The Great Storm - a tale from the Ilyun.

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Not so very long ago, great lord Núkiam, who had grown distant from the world since the death of Ĵewú*, decided that mankind had grown fat and evil because of his long lenience. Déviat was convinced of this also. Determined to scour the world of this evil, lord Núkiam caused there to be a great sandstorm, the likes of which had never before been seen.

It stripped the flesh from the men and women, and killed the children also. The tongues of the cattle grew thick in their mouths, suffocating them. Everything was buried in sand, baking beneath the sun which is the left eye of the great lord Núkiam.

Near sunset, a child in the village of Tamen, which was the last place on Earth the sand had not yet buried, cried out its true name** to the approaching winds, then begged of Déviat, protector and child of the Weyr, mercy.

And even good Déviat, who is ever wise and mild, at first did not want to hear the truth in that child's cries. He covered his ears and sang loudly. But as Déviat is of the Weyr, and the Weyr are of Déviat, try as he might he could not ignore that child's pleas.

But Núkiam refused to stop the slaughter. So Déviat, ever wise and protecting, seduced Núkiam and Núkiam fell into a drunken sleep.

Déviat guided the hand of Núkiam, and the sands were made to stop.

And all of mankind lives again by the hand of Déviat.

--
Notes for foreigners:
* Ĵewú is the third of Núkiam's lost loves. She died because she could not live on Earth, and until Núkiam found Déviat, the god was despondent and angry.
** true name: Every Weyr person (at least those of the Tréi kémani) is given a small glyph which represents their name at the time they are born. To reveal this name is considered very foolish, for the name is thought to be the source of a person's true power. As long as no one knows one's true name, one cannot (with the exception of gods, demigods, and greater bad spirits) control that person. The child shows selflessness and so is spared and awakens the compassion in Déviat's heart.
*** Image source: http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=4460631&size=lg