Once upon a time, there were four sisters. Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. One day, the four sisters decided to learn about humans. Thinking so, the four sisters spread to the four corners of the world to walk among humankind.
Summer watched as humans stumbled alone in the dark. They were so blind that they couldn’t tell their left hand from their right! And thus, they couldn’t find other people, so they lived their lives thinking that they were alone. Taking pity on the humans, Summer gifted them with her light. This light shone a beacon upon the darkest of nights. Her light was seen from all over the lands, and upon seeing its beauty and feeling its warmth, people drew closer to the dazzling sight. And when the people were gathered, they met and made merry, for they were no longer alone. Summer smiled as she watched the joy in their eyes, and joined the people in their laughter.
Spring watched the humans scavenge for scraps. They were weak and thin, and food was scarce. Seeing so, she pitied them and gifted them with seeds and fertile lands. She went to the humans that gathered around Summer’s light and taught them how to toil the earth and tend to the lands. The people, confused yet enamored by the presence of the Spirit, did as they were told. Much to their surprise, their efforts bore fruit as crops and greenery sprouted up from the soil! The people celebrated the harvest, and Spring joined them in their festivities.
Autumn watched the humans work tirelessly without rest. Day by day, the people went out to work the fields from sunrise to sunset. They went home exhausted, with little time for themselves or their friends and families. Autumn, who knew the importance of family (as she loved her sisters dearly) decided to gift to the humans the gift of rest and reprieve. And so, the humans took the time to tend to themselves. Some even set up banquets for their friends and family, while others slept through the day and night. Satisfied with her work, Autumn went to celebrate with her sisters.
The humans no longer saw any need to discover or invent. They had everything handed down to them, as the spirits have gifted to them all of nature’s gifts. They had light, they had food, and they had comfort. Each day was a festival, and each night held a banquet, so the humans were free to indulge in all of the world’s desires to their heart’s content.
And as was so, when Winter appeared before the humans, they demanded to be given their gift like the spirits that came before. But Winter saw that the humans were fat and lazy. They gorged themselves on food and drink, never seeking anything new. Thinking that the humans have squandered her sisters’ gifts, she gifted them with ice and snow. Northern winds blew throughout the lands as a storm of hail rained down below. Hoar frost coated the farmlands, and rime gnawed at the cobble streets. Frightened by Winter’s anger, the humans turned to the three nature Spirits to petition for their aid. The three sisters were saddened, but in the end, they declined to help them and went back to the place where the Spirits dwell.
“We will not interfere with our sister’s gift.” They bid their farewells.
When the humans were denied, they cursed the Spirits to their very graves. “Why give us your gifts and your grace, if you will just leave us to suffer in the end?” They said.
Angered by their decision, the humans sought to reclaim the lands for themselves. They worked themselves to the bone, sparing not even a moment of rest. They scoured the lands for beasts and game. They found animals hidden in caves and burrowed in the snow, and they fed the people their meat and equipped themselves with fur. They lit pyres when Summer’s light waned, and burned the frosted trees to charcoal. They rebuilt the homes that bore damage from the storms and constructed themselves a civilization that would stand defiant in the face of Winter’s rage.
No sooner did the humans create the first kingdom. With sturdy walls and hardy houses, they weathered the teeth of the storm. Flame-lit lamps occupied the streets, bringing warmth and light to the people. They crowned a King to lead them, and he lived at the heart of the city castle.
But then one day, Winter appeared before them once again. She burst into the castle courtyard in a flurry of ice and snow.
“Spirit!” the King shouted. “Why have you come here? Surely it is not to curse us once more?!
“I have come here to retrieve my gift.” Winter corrected.
“Gift?! Your accursed gift nearly doomed us all!”
Winter waved a hand. The hails that stormed above their heads for many moons suddenly came to a halt. “And look at all that your kind have achieved.”
A kingdom amongst the ice. Its city lights were a beacon to those lost within the darkness of the blizzard. Its tall walls protected them from the assailing winds.
“Before my gift, your kind was stagnant. You never suffered, but you never grew. You never failed, but you never succeeded. You never needed, but you were never satisfied.” When she finished her piece, she left the land of humans and returned with her sisters to the world of spirits. The gifts of Spring, Summer, and Autumn were given back to the humans, along with the gift of Winter.
And that was how the seasons came to be.
THE END
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