Story telling: Avatar Duties

         

Photo Information: Korra 

Source

One day the Northern Spirit was meditating in the spirit swamp and Vasus, in panda form, was flying overhead. Vasus blocked the sunlight warming the Northern Spirit and this angered him greatly. He then banished Vasus and his seven brothers to the human world and told them they could not get back until they were vanquished in battle by the Avatar. The Avatar is the peace keeper between the human and spirit worlds and can control the four elements water, fire, air, and earth. The brothers traveled the land trying to find someone to listen to their story about being spirits trapped in human form. To their misfortune no one listened. The brothers decided to travel to the fire nation because they had heard that Korra, the Avatar, would be there for the fire nation centennial. They made it to the Fire temple to see if Korra as with Fire Lord Zuko and they explained their problem to Zuko. He listened but informed them that she had been there a few days ago but went out to meditate in the fire swamps but had not been seen since her departure. Meanwhile, Korra was trying to escape the fire swamps. A mystical, dense fog swept over the entire swamp. She tried to water bend and air bend the fog away but she could not. Confused she just picked a direction and began walking. After what seemed liked hours she came across a man and his dragon. It was Zuko. He was there searching for her to tell her about the brothers and their problem. She returned to the temple and heard their story. She agreed to help them but only if she could fight them one on one. Vasus protested saying she should just light them all on fire and be done with it. So without hesitation she ignited him and to everyone’s surprise he was left unscathed. The eldest brother remembered the words of the one who banished them and told everyone that they had to be killed by the Avatar in combat to get back to the Spirit world. So the fights commenced and one by one she slayed the brothers and they happily returned to the spirit world. However by the end of the fourth fight she was exhausted and had to rest. The impatient brother who spoke out earlier lashed at her for being weak and not worthy to hold the status as Avatar. Angered by this she challenged the remaining three brothers and defeated them all. Only the brother who was impatient and arrogant as left. Instead of killing him like he wanted she punished him by letting him live. She told him to learn human values of patience and kindness and if he could do that she would let him return to the Spirit world. Furious at his denial to be sent home he ran off into the fire swamps. Once there he found a quiet place to meditate. After calming down he returned to find Korra well rested and dining with Zuko. He apologized for his previous actions and begged for a chance to do battle with her. She obliged and once defeated, he appeared in spirit form to thank her for her kindness and teachings. The brothers lived happily in the spirit world from then on. Making sure to never casts their shadows on anyone again.






Bibliography-  Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie


Author’s Note- This is the story of goddess Ganga (Korra) and how she drowned her babies. The babies were celestial beings born into human form because they were cursed by Vashishtha because one of them blocked his sunlight while he was meditating. She gets married to the king and he becomes outraged when she kills the babies. Not knowing that they are celestial beings and she is sending them back to their original form. She leaves him because he gets angry and this violated the agreement they had made when she married him. My version will change many details but will follow the same basic storyline.