Chandrasekhar
Determined
In the lands that we of the modern day recognize as belonging to the prehistoric Nengal people, legends of an ancient king named Ranargna persist. Despite the numerous superhuman, heroic deeds attributed to him, he is generally considered to be a historical figure. This is partly due to a number of tablets which have been recovered from an ancient Nengal city. The tablets also deal with fanciful events beyond the possibility of mortals, but some of those events bear notable analogues to historic events that can be traced archaeologically.
The first tablet of his story is as follows:
It is the fragmented fourth tablet, however, which is commonly cited as the best evidence for Ranarnga's historocity.
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For many years did matters progress thusly, and the Kalioko came to fear and hate the name of Ranarnga. The king did take many treasures from the Kalioko, and he did take many slaves from the Kalioko, and he put the fear of God into them. Yet after many years, Ranarnga did tire of fighting the Kalioko, and so he issued a decree to his subjects.
"Go forth, my clansmen, and bring to me the leaders of the Kalioko," he spoke to his servants. And so his clansmen went forth, and some leaders they captured, and some leaders they coerced, and some leaders they killed, but eventually many chieftains of the Kalioko were brought before Ranarnga, and the king spoke to them.
"Your people have shown great courage in fighting my invincible clansmen," the king said, "And so I will let you live as a gesture of respect, and so I will let your people live as a gesture of respect. Yet in return, your people shall submit to the Nengal. It is a fitting place for you, and you shall feel honored to be allowed it. The Nengal are great and mighty, and the Kalioko cannot hope to stand against us forever. You Kalioko should feel satisfied to let us take what we will from you." The Kalioko leaders bowed their heads, for they would rather give their wealth than their lives, and so were the Kalioko saved from Ranarnga's might.
Thus did the Nengal and the Kalioko come to peace, and thus did Ranarnga turn his might against the Bessariondze, and thus did -
---The tablet ends here. The fifth and sixth tablets are mostly illegible, with only a few references to Ranarnga's battles against the Bessariondze surviving. Clearly, the story makes some vast exaggerations with regard to Ranarnga's rule, and the archaeological evidence indicates that only a few border Kalioko cities submitted to the Nengal decree, but Ranarnga's influence over the course of his people was still profound.
The seventh tablet is more complete, and more interesting, detailing Ranarnga's love of a Kalioko slave, and of God's wrath when the king elevated her to the status of queen. In the story, this is the manner by which Ranarnga is killed, but it is also notable that the story itself seems to sympathize with Ranarnga's actions, and that later periods of Nengal history seem to indicate that such practices became more common. Ironic as it may seem, the mythological figure of Ranarnga may have had a positive influence of the rights of Nengal slaves of the time.
The first tablet of his story is as follows:
There was a boy in the lands of the Nengal called by the name Ranarnga. In the lands of the Nengal was a man who was called Ranarnga. Ruling over the lands of the Nengal was a king of the name Ranarnga. His might and righteousness brought upon him the grace of God, and God's grace was upon him. He was successful in battle, and his aura of glory brought mighty chieftains to submit themselves to him, and so did he draw God's grace.
Ranarnga and his clan slew many determined Kalioko warriors, and his clan grew as his notoriety spread. His notoriety spread, and drew many Nengal to it, and he became a glorious scourge upon the lands of the pathetic foreigners. Ranarnga become wealthy from his righteous fighting, and his homage to God made him wealthy.
Ranarnga did return from his glorious battles to the great city of Noyoneng, and he did have his clan all around him, and there he spoke to the people of the city. "Behold," said he, "for my might is God's might, and my wisdom is God's wisdom, and my spirit is God's spirit." Said he, "Before you stands a Godly chieftain, one who is favored by God. Would you not have a king whose might is God's might, and a king whose wisdom is God's wisdom, and a king whose spirit is God's spirit?" And the people of Noyoneng rose up together, and they said "Yes, let us have Ranarnga as king!"
Yet being a man whose might was God's might, and a man whose wisdom was God's wisdom, and a man whose spirit was God's spirit, Ranarnga was not satisfied with one city. And so he stood on the highest tower of Noyoneng, and he spoke to God. "O God," spoke he, "I have done Your work, I have lived righteously, and I have lived of my own strength, and now I would live as king of this world. Hear me, God, and answer my request." And God replied to him, "King of Noyoneng, who is a son of my sons, how may I know that you are worthy to rule my world? You have taken but one city, a task that many have done before." And so did God give Ranarnga a task to better prove his worth. "Take with you six of your finest clansmen, and go forth into the wild lands of the west. Atop a tall mountain, you shall find a mighty beast which you must slay. This beast has bones of ice and blood of fire, and this beast has seven heads. Slay this beast, and the many cities of the Nengal will bow to you."
And so did Ranarnga take with him six of his finest clansmen, and so did Ranarnga go forth into the wild lands of the west, and so did Ranarnga climb a tall mountain. And atop the tall mountain, he found a beast, with bones of ice and blood of fire. And Ranarnga and his clansmen fought the great beast in a terrible battle, and the clansmen were killed, and Ranarnga was burnt and flung to the ground, where he lay on his hands and knees.
Piteously, Ranarnga begged God for help. "O God, hear my plea," he said, "for this beast cannot be slain. Lend me help, creator of this world, and save me from death." And God spoke down to him, "King of Noyoneng, who is son of my sons, your piteous cries offend my ears. You, who have taken on this challenge, have no right to beg for my help. If you seek one's help to lift you out of a pit you have dug, then you are pathetic and weak. You are no better than the thief who stabs his brother Nengal in the dark to take his wealth and slaves. You are no better than the thief who lies about his victories to gain the favor of his fellows. You are no better than the foreigner who sacrifices his freedom before his life." And saying those words, God left Ranarnga.
Yet Ranarnga's might was God's might, and Ranarnga's wisdom was God's wisdom, and Ranarnga's spirit was God's spirit. And so did Ranarnga stand up and clutch his spear, and stab the seven headed beast in the heart to kill it. "O God," Ranarnga spoke to the sky over his defeated foe, "Now I see that one's true worth comes from one's own self and that which one can earn for one's self, and not from that which is given by others, be it for loyalty or pity." Thus did Ranarnga earn God's respect, and thus did he come to reign over the cities of the Nengal.
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Ranarnga and his clan slew many determined Kalioko warriors, and his clan grew as his notoriety spread. His notoriety spread, and drew many Nengal to it, and he became a glorious scourge upon the lands of the pathetic foreigners. Ranarnga become wealthy from his righteous fighting, and his homage to God made him wealthy.
Ranarnga did return from his glorious battles to the great city of Noyoneng, and he did have his clan all around him, and there he spoke to the people of the city. "Behold," said he, "for my might is God's might, and my wisdom is God's wisdom, and my spirit is God's spirit." Said he, "Before you stands a Godly chieftain, one who is favored by God. Would you not have a king whose might is God's might, and a king whose wisdom is God's wisdom, and a king whose spirit is God's spirit?" And the people of Noyoneng rose up together, and they said "Yes, let us have Ranarnga as king!"
Yet being a man whose might was God's might, and a man whose wisdom was God's wisdom, and a man whose spirit was God's spirit, Ranarnga was not satisfied with one city. And so he stood on the highest tower of Noyoneng, and he spoke to God. "O God," spoke he, "I have done Your work, I have lived righteously, and I have lived of my own strength, and now I would live as king of this world. Hear me, God, and answer my request." And God replied to him, "King of Noyoneng, who is a son of my sons, how may I know that you are worthy to rule my world? You have taken but one city, a task that many have done before." And so did God give Ranarnga a task to better prove his worth. "Take with you six of your finest clansmen, and go forth into the wild lands of the west. Atop a tall mountain, you shall find a mighty beast which you must slay. This beast has bones of ice and blood of fire, and this beast has seven heads. Slay this beast, and the many cities of the Nengal will bow to you."
And so did Ranarnga take with him six of his finest clansmen, and so did Ranarnga go forth into the wild lands of the west, and so did Ranarnga climb a tall mountain. And atop the tall mountain, he found a beast, with bones of ice and blood of fire. And Ranarnga and his clansmen fought the great beast in a terrible battle, and the clansmen were killed, and Ranarnga was burnt and flung to the ground, where he lay on his hands and knees.
Piteously, Ranarnga begged God for help. "O God, hear my plea," he said, "for this beast cannot be slain. Lend me help, creator of this world, and save me from death." And God spoke down to him, "King of Noyoneng, who is son of my sons, your piteous cries offend my ears. You, who have taken on this challenge, have no right to beg for my help. If you seek one's help to lift you out of a pit you have dug, then you are pathetic and weak. You are no better than the thief who stabs his brother Nengal in the dark to take his wealth and slaves. You are no better than the thief who lies about his victories to gain the favor of his fellows. You are no better than the foreigner who sacrifices his freedom before his life." And saying those words, God left Ranarnga.
Yet Ranarnga's might was God's might, and Ranarnga's wisdom was God's wisdom, and Ranarnga's spirit was God's spirit. And so did Ranarnga stand up and clutch his spear, and stab the seven headed beast in the heart to kill it. "O God," Ranarnga spoke to the sky over his defeated foe, "Now I see that one's true worth comes from one's own self and that which one can earn for one's self, and not from that which is given by others, be it for loyalty or pity." Thus did Ranarnga earn God's respect, and thus did he come to reign over the cities of the Nengal.
---
It is the fragmented fourth tablet, however, which is commonly cited as the best evidence for Ranarnga's historocity.
---
For many years did matters progress thusly, and the Kalioko came to fear and hate the name of Ranarnga. The king did take many treasures from the Kalioko, and he did take many slaves from the Kalioko, and he put the fear of God into them. Yet after many years, Ranarnga did tire of fighting the Kalioko, and so he issued a decree to his subjects.
"Go forth, my clansmen, and bring to me the leaders of the Kalioko," he spoke to his servants. And so his clansmen went forth, and some leaders they captured, and some leaders they coerced, and some leaders they killed, but eventually many chieftains of the Kalioko were brought before Ranarnga, and the king spoke to them.
"Your people have shown great courage in fighting my invincible clansmen," the king said, "And so I will let you live as a gesture of respect, and so I will let your people live as a gesture of respect. Yet in return, your people shall submit to the Nengal. It is a fitting place for you, and you shall feel honored to be allowed it. The Nengal are great and mighty, and the Kalioko cannot hope to stand against us forever. You Kalioko should feel satisfied to let us take what we will from you." The Kalioko leaders bowed their heads, for they would rather give their wealth than their lives, and so were the Kalioko saved from Ranarnga's might.
Thus did the Nengal and the Kalioko come to peace, and thus did Ranarnga turn his might against the Bessariondze, and thus did -
---
The seventh tablet is more complete, and more interesting, detailing Ranarnga's love of a Kalioko slave, and of God's wrath when the king elevated her to the status of queen. In the story, this is the manner by which Ranarnga is killed, but it is also notable that the story itself seems to sympathize with Ranarnga's actions, and that later periods of Nengal history seem to indicate that such practices became more common. Ironic as it may seem, the mythological figure of Ranarnga may have had a positive influence of the rights of Nengal slaves of the time.
