Marudil's Journal: Entry #1

• Posted by MarkusMasterThief March 7, 2015 - 892 views

  Black Horse editor's note: The following is presumed to be an excerpt from the actual journal of the Bosmer known to Tamriel as "Marudil", although Imperial research into the excerpt's authenticity have been inconclusive. As the vicious outlaw has never once lived within civilized society, be it Imperial or otherwise, perhaps we may never know for sure if this journal entry was written by Marudil himself, or if it is simply a clever forgery. So for the time being, we of the Black Horse Courier consider the following to be little more than a curiosity to be featured in this special edition of the paper.

  

  4E 35

  The night grows cold and the wind is bitter, so I have set up a campfire at what looks to be the border between Valenwood and Elsweyr. As the fire warms my bones I am reminded of an ancient Bosmeri folk tale passed down by our ancestors. It tells of clever Fox, and how he gave fire to the primitive Bosmer: 

  Long, long ago, animals and trees talked with each other, but there was no fire at that time. Fox was most clever and he tried to think of a way to create fire for the world. One day, he decided to visit the Geese, te-tl, whose cry he wished to learn how to imitate. They promised to teach him if he would fly with them. So they contrived a way to attach wings to Fox, but cautioned him never to open his eyes while flying. Whenever the Geese arose in flight, Fox also flew along with them to practice their cry. On one such adventure, darkness descended suddenly as they flew over the village of the fireflies, ko-na- tcic-a. In midflight, the glare from the flickering fireflies caused Fox to forget and he opened his eyes--instantly his wings collapsed! His fall was uncontrollable. He landed within the walled area of the firefly village, where a fire constantly burned in the centre. Two kind fireflies came to see fallen Fox, who gave each one a necklace of juniper berries, katl-te-i-tse. Fox hoped to persuade the two fireflies to tell him where he could find a way over the wall to the outside. They led him to a cedar tree, which they explained would bend down upon command and catapult him over the wall if he so desired. That evening, Fox found the spring where fireflies obtained their water. There also, he discovered coloured earth, which when mixed with water made paint. He decided to give himself a coat of white. Upon returning to the village, Fox suggested to the fireflies, "Let's have a festival where we can dance and I will produce the music." They all agreed that would be fun and helped to gather wood to build up a greater fire. Secretly, Fox tied a piece of cedar bark to his tail. Then he made a drum, probably the first one ever constructed, and beat it vigorously with a stick for the dancing fireflies. Gradually, he moved closer and closer to the fire. Fox pretended to tire from beating the drum. He gave it to some fireflies who wanted to help make the music. Fox quickly thrust his tail into the fire, lighting the bark, and exclaimed, "It is too warm here for me, I must find a cooler place." Straight to the cedar tree Fox ran, calling, "Bend down to me, my cedar tree, bend down! Down bent the cedar tree for Fox to catch hold, then up it carried him far over the wall. On and on he ran, with the fireflies in pursuit. As Fox ran along, brush and wood on either side of his path were ignited from the sparks dropping from the burning bark tied to his tail. Fox finally tired and gave the burning bark to Hawk, i-tsarl-tsu- i, who carried it to brown Crane, tsi-nes-tso-l. He flew far southward, scattering fire sparks everywhere. This is how fire first spread over the earth. Fireflies continued chasing Fox all the way to his burrow and declared, "Forever after, Wily Fox, your punishment for stealing our fire will be that you can never make use of it for yourself." For the Bosmer, this too was the beginning of fire for them. Soon they learned to use it for cooking their food and to keep themselves warm in cold weather. I do not know why, but this folk tale has always stayed with me since my youth. The craftiness of Fox, and his charitable gift to those who had nothing... such kindness is unheard of in this "new age" of the gold-mer, who can think only of what benefits their unjust cause. Perhaps this is why I carry the tale of Fox with me; it is a reminder of a simpler time, when my people -- the Silvenar tribe -- were not at odds with the rest of the Valenwood nation. A time when we lived in harmony with one another... I wonder what might the Thalmor have learned from Fox's charity? The hour grows late and the moon is rising. I must rest and prepare for the long journey ahead of me. For I am alone in this sacred mission of mine... and I must gather as much strength as I can. May vengeance guide my arrows to retribution. -End of excerpt-