How the powers of bending came to be: an Air Nomad story.
Disclaimer: none of the characters are mine, but belong to Mike and Bryan.
Through the land, wandering over meadows,
Covered in dew, and bringing moisture,
The western wind, the grey-haired wanderer,
Came from sunset and met a person.
"Hail," he said, "what you know of water,
How it bends, and brings life-giving rain,
Moisture and coolness, and all things placating?"
"I knew that not," then answered the mortal,
"I live in the north, where it's ice, not water,
And I would like to know more of the power,
How to bend it, how to command it."
"Then heed my advice," spoke the West wind,
And thus the first of Water Benders came to be.
Through the land, through the dunes of sea shore,
Where the waves come to land, whispering of the past,
The southern wind, as white as gull-tern wings,
Flew through the air and met a person.
"Hail," he said, "what you know of air,
How it flows when you sadly sigh,
With your breath it wavers, to your life it's connected,
And as you pass on, then your breath with the air rejoins?"
"I knew that not," then answered the mortal,
"I live in the mountains, when breathing is hard work,
Where the winds blow ever unstopping, blowing like bellows,
Like breaths of the giants – and I would like to know more of that power,
How to bend it, how to ride it."
"Then heed my advice," spoke the South wind,
And thus the first of Air Benders came to be.
Through the land, shaking the walls of Ba Sing Se,
The stronghold of the Earth King,
The northern wind, as black as shirshu fur,
Flew through the air and met a person.
"Hail," he said, "what do you know of earth,
How it stirs as dust in the wind,
How it lies solid under your feet, placid, immobile –
And then suddenly shaking, bucking and splitting?"
"I knew that not," then answered the mortal,
"I live in the plains, where I till the soil,
Where the land goes forever and ever,
Where my life is tied to its existence – and so of it I would like more to know,
How to bend it, how to use it."
"Then heed my advice," spoke the North wind,
And thus the first of Earth Benders came to be.
Through a savage land, through the mountains black,
Where walls are of stone and steel,
The eastern wind, faster than ostrich-horse,
Flew through the air and met a person.
"Hail," he said, "what do you know of fire,
"How it burns placidly when overpowered,
How it burns you, when you are overpowered,
And then subsides once more, to bide its time?"
"I knew that well," then answered the mortal,
"I live among volcanoes, which spew fire,
Upon the land, which breaks and brings forth lava,
My life is tied forever with the fire – and so I would dearly like to know,
How to bend and how to control it."
"Then heed my advice," spoke the East wind,
And thus the first of Fire Benders came to be.
