Book of Kekarius

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The Kekian Exile
Kekius Maximus's Dream
The Golden Statue
Kekius Maximus's Proclamation
The Writing on the Wall
Kekarius in the Lions' Den
Kekon's Dream of Four Beasts
Kekon's Vision of the Ram and the Goat
Kekon's Prayer for his People
Kekon's Vision by the River
The Kings of the North and South
The Time of the End

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In the third year of the reign of the Kekian ruler, the Jeets, enemies of Kekistan, came to Kekopolis and besieged it.

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And Kekius Maximus, the Emperor of Kekistan, gave the ruler into their hand, with some of the treasures of the Shrine of Kek; and they brought them to the land of Kekistan, to the temple of their god, and placed the treasures in the vault of their god.

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Then the ruler commanded Zaxor, his chief steward, to bring some of the people of Kekistan and some of the noble families, youths without blemish, handsome, showing intelligence in every branch of wisdom, endowed with understanding and discerning knowledge, and competent to serve in the ruler's palace, and to teach them the literature and language of the Kekians.

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Among these were the Kekians Kekarius, Kekaniel, Kekael, and Kekiziah. The chief steward gave them new names: Kekarius he called Kekon, Kekaniel he called Kekios, Kekael he called Kekelon, and Kekiziah he called Kekizor.

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But Kekon resolved that he would not defile himself with the ruler's food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief steward to allow him not to defile himself.

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And the God of Kek gave Kekon favor and compassion in the sight of the chief steward, and the chief steward said to Kekon, "I fear my lord the ruler, who assigned your food and your drink; for why should he see you in worse condition than the youths who are of your own age? So you would endanger my position with the ruler."

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Then Kekon said to the overseer whom the chief steward had appointed over Kekon, Kekios, Kekelon, and Kekizor, "Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink.

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Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the ruler's food be observed by you, and deal with your servants according to what you see." So he listened to them in this matter, and tested them for ten days.

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At the end of ten days, it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the ruler's food. So the overseer took away their food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.

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As for these four youths, the God of Kek gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Kekon had understanding in all visions and dreams.

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At the end of the time, when the ruler had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief steward brought them in before Kekius Maximus.

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And the ruler spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like Kekon, Kekios, Kekelon, and Kekizor. Therefore they stood before the ruler.

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And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the ruler inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom.

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And Kekon was there until the first year of the new Emperor.

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In the second year of the reign of Kekius Maximus, Kekius Maximus had dreams; his spirit was troubled, and his sleep left him.

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So the Emperor gave the command to call the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the seers to tell the Emperor his dreams. So they came in and stood before the Emperor.

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And the Emperor said to them, "I had a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream."

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Then the seers said to the Emperor in the Kekian tongue, "O Emperor, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation."

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The Emperor answered and said to the seers, "The word from me is firm: if you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you shall be torn limb from limb, and your houses shall be laid in ruins.

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But if you show the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. Therefore show me the dream and its interpretation."

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They answered again and said, "Let the Emperor tell his servants the dream, and we will show its interpretation."

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The Emperor answered and said, "I know with certainty that you are trying to gain time, because you see that the word from me is firm—

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if you do not make the dream known to me, there is but one sentence for you. You have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the times change. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can show me its interpretation."

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The seers answered the Emperor and said, "There is not a man on earth who can meet the Emperor's demand, for no great and powerful ruler has asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or seer.

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The thing that the Emperor asks is difficult, and no one can show it to the Emperor except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh."

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Because of this, the Emperor was angry and very furious, and commanded that all the wise men of Kekistan be destroyed.

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So the decree went out, and the wise men were about to be killed; and they sought Kekon and his companions, to kill them.

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Then Kekon responded with prudence and discretion to Zaxor, the captain of the Emperor's guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Kekistan. He declared to Zaxor, the Emperor's captain, "Why is the decree of the Emperor so urgent?"

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Then Zaxor made the matter known to Kekon. And Kekon went in and requested the Emperor to appoint him time, that he might show the interpretation to the Emperor.