The Race

A Yahgahn Fable

As you may well know, a favorite game of Trelli children is running. Yet you may not know why. I shall tell you. It all began when the world was still young…

Dochrahmahn-Turah, being the Deity of Speed and Flight, was always running or flying around All Creation. She prided Herself on being the fastest being of All Creation. Fweenah, Deity of Wind, was frankly tired of Dochrahmahn’s bragging, so one day she gathered up many Deities she considered fast to ask if they wanted to race Dochrahmahn-Turah. Then she challenged Dochrahmahn-Turah to a race, saying that there would be a race among all the Deities who signed up for the race.

“Who all will be there?” Dochrahmahn asked.

“Me, Gweble, Krainah, Ohniahnis, Fwentwetii, and Nwoikoi. And, of course, You if You choose to.”

“Well, of course I want to join! I know I shall win!”

The day of the race, all were ready. Krainah had decided to drop out, though. She’s said it wouldn’t be fair for Her to participate, for she was Time, and was already at the finish line anyway. (For Time is everywhere in the living world.) So it was just Fweenah, Gweble, Ohniahnis, Fwentwetii, Nwoikoi, and Dochrahmahn-Turah at the starting line. Kohraindehr, Deity of All, was the judge of the race. She lifted up Her arm, asked if everyone was ready, then said, “GO!”

Dochrahmahn-Turah sped forward, and the others tried to keep up with Her. They all ran fast and furiously for a long time, but eventually some in the race began to slow down with exhaustion. Yet the first to stop racing was Ohniahnis, who looked down and saw that where Her feet trod, life flourished. Gleefully she pulled aside, told Kohraindehr that she would no longer race this race, and took off running to bring fertility to all of the planets that now have life.

The second to stop was Gweble, for she found that the plants Ohniahnis was causing to grow needed water to live. She pulled out of the race and dove headfirst into the ground, becoming a river. She would eventually become all water in the Universe, feeding Life.

The last to stop was Nwoikoi. She was feeling such joy at all the action going on around Her, the actions of Ohniahnis and Gweble, that she suddenly felt that the race was a silly thing. She then fell out of the race and jumped into the chaotic sun, making it happier, and thus calmer, so life could have energy and happiness without getting overly burned.

Fwentwetii, Fweenah, and Dochrahmahn-Turah continued to race. It was neck and neck all the way for those three. Everyone watching was feeling tense, expectantly awaiting a winner. Suddenly, it was all over. All three made it across the finish line at once, so much at once that not even Kohraindehr could tell who was there first. So it was declared a tie.

Dochrahmahn-Turah looked disappointed. “I was sure I would win!”

Fweenah looked at Dochrahmahn-Turah and felt Her disappointment. Fweenah could no longer be angry with Dochrahmahn’s bragging.

“You did win! We all won! It was a tie, which means we all won!”

“Really?” Dochrahmahn-Turah asked.

“Yes! Wouldn’t you agree, Kohraindehr?”

“Why, yes I would.”

“Wow,” said Fwentwetii, “Do we have a prize?”

“Hmm… not that I know of. Let’s think.”

And so they thought, and thought, and thought. Finally, Dochrahmahn-Turah came up with a great idea.

“I’ve got something we can all like! A fast animal that can fly! This animal would fly by riding on the air and wind!”

“WOW!” they all said at once.

“That is a very good idea,” said Fweenah. “The fastness and flight pleases you, Dochrahmahn-Turah. It is an animal, so surely Fwentwetii will like it; and it rides on the air and wind, which pleases me much. It is a wonderful prize that we can all enjoy!”

So that is how the birds and other flying animals came to be. The race, which had started out because Fweenah was angry with Dochrahmahn’s bragging caused the three Deities to become fast friends for the rest of Eternity. (Pun intended.)

The moral of this story is perseverance. Try your hardest and great rewards shall await you. The second moral of this story is that cooperation can bring about amazing things.

The End