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A short tale: “Black Crow, White Crow”

Hello Stopgamers! I want to show you my little fairy tale. I wrote it under the impression of legends, myths and traditions of various peoples. Mainly Indo-European. There are some typos and mistakes in the fairy tale, it’s like beta version. In the summer, I hope I’ll get around to it and I’ll finally get it in good shape. I wrote it for a literary competition, but because of the session I missed the deadline, so I participated outside the competition. Received good reviews.
Happy reading!

Once upon a time there lived in a magical forest people from the Falcon clan. They were noble and brave hunters who coexisted in peace and harmony with their neighbors, their surrounding nature and themselves. The Falcon clan took from the forest exactly as much as was needed for food and other needs, no more and no less.
And everything was fine in their life, until one day a terrible illness happened that struck the entire village. First of all, the old people got sick, then the adults, only children and young men got sick, which hasn’t affected them yet. Nobody knew what to do, there was no cure. It was a terrible and sad time: the village was deserted, there was no one to hunt, food supplies were quickly depleted. But winter was coming soon.

Something had to be done, but no one knew what exactly. And then a miracle happened: a young man, Rarog, that was his name, had a prophetic dream: a black raven was sitting on the stove, in a human voice he said: “Find me or your family will fall,” and then the raven flew away. Rarog woke up from the sound of croaking outside the window. Rarog realized that he needed to act. He immediately got ready, took everything he needed for the journey: a flask of water, a loaf of bread and salt – to satisfy his hunger, a dagger – to protect himself, a torch – to light his way.
The young man did not wake anyone up or warn anyone about his path; in the silence of the night he left his house and went deep into the forest, answering the call of the raven.

At first, Rarog walked along a hunting path, but the further he walked, the more overgrown the path became. In the end, the path ended, and the thorny thickets of the forest stretched behind it. Rarog had to make his way through them, cutting his way. For three days and three nights he walked without rest or stop, deeper and deeper into the forest. And the further he walked, the darker and denser his road became. The young man penetrated into the very thicket that had never known the light of the sun, moon and stars. Then he lit a torch, the light illuminated the eternal darkness, and it burned the stronger the darker the path became. But then the torch began to go out, and it wasn’t that it burned out, no, it was just that the darkness of the forest was much stronger than the light of the torch’s flame. Rarog no longer saw anything in front of him, but felt and heard that the fire was still burning. Then the young man put out the torch and continued to walk blindly, following the sound of the raven and cutting a path by touch.

The young man walked further and further, and the darkness grew stronger. She enveloped him, but he was not afraid of her. And then something unusual happened: Rarog’s body began to glow with a barely visible dim blue flame. But as we walked, the light became stronger and stronger. In the end, the light became so strong, it was as if the Sun, Moon and stars were shining all together. It was the light of Rarog’s soul, against the backdrop of complete darkness. The light is so pure, bright, immaculate that against its background, millions of exploding stars would seem like a dark spot.
The young man saw perfectly where he was going, the light did not blind him, on the contrary, it gave him new strength.
Finally, Rarog came to a clearing where there was a hut on chicken legs.
-Hut, hut, turn your front to me and your back to the forest! – said Rarog.
The hut complied with his request, then its door opened. Something shapeless and dark came out of the hut, it was like a spot, completely black, darker than darkness. Then it took shape: the silhouette of a huge black raven. It was impossible to see the details of this monster, however, his eyes were visible, they were the darkest. The raven squinted at them, the light of Rarog’s soul blinded him.

-Hello, good fellow. Raven was waiting for you. What Raven can do for you?
— Hello Raven. I am Rarog from the Falcon family. I came for help: a terrible disease has overcome my people, we don’t know how to get rid of it. Perhaps you can help?
-Raven knows and Raven will help, but in return, complete three instructions from Raven, but remember, if you agree, there will be no turning back. You either fulfill them or die. So do you agree with Raven’s terms??
-For the sake of your family, anything! I agree what needs to be done?
-First: Bring what cannot be taken. Second: don’t give this to Raven. Third: cut down the roots of the world tree that grows far away. Now go, go. Raven will be waiting for you.

Rarog left the raven. He followed the same path he came. The farther the hut was, the weaker his soul shone, the brighter it became in the forest. After a day of travel, the soul stopped shining, he lit the torch again, it shone dimly at first, but then brightly. This is how the second day passed. On the third day, the torch was no longer needed. The sun was breaking through the bushes. Rarog came out of the forest and headed to the distant kingdom.
The young man spent the whole way to the world tree in heavy thoughts. He didn’t know what to do: the world tree is the source of life for the whole world. By cutting off its roots, Rarog will destroy the world. The connection between the ancestors from the world of Navi and the world of Revealed, where the young man and his relatives live and is also inaccessible, will be interrupted, the world of the gods will become – Rule. Cutting down the roots of the world tree is a monstrous sin. Is the life of his family and himself worth such a sacrifice??

Sad Rarog came to the world tree. https://boomparicasino.co.uk/bonus/ Just imagine, the pillar of the tree is a hundred miles wide, and its length reaches into the very sky. Its gigantic roots stuck out from the Earth. They had monstrous thickness, but they were fragile.
The young man hugged the tree, he turned to him – Oh tree, help! Give me advice on what to do? Black Raven sent me to destroy you! For the salvation of my family. What should I do?
The tree bark was alive, it seemed to be breathing and puffing. In response to Rarog, the bark shook. Through these hesitations, through the hands of the young man, he heard the answer – Hear me, Rarog – a good fellow, from the family of the Falcon. You can kill me and save your kind. But it will only be for a while. Without me the world is doomed. Not in a day, not in two, but soon. But you can spare me, and then I will be able to help you. Black Raven is the source of earthly troubles. It was he who sent illness to your family. He is primordial chaos, the desire to destroy everything. He’s as old as I am. But there is control over him too. Cut off my withered branch and bring it to Horn the Blacksmith, who lives in the thirtieth state, in Mount Rip. Let him make a bow out of a branch.

-Thank you, ancient tree! But maybe you can tell me how to solve the first two Raven riddles? Without them, he will immediately kill me.
The tree did not answer anything more, it just rustled its branches in the wind.
Rarog broke off a withered branch. And went to Mount Rip.
He walked for a long time. He told many adventures on his way. Helped many people.

Finally he reached Mount Rip. He climbed up to the very top. Then, at the very top, through a cave, I went down to the blacksmith’s forge, which was located at the very center of the Earth.
-Hello good fellow, how can I help?? – asked the blacksmith.
-Hello Hornsmith. I am Rarog, from the Falcon family. I came to you on behalf of the world tree. It asked you to forge me a bow from this withered branch.

Gorn examined the branch, hit it a couple of times with his blacksmith hammer. So much so that sparks flew.
-The branch is very withered. The world tree is not just as it seems, its dry branches are like iron. Yes, they are easy to break off from the tree, but after that it is impossible to work with them. Unless you get the golden apple that grows in the eastern garden of Iria.
-But how do I get there?
-Hmm good question. Here I will help you, you see that stupa. Once upon a time a Brahman gave it to me for the secret of damask steel, which is known as Damascus steel. This stupa is called a vimana, in our language an airplane. Get into it, it will take you to Iriy. But know that the golden apples are guarded by a terrible beast – the tiger. Be careful.
-Thank you, Hornsmith.

The young man boarded the stupa-plane. There was a roar and fire burst out from under the mortar. The plane rose up from the very center of the Earth and took off from the top of Mount Rip. In a matter of hours, Rarog flew to the wandering island of Iria. And landed safely near the garden where golden apples grew.
The young man decided to hide in the bushes and wait for the tiger guard to pass by the tree with apples.
The garden was beautiful, light, warmth, wonderful flowers, birds, plants. All the beauty of the world was concentrated in him. Wonderful, bizarre green lights shone in the sky. And then a tiger appeared, he was chasing a butterfly, playing with it, trying to catch. He lay down on his back in front of a tree, wriggling in different directions, basking and basking in the sun. Its belly was open, Rarog could hit him with a dagger, this was the only chance to kill the tiger. He was too healthy and strong, in a fair fight there was no chance to stand against him.
But Rarog, seeing the tiger’s cheerfulness, the way he plays with butterflies and basks in the sun, was unable to strike. He threw the dagger and walked out of the bushes to meet his fate.
The tiger, seeing the stranger, immediately rose from the ground and took a threatening stance. He growled – Who are you, stranger?? What have you forgotten here?

-Hello noble Tiger, my name is Rarog, I am from the Falcon family. I came for help, I need a golden apple to revive a withered branch of the world tree in order to make a bow out of it and defeat the Black Raven.
-Why do you need this?
-I want to save my family from the terrible disease that Raven sent.
-Why didn’t you kill me when you had the chance?? It would be easier that way.
-You are not evil, I saw how you love life in your garden. I couldn’t raise my hand to hit you.
The tiger narrowed his gaze at the young man, then walked around him from different sides and sniffed.

-Now I see. You have a bright soul, it is like a fire that dispels darkness. You are a kind person, I will let you pick two apples. Deal with them wisely.
-Thank you, O noble Tiger!
The young man picked apples and said goodbye to the noble Tiger. Sat down in the mortar and left a beautiful country – Iriy.
Rarog gave Horn one golden apple. The blacksmith was not surprised how the young man got hold of the apple. This was the young man’s test, and he passed it.
The forge melted the golden apple to a white heat, then placed a dry branch into this melt, it came to life, became flexible as in the years of its youth. However, this flexibility was still extremely low, so for three days and three nights Gorn hammered the branch with his hammer to give it the shape of a bow. At the same time, he cast a spell on the future bow, endowing it with magical properties. Gorn then carved runes into the bow, completing the weapon’s creation.

-Hold it young man, this bow is my best. I put my soul into it. No one can resist his power: neither demons nor gods. I trust it to you since you passed the test. But remember, if you look into the abyss for too long, the abyss will look into you. Fighting evil, you can lose yourself and become evil yourself. Remember this! Now hurry up, go back to the Black Crow, take the mortar, it will take you straight to him.
-Thank you, great blacksmith Horn. I will never forget your kindness! I will accept your gift with honor, and I swear to you that I will never allow anyone, not even myself, to use it for evil! Goodbye!
The young man sat down on the mortar and left the blacksmith; they never met again during their lifetime.

Rarog flew to the abode of the Black Raven – to the house on chicken legs. Darkness again enveloped the space, and again the light of the young man’s soul prevented it.
-Hut, hut, turn your front to me and your back to the forest! – said Rarog.
The hut complied with his request, then its door opened. Again, the disfigured spot came out. And again it took the form of a raven.
-Hello, good fellow! This is the end of your journey. Have you fulfilled Raven’s conditions??
-Hello raven! I did what you instructed me to do.
– Brought something that can’t be taken?
-Yes.
-And what is this?
-Nothing. You can’t take anything, it’s everywhere and nowhere.
-Right.
The raven took a step closer to the young man, and Rarog handed him a golden apple.
-What kind of trinket is this?
-This is the second condition. I didn’t give you anything, that is, I gave you something.
Raven’s eyes became even darker for a moment, he took another step. Rarog realized that Raven began to get angry.
-It’s true, there is always and everywhere nothing. It can not be given only by giving something. How did you guess about this??
-The sound of the wind in the trees told me.
-Speaking of trees, you cut down the roots of the world tree?
-No. I didn’t do this. This is a monstrous act that will destroy us all. My life is not worth this.
-Your life? Fool! And the life of your loved ones and relatives?
-They would have done the same, who am I to choose the lives of some at the cost of the lives of others?
-Fool! Fool!

The raven began to increase in size, its form taking on an increasingly sinister appearance. He began to attack Rarog.
At the same moment, the young man pulled out his bow. Raven was frightened by his appearance, but when ordinary arrows rained down on him and passed through him, Raven’s fear disappeared.
-Hahaha, arrows? Made of iron and wood? They can’t overcome!
Raven tore Rarog’s clothes. The young man began to fight back with his dagger, but it was all useless. Simple weapons did not take Raven.
Rarog was thrown away from Raven with a powerful kick. The young man fell down, his whole body was covered with scars. The raven was preparing to make his final finishing throw.

There seemed to be no hope, when Rarog remembered the tiger’s words: “You have a bright soul, it’s like a fire that dispels darkness.”. The young man put his hand on his heart, he closed his eyes, remembering the faces of his family and friends. Then the light coming from his body began to gather near his heart. Rarog pulled out all the light of his soul. The soul took the form of an arrow, the young man pulled it onto his bow and shot – hitting exactly the heart of his enemy. A bright flash engulfed the dark forest. So bright that it seemed as if Rarog was dark just like Raven against the background of his soul.

The light dissipated, all that was left of the Black Crow was a pile of ashes. The thickets surrounding the clearing burned down. The sun has finally illuminated this dark lifeless land. Rarog won!
The ashes were scattered by the wind, but underneath there was an egg, not an ordinary one, but a golden one.
The wounded Rarog picked up the egg, it was cold as ice. Something told him to warm the egg.
The young man went into the hut on chicken legs, lit the stove and lay down on it to warm up. He had an egg hidden in his bosom; he warmed it for nine days, eating bread, salt, and drinking water. During these days, his physical wounds have almost healed, only scars remain. But do emotional wounds heal so quickly??
And on the ninth day, the egg began to move. From it hatched a small chick of a crow, white as snow.
-“I want to eat, I want to eat,” the chick chirped.
-What should I feed you?? I ate all my bread and salt, drank all my water. Oh, of course!

Rarog ran out of the hut for the first time in many days. He began to look in the green, tall grass that had already grown under the rays of the sun for the golden apple that Black Raven dropped during the fight. He found it, and at the same moment gave it to the chick, the crow greedily gnawed it. And with every bite he ate, he became bigger and bigger. White Crow shone with a brilliant warm light. Under the brilliance of this light, Rarog’s scars healed as if they had never existed.
-Who are you, little bird?? What have you become?
-I was the White Crow, now I am the White Crow – a symbol of life, light and healing. I am the rebirth of the Black Raven – a symbol of death, darkness and disease. You filled the voids of the Black Crow’s soul with the light of your soul, giving away most of it, you healed him, giving birth to me. Warming me all these days, you gave the last fire of your soul. Now you’re soulless and insensitive. But know that your sacrifice is not in vain, I will save your family, and not only it. I will help everyone who is in trouble. Climb on me, I’ll bring you home.
Rarog boarded the White Crow, and together they flew to the village of the Falcon clan. All the places that the Crow flew were filled with life, the forest that burned out during the battle with the Black Raven came to life. Settlements that were plagued by illness were healed of all illnesses. Among them was the village of Raroga.

The whole village greeted the young man, all the people were happy that he had been delivered from the Raven’s curse, and also that he had returned. He was greatly missed. But Rarog did not experience any emotions. There was no more life in him. White Crow told about the sacrifice that Rarog made to save his family. Then unanimously at the people’s meeting, the whole village decided to help Rarog, share a part of their soul with him. The villagers together took Rarog’s bow, pulled out a small part of their soul and aimed an arrow at the young man’s heart. The light illuminated him, his body was again filled with the fire of the soul, kindness, feelings, he became alive again. And the fire of love that filled him was even hotter than before.
And the Falcon family arranged a feast for the whole world. And I was there, drinking beer and drinking honey. It flowed down my mustache, but didn’t get into my mouth.
Although the fairy tale is a lie, there is a hint in it, a lesson for good fellows.