The Three Vows of a Nazirite

The Judges of Israel

The names in bold are the Judges more people know and we see more in the bible.

1. Othniel
2. Ehud
3. Shamgar
4. Deborah and Barak
5. Gideon
6. Abimelech (Gideon's evil son who became an outlaw)
7. Tola
8. Jair
9. Jephthah
10. Ibzan
11. Elon
12. Abdon
13. Samson

(Eli and Samuel are sometimes referred to as the last two Judges, but Eli is better described as a priest and Samuel, as a prophet)

Sun and Moon

Sun and Moon

Rising in the morning, setting at night,

Is the Sun with it's cheery light.

Rising at night, setting in the morning,

Is the Moon in all it's glory.

Rising in the east, setting in the west,

The Sun and Moon do their best.

Mystery of History Lesson 26C

Shanra Shay and her magical Adventures: The Dragon

Shanra Shay and her Magical Adventures:

The Dragon

By Hannah Marriott

Part 1

The sun was shining, the birds were singing, it wasn’t to hot or to cold, it was in every way a perfect day. One of those days you think nothing can possibly go wrong. That, of course, is exactly what Shanra Shay was thinking as she lay on her front porch, daydreaming. Nothing, She thought, Nothing can go wrong today.

Now you must understand that Shanra lived in a small village where things never happened the way you wanted it to, except very rarely, when things actually did. Shanra thought that this would be one of those days. Unfortunately, she was wrong.

Shanra Went inside to get some iced water and a plate of her mother’s homemade cookies. Shanra was a thought-to-be-normal ten-year-old girl with bright red hair and hazel coloured eyes, and one of extraordinary talent that she barely expresses, for, Shanra was a very shy person. Shanra came back outside with a plate full of homemade cookies and a bottle of water, she also brought out one of her all time favorite books, ‘The Beginners Guide to Magic and Magical Creatures’. Shanra took her cookies, water and book into the shade of the maple tree in the park near her house, and settled down to read. She had read the book many times already, but still, it never hurt to read it again.So while Shanra sat and read her book, oblivious of everything around her as she delved deeper in to the mysteries of Magic, something was happening at her house.

A Dragon, dark blue-green in color, was swooping down on her house. It ripped of the roof and looked inside. It looked like it was very annoyed, but Shanra did not notice at all what was going on, her nose was still in her book. All this time Shanra’s mother was screaming and her father was trying to calm her, now, Shanra’s mother fainted. The dragon then picked up her mother and father and flew away. That was when Shanra looked up to see a dragon flying away with her parents and her house without its roof.

Shanra stood up and went inside. She picked up her black cloak and her bag, and she filled her bag with the following items: food, water, a rope, blankets, a small knife, some money, and, last but most certainly not least, her book ‘The Beginners Guide to Magic and Magical Creatures’. Shanra double checked she had everything in her pack, then she buckled on her sword her father gave her for her birthday, and walked out the door.

Shanra loved the forests near her home. She had gone on many trips to the Small Wood with her father, occasionally staying overnight, but he said to never go to the Big Forest alone or over night, ‘Because there are creatures,some magical, in that forest that would dearly love a little girl for breakfast, lunch, or dinner’ he had said, but that was the direction the dragon had gone, so that was where Shanra was going.

Shanra never really thought it through when she decided she would save her parents, but she decided that when theres something that needs doing, thinking about it will only dissuade you from doing so. With that thought, she walked into the woods.

Shanra had only been in the Forest once, to visit her Grams on the other side. Her family moved very fast throughout the Forest. Her father continually looking over his shoulder, but what he was looking for Shanra never found out.

All this was two years ago. Shanra was now twelve years old,still alive, and still following the dragon. She had found and trained a black horse, and traveled far and long, occasionally getting lost. Apparently, the dragon had come far, for now and then, she could see the tell-tale signs of a hastily filled-in hole in the ground (used to hold her parents, no doubt) or a patch of burnt grass, and the trail kept on going. So she continued along on the trail of the dragon.  

Shanra was now riding her horse through the trees, humming to herself, and practicing her Magic. As I said earlier, Shanra was a very talented girl, albeit a shy one. Among her many talents was Magic. Now, not just anyone can use Magic, only those who have the talent can use Magic. This was the one gift Shanra hid better than all the others, she didn’t even tell her parents.

So while Shanra was walking under the trees, she was reading her book ‘The Beginners Guide to Magic and Magical Creatures’(even though now she was a lot more advanced) and practicing one particular spell. Invisibility. Shanra thought that Invisibility would come in handy when she finally caught up with the dragon.

Because Shanra was so caught up in her reading, she did not notice when her horse turned on to a path, and she also did not notice a group of people riding in the opposite direction going pretty fast. She did not notice either of these things until a young man in the group ran into her horse making her horse rear and throw her of.

Now, all this time she had been riding head down and the hood of her cloak pulled up. Shanra sat up and gathered her book, bag and horse and walked out of their way with full intent to continue on hers. The young man who ran into her was up before her and before she could leave stepped in front of her and asked her “Are you alright?”

She nodded her head and tried to go around him but he stopped her “ You should turn around” he warned “Herga Sea-Scales is back, and she’s angry”

“Who’s Herga Sea-Scales?” Asked Shanra in a small, timid voice. “You don’t know who Herga is?”

Asked the young man, bewildered “Herga Sea-Scales is one of the most fierce dragons in the world. When she left I heard she was looking for someone. By the way she’s acting right now, she didn’t find who she was looking for.”

“Oh,” Shanra said “How long was she gone?”She asked “A little over four years now” He replied.

“Does she happen to have dark blue-green scales?” She asked, and he replied “As a matter of fact, she does. Do you know her?”

“She tore the roof of my house and flew away with my parents” She Answered.

At this he just stared at her. “Time to go Josh! Say goodbye to your lady friend!”

Called one of the older men from the group. “I-I’ve got to go.” He said hurriedly “Do you want to come with us? I can ask Denver…”

“No thank-you” She replied, her voice shaking a bit to “I need to keep going, save my parents…” The last part she muttered.

“Ok then, bye” he said as he turned towards his group “But you should find someone to go with you, Herga is not happy. And i’m guessing she might just enjoy seeing you.”

“Why?” Shanra asked, a little more frightened than before.

“Don’t you see?” he asked “Herga came to your house, took everyone that was in it, and came back angry. You were the only person not in your house at the time that lived there, so why else would she be angry? She came for you, but why I don’t know. Good luck and safe Journey.” With those words he walked away.

Part 2

Shanra walked her horse thinking about what Josh had said. Why would a Dragon want me? She wondered. And if she wanted me, why take my parents? Why not just hunt me down? Shanra had a lot of thinking to do.

Shanra had only been walking for a few minutes when she heard Josh’s voice behind her calling “Wait!” She turned around.

Josh was running up to her, waving something around. “Wait!” He called again. A few seconds later he came to a stop next to her. “Denver said to give this to you” He said.

Shanra hesitated a moment before reaching out and taking the parcel in Josh’s hand. “Thank you” She said “What is it?”

“I don’t know” He replied “I was just told to bring it to you, and believe I was only chosen to deliver it to you because I’ve talked to you before. I have no clue what it is.”

“Oh” Shanra said. It was barely a whisper. She opened the parcel slowly, unveiling a small box. She lifted the lid and this is what she saw: A small gold Dragon, with ruby eyes that gleamed like fire,on a thin gold chain. “Wow” Shanra and Josh said in unison.

“I-I can’t take this” she said, handing it to Josh “It’s not mine, never will be mine. Denver gave it to you and I’m not taking it” Said Josh, handing it back. Shanra looked at him helplessly. They lapsed into an awkward silence that lasted a little while.

“I should be going” Said Shanra, turning and walking away with her horse following after. “Wait! I don’t even know your name!” Called Josh, chasing after her.

“It’s Shanra.” She called over her shoulder, then quickly mounting her horse and riding away. She looked over her shoulder and saw Josh, standing, staring at her as if she just grew wings. She quickly looked ahead and urged her horse to go faster, the dragon medallion lying about her neck, forgotten.

After a few hours of walking, she began to see people more frequently. After a few encounters, she rode back into the Forest. By evening that day, Shanra saw the village, deserted, and, a large mountain beyond the village with smoke trailing up into the sky. Shanra camped for the night.

In the morning, Shanra walked through the deserted village towards the mountain. At about two hours before noon, Shanra reached the mountain. It was not very steep, but it had many loose rocks and stones.

Shanra left her horse at the bottom and started up. After climbing a few feet, she stopped and remembered to cast her spell of Invisibility. Once Shanra was directly beneath the cave that housed Herga the Dragon, she cast the spell of invisibility once more.

She climbed into the cave as quietly as she could. On her travels she had made friends of some Elves, who gave her one of their prized Elven Blades. She Drew this Sword now as she advanced into the dragons cave.

I need not mention the terror that overwhelmed Shanra as she silently walked in the cave, but, Shanra could not and would not leave her parents to have to live with a dragon. Shanra did not think of what might have already happened to her parents.

Shanra heard the scraping of scales-against-rock in the tunnel ahead. She stopped dead in her tracks and softly repeated the Invisibility spell to reassure herself. And then Shanra remembered something from her book ‘A Beginners Guide to Magic and Magical Creatures’.

It said in the section on dragons that some of the most powerful dragons can sense when someone enters their cave. Josh said Herga was on of the most fierce dragons in the world. Shanra mused That would mean that Herga was one of the most powerful…     I have to get out of here! But not without my parents!

Shanra slowly but deliberately put one foot in front of the other, tiptoeing into the main cavern. When the walls finally opened up to reveal the main cavern, Shanra stopped and stared. Right in front of her was the dragon she saw flying away with her parents. Herga was much bigger up close. I have to find my parents Shanra thought, looking around. In one corner, cowered Shanra’s parents Mr and Mrs Shay. Shanra slowly made her way around the humongous cavern to the other side, where her parents were.

That was when her Invisibility spell decided to give out. Herga’s head whipped around, her grey eyes drilling into Shanra. Herga turned around, and muttered a spell. Shanra’s parent’s stopped moving, as if frozen. “I was wondering when you would show up.” Cooed Herga “I have been waiting for you”

“What do you want with my parents” Demanded Shanra in a voice she hoped sounded braver than she felt.

“I don’t need them any more, they have served their purpose.” Responded Herga, flicking them aside with a sweep of her tail. “I only need you now.” Herga grinned maliciously.

“Why would you want me?” Shanra asked, more to herself than to Herga.

“Because, Dear Child. Who else is as strong in the art of Magic that is still young? No one is, but you.” All this time Herga was inching closer to Shanra and until she was only about two feet away from Shanra. “Besides, I can’t let you get in my way when I move to your dear Small Wood, in my one goal, to reach my foe, your king, i believe, and destroy him. I know you wouldn’t want me to do that so When I do I will have to lock you up in my den to you cannot interfere. Speaking of which, would you like to see your new home?”

With those words, three things happened at once. Herga snatched up Shanra, yowled in pain, and dropped Shanra. “I see Denver has given you the medallion.” Growled Herga through clenched teeth, rubbing her sore claws, but still blocking the entrance to the cave “That wizard is always getting in my way. I believe I can also use you to get rid of him for me to”

“What do you mean ‘Use me’” Asked Shanra, startled.

“Didn’t I tell you? Oh silly me. Did you know you actually were a baby on your ‘parents’ doorstep? That you actually are someone else, say, a princess. And that a Dragon with a Princess in their possession can do almost anything they want, granted they don’t fight with the dragon” Here the Dragon looked at Shanra “You won’t fight with me, will you Dear?” “As a matter of fact,” Said Shanra with a smug look on her face “yes, i will fight with you as much as possible. You WILL NOT harm my king and you WILL NOT Denver. I won’t let you. Continue with your explanation please.” Herga kept cool, but Shanra looked into Herga’s eyes and saw the anger in her eyes “But, a princess with Magic abilities. If a dragon has one of those and they don’t fight, than that dragon cannot be stopped even if the armies and wizards of the whole earth teamed up to try to stop that dragon, they would fail. You are a princess with Magical abilities. I am the dragon. You just need to come along quietly and I will rule. If you cooperate, you will live comfortably, if you don’t…” Herga left it hanging.

While Herga was talking, Shanra was drawing her sword, as soon as Herga Sea-Scales stopped talking, Shanra struck. Herga did not know what hit her, but the wound she got was not vital, but in her rage threw Mr and Mrs Shay out of the cave, and to give Shanra a blow that stunned her. Herga quickly went to her treasure room and came back with a gold cloth and a  large chest that recently was filled with gold coins. Herga wrapped Shanra in the gold cloth, put her in the chest, and was preparing to take off.

Shanra had dropped her sword. Mr Shay had climbed in unnoticed and now wielded the Elven Blade. He gave Herga a vital wound before she flew off. Herga roared in pain and dropped the box that contained the unconscious Shanra. The box bounced down the mountain and came to rest in a bed of lilies near Shanra’s Horse. Shanra woke up, pushed open the lid, sat up, and gasped. She hurt all over. She walked over to her horse and looked up her dad dropped the sword which fell down the hill to rest at Shanra’s feet. Shanra picked it up and thought I have lived alone too long to go home with my parents, if they are my parents. I also have much to think about concerning what that dragon told me. With those thoughts, she mounted and rode away, towards the horizon, as the sun was setting. As she reached the edge of the Big Forest, she looked back to see her ‘parents’ walk towards the village. Shanra turned around and rode into the Forest without looking back again.