The Legend of the Three Daughters
The Legend of the Three Daughters
Once, long ago, there were three beautiful sisters: Esmelda, the oldest, Osmodia, the middle sister, and Usmary, the youngest. They lived with their parents in a hovel in the remote Kale Mountains. Each of the three were as beautiful as their mother - that is to say, they were all extremely ugly.
One day their father, in hopes of eventually marrying them off, sent Esmelda, who was cold of heart and granite-faced, on a horse down to the nearest village to find a husband. Weeks passed, and there was no word from Esmelda. The father then sent the next daughter, Osmodia, who was dim and wild, on another horse to see what happened to her sister. More weeks went by with no word from either one. Finally, the father, figuring he had little else to lose, set his youngest daughter, Usmary, who had a fiery temper, on their last horse. The girls' mother, who had grown tired of losing daughters, decided to accompany Usmary to the village.
Weeks, then months, then years passed. In all that time the father grew older while becoming more and more one with the land and the mountains themselves, such that he left their house and begin wandering the mountains aimlessly. Finally, as he was finally about to pass from the world, he found himself so attuned with the land he found himself able to control it to a degree. Squatting at what was then one of the highest points of the Kale Mountains, he was able to actually raise three new mountains of his own accord. The resulting earthquakes and geographic upheaval so affected the lands the Zerias River split into two and began to also flow in a different direction, forming the Paradon River. The three new mountains were unique and quite different from all the others around them. One was cold and rocky, one green and fey, and the third dark and fiery. With his final breath, he named them after his three daughters.
The winds and the trees carried their names along, whispering them along until it reached the ears of the villagers below. By then, they were all marveling at the new mountain peaks in their sight. They knew the names were special, because they were carried by the land. Father Druid laid peacefully, gazing up at this new, permanent memory of his daughters, and passed into the wild.
Meanwhile, Esmelda, Osmodia, Usmary and their mother all had been living happily in the village, having each encountered a friendly wizard who did excellent facial renovation magic. They had all become quite beautiful, and each of the daughters one by one was married to a handsome prince in a far-off kingdom and left, never to return. Their mother, miffed that her former husband had not included her name in his new-found mountains of fatherly affection, fumed and spit, and was bitter to the end of her days.
Once, long ago, there were three beautiful sisters: Esmelda, the oldest, Osmodia, the middle sister, and Usmary, the youngest. They lived with their parents in a hovel in the remote Kale Mountains. Each of the three were as beautiful as their mother - that is to say, they were all extremely ugly.
One day their father, in hopes of eventually marrying them off, sent Esmelda, who was cold of heart and granite-faced, on a horse down to the nearest village to find a husband. Weeks passed, and there was no word from Esmelda. The father then sent the next daughter, Osmodia, who was dim and wild, on another horse to see what happened to her sister. More weeks went by with no word from either one. Finally, the father, figuring he had little else to lose, set his youngest daughter, Usmary, who had a fiery temper, on their last horse. The girls' mother, who had grown tired of losing daughters, decided to accompany Usmary to the village.
Weeks, then months, then years passed. In all that time the father grew older while becoming more and more one with the land and the mountains themselves, such that he left their house and begin wandering the mountains aimlessly. Finally, as he was finally about to pass from the world, he found himself so attuned with the land he found himself able to control it to a degree. Squatting at what was then one of the highest points of the Kale Mountains, he was able to actually raise three new mountains of his own accord. The resulting earthquakes and geographic upheaval so affected the lands the Zerias River split into two and began to also flow in a different direction, forming the Paradon River. The three new mountains were unique and quite different from all the others around them. One was cold and rocky, one green and fey, and the third dark and fiery. With his final breath, he named them after his three daughters.
The winds and the trees carried their names along, whispering them along until it reached the ears of the villagers below. By then, they were all marveling at the new mountain peaks in their sight. They knew the names were special, because they were carried by the land. Father Druid laid peacefully, gazing up at this new, permanent memory of his daughters, and passed into the wild.
Meanwhile, Esmelda, Osmodia, Usmary and their mother all had been living happily in the village, having each encountered a friendly wizard who did excellent facial renovation magic. They had all become quite beautiful, and each of the daughters one by one was married to a handsome prince in a far-off kingdom and left, never to return. Their mother, miffed that her former husband had not included her name in his new-found mountains of fatherly affection, fumed and spit, and was bitter to the end of her days.
Summary
A man loses his three daughters and raises a trio of mountains in their memory.
The tale is the basis for the supposed creation and naming of the three largest mountains in the Kale Mountains range: Mount Esmelda, Mount Osmondia and Mount Usmary, collectively known as The Three Daughters.
The tale is the basis for the supposed creation and naming of the three largest mountains in the Kale Mountains range: Mount Esmelda, Mount Osmondia and Mount Usmary, collectively known as The Three Daughters.
Historical Basis
None. The story is a tale of geographic upheaval and, while revered and somewhat stubbornly sworn to by some locals, few actually believe such a magical creation actually occurred.
In reality, one of the early settlers from Bieric's split group was part of a set of explorers who attempted to traverse the Zerias River from its source and made it as far as the three mountains, and had a set of mistresses that he named the mountains after.
In reality, one of the early settlers from Bieric's split group was part of a set of explorers who attempted to traverse the Zerias River from its source and made it as far as the three mountains, and had a set of mistresses that he named the mountains after.
Spread
When the expedition returned, the aforementioned explorer began to tell other settlers of what they had discovered. He and his colleagues had mapped the area extensively, and labeled the three mountains with his mistresses' names.
(Some say the three mistresses became angry at learning the existence of each other, they teamed with his wife - who was likewise as unaware of their existence - and took out their revenge)
Others in the settlements began to weave tales to explain the origins of the mountains. Parents, unwilling to expose their children to a story involving a man's mistresses, changed them to daughters. Eventually the legend took hold and spread wherever the settlers went.
(Some say the three mistresses became angry at learning the existence of each other, they teamed with his wife - who was likewise as unaware of their existence - and took out their revenge)
Others in the settlements began to weave tales to explain the origins of the mountains. Parents, unwilling to expose their children to a story involving a man's mistresses, changed them to daughters. Eventually the legend took hold and spread wherever the settlers went.
Variations & Mutation
Most childrens' versions cast the daughters as already beautiful, and omit the cynical ending. They stress the heartbreak they cause when leaving home and how not staying to work in the fields, mines and ranches can lead to no good end. Others that leave the legend intact use it to stress the value of independence, growth and throwing off parental bonds. All versions seem to vilify ugliness and celebrate beauty, whether it is innate or created.
A few versions give a name to the otherwise anonymous mother, "Stibora", no doubt to compare her to the vicious Stibora that inhabit the mountains.
Dwarves from the region believe an ancient earth deity, Nebukuh, caused the mountains to rise to honor three other gods in their pantheon.
Elves from the lands to the west of the Kale Mountains have no mythology or divine inspiration for the mountains' existence, they merely are. They regard human stories as nonsense.
A few versions give a name to the otherwise anonymous mother, "Stibora", no doubt to compare her to the vicious Stibora that inhabit the mountains.
Dwarves from the region believe an ancient earth deity, Nebukuh, caused the mountains to rise to honor three other gods in their pantheon.
Elves from the lands to the west of the Kale Mountains have no mythology or divine inspiration for the mountains' existence, they merely are. They regard human stories as nonsense.
Cultural Reception
In most cases it is told as a children's tale to fascinate young ones who dream of leaving home. In some, a celebration of independence. Mostly it is disregarded as a serious tale.
In Literature
A few books have been published over the years that contain this tale. It is most prominently featured in Tales of the Mountains by Elericus from the town of Meshen. It contains the "sanitized" version of the story suitable for children. Another collection of legends and lore, What Spooks Us by Kimle author Utarran, contains the slightly less optimistic version.
Of course, the entire legend is related in the anonymous Legends, Tales and Stories of Melas that has existed as long as anyone can remember.
Of course, the entire legend is related in the anonymous Legends, Tales and Stories of Melas that has existed as long as anyone can remember.
In Art
A famous Krylan artist, Devonal, painted a series of landscapes featuring the three mountains with beautiful womens' faces, which have proved very valuable over the years.
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