> Date: Sat, 22 Apr 2000 14:34:30 -0500
> From: aelarsen_at_facstaff.wisc.edu
> Subject: How Eurmal Stole Voria's Innocence
>
> Here's another myth for the list. The basic idea for this one
> comes from Chad Brinkley, with changes and additions by myself.
> Once, after the Lightbringers brought Yelm back to the sky, Eurmal
> grew bored. He tried and tried but could find little to amuse himself, and
> he began to despair of ever being entertained again. But just as he had
> given up all hope of amusement, he saw Voria, the pure innocent Spring
> Maiden, and he decided that he wanted to steal her innocence.
> First he appeared to her as a handsome young man, bearing love
> gifts and pretty words, and in that way he tried to seduce her. But she
> was as children are, and could not understand his intentions.
> Next he appeared to her as a young maiden, bedecked in jewels and
> fine clothes, and tried to make her envious enough to steal something. But
> the Spring Maiden had no desire for anything other than what she already
> had.
> Finally, he appeared to her as a young Alynx kitten and began to
> play with her. After making her happy and laughing, he suddenly bit her
> hand and scratched her arm. Startled and in pain, she dropped the kitten,
> and Eurmal laid very still. When she recovered from her surprise, Voria
> tried to play with the kitten again, but now it just laid there, looking
> dead. Gradually Voria, who had never known or seen death, began to
> understand what death was, and she became disconsolate. She roamed
> aimlessly, weaping and shivering. Eurmal snuck away, and hid her innocence
> in a deep hole.
> As the Spring Maiden mourned, so too did the Spring around her.
> The ground stayed wet, flowers grew crookedly or not at all, Valind stole
> in with a late frost and killed many Spring plants. Ernalda became
> worried, and spoke to her other daughter, Babeester Gor.
> "Your sister is distressed and the world around her weeps. Since
> you protect the earth, go and learn what has hurt her."
> Babeester Gor went to her sister, but Voria was afraid of her and
> fled. After many such efforts, Babeester Gor became frustrated and went to
> speak to Lankhor Mhy. "Old Graybeard, make yourself useful for once and
> tell me what is wrong with my sister. She weeps and wails and runs from me
> when I try to speak to her."
> The Gray Lord ignored her rudeness, since it was Babeester Gor's
> way to speak to all men in such a fashion, and thought for a while. "It
> was the sight of death with drove Flesh Man mad, and at times he acted in
> such a way as you say. Her innocence has fled from her, and you must find
> it again."
> Babeester Gor returned to where she had last seen Voria playing,
> and began to search from there. With her skills at tracking, she soon
> found Eurmal's footprints and she followed them until she came to the place
> where Eurmal had hidden Voria's innocence. He had hidden it so well that
> she could not uncover it, but she was able to follow Eurmal on from there,
> until she found him, laughing uncontrolably.
> "You, Eurmal Lackwit, what is so funny?"
> When Eurmal saw her, he stopped laughing. "Nothing."
> "Your nothings are everyone else's somethings. What did you do to
> my sister?"
> "Nothing. Honest. Would I lie to you?"
> "More to the point, will you tell me the truth before I strangle
> the life out of you?" She went to grab him, but he turned into a sparrow
> and fled from her.
> Babeester Gor chased Eurmal all the way to Orlanth's hall. Eurmal
> turned into a man again, and hid behind Orlanth, who sat on his throne.
> "Grim Axe Maiden, why do you chase my fool?" said the king of the
gods.
> "He has stolen my sister's innocence. I will have it back and his
> head with it," growled the Avenging Daughter.
> "Eurmal," said Orlanth, "stop hide and come here."
> Eurmal came round the throne with a sheepish grin. "Hey, boss. It
> was just a game I was playing with Voria. How was I to know she'd get
> upset about it?"
> Orlanth scowled. "I cannot allow you to kill my fool. Although he
> is a troublemaker by birth, he is amusing and sometimes even useful. He
> has sworn an oath to me, and I cannot forget that. But he has done a great
> wrong to you, and things must be righted. He will return your sister's
> innocence, and he will owe you a debt in exchange for his head." Reluctant
> but glad to have his head, Eurmal returned Voria's innocence and admitted
> that he had tricked her. When he did so, Spring returned to the land, and
> Voria, innocent as ever, forgave the Trickster.
> This myth theoretically concerns divine doings after the Compromise
> and the start of Time, and many have speculated that it was created by a
> Eurmali heroquester, though the Eurmali themselves won't give a straight
> answer on it.
> The myth falls into two halves, both of which can act as the basis
> for a heroquest. In the first half, Eurmal deceives Voria and corrupts
> Spring. The Eurmali occasionally use this to gain unusual powers, but more
> commonly, a Trickster can use this heroquest (or be forced to perform it)
> against a rival farmer or tribe to cause the target a bad Spring. If
> successful, Winter lasts longer than normal, insects and pests multiply,
> and the Spring is wet and farming conditions poor, leading in turn to a
> poor harvest. The relevant stations are the three tricks played on Voria.
> More commonly, the second half is performed as a heroquest by a
> Babeester Gori to end a bad Spring. If winter lasts overlong or other
> adverse conditions appear, Voria can be declared to have lost her innocence
> and a local BG can quest to restore her innocent. The relevant stations
> involve Finding the hiding spot for the lost innocent (which is normally
> hidden inaccessably or occasionally guarded by something strange or
> monstrous), Tracking down Eurmal (which normally pulls an innocent Eurmali
> into the quest, usually from a rival or neighboring tribe), and Demanding
> justice from Orlanth. Success on this quest produces an ideal Spring, and
> sometimes allows the BG to acquire Eurmali magic temporarily.
>
> Andrew E. Larsen
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