warm and candid tale about a Giant and a Princess falling in love and trying to find a way to make their love possible.
But it seems likely that he had others in mind since he created a specific publishing company called Magick Ink Tales.
And, if you notice the spelling, one can be quick to ascertain that Lansky probably read some Crowley in his day.
Anyway, I've typed up a bit of the first couple of pages just to give you a hint of the flavour of this story.
peace.
THE FLEEING GIANT
There was once a Princess that lived in a big castle. There were lots of people in the castle, including the King, her father, and there were always many parties and games to amuse her.
The Princess knew everybody. But she suspected that most people only really enjoyed her because she was the Princess.
(And you're supposed to always love Princesses)
So, even though the Princess had everything she could possibly imagine she still felt very lonely. Sometimes she even thought that it was because she had everything that she was missing out on something. There were too many things. She could never decide which new dress to wear. Or which precious stones to put. Or what food to eat. Or who to talk to. Or even what to say. There were just too many things. It was a very busy castle.
One day the King called his architects and asked them to build a new wing to the castle. The castle wasn’t flying very well and so he assumed that with a new wing he’d sort out the problem. His engineers pondered and mused and wondered and finally agreed. And, since the King also wanted to make bigger parties and have more people attending them, this was the perfect solution. He’d have more rooms and a bigger dinning hall and more kitchens and wash rooms and balconies and staircases and cellars and attics.
And more parties.
Get to it, the Kind said and the architects nodded and started drawing big plans on big sheets of paper that barely fit the big long tables inside the big hall.
As soon as the plans got ready the King called one of the Giants to help him with the work.
The Giants were peaceful creatures in that kingdom you see. They had plenty of space to wander about and they lived a tranquil life looking at plants and animals, playing music or humming their songs or farming their huge fields. And the King knew this very well for most of the food he ate at the castle had been grown by Giants. And it was grandly tasty too. The Giants were great farmers. They were good at a lot of things.
So, as soon as one of the Giants got the message from his King, he made his way to the castle. It took him only a few hours to get there even though it had taken the King's men several days to get to the Giant’s house. Maybe even weeks.
The King and his architects were waiting for him. And they said
Great Giant we need you to bring us great big stones for we wish to build a new wing for the King's castle. If you could bring these stones to us and help us break them down in smaller pieces we would be very grateful.
The Giant nodded and followed in the direction that the architects pointed.
Now the Giants were silent most of the time because whenever they spoke their voice would shake the trees and rumble the earth and scatter all the birds over the sky. And Giants liked the trees to be still, only the wind moving their branches and making them dance their crazy dances. And the earth to be quiet and attentive. And the birds to lean on the branches listening to the earth and watching everybody that passed beneath them.
The Giant took the small band of men on his back to a far away mountain. They explained to him how to cut the stone and how many stones they needed and, together, they prepared everything for the work to come. When everything was ready, the Giant returned to the castle, again carrying everybody on his back.
That day he returned to his home and prepared food to last him a week. And, on the next day, the Giant made once more his way to the King’s castle. He placed his food besides one of the biggest towers, in the shade, right next to the tallest wall and grabbed the huge rope that ten thousand men had fashioned for him and made his way to the mountain to get the first stone.
Everyday the Giant would wake up as early as the sun and walk to the mountain and spend all of the morning cutting and preparing a stone. Then he would make his way back carrying that freshly hewn stone. Then he would rest and have his lunch. Then he would go back for another stone, a stone that would take most of the afternoon to prepare. And call it a good long day when he arrived back at the King’s castle.
But even making two trips everyday it would take the Giant several weeks to bring all the stones that were needed. It was going to be a big wing. And he was happy to help.
But it seems likely that he had others in mind since he created a specific publishing company called Magick Ink Tales.
And, if you notice the spelling, one can be quick to ascertain that Lansky probably read some Crowley in his day.
Anyway, I've typed up a bit of the first couple of pages just to give you a hint of the flavour of this story.
peace.
THE FLEEING GIANT
There was once a Princess that lived in a big castle. There were lots of people in the castle, including the King, her father, and there were always many parties and games to amuse her.
The Princess knew everybody. But she suspected that most people only really enjoyed her because she was the Princess.
(And you're supposed to always love Princesses)
So, even though the Princess had everything she could possibly imagine she still felt very lonely. Sometimes she even thought that it was because she had everything that she was missing out on something. There were too many things. She could never decide which new dress to wear. Or which precious stones to put. Or what food to eat. Or who to talk to. Or even what to say. There were just too many things. It was a very busy castle.
One day the King called his architects and asked them to build a new wing to the castle. The castle wasn’t flying very well and so he assumed that with a new wing he’d sort out the problem. His engineers pondered and mused and wondered and finally agreed. And, since the King also wanted to make bigger parties and have more people attending them, this was the perfect solution. He’d have more rooms and a bigger dinning hall and more kitchens and wash rooms and balconies and staircases and cellars and attics.
And more parties.
Get to it, the Kind said and the architects nodded and started drawing big plans on big sheets of paper that barely fit the big long tables inside the big hall.
As soon as the plans got ready the King called one of the Giants to help him with the work.
The Giants were peaceful creatures in that kingdom you see. They had plenty of space to wander about and they lived a tranquil life looking at plants and animals, playing music or humming their songs or farming their huge fields. And the King knew this very well for most of the food he ate at the castle had been grown by Giants. And it was grandly tasty too. The Giants were great farmers. They were good at a lot of things.
So, as soon as one of the Giants got the message from his King, he made his way to the castle. It took him only a few hours to get there even though it had taken the King's men several days to get to the Giant’s house. Maybe even weeks.
The King and his architects were waiting for him. And they said
Great Giant we need you to bring us great big stones for we wish to build a new wing for the King's castle. If you could bring these stones to us and help us break them down in smaller pieces we would be very grateful.
The Giant nodded and followed in the direction that the architects pointed.
Now the Giants were silent most of the time because whenever they spoke their voice would shake the trees and rumble the earth and scatter all the birds over the sky. And Giants liked the trees to be still, only the wind moving their branches and making them dance their crazy dances. And the earth to be quiet and attentive. And the birds to lean on the branches listening to the earth and watching everybody that passed beneath them.
The Giant took the small band of men on his back to a far away mountain. They explained to him how to cut the stone and how many stones they needed and, together, they prepared everything for the work to come. When everything was ready, the Giant returned to the castle, again carrying everybody on his back.
That day he returned to his home and prepared food to last him a week. And, on the next day, the Giant made once more his way to the King’s castle. He placed his food besides one of the biggest towers, in the shade, right next to the tallest wall and grabbed the huge rope that ten thousand men had fashioned for him and made his way to the mountain to get the first stone.
Everyday the Giant would wake up as early as the sun and walk to the mountain and spend all of the morning cutting and preparing a stone. Then he would make his way back carrying that freshly hewn stone. Then he would rest and have his lunch. Then he would go back for another stone, a stone that would take most of the afternoon to prepare. And call it a good long day when he arrived back at the King’s castle.
But even making two trips everyday it would take the Giant several weeks to bring all the stones that were needed. It was going to be a big wing. And he was happy to help.
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