The Fool walked through the vineyards. He had seen a parade of Dionysus and his acolytes drunk and reveling across the countryside. The Fool enjoyed a few hours of this before growing weary of the wine that made his head dizzy, so he sought company elsewhere.
He came to a king on a throne in the middle of the vineyard. The rows of grapevines surrounded him and grew from him creating spokes of a wheel. All the posts that held up the vines sat a bull skull. The man was deep in thought when the Fool entered the clearing.
A coin hovered over his hand. The king seemed to be meditating on the slow rotation of the coin. It created spots of light rotating around the vineyard when the coin caught the sun.
Sometimes it is hard to accomplish something so great, the king said, there is almost a sadness, a period of grief after something ends. Even when people are still congratulating you on a job well done, I find myself wondering if there is anything to look forward to.
I have to remember the journey that got me here, he continued, that at one point finishing something seemed out of grasp. Every obstacle, every mistake, and every point of self-doubt was keeping this moment a mere dream. Now I’m here with my laurels.
The king seemed to be in a touch of deep melancholy. The Fool could see that this king was very accomplished and had overcome many complications to be on the throne. The sun was warm and made the grapevines aroma strong. He could smell the fermentation.
I now have many laurels, the king said, and now I know what works. Obstacles and difficulties that I don’t have experience with are becoming fewer and far between. I have a method for everything now. Even when deciding to think outside the box is part of my methodology.
One army I crushed with force, the king continued, other armies I just bought. No bloodshed, just gold. It ends up cheaper to acquire an army than to fight it. Sometimes.
The parade of Dionysus was nearby again, but the king didn’t mind them at all. The drunk singing and the never-ending debauchery paraded through the vineyard. The Fool was still fine not being involved.
Some day this war is going to end, the king said and then nodded sadly as if war ending was a bad thing.
The Fool thought of the Emperor and his throne in the canyon beside the river. The Dionysus parade reminded him of the line of people that would ask the Emperor for advice instead of the turpitude. He wondered if the king felt pangs of grief when he finishes solving a problem or answering a question.
He noticed that the king here didn’t mention asking for help like the Emperor does when he needed help. The Emperor would consult the Hierophant, the Empress, the Priestess, and Justice. This king was alone in a vineyard under the hot August sun.
The parade sound had disappeared as it traveled away from the Fool and the king. The silence became unsettling since the king refocused on the slowly turning coin that hovered over his hand. Maybe the king had said all he was going to say.
The day was hot and the Fool felt a thirst. He knew that he should find water instead of more wine to quench it. He looked around and all he could see was a row of tall trees off in the distance that might reveal a canal or creek. He left the king in meditation and sadness.
He wondered what accomplishment gave the king such grief. He knew that sometimes with a great high comes a great low. The Fool liked to stay away from extremes. He wandered and observed the world around him, but he didn’t like to get involved because he knew that there were consequences from trying.
This left the Fool very alone. The Fool also had a feeling of regret when the topic of past accomplishments came up. So many people he met had great stories of overcoming adversity and all the Fool could add is how he stayed away from adversity.
The Fool found a canal and dipped his hand in the cool water and brought it to his mouth. The cool liquid refreshed his dry mouth. He walked on looking for something more.