Halfling Creation Myth

Father Willow was sad for he had no one to play with, no creature would swing on his boughs or climb his trunk. The squirrels he had created earlier seemed more interested in the oak, birch, and rowan of the forest, rather than him the creator. His branches creaked and groaned and he held up his vines shaking them in the general direction of the forest. Those God DAMN oak trees thinking they're all that, and he was a god, so he could damn them.

But holding a grudge would do nothing so he sat and thought, "hmmmm I should create something new, something never before seen." he pondered. taking some of his smaller branches he soaked them in the water of the stream bent and twisted them into shape. "I've seen those two legged freaks the other guy made, what if I just kinda copy him" he thought as he worked.

He had the bones made "but what of the flesh" he wondered. He used a feather for the squirrel to make them light, and toad legs to make them jump far, and a cat tail to give them fur for warmth. But those are old ideas I need something new. He sat lost in thought for a long time as his sculpture before him slowly got smaller, shrinking, drying out in the sun. He thought and thought and thought, until he had a banger of an idea. "I'll just use dirt, I grow in dirt, so should my creations then they'll be forced to stay by me unlike those backstabbing squirrels."

Taking his framework he tried to slap some dirt on it but it simply would not stick to the frame no matter how hard he tried. "thats not gonna work" came a sing-song voice from the stream next to him. "Huh?" Father Willow said as he looked over and saw a gorgeous creature with long algae-ic hair and beautiful glittering eyes.

"What would you know?" said Father Willow "How many creatures have you made?"

"More than enough to know that slapping dry dirt on some tiny branches won't make anything silly." The angelic being replied, her voice mellifluous sounding to the world like a calm summer's day. "What you need is some water and clay." she said "And it just so happens that I got some right here, very affordable if you have the money for it."

"Hmmm I do happen to have some fine sapphires, but I was gonna use those for the eyes, An' I have some gold but I was gonna use that for the hair." Father Willow grumbled.

"Don't worry mister I'll throw in some shiny river rocks for eyes as well, they're almost as good as sapphires, and I have some fine river grass for hair" Her voice warbled like a songbird.

"well this is sounding like a steal of a deal" Father Willow creaked "lets get started, By the way what should I call you?" "Me" the woman in the river said "call me Mother Brook"

They worked, slowly wetting a clay in the river and shaping it around the willow branches. On the face they placed two polished river stones, for hair they shaved an otter and placed it gently on the sculptures crown. After they were done they stepped back and looked at their creation admiring it.

"It still needs something" Father Willow groaned "yeah dummy it needs the breath of life haven't you made anything before" Mother Brook babbled. "I gave the squirrels the breath of life and look where it got me Mrs. Brook NOWHERE" Father Willow lashed out. "calm down I guess I can sell you one more thing Mr. Willow. I got some water of life discounted real cheap right now, they were practically giving it away at the summit of the gods"

"Summit of the gods, Why wasnt I invited." Father Willow said, " anyway what'll it cost me"

"Just the very low price of you're undying devotion, will you marry me Mr. Willow"

"of course"

And that... how do you say it... was that.

With a little splash of water to the shrunken sculptures head, the little thing woke up under the boughs of a willow tree.