The Song of the Ember Kid

On the darkest night in ages past, the harshest of winter storms born down on the small town of Nellserin. Wolves and worse stalked to woods, brave enough to enter the town and take people from the streets. No time of day was safe. To feed the pack, the wolves hunted day and night.
The people of Nellserin sheltered in the Sanctuary of the Tairisceoiri in the light of the central hearth fire.
Winter winds howled with the wolves, who scratched at the doors, seeking a way in to devour their prey.
A young girl, named Solasan, kneeled in a dim corner lit only by the light of a single candle. She focused her attention on the statue of Lasruin, the Tairisceor whose name means "the secret flame." In her heart, one truth moved her: the secret fire burns in all things, because it is life itself. Lasruin wasn't the universal fire, but the flame tender who watches after the divine hearth.
Solasan called out to Lasruin, "Keeper of the flame, protect us from the cold knocking on our door and the wolves seeking to devour all we have and all we are. Help us to hold to the fragile light against the hungry shadows of the night."
The flame on the candle danced on the wick.
Solasan laughed.
The flame giggled and danced. They hopped off the wick, but the candle still burned, then the flame danced across the stone top of the altar.
Solasan offered her hands to the little flame, and Tinean jumped onto her palm. They warmed her skin but didn't burn her. She carried Tinean to the central hearth, and the little flame jumped into the fire.
The hearth glowed with a warm, cozy light that cast the chill from the air and the fear from their hearts. Tinean danced, growing as they did.
Tinean sang, "I am the hearth, the heat, and the home. The fire the burns, that breathes, that bonds. I run through your veins, beat in your heart, and breathe in your soul. Living in the love, the loaf, and the loam, I rise, you rise, we rise. We stand against the cold. We shine into the darkness. We gather with our kith and kin."
Solasan repeated the words, and the hearth grew brighter.
Slowly, all the souls in the sanctuary joined in reciting the words and the hearth light grew with each voice.
The wolves fled from the light of the hearth, and the storm broke. And so it was the Tinean, the Ember Kid, the little flame, entered the world for the first time.

Summary

References to The Song of the Ember Kid go back to sixth century with several versions of it gaining popularity over time. The most common version of the story is recorded in the Book of Tinean written somewhere between the 13th to 16th Century AG. The simplicity of this retelling made it popular to recite on Hearth Day.

Date of First Recording

13th to 16th Century AG

Date of Setting

431 AG