        ORIGIN OF THE WOLFDEER:  How Man Gained Fire
    Legend has it that once, long, long ago, all the fire in the world was kept
in a single pit in the realm of evil Fomoriians, a great demonic race of
giants. The Fomoriians jealously guarded the secret of making fire, so that
they alone would know the bounty of its warmth and light. So great was
their greed for the power of the flame, they slew any man who came seeking
it. Men, lacking the knowledge of how to make fire, were thus forced to eat
their meat raw, and shiver in the coldness of winter.
    Man suffered thusly for many years, until one day a Shaman came out of the
wilderness. Filliu’kynney (wolf kin), as he was called, saw the misery of
the people and asked of it’s source. The people told him of the evil
Fomoriians and their mastery of fire, and how they prevented man from
learning of its secrets.
    Now, Filliu’kynney was wise and possessed great powers, but was not powerful
enough to challenge the evil ones directly, so he set his mind to the task
of wresting the secret of the flame from the horrible giants. After many
days of fasting and meditating, the Shaman had a vision. In this vision, he
saw a wolf running across the land. But the wolf left tracks as those of a
stag. As the wolf moved away, the tracks caught flame and burned brightly.
    When the Shaman awoke from his vision, he told the men to capture a male
wolf and a female deer, and to bring them to him alive and unharmed. The men
feared for the task, as a wolf is a fierce beast that does not suffer
capture readily, and deer were so very swift as to make it impossible to
catch them. But the Shaman insisted this must be done and the men complied.
It took several days for the men to bring before the Shaman a gigantic wolf
and a great doe. When the men brought the two beasts to the Shaman, he
sprinkled powders and chanted over both wolf and doe, then placed them in a
great cage that he had fashioned from wood and earth. He chanted and danced
around the cage for three days and three nights until the moon was full in
the sky. None could say what occurred inside the cage, for the Shaman forbid
any to witness the rituals.
    On the morning after the full moon, Filliu’kynney opened the cage and allowed
the wolf to run free, but the doe he kept. For three more days and nights
the Shaman chanted and danced, then rested next to the cage. There he stayed
until the next full moon.
    When the moon was once again full in the night sky, the Shaman again opened
the cage and allowed the doe to run free. He then turned to the people and
said, “Let none do harm to the creature that next shall leave this cage, for
it will be the salvation of the people.” He then turned and entered the
cage, never to be seen by mortal eyes again.
    Shortly after the Shaman entered the great cage, a large beast slowly
stepped out. It was fearsome to behold, but none moved to do it harm. Huge it
was, with shoulders as high as a man. From the front, it bore the aspect of
a wolf, save for the great rack of antlers that grew from its skull. Its
hindquarters were that of a great stag, save for the long bushy tail of a
wolf. But most striking were its eyes, for it had the eyes of the Shaman!
    “Filliu’feeaih (wolfdeer)”, spoke one brave warrior, “are you here to aid us, or destroy us?”
To the wonder of all, the great, wondrous beast spoke with the voice of the Shaman and said,  “I am here to bring you fire.  For this I ask that none here ever raise up a hand against me or my descendants.”  All present agreed, and the Wolfdeer bounded away at wondrous speed.
    For three days and nights the magical beast sped, making his way to the land of the Fomoriians.  Once there, he stopped to look about him.  There, he saw a terrible monster, gigantic in aspect, and hideous to look upon.  It was a Fomoriian, one of the demonic giants that jealously guarded the power of fire.  Large though the Wolfdeer was, he was as a mouse to the great monstrous creature.  But the Wolfdeer was brave and clever, a good combination.
    “Ho, there!” He yelled to the giant. “What land is this?”
  “This is the realm of the Fomorii, little one.  What is your business, here?” The evil creature demanded.  With its horrible face turned to the Wolfdeer, it was obvious it only possessed one eye.
    “I am lost, seeking the Sidhe, whom I am told possess wondrous powers.” said Filliu’feeaih.  “I am told they possess magic that can make cold things warm, and light the darkness at night.  Such great power I would love to see.”
    “Ha!” laughed the evil giant. “You are well and truly lost to seek the Sidhe here!  And the power you claim they possess is not theirs, but ours!”
    “You possess such magic?  Surely you lie!” exclaimed the Wolfdeer.
    “I do not!  My kind can make warm the night, make dark turn bright!  Come little beast, and I will show you our power!” boasted the evil giant.
    It was this boastful nature of the Fomorii that the Wolfdeer counted on.  He followed the monster to a cave guarded by two more ugly giants, one missing a hand, the other missing a foot.
    “Ho, Granaghey.  Why come you?” demanded the guard with one hand.
    “I come to show this beast a part of our power, then will invite him to dinner with us, Graney.” answered Granaghey.  The three giants chuckled as though sharing a private joke, and then Granaghey and the Wolfdeer were permitted to pass.  Inside the great cavern, the air was thick with smoke and hot.  They came to a great pit, filled with fire and the Wolfdeer approach the edge.
    “Amazing!” he cried. “Truly you are a mighty race!  What other powers do you possess?”
    “Well,” Granaghey said, “I possess a ring that allows me to transform myself into any form I choose.”
    “Impossible!” exclaimed the Wolfdeer. “Show me!”
    In an instant, a giant goat replaced the hideous giant then a giant dragon, then a giant version of the Wolfdeer!
    “Amazing!  This is a wonderful power!  It is too bad you are so limited.” Said the Wolfdeer.
    “Limited?  I can assume any form I choose!” roared the giant.
    “I am sure you can,” soothed the Wolfdeer, “but only at your own size!  I would bet my antlers that you could not become something small, like a cat, a rat or a rabbit.  But still it is a great power!”
    “Oh, can’t I?  Observe and be amazed!” and in an instant, the Fomorii transformed himself into a small fluffy bunny.  But before he could change back, the Wolfdeer was on him in half and instant and eat him whole, ring and all!		
    “Great in size, small in mind.” thought the Wolfdeer.  But he still had to get the fire and move past the guards.  After some thought, he realized that there was only one way.  Going to the edge of the pit, he turned and put the end of his tail in the flame.  Though it hurt terribly, he allowed his tail to catch fire.  Then, acting as though he were a fool, he ran out of the cave howling and whining all the while his tail was burning.  The Fomorii guards saw this and fell over in laughter at the sight!  While the guards laughed, Filliu’feeaih ran with all of his great speed back to the land of men, his tail on fire the whole way.
    When he returned to the clan, he placed his tail atop a dead log, until the fire leaped away from his tail to the dry dead wood.  His tail, now burnt at the end, was black at the tip forever after.  The people of the clan cared for him and fed him for nine days as his tail healed and he regained his strength.  During this time, the Wolfdeer learned he could change his shape, much like the Fomorii had; though only to that of wolf, deer, man or demi-man.
    When at last he recovered from his adventure, he loped into the forests where he made a home for himself among the beasts of the wilderness, hidden from the eyes of men.  But as he departed, he proclaimed that he was of the clan, and would return should great evil challenge them again.
