Lore & Chronicles

Poem by Friya - Atysmas Storytelling Assembly in Jena Year 2576 (2013-12-22)

A light

A light which illuminates, must expire;
Giving comfort and light, it quietly stills.
A light which illuminates, its desire,
to merely stand guard where its Master wills.

A light which illuminates, must satisfy,
those who can only consider its glow.
A light which illuminates, must gratify,
those who want power, not only its show.

A light which illuminates, fails to meditate,
whether it is one or many to avail.
A light which illuminates, must radiate,
where it is needed as it leaves its trail.

A light which illuminates, by One's purpose,
nothing more than reflection to be shown,
of the everlasting light within us;
a light which illuminates for us alone.

Story by Krill - Atysmas Storytelling Assembly in Jena Year 2576 (2013-12-22)

The Fish of the Lakes

*takes a big swig of beer to moisten the throat and stands up*

Y will tell you a story about the Lakes.
A fish story, to be more accurate.

It must be said that fish of the Lakes are know to observe migrating homins. Predominantly floating homins. Occassionally homins on the back of mektoubs.
Oy, oy... the drunk as homins as well... But...

*takes another swig of beer*

...in brief, the fish are very familiar with us homins. So familiar that they have even spotted the shiny trees and bizarre outfits, which sprout into being from time to time.

One day, the fish decided that they too wanted to celebrate Atysmas. They began by put bits of red algae on their heads. They did not know why, but the yubos did it, so it had to be important. They also wanted to decorate a tree.

*drinks another sip and looks at the sudddenly empty bottle*
Well, geez... Has a lutrykin been here?
*stuffs the empty bottle into her bag and takes out a new*

The fish found shiny sea shells and they found garlands of seaweed. They even found strange things that homins had lost on the lakes bottom. But they did not find any tree.

*takes a sip from her bottle and coughs*
A Shooki Stout! I did not order a Shooki Stout!
*looks at the bottle with an evil face and takes a sip anyway*

The fish tried to decorate several large algae... but it was not the same and so the fish were very disappointed. In addition, they had also found a keg of beer and they were hoping to make a real Atysmas celebration like the homins... But without a tree...

*takes a big slurp out of the bottle*
This really is not bad, this stuff. It is not the beer, but ...
*gulps a bit more*

Y was saying?

Ah oy ... The fish were very disappointed. They gathered on the bottom of the lake near a town of the homins and looked gloomily at the Atysmas tree.

*finishes the bottle of Shooki Stout*
HUH?... Empty again?
*puts the empty bottle away and brings out a new one*
*checks the label, smiles and continues her story*

It was then that the Atysmas Spirit saw the poor fish, and he told himself that it would be unfair if the fish could not also enjoy the festivities. And so the Atysmas Spirit joined the fish unnoticed and said, "What if we took all our decorations into the depths of the place the homins call Dew Drops?" Then the Spirit of Atysmas disappeared.

*takes a sip of beer*
Aaaaaahhh ...

The fish looked at each other, wondering who had spoken. But in the end, as they had nothing better to do than continue to make their rounds in the water, they set out for Dew Drops. There they searched and searched and searched.

*drinks another swig of beer*

Eventually they found a tree. Although a tree cannot be found at the bottom of a lake normally, a tree was there. This tree is a tree that only the fish can decorate. When you travel to Dew Drops, perhaps you will see the tree. And if you really have good eyes and the time is right, maybe you'll see the fish celebrate around the tree.

*sits down*
*mumbles* And y really was not drunk that day...

Rhyme sung by Krill - Atysmas Storytelling Assembly in Jena Year 2576 (2013-12-22)

Snowhomin

*stands up and places her hands behind his back*
*recites in a childish voice*

On the night of Atysmas dashes a large white Homin
A large snowhomin with a carrot for a nose
A large snowhomin, pursued by the cold
He reaches Pyr
He sees the light and is reassured
In the Forge he enters without knocking
To warm up he approaches the fires
And suddenly... He disappears!
Leaving only a carrot, surrounded by a puddle
Leaving only a carrot , and a big black hat
That's it

Y hope you enjoyed the Matis poem by Jak' Prever

Tale told by Wasari - Atysmas Storytelling Assembly in Jena Year 2576 (2013-12-22)


Ash and Amber

When the old amber forager felt that his Seed would soon perish, he called his daughter to his bed, a beautiful and clever girl. The small Tryker hastened to her father, fearing the worst, as his condition had deteriorated during the last weeks. Too often had he inhaled the noxious gases emerging due to his aggressive digging.

With a broken voice he said to her, " My dear child, as I come close to my end, I want to give you these three exceptional ambers. Keep them well, because one day they may help you find your greatest happiness." Sadly she took the ambers from him and they took leave of each other while the old man breathed his last breath.

Unfortunately, not only had she been occupied by the care of her father, but countless attempts at healing by serious healers (and also several quacks) had depleted all her savings, causing her to go deeply in debt. Now she had to work off this debt.

Her hard luck was that her creditors took pleasure from her misfortune and made her carry out the most menial work. She had to be the first in the house to get up, to clean, wash and cook. Sometimes she had to fulfill absolutely unreasonable tasks that they gave just to harrass her and to show what her place was. Late in the evening she fell dead tired on her tattered bed directly in front of the furnace, where it was always a little dingy from the ashes, despite her efforts to keep the place clean.

One day she saved a baby shalah from voracious Torbaks during one of her errands, and it never left her after that. So she had something warm in her bed. Why her masters did not say anything against it, we may never know.

The hardships of her days were reflected in intense and vivid dreams every night. The hard work, the hardships she was bearing, and also how she saved defenseless animals from dangerous predators, not seldom at the risk of her life. Her biggest dream, however, was to dance at the Atysmas ball leaving behind all the worries of everyday.

The exceptional ambers from her father would have terminated these hardships immediately due to their value, but she would never have given them away for anything in the world. Therefore, she carried the precious pieces always close to her heart, and always made sure that nobody got to see them.

As Atysmas approached, she gathered all her courage and timidly asked if she could go to help with the decoration work for the ball. "You seem not to have enough work," they replied and a large bowl of seeds was emptied into the cold ash. Only after having sorted them back into the bowl she would be allowed to go.

Despair struck her; that task was impossible to accomplish in time. Searching for comfort she looked for Cuddlefuzz, as she had christened the Shalah . Her little friend was nowhere to be found and she felt lonely as never before.

Suddenly she heard a scratching at the door and as she gazed, her faithful companion stood there with all the kinds of animals they had saved. The crowd gathered quietly around the ash and also out to the bridge planks and as if by magic, the cup filled slowly but steadily with the seeds.

When the work was done, it was already quite late and so she set out at a run to the ballroom. In her anxiety not to be late she threw open the door and bumped into a handsome Tryker. It would be hard to tell if she caught her breath from the collision or from the sight of this homin. The most striking thing about him was the red, mask-like tattoo around his eyes. When much later in the evening she lay down to sleep, the memory of the encounter filled her thoughts.

The Tryker prince, as this was the man she had run into, wondered what had happened to him. On the dimly lit bridge he could not exactly see who the girl was who apologized after the collision with a murmur and hastily disappeared. The homina, however, had lost something. He bent down and took up the three exceptional ambers.

Arriving home, he put the ambers on a little table by his bed and laid down for sleep.
That night he had a strange dream. He saw a young woman working as hard as he had never seen a homin work. She received instructions that weren't anything but bullying and humiliation. Her stamina and energy deeply impressed him.

The following night he dreamed of the same Tryker. He watched her fighting a torbak with her pike, an injured shalah baby cowering close to her. After the little girl had killed the great Torbak, she cared for the baby shalah which then followed her. He watched her sharing her meager meals with the infant animal, and how the little one snuggled up to her and warmed her.

Did I mention that the prince was exceptionally fond of animals and what his favorite animal was?

In his dream the third night he saw the young woman dancing at the Atysmas ball, making him definitely falling in love. She looked so glowing and happy. He just had to meet her .

So he began to look for her, first of all in the area where they had collided. He went from door to door and asked everywhere for the woman of his dreams. At each door he was disappointed.

He started to doubt the success of his quest when he was dismissed particularly harshly the evening before the ball. He had already started to turn to go when the ambers began to become warmer in his pocket with every step he made away from the place.
So he knocked on the door, again and pushed past the unfriendly woman. He immediately recognized the bed near the furnace and then saw the little shalah.

The small Tryker could not believe who she saw forcing his way into the room. She drew back into the darkest corner and tried to hide behind her Cuddlefuzz. Determinedly, the handsome homin approached her, bowed to her and said, "Would you do me the honor to accompany me tomorrow for the Atysmas ball?"

Before she could think and respond, a harsh voice sounded from the direction of the door that this was not possible because she had to work off her debt. The prince just asked, "How much?" After some tough negotiations, he had ransomed the woman from his dreams.

At the ball, the two danced together the whole night through, and when he looked into her eyes, he felt as happy as she looked.

You may imagine the outcome.

Eole's nursery rhyme - Atysmas Storytelling Assembly in Jena Year 2576 (2013-12-22)

Red Nose

When snow covers lovely Atys, and Atysmas yubos wander the land, the wind can be heard in the night, speaking of him.

The others called him Red Nose, and he was so cute, this small yubo with his red nose, red as a lamp. His small, red nose caused them mirth, and he was often laughed at. It was said that Red Nose enjoyed his drink a little too much.

But a good fairy, who heard him crying in the dark one evening, came to comfort him and told him "You'll see!"

When his yubo brothers saw him flying, ever so lightly, and bringing a rain of gifts, majestically pulling the sleigh, well, I can tell you that, this time, his nose made them jealous!

Tale told by Anyume - Atysmas Storytelling Assembly in Jena Year 2576 (2013-12-22)

The nice Gibbaï

This is the story of a nice gibbaï.

It is true that most of the gibbaï are rude, dirty and a bit rough, but did you know that when they run towards you, arms wide open, they are in fact trying to give you a hug?
But us homins, we do not like gibbaï hugs so much.

This one gibbaï was even more affectionate than the others.
He dreamed about being hugged, petted, stroked and deloused.
So when he witnessed homins quietly harvesting or having a picnic in the jungle, he always went to welcome them, in the hopes they would invite him to join their activities.
Unfortunately, upon seeing him, homins ran and escaped - if they didn't throw things at him.

This made the gibbaï very sad.

Once, he dyed his hair red, because homins often go talking with red gibbaï. But it turned out they do not give red gibbaï hugs either. Also, red dye does not work so well on black gibbaï fur.

One Atysmas night, he heard laughter and singing.
Coming by, he saw numerous homins gathered, sitting and listening to a story by a Fyros.
Quietly, he drew near them to listen.

None saw him. Alone and sad among the people, he almost believed for a moment that he was one of them.

He left before any homin could take notice, for he didn't want this peaceful moment to end with weapons drawn.

I dedicate this tale to all gibbaï, who dispite their rude manners and their social undesirability, often enjoy dreams and gentleness without being able to share it with others.

Tale told by Eoda - Atysmas Storytelling Assembly in Jena Year 2576 (2013-12-22)

The young Hunter

This is the story of a young homin.
He was a hunter. From the beginning he didn't hunt for fun.
He always hunted to get something to eat or to get skins that he could sell, or to make his clothes and his tools.

On one Atysmas evening, the young hunter was sad that the season hadn't been good to him and he hadn't made money.
He hadn't been able to provide anything to his family, so he decided to go out hunting, despite the snow and cold, in order to make something he could give them.

After one hour of tracking, the young homin finally discovered a strange creature that looked like a yubo... but with horns.
The hunter was surprised, but it was Atysmas evening, and he wanted to give something to his family.
So he stayed crouched under cover, waiting for the creature to come closer... and he jumped on it when it came within reach!

"Stop!" shouted the yubo. The hunter paused his movement. "I'm one of the many Atysmas yubos, I'm there to bring joy and good mood on this evening!"
The homin sighed, "Alas, I'm a hunter, and the year has been tough. I'd like to give gifts, but I cannot pay for them."
"Therefore, I'd like to create something with my own hands, but all the animals are hiding from the cold..."

Understanding his distress, the yubo gestured for the hunter to follow it, and he complied, while holding back his sadness.
Together, they went to the last hawker who was still selling something, and the yubo had the hunter buy a simple worn pick for a few dappers.
The yubo then led the hunter to a vast clearing, where he started digging.
Taken aback, the hunter mimicked the horned yubo, and discovered quickly that the ground was full of resources.

Together, they got enough materials for the hunter to manage to make clothes and jewels for his family.

To thank the Atysmas yubo, the young homin decided that he would never again take the life of an animal, and from that day on he became a harvester.

Tale told by Freyr - Atysmas Storytelling Assembly in Jena Year 2576 (2013-12-22)

Legend

It is actually a legend I heard.
It is said that even the great bandits fear the great Atysmas Spirit.
So they gather once a year in a secret place on Atys to try to find the Spirit.

But, until now they were unable to find it, for the spirit is fast and leaves only snow behind.

That is why they are so angry with homis... 'cause they believe that the Atysmas Spirit loves them more and more each year and leaves presents all over Atys for them and not for the bandits;

which, by the way, were called nomads, but since they did not believe the Atysmas Spirit existed, they did not celebrate it, they became dark inside and turned into bandits.

On the other hand, it is said that the Spirit still hopes, to this day, that they will find that spark of goodness and when they do, they will finally find the presents scatered all over Atys and share the laughter and hapiness of Atysmas with homins.

Tale told by Storyteller Lutrykin - Atysmas Storytelling Assembly in Jena Year 2591 (2016-12-26)

Eukisse’s Hat
Why Mektoub Mounts wear red caps at Atysmas.

Long long ago, back in the Old Lands, even before the founding of Coriolus or Zoran, when homins lived in small villages, there was a young Fyros hominette who lived in a village in the Desert.

This hominette, who was named Eukisse, was an orphan, and was raised by the village as a whole to honour her parents.

She had studied hard and learned much about the different fibres that she could harvest in the desert, how to comb them and spin them to make thread and yarn.

Eukisse also knew all the different dyes that she could colour the fibres with, how to prepare them and how to combine them. She made many new colours.

She also knew how to knit all kinds of garments, socks and gloves and vests and hats, and she would make them in all the colours she knew how to create.

Because she was so busy with spinning and dying and knitting she did not have much time to make friends.

When she had a little time and tried to approach the other children in the village they pointed and laughed and said: "Kiss, kiss, go play with your piss."

As we all know, yubo piss is an important ingredient in making dyes work correctly. However, children can be very cruel.

One day Eukisse made a recipe for a dye that was so bright a red that you could say it glowed when it was applied to Anete fibre.

She knitted a hat of the glowing red Anete fibre, put it on her head and went to the village square to show it off, but the other children mocked her, saying that a glowing hat would only attract predators.

Now the time of Atysmas came near and all the children looked forward to the presents that the Sint (Father Atysmas) would bring them.

The night before Atysmas she said her prayers and then tucked herself into bed to sleep until the morning. A dust storm was rising and the wind was blowing hard, but her hut was solid and she was not afraid.

As she was beginning to go to sleep there was a knock at the door of her hut. She wrapped a blanket around her and opened the door.

There stood Father Atysmas himself. Behind him were his mektoub mount and his train of Packers, all loaded with gifts. Eukisse could barely see them through the dust.

"Eukisse, will you loan me your glowing hat? The dust is so thick I need more light to lead my packers so that I can deliver the presents.”

Of course Eukisse was glad to do so, but Father Atysmas was disappointed. "It needs to fit on the head of my mount. This is too small."

In a flash, Eukisse grabbed her knitting needles and knitted with the glowing yarn as fast as she could. In no more time than it takes to tell, she had made a Mektoub sized hat, glowing brightly in the darkness of the dust storm.

Father Atysmas delivered all his gifts that night, thanks to the glowing hat. The last gift was to Eukisse, a new set of the shiniest knitting needles she had ever seen.

Ever since then at Atysmas time the Mektoub Mounts wear red hats to remember the time that Eukisse saved Atysmas with a red hat.

Epilogue: The children of the village never did invite her to play with them. Children can be cruel.
However, Eukisse finally married a handsome homin who was able to see her talents even if she wasn't popular and they were happy together for all their life.

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.

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

Caprysmas

Once upon a time there was a capryni who was born on Atysmas Day. His parents named him Caprysmas.
It seemed like he had been blessed at birth by the gifts of Father Atysmas and all the fairies.
He was handsome, strong, tough, skilled with his horn and hooves and so brave that he was a pillar of the herd that lived near Avalae.
Yet he was not loved, for he was very proud of all his advantages.
He had only one friend, a capryni so kind that the whole herd adored him.
This friend admired Caprysmas, who, in return, knew how to be charming and give lots of wise advice.
With all the others, Caprymas was haughty and heartless.
He was particularly hard on a small Capryni, very weak but whose greatest defect, in Caprysmas' eyes, was to be quick-witted and the habit of defending himself with derision.
One day, landed in the herd, a capryni with the halo of belonging to an Yrkanis herd.
Of course, this frisky and very coquettish young capryni quickly became the darling of the herd, triggering the hostility of Caprysmas.
Unbeknownst to all, he left for Yrkanis and learned that his rival had been expelled from there for having endangered the whole herd by fleeing one day when he was supposed to stand guard.
Back at Avalae, Caprysmas was determined to have the newcomer sent away without revealing his secret, preferring to keep it for himself to have a hold on his rival.
But, the little capryni with the sharp tongue had fallen under the spell of the newcomer and he managed to avoid him being banished definitively although he was relegated to a very subordinate position.
Soon some great news arrived: Father Atysmas was looking for runners to complete the team of his sleigh.
Caprysmas left, in all confidence, to see Father Atysmas: he was convinced that the position of head of the team was his, that it was only waiting for him.
Words can hardly describe the rage that seized him when Father Atysmas refused his declaration, showing him how much his over proud attitude made him commit villainies.
Refusing to listen further, he took refuge in the company of his only friend and attempt to forget Atysmas' sleigh.
But, wasted effort, the whole herd was in turmoil: Father Atysmas was organizing a great race between Yrkanis and Fairhaven to find the members of his team.
Time then was dedicated only to preparation and training , each one trying to give the best of himself for this great feast.
Stubborn in his refusal, Caprysmas first tried to prevent his friend from joining the others but he thought back to Father Atysmas reproaches and, with a heavy heart, let him participate, both envious and happy to see him so joyful.
The great day arrived. All the runners of Atys were gathered in front of Yrkanis, ready to set off.
At the last moment, Caprysmas decided to take the start and when the signal was given, he jumped like the others.
But he was the only one who was totally out of practice and he found himself very quickly towards the end of the pack.
Humiliated, he was about to give up when he saw his friend come back to him with some members of the herd who came to encourage him.
This kindness gave him back his heart and little by little, he regained the lost ground because despite all his flaws, he remained a champion among the caprynis.
In view of the Maze of Sprite, he had reached the head of the race.
It was then that he saw his rival trying to cheat by taking a shortcut, dragging the little one with the sharp tongue after him.
Although he knew the corner was full of dangerous cuttlers, Caprysmas, listening only to his courage, set off in pursuit.
At a bend in the road, he had to face the fact: the rival had used the little one as a shield and had cowardly abandoned him facing the cuttlers.
Caprysmas plunged into the fray, skewering the cuttlers and pushing them away with his powerful hind hooves.
The little capryni refused to run away and remained at his side in an epic but unequal and doomed battle…
It would hadn't it been for the friend of all, who, having gathered the whole herd, came to Caprysmas' aid.
United in battle, the caprynis arrived in Fairhaven, exhausted but proud of themselves.

It was a mektoub who won the race, but Father Atysmas, who had seen everything, gave a place in the team to Caprysmas who made do with that place and, when he returned to his herd, everyone celebrated him.

And his rival, you will say to me? I'm afraid he ended up in the stomach of a torbak, but that's not to say in an Atysmas tale.

Tale told by Lutrykin - Atysmas Storytelling Assembly in Jena Year 2606 (2019-12-29)
Initially written by Napseis and told during 2011 Atysmas.

The trees of Atysmas

Tonight I'm going to tell you the adventure - the true story! - of four homins.
Our group of friends is composed by a Tryker, a Matis, a Fyros and a Zoraï, all gathered together to celebrate Atysmas in peace.
Having decided to celebrate in Verdant Heights, our four companions met up in Yrkanis and decided to go and enjoy the show that the snowy forest would offer them.
The forest surrounds them, white and pure in its cocoon of snow.
Mischievous as usual, the Tryker plays about in the snow.
Realizing that he is far from his companions, he decides to hide fireworks in a fir tree to surprise his friends.
And what a surprise!
The tree stood there, majestic and illuminated! In front of so much beauty, they said to themselves that they absolutely had to let other homins enjoy it.
How they would like to admire these enchantments, every evening, in the quiet of their home, smoking good moss perfumed with sap of enola!
Without delay, our friends start thinking. The Fyros offers them, directly, to cut down the tree and bring it back.
The Matis tells them that he will know how to preserve the beautiful plant, although he thinks the process is a bit brutal.
Finally, the Zoraï tells them that he will know how to enchant the tree so that it never stops shining.
Back in the city, the children hurry around the strange procession, delighted and overexcited. It's beautiful, it's big, and it shines!
Moved by the delighted shouts of their children, the parents decide to ask the homins to share their find.
And so it is that, from now on, in each home at Atysmas, a beautiful illuminated fir tree is to be found, symbolizing the union of the sparkling Trykers, the cunning Matis, the wise Zoraï and the industrious Fyros.

The Great Library preserves HERE the six tales heard during the Atysmas Storytelling Assembly of Jena Year 2611 (2020-12-27):

• The Princess and the Slaveni
• The Truth About fyrak
• What the light says
• Chiang's Atysmas Walk
• Jingle Bocks
• Lighting the Stars

The Great Library preserves HERE the five tales heard during the Atysmas Storytelling Assembly of Jena Year 2616 (2021-12-26):

• Atysmas Poem
• The Tough Osco
• Nennorae White
• For Atys with gratitude
• The King's melting

The Great Library also preserves four tales heard at an earlier Atysmas vigil (for the moment only in their French version):

• Conte du Noël gourmand (Tale of the Greedy Christmas)
• L'Esprit de Noël (The Spirit of Christmas)
• La légende du Labyrinthe des Lutins (The Legend of the Maze of Sprite)
• Un chant d'Atysoël (A Song of Atysmas)