Myth of Agni
Long, long ago, after Wolf walked across the ice to the humans of the world and taught them to live as a family, civilized them into tribes, there came a need to warm and feed the growing human population. A great spirit, a god, lay dormant in the womb of ten mothers. The pleas of the world ignited the life in these wombs. And so Agni, god of Fire and the Sun, was born of ten mothers. In the depths of the earth, he rose to boil up in hot springs and heat the earth and rock into gems and obsidian. In the great ocean, he erupted with fire and created the volcanic islands. And, in the sky, he blazed as the sun traveling around it so he could see the whole of creation.
However, split in three ways as the God of Fire and the Sun was, he grew tired and the world began to complain that it was too hot. He saw withering and dying, but did not know what to do. Then one day, Black Dragon rose from a shady place and flew to Agni in the sky. Black Dragon was a dangerous spirit who was strict about laws, order and contracts. Black Dragon was furious. Apparently his beloved, DragonHawk was consumed in one of the island's volcanic flames and died. Black Dragon threatened to end the life of the Sun with a curse. He even had a contract written to show this promise that if Agni did not comply with the return of his beloved, he would blot out the Sun for ever, swallowing it into Darkness. Darkness waited in hope to feed off the Sun. Not wanting to die in Darkness and believing himself honorable, he agreed to the contract and vowed to find and restore the life of DragonHawk. Black Dragon, who was also a spirit for the people and handling their contracts added to this original contract. "You must also gift your people with knowledge and strength, honor and love. Agni was both surprised and confused that he had people that expected him to be their ruler in some way. He felt humbled and worried for their existence in the cruel heat he emitted. He readily agreed to Black Dragon's contract.
So the Sun dipped beneath the horizon for the first time as he diligently sought the DragonHawk spirit in the Spirit World. There was a brief encounter with Koh the face-stealer, but Agni escaped with his face intact. He then met a monkey spirit who directed him to the DragonHawk spirit. This took many weeks and months. The world froze over in his absence. His determination and dedication to his vow fueled the flames within him and spurred him onward till he at last found DragonHawk. "By fire you died, and so by fire you will be reborn. Honor and duty gives you life. I will call you Phoenix. Return now to your love, Black Dragon." A great and beautiful Phoenix erupted in the flames and rose from the largest of the island volcanoes to be greeted by her lover. Both were so grateful that they showed Agni how to fly a straight path across the sky and how to rest and rise again.
As Black Dragon passed among the shadows of the Fire People, he remembered the remainder of Agni's contract and once again confronted Agni in the sky, demanding he prove his worth. Agni agreed, "Honor is the Law." Black Dragon reminded Agni of the people below and of his own love for Phoenix, "And Love is the Bond."
Agni, God of Fire and the Sun, devourer, destroyer, consumer, transformer, inspirer, ruler… Agni, protector of humans and their homes, God of hearth fires and of passion. He taught the Fire People how to fight to protect themselves from the dangers that lurked in the world, how to protect their families and their homes. He gifted his people with fire and intelligence and poured fiery passion into their hearts. He ruled them firmly, but like a father, protecting them and guiding them.
Finally, he taught his people how to honor the spirits. "Into the sacred fire of your home, sacrifice wood and ghee (melted butter). The Fire is fueled by these things. Face the East, where I rise each morning, when you worship and make offerings to me in the fire. Face the North to make offerings in the fire to the other Gods and Spirits. Face the South to make offerings in the fire to the dead and to your ancestral spirits. And, cook in the west to honor your family. During the Longest Day (Summer Solstice), celebrate with a great Fire Festival. During the Longest Night (Winter Solstice), hold vigil by a fire you have lit before my light dies out and guard its flames till I rise again."
He reached over and touched a few of his people. Their eyes turned golden and they were given the gift of firebending. Into the souls of the Fire People, he burned the first. "Honor is the Law and Love is the Bond." If a dispute broke out and could not be resolved, there was a Kai, a meeting before Agni, where the honorable person would win the battle and thus the dispute. This was called Agni's Kai. And so the people grew into a great Nation….