The Crane on the Mountain

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Once upon a time, when the Empire was young and the cycle spirits still visited, Crane lived in a little pagoda built of ice on top of a snowy mountain in the Roof of the World. The mountain was so tall and the walls of the pagoda were so clear that Crane could see everything that happened in the Empire without leaving home. Crane was very wise and remembered everything it saw, and sometimes people would climb the mountain to ask Crane questions. Crane was very wise and smart and helped many people solve their problems.

Cycles went by, and one day Tortoise came to visit Crane.

"Tortoise, my friend" said Crane, "it has been long since you visited me here on my mountain!"

"Indeed." Said Tortoise. "It is time..."

"Already? The cycles go by so quickly! I will be sad to leave my little house." Tortoise speaks slowly and Crane is wise, so Tortoise hadn't said much before Crane knew it was time to leave the Empire for the World Above.

Crane worried about the people who would be left behind, for they had come to rely on his wisdom to solve their trickiest problems. "What shall I do, Tortoise? The people need me."

"A note?" offered Tortoise.

So Crane flew from his pagoda on the top of the snowy mountain and picked some bamboo. His friend Gorilla helped mash it in a stream, and while Crane spread and dried the mash with the wind from his wings, Bear made a pine needle brush. Tortoise found some red clay for ink, and waited there for Crane.

When the bamboo dried it became paper, and Crane used his pine needle brush to write a letter to the Emperor explaining that it was time for the Cycle Spirits to leave the Empire and reside in the world above. Fox went to deliver the note.

Finally, using the left over paper, Crane, Tortoise, Bear, Fox and Gorilla folded images of themselves to live in the pagoda. For they had enjoyed living in the Empire, you see, and so they left these avatars to watch over the Empire together as friends. And to this day, if you climb the right mountain and find the pagoda of ice at its peak, you can see those paper Animals still keeping each other company. Ask them a question. Who knows? They may answer.