How the loquacious eagle owl lost its ability to speak

Description and range

The peoples of Tarrabaenia love to tell stories, especially about the time when the gods still lived on Samthô. During that time, things were very different from what they are like now but not many things are known for certain. So many wondrous tales are set in that period and the same is true for the fairy tale that is popular all around the Confederation of Tarrabaenia about how the eagle owls lost their speech.

The story

As we know eagle owls have keen ears as well as a good sense of sight and that is why their ears are so pointy and their eyes so big. But did you know that long ago they also had a bigger beak to speak? They where so keen with their senses that they could not only see or hear what was there, but also what was about to come. Soon the eagle owls made it their quirk to tell everyone when they were about to fail or stumble. Later on they pushed it even further and tell everyone about events weeks and months ahead.

One day a man cried out:

"Why do I go about my day the way I do, if the owl tells me where I will be in two weeks and I don't like where that is? Can't I do anything to change my path or is everything just laid out for me?"

So he stopped to work his field, because he did not want to bruise his hands. Likewise he did not pray or sacrifice, because the gods would not avert a sickness that was bound to come. Others too took notice and saw that the man spent his days sleeping long, wandering around, singing and dancing. And so they started to abandon ther duties like he did and chaos broke out. It did not take long til everyone was hungry, as no crops were grown or harvested and the gods took notice of being neglected. Tisonus then went to the people, enquiring why they neglected work and worship.

An eagle owl sat on a nearby pole and burst out in laughter:

"Huhuhu, why should they, lord, work or sacrifice, if what they do is of no effect as all their ways are predetermined?"

Tisonus replied:

"How dare you, eagle owl, claim that what they do does not shape their paths in life?"

The eagle owl chuckled:

"Huhuhu, don't you, lord know that I can foresee and forehear things?"

Tisonius asked:

"The beast may be amused, but the god is not, so the question is: Even if you can foresee and if you can forehear, who gave you the right to foretell?"

"Huhuhu",

the eagle owl laughed again,

"haven't the gods given us abilities to use them?"

"It is indeed",

Tisonius said,

"true, that abilities were given to use them, yet the Gift of Reason has not been bestowed upon all. I see you use your gift without responsibility. From now on you shall speak no more and loose all sounds except that vain laugh of yours!"

And so he took away the eagle owls ability to form sounds others than the laughter "Huhuhu" so whenever the eagle owl would speak it would be constrained to this sound and reminded of his disrespect. And that is why the eagle owl went far off into the forest and is nocturnal as it is ashamed of its former misconduct and that is also why its sound is so deep and melancholic now, as it can not tell man of what lies before them, even if to warn them. And when you hear an eagle owls shout, look out. It might be meant for you and danger could lie ahead.