Helen's Etiological Myth

"Mom? Can you help me with my homework? I have to write an etiological myth."

"Uh, sure Helen. But you have to do something for me first."

"The dishes?"

"No. You have to tell me what an etiological myth is."

And thus it began.

Helen explained and ran her idea by me. I was floored. I made one or two suggestions and she disappeared in the back for an hour. This is what she wrote--

Why the Willow Reaches Towards the Water
Ms. Vickory 2nd block

Willow and her husband, Laius lived in very hard times. In the Distant land there was little water and vegetation and great famine. Despite this, the couple was very happy with each other and even happier when Willow bore a healthy baby boy.

"We shall call you Nicholas and someday you will be as strong as your old man!" cried Laius. Nicholas gurgled happily with his new name.

Although the family was very poor, they were rich in happiness. Times were hard, but they always managed to get by. They never thought about what the things they didn't have; only how lucky they were to have what they did. One of the favorite things for the family to do was to go outside to watch the sun set and the moon rise, then count the glittering stars.

"How beautiful the stars are tonight," Willow whispered. Laius only nodded.

One evening while Willow watched the sun set, Laius called forth the moon, and Nicholas rolled and gurgled happily at their feet a new creature approached. Malevolent, lithe, and hungry the black snake fixed its onyx eyes on Nicholas. While Willow and Laius were focused on the sky, it slithered its way to Nicholas and laid a venomous kiss on the child's thin neck. Once dead the snaked dragged Nicholas back to its dark hole. Missing the happy gurgling Laius looked down.

"Where is Nicholas!?" He cried. Willow also looked down.

"Nicholas!" Shrieks of the hapless child's name filled the desolate land. The couple searched and searched for their missing son, but couldn't find him. Still searching they began to weep. Their tears flowed and flowed until it formed a river. Still they searched.

The Sun and Moon looked down with pity on the couple. It was partially their fault that Nicholas was gone. Willow and Laius had stood engrossed with the beauty of the sky as the creature stole their son.

"Poor humans," the Moon sighed. When Willow and Laius walked in front of the river, the Sun and Moon cast a spell on them. Their feet took root and their skin turned dull brown and hard. They turned into trees with branches outstretched towards the river, grasping for the child that had been taken from them.