Bungo the Bard and His Search for Enlightenment: Part 1

by Gwernin posted on June 13, 2019
Related: Creative Writing

by G. R. Grove

Bungo: Greetings, most noble Cathbad the Druid. I’m Bungo the Bard, and I’ve come to seek enlightenment.

Cathbad: Greetings, Bungo. There are many types of enlightenment. Which kind are you seeking today?

Bungo: I need Poetic Enlightenment – the true imbas – so I can write great poetry!

Cathbad: Hmm. That’s a tall order… Why do you want to write great poetry, Bungo?

Bungo: Why, so I can become rich and famous, of course! Kings will pay me anything I ask for my wonderful praise poems. Otherwise (chuckles evilly) I’ll write deadly satires against them!

Cathbad: Mmm, I see. But Bungo, you say you’re a Bard – don’t you already have imbas?

Bungo: Er, well, yes, of course I do. But, er, I need more – deeper, more profound imbas.

Cathbad: Ah. But you have, of course, undergone your Bardic Initiation?

Bungo: Er, yes. One kind, anyway.

Cathbad: The kind where you went into a cave and fasted for nine days and nights after drinking a magical potion which let you see visions?

Bungo: Er, no. Not that one.

Cathbad: Hmm. The one where you wandered naked through the wilderness for a year and a day, living on roots and grubs and cold spring water and talking to the animals?

Bungo: Ugh! No, I haven’t done that, either.

Cathbad: Ah. The one when after twenty years of study you were questioned night and day for thirteen days by vicious teams of senior Bards, and beaten bloody with a hazel rod if you answered wrongly?

Bungo. Gods protect me! No, not that one either!

Cathbad: Then what sort of Bardic Initiation have you undergone, O Bungo?

Bungo: Well, I once stood up in a bardic circle and, er… (Mumbles).

Cathbad: And what?

Bungo: I read a poem. Of six whole lines. Out of a book.

Cathbad: (Distastefully) Out of a … a book?

Bungo: Yes. It was a dreadful experience.

Cathbad: I’m sure it was.

Bungo: But – but I have a harp!

Cathbad: Oh?

Bungo: Yes. And I can play a tune on it… sort of.

Cathbad: How nice.

Bungo: Would you like to hear it? (Starts to pluck random strings.)

Cathbad: Er, no, thank you. Not just now… I’ll tell you what, Bungo. You say you really want to summon the true imbas?

Bungo: Yes! Yes, I do!

Cathbad: Right, this is what you do, then. First, you kill a pig, and take some of the raw meat, and chew it…

Bungo: Ugh! Raw pig meat?! Yuck!

Cathbad: Well, you can use dog meat if you prefer… Bungo? Bungo! Why are you running away? (Sighs.) Oh, well, I don’t suppose he really wanted to hear the rest of the recipe for Druidical steak tartare after all…

(To be continued…)

 


by Gwernin posted on June 13, 2019 | Related: Creative Writing
Citation: Gwernin, "Bungo the Bard and His Search for Enlightenment: Part 1", Ár nDraíocht Féin, June 13, 2019, https://staging.ng.adf.org/article/bungo-the-bard-and-his-search-for-enlightenment-part-1/