“It is our beginning,” said Kta, and spoke softly, not looking at Kurt, his fingers moving on the strings like a whisper of wind, as if that was necessary for his thoughts.
There was water. From the sea came the nine spirits of the elements, and greatest were Ygr the earthly and Ib the celestial. From Ygr and Ib came a thousand years of begettings and chaos and wars of elements, until Qas who was light and Mur who was darkness, persuaded their brother-gods Phan the sun and Thael the earth to part.
So formed the first order. But Thael loved Phan’s sister Ti, and took her. Phan in his anger killed Thael, and of Thael’s ribs was the earth. Ti bore dead Thael a son, Aem.
Ten times a thousand years came and passed away.
Aem came to his age, and Ti saw her son was fair.
They sinned the great sin. Of this sin came Yr,
Yr, earth-snake, mother of all beasts.
The council of gods in heaven made Aem and Ti to die,
and dying, they brought forth children, man and woman.
“I have never tried to think it hi human terms,” said Kta, frowning. “It is very hard.”
But with a gesture Kurt urged him, and Kta touched the strings again, trying, greatly frustrated.
“The first mortal beings were Nem and Panet, man and woman, twins. They sinned the great sin too. The council of gods rejected them for immortality because of it, and made their lives short. Phan especially hated them, and he mated with Yr the snake, and brought beasts and terrible things into the world to hunt man.
Then Phan’s sister Qas defied his anger,
stole fire, rained down lightning on the earth.
Men took fire and killed Yr’s beasts, built cities.
Ten times a thousand years came and passed away.
Men grew many and kings grew proud,
sons of men and Yr the earth-snake,
sons of men and inim that ride the winds.
Men worshiped these half-men, the god-kings.
Men did them honor, built them cities.
Men forgot the first gods,
and men’s works were foul.
“Then a prophecy came,” said Kta, “and Phan chose Isoi, a mortal woman, and gave her a half-god son, Qavur, who carried the weapons of Phan to destroy the world by burning. Qavur destroyed the god-kings, but Isoi his mother begged him not to kill the rest of man, and he didn’t. Then Phan with his sword of plague came down and destroyed all men, but when he came to Isoi she ran to her hearthfire and sat down beside it, so that she claimed the gods’ protection. Her tears made Phan pity her. He gave her another son, Isem, who was husband of Nae the sea-goddess and father of all men who sail on the sea. But Phan took Qavur to be immortal; he is the star that shines in morning, the messenger of the sun.
“To keep Nae’s children from doing wrong, Phan gave Qavur the yhia to take to men. All law comes from it. From it we know our place in the universe. Anything higher is gods’ law, but that is beyond the words of the song. The song is the Ind. It is sacred to us. My father taught it to me, and the seven verses of it that are only for Elas. So it has come to us in each generation.”
“You said once,” said Kurt, “that you didn’t know whether I was man or not. Have you decided yet?”
Kta thoughtfully laid aside the aos, stilled its strings. “Perhaps, said Kta, “some of the children of Nem escaped, the plague; but you are not nemet. Perhaps instead you are descended of Yr, and you were set out among the stars on some world of Thael’s kindred. From what I have heard among humans, the earth seems to have had many brothers. But I don’t think you think so.”
“I said nothing.”
“Your look did not agree.”
“I wouldn’t distress you,” said Kurt, “by saying I consider you human.”
The nemet’s lips opened instantly, his eyes mirroring shock. Then he looked as if he suspected Kurt of some levity, and again, as if he feared he was serious. Slowly his expression took on a certain thoughtfulness, and he made a gesture of rejection.