A Zalnduu story for children

"now listen children and I will tell you a tale of when the ancient ones ruled. But first I shall tell you of the spirits which you land forsakes so.
First are the sisters of origin. Beltza the youngest sister. And Bizitza the oldest. Beltza governs death and the time of the end. When she comes for you do not fear her arrival go willingly. For she is gentle and kind. Beware though young ones. Beltza does not bargain and she does not give. Bizitza on the other hand loves and shelters her children. But only those that show their love back" she said and lifted her long hair smiling. "This is the contract to life.  This will show your age and how much love she has for you."

Next ate the three of water. Ibaiaren, the river, Bazterren, the ocean and Ekaitz, the storm. Ibaiaren Will provide you the drink of life and water to quench your thirst. But you must thank her for her gift young ones or else it may boil in your hand and mouth. Bazterren gives you fish to eat if you can catch them but you must be careful when you enter her depths or she may swallow you  whole. Ekaitz gives you your name and renews the earth. Her joyous tears bring freshness, and her touch grants power." She showed the branded butter fly on her face. "I am the butterfly so named by my mother and branded upon me by lightning."

The Brothers Harria and Lurra, and their little sister Elurra are next little pups. Harria the mountain is big and strong.  He protects your soul and keeps it deep inside his depths.  He gives you the Heartstone to show your  love to another, and so all may know your well being. Or at least those whom have your Soulstones.  Lurra, the Earth only wishes to embrace you as you sleep. His warm arms hold you close  and relieve your stress and pains. Elurra only wishes to hug her older brother. She spreads her arms across the world and blankets it in her body. She is beautiful and wishes to share her beauty with you. So cover yourself not when you see her white form of snow.

Izaki of animals, Ehiza, of the hunt, and Izaera of nature all wish for the same thing. Respect them and the gifts they give. Respect the animals you kill to provide food.  Show appreciation to the plants that grow. And thank them for allowing you to hunt and kill.

Arnasa fills your lungs and asks for nothing. She is gracious in her gift of breath. All you must do is breathe. Zerua Is beautiful too and gives you beauty in voice. Zerua, the sky, is who lets me speak to you now in your native tongue and not my own. Be careful with her patrons though. She loves to hear your sing and your roar. Do not deny her of them. Can you roar for Zerua?" she asks tilting her head a little.

Sua, the flame will keep you warm when you are cold, keeps you loose when you are stiff. You must show thanks for his warmth and heat by making a flame for him to sit, or smoke the herbal leaf for him to smell. Ametsa the dream helps you to sleep. She gives you visions in your mind and pleasure in your body. She asks for nothing more than for you to rest.

Finally are the sisters of demands. Borrokatzea, She is the one of battle and flesh. She asks for the skin of your enemies or the skin of yourself. Do not forsake her or soon a battle may come to you. Gerra, of the War can bring clarity of mind and peace of self.  She can bring strength and energy, and allows you to kill.  For her gifts she asks for limbs and life.  That of those fallen before you. Or perhaps a part of you. Odoletan  is tricky, she gives you the blood in your veins but  asks for it back. If you grant her offering she refreshes and renews your vigor. These three rest with in my eyes at this very moment. Though be careful you don't look at them or they may ask their offerings of you.  Now then on with the origin of the tribes.

Long a go before you, before me, before even my grandmother walked upon this earth, there were creatures. They were small at first no bigger than a mouse. No bigger than a shrew.  They lived happily with the Gorgon and the Tricims. Large beasts that hunted and roamed the entire land. The gorgons were stupid but fast. They wasted their food only taking one bite from anything they hunted before hunting again. The Tictims were the grazers. They wandered the land from place to place eating all the plants they could find. They took and took giving nothing back and never thanked the spirits for their gifts. Never saw the beauty of the land around them.

Zerua, the sky, was angry for they never sang. Elurra, snow and beauty, was angry for they never saw her. Ibaiaren, the river, was furious for they only took from her. Her sister Bazterren, the ocean, was angry as well for the advantages they had taken of river. One day the spirits collaborated. They had to destroy the unworthy creatures and rid the world of their soulless forms. Lurra, the earth, Sua, fire, Arnasa, breath, and even Izaera, Nature herself, came up with a plan.

Lurra screamed. She screamed in agony as  the blade of battle pierced her flesh and ripped her asunder.  The blood of the earth, Thick, molten, and hot poured forth from her huge gaping wounds. It spewed forth and covered the land, lighting anything it touched ablaze. Sua laughed at her sister spirit reveling in her ability to run rampant. The forests burned, the grass shriveled. And all ran from them.  The animals started to die. But it was not enough. Arnasa, she who lives in your chest, she who you feel when you breathe in and out, She became toxic and choked the gorgons. When they breathed she did not let them live. Her toxins infected Ekaitz, storm, though. Now Ekaitz had been opposed to this until now. However, when the toxins got into her they caused great pain and made her weep across the whole land.

Ekaitz cried and cried trying to  help sooth her children with her tears. But Arnasa's work had been done. As she cried for her children her tears fell as acid. It burned their flesh, and killed the lovely tree's. The horrors that she had inflicted upon the land only caused her to weep more. Ocean and river became poison though storms' influence. They killed the fish, and suffocated  the  seas. All the while Lurra still screamed.

The spirits, for thousands and thousands of years continued this. The gorgon died. And the Tictims died as well.  They were wiped away from the earth for their transgressions. However, Bizitza, the spirit of life, was displeased with her younger sister Beltza, death, for taking so many of her children. And so she sheltered her smallest ones. The little shrews and mice, the little nameless ones. When the rage of the spirits had eased,  She shaped these little ones. She made them in to new creatures.  Big ones and small ones. Rhinos, and turtles, fish for the sea, birds for the sky, Horses , camels, and finally the first tribe.

Bizitza and her sister, and brother spirits had decided that to keep Lurra from crying once more, and to keep Izaera from hating her world. They must have caretakers to balance all life on earth. And so Life gave rise to the Azaknalduun. The first of the tribes. However, they did not know the spirits. For they could not see them, they could not hear them. And like the animals before them they too struggled in this world and began to die.

One day though a young girl came forward. Her name was Urrezko Begi, She with the golden eyes. When she opened her mouth, she spoke not her own words. The spirits spoke though her. They told the Azaknalduun of Lurra's rage and Izaera's pain. Thankfully the first ones, that ancient tribe listened to her words. They  followed the rules of the spirits. And they thrived. And that is how the world came to be little ones. Remember that you must follow the rules of the spirits. Or else the air will become toxic in your lungs. Maybe next week I'll tell you about the second tribe, and finally My tribe the Zalnduu.