Level Four – Are You Kidding

When the ball had finally come to rest, the Caveman and the Queen took turns to stand next to it and have their portraits recorded.

The Queen said to the Caveman, What visions have you encountered that you may relate to me? The Caveman answered, The visions that I have had are many and various. They come to me in the day and in the night.

The Queen sat down upon her thrown whilst the Caveman, walking to and fro across the hall as he spoke, related this vision.

I saw a tree that had no branches, I put branches upon it. I saw a tree with no leaves, I put leaves upon it. I saw a tree standing alone so I surrounded it with other trees. I saw a forest that was not of my making. The waters came and broke down the forest and the trees became a raft.

Tell me of Truth and Lies, said the Queen.

Ah, replied the Caveman, now we come to it at last. A vision is not a lie, albeit a vision may be a conceit. A lie is the willing of a person to deceive, and if by the telling of a vision or the decoration of the facts one may deceive, then a vision or false extrapolation may become a lie.

Consider. A man might say that the world is square. What then must we think? we must think that the man is trying to hurt us with his lie.

Consider. A man might say that he is taller than all the others. What then must we think? we must think that the man is trying to deceive us with his lie.

Consider. A man may say that a truth is not true, that his word alone is true and that all the people must believe him. What then must we think? We must consider his madness and discover the hurt that he is preparing.

Consider. How then might a person know a lie? One must know oneself and know the world as clear as clear water. We must strip away the visions and conceits with which we are plagued, which are designed to mislead, and participate in the world at the purest levels of truth. Then we may build a simple structure of thought, with foundations that are sure in strength and numbers. Only then will we see the colour of all lies as they are given.

How then, asked the Queen, shall I know a lie? Is it only by my own interrogation that I shall be prepared?

Why do you think I live in a cave? Said the Caveman.