THE FIRE SERPENT
of
The Potato Moon

J. P. Kanski

Prologue: Where, When, Why, What, and How

~ ~ The isle of Ottawan has always rested on the Yung Sea, midway between Shikoku, Japan, Tegucigalpa, and L'lasha. It was not always a tranquil place, as it is today. Over a thousand years ago this delicate island of sapphire and rose was held in the tight grip of Fear and Sorrow, and only a young girl would find the courage and resourcefulness to loosen it.

~~ Now, as it has been known to happen, Fear and Sorrow had in their union produced a terrible fire serpent. It was born in the black clouds that hung over Ottawan. The highest peaks of the Yung Mountains pierced these clouds causing a fierce storm that raged for three days. As the sky cried out, the monstrous creature crawled down the lightning bolts to the trembling peaks of the Yung Mountains. There among those peaks, at the centre of the island, the serpent slept for seven years. Then he awoke for the first time.

The Awakening

~~ Exactly seven years had passed since the Great Storm and the people of Ottawan awoke to a rumbling of the air. They feared another storm was about to descend, yet the sky was clear and beautiful. No black clouds presaged a possible storm as they had in the past. The only difference was a stillness that now rested on the slopes of the mountains. The mountains had stopped crying.

~~ That very morning New-Moon-Teh was on the southeastern slopes gathering wood with Grandfather Star-Wing-Teh, when `The Crying of the Mountains' stopped. He looked at his grandfather. The Oldman was standing as still as the mountains themselves. "When the mountains cease their crying, the people shall weep for their daughters," whispered the old man.
"Pardon ?"
"Your Great-Grandmother had a dream the night you were born. In her dream she was standing in the potato field at mid - day. A young girl, about as old as you are now, appeared before her and said that when the mountains cease their crying, the people shall weep for their daughters. Before Great-Grandmother could question her, the girl was transformed.

~~ The girl's body changed; her right leg became a pool of water, her left leg a small fire, her right arm became a shooting star, and her left arm a cloud of dust. On the ground where the girl had stood were nine shadows."
"What of the rest of her ?" asked the curious boy.
"A pile of potatoes."
"What ?"
" I said, a pile of potatoes. Your Great-Grandmother said the rest of the girl turned into a pile of potatoes. "
" What did Great-Grandmother do then ? "
" She gathered up the potatoes and took them to market in a cart. The cobbler bought them all and turned them into shoes for the whole village, Then she woke up to hear you crying your first breath."
" What do you think the dream means ?"
" Great-Grandmother shoes were too tight and she had too much potato wine with dinner. Whatever else it means, ...... well, we will learn soon enough."

~~ Soon enough came at mid-day. Throughout the villages and towns of Ottawan, the people had gathered. The weeping of the mountains had come to an end. Surely this was a sign of coming happiness. Many people took to the streets, singing and dancing. Their shoes were in piles. Many were drunk or getting there as the potato wine was passed from friend to friend. Silence crowded in on the peaks of Yung, surely a sign of future happiness. A few people, like New-Moon-Teh and Grandfather Star-Wing-Teh, were not so sure.

~~ That evening, as the Potato Moon rose over the Yung mountains and rested its light on the harvested potato fields, both celebrants and worriers slumbered. The Potato Moon reached its zenith and all the slumberers awakened. The air was filled with sounds, familiar and strange. The cries of the mountains had returned in the company of swift winds racing past huge sapphire wings.

~~ The sapphire wings lifted the serpent's long body as it stretched out across the sky. The moonlight glistened on skin as smooth as mother of pearl. It was the colour of rose and sapphire. The colours reflected down on the apprehensive countryside. The earth of the potato fields was the colour of blood and grief.

~~ The serpent was hungry. As it flew over the coastline it saw a sleeping whale. It ate it before the behemoth could wake up. The serpent belly was on fire. It was still hungry. It skimmed along the face of the Yung Sea. Dipping its enormous jaw in the water it swallowed the fish. In that instant the fishermen's catch for the next month was gone. It was still hungry.

~~ The cursed coiler shimmered, twisting over the night winds. Its silver tongue - half lighting bolt, half venom - flicked out across the sky. What would it eat next ? Morning was approaching. Dogs howled, cats screeched. That terrible tongue leapt out. The howling and screeching stopped. The dragon was still hungry.

~~ By now the islanders were in terror, sick with fear and too much potato wine. They now knew what the cries of the mountains were as they huddled, listening to the night air turn into dawn. Serpent scales rubbing together. Those beautiful, horrible scales rubbed together as the fire serpent breathed. They sounded like babies crying for their dead mothers.

~~ The people wept. Their tears tumbled to the ground. Lightning and venom cut through the first light of day. The tears were devoured before the ground was wet. Still the Dragon of Yung hungered. What next ? The potato harvest had been huge that year. It vanished faster than tears, pets, fish, or the whale. Still the beastly belly yearned to be filled.

~~ On the slopes, where New-Moon-Teh had been gathering wood with Grandfather Star-Wing-Teh the day before, the dragon settled and waited. Only one thing would appease that burning cold appetite. Soon that restless stomach would have what it desired most.

~~ After all, reasoned the Fire Serpent of Yung, the islanders would gladly surrender one girl. Then they all could all live in peace for another seven years. His belly twitched and gurgled with anticipation, not to mention the gas, potatoes and whale meat tended to do that to him.

The Summoning

~ ~~ It began like a gnat rubbing its legs behind your left ear. It became a low wind moaning in your bones. Finally, it turned into a hunger to get up and go to the Southeastern slopes of the mountains. What it was in actuality was the belly of the beautiful beast of Yung summoning its meal. All the people of the Isle of Ottawan were on the slopes by the morning of the next day. Many had bleeding feet. All had endless tears.

~~ The strongest, bravest, most battle experienced men prepared to defend their loved ones. Gathering up what weapons were at hand, they charged. A fine appetizer. Now it was up to the elected officials, their advisers, and backroom managers to protect the vulnerable populous. They prepared to make a deal.

~~ After listening to these defenders of the public good bicker and debate till noon, the Fire Serpent's sense of humour was becoming as thin as their public concern.

" Enough. I will eat. You will provide the meal." Its voice was mixture of smoke and silk. The elected officials, and some of the more ambitious managers, were very impressed and envious.
" My needs are simple. Quality is far more important for satisfaction than quantity. " The Dragon could see that this concept confused the officials and their manipulators. He pressed on, " I consumed far more than I required in an effort to satisfy my hunger. From now on I ask for only a very small quantity of food to meet my needs. As long as it is of suitable age and delicacy I will not require more than one. "
~~ This seemed reasonable to the officials, as the estimated the age and delicacy of their associates.
" More than one what ? " called out New-Moon-Teh. His youthful impertinence did not impress those elders who were less direct and forthright. Besides, they were hoping to influence the Dragon's choice.

"A girl. Only a young girl will do." came the reply of smoke and silk, with just a hint of sharp obsidian.

~~ Age and gender produced endless relief among the leadership. A particularly pompous premier from the North Bay took charge. Raising a wooden club from the Green Gulf for emphasis, he responded , "Quality over quantity sounds like common sense to me. Now, if you give us some time to devise some tests to determine the best candidate, uh, we will get back to y- "

" Born during the full moon, preferably the Potato Moon. She shall be no younger than thirteen years plus a day. And she can be no older than one day before her fourteenth year. Bring her to the Queen's Park at dawn of the next day. That will be the third day since I came to rest here, and you know what they say about dragons on the third day." With that remark the Dragon went to sleep.

~~ Now, no one knew what they said about dragons on the third day. Nor did they wish to learn. All turned to go, all except for New-Moon-Teh and his grandfather. Both stood, watching the quickly departing crowd, and wondering which created the greater devastation to the land, the dragon or the rapidly moving mass of islanders.

" Great - grandmother called to me last night. "
" She called me also. " replied Star - Wing - Teh.
" She said I must prepare to take a long journey if we are to rid the island of marks of Fear and Sorrow."
" I too must prepare for a long journey. "
" Then we shall travel together ! "
" No doubt, no doubt. " The old man turned and walked toward the sleeping dragon. Its tail twitched and Star - Wing - Teh 's broken body rested at his grandson's feet. Both had begun what was to be a very long journey indeed.

Footsteps fall on hard ground,
Time's tears watering the earth.
Who will harvest this crop ?

~~ The Queen's Park , in the city of Tor - ahn - Nah, was named in honour of a ruler who had the good sense to visit very infrequently and not interfere at all in the lives of her subjects. The politicians gathered there as a symbol of their citizenship and to distance themselves from the people who would be most affected by their decisions.

~~ The politicians and advisors gathered to come up with a plan of action. They decided it was for the best not to call the Queen. She dwelled on the large island of Niagaran. Not only was there little time to exchange messages, there was a strong possibility she might actually show up. No telling how that would upset things. The politicians had enough to deal with - dragons yes, Queen no.
Instead they decided that it was best to summon the girls who were the right age to satisfy the dragon's appetite. They would then test them to see if they had the characteristics most necessary to carry out this duty. The Premier from the North Bay produced a list.

" Who ever we pick must have the following attributes : stoic determination and a strong sense of civic mindedness, a willingness to work and accept unpleasant choices, respect for those in authority and the solutions they provide. We must also be assured that when the Dragon awakens again we will be prepared. We must make sure the populus is properly educated so that there will be no difficulty finding a young lady with such attributes when the need arises."

~~ All thought it was an excellent plan. They also clearly saw the need for private schools. No one would want the daughters of wealthy, important citizens to have such characteristics. There were enough ordinary citizens whose children could benefit from such an education, publicly, but not extravagantly funded . Private citizens would willingly pay to guarantee their own childrens' well being and future success.

~~ The hastily planned first Summoning did not go well. It was difficult to find a suitable candidate. To accommodate for this problem a posthumous scholarship was given to the chosen girl's parents, that their other offspring would be better educated. Obviously the educators had failed to produce students with the required characteristics. A new curriculum was set and strict training was imposed on the educators to ensure better results in the future.

~~ And so the tradition of the Summoning continued. Nine girls had looked into the eyes of the Fire Serpent. Nine families had a common sorrow. All those of humbler means shared common fears. When the tenth girl was summoned, none thought that a change was coming to Ottawan. It was and her name was Leh - Loh .

Fire Serpent of the Potato Moon Copyright 2000 by J. P. Kanski.©

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