The gods of the old…
- winked84074
- Dec 23, 2018
- 9 min read
Updated: Dec 2, 2020
Special Acknowledgement to the song " When theWind Blows" which I used in this video.
The old owl tried to remember as he gazed upon the moon covered by dark clouds...
His name is Sleipnir and he used to be a horse with eight legs…
He grew up with an unusual family of animals… his “Atta” (father) was a big old owl named Lenon who loved to sing… Lenon taught him numerous songs … he taught him how to “imagine” … having “above them only sky!”
“His Bruoder” (gothic for brother) was named “Haurnja” (horn blower), he was known in the old kingdom as the mighty “Uni” (unicorn) who bore a most ridiculous laugh! Uni was Sleipnir’s “nasjand” (savior). As young siblings, Uni saved him from all the other animals who made fun of Sleipnir’s eight legs and slow mindedness… (the horse was abandoned because he was not normal) Uni was his hero, the one who inspired him to rise from his weaknesses to become the fastest animal in the kingdom! That was how Sleipnir became Odin’s (ruler of the Viking gods of Asgard) favorite horse for battle!
His brother had a “hiwaja” (wife) named Chee-lin or “Bairhtjan” (one who reveals), a righteous unicorn from the Far East…she was the most beautiful creature that Sleipnir has seen! Chee- lin can easily uncover the deception and lies that humans or animals would hide… she was pregnant with her first child when Lenon brought and adopted the eight legged horse into their family.
In their abode by the mountains covered by a majestic waterfalls, there were many days and nights of unending squabbles especially when the young Sleipnir newly acquired the ability to sing and dance with his eight feet…
“A natural talent!” Sleipnir remembered Lenon proudly proclaimed to every god and animal in the kingdom but to which Uni always countered with a sarcastic “bah” and a loud sigh! For Sleipnir easily forgets the lyrics of the songs and Lenon patiently sang them repeatedly to him. This constant singing infuriated the unicorn who only had grand dreams of noble deeds… of knights in shining armors and rescuing damsels in distress!
Nevertheless, Sleipnir grew up happy with his unusual family… he knew those were the most blissful moments of his life… until that day of “Us-waltjan” (day of Overturn) came…
***********
In the ancient magical kingdom, all creatures followed a hierarchy of command. First in line were the gods and goddesses. Next are the demi-gods and the last would be the animals… and all of them were below Manna (the humans)…
The gods were furious… the order of nature will have to be sacrificed! Manna (humans) have altered the natural course of life because of “Hardu Hartei” (hardness of heart)…Mankind have chosen convenience over the tedious, slower progress of life…
The gods themselves never imagined this will ever happen… even their hearts cannot be spared; for only human hearts can choose…”
His brother Uni pleaded with Zeus to spare his life and that of his family…
“And why do you think your lives are special that it should be spared from this change?” Asked the mighty Zeus.
“For I am the noblest animal...” Uni answered with his usual proud, tenacious laugh but tears fell from his eyes. The unicorn cried and bowed its head; his heart swelled with sadness for he still believed that only a Virgin’s magic power can tame and kill a unicorn’s heart… but he knew this was just a story…animals cannot compare to humans…
The mighty god Zeus sighed… he knew the unicorn indeed is favored by the gods, like his beloved Almathea (the divine goat who nursed Zeus when he was a boy). Haurnja (the unicorn) is one of only three animals in the ancient kingdom who can transform themselves, take the form of humans and travel through time! Next to man, the unicorn is the proudest animal!
Now, Loki, the trickster-demigod (half human and half god), suddenly asked aloud; “What if humans are given a chance to alter their choice?”
Even “All-Waldands” (the Almighty, the All Knowing) will not do that for them!” Kronos, the god of time and father of Zeus replied. “Humans are given the liberty of choice…unfortunately they are too fickle… their hearts are too fleeting…too difficult to understand…” this time Kronos sadly sighed to himself.
“Perhaps there is something we can do to change the hearts of humans…” Pan, the half goat half human demi-god begged. Soon, Odin, the ruler of Asgard, Atlas, Aphrodite and all the other gigantic Titan and Olympian gods also implored in vain!
“Perhaps only In- Brannjan”…the Plumage of Fire can alter this course!” Loki said aloud. “But no one knows when and where that creature of fire will decide to appear again…”
“Enough of this…” Zeus stood up amidst the commotion… “Even the Plumage of Fire is helpless… it will diminish its flame, and follow what the human heart desires!” Then his voice trembled, “Now all we can do is to obey and blindly follow this human folly...”
With a sad pounding of his heart and a single stroke of his scepter, Zeus, the great god of thunder turned the earth into darkness and brought forth numerous thunderbolts and flames from the skies! Immensely, a loud, deafening throbbing sound, like the strong beating of a heart, saturated the atmosphere! All the other beings… giant gods and creatures alike, viciously scampered into rampage to save their lives! Uni swiftly flew to save his wife Chee-lin who has just given birth to a young egg! Together with Sleipnir and Lennon, they fled to the Aegean Sea to seek help from Neptune (the enormous god of the waters)
Loki, the trickster, secretly followed the four animals.
Then Hermes (Mercury, the messenger of the gods) finally cried and played a sorrowful tune on his enchanted lyre as the loud and deafening thumping sound became stronger and a colossal change in the natural order of life slowly began to take place…
Vast green trees and verdant, sprawling flowers slowly withered and disappeared as sky-reaching, buildings and ostentatious towers erupted from the ground! Where the rugged and vegetative mountains once lay, overlapping and stolidly-paved freeways and skyways suddenly sprouted! Where the gentle breeze, the distant rapture of crickets, the flickering lights of fireflies and the quiet thumping hearts of different living creatures once abounded… enormous, blinding-bright glass billboards slowly arose and illuminated the darkness! Loud, thundering roars of vehicles massively roamed the skies and the acrid fumes of recycled gas began to sweep the air!
Upon witnessing the change that slowly covered the earth’s surface, Neptune, the sea god summoned the Nereids, (sea fairies) mermaids, and all the sea creatures to plunge and seek refuge under the deepest part of the waters where no other beings except them can survive. Riding astride his trident pulled by hippocampuses (ancient large seahorses); his heart pulsated sadly as he looked back at the animals who came to him for help There was nothing he could do for the unicorns, the horse and the owl… like Pegasus who drowned in the great flood, the land and air creatures will not survive beneath the waters…
Suddenly the trickster ran to bargain with Neptune… Loki’s heart believed that there is a great chance that In-Brannjan, the great plumage of fire will someday return… it will choose to accept its destiny so they can be saved!
“Please… please… god of water and sea…let the abnormal horse live and survive in the air, on land and in water and live with the hippocampuses…” Loki’s heart skipped as he pleaded the gigantic Sea god…
All the other animals were surprised to hear this! Sleipnir’s heart wildly pummeled … “Aglus! (trouble)…oh what to do?” “Why was Loki doing this?” He suspected it must be one of the Trickster’s ploy to trick the gods!
“No… “Duala waurdei!” (foolish talk) I do not need your help!” Sleipnir shouted. He knew he could not swim… maybe Loki wants him to drown so he tried to run away. Loki however pulled him up. Sleipnir held on to his Atta the owl Lenon as the trickster carried them both into the waters towards the gigantic sea god…
“You will do this for an animal” Neptune asked with surprise… he thought…”Never has a god sacrificed anything for other beings! Even the great Kronos swallowed his sons and daughters in fear that they will overpower him“…
Loki swallowed hard and answered, “So be it…let the angst of “All-Waldands” (Almighty -All Knowing) and the folly of humans fall upon me and I will do everything…but let this horse survive!”
“Oh no, you don’t… “Un-Siblis!” you wicked god-man!” Suddenly, Lenon shouted. The old owl flew and bit Loki hard on the nose which sent the demi-god screaming and jumping in pain! “You think you can trick us again??? No…let it be on me… let me die for my son Sleipnir so that he can live a full life!” Lenon exclaimed!
“No, you cannot…ubil fugls! (evil bird)” Loki finally recovered from the bite…he caught the owl and tried to wring its neck . This sent Uni the unicorn flying, its horn angrily charged towards the demi-god, while Sleipnir trembled in fear and slowly struggled to understand what was happening…
It was at this point that a blaring light appeared from nowhere! It struck Sleipnir and magically turned him into an owl, just like his Atta Lenon, but with the face of a beautiful Nereid (mermaid)! The horse became a “Sirin” … his heart stopped beating and suddenly he began to sing! Sleipnir became a bird from paradise… a creature of hope; his angelic voice sang a wonderful song foretelling the joys of the future! As though hypnotized… everyone stared and listened!
“Jai (yes)… finally he can sing!” Uni exclaimed in awe!
It was at this moment that the great thumping, beating sound became silent; It listened to Sleipnir’s song… It listened to the plea of the trickster, who in his last moments finally chose to become a “father” to his abnormal son (for it was the Demi-god Loki who abandoned the horse with eight legs to hide it in shame and to escape the ridicule of the gods!) and it listened to the plea of the old owl who chose to sacrifice its life for a creature of another kind…
Seeing the horse’s transformation, Loki slowly backed and moved away… he gazed with sadness at the singing Sleipnir. Lenon followed as Uni gazed and wondered from a distance. Then with a struck of lightning, the fool’s heart ceased to throb and the old owl’s magical voice diminished, Both creatures disappeared into ashes…
Then the great Voice of “(All Knowing) commanded the odd looking bird, Sleipnir. “You shall become “the one who is always near” (In-Wisan)...the only creature that can live on air, under the waters and on land …you are the only one who will always remember…”
Then the voice instructed Sleipnir to journey as far as the Red Sea, the Indian lands and the Euphrates River! There, he should hide the egg of “Haurnja” (unicorn)…
“Until when?” Uni thought to himself. The Powerful One has listened to his plea to save his family… so he dared not to ask.
But the nebulous voice answered....“It is when the creature from the egg speaks the hearts of humans and all sad memories will be forgotten…it will then make the majestic plumage fearlessly fly across a turbulent flame to accept its fate!” Then the light disappeared and the skies once again turned into complete darkness!
No one understood what the Great Voice has said...then Neptune finally awakened “Ju (now)… ju (now) we must hurry and leave!” He exclaimed!
Sleipnir stopped singing; his heart pounded wildly again and suddenly he turned into a giant turtle with eight feet! The Sea god took Sleipnir the turtle in his palm; and held him with the unicorn’s egg safely secured underneath the turtle’s forelegs! Astride the hippocampuses, Neptune and all the water nymphs and remaining creatures swiftly vanished from the surface as the wild thumping sound again became louder!
Uni finally held his wife Chee-lin. The Chinese unicorn transformed for the last time into a magnificent green colored “Kirin”. Green tears filled her eyes…she felt sincerity in the hearts of the old owl and the demi-god who both saved their son Sleipnir… Both unicorns now understood that they too should follow their purpose…they have to be extinct from the sight of humans forever…
Finally with their wings intertwined, the two unicorn’s hearts pounded sadly as their brilliant white and green colors descended into the waters. Uni’s ridiculous laugh was silenced and engulfed by the furious waves!
Hours later, all the waters and skies on Earth turned tranquil and the strong thumping, beating sound finally receded! It was at that moment that the names of the titan gods were heard no more… all the animals of the golden age vanished from the earth and all memories of the past were forgotten….
Note: Page 5 of this book series brings us back to the Nordic and Greek mythological stories and characters that most of us grew up with! This is also where I established the connection to my first book " The Legend of Uni" To read this story for free, click on this link: Read here "The Legend of Uni". https://www.facebook.com/Uniadabella/?view_public_for=105663174495751
Comments