I had been reading ‘Twilight Encounters’ by Anand. It’s a compilation of short stories that were originally in Malayalam and has been translated to English. The first story “The Fourth Nail” is the most interesting, the rest I found passé.
The evening of the day before Jesus was to be crucified; the Roman soldiers are given money by their general to buy 4 nails for the crucifixion. But the Romans play and drink and lost some part of the money. As dusk approaches they hurry to find a blacksmith who would forge the 4 nails. The blacksmiths in town, who know what the nails are for, refuse and are killed. The soldiers finally approached this wandering blacksmith out of town who forge only 3 nails and withhold the fourth because the money isn’t enough for four. However, the metal that he has poured in to make the fourth nail, shone brightly and later follows the blacksmith wherever he goes, as the blacksmith wanders (for 300 years) trying to lose it (trying to run away from it).
Meanwhile, Jesus is to be crucified with 3 nails now instead of 4 as was required. The process is painful for the soldiers too (more for Jesus) since they were not as accustomed to nailing as carpenters and they hurt themselves too. At the end of the day realizing that 3 nails are not proper crucifixion the soldiers release Jesus and send him away with his cross. They divided his garments amongst themselves to show to the general as proof of his crucifixion. With no villagers or disciples around Jesus tired, carrying the cross stumble through the streets until a man takes him in and washes his wounds and give him place to rest. On the third day when Jesus has recovered enough, he goes out to meet his disciples and on the way meet some villagers who on looking at him believe he has risen. To know who has been buried in his place he goes to the cave in which he is supposedly buried, the guards guarding the cave run away when they see him. Jesus opens the cave and finds only empty clothes (later when villagers and disciples come they find the cave open!), then he goes in search of his disciples and ………………… and want to know more?…………here is a suggestion ………….borrow from someone and read at least this particular story in the book ……….makes for an interesting read
This story originated to explain the wandering habits of gypsies.
Some say that this story is reminiscent of Nikos Kazantzakis' The Last Temptation of Christ’…………..well I donno……….I haven’t read that one.
The evening of the day before Jesus was to be crucified; the Roman soldiers are given money by their general to buy 4 nails for the crucifixion. But the Romans play and drink and lost some part of the money. As dusk approaches they hurry to find a blacksmith who would forge the 4 nails. The blacksmiths in town, who know what the nails are for, refuse and are killed. The soldiers finally approached this wandering blacksmith out of town who forge only 3 nails and withhold the fourth because the money isn’t enough for four. However, the metal that he has poured in to make the fourth nail, shone brightly and later follows the blacksmith wherever he goes, as the blacksmith wanders (for 300 years) trying to lose it (trying to run away from it).
Meanwhile, Jesus is to be crucified with 3 nails now instead of 4 as was required. The process is painful for the soldiers too (more for Jesus) since they were not as accustomed to nailing as carpenters and they hurt themselves too. At the end of the day realizing that 3 nails are not proper crucifixion the soldiers release Jesus and send him away with his cross. They divided his garments amongst themselves to show to the general as proof of his crucifixion. With no villagers or disciples around Jesus tired, carrying the cross stumble through the streets until a man takes him in and washes his wounds and give him place to rest. On the third day when Jesus has recovered enough, he goes out to meet his disciples and on the way meet some villagers who on looking at him believe he has risen. To know who has been buried in his place he goes to the cave in which he is supposedly buried, the guards guarding the cave run away when they see him. Jesus opens the cave and finds only empty clothes (later when villagers and disciples come they find the cave open!), then he goes in search of his disciples and ………………… and want to know more?…………here is a suggestion ………….borrow from someone and read at least this particular story in the book ……….makes for an interesting read
This story originated to explain the wandering habits of gypsies.
Some say that this story is reminiscent of Nikos Kazantzakis' The Last Temptation of Christ’…………..well I donno……….I haven’t read that one.
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