Жажда смысла. Практики логотерапии по Виктору Франклу - [87]

If such a kind Lord you are, then make for anybody to sit on the chair you were sitting before my table to freeze to it and stay like that until I’ll let him go.

Saint Peter started laughing, but the Lord replied:

Let it be as you wished!

So, they departed. Lord Jesus and Saint Peter went their way and the blacksmith rushed home happily. And everything appeared to be as the Lord Jesus promised. All the neighbors of the blacksmith were gone long ago and he still was healthy and fresh, had plenty of work and was singing in happiness from morning till night.

But everything has an end. Hundred years finally were gone and the Death knocked his doors.

Who is it? – asked the blacksmith.

It’s me, Death. I came after you.

– So welcome! What a guest came! – said the blacksmith and smiled slyly. – Come in, dear guest! Just wait for a minute, let me put off hammer and pliers in order and I’ll be just ready. And you can have a seat for now on that chair. Anyway you walk quite a lot around the world!

The Death had nothing to worry about so It didn’t have to ask twice. She took a sit and the blacksmith laughed loudly:

Now you to seat here until I’ll decide to let you go!

The Death started to try to set itself free, knocking It’s bare bones and jaws, but nothing helped, It could not move off the chair, so It had to remain on the chair like chained. Blacksmith laughed his stomach off! He closed doors and left for his businesses. He was glad that he does not have to fear of Death for It was in his house, captured.

But his happiness did not last long, he quickly noticed that he was mistaking.

He had a bery fed pig, so he decided to butch it and make smoked ham, because he really liked to have this fine dish. So he took an axe and hit the pig so hard that he fell down himself. Then he reached for a knife to slit the throat of a pig and gather it’s blood to make sausage pig suddenly raised on it’s feet and leaped away.

I’ll get you later, you naughty pig! – said the blacksmith and went to the barn and pulled the goose out. He has been feeding it for two weeks for holiday. – At least I’ll enjoy you for today. – Said he to himself. – Since the sausage ran away.

He grabbed a knife and tried to stab the goose. But what a miracle! Not a single drop of blood fell of the goose, and when he pulled the knife out of it’s neck there was no trace of wound! While the blacksmith fell into astonishment goose has slept away and screaming “ga-ga-ga” flew after the pig.

The blacksmith was fed up with everything. Everything started so good today and he cannot even snack something tasty?! So, he left the goose and the pig and went to the dovecote and grabbed two pigeons. And in order to avoid strange occasions for this time he chopped birds’ heads right away. With one blow.

At least it’s enough for two of you, – mumbled the blacksmith and tossed birds on the ground.

But have a look! As soon as they fell on the ground their heads appeared on their necks and “frrrr” they flew away! All of a sudden the blacksmith realized:

That’s right! I didn’t think about it. They all cannot die because I captured the Death!

And all those thoughts started moving in his head and he didn’t like that he’ll have to farewell to the wonderful ham and sausages, with delicious baked goose and roasted pigeons. But what should he do?! Let the Death go? No way! Death would break his own neck right away! And so he decided that he’ll eat peas and porridge and cook pies instead of meat: it is tasty enough if there is nothing else!

Everything went well while he had old storages. But then the spring came and he fell into poverty! Every living creature that lived before stayed alive and not a single one died. Besides, a lot of new ones appeared so the entire world was packed.

Birds, mice, grasshoppers, bugs and all other creatures ate and destroyed all the crops on the fields, meadows looked burned, trees in gardens were like brushes, leaves and flowers were eaten by caterpillars – and none of them could be killed! Lakes and rivers contained so many fishes, frogs, water spiders and other insects that water stunk and was no good for drinking anymore. Air was full of mosquitoes and flies, and soil was covered with so many ugly insects that they could’ve killed any human. If any one could die. People were walking neither dead, nor alive, like shadows.

The blacksmith say what has he done with his reckless idea and so he said:

God made it great that there is Death on Earth!

So he went towards her, let her go and It killed him right away.

And everything went back as it is supposed to be.

* * *

As the practice shows, working through this tale helps to come to inevitability of death and it’s acceptance.

During exercises one of the participants (Larisa) said that her main problem was fear. Thoughts of death were bringing her to the conclusion of senselessness of life and paralyzed her. Just as the tale’s main character she deprived death ability to act miraculously. In our imagination we lived through the consequences of “Death’s capture”. Larisa added her fantasies to this fairy-tale. It appeared that everything lost it’s sense: medicine, sciences, art and love. Everything lost it’s colour. And after that we started to think about the sense of death. Since life and death are parts of one system, parts of the world that we live in. During the process of thinking Larisa has named senses of death: renewal and source of life. Conclusion: life becomes full and intensive, precious and bright because of understanding of the death’s inevitability.