Scan McMullen - A Ring of Green Fire

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A Ring of Green Fire

by Sean McMullen

other rights are reserved. Thank you for honoring the copyright.

Published by Seattle Book Company, www.seattlebook.com.

* * *

"As I was travelling through Westbury forest, I met with a man with a ring of green fire around his

penis," Avenzoar's visitor said casually.

The poet-physician looked up at his friend and stroked his beard, then gazed wistfully across to the

partially built minaret of Caliph al-Mansur's huge mosque.

"Such a wonder," sighed Avenzoar, then turned to his visitor and raised an eyebrow. "I suppose you

did not bring him here for this poor physician and poet turned bureaucrat to examine?"

His friend glanced away, and seemed troubled. "Alas, it was not possible."

"Such a pity. It may be an honour to be entrusted with the completion of this great mosque of

Ishbiliyah, but I miss the wider world. Is England really such a cold, rainswept place?"

"When I was there, yes."

"What of your patient? Was he a traveller from even more exotic regions?"

"Not at all, yet the story of his curse is fascinating."

Avenzoar clapped his hands. Honey pastries and ripe fruit were brought in by a servant and placed

before them.

"My friend, show kindness to a captive of the Caliph's goodwill and tell me this magical story."

"There was no magic, Avenzoar, nor was the curse any more than an exotic disease. Still, the story will

afford you an hour's wonder."

* * *

How to begin? Affliction with the green fire was growing common in the midlands of England in the

Christian year of 1188. The man in Westbury forest was a tinker, I saw that from his pack. He

approached a toll-bridge where I was resting in the dim light of late evening, and he drew his cloak tightly

about himself as he came near.

His name was Watkin, and he was a small, thin but very energetic man, a little over thirty years of age.

I introduced myself as a physician, and offered him the protection of my five men-at-arms while we

camped for the night. He was glad to accept, as the forest was full of outlaws and we had also rigged a

shelter against the rain. As we ate the night's meal I raised the subject of illness with him.

"You have an affliction, I can tell that," I said. He made no reply, yet his face was sad. He shaved

slivers of cheese from a rind with his knife but did not eat them.

"Your affliction is distressing, but without pain," I continued. "I have learned to read the signs of

distress in sick people."

He tossed the rind into the fire and wiped his knife on a crust. "You have never seen the like of my

complaint," he said miserably. "Nobody can help me. I went to the physicians of the Church and they

said that I was possessed by a devil. They wanted to torture me until it was driven out, but I'd have none

of that. I broke free and ran. I run very fast."

"Wise of you, but there are other ways."

"I'm afeared of witchcraft too."

"I am no sorcerer, I am a physician who has studied under some of the greatest Moorish and Jewish

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