   Lyubov Talimonova
   A Journey Through Time
   Translated from the Russian original by David Parfitt

   All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.
   Web site: www.talimonova-lyubov.com

   Everything has a beginning and an end, summer arrives to take the place of winter, the Sun rises and sets. Civilizations and peoples arise and perish. Time… Everything is subject to it. It is present at the dawn of civilizations, but it also swallows them up. Everything slips away into Time. It records in the memory of the Universe every event that occurs on Earth or in the Heavens.

   Who is responsible for this universal chronicle and where can it be found? In the boundless sky among the shining stars lies the Land of Time – Watil. The people of this land record the entire history of the Cosmos and the Earth in their great books.
   Watil is a beautiful land with hills of different colours, numerous rivers and lakes, bright flowers and singing birds. The people of this land, who are known as the Keepers of Time, are kind, tall and proud. Some of them record in their great books the story of the origins of civilizations, states and various events. Others write the story of the end of peoples and nations.
   In the sunny valley of Watil live two Keepers of Time: Luili, the keeper of the beginning, and Ruar, the keeper of the end. They decided to write the history of a certain city-state, Beorgia, which once existed on Earth high up in the mountains and not far from the sea. The city was beautiful and a pleasant place to live. On the hills the people of Beorgia had built the White Pyramids, and their cave temples were known for the beauty of their carvings, paintings and fountains. But that is all that was known about Beorgia.
   “Ruar, it is terrible, we know almost nothing about this city. How can we write its history? And I am sure it must be a very interesting history!”
   “Let us think, Luili. You remember Uratamorika? Around every planet there exists an invisible world, a Land of Memory. In this world, just like in the cinema, all events that have taken place anywhere on the planet itself are reflected. In the memory of Uratamorika are all the reflections of the ancient cities and states on Earth. There is nothing for it but to go to Uratamorika, the Land of Memory. There we shall see ancient Beogria, its inhabitants and everything that happened to them. And afterwards we shall record everything in a great book.”
   “You are right, Ruar. We shall head for Uratamorika first thing tomorrow morning!”
//-- * * * --//
   “Ruar, it feels so strange to walk on an invisible staircase. We walk on the steps but cannot see them, and it is as if we are walking through the air!”
   “Yes, it is an invisible white staircase that connects the Land of Time with the Land of Memory. Look below, it seems we have arrived. There is the sea and the mountains, and high up in the mountains is the lost city with the white pyramids. It has to be Beogria!”
   “What do you think, Ruar, where should we head for first?”
   “Usually an inspection starts from the centre of the city. Let us go higher and see where the main square of Beogria is. We shall start there.” “Good idea.”
//-- * * * --//
   “And here is the main square, Luili. On one side it looks straight out over the sea and on the other it is encircled by mountains.”
   “And in the mountains I can see the famous cave temples.”
   “Let us start with the first temple on the right, and then go through all the other halls. We shall see how the Beogrians lived.”
   “Shall we go down now?”
   “Yes.”
//-- * * * --//
   “Ruar, how beautiful it is here!”
   “Beautiful and extraordinarily quiet. It seems as if eternity itself has settled in this hall.”
   “How wonderful – some guests have arrived to visit me. No-one has been here for a thousand of years and I have not spoken to anyone. Who are you?”
   “We are the Keepers of Time from the land of Watil.”
   “And I am the Sphinx of Time, Eo.”
   “We are very pleased to meet you, Eo, but we did not realise that sphinxes could talk – we thought they were just statues made out of stone.”
   “Well it is all to do with the people who built the sphinxes. They loved their work and put part of their energy, the Spirit, into each sphinx. And sphinxes with a Spirit are no longer just stones, but living sphinxes that are able to talk. And not just talk… Anyway, you will see everything for yourselves when you pass through the halls of the cave temples.”
   “Eo, could you not tell us what the Beogrians thought about Time and why they made you – the Sphinx of Time?”
   “Of course I will tell you all about myself and about Time, but first let me tell you about the inhabitants of Beogria themselves. They were tall, red-haired people with green eyes. They had a detailed knowledge of astronomy and geometry, physics and medicine. They wrote wonderful poems and music. Their thoughts were kind and flew high up into the sky, their senses were heightened, their clear Spirits rose swiftly beyond the clouds. The Beogrians placed harmony in the world above everything else and lived according to the laws of Truth, Kindness and Beauty. They believed in infinity and worshipped Time.
   “The people viewed Time as divided into three parts: Past, Present and Future. The Past they accepted as absolute truth and respected it. The Future they considered to be moving forward towards something better. And the Present they saw as just a bridge from the Past to the Future. The Beogrians represented Time as a huge invisible river flowing from the Past, washing over all objects in the Present and carrying them into the Future, and so into Eternity and Infinity.

   “The ancient people built me, the Sphinx of Time, as a symbol of the Past, Present and Future, as a symbol of Eternity. That is my whole history. But I completely forgot to mention that in Beogria the dark blue sapphire was considered the stone of Eternity. Here, at the bottom of this stream, lie sapphire spheres; take one for yourselves as a souvenir.”
   “Thank you, kind Sphinx, for the story and the gift.”
   “Soon it will be evening. I advise you to go down to the Fire Temple and watch the setting of the Sun from there. When the Sun bows down to the horizon, the last rays fall directly on the Fire Temple and colour its walls with a red and golden light. It is beautiful. The ancient inhabitants of Beogria would gather in the Fire Temple every evening and watch the sunset.
   “There you will see many figures and spheres made from jasper. The Beogrians believed that with the coming of night the forces of darkness were awakened, and these would frighten people by sending them bad dreams. The jasper stored up all the sunlight it had gathered during the day, and so at night it kept away the darkness and protected the inhabitants of Beogria from bad dreams.
   “Take something made of jasper for yourselves as a present. I know that the Beogrians always gave their guests many presents.”
   “Thank you, Eo. We will head to the Fire Temple right away. The Sun is already setting and we would not want to miss such a beautiful sight.”
   “Have a good journey!”
//-- * * * --//
   “The Fire Temple not only looks beautiful in the rays of the setting Sun. At dawn, in the morning haze, it looks just like a fairytale castle.”
   “And it is wonderful here at night too. From the Temple one can see how the Moon rises and how its light is reflected in the sea. And what a view of the sky, Luili! What a beautiful Milky Way! It seems as if the stars are hanging so close that you could reach out and touch the brightest of them.”
   “Ruar, I would like to see another temple in the first rays of the rising Sun. The next temple may be even more beautiful than the Fire Temple.”
   “Then let us go and see. Quickly, Luili, or the Sun will already have risen above the sea.”
//-- * * * --//
   “There is no-one here, Ruar, but I hear music. Can you hear it too?”
   “Yes, I can. Beautiful music.”

   “Where is it coming from?”
   “Look out the window, Luili. The Morning Wind is flying over the mountains and playing his horn. And by the window I can see some kind of instrument, which looks rather like a harp. The wind is moving the strings and producing soft music.”
   “I would be interested to know where we are. What is the name of this temple? Is it the Temple of the Morning Wind?”
   “Either the Temple of the Morning Wind or the Temple of Music. Since the ancient Beogrians left a musical instrument in this hall, they must have loved and valued music very much.”
   “Do you think they knew about the music of the Spirit”
   “Yes, Luili, of course they knew. They built the temple in its honour. This music is born in the boundless Universe among the bright stars, it passes through time and space, and reaches people through their Spirit. Joy settles in their hearts, they want to sing and enjoy themselves. The Beogrians understood that such music is the best medicine for broken hearts and a restless Spirit. The Beogrians understood and loved music.”
   “Perhaps in the mornings people would gather in this temple, sit by the window and listen to the music of the Spirit. Sometimes they would play on the great harp. The Morning Wind would accompany them on his horn. And from the window would pour the sounds of beautiful music, like iridescent pearls in the first rays of dawn.”
   “Luili, you know how to play the harp, and real music has not been heard in the Temple of Music for a thousand years. Play the ‘Melody of Peace and Stillness’ and the temple will be brought back to life.”
   “With pleasure. The Morning Wind will accompany me on his horn, and everything will be as it was in the days of old.”
//-- * * * --//
   “The Sun has risen high over the sea. You know, Ruar, I would like to take one more look at the Temple of Fire, but from the outside this time.”
   “Good idea. I will wait for you here, play a little on the harp and listen to the music of the Wind.”
   “I will not be long.”
//-- * * * --//
   “Oh, a new sphinx! Good morning. My name is Luili, I am a Keeper of Time from the land of Watil.”
   “Good morning, Luili! My name is Imaral. I am the Sphinx of the Moon, Light and Medicine.”

   “All of these things? How is it possible to combine Light, the Moon and Medicine?”
   “Oh, the ancient people combined these ideas very easily. If you like I can tell you about it.”
   “I would like that very much.”
   “So, I will start with Light. With the setting of the Sun comes night. At this time, evil and darkness would like to leave the remote valleys where they dwell, steal into people’s houses and send them bad dreams. But in the sky the Moon appears, and its soft light spreads over the mountains and valleys, and the evil and darkness decide to stay hidden.
   “The Beogrians loved the mysterious light of the Moon. In this light the Fire Temple seemed as if it were made of gold. During a full Moon people would very often come to look at the fabulous temple.
   “The inhabitants of Beogria, and especially its doctors, had a deep knowledge of the phases of the Moon and its influence on all living things. During a new Moon, for example, all plants have a great deal of energy and can give this energy to people, whereas during a full Moon both plants and people absorb the energy of the Cosmos. The Beogrians knew this and sowed their plants only during a new Moon. Doctors would also treat their patients in earnest during a new Moon, but during a full Moon such treatment was considered useless.
   “So you see, Luili, how easily the Moon was combined with Medicine in ancient times.”
   “Indeed… But even in our Land of Time all the flowers bloom during a new Moon.
   “Imaral, you are the Sphinx of Light, the Moon and Medicine, but why do you have horns?”
   “Remember the Moon, Luili. The new Moon looks very similar to the horns of an animal. Besides, the ancient Beogrians knew the path of the Moon’s motion across the heavens. Over the course of a month it traced out the shape of a pair of horns in the sky. And so my horns are a symbol of the Moon and its motion across the heavens.”
   “And I would also like to ask you what these green spheres are that lie near the temple.”
   “They are emerald spheres. In Beogria, emerald was believed to be the stone of the Moon and Medicine. If you take one in your hands and concentrate it is possible to see what is making a person ill. In fact, you can try to see anything you wish.”
   “I cannot see any illnesses, but I can see Ruar; it seems that he has grown tired of playing on the great harp and is waiting for me.”
   “There are many beautiful and interesting things that you must see in Beogria. Take an emerald sphere as a souvenir, and when you return to Watil you will look at it and remember Beogria and me, Imaral, the Sphinx of Light, the Moon and Medicine.”
   “Thank you, Imaral, for the story and the gift. I will certainly remember you.”
   “Farewell! Have a good journey!”

//-- * * * --//
   “You are still here, Ruar? Have you been waiting for me?”
   “Yes I have, Luili.”
   “You have not been too bored?”
   “Not at all. First I played on the great harp, and then I talked a little with the Morning Wind.”
   “Wonderful, but is it not time for us to move on?”
   “It is long overdue. Listen, Luili, I can hear something dripping nearby as if it is raining. But I can see that it is not raining outside.”
   “That means something must be dripping in the next hall.”
   “That is what I thought too, and I would like to find out as soon as we can what it is. Let us hurry and see!”
//-- * * * --//
   “What a big flower, Ruar. I have never seen one like this before, even in our Land of Time.”
   “Yes, it reaches from the floor to the ceiling. And water is flowing down over its leaves and dripping into a pool. This is the rain that we could hear.”
   “I am interested to know what kind of flower it is, and what kind of temple we are in.”
   “There seems to be no-one here.”
   “Miaow! I have guests – the Keepers of Time. How nice of you to visit me.”
   “Who are you? We cannot see you.”
   “I am the Sacred Cat, and I am here, on the wall.”
   “Oh! We are already used to living sphinxes, but a living wall carving…”
   “The Beogrians made me with as much love and inspiration as the sphinxes. The spirit of the ancient builders is expressed in me, and so I am a living image.
   “You would probably like to know the purpose of this temple and its flower that I protect?”
   “If it is not too much trouble, dear Sacred Cat, then please tell us about it.”
   “With pleasure. You have found the Temple of Learning. This was one of the most important and revered temples in ancient Beogria. The Beogrians worshipped Learning, but not simply learning in the form of dry scientific facts. The people worshipped good and wise Learning. They understood that such knowledge as how to split the atom means nothing whatsoever if one does not know how to use it wisely. And to use it wisely means to direct it towards good.

   “The flower in the middle of the temple is the Flower of Wisdom. Do you see how it grows straight out of the pool? From space the Earth appears blue, and so the pool, or water, is the symbol of our Earth. The leaves of the flower reach up as far as the ceiling of the temple. The ceiling symbolizes the dome of the sky, the Universe with many different worlds. The Flower of Wisdom shows that there are invisible links between the Earth and the Cosmos. And only wise relations between the people on Earth and all the worlds in the Universe can make the invisible links exceptionally stable.
   “Now I expect you would like to know how the Cat is related to wisdom and learning?”
   “How did you guess?”
   “Well, I am the Cat of Wisdom because I know everything and can guess everything.
   “The inhabitants of Beogria believed the Cat to be the most thoughtful, wary and wise animal in the world. The Cat was a sacred animal in Beogria, and so they called it the Sacred Cat of Wisdom.”
   “Look what I have found! There are some red stones lying in the pool. How beautiful!”
   “They are red rubies. The Beogrians considered the ruby to be the Stone of Learning. It sent wise thoughts to the person that carried it.
   “Take the red spheres for yourselves. The people of Beogria always gave their guests rubies, so that the guests would be good and wise people and would come to Beogria more often.”
   “Dear Sacred Cat, we shall take the ruby spheres, become wise and visit you often in the Temple of Learning.”
   “A worthy speech. I am very pleased to have had the chance to talk to you. But now you must continue on your journey in search of new experiences.”
   “Thank you, Cat of Wisdom. Until we meet again!”
//-- * * * --//
   “Look, here there are two temples side by side. Which one should we go into?”
   “The one on the right!”
   “Why?”
   “This morning I talked to the Wind. He invited me to visit and told me how to find his temple. The temple on the right is the Temple of the Wind.”
   “But in the other hall I can hear the sound of water and would like to see where it is coming from.”
   “Luili, I have an idea: you go into the temple on the left and I will go into the Temple of the Wind. Afterwards we shall meet and tell each other what we have seen.”
   “Agreed.”
   “See you later!”
//-- * * * --//
   “How beautiful it is in here, and so light and warm. This is the most wonderful hall that I have ever seen. Oh…what is this?”
   “This is the Temple of Life, through which the River of Life flows, and I am the Spirit of Life or the Keeper of Life, whichever you prefer. My name is Aruya.”
   “Aruya…What a beautiful name. And I am Luili, Keeper of the Beginning of Time.”
   “I know. The Sphinxes have already told me about you. You are travelling through the Land of Memory to find out about the life of the Beogrians and their view of the world.”
   “Yes, that is correct.”
   “Then I shall tell you what the Beogrians thought about Life.”
   “Excellent!”
   “I should first mention that the life of this ancient people was associated with infinity, that is immortality. Why did they think in such a way? Because life unfolds according to a circular law. But what is a circular law? Now I shall explain. We take a ring or a circle and fix a particular point on it. Let this be the beginning of Life. So, Time or Life flows from a beginning, passes around in a circle and finds itself at an end. But any end point on a circle is just another beginning. From this law it follows that when Life ends it begins all over again.”
   “The Beogrians were great philosophers!”
   “Yes, they developed the philosophy of Life. The inhabitants of Beogria in their own way understood the aims and principles of Life, as well as Life itself.”
   “Tell me about this, Aruya!”
   “Very well, first I shall talk about Life. The Beogrians tried to live happily. They believed that there are so many wonderful and interesting things in the world that the years of one’s life should not be wasted in sadness or hatred. They believed that one should live properly and achieve something in life, and that it is only possible to achieve success when your life is happy. Inspiration comes to people who are happy. And so the Beogrians lived and worked with a cheerful Spirit and the Sun always shone over their country.
   “Now I want to tell you, Luili, what the ancients thought was the reason for Life. However strange it may seem, the inhabitants of Beogria believed that one reason for Life is Life itself. You see, without it the Universe would be empty, cold and of no use to anyone. The people believed that another reason for Life is the Mind, since without it, Life and the Universe itself would be impossible.
   “And there is more to tell about the aims of life. Are you interested, Luili?”
   “I am so interested that I am left speechless!”
   “The Beogrians’ thoughts about the aims of life were also unusual. In the present day, these aims have been completely forgotten on Earth. You see, for the Beogrians the aim of Life was Life itself. They believed that Life was given to person as a gift and that he or she should be happy with this gift. What is more, Life is a precious gift, and as with anything precious, it should be protected and used intelligently. Life should not be regarded as something trivial; one should remember that the second aim of Life is posterity. And in order to achieve this second aim, it is necessary to live one’s earthly Life properly. But to live Life properly, it is necessary to always remember the aims of Life.”

   “Yes!”
   “At first glance, the philosophy of the Beogrians is very complex and incomprehensible. But there is nothing complex in it for those who know how to think.”
   “Then the Beogrians must have thought a great deal.”
   “They did not do it a great deal, but in moderation; they did everything in moderation, even thinking. They always aimed for a happy medium in whatever they did in life.”
   “So that is why you hold the scales in your hands!”
   “That is one of the reasons.”
   “But why else?”
   “You see, Luili, in life there exists both good and evil. A person is always free to act for good or bad. And Life is a great judge, it always judges people according to their actions – good or bad. And since I am the Spirit of Life, I must have the scales.”
   “Aruya, in each temple we have found different stones. Which stone symbolized Life in Beogria?”
   “The symbol of Life was quartz, Luili.”
   “But these crystals are so fragile.”
   “Yes, and that is why they were the symbol of Life. You see, if you think about it, our life is very delicate and fragile, just like the crystals.
   “This stone was also known as the ‘tears of the sky’ in Beogria. Only these were tears of joy. The sky was pleased with the lives of the Beogrians. Look at the quartz – it is transparent. Only tears of joy are transparent, whereas tears of sadness are dull.”
   “Your story is like a song, Aruya. I could listen to it forever, but I am afraid Ruar is already waiting for me.”
   “I will not keep you any longer, Luili, but please take a few crystal spheres with you as a souvenir. They will sparkle in the Sun and bring you joy.”
   “Thank you, Spirit of Life and Keeper of the Source. I shall go and look for Ruar as I cannot wait to tell him about the life of the ancient Beogrians.”
   “Goodbye, Luili!”
//-- * * * --//
   “Good day to you, Wind. Your temple proved to be very easy to find. But Luili has decided to visit the temple next door.”
   “I know, she is talking to the Spirit of Life. I just saw her while I was flying past the window. It is very interesting to talk to the Spirit of Life, but I would also like to show and tell you some equally important things. Before we start, I should introduce myself: my name is El.”
   “Pleased to meet you.”
   “First I would like to show you the musical shell.”
   “You can hear the sound of weaves breaking on the seashore inside it.”
   “And not only that. This shell can also play the music of the heavens and the melody of the Universe.”
   “The melody of the Universe? How is this possible, for the shell has never travelled through the Cosmos?”
   “Well, Ruar, the shell is constructed in the shape of a spiral, and the Universe is also arranged in a spiral, so that the unfolding of the Cosmos proceeds along it and all life within it. Therefore, from its very birth, the shell has stored inside it the music of the Universe, since the shell and the Universe are arranged according to the same principle.”
   “But I also heard another kind of music being played here.”
   “Do you see these pipes on the wall? The air currents make them sing.”
   “This instrument reminds me of an organ.”
   “Perhaps.”
   “And what kind of bird is that next to the organ?”
   “That is the bird of the Spirit. Wherever there is beautiful music to be heard, many Spirits gather. In Beogria, the bird was the symbol of the Spirit.
   “And there is also one other symbol – pink agate. The Beogrians believed that this was the stone of joy and good humour. When a person is in a good mood he wants to sing and listen to music, so agate is also found in the Temple of the Wind since it is a musical temple. Ruar, take an agate sphere for yourself. It will be a gift for you and Luili. In fact, she has already finished talking to the Spirit of Life and is on her way here.”
   “Then it is also time for me to go, El. It has been a very interesting visit. I shall tell Luili about the musical shell and show her the pink agate. Thank you for everything.”
   “You are welcome, Ruar. I am sure we shall meet again as every morning I play my horn in the mountains.”
//-- * * * --//
   “These are interesting stories that we have heard from the Wind and the Spirit of Life! I have a present for you, Luili, from El the Wind. A pink agate sphere.”
   “And the Spirit of Life gave me some quartz spheres. We have a lot of presents already!”
   “And there are still two more temples nearby to visit.”
   “Where shall we go first?”

   “Well, Luili, I suggest that as before we each visit a different temple, and then meet afterwards to tell one another what we have seen and heard.”
   “Agreed. So let us begin.”
   “Now it is your turn to go into the temple on the right, and I shall go into the one on the left.”
   “That sounds good. See you later, Ruar!”
//-- * * * --//
   “I can see no-one here. There is a flower painted on the wall, but as far as I know flowers cannot talk.”
   “But I can talk.”
   “You just passed through the wall, that is impossible!”
   “Impossible for a person, but perfectly natural for a Spirit.”
   “So you are a Spirit?”
   “Yes, I am an Earth Spirit.”
   “I have never met an Earth Spirit. Please tell me about yourself.”
   “Of course. It is all very simple. Each city and each part of the Earth has its own Spirit. I am the Spirit of Beogria. My name is Ula. And you are Ruar, I already know that.”
   “I always imagined an Earth Spirit to be so big and strong with burning eyes and a red beard. But, dear Spirit, you are not a giant, you have dark golden hair and kind green eyes. And in your white cloak you look just like a cloud that melts away in the morning haze.”
   “How funny you are. Surely you know that all Earth Spirits are female, very often with golden hair and green eyes? And that giant Spirits do not exist.”
   “Why is that?”
   “Well you see, Ruar, frequent visits to the houses of people were one of the duties of an Earth Spirit. I was always going from house to house, dressed in a traveller’s cloak. I saw how the people of Beogria lived, whether they were at peace with nature and with each other, whether they were rich or poor, how they raised their children. So how could I be a giant? The Beogrians, especially the children, would have been frightened of me and would not have allowed me into their houses.”
   “Tell me, Ula, could they distinguish you from a normal person? Did the people know that you were an Earth Spirit?”
   “It was very difficult to distinguish an Earth Spirit from an ordinary Beogrian. The Spirit had just one special characteristic. When a person walks he touches the ground, but when a Spirit walks he does not. But it is very difficult to notice this. What is more, the Beogrians were kind and hospitable people. They treated everyone the same, whether they were Earth Spirits or ordinary people. A visitor to one of their houses could expect food and a bed for the night. The Beogrians liked to give their guests milk. They always placed a cup of milk on the doorstep for any Earth Spirits who may be passing, just in case they were tired from their journey and needed some refreshment.”

   “Did you enjoy protecting the land of Beogria and its people?”
   “Yes, very much. You know, Ruar, they called me the Teacher.”
   “Why?”
   “When I visited a house, we often talked about goodness and tranquillity, and about the correct way to bring up children. The Beogrians believed that I taught them how to live properly in the world. This is indeed so, Ruar. You see, for an Earth Spirit the most important things of all are peace, kindness and tranquillity in the world. Do you see the flower on the back wall of the temple?”
   “Yes, I see it.”
   “The flower has three petals. These are symbols of peace, kindness and tranquillity.”
   “Ula, do you like living flowers?”
   “What kind of Earth Spirit does not like flowers? I love wild flowers, especially forget-me-nots and bluebells.”
   “And what else do Earth Spirits like most of all?”
   “Beautiful landscapes: small mountains, green hills, warm meadows with flowers and streams. Earth Spirits usually only live in pure, beautiful places. It is no good looking for them in places that are dirty or where the landscape is ugly.”
   “It is beautiful in Beogria, and what wonderful scenery can be seen from your temple! Ula, what kind of pyramids are they beside the river?”
   “The Beogrians built these, and they are known as the Pyramids of the Sun and the White Pyramids of the Spirit. The latter were built in honour of the sublime, clear Spirit. The people of Beogria believed that peace and prosperity could only be achieved when a person has a pure soul, clear thoughts and a sublime Spirit. And so they built the White Pyramids of the Spirit as a symbol of goodness and light.”
   “The White Pyramids really do look beautiful in the sunlight against the background of the blue sky. No-one could have evil thoughts in the presence of such beauty.
   “And I still want to ask you, Ula, about the symbol of the Earth Spirit. In each temple Luili and I have seen a different stone that was the symbol of the temple. But what is your symbol?”
   “Ruar, all the ordinary stones in the fields and on the seashore, the rocks in the mountains – these are the symbols of the Earth Spirit. You can pick up any stone on the seashore and it will be my stone.”
   “Luili and I will be sure to go down to the sea and find some stones there with holes in them, for luck.”
   “This will be a good way to remember the Earth Spirit.”
   “It is already time for me to go as I am sure Luili will be waiting for me.”
   “I must leave also. I have promised to visit the Sphinx Eo today.”
   “And you will pass through the wall again?”
   “Of course, and not just one wall. How funny you are. Goodbye.”
   “Goodbye, Ula! Oh, she has disappeared…”
//-- * * * --//
   “Is there anyone here?”
   “Yes.”
   “A living wall carving?”
   “Yes.”
   “Will you tell me a new story about this temple?”
   “Of course.”
   “My name is Luili.”
   “And my name is Mena. You have come to the Temple of Memory, and I am the symbol of memory and reminiscences.”
   “The Beogrians probably knew something special about memory.”
   “What they knew about memory was for them entirely natural, although in the modern world these accomplishments seem like a fairy tale.
   “But I will start my story from the beginning. For the Beogrians, memory was a material thing. They said that somewhere in the endless sky, among the stars, lies the world of Memory, which looks like a misty ocean. It does not have permanent, well-defined outlines but changes every minute, taking one form or another. In the world of Memory are images from the lives of every person that has lived or is living on the Earth.
   “The ocean of Memory quivers, a large wave rises up on it, and there on its surface appears the mysterious shape of a forgotten tale. The face of a rather sad woman suddenly smiles, she holds out her hands as if wanting to say something and then disappears, dissolving into the infinity of the Universe, as a golden cloud melts into sea-mist at dawn. This was Memory.”
   “Mena, it seems that you were talking about yourself just now. Your portrait on the wall appeared as if from nowhere and could disappear at any moment.”
   “It is possible.”
   “Mena, why are you portrayed with wings on either side of you?”
   “You have probably heard the expression ‘winged memory’, Luili”
   “Yes, I believe I have.”
   “Memory has wings. When a person thinks about something or remembers something, then their thoughts and spirit fly far, far away. Feelings also have wings and can fly up into the sky. The person remains on the Earth, but at the same time they fly, as if on wings, to the Ocean of Memory. If the memories are happy and good then the wave-images are painted with bright colours and rise up high above the surface of the ocean. But when the memories are sad, then the water in the Ocean of Memory become thick and muddy, and the waves disappear altogether.”

   “Your story is like a beautiful magical fairy tale, like music.”
   “A soft, solemn music can always be heard over the Ocean of Memory.”
   “Why?”
   “It has always been that way.”
   “And Mena, what was the symbol of memory in ancient Beogria?”
   “Flowers, Luili, the most beautiful flowers.
   “Just think, when people want to honour the memory of their ancestors they give them flowers. When someone wants to leave a good memory after themselves, they bring flowers. Why? It is all very simple. In their hearts, people want the memory of their ancestors or of themselves to always be as beautiful and everlasting as the flowers. Flowers wilt every autumn, but in the spring they flourish again. A person leaves nothing after themselves except memories. Everyone should leave a beautiful, good and everlasting memory. And that is why flowers are the symbol of memory and reminiscences.”
   “Wonderful. And does memory have a stone symbol?”
   “Yes. Over there you will see a sphere of plain stone. It is granite. The ancient people believed that the memory of a person should be simple and quiet, without unnecessary splendour. And such a modest memory should last for centuries, like granite. Quartz was also a symbol of memory. Here is a sphere made from green quartz. The Beogrians used quartz in their medicine. They believed that the stone had disinfectant properties and kept away evil energy from a person. A memory should be good, light and clear like quartz. And that is the whole of my story, Luili.”
   “It feels like I have in actually travelled through the Cosmos and seen the Ocean of Memory. Your story was beautiful, just like the flowers.”
   “I am very glad that you liked it. When you and Ruar return to Watil, remember Beogria and come and visit us more often.”
   “You can be sure of that, Mena. I shall go and tell Ruar this. Goodbye.”
   “Until we meet again, Luili.”
//-- * * * --//
   “Your story about the Earth Spirit was simply wonderful.”
   “Yours was just as interesting, Luili.”
   “Look, Ruar, there is another temple.”
   “Shall we go into it together?”
   “Good idea!”
   “I am interested to know what kind of temple this is, and who is its keeper?”
   “I don’t know what kind of temple it is, Ruar, but I can already see its keeper. Or rather, its female owner. Greetings, we are the Keepers of Time – Luili and Ruar!”
   “I am very pleased to see you. My name is Aria – the Dawn.”
   “So this is the Temple of Dawn?”
   “Dawn, the Music of the Spirit and Radiant Energy.”
   “I never thought it was possible to worship the Dawn, but I expect that the ancient people knew something special about this time of day.”
   “You are absolutely right, Luili. The Beogrians worshipped the Dawn because they knew many unusual things about this particular time.”
   “What kind of things, Aria?”
   “When the stars are extinguished and the first rays of the Sun colour the sky, the purest, most radiant energy descends from the Cosmos to the Earth. It is as if the light of the Sun passes along the corridor of night and opens the door to a new day. All living things rejoice in this bright new day. At dawn, all the flowers and trees absorb the positive energy, the world gathers strength and is renewed.
   “That is why the Beogrians tried to greet the sunrise as often as possible.
   “This was especially important for poets and artists, since the first rays of the Sun carry the most inspiration.
   “But it was most important of all for musicians to greet the daybreak, since the human Spirits only sing at dawn. At precisely this time, musicians could hear the Music of Dawn and the Songs of the Spirit, memorize these high-pitched melodies and afterwards play them to all the people.”
   “I can see a lyre here. Were the melodies of Dawn played on a lyre?”
   “Yes, very often they were.”
   “Aria, you have a bird in one hand and a key in the other. What do these signify?”
   “These are my symbols, Ruar. The bird is called the Bird of the Spirit. You see, at dawn the Spirit rises high in the sky like a bird to look down on the Earth in the first rays of the Sun. The Spirit sees the beautiful blue Earth and sings like a bird.
   “And the key is the symbol of the new day, new inspiration, new joy. As I said, the Sun’s rays open the door of the night like a key, and announce to the world the arrival of the new day.”
   “After hearing your story we do not want to leave here.”
   “And you do not need to. You can stay here until the evening, listen to music or play on the ancient lyre. And in the evening I advise you to go down to the Temple of Good Dreams. It is a wonderful temple!”
   “Very well, Aria, that is what we shall do. Luili will play on the lyre, I will listen, and in the evening we shall head for the next temple to see beautiful dreams.”
//-- * * * --//

   “Ruar, it is already evening and so time for us to go to the Temple of Good Dreams.”
   “You are right, it is time. And I am ready to sleep, Luili.”
   “Here we are. Look, Ruar, that must be the entrance.”
   “How beautiful and cosy this temple is!”
   “And so quiet…In fact I have never known a temple to be so quiet. What do you think, Luili, did they worship dreams here? I never thought that it was possible to worship dreams.”
   “Of course it is possible, and that is what the Beogrians did. But do come in, make yourselves more comfortable and we shall talk about whatever you wish.
   “I am the sphinx Erdana. Why are you standing there in silence?”
   “Oh, dear sphinx, we have already seen talking sphinxes, living wall carvings, but we never imagined we would see a sphinx that could walk.”
   “What is so strange about that? Since sphinxes are living things and are able to speak, then why should they not be able to walk? It is true that we only walk around the cave temples, and have never been into the city or beyond. But the inhabitants of the temples often visit one another. We are never bored or lonely. And if sphinxes were unable to walk, it would be harder for them to see their friends.”
   “Living sphinxes – that is wonderful!”
   “Yes, yes, of course, but you really must come in and sit down. The people of Beogria would often come into this temple with their children, sit here for a long, long time, and watch the Moon rise from behind the horizon, the stars light up and the Moon’s reflection appear in the sea. And some of them would spend the whole night here, thinking in silence and dreaming pleasant dreams.”
   “But why did they bring their children here?”
   “It was natural. You see children should dream the most pleasant, cheerful and multi-coloured dreams. And the best dreams are found in the Temple of Good Dreams. The adult Beogrians knew this and so they brought their children here.”
   “The ancient people took dreams very seriously. They believed that when a person had a happy, bright dream, then the following day he would be cheerful, merry and able to work well. But if someone had bad dreams, then in the morning they would wake up tired, think about these bad dreams during the day, and not feel like doing any work.
   “When many people came to the temple I would burn various herbs in a special dish. The whole hall would then be filled with the smell of mild smoke and herbs, which helped the people to have even nicer dreams.”
   “Which herbs did you use to make this smoke, Erdana?”
   “First of all I would burn poppies, as the poppy is the symbol of the world of dreams; then I would use wormwood, thyme and other herbs, all of which had a strong smell.”
   “Look, Erdana, Ruar has fallen asleep, and he did not need any smoke to help him have pleasant dreams. I am sure that he is now dreaming about something very nice.”

   “Then let him sleep. And what will you do, Luili?”
   “I will sit for a while, look at the Moon and its reflection in the sea, and listen to the silence.”
   “The Beogrians also valued silence very much. They believed that only when it was silent were they able to hear the voice of their Spirit and the beat of their Heart. Silence allowed them to think about themselves and about life; they could dream about distant worlds and galaxies, and rise above the bustle of everyday life.
   “Why were many great discoveries made at night? Because at night, in silence, a person can hear the voice of their Spirit and the voice of the whole Universe. And these things know far more than the mind of the person.
   “The ancient people believed that in order to comprehend truth, the mind should be asleep and the heart should begin to speak. That is why they loved silence so much and built the Temple of Dreams and Silence, to give it its full name.”
   “I agree with the ancient Beogrians. Here I am, sitting in silence and looking at the beauty around me, and it feels as if I am in a magical fairy tale.”
   “If you like, I can sing you a soft song.”
   “You know how to sing?”
   “Yes I do, and I like to sing very much.”
   “Very well, and perhaps while listening to your song I shall see a wonderful, fairytale vision, and it will bring me happiness.”
   “And so it will be, Luili! I shall sing you a song of silence, flowers and moonlight. You will love it.”
//-- * * * --//
   “You know, Luili, it is already midnight, and if you want to see something particularly interesting you should go into the temple next door.”
   “What do you speak of, Erdana? Where do I need to go?”
   “Oh, Ruar has woken up.”
   “That is excellent, as it means we can go right away. And what should we see in the temple next door?”
   “Now, now, look! Over there, the light from the Moon is coming through the window and being reflected in the white columns.”
   “Oh, someone has appeared in the window and is coming towards us. Who is it?”
   “It is the Moonbeam, Inis.”
   “Look, Luili, here is another Moonbeam and another. The whole hall is filled with them. What are they doing, why are they running here and there?”
   “You should realise first that this is the Temple of Infinity, Rhythms and Rotation of the World. The Moonbeams are the symbols of all this. You can see how each Moonbeam springs up from the moonlight in a certain window, then runs to another window and disappears through it, and several seconds later this same Moonbeam appears once more in the first window. The Moonbeams are like water, which falls as rain onto the ground, evaporates, rises up into the sky and then falls as rain once more. And so on, day after day, year after year. This is the rhythm of nature and the world, this is infinity.”

   “Tell us, Erdana, do they run around here all night?”
   “Yes, Ruar, all night until dawn arrives.”
   “And what happens then?”
   “At dawn the Sunbeams appear in the temple. Do you like this temple?”
   “Yes, very much, but my head is already spinning.”
   “Don’t worry, Ruar, it will soon be morning. And since the Temple of Infinity and the Rhythms of the World is the last temple, at dawn you shall leave for home on the invisible white staircase.”
   “Yes, we must return home to note down everything we have heard in the Great Book, before we forget anything.”
   “If you do forget something, you can always come to us and drink some tea, and the sphinxes will tell you their stories again with pleasure.
   “If you look you will see that all the sphinxes have already gathered in front of the temples in order to see you home.”
//-- * * * --//
   “Sphinx Eo, sphinx Imaral… We have had such a pleasant and interesting time in Beogria that it will not be long before we visit you again, dear sphinxes. As soon as we have finished writing the book about Beogria, we shall come to visit you and read it aloud together.”
   “Yes, what an excellent idea! We shall wait for you.”
   “I don’t want to say goodbye.”
   “But somehow we must, Ruar!”
   “Yes. Farewell, kind living sphinxes!”
   “Farewell, Ruar! Farewell, Luili!”
   “Until we meet again!”
   “Have a good journey, Keepers of Time!”

Lyubov Talimonova A Journey Through Time Translated from the Russian original by David Parfitt

Lyubov Talimonova
A Journey Through Time
Translated from the Russian original by David Parfitt