Kero & The Catfish

Kero and The Catfish is an Ancient Lyrian myth, often commonplace among Nokanian culture in eras after the Autumn War. The myth tells the story of an experienced fisherman, presumably residing somewhere on the Deslas Delta, who becomes obsessed with outdoing the other fishermen, by catching a massive catfish he spots in the Straits of Dunai. The fable was meant as a proverb regarding egotism and overconfidence, and that man should take caution in trying to conquer nature.

The myth survived by word of mouth, up until it was published in Fables of Men & Beasts, written by Lyrian historian Raiua Juraeng. 

The Story

Originally, Kero & The Catfish was written in Lyrian, but was translated to Tai'ora and Atherin for use by the Collective. The story has had little variation since its publication in the Zenith Era, aside from name changes and other minor edits from various cultures out to appropriate the tale as their own.

The myth has little backstory on Kero's life, but much can be assumed from the little that it gives. The first stanza implies Kero may have been a former clergyman (re: "Denied rescue in the eyes of god"),  expelled from the Tyrosi or Kendaeist church for reasons unknown. It has been inferred that Kero may have left the church to marry his wife, Mala, although this is never directly implied in any text. Kero is said in the poem to have a son and daughter along with his wife, whom he provides for by fishing.

The main story begins when the poem tells of bets Kero had made with other fishermen that he could catch a fabled giant catfish (unknown mythological character, but the fish does appear in other stories) before the end of midweek. As Kero was sailing through the Straits of Dunai, the water suddenly became placid, and the Catfish poked its head out of the water. It spoke to Kero, telling him to turn back, or his vanity would surely be the end of his days. Kero became twice as angry, feeling taunted by the fish. Time begins to pass quickly, and Kero systematically fails to catch the Catfish. The fisherman soon begans to starve and become desperate for food and water, and with the next day, it is mentioned now that Kero is much older (perhaps elderly) than when he initially embarked on the journey. Some scholars have postulated that time was being manipulated by the Catfish or the gods, so that Kero would become weaker and more frail in a much shorter time, or time would simply pass much faster. With the new day, Kero prepared his final spear, but curiously he saw that the Catfish drew closer than he was in the past. Eager to kill the beast, Kero threw the spear out to the fish. But as he threw, the massive Catfish breached, and fell onto Kero's small sailboat, desttroying the entire boat, and drowning Kero in the process. It is unclear if Kero ever successfully speared the fish.

	Original Lyrian	Atherin Translation
	Lyt ga teisnija rin ga jurike priaekuen psagan a gada, tria ga raeo priaekuen	Upon a delta in a village of fishers and cod, lived a man of hooks and line. Denied rescue in the eyes of god, his only love was the salty brine.
	TBA	Kero’s Mala, a girl of just twenty-four, a playful boy of eight, a girl aged not much more, Would find their husband and father, washed up on their shore.
	TBA	For before Kero’s sun set, there was a vain goal to be met; with sailors the man made a great bet: that the Catfish would be net by the midweek sunset.
	TBA	Off, through Dunai’s straits he went, an ominous placidity struck the waters and out from the sea came,  a lip bent and whiskered, twas the Catfish.  To Kero he spoke: “Foolish man, leave this place, and return to your land. Return to your wife and little ones! Childish it is, to woe over a fish, surely this chase will be your end!” The Catfish returned to the sea, leaving Kero, twice as angry.
	TBA	Day after day trailed off, Kero toiled with net and spear lacing his actions with scoff.
	TBA	But the fish never fell, and Kero’s haughty starvation made his life a hell.
	TBA	Fate smiled upon the sunrise, and Kero’s now elder face was nothing more but desperate eyes. So he readied the last spear at the first sight of the fish. But curiously it drew near, and with it Kero’s arm clenched.
	........................................................	He cast the spear to the Catfish, but out to breach it came, forward unto the wooden frame, might of sea, and height of tree, took Kero and his pride, into the tide.