Chapter 3
(Omar pleads for the slave)
And so Omar entered the city below the mountain.
He found a seamstress and went in to her.
He requested of her,
"I am Omar. Will you mend my robe?"
"I shall mend your robe," She said unto him.
And so Omar gave his robe to the seamstress and went outside.
And he saw across the way a young carpenter.
Seeing that the carpenter's work was beautiful, Omar went to him.
"Who is your master, that I might tell him of these great works of yours."
And the young carpenter said unto him,
"My master is a rich man.
He lives in this city.
He walks up and down seeking business."
And so Omar said to the carpenter,
"Might I purchase one of your wares?"
And the carpenter said,
"My master sells what I make, and in return my wife and my sons may live in a small hut of his."
"You receive no payment for your goods?"
"I do not. For I am a slave."
And so Omar felt compassion for the carpenter.
"I shall find your master, and ask that he pays you."
And so Omar walked up and down the road searching for the carpenter's master.
When Omar discovered the master, he said unto him,
"Why do you not give your servant what he deserves for his work?"
"He does nothing. He is as lazy as a lame donkey," said the Master.
And Omar said unto the Master,
"Do you not see the beauty of his handiwork?"
"He does as he is told and I clothe and feed him.
You should go your way and seek trouble elsewhere," said the Master.
And Omar said,
"You are doing wrong, for the fruit of a man's labor is his own.
By the sweat of his brow he brings value to his life.
What right do you have to own this man who brings more value to the world than you?
He must work for whom he pleases, and seek payment in his own right.
You must pay the man, and let him live as he pleases."
And the master said unto Omar,
"What is this nonsense you speak? Are you a fool? A false prophet?
This man is my slave. He is to do as he is told. He does not work hard, he deserves no pay."
And Omar asked the master if he ever looked upon the slave as he worked.
And the master said he did not.
And Omar said unto him,
"I shall work, and you shall see the hard labor this man does for you."
And the master responded,
"You shall work."
And Omar toiled until sundown, and when he was complete, he said to the master,
"Do you not see that I am tired and weary?"
And the master said,
"You are a deceiver, go home."
But many had flocked to see this spectacle.
And a woman cried,
"You must pay the slave! For this man speaks wisdom!"
And the flock of people shouted and cried at the master.
And the master said unto the flock,
"I shall not pay the man. But I shall free him, and he may work where he pleases. This folly will soon lead to his destruction."
And Omar realized that Rethea had spoken through him to the master.
He looked up to heaven and said quietly,
"Thank the Goddess."
So Omar went across the street again for his cloak.
As he walked home, he found that the crowd was following him.
He said unto them,
"What is it you seek that you follow me?"
And a man in the crowd responded,
"You are a new prophet, for you speak the wisdom of Flemingovia."
And Omar said unto the crowd,
"Go to your homes. I speak not for Flemingovia.
I speak for the Goddess I saw in my vision.
She is Rethea."
And another man yelled,
"Who is this Rethea of whom you speak?"
And Omar said unto him,
"She is the true revelation of Flemingovia. For he is but the a fool's view of Rethea."
And some of the crowd said,
"Truly this man speaks the truth."
But others said,
"This man lies, for he says Flemingovia is false."
And those people returned to their homes angrily.
