The Tergavi speaks

Great Spirits of the Telmori, part 2

The Tergavi who will speak to you this time is called Blood-in-his-eyes. Look deep into his eyes and you will see the seas of blood which were created by the children of Telmor. Do not dare to interrupt him or your blood will be added to them.

I am pleased to see you humans here again. I will begin my nightly tale with Jorud, the bringer of woe. Jorud was a lively wolf known to all other wolves in his woods. But he was cursed from the beginning. When he was born the spiritwolves from the grove where the great kings laid stopped to howl. This was something most unusual and it was read as a strong omen. Seven days later an unknown sickness struck his parents and though the Tergavi did everything he could nothing seemed to help. After another seven days both died. On the same day the whole pack started to call the young wolf Jorud, which means lonely. Some small things occurred while Jorud grew up but nothing that mattered.

However things started getting worse the more the wolfbrother ritual drew near. All four-legged Telmori always shun Jorud and so he never really had a chance to get himself a wolfbrother. Thus when the time for ritual came once again Jorud became the lonely wolf. But somehow Jorud did not care much about the usual Telmori things. He did not like hunting and he did not like dancing around the fire. Yes, he even was not listening when the Tergavi told stories or when the spiritwolves invoked Telmor's magic. Thus it was no wonder that when he was twenty winters old he still was not a warrior.

But instead he proclaimed himself to be a new King. First the King and the Tergavi laughed, but only until he found enough followers for a pack on a single day. So he went away with his pack and no one really believed they could survive the first winter. But when the winter came and all the packs suffered, for it was a harsh winter, one pack did not come to the winter ground, Jorud's pack. When the winter was over and the Heturavi drew near the members of Jorud's pack came first.

They were the strongest and best fed of all and they were also the best trained warriors and hunters. When they were asked how they became such they answered that Jorud was truely a great King and he could teach a lot of thing to many wolves. The Tergavi and the Kings did not believe a single word but had no other explanation. They asked why Jorud was missing the Heturavi and his pack answered that Jorud never liked this stuff and that he had more important things to do than attending such a dance. This disturbed all the attending Telmori very much and so this topic was ended and the Heturavi begun. But during the Heturavi one deza became just too curious. She wanted to know what was there so important to do on the night of the Heturavi and so she sneaked away towards Jorud's hunting ground.

After some time she discovered him sitting around a fire and speaking to a wolf who she only met in her dreams a single time. It was Telmor himself sitting with Jorud and talking to him. As fast as she could she run back to find the Heturavi ending. She told all what she had seen and Jorud's pack responded that this was indeed the case that Telmor came regularly to them and tought them what they needed. Even more often Telmor came just to talk to Jorud. Now you can imagine how all the Telmori who were used to see Telmor just in their dreams or perhaps on Dezak's Path were shocked. It was decided that this riddle had to be solved on the spot. How could Telmor come to Jorud who was so unworthy and deny his presence to his most pious children ?

When all of them arrived Telmor already was awaiting them. He already knew why they came and what questions they had. His answer were short but true. "You have refused Jorud because his was that different. But you should know that a father loves all his children." After this words were spoken Telmor went away and all Telmori started to realise what they did. Then next day a great feast took place and Jorud and his pack were welcomed back. Never again was a Telmori outcast because he looked or he behaved differently.

Dances-on-fire was a Tergavi. He got his name because when he was a little cub he once fell into the fire and was not burned but began to dance on it until it was extinguished. So it was clear he would become a Tergavi and not a wolfrunner. By the time he was a man he was already a mighty Tergavi with power beyond even that of old ones. Yet he was also very wise.

When once two dezaker came to him and said that they needed advice on how to proper deal with criminals who were caught on their lands he gave good advice. Dances-on-fire advised them to handle it in a fair way so that Telmor himself would be pleased. He advised them that strangers who did not know they were doing wrong should not be killed on the spot but they should be told what they have done and how it would affect the Telmori. Then they should return to tell their own people about the laws of Telmor. Thus it was done.

For many years strangers were no longer killed inside the Telmori lands but sent away again. In this way many people were grateful and became friends with the Telmori and life became more peaceful.

But there were still bad people in the world who would not listen to the good advice of the wolves but would instead try to make profit of this rules. Thus the bad people tried to steal what they could and whenever they were caught they said that they did not know this was forbidden. And after some time the Telmori grew more and more angry because of this. Dances-on-fire knew that this would lead to something serious if he could not settle it. So he decided to visit the leader of the bad people and tell him what there was that concerned him. All the Telmori in the forest bid him not to go and when he finally left the wolves cried because he was such a just Tergavi.

Dances-on-fire came to the camp of the bad people's leader. They did not gave him the respect he deserved and they did not listen to his advice but their leader was even worse. He was called Speaks-with-metal and he had indeed a sharp sword on his back. While Dances-on-fire began to explain why he came Speaks-with-metal insulted him and all of his people. Nonetheless Dances-on-fire did not lose patience and told all that he wanted. Speaks-with-metal was an evil man and also had evil magic on his side. He was enraged by the words of Dances-on-fire and commanded his men to build a great stake on which they should burn Dances-on-fire and then eat what was left of him. But to their astonishment Dances-on-fire did not even try to fight but awaited his fate; or so it seemed.

Then the stake was lighted and when it burned brightest they threw him on it and laughed a lot. But Dances-on-fire did what he has done before and he danced on the stake. Bits of fire flew towards the bad people and they caught fire and when they started to extinguish the fire Dances-on-fire danced that fast that the fire grew higher and higher. He danced for hours and after he finished his dance and the fire was nothing more than just a little flame he saw that all the bad people were burned.

Thus he returned to his own people and a great feast was held. On this feast Dances-on-fire told his story and commanded every criminal that would be caught on Telmori lands and who could have known Telmor's law to be killed or even worse. Thus from that day on people fear to enter our lands. We thank Dances-on-fire for his justice. He is always invoked when we have to judge criminals and he always comes dancing on the fire.

These are two of our many spirits and I will tell you more the next time we meet.