There was a man, a long time ago, whom no one really knew. I cannot tell you the language he spoke or the part of the world he was born in. I do not know if he believed in one god, many gods, or none at all. I cannot even describe if he was short or tall, fat or skinny, or the color of his skin. What I can't tell you is his name because no one remembers it. For convenience, I'll call him Greg.
As a young man, Greg had no land, family, or any defined job, so he became an adventurer. He picked a direction and set off. Greg was gone for well over a year, but he returned with a souvenir from his journey. His stories enthralled everyone who listened. Once everyone had heard of his adventure, Greg, feeling the urge to travel again, picked a different direction and set off once more.
This time, he was gone for a little over two years, returning with yet another souvenir. The villagers eagerly awaited his tales. And just like before, after sharing his stories, Greg prepared to set off again. This time, the villagers provided him with supplies, traveling gear, and coins. Greg embarked on a new journey, returning a little more than a year and a half later, with new stories and another souvenir.
News of Greg's adventures spread far and wide. People were willing to pay to hear his stories. Greg decided to go on more adventures to have more tales to tell, always bringing back a souvenir.
As time passed, Greg became wealthy. He bought land, started a farm, had children, and grew old. He realized his traveling days were over, and only his grandchildren and great-grandchildren were left as his audience. Finding it hard to remember which story belonged where, Greg nailed his souvenirs to a wheel. Every thirty days, he would look at the next souvenir on the wheel and relate the stories it reminded him of.
Eventually, Greg passed away, but his stories endured. They were retold by his descendants, changing a little with each telling. Two scribes, intrigued by Greg's tales, visited to write them down. They used the wheel of souvenirs as a guide and compiled these stories:
1. The Ram that Greg found to save a farmer's herd
2. The Bull that Greg tamed to save a village
3. The Twin rulers that Greg united to make their realms great
4. The Crab that Greg rescued, earning a golden pearl
5. The Lion that Greg befriended after removing a thorn
6. The Virgin that Greg married and spent his life with
7. The Scales that Greg made to bring justice to a city
8. The Giant Scorpion that Greg defeated to save a town
9. The Archer that Greg taught to protect a king and queen
10. The Goat that Greg gave a farmer for milk and cheese
11. The Water Jug that Greg gave a giant to quench his thirst
12. The Dolphins Greg rode across an ocean
The scribes weren't sure of a title until they noticed what was carved on the other side of the wheel: 'The Signs Of The Zodiac.'
Some may think this tale is fanciful, but if you've followed along, I hope I've entertained you. Perhaps some of you will ponder this before falling asleep tonight.
But what if... if it's true?
____Mystikos Samaritan____
