William was still very confused. “Why would any god, Greek or otherwise, want calf fat as an offering?”
Eustace cocked her head to the side and breathed a heavy sigh. William heard just under that heavy sigh the word “kids”. William wasn’t sure if he should be offended or not. Before he had too much time to invest in the subject Eustace spoke.
“The story goes that once, way back in ancient times when the gods ruled Olympus and Greece was the center of civilization there was no right way to make offerings to the gods. So, a very clever Greek man sought to make sure that the gods of Olympus didn’t get the very best that the humans had toiled in the fields and in the pastures for. His reasoning was that gods deserved their share yes, but not the very best. You follow?” William nodded. “So, this guy sacrificed one of his prized calves in honor of the gods. Now remember, there was no right or wrong in offerings at this point so he was going to let the gods themselves choose. He took the dead animal and prepared two separate offerings. In one offering he wrapped the good meat of the calf in just such a way so that it looked putrid and undesirable.”
“That doesn’t tell me where the fat comes in?” William interrupted.
“I’m getting to that, kiddo. Geez, you kids have no patience for anything anymore.” She said with a smile. “You mind if I continue or should I just leave?”
William held up his hands and bowed with an ‘after you’ gesture with his hands.
Eustace nodded. “At least the child is a gentleman, kind of.”
“Hey,” William said a little too sharply than he had intended.
Eustace’s laugh rang out through the massive dome once more. “You are so sensitive. Can’t an old lady have a little fun?”
William looked sideways at her. He had to admit that he was a little hurt by that remark. “You were saying, two piles of…stuff?”
“Yes, that’s right.” Eustace patted William on the cheek again. “Don’t be mad. I was only having a bit of fun.” William nodded and took a deep breath. Eustace seemed satisfied with the reaction and continued with her story. “So, the guy prepared one pile to look putrid and spoiled, right?” William nodded. “Well, then he took all of the fat from the calf and prepared it in just such a way so that it glistened in the sun and looked really appetizing, especially when viewed from the heavens, which is where Zeus ruled from.”
This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
“How can fat ever look appetizing?” William asked.
“Well as I said before, the fat was prepared with some meat and some other things so that it looked appetizing from a distance.” William shook his head in disbelief but gestured for the Elder to continue. “So, after all that was done Zeus was called upon to choose which the gods would like for their offerings. Zeus looked at both piles. He scoffed immediately at the putrid looking pile of flesh and almost immediately choose the succulently glistening pile of fat.”
“I can’t imagine Zeus was too happy when he found out what had been done to him,” William said.
Eustace nodded. “He wasn’t. But the deal had already been arranged and the choice had been made. So, Zeus had to abide by his own foolish choice. And from then on, the proper offering given to the Gods at every meal was the choice fat of the youngest animal that had been slaughtered for that particular meal.”
William nodded in understanding. “So that really is just a giant lump of fat?”
“Yup.”
William nodded, but his mouth turned downward as the lump magically reappeared in the back of his throat. He wanted to gag. Eustace had already dropped down to her knees once more and started putting the empty jars and containers back into the large basket. William took one last look at the bulbous affront on his craw and knelt to help the Elder clean up. When all the empty containers were replaced in the oversized basket William and Eustace stood up once more. Looking at the offerings on the dais, all except for the calf fat he was a little sad to see all that food go to waste.
“Are we just going to leave all this here?”
“Yes,” Eustace said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
William’s face was a frozen mask of questions. “Won’t the food go bad?”
“William.” Eustace gripped the basket with both of her hands and rested it in front of her dress, in between the two of them. She took on the tone of a teacher, as if explaining something to a child for the umpteenth time. “I will come back and clear the food away in two days. However, tomorrow I will light the incense and people from the city, those that wish to, will come here and worship their gods. It’s our way. After that I will clear away the offerings and wash the dais. This will symbolize our renewed faith in the gods and in the house that protects them.” Eustace gestured with one hand to the surrounding earthen space and corridor. “Understand?”
William nodded. He noticed that this place was cool. It wasn’t like a refrigerator or anything and he just knew that that lump of fat was going to start stinking in a couple of hours, and that would be an open invitation for just about every insect within a five-mile radius from this place.
Eustace nodded, satisfied that William understood. “You can come back to the city with me, I’m going to stop by our cafeteria and drop off these dirty dishes, or you’re free to stay here as long as you like.”
The mention of the cafeteria brought to mind the invitation he had accepted earlier that day to meet with Acharya and his pack for dinner. He nodded to Eustace. “I’ll go back with you, if you don’t mind.”
Eustace turned toward to exit of the massive temple. “Not at all, kiddo.”
William rushed up to her side and gestured to the basket. “You want me to carry that for you?”