Gaia and her children

So in honour of finding the story I thought I'd lost and because I meant to draw this ages ago... have a stained glass window-y picture of Gaia and her three 'children', Day, Night and Nature. 

I probably ought not to put the entire thing but... it makes little sense unless I do. 

I'm not entirely happy with the background at the bottom, but... it's late, I'm tired, this isn't meant to be perfect. >.<

The story of Gaia, as told by fairies:

"Once upon a time, the universe was naught but the chaos of raw magic.  But where there is magic there is life.  Born from the chaos, was the Goddess Gaia, the First One.  The goddess rejoiced in the chaos, it pleased her.  In her joy, she danced, and the chaos was whipped up into balls and stars and ribbons.  This too pleased her, and she continued to dance, but as time wore on, she grew tired, and slept.

  When she awoke, she found the chaos had died down.  But there was a new chaos... she was not the only life.  Things burned, things shone, things grew… and to her delight there were creatures that frolicked and played, as she did.  But as she watched, she saw that they did not revel in the chaos, as she did.  These creatures were from the clay and earth, not the pure energy that had spawned her.  These clay creatures were weak and prone to destruction. 

"I can do better."

  From her own magic she birthed a child.  And then another, and one more.  They were strong and vibrant, and the chaos was naught but a lullaby to them.  But she saw clearly that this could not go on, and she set the children to taming the universe. 

The first child was dark as the chaos from which she had come.  She called him Night.

The second child was radiant as the brightest star, and shone like gold.  She called her Day.

The third child was all the colours of the earth.  She called her Nature.

  She found that birthing the children had weakened her, and she could not see everything as she had liked.  So she took her eyes and threw them into the sky.  These we see as the sun and moon.  Now she could see all again.  She bade the children keep order, that the creatures should not suffer.  She ordered Day and Night to regulate the darkness and light, and bade Nature to manage the earth. 

  But it was to no avail.  The weak clay still crumbled easily. 

"I can do better."

Gaia gathered up the clay that had so sprung life, and she mixed with it her own blood.  From this blood clay she made more children.  They were stronger, they lived longer, and they took some pleasure in the chaos.  These were the first fairies.  So pleased was she, she made more and more... but again she grew weak, and she called her children to her.

"I must sleep again, but I fear for the creatures of the clay.  I cut open my veins, but there is a better way to make children.  I leave them to you.  Mix your blood with the clay, so they might grow stronger.   Rule them, so they do not go astray.  Teach them to love the world."

Night and Day were dutiful children, and they did as their mother asked.  But Nature was wild and wilful.  Though she performed her tasks and had many offspring, she felt she had been burdened with these creatures, and burdened with a greater task than her siblings.  She grew bitter and angry.

"Why should I protect the weak?  Why should they not die?  Why should I tame the chaos?"

Nature abandoned her duties, and there was much suffering and pain.  Crops would not grow, the skies would not be calmed and the clay creatures were at a loss, blood or no blood.

Day and Night were much troubled and they did their best, but they could not manage everything alone.  Day tried to perform Nature's duties, leaving Night to try and perform hers, but it was to no avail. 

Day and Night despaired.  They had to abandon their children, leaving their eldest to rule in their stead.  They sought out Nature's children too, and found the eldest to rule in her place. 

To each child they gave a gift.

Night gave to his eldest a sword. 

"Use this to protect your people.  It is the key to the world.  Rule as I would rule."

Day gave her eldest a staff.

"Use this to guide your people.  It is the key to wisdom.  Rule as I would rule."

But to the children of Nature, they did not know what to say.

"How shall I rule?" the child asked.

"You shall have to ask your mother," replied Night.

"I do not know where to find her," the child replied. 

"Then you must search for her," Day answered.  And she gave the child a pendant.  "This pendant will guide you.  Use this to look for her, and when you find her, bring her back." 

Day and Night continued to perform Nature's duties.  In time, they saw how much Nature had been burdened. 

Just as all had seemed lost, the eldest child returned with her mother.  The siblings fell upon her and apologised.

"Truly sister, yours was the greatest task,"  Night proclaimed.

"Please, will you not resume your duties?" Day pleaded.

Seeing that she need not bother with the clay creatures any longer, and thus her burden was lessened, Nature agreed.  Day and Night proclaimed that Nature was to be the most celebrated among them. 

The child, having found her mother finally asked;

"Mother, how shall I rule?"

"However you see fit," Nature replied.

Nature returned to her duties, but she is still the one with the most bothersome tasks, and sometimes she grows weary and neglects her duties.  Sometimes she gets angry and lashes out, for she cares not for we creatures of the clay.  But still we call her wonderful and beautiful, for she is the greatest of Gaia's children, even Day and Night have proclaimed it to be so!"


This is intended to be put into Tyrian's book.  I might need to rewrite it a bit, it's awfully repetitive, but I was trying to imitate the style of creation legends and they are seldom concerned with word overuse.  

 Miss Prince / Vampires Don't Belong in Faiyrtales (c) Alicia L. Wright and Tannbourne Ltd.

 Story and art (c) Alicia L. Wright

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