The Apple Maiden

"For stories about gods and mortals, this is perhaps one of the stranger ones. Not because a god punished a mortal for what was a minor action, those are common. But that the myth has become beloved rather than other so-called cautionary tales."

— Pyerson, Folk Scholar

A popular myth from ages ago, the story of "the apple maiden" is told across the Empire by people familiar with Rosali Arbora and her followers. The tale is said to date back to early years of the Empire, centering around a young woman who loved eating apples. However, she loved them so much she would eat the whole thing rather than planting the seeds for new trees to grow. Outraged by this, Rosali Arbora appeared before the maiden as the Green Mother and laid upon her a curse. Since the young one had prevented trees from growing, she would balance the debt owed to the world - by becoming a tree. It is said the tree still stands somewhere on a lonely hill, and birds will come to carry away seeds. Thus the cycle of life in the world was allowed to continue, and those who disrupted it was punished.

There are many variants which have sprouted over time, as readily as seeds scattered into rich earth. Most variations change the type of fruit which was eaten, but the lesson remains unchanged. The core lesson is in remembering to give back to the world as you take from it. Within the context of the myth, this means it is important to plant new crops so there is always a cycle in progress. The second lesson, which received less attention, was about not being wasteful with the bounties of nature. It is a simple thing to believe one person might not have an effect on the world, but if enough people believe that then the world will suffer for it. These two lessons are not among the core tenets of the Green Mother, but they still are a simple part of what her followers teach.

A curious variant is told in the western provinces of the Rhyliss Empire, where there a considerable amount of fruit orchards. According to the myth here, the maiden consuming the seeds was done in ignorance and the Green Mother chose a different punishment. She tasked the maiden with planting an orchard of apple trees for each apple seed which had been eaten, and no respite would be received until it was finished. As the maiden became a woman (and then an old crone), she would still enjoy apples and sometimes eat a seed unintentionally. When the final orchard had been planted, she sat down under the tree and closed her eyes to rest... but it became a permanent rest. The tree became a hallowed location, blessed by Rosali Arbora with a long and fruitful existence. The myth is a favorite local one, as the provinces are known to have considerable amounts of apple orchards even to this day.

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