Story Time (for anyone who wants to tell myths)

Kiku paled at Yeosin's words. He finally mustered the courage to look at her. He flinched a little.

"My intention was not to upset you," he told her. "I hadn't realized it might until it was too late. For this I apologize." He bowed to her.

"Thank you," he responded to her last words and bowed again. Then he returned to silence.

---

Sorry everyone else for this little back-and-forth thing. I now return you to your regularly scheduled program.

"I can go next mates , if ya want. It ain't a myth persay, seeing as me native people still belive in it. But its up ta you lot" Drawled Adam for his corner.

Helena listened to the myth Kiku had presented with interest. She had never heard any Japanese myths before, so she wonderd how they were. After he told his tale of the sun goddess and her brother, she noticed how tensed the atmosphere was between. She heard the comments between Yeosin and Kiku and wondered what past they shared that would make the ancient Korean upset with the Japanese man. Artemis noticed this as well, for she got up, stood herself up on her hind legs while resting her front paws on the arms of Yeosin's chair, and licked Yeosin's face for a bit before stopping and making a whimper and a bark that said to the Asian woman, "Please don't feel mad or sad. We're here to have fun. Let us all continue to enjoy this event."

Helena smiled a little at the female wolf's concern for Yeosin. She really is a gentle and compassionate creature, she thought before giving Yeosin a warm smile to encourage her to stay. Her eyes, however, said to the Asian lady, 'If you wish to talk about this, you can talk to me later.' The Graecian then turned her attention to Kiku and said, "That's a very interesting myth. You did a superb job at telling it, Kiku."

When Adam spoke up, Helena gave a smile to Adam. "That sounds good, Adam. Please tell the tale you have in store for us," she replied.

Nekolis listened to the tale. It seemed far more interesting than his. He bit his lip and looked down at his hands. Unimpressive as always.

When Adam spoke he perked up a little. He was most curious to hear what the Australian had in store.

Adam turned off the light and placed a lit torch in the middle of the floor, then pulled out two, short, thick wooden sticks and started to tap them together in a steady rhythm. He stood on the balls of his feet and started to talk.

"A long long time ago, early in the Dreamtime, even before the sun had started to shine for the first time, there was a girl who decided to leave her clan because the elders would not let her to marry the man of her choice."

"She travelled far until she reached a very rocky area.There wasn't much food or water here and no place to sleep. The young woman was hungry, thirsty and tired but she refused give up and return to her people. Then she saw that a group of men from her tribe were coming to take her back by force. She ran even further into the most barren part of the land."

"Soon she was very exhausted and bruised by branches and rocks and she was near to death but somehow she managed to keep going. Eventually her ancestor spirits became so concerned for the girl that they lifted her gently away in to the sky world, where she slept peacefully for a long time."

"When she finally awoke she found plenty of food and water and lit a camp fire. She was all alone but not afraid and grateful that she was at last warm and safe. She was as determined as ever to live alone forever rather than return to her tribe but as she looked down on them she saw that most of the men and women were sad that she had gone and her heart began to soften. After a few days she found she was feeling very homesick but now she belonged to the sky world and was unable to return home."

"As she watched her people she saw that they were very cold. But because they were occupied with the chores of daily life, they could not sit by their camp fires and keep warm as she now could.

The young woman decided to build up her camp fire and make it so big that it would warm all the people down below as they went about their day. So all day long she built up her fire to give warmth to her people and as night came she let her fire die down as they were then able to sit by their own camp fires."

"When she saw how happy this made her people, she made up her mind to light her camp fire afresh each day. Soon her people began to look each morning for her sky-world fire. They were very grateful for the warmth it gave them and they called it 'The Sun'. The End"

He sat back down.

(not the best story i could have picked lol, mostly copy and pasted XD )

Helena was fascinated with Adam's story. She had never heard such a incredible myth before. She thought about the young girl and it made her think of how in some ways, she was a goddess of the sun. The fatc that she did the thigns for her people, despite their traditions that she was against, was heartwarming.

When Adam was done, Helena smiled and said, "That was an excellent tale, Adam. Thank you for telling it."

Kiku listened to Adam's story and was awed. He had even set the mood, with that light and rhythm. Kiku blinked when it was finished, coming back to reality.

"That was amazing, Adam-kun," he said, "It's very interesting to hear something like that, since I've never heard it before. And you did an excellent job of telling it." He spoke sincerely. "The sun is a very important thing...sorry if that seems an obvious thing to say, but...I'm not sure quite how to express what I mean."

Once again, Kiku silenced himself with a sigh. He had a hard time getting the correct words out sometimes.

Adam grinned, sheepishly. They'd liked it? It wasnt even one of his favourite stories, he was keeping those for later.

"Im glad you both liked it" he smiled.

What a wonderful story. His words entranced him and drew him into the story. Such a truly captivating tale. The young nation beamed at the burly nation.

"That was great Mr. Adam. Thank you for sharing it."

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Not my original post. Not sure what happened. OTL

It was Nekolis's turn next. Meaning another Greek myth!!! What could be better than this moment for Lily? She closed her eyes and let herself emerge into the tale as he spoke.
The myth developed to such an intense level. However, it was for such personalities of the Greek deities that Lily grew even more and more interested in the story. And finally, she smiled delightfully as it reached a happy ending.
So she eyed Nekolis with admiration.
"Such a wonderful tale Nekolis. I would love to hear more of you some time if you do not mind."

And followed was Kiku's story. She had never heard a Japanese tale before, so she eagerly looked at him waiting. Kiku was a fantastic taleteller. Lily could tell it right from the great concentration he had before he began. He must have prepared it very carefully.
As the story went, Lily was kind of scared for a moment. It was so .... violent. But when the Amaterasu goddess was tricked out of the cave, her warm light also seemed to go through to Lily's heart. It was such a relief to see that justice always winned.
The awkward moment between Kiku and Yeosin confused Lily a great deal. Was Yeosin upset with Kiku for telling such a myth? Lily did not have any idea. But surely it was a sensitive matter and she knew she did not have any rights to ask. So she smiled and nodded at Kiku as a polite thank-you.

The next one was Adam. Lily had already been impressed by his traditional outfit from the first time so she was really looking forward to hearing his story. She was even more eager as Adam set up the torch. It would certainly be interesting
And it was, as she expected. Amazing! Such a moving story! The girl was so kind and so considerate. Lily glanced outside the window where the sunlight was streaming through. Thank you for bringing happiness to everybody in this world. She gratefully looked up at Adam
"It was a fascinating story Adam. I would never forget this touching myth. Thank you for sharing it with me."

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orz poor lil thread >u< sorry I have left you so long -pats-
Sorry guys for this utter lateness. I'm back now xD

Yeosin smiled, stroking Artemis's fur. She nodded at Helena, seeing the woman's concern. It was not her intention to make things awkward for everyone. As she listened to Adam's story, she felt her heart warm.

"That was wonderful, Adam-nim!"

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Sorry for the late/short response! I finally have internet access, but I think it might be expensive for the family. Thus, I won't be on every night, but I'll try to be on at least every few days.

Seeing that Kiku would go next, Trang was so eager to know which story the Japanese had chosen.

She knew some myths around Asia, but she hadn't heard of this one about Amashiteru. Kiku's every word gradually came together to form images of the legend in her mind. She almost always imagined things as they were mentioned so it became a habit. That was why the mention of Susanoo's brutal sins made her shudder. Trang promptly closed her eyes to push the newly formed images out of her mind. How scary, scary was the fact that the god could go to such length just to offend his own sister. Trang couldn't help but relate the storyline to reality as her mind drifted to the far past...

Offending a family member was an unreasonable choice. She could never comprehend why the idea could incite anyone to bear hard on a sibling. "What can be gained from that?" The question from a little girl had not seem to count for much significance, since her brother had never given a satisfying answer. A thousand year of being dominated felt like a fleeting illusion now. It was the past after all, but that question was still hanging on her mind.

Trang snapped out of it when the light was out and a torch was lit. She was looking around with a confusedly when Adam's voice resounded in the room. The setting and Adam's outfit made the tale seemed more real somehow, captivating everyone. She hit her cheeks gently for several times to remind herself to focus. The tale was a lovely and touching one. Such a strong-willed and compassionate personality suited a Sun Goddess. "It is such a touching myth Adam!"

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TT.TT Sorry for the lateness, my original reply got eaten and such a long one too.... *crai*

I forgot xDDDD The part about a thousand years mentioned above was a period in Vietnamese history. Successive dynasties based in China ruled Vietnam directly for most of the period from around 111 BC until 938 AD when Vietnam regained its independence ^^~

Helena grinned. The event was going well so far. She was extremely pleased witht he myths that had been told so far. What an enjoyable evening this shall be, she thought. She looked around the room and saw that no one had offered up to tell another story. Maybe they will volunteer themselves if I speak.

"So, who wants to tell the next myth?" Helena asked with a smile.

Trang smiled sheepishly at Helena and spoke in a soft voice "Helena, I can go next". A slight blush spread across her face as the Vietnamese walked to the center of the room.

"T-The one I am going to tell is probably the oldest of all myths in my house.". Pausing a bit to make sure everyone was listening, Trang took a deep breath. She remembered the time when she learned of this ancient myth... her first myth. It had always been special to her, and she knew what she was about to say was not just her mere words. They contained the wisdom and dreams of all her people. Trang's eyes turned dreamy and she began.

"When the earth was still uninhabited by human, a Golden Dragon flew up from the ocean waves and descended on the seashore. He transformed into a handsome young man. He was "Lac Long Quan", son of the powerful Water Dragon Goddess. Lac Long Quan had extraordinary strength and supreme intelligence inherited from his mother.

As he wandered through the land of Lac Viet, he noticed a monstrous black bird swooping down and seizing a fragile white crane. Lac Long Quan immediately hurled a nearby rock at the Demon Bird, causing it to let go of the crane. He then fought with the ferocious beast and eventually gained victory.

As the young god drew near, the crane transformed into a beautiful fairy. She was "Au Co", daughter of the Mountain God. Au Co traveled to heal those who suffered because she was skillful in medicine and had a sympathetic heart. She had turned into a crane to fly away from the Demon.

As time went by, the two developed a deep love for each other. "Will you be my wife?" he stammered to her one day. Au Co agreed and they were married. They built a stilt house in a lush garden inhabited by many species of animals. Their happiness was complete when Au Co gave birth to a pouch filled with one hundred eggs, which soon hatched into one hundred beautiful babies. Their children grew up fast to be strong and smart like their father, and as kind-hearted and skillful as their mother.

However, problems soon emerged. Lac Long Quan, being a Water Dragon by nature, couldn't stay on dry land for too long. Therefore, he had to return to his submarine palace occasionally. Days full of sadness would pass without news of him. Separated from her husband for long periods, Au Co grew lonely and homesick. She began to dream of her lofty, native land. One day when they were apart, she cried out anguishedly for him. Lac Long Quan was immediately at her side. Au Co reproached him softly for leaving her and the children.

"I am of the Dragon race, you are of the Immortals. Our habits and needs are different so we must live apart. It is difficult, but at least we have had our time together." – Lac Long Quan said with a sad expression.

Sorrowful as she was, Au Co didn't say a thing. She knew this was how things had to be. However, their children needed the guidance of both to cultivate their land and lived in harmony with nature. Thus, a decision was made.

"Half of you" - said the Water God to his children - "will accompany your mother to the mountains and half of you will live with me beside the sea. Should either group ever face grave danger, the other group will come to their aid."

So, Lac Long Quan took fifty children to the coast and divided the areas for them to govern. He taught them the skills of fishing and planting rice, as well as how to cook them. Au Co took fifty children to the highlands. They were taught to live in the jungles and mountains, breed animals and cultivate the soil to grow fruit trees for food.

These children soon had their own kingdom and civilization flourished. Therefore, it is believed that everyone belongs to one extended family. Just as Lac Long Quan and Au Co promised to each other, all of the people should love, honor and protect one another.

Um, that is the end of my story..."

Trang nervously glanced around the room, waiting for others' reactions to her myth.

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ewe y u so long, my post? >3<

Note: Lac Viet is the former name of Vietnam :'D

Okay, so the myth above is expected to be memorized by all Vietnamese citizens \>w</ Well, today, many kids said the story was odd because Au Co laid eggs which became a hundred babies and all! I too asked so many tricky questions years ago that my Mom eventually got angry ewe And she never told my little brother this one until he was old enough lol

Nekolis listened to the story. It tugged at his heart. The decision to leave half of his children. It must have been hard, but without the sacrifice her nation could not exist.

"That was pretty Trang. A great dragon and a beautiful fairy." he blushed as he said fairy, eyes darting from her to his hands. "Thank you for sharing it"

"That was very well told, Trang-san," Kiku praised. And he would have expected nothing less of her telling of that particular myth. He had known of it vaguely, but it was much better to hear it from her. "Thank you."

Helena listened to the story with fascination, like a little kid receiving a treat. She found it a bit sad that the children had to be seperated from one another, but at least both the the immortal creatures could find a way to exist in some way.

When the story was done, Helena clapped her hands and smiled warmly at Trang.

"That was an enchanting tale, Trang. I'm so glad I heard it. You did an amazing job telling it," Helena complimented.

She could not take her eyes off the slender figure that stood in the middle of the room.
Stunningly impressive!
It came as such a surprise to her. She did not expect Trang to have told such a meaningful tale. Yet, from this wonderful myth, the Liechtenstein girl now could somehow see through the mighty unity of the small but strong dexterous people in the faraway Asian country.

Home is where the heart is. Even when the Lac Long Quan god must part with his beloved wife, and when the hundred children must separate from each other; they still cast thoughts of and always be there for one another.
Lily could not help but think of her Bruder. He, by some means, never failed to help her out in every circumstances. Always being that thoughtful ...

Blinking for a moment, she suddenly caught herself drifting in her own world again. How impolite of her. She had not thanked the Vietnamese for her gift yet.
"It is really nice Trang!" She complimented with a bright smile on her face. "What a pleasant surprise to hear such a stunning tale."

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OOC: What happened to this thread ;A; It had such promise orz

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IDK ;^;

I think Trang was supposed to post next... but I've been busy, so I haven't be keeping up with it.

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So does it mean that Trang's turn is next now? owo/

“I’m so glad you all like the myth” – A bright smile spread across her face as Trang glanced at everyone in the room. She was a tad anxious that it might not be to the others’ taste since it was a rather sad tale, but their praise had proved her worry futile.

Trang bowed politely before retreating to her seat, not forgetting to express her gratefulness. "Thank you for listening. It's such a pleasure to present the tale to you". Sitting down on the couch, she took a deep breath to partly calm her excitement. It was such a nice experience, and the Vietnamese felt energized by this event. She was all eager to hear the next tale now.

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I was waiting for Yeosin or Adam actually xD But such a great thread really should continue <3

"Shall I go next?" Adam asked, turning the light of again. He brought out his torch again but this time did not place it in the middle of the floor. He took out two different colours of cellophane attached to cardboard. The cardboard had two windows on which the cellophane was stuck too. His torch had a dimming button and he placed it on the lowest setting. "This is a story of Awabakal. Its called The Time The Moon Cried. Different clans often have different myths." He explained.

Adam placed the blue cellophane over the torch. "Back in the time of Creation, the DreamTime, there was a moon spirt and a Sun spirit. The Moon spirit was a man, who never showed his full face, then Sun spirit was a woman, who always showed her full face". As he spoke about the sun, he replaced the cellophane to yellow and turned the settings to its brightest.

"Because of this the people of the land were at their most active in the day and not in the night" Adam dimmed the light again and changed the colour to blue. "One night when the Moon was feeling particularly lonely, he reasoned that his people did not care for him. That they loved the Sun much more. This made him very sad. He decided to go away and leave his people to only enjoy the sun" Adam moved the blue light higher and higher up, standing. "As he went higher and higher into the sky, the Moon became sadder and sadder. After a time, he became so sad be began to cry. He cried and cried, and as he did, his tears fell towards Mother Earth and began to form Belmont Lagoon."

"When he finally stopped crying, he started to think. Was he too harsh? Been to quick to think they didnt care? What if they were already missing him? So he decided to return" Adam moved the light lower and lower again, now crouching. " As he approached Mother Earth, he could hear all the people of the land rejoicing. They were so happy that a freshwater lagoon had appeared. Now they had more supplies of plants, fish and animals for food. It also provided an excellent place for swimming."

"Their happiness made him feel better. As he got further down , he could see his reflection in the water. And his happiness made his face beam. For the first time in his life, he showed his full face." Adam kept the blue cellophane and turned the light to its fullest settings again. " His people celebrated even more and from the night onwards his full face was a time of celebration."

Helena was enchanted by the next talke that Adam told. His people certianly have some very intersting myths. It's no wonder that the culture in his country is so alive, she thought with a smile. Though the Moon was so self-conscious and felt he wasn't loved, he indeed was appreciated for the gift he gave to the people of Earth. And the fact that it made them happy made the Moon happy, too.

When Adam finished, Helena applauded.

"That was truly an encahnting tale, Adam. You are a fantastic story-teller," Helena complimented the Australian with a big smile.

Adam grinned, pale blush spreading across his tanned face. "Aw, it aint much, but thanks though!" He sat back down.