Creation Story

I was feeling kind of emotionally ragged after making up with Nandi and Eyani. That and I still wasn’t feeling entirely comfortable with the entire clan. Their endless torrent of questions at dinner didn’t feel like they were prizing apart my very being like before, but it was still kind of a chore. Nandi mentioned something about helping me later. Hopefully that will work out.

So, I ended up going to bed pretty early and woke late to Nandi shoving his nose in my side. He babbled something about needing too much sleep, but I wasn’t awake enough to translate it in my head. I did see Nandi’s gesture to the front of our cave. Kohric was waiting politely at the threshold (note to self: the polite wait-until-the-person-comes-out protocol doesn’t include one’s roommate. Dammit).

Kohric carried me off immediately, pausing only long enough to let me snatch breakfast. I tried not to be greedy with my grabbing, and shoved several extra morsels into my jacket pockets for later. Hey, the Azu-nah have no concept of lunch, and dinner was a long way away!

It turns out I was to attend school. With the kids.

Now, this sounds really embarrassing on paper, and when Kohric first told me what was going to happen, I can’t say I was thrilled; but now that I’ve actually sat through a session I think Kohric my be on to something. The kids are more at my level. I admit it. Their vocabulary doesn’t stump me as much, and they’re still awkward and foolish in their own way. Other than the fact that I tower over them, I actually almost sort of fit in.

Eyani was there, as were Oshtik, Nyarno, and two other somewhat older (pre-teen?) Azu-nah that I didn’t know. Ghee arrived much after everyone else had arrived and settled. She still seems withdrawn. I was debating whether it would be incredibly insensitive to ask her if Nanahan was doing okay, since I hadn’t seen even a hair of her since we’d arrived. Oshtik beat me to it, though, and asked almost as soon as Ghee had arrived. Ghee seemed to bristle, but said “Nanahan eats well but cannot walk. She still sleeps much.” Kohric, clearly eavesdropping, seemed happy with that answer, and then called for the student’s attention.

Saying it was “school” is actually probably too formal a term. It’s more like a collection of small, unofficial lessons and fable-like stories to teach morals and what-not. It’s actually fascinating from an anthropological view.

For example: from what I can tell, the Azu-nah are more or less entirely illiterate. They have symbols and glyphs that stand for things, and I think they may be able to write numbers, but for the most part it’s the literary equivalent of drawing hearts and smiley faces to communicate. Kohric, though, clearly does know some form of writing. He actually used me as an example. The kids were curious about my taking notes on my computer pad. Kohric explained that I was “turning words into shapes,” and then drew a few characters in the sand. Thus went a very rudimentary writing lesson.

At the end of the lessons, Kohric said he would reward us with a story, and as a bonus we could choose which. There were immediate shouts for different story titles, but one, “The Creator’s story” seemed to get the most votes.

I was fascinated.

I cornered Kohric and made him help me transcribe it after. I wanted every word perfect. It took about an hour, but I finally got it. I think it’s fairly accurate, too. Though, a little of the meaning may have changed because I had to translate some very odd grammar bits. Here’s more or less a direct transcription

I will tell you the tale as it was told to me.

In the days before the Azu-nah, when the night sky was dark and without the stars, the Great Creator looked out over the expanse of all that was. The round world lay below and bare earth shone in many beautiful colors. But this was not enough for the Maker of All Things. There were no other creatures with reason or thoughts of their own, and this made Creator sad enough to weep many tears. Creator scattered the fallen tears into the sky to become the stars. Each star was given a name and a spirit. One of the stars was named Sukil, and he was filled with curiosity.

Creator was content with the company of the stars, and returned to building the world. Sukil stayed close to Creator, curious to know all that was happening.

When Creator asked the star named Sun to watch over the earth. Sukil asked why the world needed watching.

“Wait and watch,” said Creator, for the Maker of All things prefers that we learn for ourselves. So Sukil watched as Sun was given great size and strength with which to provide warmth and light for the earth, and separate night from day.

“Why create more light when we provide it to the sky?” asked Sukil.

“Wait and watch,” said Creator.

Creator waved one long hand and sent stars showering down onto the earth. The stars became rivers and oceans. Some became clouds that sprang from the water as Sun warmed the air, and rain fell down onto the brightly colored earth.

“Why create three different worlds within one?” asked Sukil.

“Wait and watch,” said Creator.

With the other hand, Creator sent stars showering down again. Those that touched the water were born into the sea beasts and river creatures. Those that touched land became those creatures that ran on feet, and stars that played amongst the clouds turned into the winged ones to master the winds.

Sukil was filled with curiosity. “What will they do now that they dwell on the earth and not the heavens?”

“Wait and watch,” said Creator.

Creator wished for all the world to be interconnected, and so Creator sent yet more stars to earth, forming the plants and the trees, the roots and mosses, and bid that they should provide food and shelter for the beasts, just as the beasts would provide for the plants with their bodies, and the earth must provide for and be nurtured by all.

“Why must they be bound to eachother?” asked Sukil.

Creator smiled this time. “This one thing I will tell you; if each needs the other, then no one creation will become greater than the rest. Each respecting the other will create balance, and all will flourish. Each creation must always remember the Balance.” Sukil was careful to remember this lesson.

One day, after Creator had filled the world with life, one of the stars that had fallen to earth cried out that she longed to return to the night sky. Creator felt compassion and released her from her flesh and allowed her to return to the heavens.

“Who will stay on the earth if the stars all return?” asked Sukil.

“Wait and watch,” said Creator, and another star leapt down from the sky to take the other’s place.

Creator watched the world with contentment, but Sukil’s questions never stopped. Always Sukil remained with Creator, asking why a creature was named so, or why a plant’s leaves were shaped thus. Creator became annoyed and took Sukil in one hand.

“You are so full of questions,” Creator said, “I have given you a mind to reason with. Go down to the world and satisfy your endless curiosity with it.”

And so Creator flung Sukil down from the heavens to land on the earth. Sukil’s bright glow was suddenly shrouded by flesh. Creator gave Sukil long ears for listening to all sounds, hands and a tail for grasping new objects, a long, sensitive nose, and keen eyes for observing his new world.

Sukil knew great joy, for at last he had endless things to learn and understand. Each answered question granted him knowledge, which then led to more questions. Sukil explored the world, watching the great Balance of all the world’s spirits and learning much. But as he watched the other creatures of the world, Sukil began to feel sorrow, for there was a question in his mind he could not answer.

Sukil turned his muzzle to the sky and plead his question to the Creator. “Maker of All Things,” said Sukil, “All the living creatures have others of their kind to share company. Yet I am alone. Are there no others like me in the world?”

Creator smiled. “You have been wise and responsible with the knowledge you’ve gained, Sukil,” Creator said. “You have earned a place in the world.” And to Sukil’s great joy, Creator sent a star named Yusa down to the earth, and she become another of Sukil’s kind. “Your kind will now always be a part of the earth. Remember to keep the Balance with the other spirits, and never forget that all were once stars.”

So Sukil and Yusa named themselves the Star People, Azu-nah, in honor of the Creator’s wishes, and together they explored the world and flourished. They had many adventures together, such as when Yusa stole the lights from a glow-bird so she could see in the dark, or when Sukil raced with Blue River Spirit, or when both Yusa and Sukil returned to the heavens.

But those are all stories for another night.


I can’t wait to hear another story.