WrittenbyDoug.1

The people all began to wonder. Most, if not all, had superstion built into their very being. The Gypsies did nothing to alay their beliefs, if anything, they added more fuel to the 'blaze' of superstition. Before very long, Silvano was being looked on, and worshipped, as a God. This was too much for the local Leity and Civil officials, who after jointly discussing the situation and attempting to surmise the outcome of the situation, decided to hold an investigation into the whole affair. This was opened under the auspices of the local Magistrates and Officials of the Leity. The Mayor, thinking to observe both sides of the matter, joined a Para-psychologist team, which had heard of the commotion that the death of Silvano had cau sed, even from as far away as London, and had decided to hold their own investigation into the happening. When they arrived, the Mayor attached himself to them. The inquiry by the Magistrates and the Leity, found it extremely hard going. For one thing, mos t of them were local and, in the depth of their souls, they still believed in the supernatural. This being so, the Leity found it very difficult to dispel all the thought of supernatural happenings from the minds of the Magistrates. They propounded the t heory that Silvano had been sent by God to assist any who were caught up in the forest fire and were in danger. That it was His will that had saved the children, and that Silvano was merely His tool. Reaising that they could do no other, the Magistrates d ecided to announce that Silvano died because of his own stupidity. That he should have escaped from the fire, and that most of the children, who were not really in danger, were saved anyway. This pacified the Leity, and they decided that as a further pana c ea for the local residents, they would include Silvano's name at the top of the list of those that died, on the Memorial stone that they had hurriedly, in secret, decided to erect. Thinking that was the end of the whole affair, the Magistrates closed th e inquiry and prepared to announce their findings. Meanwhile, the Mayor and the para-psychologist's had been hearing accounts from the remainder of the community and startling they were. Some, collectively, maintained that as they were walking with their c attle through the wood, the tops of the trees suddenly glowed, and a strong wind blew up. The wind was so strong that they had to retrace their tracks to find shelter on the lee of the hill. After a few hours, the wind had subsided and they continued on t h eir way. When they arrived at the spot where they had had to turn back, they found that at least a dozen of the trees, probably weakened by the previous fire, had collapsed right across the track wher they and their cattle were to have trod. Amazed at thi s appalling sight, and remembering their terrror, they wrere firm in their belief that it was Silvano's hand that had caused them to turn back. He had caused the trees to glow and the wind to rise. Another of those that spoke of their experience was one of the Gypsy leaders. His Daughter was suffering from a malady that his traditional medicines had been unable to cure. His only hope was that he could sell enoughpegs to pay for one of the local physicians to provide one of his concoctions, that hopefully m i ght cure her, So he set out to get some extra twigs for his pegs.He had been walking through the same woods, day after day for years, collecting his twigs, this was tiresome work these days for him as most of the growth since the fire, was new wood, thin and pliable, totally unsuited to peg making. He was weary and sat down for a rest when he saw a figure about 40 metres away, beckoning him to come to him, as if to say "come this way". Fearfully, he started to approach thee figure. As he got closer, he r e cognised the figure as that of Silvano, the dead 'hero'. Even more fearful he stopped and turned as if to flee, when he heard a voice saying "To save your Daughter, follow me". These words, spoken even by one who is dead, had a calming effect on him, and h e did turn and follow the figure. After following for a few hundred metres, they came to a glade, where everything was unbelievably calm and quiet. The figure of Silvano, pointed to a spot in the glade where new growth had appeared and was thriving in the still parched earth. The figure spoke in a calm and soothing tone. "Go there and gather that growth and when you return home, brew six stalks in water for one hour, then give your Daughter two stalks to eat, and give her the water to drink. Then you need f ear no more". As he was told, he went to gather the stalks, the like of which he had never seen, then turned to thank the figure. When he turned, there was no-one there. He looked around but could see no footprints other than his own. Bewildered, and even though he was reluctant to admit it, still trembling, he set off as fast as he could for home. On reaching home, he had quickly put the stalks in a pot to boil. When they had boiled and cooled slightly, he helped his Daughter to sit up and gave her the tw o stalks to eat. Even though she pulled a face as if it were bitter, she chewed and swallowed the stalks. Then he gave her the water that they had been boiled in, to drink. After but a few mouthfuls' she appeared to be collapsing. The upper half of her bo dy was heavy on his arm, so he laid her back down. As soon as she was fully reclined, she went into a deep sleep, and he was fearful for her. Maintaining his faith in Silvano, or the figure that had appeared, he left her to sleep for a while. He went of to get more wood for the fire. When he returned about an hour later, his Daughter was sitting erect and was rosy of cheek again. He enquired as to how she was feeling and she replied "I am feeling as if I were in the school playground with the other childre n. Happy to be playing, and wanting to keep playing". "I am so full of energy Papa," she said. He had to admit to himself that he had not seen her so happy and youthful for a long, long time. "So you see Sirs", he said to the assembled scientists in front of whom he had been relating these events. "Silvano, it was he who saved my Daughter" Tales like this the scientist heard all that day. Too many to be able to disregard. This put them in a quandary. What could they say were their findings? They had already been told of the decision of the inquiry held by the Magistrates. The Mayor, who till now had been silent, but listening avidly, gave a gentle cough to attract attention. "Sirs " he said haltingly. "May I make a suggestion?". The scientists all turned to look at him cynically. On their collective faces you could see that they did not expect much from him, an ordinary citizen that has probably been elected Mayor to silence him , stop him grumbling.What could he say to relieve their predicament. "Continu e Mr Mayor, you were about to say?" The Mayor, not at all sure of himself, got to his feet nervously. He coughed nervously them blurted out, "I had known Silvano Canto for some while before this tragic event occured. He was foolhardy. Yes! He was also a go o d man. Convinced of his beliefs and convictions. Had never done any harm to any of our citizens. The sort of man I would be pleased to look up to. Why don't we suggest to the Leity and the Magistrates that he be made the Patron Saint of this Parish. That w ould be a convenient way out for them to put a stop to all the stories that are going about, yet still leave the Parishioners to laud". " We know what went on in that forest, the Parishioners know what went on in that forest. The Leity are scared to admit what went on really happened as they have no explanation for it, Doing this, we can more or less stop it right here and now. The Parishioners will be happy because the have someone to worship, if that is the correct word for it. The Magistrates will not h a ve to make any new laws, or enforce any existing ones, and the Leity?" "Well, what can we say about them. They won't admit that these things happened and they have no suitable explanation for them. As long as it does not offend their God, they will agree. " He sat down, wondering where his courage had come from. The scientists, looked at each other, no one wishing to speak first. One, who had more or less been the "Chairman", though no one had been elected so, rose to his feet. Not too sure of himself he said, "Personally, I think this would be an apt response on our part. We do not say anything of what we have been told today. Just keep it to ourselves and wait for any further occurences and those we can investigate quietly, unbeknown to any officials o f the town or the Leity". Eventually, they all decided, that was the best way out of the predicament. One that would cause little or no trouble in the neighborhood. The following day, at a meeting with the Magistrates, Leity and the Mayor, the decision was agreed, and Silvano Canto became the first unoffficial Patron Saint in England.