This is the pre-Soviet Russian fairy tale of Old Bones the Deathless, shortened and adapted to the Matope world.
Dance of Plenty paused, his memory faded from time. It was certainly long ago that he heard this story from his mother! The small crowd before him waited expectantly, patient. This was, of course, the festival of fire, one of Dance's favorite times of year. Actually, he loved all the festivals, but today his scarlet coat gleamed merrily, the color of the heart of the flame, and there was so much laughter and life! With pride he found the beginning of his tale.
"Long ago, when the world was young, there lived one who was like a prince among Kimeti. Sea of Stars was a sight to behold, regal and handsome, and all who saw him loved him. It was said around the swamp that he would pair with the loveliest of all females, the beautiful Fire Bird. When he was grown enough to desire a women, he decided that this was indeed what he would do. He searched far and wide for her, but woe! Fate had allowed her to be taken by the dreaded Old Bones the Deathless. Old Bones was notoriously cruel, but none could go against him, for he had hidden his death so that it could not find him. In those days such things could be done.
"Determined, but with little hope, he approached Fire Bird with his proposition. As soon as he saw her he was stuck with love, and Sea of Stars knew that he would die rather than let her go with Old Bones, though he knew of no way to stop such a thing from happening. Fire Bird felt the same emotion, but she was a clever girl as well as beautiful, and she knew of a way to find Old Bone's death and unite them.
"Bidding Sea of Stars not to worry, she returned to Old Bones' territory, and when he came back she asked him in her most foalish voice 'Old Bones, Old Bones, where do you keep your death?' He responded with annoyance, 'Silly girl! My death is in the stick of that mangrove tree!' So when Old Bones left her to find food for himself, she took the stick from mangrove tree and bedecked it with flower and ornaments. When Old Bones returned he scoffed at her, 'What are you doing with that old stick!?' She replied innocently, 'Why should such a precious thing be left on a tree?' 'Long hair and short wits! That is not my death! My death is in the mushroom on that log.'
"When next he left Fire Bird picked the mushroom and bedecked it with flowers and ornaments. Again Old Bones again scoffed at her 'What are you doing with that smelly mushroom!?' 'Why should such a precious thing be left on a log?' Old Bones exploded with annoyance 'Long hair and short wits! That is not my death! My death is in an egg in the belly of a fish in a bird in a rat in a cage in a clearing three miles to the north!!!' This, she knew, was the proper answer.
"When Old Bones left the next day, Fire Bird told Sea of Stars what she had heard, and he set out to find it. One his way he came across a foxbun about to be eaten by a swamp lizard. Sea of Stars kicked the lizard and saved the foxbun, but it ran off without even a nod of thanks. Next he came across a large bird caught in a vine. He tore the vine and untangled the bird, but it too flew off without recognition of the deed. Near the end of the voyage and getting hungry he happened upon a nest of snake eggs. The mother snake could not reach them in time to defend them, but looked so mournfully at him that Sea of Stars could not eat a one. He walked on.
"The clearing was indeed where Fire Bird told him it would be. He walked to the cage and opened it. But woe! The rat shot off, far too fast for him to catch. 'If only that foxbun was here. He could surely catch that rat!' And low and behold the foxbun shot from the bushes and caught the rat. But the rat coughed, and a bird flew out. Up it flew into the air, far too high for Sea of Stars to catch. 'If only that large bird was here. It could surely catch it!' And low and behold the bird he had saved flew out of the sky and forced the other bird to the ground. Out popped a fish, which promptly flopped into the swamp water, far too deep for him to catch. 'If only that snake was here. She could surely catch that fish!' and low and behold the snake swam out of the shallows with the fish in it's jaws.
"Sea of Stars quickly picked up the egg the fish dropped and trotted back. Old Bones was just returning from his trek. Sea of Stars rushed up to him an smashed the egg into his forehead before he could blink, and Old Bones fell over, dead.
"Fire Bird rejoiced, and the two lovers returned to Sea of Stars' territory and lived happily after for many years, raising beautiful children and sharing their joy." he finished as the sun dipped into the swamp. It's firey glow spread over the swamp, and his listeners left him to dance and sing. It had been a good telling, though, he could tell from the nods he got from the adults, and the sparks of excitement in the youngsters eyes.
With a light heart he got up to join them.
