16.3.7 Origin of the Mhun

As told by Nhusema Odreyeb, the holy text of the Mhun:

Earth beneath, at first, only darkness was. The gods the Mother made, and the Mother earth beneath grew. She up rose, and tall She was, tall enough to mountains shadow. She womb of was abundant, and many children She did birth so that they within the lush Iviofa and beneath the sun fought and danced. The children of the Mother beautiful were.
 
The skies and earth the children hated, and the gods, Makers of Mother the Keepers of sky and earth fought. The fight of great length was, and much blood upon the ground was spilled, until out from the earth and out from the skies the gods were driven, so that only Mother to protect the children was there.
 
And to the children a name Mother gave: Earth-Ones, Teshen, and beautiful they were, their skin like stone, their eyes like gems. Yet Mother remain upon the earth could not, so within the earth she herself buried, and she the bones of the earth was, and to this day it is said: the seed the gods Mother with filled, these the earth's gems are, these and all other things precious which up the earth yields. From Earth, to Earth - entesh, untesh - for Earth our Mother is, and Mother embraces us when we to Mheribus return.
 
The Earth-Ones fought. Some Mother so loved that they upon Iviofa could not bear to remain. Yet one, the wisest, the greatest of Mother's children, to the other children said: 'Of the Earth we no longer are in whole, but Sky as well; for look! We upon Water ourselves sustain, and upon us does Fire burn so that our skin darks, and the Air our bones fills.' Some to the wise child hearkened, and to this child Cherektesh a name was given: Great Mother - Great Mhunna.
 
'Eight times I will die,' the Great Mother the children told. 'You all will suffer, for that you choose Iviofa and not Earth. At the end of this time, know; you will be rewarded, for the soul of Mother I will carry forth, and you will know; the Keepers our gods are not, and our gods to us will return.' The Great Mother's years many were, and then he died.