Master Olo and the Dragon

Master Olo and Dragon is a popular story that is told all throughout Eltcarem. It started out as a story told among the tortles of Scaal Belas, but later found its way to the mainland. Once there, people loved to hear the story, and many people replaced Master Olo with a member of their own race.

Summary

Master Olo was a tortle who lived long, long ago on the island Scaal Belas. Olo lived in a village at the base of Mount Elnom, and was the wisest of all the tortles on the island. One day, Olo decided that he wanted to see what the island looked like from on top of the mountain. But Olo knew that danger lurked at the top of the mountain, for that is where the great dragon Noapun the Loud lived. This was in the days when dragons ruled all over Eltcarem, and Scaal Belas was no exception. But he would not let the fearsome dragon stop his pursuit of seeing the beauty of the island, so he began his climb. When he finally reached the top, Noapun roared, "Who are you that has climbed my mountain?"

"I am but a poor, old tortle who simply wants to see the beauty of this island before I die. Would you grant me this wish?"

"No!" roared the dragon, "for only the strongest may sit atop this mountain and gaze upon the island's beauty. And since I am stronger than you, you must leave." And Noapun laughed.

"Are you sure that you are that much stronger than me?" said the old tortle.

"Of course I am!" said Noapun. "You are old and frail, and I am a dragon! How could be so foolish to think that you could be stronger than me!"

"Alright," said Master Olo, "then I propose a challenge to see who is the strongest."

"A challenge? Of course I will defeat you in any challenge of strength! What will it be?"

"The strongest one will be the one who carries his home across the island and back. Do you accept?" asked the tortle.

"Hah! I will prove that I am the strongest. And the loser must leave the island and never come back! How about that?"

Master Olo thought about Noapun suggestion, and accepted. With nothing but the shell on his back, Olo started down the mountain. Noapun, in all his treachery, flew down to the tortle village and burned every building to the ground, for surely Olo could not carry his home if it were burned to ashes. After doing this, Noapun flew back to his mountain. He gripped the peak and flapped his mighty wings. He flapped his wings for three days and three nights, but not even a dragon is strong enough to lift a mountain. Finally, he gave up, thinking that there would be no winner, but then, Master Olo returned.

"I see that you could not lift your mountain to carry it across the island," said the tortle.

"You are correct, but I see that you did not carry your house across the island, for I burned it to ashes!"

"Ah, but that was not my home," Master Olo explained. "My home is right here on my back." He pointed to his shell.

Noapun raged, but eventually he relented and left the island. Then, Olo stood on top of the mountain and was content. He built a monastery there, so that all of the tortle could come and meditate on the beauty of their island.

Historical Basis

The story is traced back to an actual event in the First Era. The monastery founded by Master Olo still stands, and inside there are murals depicting the episode. The historian Timothy Egen mentions Master Olo in his work "The History of Scaal Belas and Its Peoples."

Spread

The story started out being told solely among the tortles of Scaal Belas, but eventually spread to the rest of Eltcarem.

Variations & Mutation

The story has stayed mostly the same over the generations, probably because it is based on a historical event remembered by the tortles. As the story was told in other cultures, however, some changes did occur. Some people changed Master Olo to a member of their own race, and many added in an actual fight to slay the dragon. The tortles still tell the story as it has always been told, because for them it is not a legend, it is their history.

In Art

There are murals covering the inside of the Mount Elnom monastery depict the events of this story.

Date of First Recording

Murals found in the Mount Elnom monastery date back to the early Second Era.

Date of Setting

1E 2050