* - /hataˈid/
** - /ˈɛdi/
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[https://i.imgur.com/tDxXkVk.jpg]
My favorite story of all those that we tell in our valley is the one about Fisher Hataid and his dog Edi.
Long ago there lived Old Hataid. He was of a tribe that was roaming along the River Ma, and he was exceptionally good at catching fish with his harpoon. He was a little stand-offish and didn't used to spend much time with the rest of the tribe. He was, however, very friendly with his dog Edi, and they were always together.
One day Hataid was fishing with his dog on the shore of the river, when suddenly a leopard jumped out of bushes and snatched Edi, and took it away across the plain. Hataid screamed, grabbed his javelins and spear-thrower, and ran after it, but he was only human and could not keep up with the animal, which was already disappearing behind the hills.
Still, Hataid kept on running, following the tracks of the predator. He ran and ran, and ran, and ran; he ran under suns, he slept on trees under moons, he drank from puddles on the way and ate from the gnawed carcasses in the dust, but kept running. He reached the lands of Klenvi, which was a tribe far in the west, full of rude and unkind people.
One of Klenvis met Hataid at the edge of a stream and threatened him with a spear.
“What are you after here, easterner? ˮ he demanded.
“I'm running after the leopard that stole my friend, Edi,ˮ Hataid said. “I have not come for your game and I do not mean harm to you. Let me through, and I will pass in peace. ˮ
But the Klenvi refused to let him through, so Hataid had to make his way by force. The Klenvi called up all his tribe, and they all chased the Fisher, who was chasing the leopard that carried his friend away.
They ran and ran, and ran, and ran, and soon they reached the land of Salt Eaters, which was a tribe further than even the Klenvi. They were so far, in fact, that nobody really knew what they looked like.
One of the Salt Eaters met Hataid on the shore of a huge oshna.
This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
“What are you after here, alien? ˮ he demanded
“I'm running after the leopard that stole my friend, Edi,ˮ Fisher said. “I have not come for your salt and I mean no harm to you. Let me through, and I will pass in peace. ˮ
But the Salt Eater rejected this. He raised his white hand and wanted to hit the Fisher, but missed – Hataid dodged him and ran on. The Sa;t Eater called up his tribe, and so now they were chasing the Fisher, who chased the leopard that carried his friend away, themselves all chased by Klenvi.
So, they ran and ran, and ran, and ran, until Hataid reached the Land of Dead Sands. No human enters this land in his good mind, as it is guarded by Haodit – the frightening spirit of dust storms. This land lay behind the Last of the rivers, and Haodit stood on its left shore when Old Hataid reached the river on its right shore.
“What do you want here, human? ˮ the spirit enquired in a rattling voice.
“I'm running after the leopard that stole my friend, Edi,ˮ Fisher said. “I have not come for your sand and I do not mean to steal anything from you. Let me through, and I will pass in peace and go.ˮ
The dust storm spirit refused, but the Fisher waded his way through the river and entered the Land of Dead Sands regardless. Haodit was amused seeing this.
“You dare to taste some of my dust winds, crazy human? ˮ He exclaimed with laughter and sent a dozen of winds with four dozen mountains of sand onto the Fisher. The tribes that were chasing him stood on the right shore of the Last River and saw the sky on the left one go black, while the shore itself disappeared behind the wall of a sandstorm. They did not dare to enter.
Hataid tore off a patch from his kilt and covered his mouth, and weaved his hair so that to cover his eyes, and thus went on. He went on and on, and on, and on, and eventually, he went onto the other side of the Land of Dead Sands, and Haodit was astonished, seeing this. He wanted to ask the Fisher how he did it, but the Fisher didn't listen – he saw the leopard with his friend in its maw jump onto the Sky Plane. He sprinted after it, he jumped onto the Sky too, and across the Sky, they ran – the leopard ahead and the Fisher aback, and everybody below was watching.
They ran and ran, and ran, and ran, and the leopard was becoming tired and weak, but the Fisher was only becoming faster and stronger. He got close to the leopard. He took good aim with his spear-thrower, and he threw the spear, and he killed the wretched animal right there, on the shore of the Sky River. The dog jumped out of the dead predator's maw and ran to the man, and licked him, tremendously happy, and the Fisher was joyful too. They rejoiced for a time, but then the joy faded, as the Fisher went silent, then weak, then limp, and then he fell supine with his hands spread. He was dead.
And to this day, if you raise your eyes to the dark sky on one of the winter nights, on the western shore of the Sky River you will see dead Hataid still lying there (Orion), and to the south of him you'll see the dead leopard (Canis Major), and to the north – his beloved Dog Edi (part of Taurus' face). It lies on its four, wary, for it sees Dog Ngimar (Canis Major and Twins) that is hiding behind the bush on the other shore of the River. It sits there to protect its friend, waiting for him to wake up.