The Myth of Kalista

There was once, before you and I, a beautiful country where humans and beings long decease and unknown to us, thrived in harmony. All was peaceful, from the nymphs of the Forest to the giants of the Mountains to the creatures of the Sea. The gods and goddesses of the earth and sky loved and blessed this country. The sun shone bright and the grass grew lush and green. The crops were plentiful and the people wanted for nothing. The gods loved this land so much they decided to create a beautiful gift for the people. This gift was a beautiful baby girl. They created her from the goodness of the earth. Her skin was made from the softest petals of white roses and her lips were made from the reddest of red cherries. Her long, flowing hair was made of soft summer breezes, her eyes sparkled like the stars in the sky, and she had the passion of a wild forest fire, but the heart of the softest bed of grass on the most glorious summer day. Her voice was sweeter than bird song and she moved like the graceful flowing waters. The gods named her Kalista: most beautiful one. They presented her to the King and Queen of that land they loved and all rejoiced over such an amazing gift.1

But the whole world was not equal in their rejoicing. Next to this country there was another land, its opposite in every way. Adrian the Dark One, ruler of this dark and evil land, was jealous of the gods’ love for his neighboring country. He made an evil vow to kidnap the beautiful Princess Kalista and kill her. He prayed to dark and evil gods to help him with his quest. The evil gods heard his prayers and were pleased with his plan, for if Kalista were dead then their hated brothers and sisters would be weak with grief and easily defeated if challenged. They gave Adrian the Dark One the power of deception and disguise so that he may walk free in his neighboring country where people knew of his evil ways.2

When Adrian the Dark One made his way to the neighboring country he found it easy to travel to the castle in the shape of a beautiful little bird. He alighted on Princess Kalista’s window and began to sing. Kalista was enchanted by the beautiful bird’s music and when it flew away she followed it, listening for the bird’s song. Adrian the Dark One sang to Kalista day and night leading her closer and closer to the border of her country and his own. When she crossed the border into the dark, unknown land Adrian the Dark One transformed back into a man and snatched her up and took her to his castle. His plan had been to lock her away in the dungeon and leave her there until he had thought of a proper execution, but after seeing her magnificent beauty his plans changed. Now his plan was to make her his bride and she would stay with him forever, never leaving his sight.3

Horrified at the thought of such a dark and dreary life with Adrian the Dark One, Kalista was determined to make her own plan and escape back to her beloved country. Using her brains and beauty, Kalista wooed Adrian the Dark One. She gave him wine to drink and when he was very drunk she hit him over the head with a pot and he was knocked unconscious. Free from her evil captor, Kalista hurried back to her country and told her parents all that had happened. The gods also heard what Adrian the Dark One had tried to do and he was sent to the underworld where he could no longer plot his evil schemes. The gods also knew that their spiteful brothers had helped Adrian the Dark One and the evil gods were cast from the heavens and turned into pigs. After these unfortunate events were ended, Kalista’s beautiful country continued to thrive and everyone was happy, except of course, Adrian the Dark One and some very misfortunate pigs.4

The End.5