Lore & Chronicles


Tales and Legends of Atysmas

Tale by Kyriann - Atysmas Storytelling Assembly in Jena Year 2606 (2019-12-29)

Lillipukin and the botanist

Once upon a time there was a lutrykin so tiny that Father Atysmas didn't really know what to do with him.
If he asked him to drive the sleigh, the mektoubs wouldn't move an inch, if he sent him to the toys workshop, he would almost get crushed by the plush yubos and lets not talk about going to harvest anything, a simple piece of sawdust would make him totter.
So he was preferring to perch him on his hat, at least there, he wasn't in danger of losing him.
And our lutrykin was bored, perched on his hat, without having the slightest chance to take part in all this bustle.
And then one year, just before Atysmas, when the bustle was at its height, Father Atysmas found himself well and truly annoyed. It was imperative to take a message to Ke-Piang Geoi, a hawker who is usually in the Void, but absolutely no one was available. Father Atysmas lamented in despair when he heard a small chirping voice:
— But I, I could carry the message! I would so much like to help!
Father Atysmas startled. It has to be said that, in all this turmoil, he had somewhat forgotten his little lutrykin.
He took him in his hands and put him in front of his face and then thought, thought, thought…
— All right, I have no other solution… Lillipukin, I'm going to entrust you with an essential mission. You're going to ask Ke-Piang Geoi where he put my order. You're going to go on the back of one of the mektoubs. He'll take you to the Staring Stronghold. When you get the answer, you will shout “OOOOOOOOOH!” in the mektoub's ear, and he will bring you back here. Do you understand?
— Yes! chirped Lillipukin. Thank you Father Atysmas! You'll be content with me, I promise you!

No sooner said than done, Lillipukin is transported to the Void at full speed.
But when he arrives at the Stronghold, he is compelled to note that the hawker is not there.
— But how am I going to do? I can't leave without the answer! I promised Father Atysmas I would bring it back to him.
— Come on, you, go ahead, he can't be far!
But Lillipukin may slap with all his strength and try to shake the reins, but the mektoub doesn't move a muscle.
— By Jena's pigtails, I'll have to manage without you!
When he was angry, our lutrykin wasn't very polite! But we'll forgive him for this misuse of language, the situation was difficult.
— Never mind, I get down. I'll manage to find a way back up.
He clings to the trunk and begins to climb down, when the mektoub, annoyed by an itch, abruptly turns around and sends poor Lillipukin into the air.
— AAAAAAH! Lillipukin shouts before crashing in the slope.
— Ow, ow, ow, ow! Lillipukin rises somehow and starts to climb back up the slope, afraid that the mektoub has gone back to Father Atysmas because of the scream.
When he finally reaches the top, exhausted by the run, he finds, relieved, the mektoub that hasn't moved.
Lillipukin falls on the grass.
— Pfff! I'm exhausted.
He leans against a fragaria stem and soon falls asleep tired.

— Hmmmmmm, but what is then this outgrowth?
Lillipukin wakes up with a start and sees a huge amber eye bent over him.
— AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! he shouts.
— OOOOOOOOOH ! shouts the amber eye. And in a great crash, a great mass falls to the ground while Lillipukin sees the Atysmas mektoub fly off.
— Nooooo! But it's too late.
Lillipukin turns towards the heap mass. He realizes that what he took for an eye is a kind of telescope and that the rest of the mass is a huge Matis sitting down.
— What were you thinking, shouting like that? Because of you, the mektoub is gone and I'm stuck here and Father Atysmas will never entrust me with anything ever again!!!
Sobs shake the little lutrykin from head to toe.
— I'm very sorry, Ser, if my presence has caused any trouble. May I inquire about that? This is, how can I put it, the first time I've encountered an entity of your kind and that surprised me, I must confess. I thought for a moment that I had discovered a new variety of fragaria, but I don't know of any plant capable of making such a scream! I'm failing in all my duties! I am Tolo Di Niolo, a modest botanist from Karan.
— Lillipukin, Father Atymas' Lutrykin and at the moment, so much full with problems, that I don't know if I will ever get out of it.
And Lillipukin tells everything, Father Atysmas' request, the vanished hawker and the mektoub flying away.
— Hmm, I see. Would you allow me to try and find a solution for you? I've had an idea running through my head since I saw you, but it's a bit experimental!
— I'll do anything to prove that I can do something useful!
— So here's my idea. Perhaps you have already noticed that there are small flying animals with propellers in the Void. Some of them are green. I call them Heliarachnes. They're very fast. I was figuring they'd just the right size to serve you as a mount. And if you manage to tame one, then you could ride as you please and find Ke-Piang Geoi to deliver him Father Atysmas's message.
The lutrykin leaps to his feet.
— Yeeeaaah! What a wonderful idea. Let's go at once and try and capture one!
Lillipukin falls back sit, discouraged.
— But if they're so swift, how can we catch one?
The Matis has a wry smile.
— Don't worry too much. I know I don't look much, but from my research I've developed a certain ease in capturing these tiny beasts. There's, right above us, everything you need for capture.
— It is a dorao, you can recognize it by its long trunk and the creepers hanging from its foliage. With the creepers and a branch, I can build a net.
While explaining, Tolo Di Niolo jumps up to catch one or two creepers and starts to weave them together, making the net at lightning speed.
— There you go. I'm ready. Would you like to climb on my shoulder? I know a spot a little further down the slope where you can often find heliarachnes.
With Lillipukin well clinged to his armour, the botanist launches into the slope with the net ready, and with a sure skill, captures a heliarachne.
— And hop! Let's see our catch.
Tolo skillfully seizes the little beast to show it to Lillipukin still perched on his shoulder.
Two bulging red eyes, a round bright green body and a propeller-shaped toupee, Lillipukin finds the little beast very friendly.
— Onward, Ser Lutrykin, climb on your mount!
Lillipukin sits on the back of the heliarachne and Tolo frees the tiny beast, which starts to leap up in the sky, hoping to bewilder this unwanted traveller. Soon, they disappear from the sight of Tolo who begins to fear the worst for his little companion.
Lillipukin, he, clings desperately to the toupee so as not to fall despite the raging roars. Turns and other loops follow one another but the grip doesn't let go! It must be said that little lutrykin was used to clinging on to Father Atysmas's hat in all circumstances and therefore had a tremendous amount of practice. Gradually the pace of the tumbles slowed down and Lillipukin could consider leading the manoeuvre by gently moving the toupee. He passes close to a group of other heliarachnes that come to surround Lillipukin and his mount, following them, as magnetized.
Lillipukin is jubilant, too happy with his dressage and leads the whole group to Tolo to thank him.
He sees him, then, riding up the slope at full speed, chased by a zerx that has taken him in pursuit. He presses his mount and throws it, along with the whole group, at the head of the zerx, roaring, turning, blinding and disorienting the filthy beast with their tumbles. The botanist runs for cover. The zerx ends up falling, trying to catch the heliarachnes that blind him, and rolling down the slope.
The botanist is saved!
Lillipukin can now proudly present on his destrier in front of his friend.
— I can never thank you enough, Ser Lutrykin.
— You're joking, botanist! You've just given me Atysmas' greatest gift, you've given me back my freedom and the possibility to be a full-fledged lutrykin. That's I who owe you all!
Father Atysmas' deep and grave voice resounds then.
— Yes, it is a wonderful gift that you have given each other.
— Oh! Father Atysmas! You are there?
— When I saw the mektoub come back all alone, I suspected that something had happened and I arrived at the right time to see this epic fight. You're a brave lutrykin, Lillipukin! Now hurry up and find Ke-Piang Geoi and go back to the workshop! Your heliarachne is yours forever. As for you, Botanist, I can't give you a gift precious enough to thank you for giving back the joy of life to my little lutrykin, but I hope the bards will sing this episode for a long time.

That's the end of my story, but next time you go to the Void, take a good look if, on the back of a heliarachne, you don't see a little lutrykin, and remember of his botanist friend.
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