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| Illustrated by Bill Worthington |
The card shows a boar emerging from a thick and dark forest into a small clearing with a helmet, horn, and stone with a pictograph of a boar etched upon it, a comb upon its back. A well worn path winds past the foreground and fades into the background.
I step onto the path before, realizing I am nervous to meet the boar. I have too often been abused by aggressive people, and the boar is a very aggressive and dangerous animal. The boar grunts reassuringly and digs at the ground with a hoof. I realize the dark forest is also a little intimidating to me.
The boar wiggles his snout, kicks the helmet, which clangs, and seems to tell me to put it on. I do so, feeling a little silly. Then he noses the horn, so I pick it up and blow it. He seems to nod approvingly and then takes off down the path along the woods that lays before me. After a few steps, he waggles his tail and looks back, so I obligingly follow him.
I hear drums in the woods, and see distant shadows. There's a feeling of drama and danger. I must be ready! Boar begins to run down the path and then ducks suddenly into the woods. I follow him to duck behind a stand of trees. Some group of people run past on the path, apparently hunting us!
This is not like the other journeys! I look down at the boar, but he seems to laugh eagerly. He's looking forward to a fight! Soon, we are running and ducking behind trees through the forest. We're going to attack their camp! They left it to hunt us, and so left themselves wide open...
When we get to their camp, I feel as if this fight is more like a game. I have to stay alert and not allow fear to overwhelm me. I have to remember what I must do. I have a mission with orders to follow. So I quickly move around camp and sabotage several areas, creating traps and moving weapons and armor, dumping food and so forth. Then we move into a hollow under a large tree to watch and wait.
The men return, exhausted and disappointed. They realize their camp has been messed with, and-- after searching and finding no one there-- toss their weapons down. That is when we burst from our hollow and run through camp, stealing a special hammer that goes with the horn and helmet! Utterly unprepared for our raid, the hunters can only fumble as we get our prize and run back into the woods. I blow the horn one last time to torment the losers of the hammer.
We head back for where we started. Once we reach the rock with its boar etching, the beast knocks down the rock and digs beneath it. I place the hammer there and its buried to be hidden beneath the big stone. It'll be the secret that Boar and I keep from those who would take it. I give the horn and helmet back to the Boar, I know he will hide them in the woods again. Only then do I learn what my time with Boar has been about.
One may learn about war or aggression by studying it (helmet), and they make talk about it and make lots of noise (horn), but only those who are willing to take action can call themselves warriors (hammer.) I wonder why we buried it then-- because most people don't know how to wield it fairly. They knock everything like a toddle with a stick. Aggression should only be used when wisdom calls for it to defend against evil, to protect both the vulnerable (like children and the elderly) and the productive (adults who contribute to the survival of all).
The Boar is all about how to use violence judiciously. He is all about how to be prudent with our power to cause physical harm. One must plan, and communicate with allies first, and only then take up the hammer and do what must be done. Then, he is all about daring action, and guerilla warfare, and clever strategies!
It seems straight forward to me. It makes me think of military training and discipline. This is not an area I deal with much, but I believe I can understand and respect it.
I kneel and scratch the Boar all over his head, and kiss the spot between his tusks, and thank him before stepping back into my own realm.
END.
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