White Wings
Behave, or the Halatross will take you!
While there are many myths surrounding the Halatross, one has gained a lot more traction then any other.
Summary
There was once a child like no other. He was the most energetic of them all, to the point where he couldn't stop chasing birds. This caused a great annoyance with the rest of his village, because the birds also didn't stop flying and didn't stop chattering.
The villagers tried to stop the child, but it was in vain. If he was locked in a house he would break out within the hour. If he was held by a person, he would escape their grasp within the minute and if someone kept an eye on him, he would be out of sight within the second.
The villagers were at wits end when they saw a bird in the sky with massive wings and flying impossibly high. "Halatross", they shouted, "Halatross, get in cover!"
All of the villagers went inside, apart from the boy, who couldn't stop chasing this new bird. Only when the bird had come really close did the child realise the danger he was in, but by that time it was too late.
The Halatross swept in, grabbing the screaming child and flying ever higher, until the screams faded and their shape blurred. Since then no one has seen the boy again.
Historical Basis
The story is unlikely to have any significant historical background. The closest historians can think of is if a child was harassed by normal seagulls and that the story just got more exaggerated over time.
Variations & Mutation
As with all myths and legends the details are never fully accurate and this story is no different.
The things that change the most, depending on where it is told, is what happens to the boy once the Halatross takes him. Some say that the boy is dropped to fall screaming onto the ground, put on the highest mountain peak or put in the middle of the ocean to drown.
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