Lore24 Feb 5: The Legend of the Rose Bush

It is said that once a year, on the slopes of Mount Arduk, less than a week’s journey from the city of Satrak, the gods and goddesses sing and dance and the gods take wives and the goddesses take husbands for the following year. One day two young men thought to spy upon these festivities, and to take goddesses as their wives. Just before dawn they crept up the slopes, trusting in their skill as hunters, trappers, and wife-stealers. They concealed themselves in a rose bush, and waited for the sunrise.

Just as dawn broke, they saw the Heavens and the Earth open up, sky-gods and goddesses descending from the heights, and underworld deities slowly creeping up from down below. Then there was singing, and dancing, and food, and drink. The two youths knew, that if only they could eat the food and drink the drink, they would become unaging as the gods. They tried to sneak out from the bush, but it became as vines, and held them in place. For the gods have seen them hiding in the rose bush, and wove a subtle spell to bind them there. After realizing what has happened the two young men pleaded with the gods to release them, but the bush just kept squeezing them harder and harder. They promised to sacrifice a thousand cattle, if they were set free. They promised to shave their heads, and serve the gods for their entire lives. They promised to sell their families to slavery, and donate the money to the temples. Their pleading fell on deaf ears.

“There is only one sacrifice great enough to atone for your mistake.” said the gods, and the rosebush suddenly grew thorns that dug deep into the bodies of the two men, and spilled their blood onto the earth. After seven days and seven nights of unspeakable agony the two men finally died. It is said that their wails can still be heard in the mountains when the weather is windy enough.

This story is often cited as the reason roses have thorns, and why those convicted for treason in the cities of the Bronze Elves are strangulated with thorny plants.

 Image by Christel Sagniez

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