Feast For The Bird

The Story

There once was a young boy, who was running through the forests near his hometree when he saw a dark shape fly overhead. Realising it must be a great bird, he ran after it and saw it land in a tree he had never seen before. The tree was three times higher than his hometree and amongst its branches was the biggest nest the boy had ever seen. He was staring in wonder, when the great bird spotted him.
"What are you doing, boy?" the great bird asked.
The boy knew a lot about great birds. He had listened carefully to the wash stories, and he knew that this great bird was likely the wise and generous bird he had heard about. 'Perhaps,' thought the boy, 'if I persuade this great bird to stay here, it will bring prosperity to the land and my family's sirap farm will thrive once more.'
So he said, "I have come to greet you, oh great bird. And ask you what can be done to make you more comfortable here."
"Why?" the great bird asked.
The boy was not so foolish as to lie to the great bird, and so he said, "so that you might consider staying here."
The great bird nodded its large head for a moment, and then said, "I am rather hungry."
While the boy knew a lot about great birds, he had never once heard a wash story about what they ate. "What are you hungry for?" he asked.
The great bird settled into its nest. "I am hungry for something soft and white, like the clouds," it said. "Bring me something like this tomorrow morning and I will consider staying."
The boy was elated, for he knew of just the thing. And so, he rushed to his hometree and told his mother the good news. She was excited to learn of the great bird, and helped him prepare his dish.
The next morning, the boy returned to the great bird with his mother and the dish they had made together. "Here, oh great bird," the boy said. "We have made you sirap eggs in a breakfast sauce."
The great bird ate the eggs, plate and all, before looking back at the boy and his mother. "They were good, but too creamy for my taste."
"Is there something I could make you instead?" the boy asked.
The great bird settled further into its nest. "I am hungry for something surprising, like the sunrise," it said. "Bring me something like this tomorrow morning and I will consider staying."
The boy was elated, for he knew of just the thing. And so, he and his mother rushed to their hometree and told his sister the good news. She was excited to learn of the great bird, and helped them prepare the dish.
The next morning, the boy returned to the great bird with his mother and his sister and the dish they had made together. "Here, oh great bird," the boy said. "We have made you a delicate mousse from vellorn flowers."
The great bird ate the mousse, plate and all, before looking back at the boy and his mother and his sister. "The mousse was good, but too sour for my taste."
"Is there something I could make you instead?" the boy asked.
The great bird settled further still into its nest. "I am hungry for something round, like the moon," it said. "Bring me something like this tomorrow morning and I will consider staying."
The boy was elated, for he knew of just the thing. And so, he and his mother and his sister rushed to their hometree and told his brother the good news. He was excited to learn of the great bird, and helped them prepare the dish.
The next morning, the boy returned to the great bird with his mother and his sister and his brother and the dish they had made together. "Here, oh great bird," the boy said. "We have made you juicy meatballs from sirap meat, wrapped in spicy cheese."
The great bird ate the meatballs, plate and all, before looking back at the boy and his mother and his sister and his brother. "The meatballs were good, but too spicy for my taste."
"Is there something I could make you instead?" the boy asked.
The great bird settled even further still into its nest. "I am hungry for something soft, like the sound of the tide against the tree roots," it said. "Bring me something like this tomorrow morning and I will consider staying."
The boy was elated, for he knew of just the thing. And so, he and his mother and his sister and his brother rushed to their hometree and told his father the good news. He was excited to learn of the great bird, and helped them prepare the dish.
The next morning, the boy returned to the great bird with his mother and his sister and his brother and his father and the dish they had made together. "Here, oh great bird," the boy said. "We have made you a thick pudding using oton grains and perpea juice."
The great bird ate the pudding, plate and all, before looking back at the boy and his mother and his sister and his brother and his father. "The pudding was good, but too salty for my taste."
The boy was worried now, so he said, "Please, great bird. We have brought you four dishes and you have eaten each one. Our farm is not doing well and yet we have fed you and tried to please you. Won't you stay and help us?"
The great bird tilted its head to one side, as is the way of birds, and looked at the boy. "You are smart, boy," it said. "But you did not ask for me to help you. Only that I would stay."
The boy started crying and could not answer. His family gathered around him; his mother, his sister, his brother and his father, all wrapping him up in their embrace.
The great bird stretched and said, "You ask for my help, but I do not think you need it. I will give you some advice instead. You and your family work best when you work together, the food you brought me was good. The same is true of other things too. Like the sun and the moon and the clouds and the tides all work together. Each of your plates works together too."
The great bird opened its wings. "You worry for your farm, but I don't think you need to. Return to your roots, show people this feast you have shown me. Together you will build a far stronger nest than I have here, and one which will last far longer."
With that the great bird took to the sky, flying off into the distance. The large tree and the nest disappeared, leaving the family alone to consider the wise and generous bird's words.
They took its advice, selling their dishes as a single meal on a single plate and soon, people were travelling hundreds of miles to taste this new delicious feast.

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Related Articles

Locations	Ecosystem of Nuskan Swamps, 271 PT, Nuskan, P'Ache Micro, P'Ache Solar System, Peacekeeper Territories
Species	Macran, Hometree - Fenfolium Abordormusia, Sirap
Culture	Ecosystem of Nuskan Swamps, 271 PT, Macran Tropes, Wash Stories, Foods and Delicacies From Across the Territories

Related Ethnicities

• Macran

Related Species

• Hometree - Fenfolium Abordormusia

Related Locations

• P'Ache Micro

Created

c-2000 PT

Summary

This myth plays on a lot of the standard Macran Tropes, particularly centering on the idea of a wise bird. It tells the story of the creation of Sankla, a traditional Macran dish which became very popular in the Age of Wings around -2000 PT. It is likely that the story dates from then. The four family members represent the four elements of the sankla which is said to be an entire meal on a plate.