Fairy Tale Spotlight: The Oracle

I've noticed that in some fantasy stories, you may run into a character known as either a  high priest, shaman, witch doctor, prophet, or oracle. The different names generally denote where the story came from, but the general idea is the same. This character is a man who lives by the spirit rather than the flesh. He understands the ebb and flow of the universe and does what he can to interpret these motions. In this way, he can often predict the future.

It's a strange thing to look upon another human being as being significantly in touch with forces unseen. They, in many ways, don't seem human at all. There's a weird look in their eyes which we often akin to paranoia or fear, yet they are clearly busy doing their best to interpret what they are experiencing so that we can know what they know, for better or worse.

Oracles are best known for there abilities to predict cataclysms. These prophecies can generally be filled with a lot of wailing and bodily spasms. The actual words uttered can be painfully cryptic, but otherwise clear that something very deadly is on the way. We don't hear much about oracles predicting happy things because it wouldn't make for a very interesting story without some sort of conflict. There are some formulas that are more common than others.

I think the thing that fascinated me most is what is actually happening to these people. Oracles are usually portrayed within more tribal settings, and I honestly think they belong there. Some might think that these people are using the spiritual realm as a tool to predict things, but I wonder if it's really the opposite. What if entities within the spiritual realm were using him as a tool?

A lot of the uncanny valley of the oracles come from the craziness in there eyes. There is also a strangeness in their movements as well. They are weird. Simply weird. Normal human beings don't act like they do. It is a good example of what happens to a human being who gives himself to forces that are incompatible with him.

When people see the oracle acting like this, they treat him with reverence. The man is placed above them as linked with spirits that are helping him see the truth. And I think they really are too. Although to get mixed up in the agenda of a spirit guide is a bit one-sided. If they turn against you, there's nothing you can do.

In fiction, the oracle is often revered even by the reader. There's something fun and magical about this person who has set himself apart from the others. He gets his own hut, and is allowed to be as flamboyant or antisocial as he wishes. If it sounds like he is speaking gibberish, that's okay. He's allowed to do that too. The hope is that he will act like a sort of weatherman of fate and let the people of the tribe know when bad things are on the way.

These are great characters in fiction, but realistically, these are poor souls who have given themselves to hostile powers. I'm sorry for them. It's just another situation where man gives up his birthright to beings that simply don't belong here. The only prophecies really worth listening to comes from God himself. He is a being we can relate to. It makes more sense. Beware the false prophet!

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Fairy Tale Spotlight: The Key

Doors are everywhere. They are an enigma until opened, but what if you were not allowed to open them at all. The door is there, but the knob just won't turn. Perhaps what is needed is a key.

There are a number of ways to open a door without finding a key, but there is nothing more eloquent than the act of inserting a key, turning the key, and hearing that notable click that denotes that the door will soon open. Much better than just knocking the thing down, in my humble opinion.

I am the first to admit to the existence of two types of doors in this universe. There are literal doors, and then there are figurative doors. Literal doors can be opened in a number of ways. Dynamite works quite well in most cases. Figurative doors require keys. The information they hold within cannot simply be taken without the proper credentials. But let's talk about the types of keys that these figurative doors may need.

One of my biggest troubles with figurative doors is, at first, knowing that they exist at all. Since you can't see them with your eyes, you certainly would be required to discover them in order to turn the knob. The key to uncharted doors is to know they exist in the first place. You may not necessarily need to insert a key and hear the click. It really is a matter of turning the knob once you find out that it's there.

These doors are often lost somewhere within your mind. There are surface doors which we travel in and out of every day. There are also dark doors in some of the deeper regions of who you are. These doors are often filled with things that are very troubling, but not at all dangerous. I always recommend that they be opened... if you can find them, that is.

Sometime these figurative doors are actually locked. The key used to open them can be a number of things... including a real physical key... if that key meant something to you. Keys are themselves symbols of unlocking. Looking at a key may inspire one of these figurative doors to be unlocked. The type and shape of key certainly is important here, just like they are for literal doors. Similarly to the previous two paragraphs, these physical keys can also help to make the door visible. This is a real thing. Consider looking into it.

As surprising as literal keys opening figurative doors is, you may not find it surprising at all to imagine figurative keys opening likewise figurative doors. A lot of the time these keys can be found through soul searching (as they say). The idea of it is to get enough courage or even reasoning to unlock a particular door. The contents of the door, in these cases, are not always secret, although their significance is almost always hidden from view. Once again, they should be opened at the nearest opportunity.

Ever heard of a rather creepy sort of thing known as a skeleton key? From what I understand, a skeleton key is a specialized key that can unlock any door. I often see them portrayed as an old fashioned key with a skull shape embedded in the base. However real skeleton keys look more like odd tools than actual keys. The former is the preferred image for this example though.

Figurative skeleton keys are real. Yes, I mean it. If you can obtain one, you can open up any one of those deep doors within yourself... if you can find them. Obtaining a figurative skeleton key (especially the cool looking one with the skull in the handle) requires a vast amount of free-thinking and open-mindedness. You have to be willing to open any and every door immediately upon finding them... even if its just a peek. Unlocked doors can always be returned to without the aid of a key.

Inside me there are two hallways that I know of with doors in it. Hallways are wonderful places to find doors. Without doors, the hallways would just go on forever or just reach a dead end. It is the purpose of hallways to lead to exists on either the left or right. The first hallway that I know of, which I found in a dream, is a darkened hallway lit by royal blue neon (light) strips that run along the middle of the walls all the way down. The doors themselves are sliding doors, but still require keys. Interestingly, the locks are to the left of the actual door. I figure that is where the latch for each sliding door is located. These doors all lead to bedrooms.

The second hallway is entirely made of black smoke. The floor is smoke. The walls are smoke. There is no ceiling. The "sky" is represented by a very, very dark purple gradient. The black smoke floor and walls are solid if you put your hand through it about an inch. So there really is something solid I am standing on, but it is shrouded by the black smoke. These doors are more traditional and have knobs and keyholes. The inside of many of these doors are known to me and I react to them in my own way.

There is also the theoretical one great or golden door. Figurative, of course. I don't know anything about this door as a fact. I often think it is a myth created by devils. If it does exist, I really doubt it is as interesting as people make it out to be. My feelings are that the many doors, as a collective, make up the person, and the one golden door, is merely a pipe dream that can't really be found. I could be wrong. I have never seen it or even felt it within the whole of my introspection.

Consider what I have said in today's blog. Consider yourself and try to see if you have similar experiences. What sort of hallways have you been to? What sort of keys have you found? Do you posses a skeleton key? Remember that simply being able to open a door does not mean that you will. Skeleton keys are only for the truly willing.

Also know that to open this door may not only be a look inside yourself. It may allow you to peer beyond yourself and into the nature of the universe. We were all made in the image of God. We have a piece of Him inside of us. The doors are there. If you have what you need, there's no reason not to, at the very least, take a little peek.

Thank you for reading my blog. What did you think? If you'd like, you can comment below, or you can email me at tkwadeauthor@gmail.com. You can also visit my website at www.tkwade.com. Check out the books I have for sale! Click!

Fairy Tale Spotlight: The Misinterpretation of John 3:16

While I am still working hard on the Our Divine Comedy book, let's have a chat about the often misused passage from the Bible, John 3:16. Here it is in case you somehow forgot it:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Ever since Sunday School, I was fed this passage over and over again like it was some sort of magic wand that I could use to get to Heaven. How easy it is! All you gotta do is believe, right? Here's the problem though: Most of the people who say they believe, really don't.

The idea of believing seems to have devolved into just... saying you believe. It's like reciting an oath and just moving on. Okay, so maybe it is an oath. That only make things worse when you live a sinful life. In that case, you are breaking an oath! Who cares if you still think you believe; you broke the damn oath!

There is more to believing than simply saying so. Believing that God and Jesus are who they are means that there is a responsibility to living your life a certain way. You can't just say it and continue acting like a sinner. Sinners are sinners. The wages thereof is death. Believing in Christ means you change your ways there and from then on.

They call it getting reborn. Well, how disappointing is it to be reborn only to do all the stupid stuff all over again? It makes no sense! If you're going to do something, follow through with it! This is mainly why I don't actually think people really believe as they said they did. They may believe in an eternally forgiving God who looks past all their failing after the initial oath, but I really doubt he is that forgiving. He 's probably disgusted by all this behavior. Why not try and be a good person rather than looking for loopholes that don't actually exist?

John 3:16 is true. It is very important. But if you go into it half-assed, then it will ultimately destroy you when your time has come. Take it seriously! Don't try and interpret it. If you are going to be a Christian, than you better go into it 100%. It's an oath. The punishment for breaking that oath is death.

Thank you for reading my blog! Did you like it? Did you hate it? Either way, you can leave a comment below, or you can email me at tkwadeauthor@gmail.com. You can also visit my website at www.tkwade.com. Check out all the books I have for sale! Thanks!

Fairy Tale Spotlight: A Fairy Encounter

A strange thing once happened to me. I left my village to go foraging. So there I was in the forest when I came across a man who did not seem normal.

"Are you lost?" I asked him.

The being looked down at me for he was very tall and of a perfect complexion. He only looked at me for a moment. It was as if I was a mere distraction. Once again, I tried to talk to him, "From whence do you come? Maybe I can help you."

Suddenly the being said as to someone else of whom I could not see, "Thirty-six, seven. Three to the right. I have not found the source."

These words did not make much sense to me. I had never heard such gibberish talk before. If I had heard anyone back at the village say such a thing, I would have thought their mind to be fevered. But there was a certain conviction in this tall man's voice that near convinced me that what he said had a purpose.

Wanting to assist him in any way that I could, I told him, "I do not know what you mean by all these numbers, but maybe you can find what you are looking for in my village."

He suddenly held up a large hand towards my face. I was startled! I backed away, thinking he was going to strike me, but he did not. He was not even looking at me. And then he said, "Seven is not correct. Pathways are off by one."

I pointed to the dirt path that I had been traveling on. "But the path is right here. I travel it nearly every day when I--" I was interrupted.

I beg your indulgence, for it is difficult to explain what happened to me next. All that I know is that the man looked me in the eyes. It was a bit more than that. It was like our eyes were connected across a tube of light.

I felt as if he crawled inside of me and began picking me a part from the inside. He was looking around. More and more, I felt disjointed even as I stood there perfectly still. I wanted to cry. It felt terrible. Pieces of me felt as if they were moving aside and even separated completely, yet I could still feel them. They were mere inches away from me. I was broken and destroyed... yet alive and experiencing it all through the magic of this man.

I do not know how long it lasted, but it did come to an end. I blinked and found myself reassembled. The man was still there but looking at something else. I collapsed to the ground and wept. I begged aloud, "Forgive me, master, for I did not know! You have my loyalty! Spare this wretched one!"

Despite my prostration, he seemed to ignore me. And soon I heard him say, "Thirty-seven, six. Three to the right. Seven, twenty-seven, four. Back on track." And with that, he walked away from me into the shroud of woods.

I continued to weep. I was able to move, but I was so oppressed by what had been done to me, that I think I remained there in the dirt for a very long time. I eventually went back home and told the villagers of what I had experienced. They said that the man I met was a fairy, and that sometimes fairies may speak in numbers, and sometimes they will not. It is not for us to know their ways, but we may still tell of them so that others will know.

And so for all my years after it happened, I told the story of my encounter, and others retold it too... but sometimes in different ways. I suppose the gist of it is there. Even when I hear them retell my own story, I still see his eyes... as he looked inside of me... and pulled me apart with his very gaze. How horrible it was.

Thank you for reading my blog! What did you think? You can leave a comment below, or you can email me at tkwadeauthor@gmail.com. You can also visit my website at www.tkwade.com. Check out the books I have for sale! Thanks!

Fairy Tale Spotlight: The Queen

We have so many interesting and varied stories about kings. The problem is that the queens don't seem to have as big of a reputation. You have your acceptations here and there. But the general rule within old fairy tales is that they are either portrayed as support characters... or as the antagonist in some way.

I'm not saying that kings cannot be evil as well. In my last blog, I pointed out that kings often become the bending point of the protagonist because of how sociopathic they can be about their own laws. So they can be evil; it's true. But they can also be good. In fact, many times they have been good. Queens just don't get that privilege as often.

Over my time reading the complete collection of Grimm, the pictures I got of the queens were ones of petty interests, jealousies, extreme vanity, and really nothing to do with the kingdom she ruled over. Everything was internalized rather than moving her sight towards the outlook of her kingdom. She would call for the execution of someone she didn't like or obsess over the dress of the protagonist.

In extreme situations the queen was often be placed as an evil antagonist. Snow White knew this better than anyone. It seems like the more evil, oppressive queens are without a king to suppress them, or that they are fairy in nature (such as the ogress queen in "Sleeping Beauty.") When married, they seem to balance a bit, but they can often plead to the hearts of their husbands and sway them to be evil as well. This is not unlike the whole Adam and Eve incident from the Bible.

Now, please understand... I am sure there were some stories about good queens. I just... don't... remember them. When you are reading that many stories out of a collection, you end up remembering the more common patterns. I'm pretty sure they existed, but there wasn't enough to really press upon me. I have strong memories of petty or nasty queens who cared nothing about anyone else but themselves.

I'm beginning to think that this may have been a problem in the real world. If I am to believe that ancient fairy tales reflect the world they were written in (and I do), then it only stands to reason that queens of old had certain hold-backs in their character that kings did not have as much of. And it seems to me to be a legitimate female issue rather than being one of royalty.

Remember my rather long blog about "The Fisherman and his Wife"? The wife in the story was not royalty at all until she obtained it. Her husband was not even king. Once she had the power, she could not help but get more and more of it. Whoever originally told this story must have seen some interesting things concerning women. Sadly, it's something we've seen since the Garden of Eden. It's not all women, mind you. But I would think very, very hard before allowing someone to become queen in this world. Find out what's inside. Look carefully. Listen to the way she talks. Listen to the way she laughs. There could be a witch somewhere inside. Best to just let her remain a fisherman's wife if you ask me.

Thank you for reading my blog. Did you like it? Did you hate it? Either way, you can comment below, or you can email me at tkwadeauthor@gmail.com. You can also visit my website at www.tkwade.com. Check out the books I have for sale! Thanks!

Fairy Tale Spotlight: The King

Just pick up a big old book of fairy tales and I guarantee that about a third of them will have a king in it, named or unnamed. (Usually unnamed.) Kings play a major part in the old tales, and I want to chat about it as I am often wont to do. So let's figure out why we have such a big king problem.

Why their are kings is pretty obvious. The stories are very old. Putting a king in charge was a very common thing to do in those days. In fact, it is not so much a stretch for us even today. We'd do the very same thing today if we could find a good reason to. Human beings generally want someone in charge to prevent chaos among the people. Put 300 people on a island, and, chances are, a king will pop up from among them within a year. It's what we do.

Looking at fairy tales from a much more structured point of view, I often see the king as, not so much a person, but a set of rules to keep the story in a state of balance. He represents laws that should or should not be broken by the hero. Not very often is the king the protagonist in these stories, and if they are, the connotations are massive. We'll get back to the latter point in a moment.

The king in most fairy tales (esp. Grimm), not only makes the laws, but abides by them to an extremely reliable degree. They will murder their own son or daughter on a wager if it comes down to it. Some might call this noble. Some may call it a reason some laws should be broken. Kings in old stories generally come across as an invincible barrier that can only be overcome by supernatural forces.

In many cases the king himself feels supernatural. So absolutely bound by a strict, sometimes nonsensical, set of rules that he is willing to take down, not only himself, but his entire kingdom based on that rule-set. He doesn't always feel malicious in this way, but just so staggeringly sociopathic that I cannot really gauge any humanity within him. He seems more like the living, breathing manifestation of a set of rules, and there is absolutely nothing he will not do to make those laws a reality, even at his own expense... even if what he has to do is a very sad thing.

The hero or heroin has to accomplish their task under the reign of this king and the laws that he has set down. It is a bending aspect of many of these stories and forces the protagonist into action. Some will play along with these rules, and others will willingly be sacrificed by them.

Now, a king who is the protagonist, as I said earlier, carries with it hefty connotations. Every action they take speaks for the people they rule over. This is no small thing. It has the potential to be world changing. Kings can be shown as genuine and bold, and they can also be shown as corrupt and foolish. Whatever the case may be, their lives reflect down to those they rule over.

I know I haven't cited anything specific in this blog... other than the usual Grimm general call outs. Let's be honest: Grimm stories have a basic formula to them. But I really do want to point out the concept of a king being the protagonist as shown in the 2016 video game Final Fantasy XV. This game is what I think about when I fantasize what it means to be a king and have the very weight of the universe upon my shoulders.

Final Fantasy XV made the king the protagonist. He was a teenager that starts off just not getting it, but as the story goes on, you begin to realize that... every decision you make is also for the people under you. They are all counting on you to be mature and wise so that they know how to best serve you. It wasn't about living in a castle and solving minor disputes. This game takes place during a terrible war after all. No. This was about a king living out the most important moments of his life as the leader of his kingdom, and it was damn well presented.

A game that started off feeling like a "whatever game" ends up turning into something so powerful so gradually that I was left a bit startled when it finally hit a crescendo. I had not just become a king; I had become the kingdom. Any thought or action taken simply for pleasure suddenly felt... incredibly selfish. I had no time for fun anymore. I didn't deserve fun. I had a kingdom to save. They were all looking to me for answers, and I... I was honestly afraid to give any. But in the end, I had to because... I was king, and once matured... I knew what I had to do... and it was the hardest thing imaginable.

Kudos to Square-Enix for making one hell of a powerful game.

Thank you for reading my blog! Did you enjoy it? You can comment below or you can email me at tkwadeauthor@gmail.com. You can also visit my website at www.tkwade.com. Check out my books! Thanks!

Fairy Tale Spotlight: An Uninterested Monster

While we are spending this week a bit introspectively, let's look at something that I sometimes think about. Ever heard of the story "The Reluctant Dragon" by Kenneth Grahame? Great story and an even greater short film made by Disney. No, this blog isn't about that story. I wanna talk about something similar though.

The dragon in that story simply did not want to participate in violence. That's an interesting character, to be sure, but what if this was interpreted in a much darker way. It's something I think of as "An Uninterested Monster."

This creature isn't a dragon so much as its a hideous creature soaked in the shadows of its dark cave. It's a bit like he is actually a part of the cave, but not entirely. I am sure he could separate himself if he cared to. This monster does not like people and he does, indeed, have violent tendencies. The only thing is... he isn't interested in using them. He isn't interested in anything.

Nevertheless, when people heard of him, they thought he had to be slain. Someone went to go meet with this monster and was disgusted by the things the creature said and the way that he looked. The monster had a spiteful tongue and would say nasty things to this visitor who came in uninvited. When threatened, the creature only scoffed and began to ignore his guest. Afterwards, the people's drive to slay the monster seemed all the more pushed.

The monster is indeed hideous. He has nasty thoughts and speaks them regularly. But the truth of the matter is that he is never going to leave that cave. He poses no real threat. I'm not even sure if he would fight if someone attacked him. My problem has to do with why so many people want to put him down.

You may wonder if I am telling you a story that I read somewhere, but I'm really not. I don't even know how it ends. When I look up, my mind's eye sees the silhouette, of a person-like monster stuck to the earth by webs of some sticky substance. He groans from the oppression of his environment. I'm fairly certain that he has a full head of hair, but other than that, I know nothing else. I simply know he is a monster and that people hate him for it.

No doubt this creature is merely a thought inside of my head, but I can't really say I feel any disdain for him. I don't find the creature really all that dangerous. I am more sour to the other people who think he should be killed simply because they dislike his looks and his mannerisms. Nasty words aside, none of what he is or does threatens anybody even remotely.

I wish I had more for you on this subject, but the Uninterested Monster is not something I have really documented. This blog is really the entire body of written work pertaining to the creature. I'd love to hear what you think of it. Maybe your comments will give me some insights on who he really is.

Thank you for reading my blog. Did you enjoy it? You can leave a comment below, or you can email me at tkwadeauthor@gmail.com. You can also visit my website at www.tkwade.com. Check out my books! Thanks!