Webeganinthedark,andfromthedark,wecreatedmyths,stories,thechildrenofIsraelwanderinginthewilderness,Odysseusreturninghome,Buddhasittinglotusquiet.Wehadafewgoodstoriestosustainourwanderings.Overseveralthousandyears,thefireofmythsbegantoburnout.Orweburnedthemout.WeburnedTroy,theprophets,andJoanofArc,andfinally,asonemythafteranotherdescendedontothepileofashes,wefoundourselvesoutsidethechurch,thecathedral,thepyramid,thesynagogue,withnopath,andnojourney.NoHolyGrailtoseekfor,noreasontoseekagrail.Wepickuptheskullofthestoryteller,turnitoverinourhands,fumblingfortheeyesocketsthatusedtoseesomething.Wedon’tknowhowtohandletheskull,withwhatritualtoburyit,whatsongtosingforthedeadortheliving.Thestoriesinthiscollection,addressthisplaceinwhichwe’vefoundourselves,moreawareofthedeadthantheliving.Thedeadhadtheirmythsandtheirfire.
