Sparrow (None So Blind)

Sparrows was the sarcastic name given to large birds discovered by an Empire of Mussalmi expedition to the tropical mountains. These birds were too large to fly being taller and heavier than a Mussalmian with long necks and were quick runners. Their natural habitat was in the savanna in the foothills south of the jungle borders of the Empire.

After preserving several specimens, the expedition continued to hunt sparrows as they made good eating. The meat was red like beef and tasted much like it. In addition two of the bird's enormous eggs could feed the entire expedition if the cooks were patient enough to cook them.

After one such meal Kyosti was chatting with Sunila and pointing to a shell remarked that it was easy enough to imagine a dragon hatching from an egg that size. Sunila tartly replied that while it was easy to conceive of it, that did not make it true. He believed that dragons were an exaggeration of a more mundane snake or lizard.

The discussion turned more general and Kyosti suggested the gods were invented the same way. He pointed to the smoking volcano saying what could that be but the breath of a god? Sunila sardonically agreed stating that he believed gods legends that too were exaggerations of more mundane things, although he wouldn't say so where the priests would overhear.