Monster storms are not new to the planet. In the millennia before the current era the crashing waters and rushing winds of a flood became the stuff of received wisdom and warning. In a world lit only by fire the loss of an ember could mean death. As the account of the rising water was passed down from year to year the true scale and magnitude were lost to dramatic storytelling. The books of the Old Testament include the story of Noah and his flood. You can find it in Genesis chapters 6 - 9. In light of tonight's storm on the East Coast of the United States, it is easy to imagine a more primitive people describing waters wiping out all life on earth. Its easy to imagine passing down a story that involves a life-saving ark and a dove searching for evidence that the waters have gone down. It is easy to understand how survivors might believe that a greater power saved them when all others were lost. The myths and legends of earlier societies survive today in our folk songs and tales. In the acoustical age of my youth, Peter Paul and Mary sang such a song about Noah's flood.
No comments:
Post a Comment