In part two of my Lammas adventures for this year Kal and I were fooling around at the top of the Pistyll Rhaeadr waterfall in East Wales. I had just settled in after my healing experience at the re-union point of three streams, and now I was gazing down the valley from the top of the waterfall, listening to the sound of the plummeting water, when Kal skipped in front of me to knock me out of my reverie. He had a look in his eye that meant that something foolish was in his head, I was right.
Pistyll Rhaeadr
I saw Kal moving towards the very edge of the waterfall’s head were the rushing water began its first descent over the edge before soon dropping down into the deep gorge below. I was nervous and curious – what was he doing? When I asked him he told me that he was testing himself – he had been challenged to make the leap as a “leap of faith”. Well, I wouldn’t stop him, but I would certainly make sure I was around in case it all went wrong. I was now on high alert, but also a small smile had begun to form on my face – this could be quite amusing, I thought. I would watch this, and if necessary record the outcome. Someone else who was visiting the waterfall who had a big camera had similar ideas, and began to focus his lens on proceeding as Kal swayed back and forth on his launch spot, contemplating the leap of four feet across the churning waters. One slip…..!
My mind moved to the Fool card in the Tarot deck. Notice in the original Rider Waite card the Fool’s proximity to water and that he’s working at heights, and also that he’s drawn out the Sun to witness his folly!
Kal swayed for the fifteenth time. “Jump! I shouted encouragingly. “Jump if you’re going to!”. Could this be considered aiding and abetting a criminal act of stupidity? Kal took the urge and made a half-hearted leap to the other side. His right foot landed but his weight was uneven. He lurched towards the safer side of the falls, but then tried to regain his balance so as not to fall into the deep waters. Too late! He had lost his balance and his right foot dropped into the deep pool of the river. Shortly to be followed by his left foot. Then his arm. Then…well, he was practically swimming! I heard the quiet continuous click of a camera’s shutter as each calamitous step was recorded for posterity.
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