Challenge on the Hill of Fire — “The Imagination Station” Series

Cousins Beth and Patrick travel in the Imagination Station to Ireland during the time period of St. Patrick. He is teaching the people about Christianity. On their arrival, druids kidnap the cousins. They are put with other prisoners and are to be taken to King Logaire. The cousins learn that the druids control people through fear. They oppress them and use them for sacrifices.

Beth, Patrick, a girl named Caera and her father escape when the cart they are in cannot make it over a fallen tree. Caera and her father fear the druids, who put curses on people. Patrick prays for help, and Tristan, who introduces himself as a friend of the bishop, appears.

They follow Tristan into the woods. Tristan prays for the Lord to protect them. A druid, Shane, looks for them in the forest but only sees deer. Tristan tells a chattering squirrel, Finn, to be quiet. He says the druids couldn’t see them because God is more powerful than the druids.

They travel though the forest and reach a road. On it, men are riding horses, and oxen pull carts filled with people who will be celebrating a feast at the castle. Beth picks up a shamrock and tucks it into her vest.

The five travelers join those going toward the castle. On the road, a man sings, dances and plays a harp. Caera explains that he is Dubbach, and he travels to cheer up people. Tristan says that God has called the bishop to Ireland to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Caera’s father does not trust the bishop’s new ways. Tristan tells the crowd that the bishop teaches hope found in Jesus. The crowd scowls and threatens Tristan. Dubbach tells Caera’s father about a job he can have working in the fields for the king.

Patrick sees Shane and an old druid driving a cart filled with people. To avoid capture, Tristan, Patrick and Beth run. They eventually meet up with Patricius, the bishop, later called St. Patrick. Patrick and Beth are invited to celebrate Christ with him.

The bishop intends to light a large paschal fire, which is similar to a huge bonfire. The paschal fire is an ancient druid custom, and they do it to honor their gods. The bishop is lighting the fire to show the druids that Jesus is more powerful than their magic, but he is breaking the law by doing this because only the king is supposed to light the fire.

It takes both Patrick and the bishop to light the fire because the wood is wet. The druids see the fire and approach it, led by Lord Lochru, the chief druid. Lochru asks who lit the fire.

The bishop says he and Patrick lit it. Druids try to douse the fire, but it continues to burn. Tristan pulls Beth away, and they hide. Soldiers arrive and tell the druids the king sent them to have the one who lit the fire appear before him. The soldiers take Patrick and the bishop to the castle.

In the castle’s garden, a girl places food on a carpet. It is Caera. She is the queen’s lady-in-waiting. She is preparing breakfast for the queen’s daughters. Tristan leaves Beth with Caera.

Two girls enter the garden and ask Beth to tell them about the bishop. Beth uses the three leaves of her shamrock to tell them about the bishop’s God — the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. She tells them God is the Creator of everything and explains that Jesus sacrificed himself for humanity. Ethne, one of the princesses, says this God of love is far better than the druid gods.

Patrick has been taken to the Great Hall, so Beth hurries there. In the castle kitchen, she sees Lochru pouring drinks into three chalices, dripping something into one of the chalices. Beth follows him into the Great Hall.

King Logaire and his queen sit at the head of the banquet table. The bishop stands in the center of the room. Lochru tells the king that the traitor who lit the fire must die. Then Lochru suggests the bishop, he and the king drink together. Beth steps forward, saying she is the bishop’s servant and will serve the drinks.

Lochru hands a chalice to Beth for the bishop. Beth whispers to the bishop that his drink is poisoned. The bishop suggests all three of them share his chalice as a sign of unity, love and faith.

Lochru tells the king not to drink. The bishop says Lochru has poisoned the cup, and Lochru says the bishop has poisoned the cup. The king remembers that Lochru brought in the cups, and Lochru is forced to admit that he meant to poison the bishop.

The king demands that Lochru and the druids leave the land because their laws are unjust. Then he tells the king more about Jesus.

The Imagination Station appears. Patrick and Beth leave. They are inspired to tell people in Odyssey about the one true God.