The two voices who met twice while they existed, slowly died away.Nameless was waiting. He had been waiting for a name.He had been waiting all his life. Then suddenly he stopped. He got tired of waiting. He took an imaginary pen and started to write things on his mind. He wrote :
"I am nameless. Its not that i don't have a name. Its just that i have a name which means the contrary. That makes me, my own contradiction. I am a fading thought. A figment of imagination. Which itself remains unacceptable."
"When I was born, i died. When i loved, i hated. When i ate, i didn't. If you ask me whether i exists, i would say no.But that is left to your imagination."
The mind was puzzled. It didn't like Nameless. It didn't like being written on.
So the mind asked Nameless, "Do you believe in love?"
Nameless didn't answer for some time. Then he asked the mind "Would you like to listen to a story?"
The mind didn't like stories.Still it hated being written on more. The mind spoke, "Yes, please continue."
Nameless thus began his story:
Once upon a time in a kingdom far away (its not Shrek's story so don't worry) there obviously lived a king, who obviously had a lovely daughter. The spring season was alive in all its glory. The King announced the annual feast festival. During the royal ball the princess appeared in a magnificent long dress, big and puffy with crowns (that made her head get a headache) with high heels. A soldier standing guard instantly fell in love with her. But how could a mere soldier court and marry a princess? The soldier was determined. He found an opportunity to speak with the princess. The soldier told the princess of his love. The princess replied , "I cannot accept your proposal now. But i will give you a chance. If you would wait beneath my window for a hundred days, I will open my window to show that i have accepted your love." The soldier agreed.
So the next day onwards the soldier stood guard in front of the princess's palace, under her window.
Everyday he just stood there waiting for the window to open. Ten days passed the window never opened.
The soldier was adamant. Birds sat on his head. He shivered with cold at night, he got sunburned during the day. The rains came, still the soldier waited. The window never opened. Ninety days passes, the soldier became pale as death. The soldier still kept waiting for the window to open. On the night of the 99th day he just left.Just like that.
Nameless thus finished his story and asked the mind, "So why do you think he left?"
The mind was blown. It somehow managed to recover from its shock and replied, "Perhaps he got tired. Or perhaps he understood that love cannot be bought or forced upon someone. But probably the princess was heartless."
Nameless listened to the mind and nodded to himself.
Then Nameless spoke, "I have often wondered whether the soldier realized that the princess could never love him.Perhaps he left because he knew she would accept his love after hundred days since she had given her word and not because she loved him."
The mind was not satisfied with the story . It asked Nameless "Still you have not answered my question. Do you believe in true love?"
Nameless thought for a moment and said "Listen to another story and you shall understand."
Thus Nameless began his second story :
Once upon a time in a place not quite far away there lived a little boy.The boy loved a girl (as usual). But the boy was too shy. The boy never spoke to the girl. The boy felt his heart leap each time he saw the girl. One day the girl went away somewhere. The boy never spoke to her. But everyday he would remember her. He would remember her details. The way she moved . It mesmerized him. Still the boy never spoke to her. He tried to find out where she went. But he failed. Girl married someone else. He never knew.The boy decided that he could never love a girl as he loved her. He missed her. He endured the pain of not seeing her.
The boy became a young man. The young man who was once a boy , was made to marry someone by his parents. He didn't like to be married. He still remembered the little girl he loved. She was his angel. She would always remain.
Years passed , the boy became old, still everyday when he thought about love, he would remember her.
Fact remains that during his last hour, when he knew his time had come, he spoke her name. But none heard.
Nameless thus ended his story and asked the mind, "Did that little boy who grew old believe in true love?"
The mind wondered for a moment and replied, "Not all love ends in marriage. The union of two minds may not always happen through marriage."
"I am nameless. Its not that i don't have a name. Its just that i have a name which means the contrary. That makes me, my own contradiction. I am a fading thought. A figment of imagination. Which itself remains unacceptable."
"When I was born, i died. When i loved, i hated. When i ate, i didn't. If you ask me whether i exists, i would say no.But that is left to your imagination."
The mind was puzzled. It didn't like Nameless. It didn't like being written on.
So the mind asked Nameless, "Do you believe in love?"
Nameless didn't answer for some time. Then he asked the mind "Would you like to listen to a story?"
The mind didn't like stories.Still it hated being written on more. The mind spoke, "Yes, please continue."
Nameless thus began his story:
Once upon a time in a kingdom far away (its not Shrek's story so don't worry) there obviously lived a king, who obviously had a lovely daughter. The spring season was alive in all its glory. The King announced the annual feast festival. During the royal ball the princess appeared in a magnificent long dress, big and puffy with crowns (that made her head get a headache) with high heels. A soldier standing guard instantly fell in love with her. But how could a mere soldier court and marry a princess? The soldier was determined. He found an opportunity to speak with the princess. The soldier told the princess of his love. The princess replied , "I cannot accept your proposal now. But i will give you a chance. If you would wait beneath my window for a hundred days, I will open my window to show that i have accepted your love." The soldier agreed.
So the next day onwards the soldier stood guard in front of the princess's palace, under her window.
Everyday he just stood there waiting for the window to open. Ten days passed the window never opened.
The soldier was adamant. Birds sat on his head. He shivered with cold at night, he got sunburned during the day. The rains came, still the soldier waited. The window never opened. Ninety days passes, the soldier became pale as death. The soldier still kept waiting for the window to open. On the night of the 99th day he just left.Just like that.
Nameless thus finished his story and asked the mind, "So why do you think he left?"
The mind was blown. It somehow managed to recover from its shock and replied, "Perhaps he got tired. Or perhaps he understood that love cannot be bought or forced upon someone. But probably the princess was heartless."
Nameless listened to the mind and nodded to himself.
Then Nameless spoke, "I have often wondered whether the soldier realized that the princess could never love him.Perhaps he left because he knew she would accept his love after hundred days since she had given her word and not because she loved him."
The mind was not satisfied with the story . It asked Nameless "Still you have not answered my question. Do you believe in true love?"
Nameless thought for a moment and said "Listen to another story and you shall understand."
Thus Nameless began his second story :
Once upon a time in a place not quite far away there lived a little boy.The boy loved a girl (as usual). But the boy was too shy. The boy never spoke to the girl. The boy felt his heart leap each time he saw the girl. One day the girl went away somewhere. The boy never spoke to her. But everyday he would remember her. He would remember her details. The way she moved . It mesmerized him. Still the boy never spoke to her. He tried to find out where she went. But he failed. Girl married someone else. He never knew.The boy decided that he could never love a girl as he loved her. He missed her. He endured the pain of not seeing her.
The boy became a young man. The young man who was once a boy , was made to marry someone by his parents. He didn't like to be married. He still remembered the little girl he loved. She was his angel. She would always remain.
Years passed , the boy became old, still everyday when he thought about love, he would remember her.
Fact remains that during his last hour, when he knew his time had come, he spoke her name. But none heard.
Nameless thus ended his story and asked the mind, "Did that little boy who grew old believe in true love?"
The mind wondered for a moment and replied, "Not all love ends in marriage. The union of two minds may not always happen through marriage."
“How about an old allegorical play then?”, Nameless asked the mind.
The mind was tired of stories. Still it hated being written
on. So the mind communicated its acceptance.
Nameless began his story :
This play took place in the Shakespearean era. I once watched
a film of it. It was in black and white.It was named "Through a glass darkly". Still I remember each detail. The play was named “The Artistic Haunting” or “The Tomb of Illusions”.
A man was speaking,
“It’s midnight in Saint Theresa’s chapel. Here I shall meet
my hearts desire. Here by this tomb redolent with the smell of death.
Someone moved inside. Could it be her?
I will hide so as not to frighten her.“
A woman appeared. She held a lamp.
“Who are you “,the man inquired.
“I am the princess of Castile”, the woman voice replied.
“Who died in childbirth in her 13th year”, she
continued.
“My husband and beloved master, who was my playmate as a
child has turned to other women. “ she said.
“Princess, I love you!”, said the man.
“Who are you?”, asked the princess.
“I cannot speak to just anybody, even though I am
dead.”,said the princess.
“Fear not, fair lady.”
“I am ruler of my own kingdom. Small and poor though it may
be.” said the man.
“I am an artist.” the man continued.
“An artist?” the princess asked.
“Yes princess. An artist of the purest kind. A poet without
poems. A painter without paintings. A musician without notes. I scorn ready-made
art, the banal result of a vulgar effort. My life is my work and it is
dedicated to my love for you.” said the artist.
“Beautiful words ,but hard to believe.”, said the princess.
“I beg of you ,put me to the test”,the artist pleaded.
“Listen carefully.In a moment I will leave you. When the
convent clock strikes 2:00 am ,you shall enter the tomb and blow out the three
candles inside.At that instant the doors will close forever and you shall join
me in death.” said the ghost.
“An easy sacrifice my princess, for what is life to a true
artist?”, the artist replied.
“You thus perfect your work of art and crown your love.You
ennoble your life and show the skeptics, what a true artist can do. Farewell my
friend. Do not fail me.”,
said the princess’s ghost and left.
“I face the moment of ultimate perfection. I tremble with
anticipation.Oblivion shall own me and death alone shall love me.”, the artist spoke to himself.
“I will go, nothing can stop me.”,said the artist.
“I am waiting”,a ghostly voice replied.
“Ye devils,what am I about to do?” the artist thought.
“Sacrifice my life? For what?”, the artist thought.
“For eternity?For the perfect work of art?For love?Have I
gone mad?” the artist thought.
“I am waiting”, said the ghost again.
“Who shall see my sacrifice?” asked the man.
“Death”
“Who shall gauge the depth of my love? A ghost.”
“and who shall thank me? Eternity.”
“My knees turn to clay my whole body trembles, and my
insides run like water.I cannot enter eternity with-“ said the man.
“I shall wait no longer”, interrupted the ghost and closed
the chapel.
The relieved man was standing outside the chapel.
He said to himself, “Well such is life. I could of course
write a poem about me meeting with the princess. Or paint a picture ,or compose
an opera, although it would need a more heroic ending. Oblivion shall own
me.And death alone shall love me. Not bad choice of words.”
“Its dawn now. I shall go home to bed.”
Nameless thus ended the screenplay of a portion of the film
he had seen.
The mind was silent. The mind now knew the truth. The depth
of the reality was affecting it.
Nameless spoke again, "Why didn't i remember this when i had a body?" he asked.
"I hid the memories from you.",the mind replied sadly.
"You truly loved her, I wanted you to escape the pain", the mind said softly.
Nameless took one last look at his lifeless body and faded into oblivion.
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