[align=center]The Storm Cloud and the Volcano, by Uhr-Kulmbizharr[/align]
Once upon a time, there was a volcano of fire and smoke that towered above the plains below. One day, a storm cloud passed by upon shrieking winds and announced its power to all the world:
“Behold me and tremble! My body blots out the sun and swathes the land in darkness. My hail cuts down the harvest and lay the fields bare. My lightning bolts melts sand to glass and flesh to cinders. I fly wherever I like, for no shackles in the whole world can bind me in one place. I am become akin to a god, for nothing can stand before me!” thundered the storm cloud.
At this boasting, the volcano let loose a roar from the depths of the earth. Lava poured forth, rocks rained down upon the shaking landscape, and tons upon tons of ash shot into the sky, polluting the storm cloud and drowning it. Thus the elements of air and water were dominated by fire and stone. Henceforth, the storm cloud was branded by the volcano, for its body had been soiled by ash and its downpour had become acidic with the stuff of volcanoes. For there is no power on earth mightier than that of its fiery depths.
- The Storm Cloud and the Volcano, by Daemonsmith Uhr-Kulmbizharr the Blind, the renowned Chaos Dwarf author of fable stories during the foundation of Zharr-Naggrund*
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* Similar stories, focussed upon natural elements, minerals, geology, tectonics and volcanoes, are common amongst both uncorrupted Dwarfs and their fallen Chaos Dwarf cousins. They are often without any apparent moral lesson, yet informs the world view of Dwarf and Chaos Dwarf children alike. To the Dawi Zharr, fire and lava holds great significance. Hashut in His guise of the Great Firebull thunders through the molten underground, and volcanic eruptions are ascribed with much portentuous meaning.
Come on Dînadan! Please don't generalize. I have heard many fairy tails. And I probably read more books then anyone around here(Yes I think so) but I never heard a single story with thinking/talking clouds and volcanoes or similar elements or natural disasters. Never.
Maybe it's a common thing in Scandinavia and/or Great Britain but not here in Austria.
Herby
Quick google gives:
http://www.aesopfables.com/cgi/aesop1.cgi?2&TheFirTreeandtheBramble&&firbram2.ram
http://www.aesopfables.com/cgi/aesop1.cgi?2&TheFoxandtheBramble
http://www.aesopfables.com/cgi/aesop1.cgi?3&TheNorthWindandtheSun
All from Aesop; I'm willing to bet there are other out there. ;)
@Dinadan and Herby: These kind of stories where rocks and trees speak are common in rural cultures with animist believes where all things are considered to have a spirit. Native americans, oceania, africa etc.
Haha, yeah, it’s really silly when you come down to it. Thanks for liking it, Dînadan and MadHatter.
The thing here is that I’m trying to move outside my comfort zone (which does not include talking mountains!) and try some oddball story types. It’s worth a try, since that kind of variety could give a sheen of “realism”, because real folk culture is filled with all kinds of stuff. Some, or a lot even, of which I don’t like.
Ancient Assyrian/Babylonian fables included, amongst other things, talking palm and date trees comparing each other to find out who’s best. That’s not my cup of tea, but if I’m to attempt it once or thrice anyway, how would a Chaos Dwarf version look like? Perhaps a War Boar and a Taurus bragging to each other, or some natural disaster conversations. I won’t try this kind of thing too much, since it’s hard to come up with ideas for it in the first place.
This is now my newest favorite tale of Uhr-Kulmbisharr…and why you may ask? This is why:
@Dinadan and Herby: These kind of stories where rocks and trees speak are common in rural cultures with animist believes where all things are considered to have a spirit. Native americans, oceania, africa etc.
MadHatter
I too love Native American and Meso-American fables of talking rocks, rivers and tree’s.
In fact Japanese Shinto culture believes all tree’s to harbor the souls of the dead and evil spirits…before a tree is cut down a Shinto priest first talks to the forest and apologizes to it. Dried beans or seeds are then scattered at the doorway of newly built homes and buildings to drive away the spirits lest they try to come back to inhabit the wood that was cut from the tree.
Thanks a lot, folks! Animism is the root of all subsequent religions, and should feature in the Chaos Dwarf world view as well. Though less about living things and more about violent natural phenomena like earthquakes and lightning store. Then there will be some more fables like this, if I can get any ideas. :hat off
Mhm mhm. I don't know Aesop. And I never heard those stories before. I read them and I don't like them. I have an huge range of all kind of fantasy stuff in my head but when it comes to talking natural disasters or bushes I quit.
Herby
I think the problem is you're taking things too literally - these are metaphors not 'literal' stories.
@MadHatter: I thought as such, but didn't mention it as I didn't have time to research it to provide references to back up the claim due to having to leave for hospital (as an aside my replies will be spotty at best for the next few days due to being in hospital for major surgery).
Not to get too real world for a second but there was a fable about a bush set alight by the voice of God in the Christian teaching that laid down the commandments. Also herby how can you say you have read fables and not know Aesop? His works are truly immortal and reach children in allmost every tongue on the planet.
Point is every culture I know has some where a object that is seen as none living that conveys a story. Be it a storm cloud, a bush or the wind.
First of all I jpust loved the fable. A simple yet most entertaining one).
Quite an interesting discussion you have here guys! I agree that this kind of story is indeed most typical for rural countries. For. Example Udmurts ( you probably never heard of them. It’s one of the nations in Russia) who still have their pagan pantheon even today and still are mostly rural society have ancient stories and legends, where most characters are either elements or things, rather than people. Rivers, mountains, forests, all have a character and often cooperate or argue. So for me it makes this story one of the most “believable” ones. ) :cheers
