Читать книгу The Rivan Codex: Ancient Texts of The Belgariad and The Malloreon - David Eddings - Страница 15

NOTE This is the famous southern copy of this disputed work. It differs in certain crucial details from the seven other fragmentary copies, and is considered by certain scholars to be a corrupt, third-hand copy with no historical or theological value. It is, however, the only complete copy we have, and provides the only clues we have to the understanding of the enigmatic Ulgos. How it came to be in the possession of the Dryads in southern Tolnedra is, of course, a mystery.

At the Beginning of Days when the world was spun out of Darkness by the wayward Gods, dwelt there in the silences of the heavens a spirit known only as UL. Mighty was he, but withheld his power as the younger Gods combined to bring forth the world and the sun and the moon also. Old was he and wise, but withheld his wisdom from them, and what they wrought was not perfect by reason of that. And they had despite unto him that he would not join with them, and turned they their backs upon him.

And it came to pass that the younger Gods wrought beasts and fowls, serpents and fishes, and lastly, Man. But by reason of the withholding of the power and the wisdom of UL, it was not perfect and was marred. Many creatures were wrought which were unseemly and strange, and the younger Gods repented their making and tried they to unmake that which they had wrought so that all things upon the world which they had made might be fair and seemly. But the Spirit of UL stretched forth his hand and prevented them, and they could not unmake that which they had wrought, no matter how monstrous or ill-shapen. And he spake unto the younger Gods, saying: ‘Behold, what thou hast wrought thou mayest in no wise unmake, for in thy folly hast thou torn asunder the fabric of the heavens and the peace thereof that thou might bring forth this world of thine to be a plaything and an entertainment. Know, however, that whatsoever ye make, be it ever so monstrous or unseemly, it will abide and be a rebuke unto thee for thy folly. For in the day that one thing which is made is unmade, in that day shall all that is made be unmade.’^*

And the younger Gods were wroth, and in despite spake they unto each monstrous or unseemly thing they made, saying, ‘Go thou even unto UL, and he shall be thy God.’ And UL spake not.

And the younger Gods wrought men, and each selected that people which pleased him to be God over them. And it came to pass that when each had chosen, there were peoples yet who had no God. And the younger Gods drave them out, saying, ‘Go thou even unto UL, and he shall be thy God.’