The Lassals' Path

"Everyone knows that lassals live in large groups. They work together and alert each other to the dangers of the forest they call home. That is where their strength comes from."
— - from a letter by Bukahnah Travelling Vault

The Story

A group of lassals were running through the forest. They were looking for a cache of nuts they had hidden before the winter. But the lassals couldn't remember where they had hidden them. One group of lassal thought they should run along the river until they found them, because they knew other lassals sometimes ran along the river. Another group of lassal thought they should run towards the mountain, because that direction was as good as any. The third group of lassal thought they should stop and think and consider their options before deciding which way to go.

The first group ran to the river. They followed the tracks of the lassals who had run this way before. But the water was high, and as it started to rain, the river burst its banks. The lassal who had come this way before knew not to run this way at this time of year, but the first group didn't and drowned.

The second group ran to the mountain. They ran because it was as good a direction as any, looking to see if they could find something to eat. They didn't realise they were no longer under the cover of the forest and didn't see the nranda until it was already far too late and became someone else's dinner.

The third group sat for a moment. They saw that the tracks on the path to the river were old, and also knew they hadn't visited the river before. That wasn't where their nuts were. They looked at the path to the mountain and saw all the larger animal tracks which had travelled that way. They also knew they hadn't been to the mountains before. That wasn't where their nuts were. Finally, the third group retraced their steps, travelling the paths which felt comfortable and doing what they were good at, working together. Before long they found the cache of nuts and took them back to their families.

Summary

The story is clearly a fable. No one can know for certain what goes through the mind of the lassals and this seems like a highly unlikely story. Lassals aren't known to separate when they leave their group nests, so this is most likely fiction. No one knows which Storyteller originally came up with the story, but it serves an excellent purpose within Vellich society. It helps teach young Vellich about the importance of choosing the correct one of the Vellich Profession Paths for them. It is also referenced within the Path Choosing ceremony. The first group represent someone who picks a popular profession path because a lot of other people are doing it. The second represents someone who doesn't think about their options before they choose a profession path. The third, and obviously the best choice, represents someone who carefully considers each of the options before making the decision which is best for them and for their society.

Spread

The story was quickly picked up by the Story Vault and spread across the entire continent. It is one of the first story that Storylearners are taught when they enter the pathway, and it's a story that's told to young children.