The Folly of Little Tayvo

The Folly of Little Tayvo is a bedtime story that is told to warn the overly-curious away from the Lost Woods, a semi-mythical forest found in the Great Hyrule Forest that has been a subject of mystery since before the rise of Calamity Ganon. Although little has been known about the Lost Woods over the years, the basic premise of the area remains the same: if you go there, you will get lost and die!

The Story

One day, Little Tayvo and his loyal dog, Seymie, where traveling along the forest path when they came across a mysterious fog. Little Tayvo's parents always told him that if it ever got foggy while he was playing outside, he was supposed to immediately come home. Normally, Little Tayvo would do just that, but this time, he could hear the giggling of little children that seems to come from the fog itself. Little Tayvo started to walk towards the fog, but Seymie began to bark, which reminded Little Tayvo that he had to be a good boy and go home.
Later that night, Little Tayvo could not help but think about the fog and the laughing children. He knew that he had to be good and obey his parents, but he was a curious little boy. So the next day, Little Tayvo decided to go back to the edge of the forest where he thought he found the fog along with Seymie. Just as before, the mysterious fog rolled in, and the invisible children began to laugh with glee. Seymie barked and snarled, but Little Tayvo scolded him and told him to hush. He called out to the children, and this was their reply:
"Come play with us, Little Tayvo! Come play!"
Little Tayvo was shocked to hear the children speak, but he decided that he wanted to go play. After all, what harm could a bunch of children bring to him? But when he tried to go into the fog, Seymie refused to move. Little Tayvo yelled at Seymie to come, but Seymie would not come, so the boy left his dog behind to follow after the voices. Seymie barked after his master, but Little Tayvo would not listen, and disappeared into the fog.
In the fog, Little Tayvo found that it was so thick that he could no longer tell north from south, up from down. He started to lose his nerve and wanted to go back, but the invisible children spoke again:
"Come play with us, Little Tayvo! Don't be afraid!"
Little Tayvo scoffed at the thought of showing fear to his new friends, and so, with his resolve renewed, he stepped even further into the forest. As he walked, a strong gust began to blow. Little Tayvo decided that perhaps if he followed the wind, it would lead him to where he needed to go. At first, the young boy thought himself clever as he made progress through the forest; he would see his friends in no time at all! But suddenly, the wind changed its direction. Little Tayvo was somewhat disturbed by the abrupt change, but nevertheless, he followed.
Until it changed again. And again. And again. And again.
Little Tayvo was frustrated with this new development, but his new friends continued to egg him on:
"Come play with us, Little Tayvo! It won't be long now!"
Still excited to see his new friends, Little Tayvo decided to ignore the wind and head north. As he walked further and further into the forest, the fog grew thicker and thicker until it was nearly impossible for him to see. The calls from the invisible children grew louder and louder, and finally, Little Tayvo had had enough. He turned to the direction that he thought he had come from, and he ran.
And ran. And ran. And ran.
But no matter how far he ran, the fog continued to swallow him. Little Tayvo tried to run in every direction that he thought he could, but to no avail. And his new friends, the invisible children that he so desperately wanted to see, said:
"You're here, Little Tayvo! You're here! Now we can play forever!"

— The Folly of Little Tayvo

plain text transcript

One day, Little Tayvo and his loyal dog, Seymie, where traveling along the forest path when they came across a mysterious fog. Little Tayvo's parents always told him that if it ever got foggy while he was playing outside, he was supposed to immediately come home. Normally, Little Tayvo would do just that, but this time, he could hear the giggling of little children that seems to come from the fog itself. Little Tayvo started to walk towards the fog, but Seymie began to bark, which reminded Little Tayvo that he had to be a good boy and go home.
Later that night, Little Tayvo could not help but think about the fog and the laughing children. He knew that he had to be good and obey his parents, but he was a curious little boy. So the next day, Little Tayvo decided to go back to the edge of the forest where he thought he found the fog along with Seymie. Just as before, the mysterious fog rolled in, and the invisible children began to laugh with glee. Seymie barked and snarled, but Little Tayvo scolded him and told him to hush. He called out to the children, and this was their reply:
"Come play with us, Little Tayvo! Come play!"
Little Tayvo was shocked to hear the children speak, but he decided that he wanted to go play. After all, what harm could a bunch of children bring to him? But when he tried to go into the fog, Seymie refused to move. Little Tayvo yelled at Seymie to come, but Seymie would not come, so the boy left his dog behind to follow after the voices. Seymie barked after his master, but Little Tayvo would not listen, and disappeared into the fog.
In the fog, Little Tayvo found that it was so thick that he could no longer tell north from south, up from down. He started to lose his nerve and wanted to go back, but the invisible children spoke again:
"Come play with us, Little Tayvo! Don't be afraid!"
Little Tayvo scoffed at the thought of showing fear to his new friends, and so, with his resolve renewed, he stepped even further into the forest. As he walked, a strong gust began to blow. Little Tayvo decided that perhaps if he followed the wind, it would lead him to where he needed to go. At first, the young boy thought himself clever as he made progress through the forest; he would see his friends in no time at all! But suddenly, the wind changed its direction. Little Tayvo was somewhat disturbed by the abrupt change, but nevertheless, he followed.
Until it changed again. And again. And again. And again.
Little Tayvo was frustrated with this new development, but his new friends continued to egg him on:
"Come play with us, Little Tayvo! It won't be long now!"
Still excited to see his new friends, Little Tayvo decided to ignore the wind and head north. As he walked further and further into the forest, the fog grew thicker and thicker until it was nearly impossible for him to see. The calls from the invisible children grew louder and louder, and finally, Little Tayvo had had enough. He turned to the direction that he thought he had come from, and he ran.
And ran. And ran. And ran.
But no matter how far he ran, the fog continued to swallow him. Little Tayvo tried to run in every direction that he thought he could, but to no avail. And his new friends, the invisible children that he so desperately wanted to see, said:
"You're here, Little Tayvo! You're here! Now we can play forever!"
The Folly of Little Tayvo

Historical Basis

While Little Tayvo does not exist, the boy is supposed to be a metaphor for naughty and overly-adventurous children who do not obey their parents' warnings to stay away from the forest. It is a documented fact that people who venture into the Lost Woods rarely make it out alive, so this is a story that has naturally stemmed from the fear of the place.
What most people do not know is that the "invisible children" in the story are a real race of child-like beings known as the "Korok". While they do not actually try to steal children away and trap them in the forest, the forest is protected by a special magic that confuses trespassers for the sole purpose of protecting the Korok from them as the Korok otherwise cannot defends themselves.

Spread

The story is told to nearly every Hylian child at some point in their childhood and is so famous that lost children are known colloquially as "tayvoes". The story is not nearly as popular outside of Hylian culture, but there is hardly a person in another race that doesn't have at least a passing knowledge of the story and its subject location.

Variations & Mutation

The Folly of Little Tayvo is actually a modern interpretation of the old stalchildren myths, myths about the Lost Woods that have lost children turn into skeletal creatures rather than be lost forever. The story got less harsh over time as knowledge of the Lost Woods and stalchildren were literally washed away by the Great Flood, and time.

Cultural Reception

For the Hylians, the story is an important and prevalent part of growing up. Because it is within the culture to allow children to play outside with their siblings and friends without supervision, it has become important to drill into them that going to the wrong place can and will kill them. For those who live near the Lost Woods, which again is a real place that has real consequences for people who do not know how to get through it, it has become especially important to teach children to stay away from the place.

In Literature

The story often finds itself in fairy tale/children's story compilations, most notably "Ory's Big Book of Legends for Little Ones".

Date of First Recording

It is unknown exactly when the legends surrounding the Lost Woods began, but The Folly of Little Tayvo is at least 10,000 years old.

Related Ethnicities

• Central-Hylian

Related Species

• Hylian