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amulet, a small white stone on
a chain preserved in a
lead-like substance. Somehow it is explained
that one of
the ancient Greek philosophers recommended wearing
it
around the neck while dipping the stone in the lead. I
try
it, and it does seem to open up some prophetic crack. But
through the ages all sorts of junk has become stuck in
the
substance, it is very impure, and
this has reduced its
ability to function as a ground.
From
these dreams, Howard pieced together the story
below. Note that the dreams have been re-arranged,
but
that their wording remains
almost unchanged. The
image of Lilith, who by ancient Hebrew legend was
the
first woman and was created
independently of Adam,
forms the encompassing theme for the story.
The story
also draws upon a common thread among the
dreams
the image or suggestion of finding something.
Lilith's
Cave*
For
weeks the four of us had
been traveling in
the Sinai, searching for dues that would
lead us to
Lilith's cave. When we were close to discovering
it by
ourselves, we came to a
settlement where an old
woman who knew the secret reluctantly
agreed to
show us the way. Behind her house
was a steep hill,
and at the bottom of the hill an inlet
of the Red Sea,
where Lilith, fed up with Adam, had come so long ago
to escape. She told us the cave was down there, its one
opening revealed once a month, when the rising moon
settled on its secret entrance.
Three nights later she took us
inside it. She told us
that no one ever came to the cave out of curiosity, that
those who made the journey were always
desperate
for its shelter. Once we were inside she
left us alone.
We carried in the wood we had gathered for a fire that
would last all night. Lighting the wood inside the cave
was no problem, but gathering
heat from the fire
wasn't easy, and no food turned brown from its flame.
Strange feelings came over us after a while. Of course,
it had been centuries since Lilith had lived there,
but
her presence could still
be felt. When it seemed
impossible to fall asleep we each
left to explore a
separate passage.
The first to come
back brought a tiny turtle. Its
origin and the way it had
sustained itself were a
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