Once, not so long ago, there prospered two rather large villages. Each
was strong in their own right and their citizens were loyal, patriotic
and all together content for the most part. But they seemed to sometimes
bicker and fight, as all groups of people will from time to time and so
they beseeched the gods day and night for solutions to settle the
contention in the village.
The gods did not seem to hear but one day, in each village, set down in
the very center, a very tall totem was placed. Each one stood upright,
tall and proud. The people gathered around each and imagine their
surprise when it spoke! The words that flowed from each was like honey
to the people, the wisdom and knowledge seemingly vast.
Each time a problem arose, they went to the totems to beseech it for
their wise words. Every time, the totems gave their answers and it
brought true peace and utter happiness to the villages.
But soon, the villages learned from each disagreement and did not need
the totems. The totems, seeing their usefullness waning, began to shout
out to the people passing by, critisizing and offering to help those it
critisized. It began to give answers for things that were not
questioned. Both developed a sense of high importance and were
determined to stay that way.
Even through the black nights, when all were supposed to be sleeping,
the totems kept on shouting and shouting, their words booming through
quiet and peaceful streets.
The council of each village met for it was known without saying that the
totem must go. So, once a nearly unanimous decision was made, each was
uprooted and their mouths gagged. Walking so long and hard, the
strongest and most tolerant men of each village journeyed afar to the
ocean.
Now, it is known that wood floats so, they tied heavy rocks to the very
loudly protesting totems and rowed out to the middle of the ocean and,
without second thoughts, tossed in the totems.
A great feast was prepared for the returning men and peace once again
reigned in each village. It was decided that all disagreements would be
solved more civilly and the moral of the totems stayed with the people
for a very long time.
Spring's blessings,
Wren Caelis
Penned by my hand on the 8th of Bellum, in the year 449 AD.
