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Basque (3 stories)
> Mari, the Basque Goddess
> The Basajaunak, Lords of the Forest
> Olentzero, the Basque Father Christmas
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Mari, the Basque Goddess
In the mountains and forests of the Basque Country, there are many different kinds of creatures. We cannot see them, but we know of them from the many stories and fables that Basque people have told and written about them. When we go through our mountains and our valleys, from a wonderful corner of the imagination, they keep us company and take care of us.
Some people prefer to think that they do not exist, but according to an ancient Basque saying, “everything that has a name exists” (izena duen guzia omen da), and, indeed, the main characters of the following three stories have names very well known in the Basque Country. These are: Mari, the Basque goddess; Basajaunak (meaning Lords of the Forest, from the words baso, forest and jauna, lord) and Olentzero (from the word onentzero, time of the good one) the Basque Father Christmas.
Since the beginning of time a magical lady called Mari has lived in the Basque mountains. When she is inside the caves, Mari can take the form of different animals, such as a goat or a snake, but when she goes outside she turns into the most beautiful lady, with long golden hair and dressed in red and gold. She travels from one mountain to another by becoming a bright ball of fire flying through the sky.
Thousands of years ago now, people lived in darkness, frightened of the monsters and spirits that came up from the bowels of the Earth in the form of giant dragons, winged horses or fiery bulls. In despair, the people decided to ask Mari for her help.
"Mari, Mari," they begged. "We ask you, please, to protect us from the threats of the darkness." Mari gave it some thought and said: "You ask me to help you, my sons and daughters," she said to them, "and I will help you. A bright being I will create, and you will call her the Moon."
And Mari created the Moon.
At first the people were frightened of the Moon and hid indoors, but soon they became used to venturing outdoors in the moonlight. Similarly, the spirits and monsters were also very frightened when they first saw the Moon in the sky, but they also became accustomed to it and they soon started to leave their caverns again and attack men and women. So, the people turned to Mari for help again.
"Mari," they said, "many, many thanks we give you for having given us the Moon, but we need something more powerful because the monsters from the underworld are still attacking us."
"Very well," Mari said, "I will create a being brighter than the Moon. You will call it the Sun and from now on the Sun will make the day, and the Moon will make the night." And Mari created the Sun.
The Sun was so bright that it took people some time to get used to it, but they soon realised that, thanks to its warmth and light, wonderful things like plants began to grow, and the monsters and bad spirits could not stand the daylight. These nasty beings, however, still came out at night to harm people.
Yet again the people went to see Mari.
"Mari.” they said, "we are so happy and grateful for having the Moon and the Sun, but we still need something more because, although there is no problem during the day, when night comes the monsters leave their caves and keep attacking us.”
Once more Mari listened to these requests.
"Very well,” said Mari. “I will help you again, and this will end your problems. I will make a flower, the eguskilore (from eguski, sun and lore, flower), a beautiful thistle flower that resembles the shape of the Sun. You will put it on your front doors and it will protect you from the monsters of the night, as they will think it is the Sun and they will not dare to come close to it and will leave you in peace.”
It is then that Basque people started to use the eguskilore to guard their houses from bad monsters, spirits and other bringers of harm, storms and lightning. The eguskilore can still be seen displayed on houses around the Basque mountains.
Mari continued to help people on many other occasions, but also has punished those who misbehave, especially those who tell lies or steal. And when people need to find her, they just look for a bright ball of fire flying through the sky and follow it to whichever mountain it lands on.
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