Tale

of

Pin Chinn

O

by Damon

deWinters

NCE UPON A TIME SO LONG ago no one can remember when, in a distant land so far away no one can remember where, there was a great kingdom called Not Here Not Now. The people of Not Here Not Now loved sports, and they played games ceaselessly. Most of their games were war games and could have been called Hit And Run or Grab And Run-all games of battle. One of the games, called Taggedy Faggedy, was to find someone who liked bread and butter and beat him up or subject him to harassment and ridicule. Young men played especially well, for they carried fresh bread and butter with them wherever they went, and they were quick enough to make the tag and strong enough to make it stick. Those who enjoyed the game most, of course, were those who were really interested in bread and butter but could use the sport to hide their interest from themselves. That way they could destroy what they wanted but could not accept.

When someone who liked bread and butter was badly hurt in the game, most people pretended to be sorry, but they were not really upset. Some even slyly winked and quietly smiled. After all, it helped keep the streets clean, and it helped the young men develop their manhood and overcome their adolescent interest in bread and butter. Those who could no longer enter into the game directly would sit in pews and on bleachers shouting encouragement to the young men who were actively engaged in the battle. So nearly anyone could play. Holy Terror had thought up the game, and he provided the

guilt. How the young men handled it he left pretty much up to them.

Near the southern edge of Not Here Not Now lived a little boy named Tar Baby and a man named Far Too Far, who liked bread and butter. Far Too Far was very ashamed of his love for bread and butter because everyone had told him how bad it was. Still, from time to time, he coaxed Tar Baby into inviting one of his little friends over for a party, and eventually they got around to sharing bread and butter. This made Far Too Far feel very guilty; so he and Tar Baby played Taggedy Faggedy, like others who felt guilty about having this interest. Sometimes they hurt the little friend so badly that he died.

Tar Baby wanted to pull away, but the more he struggled to free himself, the more tightly he became stuck to Far Too Far. One night Tar Baby, trying to save one of his little friends, quarreled with Far Too Far and killed him. He then told the magistrates what had happened.

They told everyone. Everyone was shocked. The people blamed those who liked bread and butter.

"Far Too Far was not like us," said those who liked bread and butter; "he

was sick."

"The people have not been diligent in their vigil against sin," said Holy Terror. That is what he had always said, and now, he thought, he had been right all along. Since Far Too Far was dead, the people turned their attention toward Tar Baby. They took him before a magistrate, who found him guilty of helping murder many of his little friends and sentenced him to be burried alive for 600 years.

A great crowd of people followed as he was taken out into the desert where he was to be buried. On the way they met Pin Chinn, who stopped to talk with him. "You have come to me too late," said Tar Baby.

"Why do you even want to listen to him?" interrupted the people, still furious that he had played Taggedy Faggedy with those who may have had no particular interest in bread and butter, and thus had reversed the order of things.

"By examining our course from the past," said Pin Chinn, "we may redirect our path toward the future."

Holy Terror pushed his way out from among the people to confront Pin Chinn directly. "Why didn't Tar Baby talk with someone?" asked Holy Terror, annoyed by the delay. "Why didn't he reach out for help before he became involved in murder?” "Prejudice isolates those against whom it is directed," answered Pin Chinn.

"Well," said Holy Terror, "why did Far Too Far kill those he was wont to embrace?"

Pin Chinn looked out past Holy Terror at the great multitude; at Tar Baby, his hands bound and his feet shackled; at the magistrates and the town criers who had come from all over the kingdom. He looked at the sad and angry parents and the frightened children. Finally, he turned to Holy Terror and said softly, "You taught him to love least what he desired most."

"You who teach hatred," continued Pin Chinn, "and encourage violence against others must expect eventually to gather the consequences."

"

Pin Chinn is a copyrighted name and may not be used for promotion or advertising of any product, service, or establishment. From: PIN CHINN and OTHER FABLES.

VECTOR 37