The Parable of the Spider King

This story was originally written around Easter 2007. It's short, just 5 pages,  and can be a tad corny in parts and is steeped in some Easter-related themes. 

The Parable of the Spider King: A Tale of the Iron Road, by GB Kessler

In a far off land, there is a great highway that spans a vast plane. It stretches from the north to the south, reaching from one horizon to the other. Many towns and cities rest along the highway, but all are overshadowed by the luster and attraction of two great cities in particular. At the northern end of the highway is a city of pure white that shines brighter than the noonday sun; this is the City of Dreams. At the southern end is the massive metropolis of high-rise buildings and the great works of man; this is the City of Deception.

It is in the City of Deception that the Spider King resides. He is ruler of all here, and does all he can to draw people away from the City of Dreams. A master deceiver, trickster, and liar, he is adept at crafting together exquisite lures and baits for his victims. Falsehoods wrapped in bits and pieces of selective truth are a favorite of his, and he employs them well. Expertly he places them in his immense web that stretches out from the heart of his domain and reaches to the very gates of the City of Dreams. Hence, the Spider King does not lack for meals.

To many who travel the great highway, the Web of the Spider King is invisible. Their eyes are blackened – blinded – so that they simply do not see it. They see a lure and see no harm in embracing it, unknowingly setting foot upon the web and becoming stuck to it. Some who recognize the trick of the Spider King quickly flee and avoid the snare before the web gains too strong a hold. Others are not so lucky. Attracted to the lure, servants of the Spider King, often disguised as would-be friends, or quiet whispers of temptation and rationalization, get the traveler to walk deeper into the web, becoming forever ensnared and entrapped.

Many do not realize they are caught in the web until it is too late. They try to escape, but the bonds are too great. By this time, the Spider King has come to collect them. Some in the web who eventually recognize their plight will give up hope, seeing no way out. The strands of the web attached to them are too great to cut, and they believe that they belong to the Spider King now. From deep within the spider’s web, with their wills broken, they see little hope of redemption.

Then, from the gates of the City of Dreams, the son of the city’s king leaves his home. His purpose is simple – to free his people, for all those who travel the great highway are his subjects and his kin. Leaving the security of the City, he enters the web, yet gives in to none of its lures. He knows the ways of the Spider King and can see the web all around him. Despite the many attempts of the Spider King to make the Prince fail in his mission, he continues down the highway and shows the Spider’s victims the way to escape.

To one such traveler, a young man covered in the web of fear and doubt, convinced of the Spider’s King’s lie that he is no longer worthy enough continue on to the City of Dreams, the Prince stops and speaks to him.

“Daniel, what are you doing here? Why have you ceased in your journey?” the Prince asks the broken soul. “The City of Dreams is just a little farther.”

“How do you know my name?” Daniel responds, not knowing to whom he speaks.

“I know the names of all of my Father’s people. He sent me here to help you break away from the Spider King.” the Prince replies, offering a hand to the young man.

“Yeah, right,” Daniel scoffs, looking at the offered hand with blackened eyes. “What can you do?”

“I can tell you how to break the strands of the web that bind you down and keep you from progressing in your path,” the Prince offers, “but you have to trust me first. Otherwise, I can do nothing.”

There was something in the royal voice that was deep and sincere. It was something Daniel hadn’t felt in a long time.

It was love and compassion.

“Believe in me, Daniel, and I can help you cut the bands. It will not be easy, but you will be free in the end, and I can show you how to remain that way. Have faith, for I am the Prince of the City of Dreams. I have come to show you the way home,” the Prince states while offering his hand once more. He desperately wanted to help the young man, but unless Daniel took the hand, there was no escape for him. The Prince could only help those that had faith in him.

Not knowing how to react, fear flooded Daniel’s mind. The whispers of the Spider King told him not to believe the Prince. They told him that he was too far gone, and that he was beyond the hope offered by even the Prince himself. He wasn’t worthy to accept such help and compassion, not after all he had done. How could the Prince help him, let alone accept him? Wasn’t he beyond saving? The whispers would have him believe so, but another voice, one quiet and soothing, came to his mind against the hope-killing whispers.

Have faith in me, Daniel. Believe. Stop listening to the whispers of the Spider King and let go of your fears. They will keep you here until the end, when he comes to claim you. I can promise you a new life, free from the past. It can all be washed away; forgiven and forgotten – forever. The King of the City of Dreams has made it so, and he has sent me here to prepare the way. But, first, you must believe.

“I...” Daniel’s mind and heart struggled. Reason tried to convince him no such promise of redemption was possible – especially for him. Yet, his heart yearned to believe and accept what the Prince was telling him. As he struggled to believe, as the silken strands of the web tightened, threatening to pull him away from the hand of the Prince. 

They also started to cut into Daniel’s skin, causing him sharp pains. The whispers of fear told him that if he moved back from the Prince, the pain would stop. It was as simple as that. Give up hope and be spared the hurt. Accept the hand of the Prince, and you’ll be ripped apart! It’s not worth it, Daniel. Stop fighting!

Daniel cried out from the pain. He looked and saw tears running down the Prince’s cheeks. The Prince wanted so much to help Daniel, to release him from his pain, but he could not. Daniel had been told what do to. No matter how much it agonized the Prince to see his kinsman suffer, Daniel had to make the decision for himself.

It was either faith or fear.

Still, the Prince’s hand was outstretched the entire time. He was waiting, pleading, and ever-ready to pull Daniel from the webbing.   

In the pivotal moment of decision, pitched between destruction and salvation, the young man’s will finally gave into one of the voices that vied for his soul. He shoved the whispers aside, and cried out to the Prince as he threw a hand towards him. In doing so, the webbing rapidly constricted, and it felt like he would succumb to the pain, when, in an instant, it was gone. In the blink of an eye, as his hand was taken by that of the Prince, the pain ceased.

Gently pulled from the webbing, Daniel found himself looking up at the relieved face of the Prince. Bruises and cuts from the strain of the webbing remained, as did sticky pieces of broken silk, but no longer did that silk hold him tight. In fact, the silken strands of the web began to wither and fall away.

In amazement, Daniel bowed his head before the Prince and began to cry. At the same time, his blackened eyes began to turn a shade of dark gray. “How... how did you do it? How is this possible?”

“It was because of your faith, Daniel. You have begun the process of returning home.” the Prince smiled, and pulled the young man to his feet. “There is still much yet to be done, my friend. You have taken the leap of faith, and it has helped to you overcome your fear. Residue from the Spider King’s web remains, though, and you need to become clean from it before you will be accepted into the gates of the City. Remnants of the Spider King must be washed away first.”

Daniel nodded at the Prince. “Yes, you’re right. Where can I go to clean up?”

The Prince smiled a little more. “Come, follow me.”

“Okay,” Daniel replied as he accepted the invitation to walk with the Prince. It didn’t take long for the man to realize that they were headed northward – straight for the City of Dreams. A sense of fear and hesitation began to grow within his mind, and as it did, that gentle voice spoke to him once more.

“Do not be afraid, Daniel. I am by your side,” the Prince said as he discerned thoughts of uncertainty. “I know the life you have had, and the things you have done. They have not been in accordance with the will of the King, but, as I promised, they will all be washed away. As you continue to walk with me, you will no longer be the man you once were. I am witness to what you are doing now, and will relay it to my father, the King.  You need not fear once you have been cleansed of your old life. Besides,” the Prince said now as he placed a reassuring hand on Daniel’s shoulder. “My father wants you back, and so do I. That’s why I’m here.”

“I–I know,” Daniel said as he head hung a little.

The Prince nodded, yet continued to smile as he patted Daniel on the back. “It is a challenge, my friend. The webs of the Spider King are all around us. Yet, the steps you make today will help you to overcome them. For as I said before: the way has been prepared. Life will still have its trials, and the allure of the web will always be there, but so will I. So, you needn’t fear.”

Daniel shook his head. He didn’t shake it at the Prince, but himself. He had a bad habit of doubting. He was the kind that found such things too good to be true, and yet this was not. If he did what the Prince was asking him to do, despite the challenges that this existence brought, he would find a new life; to be reborn in a sense. He would also be accepted into the City of Dreams, the great desire of all who traveled the highway.

Continuing on their way, Daniel’s eyes gradually faded from dark gray to lighter shades. With each step they made northward, the light of the City of Dream’s brightened as well. It was not as overwhelming as he would have suspected, but warm and inviting. The light beckoned all on the outside to venture in. There was only one gate, however, and certain criteria needed to be met before one could enter to stay.

“Ah, here we are,” the Prince announced as they came to a bathhouse near the gates of the City. Other people were gathered inside, and all were in the process of cleaning off the residue from the Spider King’s web. Daniel noticed others helping them, supplying them with water, soap and towels. He also saw a strange necklace those people wore. Attached to it was a small, green amulet that gave off a faint, pulsating glow. Once the people in the baths washed themselves off and changed into fresh, white clothing, they too received one of these amulets.

“What are those?” Daniel asked the Prince.

“Compasses.” the Prince replied. “They are given to all who come through this bathhouse. This is the onlyplace they can be given.  It is you’re key through the gateway. They are tied to the will of the King of the City. Through them, he can guide his people in all their doings. They will help you better see the webbing of the Spider King; better recognize the truth from falsehood, and warn you of danger. The Compasses also mark you as an official member of my father’s kingdom and family. You will receive one once you have been cleansed.”

That excited Daniel, and he wasted no time in finding an empty bath-stall. The water was already drawn, and from the Prince he received some soap and a towel as the others had. Disappearing behind a pulled curtain, the man began the process of clearing away the sticky residue left from the webbing. While doing so, a great feeling of peace and love began to overtake him. His heart had never known such a sensation. An old part of him was being replaced by something new. He could feel it. The faith and trust we had put into the promise of the Prince was coming true.

Daniel was becoming reborn. No longer was he a slave of the Spider King, but he was becoming a new creature, one who found adoption into the family of the King and the Prince of the City of Dreams. Everything he felt at that moment confirmed it. He was doing the right thing. He knew it. It was as if the King himself was welcoming a wayward son back from the dead. It brought tears of joy to the eyes of the young man.

The process of rebirth was not yet complete; another step was yet to be had.

Bathed and clothed in fresh, white garb, Daniel emerged from the curtain. Waiting for him was the Prince, a Compass in hand, with bright smile was on his face as he also shed a tear of joy for his friend. Without hesitation, the two embraced as family.

“Thank you, for everything,” Daniel told the Prince. “I wouldn’t have made it this far without your help.”

“Now, go and share this joy with others on the highway.” the Prince told Daniel as he put the Compass-stone in his hand. “Use the Compass to lead you to those in need of my word, Daniel. Share the good news with them, and help show them the way back. As long as you are true and faithful to this charge, the Compass will never fail you. Go back to the highway and bring my people home, please.”

“I will.” Daniel said as he wiped away the tears from eyes that had now become white. He had finally made it, and all because of the man that stood before him. He knew that his mission was not yet over, of course. Now that he had found the way to the City of Dreams, it had to be shared with others. It was a commission of the Prince to all who entered into the gates of the City. Once inside, they could not keep the peace and joy of it to themselves. Instead, they went forth, and shared.

“Thank you, Daniel.” the Prince smiled again, and then turned to go. “I must leave you now, but I shall return. I promise you that. As long as you follow my ways, and the guidance of the Compass, I will always be with you.”

“Where are you going?” Daniel asked.

The Prince paused and looked back to Daniel, “To do that which my Father sent me to do.” With those words, the Prince returned to the highway.

In his mind’s eye, Daniel saw the hazy outline of a hilltop. Three crosses came into view then, giving him a sight that dropped him to his knees. The scene then shifted to that of a garden on a peaceful Sunday morning, and the opened doorway of an empty tomb.