Greetings, people of the ffml.  I don't know what to call this,
and I don't know what brackets to put it under, so I'm just saying it's a
legend.
	I did _not_ make this story up.  This is an actual legend from my
people.  If you read this, it might help explain some of my future fics to
you.  For lack of a better name, it's called the Legend of Fire
--------------
Legend of Fire
Myrriden
-------------

	Makako Samen.  He is cursed.
	Forever they love, but forever they bear no fruit of their love.

	His name was Mako*, named for his fiery spirit and untamed heart.
He loved playing with fire, even to the extent of his parent's discomfort.
He loved fire, and the way it moved, the smell, the warmth.  He was
forever fascinated by it.
	One day, in his prayers, Mako asked Rannaro* to bless him with the
gift over Mokea*, fire.  To bestow upon him the ability to use it and aid
his people.  Rannaro heard his cries, and answered him.
	"Find the Fire, my kamen*.  Find the fire, and I shall give you
Mokea; the fire."
	Mako told of his vision to his parents, worried that it might be a
trick of a devil prankster; a yunnitua*. His parents sought out the Pethra
so Cova-Samen*, the leader of the village.  He believed it to be not a
quest for power, but for one's self.  So, Mako began his Conataeita
Pasata; the life quest.
	Mako traveled through the world, meeting people, learning
languages, and suffering hardships.  He always went where he felt he was
being pulled.  The tug led him to the distant mountains of the cold
northlands, the Shikata Miecos*,  the cold mountains.
	One night in the cold north, Mako nearly froze.  His small fire
finally puffed out, and he bundled himself into his furs to keep out the
reaching cold.  Shyshi* came to Mako that night, the cold wind tearing at
her skin, freezing the blood within her veins.  She cried out for shelter,
and Mako heard.
	He fell in love with her that night as they huddled together for
warmth.  She fell in love with him.  She began the conversation, the
actual words with, "Yienta*, Shiato*.  Thank you for finding and helping
me."
	"Yienta, Shinna*.  My welcomes.  Also my thanks for you coming.  I
would have froze this night as the shikaro* yunnt* became more tolerant to
my body."
	"Dyon?*  Ice demons?  Bashtuu*!  The yunnt do not mean to hurt.
They just seek to play, but we humans are too fragile for them.  More the
pity."
	Mako shuddered, "Shikaro frightens me, Shinna.  I am of Mokea, of
fire.  I do not enjoy being cold."
	She smiled at him.  "I prefer Shikaro over Mokea.  I'd rather
freeze than burn.  But even I am less inclined to Shikaro right now.  Move
closer, I'm cold."  Smiling back, Mako embraced her and held her close.
She shivered, but soon relaxed against him.  They slept that way until the
day broke.
	Mako greeting his guest by saying, "I am Mako.  I am looking for
Rannaro's fire.  He told me if I found it, he would give me Mokea.  Then
you would not burn, Shina."
	She laughed, "I am Shyshi.  Rannaro told me he would give me
Shikaro.  Then you would not freeze, my Shiato."
	"Shall we join then?  My Mokea, your Shikaro?"
	Shyshi nodded.  They agreed, both setting off in the path Rannaro
was leading them.
	Three days they lived together, growing closer and closer.  No
longer did they call one another Shinna and Shiato, but now they loved
each other, and called each other Ranna-Shoki* and Ranna-Shitaika*.
	As their love grew, so did their determination to find Rannaro's
promise.  Then came the final night, and the true test when Mako
discovered a cave.  "Ranna*-Shoki!  Shyshi-Ranna!  I have found an
entrance!"  He failed to receive and answer.  Going back, he noticed his
would-be bride on the floor of their shared tent, trembling.  Feeling her
forehead, he found that she was possessed by the Mokea Yunnt; the fire
demons who loved the pain of their victims.
	Noting how little time he had, he raced back to the cave.
Searching inside, he found nothing.  Disgusted with himself for leaving
his Ranna-Shoki by herself, and not even putting a blanket over her, he
raced back to see her beginning to die.
	The night Mako and Shyshi passed to the afterlife, both in their
sleeps, both entwined, still in love.  But their love was the Ranna
Samma*; the god-like love given to so few by Rannaro.  That night of their
deaths, they found Rannaro's promise by finding his love.
	The next morning, Makako and Yishika woke, entwined in each
other's arms.  The spirit of fire, the absolute Mokea Ranni*, and his
bride, the absolute Shikaro Ranni.  They gazed at each other.
	"Ranna-Shiatika?  You have changed.  Moki su*?"
"Ranna-Shoki?  Shyshi?  Moki su tikya*."
She took her head, "I am Yishika now.  You are Makako, my Ranna Shiataka.
My love."
He came low, and kissed her.  "Ranna.  Ranna Shoki*."
"Ranna."  She returned, and also returned the kiss.

Makako Samen and Yishika Samen lived happily with one another.  They loved
each other, and they still do.  But nothing can come of their love, and so
Makako is forever cursed.  He is forever cursed because of his Mokea, and
Yishika of her Shikaro, that they cannot have their Neko* Samen Ranni,
their blessed children.
But Ranna is strong:  love still flows in their hearts.  And as long as
they love, Yishika and Makako will be happy.

Translations:

Mako:  Fiery boy, fiery vagrant
Mokea:  fire; warmth
Kamen: son
Yunnitua:  Great devil
Pethra so Cova-Samen:  Derived from pethra(teacher)-great leader / great
master
Conataeita Miecos: cold mountains
Shyshi:  Blessed
Yiento:  hello; goodbye
Siato:  brother; new found hope
Shinna: sister; new found hope
Shikaro: Ice; cold
Yunnt: demon
Dyon: What?
Bashtuu:  Yeah; whatever; bug off; yeah right; I don't think so!
Shoki:  wife
Shiatika: husband
Ranna Shoki: new found love; new found wife
Ranna Shiatika: new found love; new found husband
Ranna: love
Ranna Samma:  god-like love
Ranni: Angles; servants to God
Moki Su:  What the heck?
Neko: children


--------------------------
	I have eyes, yet I am blind
	I have hands, yet I feel nothing
	I have a heart, yet it does not beat
	I have a nose, yet I cannot smell
	I have ears, yet I cannot hear

	I live in warmth and comfort.
	A cave of wondrous beauty.
	
	Some day, I shall venture forth and find my destiny.

	What am I?