A council was called among the tribal elders to decide on the matter of the sanctity of a new form of cauldron, shaped like a coiled serpent. Among the elders there were two, Elder Zeriel, who was beloved of the Gods and Elder Yesh, who asked nothing of the Gods. The two argued until the sun and moon stood in the sky, entranced by the debate. Elder Zeriel gave the scholars every reason in the world to prove the cauldron was pure, but Elder Yesh remained unmoved.
So Elder Zeriel called out, “If I am correct, let the crops of the field testify”. And all the crops of a nearby field uprooted themselves from their places, until Elder Yesh called to them to return to their places, for it was not the role of the crops to interfere in matters of law. The crops of that field yet grow in the strange places that they rooted themselves, in hard rocks and on the sand of beaches.
So Elder Zeriel called out, “If I am correct, let the sea testify”. And the sea began to froth and swirl, until Elder Yesh reprimanded it, for it was not the place of the sea to meddle in tribal matters.
So Elder Zeriel called out, “If I am correct, let the sky testify”. And in that moment the wind blew terribly and the sky dimmed and lightning shrieked across the horizon. Then Elder Yesh scolded the sky, which had no place in the business of the tribes.
So Elder Zeriel called out, “If I am correct, let the spirits testify”. And from every nook and cranny, the little and large spirits each gave their say in favor of Zeriel, and each one Yesh berated, for they had no say in this matter.
Finally, Elder Zeriel called out, “If I am correct, let death testify”. The Five Gods rose from their seats in the hall of the scholars, and approached the circle. Tubul, the god of death, rebuked Zeriel, who had called on each of the laws of nature, and had called death himself to testify, but had not been able to convince his interlocutors. Even so, Tubul told Yesh that the cauldron was pure. Yesh accepted the death’s advice gracefully, and courteously plead his disagreement. So the tribal elders decided the serpentine cauldron was impure, and to this day it is a tool only of outlaw warlocks and poisoners.
Zeriel tore at his clothes and wept, and for his arrogance in calling on the gods was cast out. The Gods provided for his survival in the wilderness, and that of his descendants. The wildlings who follow the Five are the children, literally and spiritually of Zeriel, and they think nothing of invoking the Gods at any moment of the day.
So Elder Zeriel called out, “If I am correct, let the crops of the field testify”. And all the crops of a nearby field uprooted themselves from their places, until Elder Yesh called to them to return to their places, for it was not the role of the crops to interfere in matters of law. The crops of that field yet grow in the strange places that they rooted themselves, in hard rocks and on the sand of beaches.
So Elder Zeriel called out, “If I am correct, let the sea testify”. And the sea began to froth and swirl, until Elder Yesh reprimanded it, for it was not the place of the sea to meddle in tribal matters.
So Elder Zeriel called out, “If I am correct, let the sky testify”. And in that moment the wind blew terribly and the sky dimmed and lightning shrieked across the horizon. Then Elder Yesh scolded the sky, which had no place in the business of the tribes.
So Elder Zeriel called out, “If I am correct, let the spirits testify”. And from every nook and cranny, the little and large spirits each gave their say in favor of Zeriel, and each one Yesh berated, for they had no say in this matter.
Finally, Elder Zeriel called out, “If I am correct, let death testify”. The Five Gods rose from their seats in the hall of the scholars, and approached the circle. Tubul, the god of death, rebuked Zeriel, who had called on each of the laws of nature, and had called death himself to testify, but had not been able to convince his interlocutors. Even so, Tubul told Yesh that the cauldron was pure. Yesh accepted the death’s advice gracefully, and courteously plead his disagreement. So the tribal elders decided the serpentine cauldron was impure, and to this day it is a tool only of outlaw warlocks and poisoners.
Zeriel tore at his clothes and wept, and for his arrogance in calling on the gods was cast out. The Gods provided for his survival in the wilderness, and that of his descendants. The wildlings who follow the Five are the children, literally and spiritually of Zeriel, and they think nothing of invoking the Gods at any moment of the day.
No comments:
Post a Comment