BoiiCheyh I

Central European neolithic settlers eventually give way to Celtic villagers, who are later absorbed into a migrating Slav population.

Here a great medieval city will grow.

1. AN EXOTIC STRANGER ARRIVES

The day is warm and mild, not sunny but with no threat of rain. Children play on the riverbank as women wash clothing and textiles in the rushing waters. The village hums as everyone goes about their work. As always a few men are posted on the hilltop clearing, the spot where Chehy stood when choosing of this valley for their home, to watch for the danger of invaders. As they sit with the vista of the plains stretching before them, the men carve and whittle, make tools, or repair their horses' gear. An iron drum and shaft hang under the shelter of a stout tree for the men to warn the village of attackers, to get inside the walls and close the gate.

A lone horse and cart appears over the horizon, travelling fast. The men take no note.

At the village gate arrives a merchant pulling his wares, flustered and out of breath. He stops, unsure about entering but unable to turn back. As he hesitates a mature woman approaches. She does not recognize him but greets him nonethless.

"Good morning fine traveller," she says, extending in her hand a cup of water.

"Thank you good madam," The traveller drinks thirstily. They speak in the vague dialect of the region, a combination of several diffeerent languages. It is awkward, with many gaps in vocabulary, but is understood well enough by most.

Above the village on the hilltop the watchers notice a small band of tavellers rushing toward the gate. They could not pose enough of a danger, so small are their numbers, to warrant a banging of the warning gong. However some sort of alarm seems to be in order, so ferocious is their approach.[ . . . ]

"You will not avoid us by cowering in this pitiful village," warns a gruff man at the front of the group, the speaker staring ominously at the lone traveller.

As if on cue the burly young men step forward, tools in prominent view. The two groups square off in uneasy standoff as the woman raises the document, "Fine travellers is this your mark, here on this page, agreeing that payment has been made?"

The crowd can clearly see the document is signed. The mood changes from patient observation to suspicion.

"We don't take well to cheaters," says one of the burly young men to a hum of agreement from the villagers.

"I suspect it is their practice to conduct business normally in the city, complying with the standard rules of money lending," explains the lone traveller, folding the paper back into his pocket. "They arranged a party which followed me on my trade trip. Once I was alone, far from the city, they confronted me and threatened to take my wares unless I paid once again."

Several villagers glance at his cart with curiosity, so tightly packed is it with mysterious items under a secure cover.

"I've been doing business for a long time and on occassion encounter poor practices. I have also herard stories from collegues of such activity."

The lone traveller continues to glare steadily at his pursuers, who seem somewhat taken aback at this show of support. Unsure of what to do, none of them speak.

"You can be sure that when I return next to the city I will tell one and all about these underhanded techniques."

"Not if we get to you first," growls the gruff voice from the centre of the ominous group.

At these words the burly young men raise their heavy tools and step forward as one.

Their action drives the group back out of the range of the village gates. The men continue with their threats as the gates are closed soundly upon them.

2. PROLOGUE

A PLACE IN TIME

She has an overwhelming loveliness, with a strength that can be matched by few others. She tolerates imperfection only to the degree that it is well-intentioned and causes harm to no one. She requires progress and learning from her companions, never mental stagnation and certainly never regression. Communication is key. Those in her company have to hear her clearly, and receive her messages in the manner which she intends. She can not abide the coarse, the selfish, the violent or the greedy.

Her existance is as enduring as the planet itself. As the world changes around her, as time stretches across the millenia, she remains true to herself and to her ideals.

There are few things as eternal as the earth upon which we walk. The stars in the sky perhaps, the air we breath, but little else. The impetus of humanity to take possession of the land, to conquer it, and to exploit it has lead to innumerable problems and personal tragedies. In our great push to claim entire land masses, in our desire to amass personal fortunes, often at the expense of others, we overlook the pure value of an unspoiled landscape. We disregard the spirit of the land, the mystical significance of a given location.

3. PART ONE

THE NEOLITHIC SETTLERS

The raggedy group arrives to the lush, sweet valley, so fertile, as the day draws to a close. The men stand off at a distance, sniffing for predators and looking for evidence of violent humans, while the women huddle at the edge of the forest discussing the location. Both groups come to the same conclusion; this will be a good place to settle for the time being until the group members can regain their strength after the long travel and lack of food. The women don't need the men's agreement, it is for them to choose where the group sleeps and eats. It is just easier to get along if everyone is of the same opinion.

Upon first arriving to this special valley they noticed that it is comfortable, comforting even. The women almost immediately find the means to make shelter. Some quickly go about lighting fires as others gather edible vegitation, even coming across a bird rookery with plenty of eggs. The men are pleased with such a hearty meal, grunting approval to each other across the fire as the women put the children to bed.

Everyone sleeps on soft, warm piles of dry grass the women had gathered. Their dreams are fantastic. It is the usual practice of these people to discuss together their dreams upon first waking in the morning and today is no exception. Older members of the group, with their wisdom of experience, listen to everyone intently, right down to the smallest child. They aknowledge that it is rather extraordinary for everyone in the group to have such wild dreams, dreams of such deep significance. Dreams of foretelling, dreams of a great and powerful spirit that rules all, dreams of an existence beyond this watery, green earth.

This has never happened before. After a long discussion, the aged members of the group decide it can only be their location that is making this special mystical connection of their spirits. Everything else in their lives is the same, the valley is the only new element. The group aged watch as the women erect more permanent shelters, and work together to make a communal cooking place, all while keeping an eye on the children. The men had split into small groups at daybreak and were off exploring the surrounding landscape.

"That the main theme of the dreams involves peoples' treatment of each other and respect for the land is very curious," says one particularly wizened old woman as she sucks on a pipe.

"Yes, and the strong visual. I've never heard such descriptions of living spaces. Constructions that soar way up into the sky? Higher than these hilltops around us? Most curious," replies an old man.

The others nod and grunt in agreement. The group sits in silence as the morning passes. As the sun approaches mid-sky the smell of sweet vegetation cooking wafts through the air. The women had found patches of edible roots close by in the forest and are excitedly planning different means of preparing it. This place is proving to be very productive in the things they need to survive and flourish. These people had been on the move for a long time, pushed out of their former ranging ground by the constant warring of others. Even there, there had been periods of no food. As they had walked across the plain to this valley no one previously knew existed, they had subsisted on very poor nourishment. To suddenly come upon a place with such plentiful supply seems beyond fortunate.

The group of aged ponder on all of this, the epic significance of their good luck, while soaking up the atmosphere of this place and watching the women and children bustle about. Already they seem acclimated to their new surroundings.

A crash and some loud rustling bursts out of the forest not far off. Everyone in the village turns toward the sound. They can hear men calling to each other, voices raised in excitement. The aged start to rise as the women quickly gather up the children. Together they huddle behind some of the half-built shelters. Some of the women grab large branches, ready to defend against attack if necessary.

Victory cries rise out of the forest, sending all manner of birds flying upwards out of the canopy. The village members relax, and as they begin to emerge from behind their make-shift fort a wonderful sight unfolds before them.

The men have captured a beast. It takes the combined strength of almost all of them to drag it into the valley. The women gasp in awe, the aged's eyes shine at the sight, and the children run toward the men to get a closer look.

It is a wild boar, big and fat and juicy. The group can hardly contain their excitement. The women congratulate the men on their fine work. 

4. A FEAST OF PLENTY

Another practice the energetic young people often engage in is coupling. Whenever desire takes them, they pair off to share their bodies. They will find a place with cover in a nearby meadow, or among a grove of trees, to do their physical act. Privacy is not a concern, anyone passing close by is alerted by the sounds of groaning, and bodies mashing. It is up to the passerby whether they want to keep moving, or stay around as witness. The latter happens much more frequently than the former.

Modesty, or even basic discretion, is not a strength of these young.

The aged watch as a scene such as this unfolds; the afternoon passes on and the young people wander in and out of the trees in pairs only to return with that particular glow which can only come from deep physical sharing.

"Was there not also a dream about having respect for oneself, having reverence for the act of love?" muttered a shrivelled old man.

"Mmmm hmmm," comes a chorus of replies.

The aged pass the afternoon in their shady spot watching the village prepare the kill for that night's feast. As the men dig a sizable fire pit and the children organize themselves to the job of gathering firewood, the women sear the hair off the beast. Once its flesh is bare they skillfully slice its belly open to remove the unsavoury internal organs. These cavities are then stuffed with root vegetables and aromatic plants. 

The men have built a sturdy spit and the children have filled with fire pit with a large pile of wood. Everyone gathers about as the fire is lit, blazing up high into the afternoon sky. Once the wood burns down to a powerful red glow the beast is hauled over and raised up on the spit. Almost immediately its skin starts crackling in the intense heat. The scent of hearty flesh cooking reaches even the aged, resting quietly in their comfortable spot.

The children, catching the sense of excitement from the adults, are running around in a very unruly manner. The aged can see that tonight will be a frenzy of feasting and debauchery, ending late, and causing a difficult start to the day tomorrow. There is much clucking and muttering under the breath of the group of aged as this exact reality comes to pass.

As night falls, the men, many of whom spent the late afternoon lazing about drinking powerful nectors, are in a rather raunchy state. The women, after a day of shelter building, heavy cooking, and tending to the children, are not particularly interested in the male advances. As the meal progresses however, the women gather up their strength. It has been a great long while since this group had such a hearty feast and they all fill themselves to capacity. Right down to the smallest child. With such a busy day behind them the children retire immediately following the heavy meal with no real fuss. The adults embark on a celebration of such physical gratitousness that the aged can barely stand to watch. Or hear.

Eventually the mayhem subsides and the younger adults retire to their separate shelters exhausted.

Despite the evening of sheer gluttony by one and all there is more than enough rich meat for the elderly to also feast heartily. Trying not to look at the remaining scene too closely, they also retire to a good night's rest.

As morning comes the people have a difficult start, just as the aged had predicted. The elderly have already stoked the fire, made a hearty broth and filled their bellies before the others begin to emerge, slowly and tenderly, from their various shelters. 

First the youngest of the children awake, driven by hunger. Their merrymaking gets the older children up. By the time all the young have been fed even the most pained late-nighter can't sleep through the noise of the children's games. 

The roughest of the men growl at any rambunctious children that may wander too close by. Holding their aching heads and seeking shelter from the hot sun these men call gruffly to some women to bring them food. The women, busy with cleaning up the food remnants and preparing the next meal, will have none of it. An argument erupts between one of the rough young men and a strong woman.

5. A MESSAGE COMES IN DREAMS

The reason for the prevelance of poor tempers becomes evident almost immediately. No one has slept well, with dreams often frightful and the night's rest fitful indeed. Again the consistency of dream subject is remarkable.

"I was pursued by a fearsome warrior, large and powerful," says one middle-aged man. "My best efforts to evade capture were useless, if I tried to stand and fight I was defeated immediately." The man, a skillful warrior, looked haggard and drained from the experience.

"I too was pursued but not by a man of battle." A quiet young woman stands up, also looking poorly rested. She fidgets with her garments, "At first I was in a lovely meadow, with perfect weather, when I thought I heard the sounds of a trickling stream. As I approached the meadow turned to forest, which became very dark. So dark I could almost not see. But I could still hear the sound of water, which drew me to it closer. It was irresistable."

The woman pauses here, looking very uncomfortable. Other members of the group exchange knowing glances - this story is familiar to most.

"Bramble tangled at my feet, and spiney vines tugged at my clothing. It was difficult to make progress forward but the call of the water could not be ignored. The forest around me got so dark I could see nothing, darker than the mid of night." The woman pauses again, seeming reluctant to go on. Someone hands her a cup of water to drink.

"Finally I got to the sound," she continues. "But it wasn't water at all. I thought I saw an opening in the dark forest and struggled towards it. A pleasant warm feeling overtook me as I emerged into the clearing. I was relieved that my search for the water was over. I basked in the peaceful feeling for but a moment, then another kind of sense entirely took me over."

The group shifts positions, clearly aware of what happens next.

"From all around me, all around me all at once, came a presence. The good feelings were completely gone. I was engulfed in an inescapable sense of dread, of doom, of a powerful force of evil." The woman is choking on her words. Some of the other women are equally overwhelmed.

If not for the strict practice of these people to share every dream every day, the conversation would surely stop here. The level of discomfort felt by one and all was almost too much to bear. The aged fix their gazes on the young woman, not allowing her to break off her telling.

She resumes, speaking so quietly the others have to strain forward to hear her. "The evilness did not exist in the presence I had encountered, but rather within me," she sobs quietly. "I was at fault for being brazen, wanton, for disregarding the value of what had been bestowed upon me. Upon us." She looks around the group in dismay.

"I was served with a judgement; improve my moral structure and gain a proper appreciation for the bounty of the land, or I would be set to wander about this earth forever. Constantly forced to move on, never being allowed to settle in one place for long."

She sits back down on her place unsteadily. There is a long, pensive silence.

"I too was served with a judgement," one strong, viril young man stands up. "But in mine I was forced to live alone, over the hill from the rest of you. I was not allowed to interact with any of you in any way, particularly in the cojoining of bodies." His glance at one particularly beautiful young woman says it all. Despite their history of enthusiastic immodesty she blushes.

The tales of dread and of harrowing experiences fraught with failure continue. Once everyone has said their piece their spirits seem to settle. It is almost time for the mid-day meal anyway, so the people move on quietly to their respective tasks of food preparation and fire building. After the night of unrestrained revellery, the current dampened mood is palpable.

Despite the level of confusion and dismay of the people, the aged are greatly encouraged. In fact, due to this discontent, the aged feel their task will be easier. Sitting again in the cooling shade of their trees, the aged mull over how to impart to their group the importance of this lesson.

"Perhaps we need to set an order of priorities for these new values," says the wizened old woman. "I think we should  introduce things slowly, one at a time, or they will reject our ideas."

The others nod. These people are not known for their patience, nor for their tolerance of restrictions on behaviour. 

The aged watch as the people stumble about cleaning up from the night before and getting ready for the mid-day meal. A couple of young women get into an argument over the best way to preserve the left-over beast carcass and need to be separated. The men are working on the other side of their space, fashioning weapons and making tools. Some are huddled together over work talking crudely and sending lascivious glances in the direction of the young women. For their part the women are not entirely rejecting of the notion of more intercourse.

The aged can see tensions building toward another frenzy of activity come nightfall.

"We'd better start with this practice of unrestrained sexuality," observed the little old man. "Or we are going to have a repeat of last night's terrible dreams."

The group watches as one of the young men saunters over to a couple of women and proceeds to fondle them randily. They pretend to dismiss him as he leans over and whispers into their ears. The young women exchange knowing glances, then erupt into giggles. The trio moves into the forest cover. The remaining young men have trouble focussing on their work after this display.

"I think we will have that regardless," said an old woman. "We will teach the group bit by bit. Those who heed our lessons will serve as examples to those who continue their vagrant ways."

The aged decide to work on an individual basis, rather than making pronouncements to the entire group. They split off, wandering over to the younger, more impressionable adults, and to those that have shown themselves capable of restraint in the past. Quiet conversations ensue. Some last for quite a while as others are broken off abruptly. It soon becomes clear who will take to learning these new ways, who will embrace this spirituality, and who will have to learn the hard lesson through the examples of others.

Another unruly evening meal. Those receptive to the teachings of the aged watch the others with a new level of insight. Some cannot contain their libidos, indescrimately engaging in the physical act despite their new reservations. The village retires for the night.

Dream retelling in the morning is as dark and ominous as the previous day. The group is really worn out now; days upon days of travelling with little food, then ongoing revellery after arriving to this valley is taking its toll on their combined energy level. Some people are so unrested they simple drone through the tales of dread experienced in the dreaming time. The aged listen in dismay.

Just then one middle aged man, followed by a young woman, tell of dreams similar to those of their first night. Inspiration. Deep satisfaction. Confirmation of their pure ways. And restful sleep. Sweet dreams of light and love, warmth and security. The gruff young men, still distracted, hang on to these words. They are particularly drained, doing such hard physical work in the day and expending large amounts of energy in the evening but getting no real rest at all has broken through their usual resistance to ideas of sprirituality.

6. SPIRITUAL PROGRESS

One bright young child stands, and in a clear, strong voice recites her most moving dream.

"There is more to our existence than we realize. I have been shown our capacity, I have seen the heights to which we can soar if we work together and if we abide by a few small rules." The child pauses, suddenly unsure of dictating behaviour to those much older than herself.

The aged prod her to continue.

"There are many paths in this life. We know well the low path, where there is darkness, cold and dread. We also know the path that leads nowhere, the path that simply wanders through eternity with no destination. There are also paths that first lead upwards, to sweet air and healing sunshine, but then abruptly turn downwards. It is easy to mistake such paths for those that lead to a secure future."

The group listens transfixed. This story is bringing back memories of their own dreams, is reminding them of their own experiences with such lessons.

"I was shown several paths that have been chosen for us. There is a danger that we will embark on a path that first leads to great heights but then sends us plummeting downward, dashing our spirits against the rocks at the very bottom of human existance. If we heed the lessons of the dreams, if we alter our behaviour slightly, if we pay close attention to where we set our feet in the spiritual realm, we will remain on the best path available to us."

This talk of paths appeals to the group, they can understand the meaning, having just travelled through lands difficult and uninviting only to arrive at this nourishing place. A place that, by all rights,  have been heavily populated but remained strangely vacant of humanity until this group arrived.

Realization begins to dawn on the people. As the dream-telling continues, even the most depressed soul sits up a little bit straighter. Even the most skeptical recognize the reasoning.

The aged use this opportunity to take the floor. Who knows when they will next have such a receptive audience.

"We need not say much more than to explain that these," the old man points to the few younger folk who actually took the previous day's conversations to heart, "these who have described such delicious dreams, who put into action our teachings of yesterday, are the only ones who got a proper rest last night. The rest of you," he indicates the bulk of the group, "you continued behaving in a manner which has already been discouraged. The exhaustion clearly shows on your faces."

From under heavy eyelids the young people must acknowledge this fact.

"We suggest, for your own good, that you simply try for one day to limit your bawdy actions," the wizened old woman speaks from behind a cloud of pipe smoke. "Then you will experience for yourself these spriritual lessons of which we speak."

Some of the rough young men exchange glances of amusement, then leer at a group of young women. Their invitations are not returned in kind.

As the day progresses, various of the people clump together in undefined groupings, discussing the validity of these new ideas. It is bred deeply in their culture to heed the lessons of dreams. At times in the past dreams of their people have foretold the outcome of great battles, or that a danger approached. By heeding these dreams the people are able to preserve their numbers while neighbouring groups suffer many losses. To start ignoring the messages of dreams now seems foolish. However, these new dreams are not as easy to decipher. There have never before been messages of such a fluid, opaque nature. 

Unsure how to proceed, a growing portion of the young people decide to put into action the restraint suggested by the aged. Those who had done so the day before are enthusiastic about enjoying another night of blissful slumber. Several others are motivated by their example to try as well.

The rough young men make a great show of teasing those who say they will refrain from wanton acts of physical sharing. Others, who are not sure about the usefulness of this new practice, watch these antics with disdain. More conversations ensue as several other young people are prompted by the rude example of the rough young men to also follow the unusual advice of the aged. 

By the time the evening meal has been consumed, these young men are in a state of heightened energy. All the desirable young women have rejected their advances. Unused to this level of self control exhibited by their partners, these men embark on other ways of expending their sexual energy. Some engage in games of dangerous violence, while others enjoy a form of communal self-gratification. None return satisfied.

The rest of the community is retiring for the night, and the young men's shows of bravado are ignored. The aged eagerly await the next morning's dream-telling. It will determine their future ability to continue with these new teachings.

In the morning the division within the group is clearly visible. Those who had conducted themselves according to the new teaching arise early, in good spirits, and proceed to work together well. The rest emerge from their shelters when morning is already well underway, are gruff and short-tempered, and have trouble focussing on their duties. The aged wait patiently for everyone to be awake before calling them together for the day's dream telling.

It is a repeat of the previous day; happy dreams and deep sleep by those who listened to the aged, dreams of trial and dread and fitful sleep by the rest. Several nights in a row of lack of peace is taking its toll. The aged find little difficulty in convincing the remaining young people to just try following their lead for one day.

As time passes the aged introduce more new lessons into their teachings. The community has become accustomed to less random coupling. Meal time is more orderly, with people sitting calmly and eating, not like animals as they did before. As a result of these few small changes the children are less wild. They are more likely to heed the adults. The mood of the entire village is changed; there are less arguments, less confrontations between the young men, more cooperation among the people. They treat each other with respect rather than each person trying to impose their individual will on others.

7. RESTRAINED REPRODUCTION

The ability of these people to defend themselves, against deliberate attacks by other humans or against the assaults of wildlife, is not lost on the aged. Nor on the others. Never before have the warriors fought together so successfully. Never before have they so consistently been able to defend their settlement. This new sense of security does much to improve the general mood. Not having the constant worry of being overrun or of suffering the loss of warriors in battle keeps everyone more calm, and more focussed than they had been previously.

The aged are pleased with this beginning. Now they must decide how to proceed further. The dreams have become more sophisticated, the messages more difficult to decipher.

It is another season of heat. Since these people arrived at this lush, fertile valley, the sun has receeded far to the south then returned to its annual apex twice. The aged have noticed a tangible change in the status of their people; there are fewer pregnancies. Of those children that are born, generally the mother can state with assurance who the father is. In the past there were so many babies, constantly, and very seldom could the mother know for sure the paternity.

"This is a fundamental shift," says a little old woman, looking over the village happily working together. "We could use this knowledge to plan families, to plot out our future instead of just having to accept whatever happens."

The others consider with idea with great interest. Imagine being able to avoid the monumental dismay of seeing a baby born with significant deformities, only then being able to pinpoint the father as a close relative. Imagine being able to keep a record of the parents, and other relatives, of each child thus being able to ensure no one who shares a close bloodline engages in physical coupling. Not only would this bring strong progeny into the future, but it would give them significant advantage over people who had settled the surrounding areas.

The aged sit together in the shade of their tree considering all this.

As the community goes about its day's work, a plan starts to grow in the minds of the aged. Many puffs of smoke are expelled, and equally many cups of tea are drunk. The low murmer of conversation can be heard coming from the group of elderly huddled under their tree as they work through various ideas. Evening comes on and still they do not budge. It is so unusual for the aged to be last to retire for the night that a few of the younger adults drift over to their tree to inquire if anything is amiss. All are sent away with firm assurances that, in fact, things could not be better.

As the darkness of night progresses, and the moon rises high into the sky, the aged finally retire, satisfied that they have come up with a solid plan for the reproductive future of this community.

When morning comes the aged are ready to introduce their plan to the young people.

As a demonstration of the success of these new, restrained, mating practices, the aged gather together all the children under the age of five. The older children in one group, and those two years and under in another, by way of comparison. With a quick glance even the least observant notices a difference. First in sheer numbers; the group of older children number much more than double the younger, but more importantly by personal characteristics. While the bulk of the older children are not discernable from the younger in any meaningful way, a segment is obviously challenged, either physically or mentally. Yet only one of the younger children is similarly disabled. 

The proof is in the numbers. For nine seasons the people have been more deliberate in their choices of physical mates, sometimes even becoming exclusive. By being selective, by not succumbing to every desire that tickled their fancy, the community has begun to breed healthier, stronger, more intelligent children. The number of unfortunate couplings, between close relatives or the similarly handicapped, has been reduced simply by people being aware, by giving more consideration to their actions.

The community is quite stricken by these results. In an effort to achieve mental peace and positive dreams they seem to have stumbled on an important physical truth. The men move through the group of younger children examining the boys for strength and other physical characteristics.

"This one will throw a spear straight and far," remarks one powerful warrior, looking up from a young boy's right arm.

"I think this one will make a good runner," says a hunter after checking another boy's leg strength.

"Imagine our advantage over an attacking community," suggests one of the aged with a twinkle in his eye. "If our men and boys are stronger, faster, smarter, with fewer discernable weakness."

The women ignore this male posturing. They are busy discussing the respective father's identity of each woman now pregnant. The women are much more quick to catch on to the full scope of possibilities that fertility planning provides than the men; not just better physical specimens, but opportunities to breed in longevity, or to breed out undesirable traits. As the men revel in stories of prowess and success in the field, the women categorize all the eligable members of the community.

The aged have long ago retired to sit under their tree. Best to let the young people think they have decided to change their ways on their own!

8. MORE THAN MERE SURVIVAL

An unexpected result arises from this new awareness of fertility. A fundamental shift occurs in the dynamic of the community, which the aged had not anticipated. As time passes and the women are finished discussing the various merits and foibles of the men, it begins to be the women who initiate coupling. Previously one randy male or another would be gripped by an impulse and select a woman for his attention. It was up to her to either agree or decline. Now it is the women who are the selectors. And their choices are not what anyone had expected!

Not the biggest, the most burly, not the fastest or strongest. Sometimes those the women choose are small, slow or clumsy. But they are wily, or inventive, or good planners. The women choose men who come up with strategies for the hunt or set up lines of defense against attack from neighbours. The women choose men who have ideas and offer solutions. Their selection is so consistent that a few of the thus-skilled men are in high demand, while the rest must wait for an occasional invitation.

Before this change the biggest men, the strongest and most viril, would enjoy most often the favour of the women, which would only add to their dominance over the other men. The smaller men, the 'thinkers' were relegated to second-place, to the back row. By the other men they were considered barely above the youths. Now they are getting so much attention from the women that the rest of the men are growing envious. Their positions have shifted, now the smaller, more intelligent are gaining dominance over the other men.

Some of the less popular men take a lesson from this and begin to focus their personal energy on other aspects of their abilities than simply the physical. As they show new abilities they too become more popular with the women.

The mood of the entire community settles down somewhat without the disorganized physical desires of the unruly men constantly disturbing progress. The women have instituted more refined, less animalistic coupling practices. The physical act has become less a matter shared voluntarily with the group and more a deep, personal experience. The women keep track of who they have shared their beds with, so that - when a pregnancy does occur - they are confident in knowing the identity of the father. The children born of this time are brighter, less susceptible to disease or other frailty, and more connected with their parents than the children from before the new dreams started coming. There are also less of them. 

As time passes on and the community becomes accustomed to this new, more calm, lifestyle, other changes begin to arise. 

Two more hot seasons have passed, two more times the sun has reached its apex in the sky before receeding far south for the winter. The community is growing, both in strength and in numbers. Some of the aged have passed on, but there is always someone else coming along in years ready to take their place. With the proof of much improved childhood health before them, the aged have been able to impart further lessons deciphered from the dreams. Respect for the land and its bounty, respect for themselves and each other are utmost. The people appreciate the food they eat rather than just stuffing themselves ravenously. The children are taught to defer to the adults, not just for fear of getting smacked by a gruff young man, but out of the knowledge that the adults are protectors, and have much to teach the children.

The new male hierarchy has brought a shift in the living conditions of the community. There is planning, preparation and fore-thinking rather than brute force. Based on observation, the new male leaders have discovered a pattern to the travels of the hairy beasts and have been able to organize an effective hunting campaign. The bigger, stronger males, who used to be leaders based on sheer strength, have long ago stopped their resistance of the thinking males' leadership. Even the most petty, jealous men realize the vast improvement in the entire community's lives. 

There is no longer food shortages. The men plan out hunting expeditions when the hairy beasts travel nearby, so the women are able to preserve and store quantities of the precious meat. Without hunger, with proper nourishment, the general health of the community has improved measurably. In addition to planning big game hunting, as opposed to the random search parties the men used to do, the men have encouraged the women to cultivate the edible vegetation that grows in their valley. A variety of fruits, vegetable and roots are available for the community regardless of season. 

The aged have taken serious notice of this change. Without the constant concern over food supply, group members are able to put effort into other things. More attention is paid to the children and their activities than before, and some community members have shown themselves to possess talents in the aesthetic arts.

Dream telling in the mornings has become a more positive experience. There are still people, those who try to live by few rules, who might have trouble sleeping once in a while. The general mood of everyone else, though, is so good that these spiritual wanderers share their bad dreams freely. The entire community is motivated to stay on track, to continue benefitting from the guidance offered while they slumber.

9. A CULTURE EMERGES

It is 25,000 years before Christ. This community is the first known use of kilns to fire pottery anywhere on earth. Where two rivers meet in the basin of this valley the people live in cave-type dwellings, either natural or dug into the earth, and covered. Woolly mammoths and arctic foxes range nearby, posing some danger but also providing sustinance. 

Women are revered and not allowed to do any of the dangerous work, of going out on the hunt. Only men and boys 
can go because they are expendable. The monthly flow of women is carefully documented. These various schedules are examined in relation to the travels of the moon, the changes of the season and the comings of the tide. 

The women select the best men, physiologically, on an individual basis for coupling, in the hopes of producing the most progressive offspring. Life here is rather comfortable, the efforts of these people are put toward growing up the best possible future generations. During the cold winters the women dig below the snow to find nutritious roots, and the river never freezes over so there are always fish to be had. The people fill up on fruit, berries and vegetables during the summer growing season, sometimes drying grasses or leaves to chew on in winter.

Men and women live together, with young and old mixed in. Those beyond child bearing years may couple at will, or whenever the desire takes them. Usually they go off to find a private place in a meadow, or in the forest where the trees are thicker. This community has gotten out of the habit of publicly sharing the love act. 

Coupling of the fertile is strictly managed. It is best for future generations to maintain as broad a gene pool as possible. Whenever a women gets pregnant the attending male is added to the historical documents, so that any related children will not be coupled with that offspring in the future. 

Once a women stops getting pregnant for whatever reason she becomes free from scrutiny and may couple as she pleases. On average most women give birth four or five times. Not all pregnancies come to term of course, so many women actually get pregnant more times than that. Infant survival rates are as good as can be expected for this age in humanity's development; by the age of five a full third of children will be lost, the majority of these are males.

Any female that makes it to childbearing age then begins to show signs of fertility is cherished. This society has found that the best success in delivering healthy babies come when a woman's first pregnancy is delayed to around 23 years of age. If she expresses a desire to delay further then her childbearing is deferred until she feels she is ready. Any woman who chooses not to get pregnant until after 30 years of age is given her choice of viril young men with which to couple. 

In extremely infrequent circumstances a woman may choose to not bear children at all, in which case she is allowed to go on the hunt if she chooses but only after the age of 35.

Children are raised by the collective. They know who their parents are, and are made aware of their most closely related of the other children. Otherwise the entire community mixes together in child care duties. 

The community knows that there are very different people living far, far away. This society keeps an open attitude, recognizing that they are not the only ones, the only kind, occupying the earth. With that, however, their interest in strangers ends. The community prefers to let them pass, keeping contact to a minimum, and being careful to not encroach on lands already occupied. 

Contact with other inhabitants in the region are infrequent. Sometimes groups of wandering hunters pass by, strange-looking people often with darker skin and unusual body coverings, speaking unfamiliar languages. The community bands together in a show of strength, not necessarily to fight but in order to discourage attack.

This is the centre of Europe. The natural push of migration is to the north and west. The south and east are already well populated. At this stage in human development, contact between ethnicities is generally fleeting, distrustful and informal. There is just enough interaction for this community to know that there are very different people living far, far away. This society keeps an open attitude, recognizing that they are not the only ones, the only kind, occupying the earth. With that, however, their interest in strangers ends. The community prefers to let them pass, keeping contact to a minimum, and being careful to not encroach on lands already occupied.  

10. EXOTIC STRANGER GREETS VILLAGERS

The mature woman and burly young men exchange jokes and comments, now completely relaxed, as the lone traveller looks on, astounded.

"Never in all my years have I been treated so graciously by total strangers! Never has anyone taken me so completely at my word based solely on a brief meeting," the exotic stranger disembarks from his horse, individually greeting each village member with extended hands as is the regional custom. The villagers, amused, return the gesture then slowly disperse, going back to their work and leaving the traveller alone with the mature woman.

"I cannot thank you enough, sincerely," says the stranger. "You must be extraordinary people to lend such a hand to an unknown in these dangerous times."

The woman laughs wryly, "We too are experienced with the ways of unscrupuplous business people. Our village sits on two major trade routes, one east to west and one south to north. Although I myself have never left this valley I have seen some strange things indeed in my time."

The new arrival regards her calmly as an idea occurs to him.

"Samo is my name," he declares. "I am a merchant from a great Frankish city."

"I am Svetlana, mother to three and grandmother to one with another on the way soon' she indicates that Samo should take his horse's bridal and follow her. "My role here is of tapestry making, weaving and advising on the large animal migrations when the hunt is being organized."

"Tapestry and weaving?" inquires Samo. "I should love to see your work, compare it to others I know."

"Cretainly," agreed Svetlana. "But first we take our mid-day meal."

With the help of some young men Samo unhooks his heavily-laden cart from his horse, leaving it under the large stoage cover. His horse he takes to an enclosed area carpeted in soft grass, quickly tends to it's needs. He removes the harness, saddle and bridal, brushes down the animal thoroughly then provides it with plenty of grain and water before joining the village for a meal himself.

"Good stranger," a young woman hands Samo a bowl of rich stew and a thick slab of bread.

"I thank you deeply for you hospitatily," says Samo warmly. This day is turning out much differently than it seemed just a few short hours ago.

A group of young men clear a space for the new arrival to sit and eat, they exchange pleasantries and idle chatter. Eventually the meal is finished and everyone goes on with their work. Not seeing Svetlana anywhere Samo begins to feel at a loss.

Just then a small group approaches, of men and women, young and old.

"We are here to officially invite you to join our village should you choose," says a bright young woman with a clear voice. "We believe that your city experience combined with our knowledge of trade and travellers from distant lands would serve us all well."

The welcoming group regards Samo inquisitively. "That plan hads occurred to me also good woman," says Samo with a smile. "Which makes we think only more strongly that the fates have deliberately brought us together."

The group of villagers takes Samo on a brief tour, explaining their hatchery, their fertile fields, the hunt, the food storage huts, their cabins and the communal shelter. Here they stop, near to Samo's cart. Some children are discovered trying to peek under the tightly secured cover.

"Hostimir! Slzena! Drabor! get yourselves back to your parents!" a quick young man pretends to give chase as the children run away laughing.

Once they are gone the adults exchange amused glances.

"As you have shown me ultimate welcome and all the comforts of your village I will similarly show you my wares," says Samo beginning to untie his car. "I have some very special items here that would be highly sought after by these traders you say pass by frequently."

Samo pulls the cover off to show the cart piled high in all manner of items; powerful tools and shiny trinkets alike.

The group of villagers gasps.

11. VILLAGERS WELCOME EXOTIC STRANGER

There are strudy iron mallets, kettles and basins. There are fine but strong tongs, clips, holsters and hooks. A good selection of cloths, including wools from the far north, are piled high in one corner. There are plates, boats and cups painted in happy colours and delightful patterns. Packages of seeds for planting are stored in sealed containers; roots, herbs and vegetables.

 As the villagers stare in wonder Samo declares, "There is more beneath this top layer, which I am happy to show you. The woman, Svetlana, said she weaves tapestries and other textiles?"

The villagers nod.

"And you have frequently traders and merchants stopping to rest on their way to sell their wares?"

Again nods all around.

"I have an idea . . . I think we should set up a commercial centre here to encourage trading. We could assist travellers by shortening their journey significantly. For a small fee of course." A twinkle escapes from Samo's eye.

The villagers are intrigued, "We should bring this up for discussion," says the bright young woman looking at her companions. Everyone agrees with enthusiasm.

"We'll go spread the word, organize a discussion for this evening," the young villagers move off except for one.

"Perhaps you'd like to see our collection of items left behind by travellers?" asks the young man. "Some left us gifts for our hospitality while others found they had too much to carry for the lone road west."

Samo says, "Oh very much, show me everything you have - made or collected - I believe we can get a commercial enterprise happening here."

Somewhat along in years but still young enough for new ideas, Samo has seen lands distant and places exotic. He knows where there is a lack for some basic necessities, things that are plentiful here in the fertile north, and where there are centres of industry for things rare and cherished. And valuable.

This village, situated as it is on the north-south, and east-west trade routes, could soon become a hub for all manner of commerce. Once word got out traders and merchants would make it a point to stop here, if only to see what new items others are carrying.

Samo looks over what the village is storing, their collection from passing travellers is quite impressive. Spices, silks and damask, art works of various kinds, utensils, parchments carefully packaged to protect from the elements, inks and pens. 

The villagers' own weaving and tapestries take on the influences from foreign lands in their motifs while also using the local flavours predominantly influenced by images of nature.

For their part the villagers take turns looking over Samo's cart. All agree his wares would fit in with their own. By the time the community has eaten dinner the entire village is buzzing with ideas for how to make this proposal of Samo's work.

The children are hustled off to bed early, with no small amount of complaining, while pots of coffee and tea are brewed in preparation for long discussion.

Adults young and old are gathered around the fire, teenagers sit quietly in the background listening carefully to the proceedings. Everyone understands that whatever is decided today will colour their futures and that of their children, granchildren and beyond.

Svetlana, the bright young woman who helped show Samo around the village, a couple of the aged, and a strudy man Samo has not yet met take the cente of the gathering by the fire pit.

"Today has seen an occurance which could change the future of our little village in a very important way," the bright young woman speaks loudly so all can hear. "We have a decision before us today: to act upon this event brought to us by the fates, to deliberately alter our future, or to ignore the new circumstances before us and continue our lives in the path first set by the arrival of Chehy, his sons, and the travellers they lead."

She looks about the faces of the gathered villagers. With each passing generation since Chehy's group first joined the remanat of the once-great Celtic village the differences between the groups has become negligable. The individual races have mixed together so to become a fine peoples; strong, hearty, with a powerful sense of reason and a clear grasp of ethics and moral structure.

The faces stare back at he young woman, waiting for her to go on.

"We are now going to hear the opinions of our selected group here today," she indicates those standing with her, "of our newest arival" all heads turn to Samo, "then we will invite anyone with an opinion to add it. As this idea would permanently change our way of life there will be no time limit placed on our discussion tonight."

Murmurs and shuffles as the village settles in for what will surely be a long night.

12. DISCUSSIONS AND PLANS FOR THE FUTURE

She steps back as the man takes her place beside the fire.

He is tall and straight with a mop of curly brown hair and prominant features set off against his rugged physique.

"The fates have brought us a decision today which I think we must consider carefuly," he says slowly and deliberately. "Long before the fated arival of Chehy, our people had a practice of paying attention to their dreams and taking cues from the circumstances around them. Since Chehy brought his people from the south and east our village has grown and prospered, our people have combined into a single, strong race, and our number have swelled."

The villagers nod in agreement at this assessment.

"We are again met with a decision, our future paths divide before us into a myriad of opportunities. We must consider the barbarians to our north, who once in a while attempt to launch an attack and take our land. If our village were to grow into a city, would it attract even more of this invasion attention?"

The villagers frown at this idea.

"However we must not make the mistake of being too cautious. If we were to decide not to grow, to maintain our lives as they are now, perhaps the barbarians to the north and the great civilaztions to the south will grow and swallow up our small village regardless."

The villagers look puzzled and confused indeed.

"This is a delicate matter. The world is changing and growing around us, we see that with each passing year in the manner of merchants and traders travelling through. Always are their wares more exotic, from lands even more distant and unkown. If we don't grow along with the world we may well end up losing our way of life altogether."

Many pensive faces and furrowed brows on the villagers.

"But if we choose the wrong path, to grow the wrong way, we may also suffer a defeat from an unknown force in the future." The man pauses, also looking pensive and concerned. "I have no answers for you, all I can do is ask you to keep all of this in mind when making your decision."

The man steps back with no ceremony, making room for the two aged villagers to sep forward. So hunched and grizzled are they it is difficult to see at first that one is a man and the other a woman. The villagers strain forward to hear their weak voices.

Such long-time companions are they that they speak almost as one, in a strange lyrical manner, finishing each others' sentences.

"Long have we walked the soil of this earth," says the man.

"Many changes in this world have we seen," says the woman.

"As children this village was much smaller than it is today but no less comfortable. The river provided fish year-round, the forest provided game during hunting season," the man starts.

"And the fields provided roots and grains for our stews and breads," continues the woman. "Our parents' lives were simple and pure. Only the changing of the season and the growing of children concerned them. On occasion an invasion was attempted by the barbarians from the north"

"and foreigners from the east," says the man. "As a young man I helped build this strudy village wall, and the ramparts outside it as protection. Since then our little village has been safe and comfortable."

The man steps back.

"After the wall was built there were few more changes made. This village has not improved much since Horomir and I were younsteres like yourselves." The old woman's piercing gaze reaches to those seated farthest back from the fire.

"Consider this carefully when making your decision; with every generation these village grounds, or our lifestyles, have undergone a major growth. What will be your contribution? What will be the legacy you leave behind for your children or grand-children?"

Now the aged woman steps back, but the man is not finished, "Take care, take care and do not burst forward  in great zeal to make changes for changes' sake. the desire of the fates are murky and unknown, perhaps it is your task to take no action today, to keep this village and our lives the way it has always been." The woman looks at her companion nodding, deep in thought at these wise words.

The villagers sigh and mumble among themselves. Some rise to get more coffee or to drain their cups. When everyone is again settled Svetlana speaks.

"I have also walked the soil of this earth for many years up on years, although not as long as Horomi and Bozena here."

Svetlana inclines her head engagingly to the aged, who nod in response.

"To many of the travellers taking rest in our village I have spoken, on much of their wares I have put my eys." Here Svetlana pauses, taking a deep breath. "My insight is sound and my judgement of character is clear. When I saw our newest arrival coming fast down the road to our village gate this morning I had a sense that something important was about to happen."

The villagers watch Svetlana closely. Samo from his seat among the crowd, has been taking in these proceedings with great interest. Such deliberate speakers, such clear thoughts! He is used to shouts, the fits of large crowds in the cities. Fear, distrust, and unown languages are the norm. To see people gather together calmly, and rationally discuss an isue thoroughly, each given an opportunity to say their piece completely, is so refreshing that Samo is quite taken aback. He also watches Svetlana speak, realizing she is introducing him and in a moment it will be his turn.

'I'm home,' the thought leaps into this head so loud and clear he almost thinks someone has spoken into his ear. A great feeling of calm overcomes him, a that moment Samo feels more relaxed than he has ever been in his adult life. He takes a deep breath and lets out a satisfied sigh as Svetlana continues.

"When Samo, sitting forward above his heavy cart, his fine steed faithfully obeying his commands, rode up this morning in such a hurry I found myself more amused than alarmed. Despite his agitation at the threat of his pursuers he spoke to me very civilly and politely. In the few words that passsed between us I determined him to be of honest and upstanding character. That he had the document to prove his words against this pursures was for me but a formality."

The villagers, well aware of Svetlana's experience with people and sharp instinct, take her statement very seriously.

"Changes may come slowly, over time, with incremental adjustments that we hardly notice are happening, or they may come all at once, suddenly. It is for us to decide if we will help make these changes happen or stand by idly as they occur without our input of direction."

Svetlana takes her seat, gratefully accepting a cup of dandelion tea offered. Once again the bright young woman steps forward.

13. THE VILLAGERS DECIDE ON FUTURE GROWTH

"We have seen a good sample of the wares contained in Samo's cart today, and have shown him our storage of articles both collected from travellers and made here. We agree that the items are in great compliment to each other, and -- were we to decide to join forces -- this village could prosper very niclely from our combined effors."

The yong woman steps bacward, extending her arm toward Samo, palm up, in invitation. As he takes his place by the fire she too retires for a seat among the villagers.

It has grown quite late, the night is now pitch black with stars shining high overhead. The fire has been stoked, the cofffee and tea put away. The mood of the villagers is serious, and receptive to the ideas being put forward.

Samo, short and round with his fuzzy beard, and cropped hair thinning, stands out from the group somewhat. His clothing, in style for the city, looks out of place among these earthy villagers. His speech is also different, the entire meeting is conducted in the mix of local dialects used between different ethnic groups.

"My new frineds, I thank you deeply for welcoming me today and for your open hospitality," Samo begins. As he speaks he paces slightly, the shimmering firelight plays on his form. "I too have travelled upon the soil of this earth for many a year. In my business I have ventured near and far, seen things strange and exotic. My base has been the Frankish city from where I just came; busy, crowded, bustling, with a pace and flavour quite different from this pastoral setting. Many, many villages have I seen in my travels, I have encountered villagers and city dwellers in great numbers.

Like Svetlana, when I first arrived this morning I had a great sense that I had just come home. As I walked among you and ate with you today I only feel more at home."

Samo stops, the delight on his face clearly evident. The serious mood of the villagers gathered around elevates somewhat.

"What I propose today is a mutually beneficial arrangement; your unique, local talents and skills as well as the fortunate location of this village on trade routes together with my exotic and varied wares, and knowledge of lands far distant can work together to bring prosperity and a secure future for you and your descendants. We have examined each others' items and found them very complimentary."

The villagers nod at this.

Samo fixes his eyes squarely on each individual villager as he speaks.

"You saw the group that pursued me today. Unscrupulous creditors with sound reputations who had no qualms overcoming and extorting from honest merchants who travelled beyond the safety of city limits and the reach of authorities. Those men this morning are a mild example of what is out there. Of course there are honest, regular, hard-working tradespeople such as yourselves and such as myself everywhere. But hidden among them are thieves and traitors, those loyal to no country or state who will act only in a way to gain riches for themselves."

"Your defenses here are sound, but you open your gates to the weary. A time will come when someone dishonest, someone with no home or family, no root or country, will arrive and see how pleasant life is here. That one will invite others like himself, in enough numbers to overcome you. If not to overcome your, enough to cause problems both large and unnecesary."

The villagers shift uncomfortably, the stories of constant attacks and endless battles have not died with their grandparents and the grandparents that came before them.

"Rather than seeing a threat and trying to keep everyone out I suggest we let everyone in. If there were a proper commercial centre established here, with enough volume passing through that the usual rules of trade would apply, there would be no possibility of a large group of passing vagrants setting up here."

"Of course there would be other problems, I'm not going to pretned there would not be. Disagrements between individual traders would probably count first among them. But this is a reality everwhere and I am sure this community could easily come up with mechanisms to solve them, to keep them at a minimum."

"What do you propose, exactly?" a voice calls from deep in the crowd.

"What I propose," says Samo rubbing his hands together  in delight, another twinkle escaping from his eye. "And I belive Svetlana and this group of young poeple is with me."

Nods from them.

"Is to create a village within the village so to speak. A section within these protective walls where merchants and travellers alike could come to rest, take refreshment, do some business, maybe even stay overnight. Merchants and traders could choose to sell off their goods here, which could then either be stockpiled or traded for something else necessary."

"Believe me I have been doing this long enough to know that if you provide this option of warehousing for goods, thereby reducing travel times to the cities to the west by a day or even two, a good portion of merchants will take advantage of it. They make their money in the transfer of goods, you see," Samo details. "They don't care at which venue they make their final sale."

The villagers murmur approvingly at this sound idea.

"Those who already have customers, who think they can get a better price by going all the way themselves, or for whatever reason, can choose to simply rest here and not use the services offered. Either way this village would become a hub for news, new styles, information and the latest products. That alone, without even storing or warehousing incoming goods, would be invaluable."

14. PART TWO

THE CELTIC BOII

Season, years and generations pass. The community grows, and begins to establish more permanent dwellings. Once the day's work is done, their time is occupied with weaving, pottery, fashioning new types of tools, perfecting their clothing to protect against the elements, making better and stronger armour, and other such pursuits. Of course the daily examinations of dreams continues. After the success of their beginnings, the community has developed a mythology, a communal mantra, about the value of the lessons offered during dreaming time. Everyone follows the outcome of dream telling with an almost religious zeal.

At times the community comes under attack, either from disorganized savages to the north or east, or from terrifyingly large troop movements from the south and west. The people are always able to defend their territory, but not without suffering losses. One morning when it is time for the dream telling, a young man known more for his skills of thought and invention than for hunting and battle stands.

"I have had the most vivid and powerful dream, I wish to share immediately before the message fades."

The aged lift their heads in interest, everyone else leans back to allow the young man a chance to speak.

"Our people will live in this precious valley for a long time to come. So far into the future, in fact, that our occupation does not ever seem to end. However the manner of our lives here can come about in one of two ways."

The young man pauses to make sure he has everyone's attention. Satisfied, he continues.

"Should we keep to our practice of never launching a battle, should we stick to our principles of only fighting in self defense once attacked, our lives in this generous valley will not improve. The military campaigns from the south especially will serve to prevent any progress we would make were we unimpeded from outside influence."

Clouds of smoke puff up from the pipes of the aged. There is many a furrowed brow in the community. Several of the more burly men have become fed up with the constant efforts to overtake their territory. More than a few of the women have a tear-filled, far off look about them as they think of their men lost in previous battles.

The young man continues.

"My dream showed me a choice of paths, one leading to a future not much changed from our current condition. The other, should we follow the other path, in the future this valley will be the home of great dwellings, dwellings of stone and rock bigger than any one man could carry, dwelling soaring high up into the sky. Sparkling rooftops, walkways also made of stone, and people everywhere. People in numbers never encountered yet on this earth."

Again the young man pauses. As with all powerful dreams the telling is difficult. To translate into words the strength of the images, to filter through language the feelings that accompany the images is never easy. Gathering his thoughts the young man goes on.

"But there is a risk. In my dream there was no judgement offered as to which path to take, neither was more right or wrong than the other, as often our dreams do steer us."

The entire community is staring at the young man, transfixed by his story. It is almost as if they are experiencing the dream with him, so vivid is his retelling.

"We may choose to remain as we are, fighting only when attacked, living much in this way for long into the future," the young man waves his hand around the village, with the rough huts and bare dirt ground. "Or we may act differently, bringing about the extraordinary dwellings I have described. However, should we choose to embark on different action, our losses could be great."

The young man looks closely at the warriors, sitting together looking back at him with such intensity they seem ready to jump up into battle at this very moment. He feels himself running out of steam, plunges ahead into the rest of his dream telling.

"My dream ended with me standing at the crossroad of these two paths, on the one side a peaceful small village consisting of very basic living, on the other the grand dwellings and bustling lifestyle. There was no suggestion of which path was the right one. I awoke rather abruptly with a question of 'which way to take?' unanswered."

The young man sits. Everyone looks to the aged. This is an entirely new dream lesson, the idea of departing from their long-held practice of never lanching a battle does not immediately sit well with some members of the community. The aged, of course, do not have a prompt answer ready.

"We will confer on this weighty subject," is all they say as they move slowly to retire to their place under the big tree.

The aged sit in silence for a long time as the community bustles about their day.

"Major change, this," says a shrunken old man. "The idea of sending out men to launch a battle."

Everyone nods, deep in thought. These people have lived by the rule of only fighting in self defense for longer than any of the aged have been alive.

"Interesting that the idea was suggested though," mutters a gristled old woman. "The very choice of paths seems to indicate taking the new road."

Grunts of agreement eminate from the group.

In the end the decision is not left exclusively to the aged, as a large group of warriors decide among themselves that going out into battle is precisely what the community needs.

"We can't keep sitting inactively, waiting for others to bring war upon us," says a strong older man. "We all know our forebears were brought to this valley specifically to settle it and to defend it."

The warrior men agree, all that is left is to convince the rest of the community. When the aged return from their tree the discussion is rather short, as enough people are behind the idea of sending men south to battle the encroaching army.

Preparations are made.

The entire village sees the men off. It has been decided that all able bodied men, younger and older, should go. Even those not accustomed to fighting, because this effort will be undertaken only once so best to put as many into the force as possible. They are armed with all manner of weapons, as much as each can carry, and wearing the most advanced armour the village has as yet tooled. 

The farewell is not sad. Everyone lends their good spirits to the men, bolstering their confidence. There is much chanting, dancing, hooting and general merriment as the men march out of the valley. Some of the boys, deemed too young to participate, accompany the march out as far into the forest as they can and still return before nightfall. The remaining villagers go about their usual business trying not to think too much about how the men are faring.

15. THE CELTS MARCH ON ROME

The journey south is mostly uneventful, until the men reach the borders of the nation regularly sending army patrols to their valley. Most of the villages offer minimal resistance, allowing the men to progress quickly, sometimes they run into a garrison and engage in fierce battle. The men suffer minimal losses however, as the presiding army is generally unprepared for battle within their borders. Not wanting word of their campaign to reach the capital ahead of their arrival, the men do not stop to rest.

A few short nights later they are at the gates of the capital city. They have managed to maintain almost all their numbers, and present a frightening sight to the city residents. The rulers, in particular, have never encountered a warrior sect with the audacity to attack these city gates.

The military tries to put up a good defense, but -- being entirely unprepared, and not receiving orders from their superiors who are scattered about the city in recline -- are soon defeated. A few burly men are selected to speak to the ruler. 

Emporer . . .  views the entering warriors with scorn. This savage group of barbarians has defeated his great army? And at his very own city gates! This kind of rebellion against his empire can not be allowed to stand. Despite the language barrier Emporer  .  . . makes short work of the negotiations. Various treasures are brought in for the warriors to take away. Women are offered but the warriors seem disgusted with that idea. Gold coins and other valuables are also displayed, which the men pick over carefully.

Emporer . . . and his advisors watch this with disinterest. It doesn't matter because this group will not last long, and the empire will have its treasures soon returned. Emporer . . . expects this to be the end but the warriors seem to need further discussion. Finally it comes to light that what the men really want is for the incursions of Emporer's  .  . . armies on their lands to stop.

The advisors scoff at the idea of such a group of barbarians dictating to the great Emporer . . .  where he may or may not make battle. A sharp look from the Emporer silences them. A tribute is drawn up, in which Emporer . . . promises to never again send troops to the precious valley. All in attendance make their mark on the parchment.

Emporer . . . offers the men a wild night of hedonism in celebration of their new-found peace treaty but the men view such an invitation with distaste and make their hasty departure.

Carrying their treasures and displaying the tribute proudly the men quickly make their way back north. This time they encounter no resistance from villages along the road, making their journey north much shorter than the one going south. 

Soon they are back with their people, sharing stories of the battle and describing the villages and towns they saw, and the great city they conquered. Everyone is much cheered, this seems to be a confirmation of the initial dream. The description of the capital seems similar to the young man's explanation of the soaring city of these peoples' future.

Secure in the knowledge of a peaceful southern border, comfortable in the thought of no more organized armies arriving with surprise attacks, the people go about their lives, working and creating. Little do they know that, far to the south in that capital city, Emporer . . .  is amassing a great army. One hundred thousand troops in the end are sent north.

It is against the basic principle of that nation to allow barbarians anywhere to resist occupation. Emporer . . . decides that this particular group is a worthy adversary and must be destroyed, the population  must be decimated and must never be able to rise up against his nation again.

At dawn, before the people have even started moving about, the immense army arrives and kills all they can find. Almost no one escapes. The village is levelled, the treasures taken back, and the surrounding forest is set alight. Days and weeks later survivors gather, few as they are, at the scarred, burned remnants of their village.

Most of the few survivors choose to migrate north and west, away from this place. Much as it pains them to leave the pristine valley, the memory of this terrible betrayal is too much to bear. The migrators drop off communities throughout Europe as they go, until they reach the farthest point of land, west and north. On this green, desolate island they choose to rest, with the rough waves of the awesome ocean banging against their shores.

Those that remain in the valley where the two rivers crossed revert to a basic state of living. All they can do, so small are their numbers, is dig pits which they cover with straw as shelter. Winter is arriving and there is no time to build proper shelter.

The knowledge, the history, the ways of these people is lost. Without their structure, without the aged, with nothing remaining of their past to cling to, the people become indistinguishable from their savage neighbours. 

In this way they live, continuing to occupy the precious valley, for eight centuries until another people arrive.

16. THE SLAVS

The group has been travelling for a very long time. They left their home, poor and overcrowded, before the cold season ended. The lead group, a man and his three grown sons, charge ahead on their horses to find a way through the land for the others. Progress is slow, with many people on foot as horses and burrows are laden down with household possessions. The weather has been mild, but the people fear if they do not soon find a suitable place to start a settlement there will not be enough time begin building before the next freeze comes.

The group moves through hills and valleys, over forested and rocky terrain, past settlements and villages of strange and exotic people, without stopping for more than one night at a time. Women, children, elderly, weak and injured all struggle to keep up the pace. Somehow they just keep moving as the season passes toward the hottest time of the year. Whenever they come to a pleasant stream or a place sheltered by a steep hill some start complaining, requesting to know why they do not stop here. 

The lead men are discussing among themselves how to proceed should they not find a suitable place before the hot season has been too long. The sons agree that only once they arrive at an excellent location should they stop, but the father is of a mind to simply settle for one year at any reasonable place to give the people a rest. They have already travelled a great distance from their overpopulated home. The sons, however, know that wherever they stop will become their home forever so work together to maintain the father's adherance to the initial plan.

As the four men as so discussing, with the group trudging through the underbrush a ways behind, the horses arrive at the edge of a tall hill, to a gap in the trees. The men are presented with a stunning view; below them stretches a valley far off into the distance, with rolling hills covered in thick tree cover. There is a river winding through, wide and fast. The different shades of grasses blend with the green of trees. Off in the distance is a lake, glistening in the bright afternoon sunshine.

Collectively the men gasp. There is a moment of awed silence, then the father climbs down off his horse to stand at the edge of the hillside looking over the landscape. All feel a rush of euphoria, a strange sensation of lightness coursing through them, as if an energy force briefly occupies their bodies.

The three younger men also climb down off their horses to join their father. He is captured in a moment of rapt attention, oblivious to all but the sight before him. His eyes shine brightly as he stretches out his hand, "Here is that land that I have often promised you, a land subject to no one, filled with game and birds, flowing with sweet milk and honey, and with a pleasant climate."

The group is overjoyed to see that the man has finally a chosen a place for them to settle, and such a delightful one at that. As the bulk of the people slowly make their way down the hill into the pleasant valley, a large group of men ride ahead to ensure there are is no current settlement of potentially unfriendly people to deal with. 

They make quite a sight, a seemingly endless procession of people and donkeys winding slowly from the hilltop, with a sizable group of men riding ahead to investigate. The projeny of the previous village community are taken completely by surprise, as the men on horseback suddenly burst out of the forest's edge in a manner that can only be described as jovial. Both groups freeze on the spot upon encountering each other.

The residents move together in a pathetic group, as the new arrivals disembark from their horses slowly. Each side examines the other uneasily. 

Without even basic huts or other construction, the village site is miserable indeed. The arriving men recognize the covered pits as dwellings used by the most barbaric of the populations they passed on their way from their old home. Glances are exchanged which seem to say, 'This is not a formidable opponent and could easily be defeated.'

The residents gaze back at the arriving men dully. The wise practices and philosophical learnings of their ancient forebears have been all but lost, the only thing these people know for certain is that this precious valley is theirs by right and must be protected from warring, invasive forces. Pathetic as they are these current residents of the valley continue to have dreams which lead them, just as powerfully as their ancestors did.

17. TWO COMMUNITIES JOIN

One stout young man steps forward. 

"Welcome to our valley, strange travellers. May we offer you some drink to quench your thirst?" The young man intends to offer hospitality of hopes of avoiding a fight then sending this group on its way.

The local dialect bears little resemblance to the travellers native tongue, however they have picked up enough from the rough villages they passed along the way to make basic communication possible. The offered drink is accepted graciously.

The two groups are still considering each other uneasily when the first of the straggling procession begins to arrive through the trees. The residents hardly have time to react before the village site is filled with people. They continue to stand apart, at the centre of the bustle, with the first group of arriving men. Realization dawns on the residents and they regard the new arrivals more closely. For their part the father and his three sons want to avoid any disagreement with these people, but know in their hearts that this will be their new home forever.

One of the sons climbs on a rock to address the new arrivals, "My people, please heed my words." The new arrivals turn to give him their attention, parents getting a hold of their young ones to quiet them down. "Our father has chosen this place as our new home. Here we will grow and flourish, we will find plenty to feed ourselves, in this valley we will build a great village."

A rocous cheer goes up. The son raises his hands quickly for silence, he does not want to alarm the current residents.

"Please, just listen. We have found these people already here, but they are rough and live without the basic comforts of life." He waves his hand to indicate the pathetic group of residents, and their covered pits.

Under this scrutiny the resident group pulls itself together, standing straight and tall despite their shabby clothing and scruffy footwear. A hush goes through the crowd, they have just left a place where they were the shabby and unkept. An aura of sympathy and understanding flows between the two groups.

"It is for us to find a way to live together with these people," he reaches towards the residents in an encompassing hugging motion, which seems to resonate. "Please, for the moment just rest and conduct yourselves quietly as we speak more deeply with these people."

The matter is settled quickly. The residents allow the new arrivals on their land because there must be such an increase in numbers in order to build a proper village, with shelters and other comforts. The arrivals understand the condition of the residents and bear them no malice or ill will. The two groups decide they can inhabit the pristine valley together.

In this way the Boii, the remains of a non-druidic Celtic tribe of fifth century BC, was absorbed into the migrating Slav population, which arrived in the Pan valley in sixth century AD. The man leading his sons and people across Europe was named Cechy, the land is ancient Bohemia, and the joining of these groups was the beginning of the Czech people.

Never fear, the story is not over!! For Part Two go HERE!