The Magic Book (1)

There is a spot prettily situated near the town of Glossop, known as
Mossey Lea. It is notable as having been the home of a great magician,
who dwelt there in the olden time, and who was renowned far and wide.
He was, perhaps, the most learned and powerful of all magicians who
have lived since the days of Merlin, but unfortunately his name has
been forgotten. Such is fame.

So renowned was he in his own day, however, that pupils came to him,
not only from all parts of England, but even from across the seas.
These pupils desired to be inculcated with the mystic lore, and
invested with the same degree of skill in the exercise of the magic
arts, that their master possessed. Accordingly they left no stone
unturned in their efforts after knowledge--that is to say, they were
not over-particular as to the means they adopted to secure the end
they had in view. They strove to impress upon everyone with whom they
came in contact, their vast superiority to ordinary mankind, and
generally they proved a big nuisance to the country side.

But there were two of these pupils who were especially curious; they
were constantly prying into nooks and corners which were labelled
"private"; they were ever meddling with business that did not concern
them. By some evil chance, the magician fixed upon these two pupils to
act as his agents for the transaction of some business in a town in
Staffordshire, and to bring back with them a very remarkable book,
which dealt with magic, and which was, moreover, itself endowed with
magical powers. Thus the two luckless youths became all unwittingly
the heroes of the following Longdendale tradition.

History--as is often the case in these legends of the olden time--has
forgotten to record for us the names of the two notable youths, hence
we are driven to the necessity of naming them ourselves, in order to
distinguish them from each other. So we call one Ralph and the other
Walter. It has already been said that they were two curious youths,
ever ready to pry into things; and on the night preceding their
journey, they indulged in this pastime to the full.

While they were at supper the magician had bidden them to repair to
his private chamber ere they retired to rest; and having
entered therein, they were treated to the information already
recorded--namely, that they would have to make a journey on his
behalf, transact some business, and bring back with them a magic
book--with the addition of the following piece of advice and warning.

"Look to it that ye heed what I now say," said the magician; "for by
the shades, 'tis a matter of mighty import. Ye shall get the book, and
ye shall jealously guard it. On no account shall you open it. More I
do not vouchsafe to you, but remember my warning. Open not the book at
your peril. Now get ye to rest, for to-morrow you must een start with
the rising of the sun."

The youths left the room looking very solemn and good, with many
promises that they would faithfully remember their master's charges,
and what was of more consequence, that they would act upon them. But
for all that they did not retire to rest. When they reached the
passage leading to their apartment, Ralph said to Walter:

"What thinkest thou of this quest of ours? Is our master treating us
fairly in thus keeping secret this matter? We have paid a high fee for
tuition in magic, and here he sends us on our first quest, and we are
een to know nothing of the mission on which we go."

"Thou art right," said Walter. "'Tis most unfair, and methinks our
master has in view the acquisition of some potent power. If we engage
in the quest, it is but fair we should share the spoil--the knowledge
to be gained."

To which Ralph added, "I am with thee, comrade. And I would know more
of this business before I start."

Here he whispered to his companion, and the latter nodded his head in
acquiescence. After which the two stole together in silence to the
door of the magician's room, and in turn set their eyes to the
key-hole, whilst their ears drank in every sound.

The magician was seated before a crucible, muttering certain
incantations which are as foreign language to the unlearned. But the
two students understood the meaning of the sentences quite well, and
the result of their eavesdropping appeared to give them satisfaction.
When the magician made signs of coming to the end of his labour, they
skipped nimbly away, and sought their beds, chuckling triumphantly as
they ran.

It is not to the purpose of the legend to dwell upon the incidents of
their next day's journey. Suffice it to say that on that day they were
early astir, that they went gaily upon their way, and in due course
received the magic book from its owner. Then they set out on their
homeward journey, looking very good and innocent until they were well
out of sight. But withal both determined to see the inside of that
volume before the day was over.

Soon they came to a lonely part of the country, and here they sat
down, intending to gratify their curiosity.

"If there is knowledge contained within, then am I determined to drink
of the well thereof, and become even one of the wise."

So spoke Ralph, and Walter also said:

"And I am of a like mind, comrade. So bring hither the book, and let
us fall to."

They placed the thick volume upon their knees, and quickly undid the
handsome clasp which held the sides together, when, lo! a veritable
earthquake seemed to have come upon the scene. The ground shook,
houses tottered, walls and fences fell down, a tremendous whirlwind
arose, which uprooted trees and tossed the forest giants about like
little wisps of hay. Even the students were terrified at the result of
their curiosity, and as for ordinary mortals, why there is no
describing the panic in which they were thrown.

When the luckless students recovered from the first shock of
astonishment, they could only bemoan their folly in discarding the
warning of so potent a magician as their master, and they were filled
with dread as to the punishment they would receive when next they
stood before him.

"Of a truth we are undone," said Ralph; "our master will never more
trust us."

"We are like to be beaten to death with the tempest," said Walter "Who
can stay the power of this evil Spirit, that our mad curiosity has
thus let loose?"

Now, luckily, the magician no sooner beheld the tempest than he at
once divined the cause of this hubbub of the elements, and with
commendable promptitude he proceeded with all speed to the spot where
the students lay with the magical volume. Arrived there, he pronounced
an incantation, and then by magic means known to himself alone,
rapidly stilled the tempest, which the ill-timed curiosity of his
pupils had brought forth. In the words of the old chronicle, he "laid
the evil spirit, commanding him as a punishment to make a rope of sand
to reach the sky."

Which venture no doubt had a salutary effect upon the spirit, for
there is no later mention of any similar antics on its part. We may
conclude from this circumstance, that the spirit has found the task
assigned it as a punishment, greater than it can discharge, and that
it is still labouring away at the sand rope, which is not much nearer
reaching the sky than it was when the work first begun.