Join us at the campfire for tales from around the world, told by storytellers of all backgrounds and creeds. From the heros and heroines of old, let us relearn and rediscover the wisdom of our ancestors. Shhh..the story begins..
It is said that beneath the Aegean Sea, there once lay a kingdom of mystery and magic...a kingdom inhabited by merfolk, oceanic monsters and its own subaqueous nobility. The ruler of this watery realm was Nereus. Although Nereus had long been supplanted by Poseidon as supreme deity of the world's waters, Nereus' powers of prophecy remained formidable. On one particular occasion, so it was written, he employed his faculties to foretell the fate of the most beautiful of his own daughters...the Nereids...and thus, helped avert a tragedy of misplaced love that could have threatened the future of the very Gods themselves.
It was Nereus' fame as a seer that once brought Poseidon in search of his predecessor's guidance. Cleaving a path through the waves, Poseidon dived down to the sea bed to find the Nereus amid celebrations in honor of Thetis, the ancient and venerable Sea-Lord's youngest daughter. Poseidon was received with all due respects and even Thetis herself came to wait upon him. However, the beauty of the girl so entranced Poseidon that he was was left totally devoid of any appetite and unable to partake of the delicious oysters or sea-grape wine that had been placed before him. Instead, this mighty God of the Waters stared bedazzled at the lovely nymph, who returned his gaze with the brilliance of her sea-green eyes. In truth, Poseidon believed he had never before spied so fair a creature and barely glanced at her sisters...all beauties in their own right...as they performed a birthday dance in honor of Thetis' special day.
As Poseidon watched Thetis, he became more and more enamoured. Nereus did not need his gift of prophecy to see what was happening between the God of the Waters and his youngest daughter. But, as he continued to observe, the expression of Nereus grew grave and somber and severe. Finally, when the dancing had ceased, Nereus called Thetis to his side and placed a coronet of pearls in her hair...a sea-spawned circlet which would be her dowry. Raising her bowed head, Thetis looked up at Poseidon. Their eyes locked and the enchantment was thus complete. With a regal gesture, Poseidon stood tall and announced his intention to marry Thetis. He expected no quarrel from the nymph's father and when the old Sea-Lord dared to object to the match, the fury of Poseidon at the challenge caused the little crabs on the ocean floor to scuttle for the safety of their caves. Indeed, the very floor of the sea was beginning to shake in a most alarming fashion. Then, Nereus asked Poseidon to listen to his vision of what lay in store for Thetis before he followed through with the marriage. The headstrong Olympian, however, refused to hearken to a single word. Wiser, albeit less powerful, than Poseidon, the older Sea-Lord trusted that time would solve the problem and promised that if Poseidon would wait for one year and one day, he could make Thetis his bride.
Poseidon reluctantly agreed and returned to Olympus, but images of Thetis haunted his thoughts. Perhaps she had used the sea's ancient magic to enthrall him...or perhaps her own beauty had been sufficient to enthrall the God of the Waters...who can say? Even in the sun-drenched palaces of the empyrean, where the great Gods and Goddesses banqueted on nectar and ambrosia, the laughing face of Thetis swam before the eyes of Poseidon, making him insensible to all that took place around him. At one such feast, a dangerous subject arose. Silver-tongued Hermes, the swift-footed Messenger of Olympus, and ill-favored Hephaestus, Blacksmith to the Gods, began to debate the relative beauty of the Goddesses. Their discussion soon became volatile. All who were present took sides, advancing the causes of their own particular favorites. The ladies in question refrained from arguing their respective good points to the assembly, but the rivalry between them was rooted very deeply. Before long, Hera was angry...Aphrodite was petulant...and Athena appealed to her ever-indulgent father to settle the matter in her favor.
Zeus was anxious to avoid making a decision and turned to Poseidon, asking him to speak his mind on the matter. The God of the Waters astonished everyone present when he declared that the most lovely female in creation was not a goddess but a nymph! The Olympian Goddesses, secure in their superiority, laughed at Poseidon for being as moonstruck as any mere mortal fool. It was well-known that the sight of a nymph could drive the human male insane with love.
Poseidon then painted a picture of his beloved, describing her beauty as she danced on the moonlit seashore. Although the Goddesses were unconvinced by his description, Zeus became fascinated and determined to see for himself this vision of loveliness. So, the following night, Zeus left Olympus under cover of darkness and assumed the form of a sea eagle. High over the waves he soared, searching for the haunt of the Nereids. Against a backdrop of sparkling white sands and moon-kissed waters, Zeus spied Thetis dancing. Landing on a nearby rock, he watched for a few moments and then lost his heart to the graceful and delightful nymph. Returning to Olympus, Zeus informed Poseidon that he would take Thetis for himself. The God of the Waters protested, claiming that Thetis had already been promised to him by her father. Like two hounds fighting for the same bone, Zeus and Poseidon argued and, in the midst of their anger, the very rock on which Olympus stood began to shake while thunderbolts flew about the heads of the two immortal Gods.
Just as open war appeared imminent between the two mighty brothers, Themis, Goddess of Justice and daughter of the Mother Earth arrived. The altercation stalled while the Gods and Goddesses paid her homage. Themis was privy to the secrets of both the past and the future and she revealed the destiny of Thetis to the assembly...any son born to the nyph was fated to be more powerful than his father. The importance of this message was not lost on either Zeus or Poseidon. If the father of such a child should be an immortal, then surely the boy would overthrow the Gods of Olympus. Faced with a prospect of such disastrous proportions, both Zeus and Poseidon agreed to forego marriage with the lovely Thetis.
The company now pondered on Thetis' fate. While she remained unwed, she would be a danger for she might take it upon herself to become the bride of one of the Gods' fiercest enemies...in short, the Giants who had once nearly defeated the Gods in battle. Any son greater than one of those awesome fathers would indeed prove to be an intolerable threat. The Goddess of Justice advised that Thetis should be married to a mortal. Thus, her children would be destined to eventually die...as do all those of human lineage. After much discussion, a youth by the name of Peleus was chosen for the honor of becoming Thetis' husband. The song of a King, Peleus had been unjustly exiled, rescued by the Gods and then sent to the safety of the forest where he lived with the centaur, Chiron. There, the wise centaur had taught the young Peleus all that he knew...and Peleus waited patiently to discover what the Gods had in store for him.
After a visit from Hermes, Peleus was dispatched by Chiron to gather yellow sea-poppies during the time of the full moon. Chiron had told the lad that the blooms were needed in order to prepare a healing salve. As he approached the shore, Pelelus was drawn forward by the sound of musical voices and saw a group of young maidens dancing in a circle on the sand. One of the nymphs...Thetis...was much lovelier than the rest. Peleus watched with fascination and fell hopelessly in love. A pause in the dancing found Peleus face-to-face with his heart's desire, who gave a startled cry before turning and fleeing into the sea.
Chiron was far from surprised when Peleus returned home with a broken heart and without the sea-poppies he had been sent to gather. The centaur informed Peleus that the nymph he had seen and now loved had been chosen for him by the Gods, but in order to win her, it would be necessary to undergo a test. The next night, as Thetis danced on the shore, Peleus was to catch her and hold her fast, refusing to let go, no matter what transpired. Peleus, muscular and well-built by a life of hunting and wrestling, readily agreed thinking that the slender nymph could be no possible match for his strength. Thus, as soon as Thetis appeared, Peleus caught her in his arms and held her tightly...but then, the ordeal began.
The nymph's lovely face turned into a mask of fury. Her fair skin sprouted black fur...her lips stretched and widened into a snarl...her pearl-like teeth lengthened and sharpened into fangs...and her nails, now claws, dug savagely into Peleus' flesh. From her throat came the menancing growl of a panther as Thetis writhed in his arms. The lashing tail wrapped around Peleus' legs and then transformed into a cold and constricting snake. In an instance, the serpent had vanished to be replaced by a searing column of fire, then by a roaring waterfall, and finally by a sea-eagle which churned the air with its wings. Through it all, Peleus held fast. At last, the nymph's powers of metamorphosis were exhausted and she returned, defeated, to her own true form.
"You," Thetis informed Peleus, "are the first mortal man to ever win a nymph as his bride...this can only be because the Gods ordained our match and granted you the fortitude to subdue the transformations." Thus, they passed the night together and Thetis told Peleus about the ways of her people and life beneath the waves.
With the advent of dawn, Thetis asked Peleus to agree to a single condition before the marriage ceremony: because she was a Sea-Goddess of ancient lineage, he must never treat her as mortal husbands treated their wives...never speak to her in harsh tones, touch her with roughness or dare to command her, for the Goddess spirit within her could never allow it. The punishment for any infraction, Peleus was solemnly told, would be swift and final...Thetis would vanish forever from his sight and return to her father's kindgom. Peleus readily gave his word.
Before the couple set out for Chiron's cave, Thetis stopped to gather some of the yellow poppies that Peleus had been sent to find and had forgotten in his moonstruck trance. Now, there truly was a need for the centaur to concoct a healing ointment for Peleus was badly bruised and battered from the ordeal he had undergone in order to win Thetis for his wife.
Chriron greeted Thetis and Peleus with hearty congratulations. All the Gods and Goddesses would be arriving later that evening for the wedding feast...as the first lawful marriage between a human and an immortal, such an occasion merited their presence. The deities had arranged all the conditions most favorable to a union. January...known to the ancient Greeks as Gamelion...was the month ruled by Hera, Goddess of Marriage, and she bestowed special gifts upon those who, like Peleus and Thetis, wed under her protection. Beneath the glow of a full moon, traditionally a harbinger of good fortune to nuptial rituals, the couple purified themselves by bathing in the pure crystalline waters of a forest spring. Then, they entered the torchlit cavern of Chrion to await the arrival of their guests.
As wood nymphs showered them with fruits and nuts to ensure a fertile union, lions and wolves clustered around the bride's seat. Rabbits, squirrels and field mice scampered around the grotto, displaying no fear of the now-docile carnivores. All paid homage to Thetis, her lovely face hidden behind a veil to protect her from any evil spirits who might venture to interrupt this most festive night. Underneath the gossamer fabric of Thetis' headdress glimmered the crown of pearls which was her dowry and birthright, given her by Nereus, her father.
From outside the cave came the first strains of a divine melody. The animal ceased their frolicking and Peleus assumed a regal bearing as he awaited the arrival of the Gods who had given him his heart's desire. Zeus came into view first, followed by Hera, who bestowed a sweet smile upon Thetis, seeming to have forgotten her fury at the nymph who had challenged her beauty. After all, the trials Thetis was likely to endure as the wife of a mortal man and the mother of his children would be as great a punishment as Hera could wish upon the woman who had very nearly stolen her husband. Apollo, plucking his lyre, and Artemis, Virgin Huntress and twin sister to Apollo, came next, accompanied by the Goddess Peitho. All three were Patrons of Marriage. Without the aid of gentle Peitho, no match could possibly meet with success for she ruled the delicate art of persuasion by which two souls were able to live as one. The other deities soon arrived and took their placed on the thrones that Chiron had made ready for them.
When all was ready, Poseidon with very few words gave the daughter of the old Sea-Lord to the handsome young Peleus. Now that the marriage was celebrated, the Gods and Goddesses could rest secure that no son of Thetis would bear them any threat. But, one figure stood aside in thoughtful reflection. Nereus, drawn ashore from his subterranean realm for the occasion, had known Thetis' destiny from the very beginning and had fully realized the threat that fatherhood would pose to Poseidon. Impassive, Neleus had waited on the workings of fate in the contest between the God of the Waters and Zeus...and its happy resolution in the marriage which had just taken place.
Yet, he did not join in the merriment around him. Cursed with the power of clairvoyance, Nereus was doomed to foresee the miseries which lay ahead even while in the midst of joyous times. While the other guests gazed only upon a young couple who were radiantly in love, Nereus divined, as if in a dream, the anxious parents they were destined to become, tenderly nursing the hoped-for son who would indeed be their own one day. The boy would grow into a man of might, as the Fates had decreed...a youth whose beauty of mind and body would charm all those he might meet. All this Nereus foresaw, yet there was no joy in his heart...for he knew too that the child's name would be Achilles and that all the care and devotion of a doting mother would be insufficient to save the boy from a grim death in the very flower of his days among the horrors of the Trojan War.
A section has been added to Penumbra entitled "Rainbow Bridge," dedicated to the memory of our beloved animal companions. It features various pieces of work, whose words, it is hoped, will bring solace and comfort to those who have lost a dear little furry (or feathered or scaled...etc.) one.
It contains an area known as "BlueBird Bower" where a memorial may be placed by anyone upon request in the name of their departed pet (no species refused).
Just click on "RainBow Bridge" on the home page to access the area described.
