10 years old Nyatlana Kosnokova stared at her elder brother incredulously. “How’s that even possible, Andu?” her tiny mouth opened in a pink O, “Aren’t red foxes conniving and evil?”
13 years old Andropov Mikhailovich, the seasoned hunter who was considered the Scourge of the forests abutting the northern banks of Volga, smiled condescendingly at his doll like sister whom he adored. “Yes, Precious! These foxes are agile and mischievous, although once you come to know them they turn out to be very friendly. Remember those nights, when the ground is white and hard like a merchant’s heart, when I couldn’t even find a root to boil? I was distraught and have slept many a times at the frozen banks of Volga, anticipating death, and suddenly have found a warm nose nudging my frozen cheeks gently.
“That’s when I felt him for the first time. The Fox King. He’s very powerful and gentle. Unlike all those vile foxes. He’s a king.” Andu’s voice gently dropped an octave below as he narrated this oft repeated tale to his goggle-eyed Doll, who never was tired about his tales of adventure.
They were orphaned when Andu was 8 years old and Nyet a tender 5. Their father was a hunter like Andu in the inhospitable lands of heartless Slavic gods, who literally love stealing the happiness of their wards. Why would a god cover and freeze his dependants, unless in a sadist pleasure? After his death, their mother decided to be loyal to their father and joined him. The kids were tended by their unwilling relatives for few years and then were exposed to griefs and tortures hitherto unknown to them.
One spring morning, 10 years old Andu returned from his foray in forest where he spent all his night trying to snare hatch of rabbits and failing, to find his little sister sleeping on a log. She looked like a sorry frog on the log, just a prettier one, who’s changed her mind halfway while turning into a princess. Her fair face was framed in wavy curls surrounding it like those clouds teasing the Glorious Moon. Her dried and chafed lips reminded Andu of those scars of the ugly Moon. He gently kissed her and she squealed in surprise. When she saw Andu, she hugged him and wept.
Andu touched her cheeks with his calloused fingers and they mutely left those grounds, never to return. They decided to run away to escape a life of slavery. They landed near a glade abutting the tiny forest close to Volga, the mother of all rivers.
Conforming to the adage that necessity is the mother of inventions, Andropov Mikhailovich groomed himself into a cunning hunter. He built a tiny hut where both kids huddled into each other to stay warm in freezing winters and fished and hunted all through summer and spring. Andu was blessed with a hugely imaginative mind, where he could think a step ahead of those primeval minds of animals. They were blessed by the benevolent spirit of forest, Katerina, who always loved tiny animals and left the larger ones to fend off for themselves. Blessed by her, rabbits and tiny forest animals came by themselves to Andu. He was able to find fruits where the birds couldn’t. His tall tales of expertise made the dark and beautiful Katerina smile gently. A smile, which was crooked while forming a dimple on her right cheek. Whenever Katerina smiled, spring was born.
“Then? Was he angry at you, Andu?” Nyet whispered in wonder, knowing well the answer, but she loved that grave child’s answer nonetheless.
“Yes. He was very angry at first.” Andu said gravely, “But then I took out my whip and knife. He was scared then. He bowed down while I sharpened a long piece of stick staring at him. The King was worried that I’ll slay him like I do all animals. He slowly backed away and brought me a couple of rabbits. I cut off the ears of them and threw at him. He snapped them out of air and loped off in the dense foliage.” Nyet clapped and hugged the puffed up chest of Andu.
Dark Night fell across the hut, embracing the kids in her ample bosom. Loony Moon laughed.
The harsh winters of Russia have a beauty of their own. And, as it happens, it’s always the most beautiful who have the hardest hearts. The beautiful Winter had a slab of impenetrable ice as heart. It froze everything, from the vast Volga to the warm blood in veins. She even froze the benevolent Spirit Katerina. The forest froze. Trees died standing on their feet. Moon had a frozen smile. Warm and sensuous Night stared vacantly at the white landscape desolately.
15 years old Andu was staring at the hopeless grounds and left as soon as the gloomy sun rose out of east, casting a palling sunshine around. 12 years old Nyet didn’t want her brother to go and cried. He, befitting a man on mission, stared her down and left. He couldn’t get anything to eat yesterday too and although his little sister didn’t whimper even once, he knew the hunger gnawing at her tiny intestines. He tramped off into the blinding white landscape, hoping to surprise some hibernating beast.
The sun decided to go home early today. What was there to illuminate anyway! Life was frozen. Katerina opened one of her lazy eye and then slept again. Nyet stood at the door of her hut, staring at the frozen path.
Night brought her narcotics and was surprised to see a little girl sitting under falling snow, her hair turned white. She beckoned the sad Moon, who selfish that he was, didn’t bother about a tiny girl and brooded on his own ugliness.
Sun rose again at the sleeping child. Nyet woke up with a jolt. Her brother was still absent. She knew that he couldn’t let her sleep in open, still she ran inside the hut to double-check if he had come in silently at night while she slept. The little hut was empty.
She desperately looked around then walked out towards the frozen path. Fresh snow had fallen and obliterated all the footprints. She was afraid to enter the forest as she knew how dangerous animals were there. Without any other option, hungry and cold, she kept walking on. She shouted her brother’s name. Tentatively initially, with fear, then desperately.
Fear works on a hyperbolic curve. We are scared initially and begin with a whisper. Later on, we through caution to winds and scream lustily. Nyet screamed herself hoarse. The wild wolves kept away from her for their own safety. They knew what we didn’t. They knew that extreme fear overcomes fear.
Sun was agitated. I mean, it’s cold and one has to work but can one expect some peace? Here’s this kid who doesn’t have any business here anyway, screaming her heart out! He suddenly remembered another one who was trapped here somewhere yesterday! He tried to think and decided to let go. He signaled at the rising flirtatious Moon in resignation while miming at the sleeping child at the root of a gnarled oak. Moon stared inquisitively and shrugged his pockmarked shoulders. He was in love with the Spirit Katerina, who was not to be seen since yesterday. He looked for her in despondency.
Nyatlana woke up. It was dark. It seemed that a hand is pressed on her eyes. Has she turned blind? She whimpered, “Andu!” and wept. A soundless agony rose around her like a fume of fragrance, invisible, but noticeable nonetheless. The leafless oak wept his few leaves in empathy. Moon stared back in agitation. Isn’t this all wrong? This wasn’t his job!
Nyet’s whimperings were suddenly cut short. She heard a rustling around. Her eyes had adjusted to the blinding darkness alleviated by a milky moon, still she couldn’t understand what’s going on. Suddenly she screamed when something warm and moist touched her cheek. “Andu! I’ve been searching you for so long!” She howled piteously while she hugged the kisser. “You found such a nice fur for me!” she touched his face in dark and screamed in terror. “Who are you?”
The tiny red fox collapsed. As terrified as her. “What the hell are you? Is this a way to repay for kindness?” he admonished. “When they made me a king, they never warned me that I’ll have to babysit kids.” the little fox walked away in disdain. He stopped a few feet away and barked, “Leave this forest, girl. This is not for you.” His red eyes burned like amber in the darkness.
“Who are you?” Nyet was curious. “My name is Nyatlana Kosnokova and I live at the end of this glade.”
“My name is Ronan. I’m the Fox King. And, I object to your presence here.”
Nyet clapped happily! “Ooo! I know everything about you! You are the one who brings rabbits to my brother? The Red Fox King?”
The fox returned and sat on his haunches. No one in the world is immune to praises. He stared at this slip of a female and said, “Look girl, I never did fall to those depths. Your brother stole my food for you. I forgive him now as I see you today. Though, it’s because of him that we are hated. Good that he’s missing.” He laughed a vile laughter. “You are next.”
He pointed ominously and with a whisk of tail, he disappeared in now impenetrable darkness. Moon was the only witness to this dialogue. Nyet stood rooted for few seconds and then panicked.
“Wait!” the distraught child screamed and ran after the vanishing apparition. She tripped and fell. Weeping, she punched the rock hard ground, thus awaking the forest spirit Katerina.
It’s always difficult for a mom to cater for everything. Katerina, being the forest fairy, was always at her wits end. She was always tormented by little animals who were in danger of being devored by the forest devil Berstuk.
Being lazy and being born of a wildcat and a wolf, She was daring and deadly, being lazy at the same time. She stared at the tiny girl in tattered frock and checked the location of Berstuk. She looked at the Moon, imploring him to help.
One of the trees shed its leaves over this crying nymph. Moon was genuinely worried. He would have helped anyway, without being coaxed by his muse, Katerina. He came to a lake and shone brightly as he had never did before. He turned orange in efforts.
That was the first Blood Moon the world saw.
The lake unfroze and reflected the orb of beaten silver.
Nyatlana was suddenly distracted by a shining spectacle. In the center of the glade, something was shining. She went there. The area was bright as a day. Frogs, who were expected to hibernate, were standing in a line. Hundreds of foxes lined the edge of the pond. White lillies suddenly bloomed. Nyet stood at the edge of the glade, staring at this unexpected vision.
It was then that she saw Ronan. He was standing. Tall and majestic amongst his brood. He bowed to Nyatlana. She could see a dark shadow behind him who bowed. In utter silence Katerina pointed towards the lillies. The tired Moon glowed. Nyatlana moved as in a dream and stepped on one of the leaves. She could see the smiling Moon and couldn’t resit touching him. Suddenly, before her fingers touched water, the lake split and the body of her brother floated up.
A scream broke in the utter silence. The Moon dimmed. The body floated at the bank and one of the branches of merciful oak picked it out. Nyatlana was suddenly silent.
Grief isn’t all about screaming. It’s about acceptance. She accepted it. It was nothing new. When we are used to death, everything seems mundane. Suddenly she felt a muzzle touch her cheek.
She screamed in grief and hugged the shaggy fur, finding empathy in that warm body. She kissed the warm body and was suddenly astonished to find Ronan going limp in her arms. The westerly wind blew an essence of fermenting happiness borrowed from South Russian Slopes.
Her brother opened her eyes…
She wasn’t sure if she should be happy for a brother or cry for a King!
The Moon again was its pale self, but happy, because he had won Katerina. The kids were blessed by both divine couple. Katerina decided to love the Ugly Moon.
The Unwept Fox King became immortal in Russian mythology.
Tales of The Opal Moon 