Erik and The Rock (section from The Åthåser Rock)

The Åthåser Rock is one of the earliest forms of writing to be found on Whitmount. Large pieces of rock were found in 1893 by Perlita Stewart Smits, an eminent archaeologist and Whitmountian expert. Once translated, it revealed one of the first written accounts of the islands folk legends and mythology. This one, Erik and The Rock, was the first one to be fully translated, and is a moral tale on the importance of work and of channelling ones anger into work.

In the Ancient Land, there was a lowly mason called Erik. He was tired because his father Sigurðr, the legendary mason to the gods, had tasked him to find the gem inside a giant rock. The rock stood on top of Dåluliy, one of the five mountains of Slådeng, and could not be moved from its position. For 30 days, Erik toiled at the rock, not getting anywhere near the centre of the rock; all his instruments broke and he was forced to ask his father for help.

“HELP!?!” bellowed his father, “YOU WANT HELP!?!”

Erik stood back from his father, scared what would happen next.

“My boy, do not be frightened. I am just surprised, because you seem to be doing so well. But if you cannot finish it, I will ask you brother Math to do it.”

Erik immediately went back to work on the rock. Math was not going to get his hands on the gem if he had anything to do with it. Previously, Math had caused trouble with the gods by peeling back the sand on the ground to have a swim in the blood of Dengduy, which caused massive disasters to happen in the land of men.

For another 30 days, Erik toiled at the rock, until, on the last day of moons segments, the rock cracked. Erik immediately collapsed from exhaustion, but then was awakened by a child’s hand caressing his face. His eyes open and he saw three children, and with them three adults.

“Who are you?” Erik asked.

“We are the people of the rock.” they replied, “We will come to aid the person who finds us and frees us. You are now the creator of us.”

Erik enquired further. The People of the Rock were an ancient race, forgotten by the gods until a few segments ago, when they realised that they would be needed when the end of days came. Erik, who was still confused, went to his father.

“Father, I did what you asked. I cracked the rock; but instead of a gem inside, I found people, who now proclaim me as their creator. What is happening father?”

Sigurðr sighed and replied to his son, “Do not worry my child. The gods saw how unhappy you were with your life alone, so they set me a task. They told me to task you to bring forth The People of the Rock. I protested and told them that you would not do it, for you are lazy and would not be able to bring yourself to finish the task. But the rebutted, reminding me of your hatred for your brother Math, and how your hatred could be channelled into your work.”

“This still does not explain what I should do with these people father!”

“My son, they say that you are their creator. So, proceed to create!”

After this, The People of the Rock prospered in the ancient lands, with Erik as their leader, and the segments went on.