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    Feast of Fools
    Feast of Fools
    Feast of Fools
    Ebook90 pages1 hour

    Feast of Fools

    By Sylvia Rose

    ()

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    About this ebook

    Wolf and Lora Ley hop a time warp and end up in medieval Germany, where a January 1 celebration overturns norms, loosens inhibitions and pokes fun at authority.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSylvia Rose
    Release dateMay 8, 2023
    ISBN9798215201183
    Feast of Fools
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    Author

    Sylvia Rose

    Hello from Canada! The Rhine Maidens are gracing my profile pic as they inspire many tales. My stories and books are influenced by Germanic history, myth and magic. Being first generation Canadian with German heritage I also heard many fascinating tales growing up. You'll find plenty in the Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series. And, just finished Reiker For Hire, a thrilling Victorian detective crime novella trilogy. In process is a Bronze Age adventure Cult of the Fire God, in which heroine Kah'ni must leave her northern European home near the Baltic. Accompanied by a jaded Fate Goddess, a canny traveling merchant, a snobbish Hellene and a mad shaman, she journeys south in an unforgettable quest to find her sister Shana. Visit me on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ca/SylviaRoseBooks/ My other links are below. Click any book cover to go to the work and read a free sample! My books are always free for libraries from the Smashwords site. Be sure to peruse my blog, link below, where I post background information and reading for my novels & novellas, everything from common herbs to magic and spiritual beliefs, everyday life, natural health of ancients, gemstones, trade routes and trade goods, mythology, rituals, sacrificial rites and thriving urban centers from Neolithic, Bronze Age; German myths and history, beliefs and practices. Enjoy.

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      Book preview

      Feast of Fools - Sylvia Rose

      Feast of Fools

      from

      Lora Ley – Book Six – Winter Tales

      Copyright 2023 Sylvia Rose, Smashwords Edition

      all rights reserved

      Distributed by Smashwords

      Reproduction of this work in whole or in part in any manner without express written consent is prohibited

      Feast of Fools

      A Lora Ley Novella

      Table of Contents

      Foreword

      Feast of Fools

      About the Author

      Other Books by Sylvia Rose

      Lora Ley – Book One – Secrets of the Nyx

      Lora Ley – Book Two – Nibelung

      Lora Ley – Book Three – The Swan Maidens

      Lora Ley – Book Four – Poltergeist

      Lora Ley – Book Five – The Corn Spirits

      Lora Ley – Book Six – Winter Tales

      Plight of the Lutzelfrau – a Lora Ley novella

      Reiker for Hire – a Lora Ley novella

      The Wild Hunt – a Lora Ley novella

      Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries

      Gypsy Violin

      Author Website

      BLOG

      FOREWORD

      The Feast of Fools or Narrenconvent originated in older pagan traditions such as Saturnalia, reversing roles of master and servant, rich and poor, humble and mighty. Saturn is a powerful Roman god of double nature whose festival occurs mid to late December. Lords would serve their subjects, men dress as women or vice versa. A commoner may be elected King or Pope and this person's orders were followed. Often orders were humorous, such as riding backward on a donkey or banning forks.

      The Feast may be one specific day, usually January 1, or over the course of the winter holidays. The festival is one of chaos and disorder as it honors the low-born and ridicules upper classes. Originally, a fool was a poor or humble person.

      Horrified by the drunken brawling and sins of the flesh, the Church imposed an ecclesiastical holiday where roles of Pope, priests, choirboys, deacons and others were reversed in an orderly fashion. Lowly ranks including vicars, sub-deacons or choirboys took the place of church officials on specific days in December. A cross-European celebration, the Feast of Fools is thought to originate in France and from there spread to Germany, Italy and other regions. England celebrates the Lord of Misrule.

      By the 1400s the Church declared the Feast of Fools illegal. Regardless, the tradition carried on, and even today the Narrenconvent finds celebrants throughout Europe.

      While the Lora Ley series is based in Victorian era Germany, Lora and friends often travel to other places and times. This is one of them, as we find ourselves in the medieval village of Wurzberg, where a sacred treasure lies in the grasp of a greedy Bishop. Nyx halfling Lora and her life-mate Wolf become both hunters and hunted, as a mysterious duo of evil siblings seeks to wreak bloody chaos and war.

      German mythical beings in this novel include the shape-shifting Drak (pl. Drake – the e is softly pronounced), whom Lora and Wolf encounter in Wurzberg. If captured, a Drak will serve an owner but is a dangerous helpmate who can turn on its master. Usually, Drake appear in the form of animals. Associated with demon magic, many breathe flame or set fires.

      These house spirits are related to Kobolds in myth. For more about Kobolds, Drake, ancient Goddesses and other Germanic entities, folklore and traditions, please browse my blog. Happy reading.

      Now on with our tale.

      FEAST OF FOOLS

      I will not, cried the Bishop. He cringed as clamor rang through the halls and fists pounded on the heavy wooden door. From the hallways came shrieks and bawdy laughter. Chaos reigned and fiery demons of Hell ran amok. It might be the Apocalypse, if it didn't happen every year.

      Come on, Wiesel, you craven cur, came a rough voice. We know you're hiding in there.

      The Bishop squeezed further back into the shadows beneath his bed. If he stayed very quiet, perhaps the crazed people would go away. They called him debauched and corrupt, but the ignorant masses couldn't understand his alleged sins were done in the greater service of the Lord.

      Of course God knew about the prostitutes, but saw the rationale in his approach converting them to the church. Unfortunately this month's tally stood at Prostitutes – 12 and Church – 0. More work was needed.

      Being omniscient, God also probably knew about the money filched from the poor box for personal expenses, and the free desserts from Frau Steiner to keep quiet about her confession. With the effects of gluttony, the Bishop could barely fit under the bed. And all the material greed might raise the holy eyebrow; but surely He could see the Bishop hid the treasures not for personal gain, but to keep them safe from illegal pilferers.

      Open up, you bombastic beluga! God might understand, but the people did not. Heavy thuds struck the door and the wood surrendered and splintered. With a roar of success the mob burst into the room. Strong grimy hands pulled him from under the bed.

      Coward, cried several voices as men and women pummeled him with rotten fruit, vegetable peels and bad eggs. He put his arms over his face. The people laughed and tore off his fine linen night clothes with the exquisite embroidery. They pinched his ample belly and smacked his behind with boards as he blubbered and flinched.

      Oh Lord save me, he cried in his mind. I swear I'll never sin again. Yes, I resolve so every January First, but this time I mean it. I really do! Ah!

      Jewelry cut his fingers as grasping hands ripped off his rings of rank, and even a diamond on his baby finger which, he argued, could reflect the light of God into the dark soul of humanity every time it twinkled, thus was meant for the greater good, and not avarice or vanity on the part of Bishop Wiesel.

      They refused to listen to any of his protests. Jabbering and laughing, they wrapped a rag around his loins and put a pointed hat on his head, a mockery of his precious Bishop's miter. They dragged him down to the courtyard, where a white ass stood. The ass took one look at the quivering heap of flesh and tears and bolted.

      You see, cried Wiesel. The donkey refuses. The ass sees the light while you people wallow in darkness. Now you must set me free.

      The mob roared with laughter. The ecclesiastical librarian poured beer in his face. To the horror of the Bishop, the crowd lifted him up and as one unit bore him toward a makeshift gallows. The rope swung with ominous prophecy in the cold morning breeze. Drinkers

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