The stories that change the BEHAVIOR of the STONE started at the turn of the 11th century. After being considered a LUCKY GEM WITH HEALING POWERS, the STONE now bring stories of ILL OMEN.
People of that time lived in a constant turmoil in the pursuing of happiness. They tried to conquer as much as they could because people and land meant POWER from a CITY POINT OF VIEW. Conquerors were viewed as magical heroes and learning material was reserved only for those OF NOBLE CLASS. This is the case IN THE 11th CENTURY when ROBERT the DEVIL, the father of WILLIAM the CONQUEROR, claimed that the OPAL STONE gave him MAGICAL EVIL POWERS. Robert also maintained that he sold his soul to the DEVIL in exchange of POWER and he considered himself "the son of the DEVIL.
From them on the STONE was associated with EVIL POWERS bringing to the world any kind of PESTILENCES. Perhaps the greatest ill omen occurred in 1829 with the publication of "Anne of
Geirstein" by Sir WALTER SCOTT. In the story, the Baroness of ARNHEIM, mother of the heroine, wore the STONE and would not cross her forehead with HOLY WATER because she wanted no water to come near the stone. When rumors grew that it was GOD HIMSELF that she feared, her husband flicked a few DROPS OF HOLY WATER ON HER FOREHEAD AS A TEST. Some of the water dropped on the STONE, which became lifeless and colorless as a common pebble."
The Baroness fainted and was carried to her room. Two hours later nothing was left on her but a pile of light gray ashes. Although this was a story placed on the market, it is said that the value of the STONE decreased by as much as 50 percent after the novel was published.
No comments:
Post a Comment