Judith's Holiday Creation
(From the Abridged Prose Version of the Mammalia Sacred Texts, Translated Into Modern Language)
And it came to pass that as society continued to evolve, and mammals of all kinds started creating their own observances, that the council of the deities—the ones that have blessed everything seen and unseen—congregated to discuss an idea.
The proposition came the rabbit goddess Judith, who was responsible for blessing the world with peace between predator and prey. When the other members that made up the council of makers gathered together, she said unto them, "My fellow creators, I wish to tell you of something that I thought would greatly interesting to you all. Life on earth has been following observances they made, which are all in honor and recognition of our eminence and occur in months that are already over. However, as this year of this eventful era comes to its inevitable close, I realized that creation has not anything to celebrate on twelfth month of the year yet. That is why on this day I bring unto thee my proposition."
To the left of the goddess came a snicker from the fox god known Nicolas, whose commanded role was blessing mammals with the qualities of joy and laughter (the same as he did to his fellow creators that lived with him in the heavens). "Why such a sophisticated choice of words, Judith?" he said unto her. "'Tis simply a conversation between us deities, Carrots. We're not sending a sensitive message to the masses or something."
Judith smiled and said to Nicolas, "Using well-chosen words has always been among my qualities. You witnessed this yourself when I delivered that message to one of our respected prophets. Also, I thought that I told you that you weren't to refer to me by the sobriquet 'Carrots' when in the presence of the others."
"'Tis a special sobriquet, though," the fox god responded. "One that I use only to who I love the most."
The rabbit goddess smiled back at him and continued, "As I have already mentioned unto you, I wish to tell you what I have proposed. Everyone will finally have a celebration to look forward on the twelfth month, to anticipate throughout the year because it brings onto them the most joy. Mammals of all shapes and sizes will perform acts of great kindness to not only their fellow neighbors, but unto those that are suffering and in need of assistance. There will be exchanging of gifts, feasts being held, and songs being sung. And I can even perceive that mammals millennia from now will do carry on this same observance."
Looking into Judith's beautiful amethyst eyes, Nicolas remarked to her, "Another naturally wonderful idea from the most beautiful goddess in the entire cosmos."
"Let's save the romance for when this meeting is over," one of the gods within the council commented. "We came to discuss Judith's new concept, not love."
The one who had made the remark was Finnick the Eternal. The fennec fox god was lithe and squat-bodied in appearance, and was robed in a deep russet cloak that dropped over his body. Despite his diminutive stature, he spoke with a sonorous tone of voice. The purpose he served was maintaining the stability of the world, and fixing what he was instructed to when it was deemed by a higher deity as unbalanced.
The floated in the air and over towards them. The expression on his face was one that others may have perceived as a mean-looking one, but was just the one he naturally wore upon him.
Creator Nicolas said to him, "Very well then, Finnick the Great. What is your thoughts on Judith's proposal?"
Finnick raised his paw and answered, "I endorse her idea and think it'd be a wonderful thing. I think it's lacking something, though."
"What does it lack?" Judith asked.
"Every other celebration's already got things associated with it, you know?" Finnick the Great responded. "This new celebration needs the same."
"You are right about that," the rabbit goddess replied. "I haven't gotten that far yet, but we must conceive some things that will have symbolism during this holiday. For one thing, mammals must have a sign that something new has been bestowed onto them.
From behind them approached Wolford, another fellow deity who blessed all canids with their unique abilities that they evolved with. "How about a star?" he suggested.
"That's what we will do," Judith replied. "We will shine a bright star in the sky to mark this new observance."
"Good thinking, Judith," Nicolas said in agreement with her idea.
The goddess proceeded, "I have already said earlier about the gifts being exchanged and the like, but there needs to be more added to this holiday. Something we could create that mammals could adorn their walls with, or place on their dining tables to feast upon."
As she pondered about this, Finnick the Great already appeared to be working on some sort of creation. The tiny deity waved his paws around to form a light blue cloud, and from that cloud formed an object.
Once he was complete, Finnick said to them, "Behold. I have made something that can be part of your new holiday's feast."
What he had made appeared to be some sort of cake, with visible chunks of fruit and nuts that could be seen when he started slicing it.
"And this is edible?" Nicolas inquired. "Doesn't have the most appetizing look to it."
"Define edible," Finnick remarked in reply. "Mammals will make this for guests and they will pretend to enjoy it, when they really don't care for the taste of it at all. There has to be somethin' that becomes unfavored. As I always say, life cannot be-"
"Equalized without both something to love and dislike," Nicolas interrupted, rolling his eyes. "You mention the same thing every time."
"Hey, I'm not the protector of the world's balance for nothin'," the fennec deity snapped in response. "You can't just have only one or the other when it comes t' some things."
"So what is this... confection called?" Judith asked.
Finnick quickly answered, "Fruitcake. That's what it'll be called."
Nicolas then said to them. "There must be, however, something created for feasts that mammals can like."
He then did as Finnick previously did, forming a cloud with his paws before creating something else. Once the cloud disintegrated away, Judith and Finnick looked at what had been made. Next to the fox god rested a glass that was full with a chilled, creamy beverage.
"This shall be called eggnog," Nicolas said. "It will greatly enjoyed by celebrators of this new holiday."
"And as for something for mammals to adorn their homes with," someone else called from behind them, "we shall handle that."
The voice that said this belonged to the god that was known as Emmitt. While he took on many different forms, he walked up towards the others in his common form. He had the appearance of an otter, except that his fur was actually green like the plants he had created, and had small sprouts sticking out of it near his paws.
Walking up by his side was his wife, the beloved goddess Octavia, who possessed the same power that he did. Together they made every fruit, vegetable, and herb as food, and also made the flowers and trees that gave the world its exquisiteness.
Emmitt made a motion with his arms, and from his paws started to sprout forward a plant with yellowish-green leaves and red berries upon it. "This," he declared, "shall be what is hung in the houses. I call it mistletoe."
"'It's a lovely name," Judith complimented with a smile.
Emmitt continued, "It will be a symbol of peace, and lovers will kiss whenever they are found standing under it."
And right below her, Octavia formed a different plant that started to stretch out around them. "And this," she said, "is holly. Mammals will adorn their walls with boughs of this wonderful plant."
A huffing sound came from behind the gathered creators, coming from the one that was superior to them all in power, Bogo. He approached them in his cape buffalo form, and the others all fell silent and bowed out of respect.
"Your greatness," Nicolas said. "Car- I mean, Judith has a wonderful idea that she has shared with us all, and I believe you'll find it fascinating as well." He turned his head to the others and asked, "Doesn't everyone like the idea?"
"Mhmm," Finnick simply answered.
"I like it!" Wolford said happily, raising his paw in the air.
Emmitt chimed in, "We both think the same."
To the right of them all stood the god who was known as Slothmore, who was known for not being the fastest when it came to certain actions. The sloth raised his paw very slowly before saying, "I... think... 'tis... splendid."
"So I have heard," Bogo responded.
"Wait, how did-"
"Again I must remind you, Nicolas, that I possess omniscience. I knew and heard this plan before I even appeared before you."
The fox god nodded his head. "That is why it's impossible to keep any secrets," he muttered to himself.
Bogo then said to everyone present, "Though I believe Judith's idea is a grand one, I must say that we are unable to create something this large until we have presented it to the Most High One."
Everyone fell silent once again. The Most High One was the superior of all gods, and was also the most feared of them all. For he had the ability to obliterate anything, whether it be a common mammal or a deity or the entire world. He was not always one that accepted every single thing that was brought up to him, and the council hoped to persuade him enough to consider Judith's proposition.
So the council, led by Bogo, trekked from their perimeter of the heavens to where the Most High One dwelled, a long distance away on a golden throne decked with seven kinds of jewels. After a long journey, they arrived to that very throne and found themselves standing in the presence of the one who possessed the most superiority.
A tiny shrew sat in the golden seat that was much too long for his size. Bogo was first to bow before him, and the others who were with him quickly did the same.
While they were all bowing, Nicolas turned his head to Bogo and whispered to him, "This is the Most High One?"
Bogo quickly shushed him, even though the one that sat on the throne probably heard the vulpine god quite clearly.
Nicolas was surprised upon seeing the Most High One in front of him, and in the back of his mind almost felt like laughing. He refrained, however, from doing that. He hadn't known, though, that his form was that of a tiny shrew.
Bogo has been the only one that knew of what he looked like, for he had seen him and spoke to him before. The council of deities were given instructions by Bogo, and Bogo was given instructions by the Most High One. So Nicolas and the others truly didn't know this was his appearance until now. Up until this moment, they had only heard the many names he was called and how powerful he was.
The Most High One looked at those bowing to him and announced, "What is it that you have came to my throne for?"
"Something we wish to discuss with you," Bogo answered, picking his head up to look directly towards who he was speaking to.
The shrew god paused before answering, "Very well. I shall give you time to tell me what it is you want to speak about. Surrounding you is your council of deities, I presume?"
Bogo nodded and responded, "Yes, they are. When you said onto me to create of council that would bring blessings to the world, these were the gods and goddesses I selected."
"I have heard of their actions from you before," the Most High One said. He pointed towards Nicolas. "I know of how your job is ensuring joy is evident in life." Then he pointed to Emmitt. "And I heard of how you gave onto mammalian plants by seed."
Emmitt smiled back and answered, "It is not an easy task, but I perform it with pride."
The shrew god then directed his attention towards Wolford and said, "You are the great Wolford. From what I heard about you, you once manifested yourself on earth as a wolf soldier in a once-struggling army, and that your howl was so tumultuous that it blew back any enemies that were within the sound's range."
The canid god responded, "Yes, that's true. Shall I demonstrate my howl's power?"
The two polar bears that guarded either side of the throne stomped forward, ready to defend who they kept watch over every single hour.
"Was that a threat towards the Most High One?" one of the ursid guards snarled, his voice rough in tone.
Wolford held his paws out. "No, no, not at all," he said back. "I just wished to give demonstration of the capacity my howl possessed, just for him to see how cool it was. No threat whatsoever."
The polar bear in front of him growled under his breath. In the large paw of the white-furred ursid, a sharp-look sickle of ice, resembling a stake, took form. As a god of the ice and snow, the guard had the ability to form it at will, specifically when he felt it needed to be used in defense of the one who ruled over them all.
"If this is a threat onto him," the bear said to him, "I will personally freeze you into a pillar of ice and have the Most High One shatter you into pieces."
Wolford yelped, just audible enough for the guard to hear him. While he didn't typically have any sort of fear towards anything, the canid god did not wish for those terrible-sounding circumstances to occur.
"He is telling the truth," Nicolas said, sticking up for Wolford. "He wasn't threatening anyone by saying that. He is very eager when it comes to his powers, and is normally this spirited about demonstrating them when he's in our presence."
The polar bear guards looked at one another, nodded their heads, and then marched back over to the throne, knowing there was nothing that required defensive action.
Bogo turned his head towards Wolford and flashed him a stern look. "Make not anymore remarks like that," he snapped in a whisper, pointing a finger in his direction. "We're lucky they didn't take that as a threat, or else we would have all suffer a terrible fate."
The Most High One continued, "And I know this leporine goddess is a very spirited deity as well."
"Yes," Judith answered. "My name is Judith, and my idea is the reason why we have trekked to you."
The rodent god paused a moment and then said, "Tell me this idea of yours."
They proceeded to tell them about Judith's concept for the holiday to happen on the last month of the year. They gave as many details as possible, noting about each of the elements they perceived before they came to him.
"However," Bogo said after they told him about it, "I believe it is easier to demonstrate by showing you instead of just explaining it."
The buffalo god held out his hooves our in front of him, and then gestured for those surrounding him to do the same. Nicolas and Judith places their paws on top of Bogo's hooves, and Wolford did the same shortly afterwards. Then came the small paws of Finnick the Great, followed by Octavia and finally Emmitt, the sproutlings visible on the fur of his arms starting to move as they all did this.
They started to think about nothing more than the holiday Judith came up with, and an orb coalesced in front of them as they focused. As it took shape, Bogo held it in his grasp before slowly walking up to the throne of the Most High One and setting it in front of him.
When the shrew god touched with his tiny paws, he suddenly had a vision of what the celebration would look like once it was created. He saw families with wide grins, gathered around tables serving an array of dishes. He saw strangers helping the poor and the distressed, and doing good deeds to those around them. These images the orb displayed before him made someone like him that maintained a serious and stern appearance smile.
The Most High One started to chuckle under his breath as let go of the orb, the pleasant images fading away. His laughter grew louder and much more vibrant, something the guards that kept watch over his throne never heard from him.
The ursids looked at one another and thought, "It seems as if this orb broke him, for he has never laughed this hard."
Sensing what they were thinking, the shrew said to them, "Place your paws upon the orb and see for yourself why I am in such a jolly mood."
They did as they were suggested to, and when they touched the orb they saw the same things he had seen. Shortly afterwards, the two bears both started to let out hearty laughter. They also experienced the feeling of great happiness that the images of the new holiday projected.
Once their laughing died down, Judith looked at the Most High One and said, "I presume that you find the holiday we've created to be a joyous one."
"I do," answered the tiny yet powerful god on the throne. "And for that very reason, from this day forward, it shall be a new celebration on earth." He made some motion with his little paws, and a scroll and brush appeared where he sat. "With this Celestial Brush," he decreed, "I hereby bless the world with your new creation, and declare the stars to align in the sky to indicate this blessing."
What followed was cheers of excitement that arose from Judith and the others.
"However," the shrew said, "'tis not entirely complete until a name is bestowed onto this new observance. What do you call this holiday, Judith?"
The rabbit remained silent for a moment and shrugged her shoulders. "Admittedly," she replied, "I hadn't developed of a name when I first came up with this idea. But during our travels to you, I started to give it some thought. Out of the names that I considered, the one I was thinking of calling it by was... Christmas."
"Christmas..." Nicolas repeated, nodding his head in agreement. "I like it. That's a very lovely name."
Slothmore slowly chimed in, "It's... pleasant... to... the ears..."
"Very well," the shrew on the golden seat declared. "Christmas shall be its name."
More excitement from Bogo and the council rung around the expanse. Judith herself now found it hard for her to contain her enthusiasm, knowing that her idea that simply came to mind had been accepted by the most powerful of the gods.
The rabbit goddess took the paw of the vulpine god beside her, gazing at him with the biggest smile.
As they both held onto one another, her mind started to concoct yet another idea that she was certain would become reality. Inspired by the love she felt for Nicolas, it was a holiday that would take place early in the year, possibly on the second month, and it would be a celebration of romance and endearment.
Author's Note: Hey there, readers! I know this story was pretty different compared to some of the other holiday stories I wrote so far, but I hope y'all enjoyed reading it!
Was really interested in doing a story that was on the spiritual side, and the concept of Nick and Judy and some other characters as deities struck me on a whim. Also with it being the holidays and all, of course I made it into a Christmas story.
It was pretty fun to write these characters as gods and goddesses, especially when it came to turning Mr. Big into the Most High One. Perhaps I might just do some other stories with this similar premise some day. Maybe, maybe not. I'll probably work on future chapters for some of my other ongoing stories until future inspiration for that strikes. :)
This was also inspired by some reading I've been doing about different religions and their stories about creation. Learning about what others believe around the world has always fascinated me for as long as I can remember.
As always, your feedback, whether good or bad, is gladly appreciated. Also, want to say thank you to everyone who has been reading these little stories of mine. It means a lot to me to know you enjoy them.
'Til next time, everyone! :)