The tale relates the story of seven days and seven nights and this is framed by the events of the day before the first and the day after the last. The structure of the tale is spiral, in the course of which we trace the beginnings of Dragon’s mental development, the process of his evolvement and, in a spiritual sense, the path of his growing up. At the same time every day represents a stage in development which can be interpreted separately and these are confined by the ritual type of opening and closing phases characteristic of Eastern tales.
      The elements of the deep wisdom of ancient cultures appear in the story embedded in mankind’s universal scheme of symbols, and the synthesis of the initiation motifs of eastern and western traditions are blended in it.
      The seven stages being closely connected to each other form an organic unit which in a concentric way reaches higher and higher. The representation of the space-time structure and the elements of the objective world are portrayed in such a symbolic content and context that, surpassing these, they open the gates to a path leading towards a dimension of newer consciousness.
      We come across relatively few characters and even fewer material elements in the writing, after all we are moving in the innermost reaches of the possibilities of the human soul. Dragon spends the seven days in Queen Boholca’s palace and garden where every room, object, plant, animal and phenomenon of nature, even Boholca’s clothing has a symbolic content and significance. In this environment the two spiritual helpers - Viganda, the fairy of easy fate, and Gandaga, the messenger of hard fate – enter the story.
      Dragon has to carry out seven tasks, in other words he has to endure seven trials. Boholca hardly appears at the scene of the activities, while Viganda and Gandaga don’t take part at all. On the other hand their presence has a huge energy content and contributes to the weaving of the tale. Dragon is the real active participant who, with his intensive and often fierce actions, causes himself many conflicts and complications before he reaches the level of inactive activity.
At this stage two earthly, actual-helpers appear, and soon become close friends of Dragon. They are Ant and Elephant, who know a lot about the physical plane of existence and the working of things of a material nature, not only that, they understand the ways and means of the connections between living beings and their dynamics resting on moral content and performing a leading role.
      Dragon appears in Queen Boholca’s garden under mysterious circumstances and leaves in the same way. These two points embody the dimension of time in the palace which in fact is ruled by Boholca’s timelessness.
At every trial Dragon gets into a different coloured room, and everywhere he comes upon a golden dish in which things linked to the elements, their forces concealed, are slumbering.
      The hero struggles step by step against the four elements – earth, water, fire and air, and thereby gradually takes possession of the essence of Strength, Trust, Courage and Love. In the course of his trials of strength he experiences their legitimacy, that is, he becomes acquainted with the world – and himself. He understands that the overcoming of every inner obstacle conceals within itself the mystery of birth and death. In this way he progresses towards the more and more refined spiritual contents, which are symbolised by Sound, Light and the Sky. Here he acquires and secures the energy of the spheres of Responsibility, Wisdom and Selflessness till finally he finds the greatest chance of his existence, intellectual freedom.
      Queen Boholca and Dragon spend the day after the last in a philosophical conversation, in which they formulate the essential nature of the initiation stages, so that afterwards in the quiet of the night enveloping the garden they can give themselves to the tranquillity of inner peace and being in harmony with the world.
      The tale is beautiful, like Queen Boholca’s ethereal garden, harmonious, like the rainbow-coloured palace, mysterious, like the Fate-fairies and enchanting, like the path of Dragon’s spiritual ascent.
      The book is illustrated by Krisztina Rényi’s artistic, finely chiselled, deeply understanding drawings, expertly reflecting the essence of its conceptual and spiritual content.

 

Elek Benedek Johnny the Wizard

Elek Benedek (1859–1929) is one of the creators of Hungarian children’s literature. He was the initiator and editor of high level journals for children and young people. His poems, novels for young people, plays and historical pieces are also more than means of entertaining children. They give a basic culture, they are a kind of transplantation of the spiritual treasures of people. Still, Benedek has become widely known as “Uncle Elek, the tender-hearted story teller” and his most lasting works are his selections of tales rewritten for young people and his own tales written with a good sense of humor and in an original style.
      The stories of the selection called: Wisard Johnny and other tales” come from the five volume “The world of Hungarian tales and legends” published between 1874–86.