It was said that the universe was formed out of Aidus in Dubron, ‘Fire in Water.’ And just as Aidus in Dubron was the beginning, so it would be the end.
These two primordial elements mingled together and everything in the cosmos sprung from their union: the Three Worlds, Drus the World Tree, the sun, the moon, the stars…even our souls and the Gods themselves emerged from the mingling of Aidus in Dubron.
And once the cosmos had formed, Aidus in Dubron settled below the roots of Drus, feeding and nourishing it, allowing it to grow. The roots of Drus ran underneath Bitus, the Middle World, and throughout Dumnos, the Lower World. Aidus in Dubron flowed like a river there.
Then from Aidus in Dubron arose the last two of the Gods.
As the first form arose, it glowed with a white heat until it took shape forming the God Aisus. Always in his eyes there burned the white heat of his origin, which prevented him from seeing as others could see so that some even said that he was blind.
Then, the second shape arose. It burned with fire like the first but then hissed and smoked as if quenched with water, revealing the God Belinus. All would say that he was the fairest of the Gods, as brilliant as the sun and as soothing as cool water.
As the two of them stood staring at one another, Carnonos walked up to them. He laid down the bundle he was carrying onto the ground and then sat down in front of it. As he motioned for Aisus and Belinos to join him, the two of them sat down in front of him.
Carnonos began. “Aisu etic Belise, comareueuosomes suos” (Aisus and Belinos, we have been expecting you). He placed his hand on the bundle in front of him. “etic rinūmi danā ume. extos cintū, brodināomos. pāpos sueson peilāite uergon in bitū. etic, duci ollā pettiā in biuitū, axtās bāt trexiūs uepobi. suā, ceniomos” (And I have gifts for you. But first, we must talk. Each of you must understand his task in the universe. And, as all things in life, actions speak more powerfully than words. So, let us begin).
He then told Aisus and Belinos to place their hands on Drus. Aisus did so without any problem. But when Belinos went to do it, he pulled his hand away as if it had been cut with swords. Carnonos then instructed them to stick their hands into Aidus in Dubron. Aisus was unable to place his hand into it because of the pain like burning fire he felt when he got close to it. But Belinos was able to submerge his hand into it as if it was nothing but water.
The two brothers then sat down again in front of Carnonos.
Carnonos explained. “uergon touon, Aisu, bisiet sagiesio ad Drun. ion uergon touon, Beline, bisiet sagiesio ad Aidun in Dubron” (Your task, Aisus, will be to tend to Drus. While your task, Belinos, will be to tend to Fire in Water). Carnonos unwrapped the bundle in front of him. He handed an axe to Aisus. “arebersies sindin beialiin uta biiesio Drun. tumon Drous uilāitor ixi tumsiet litanon etic orxiet bitun” (You will use this axe so that you cut away Drus. The growth of Drus must be watched or it will grow wild and destroy the universe).
Carnonos then handed a cup to Belinos.
Belinos looked at him with questioning eyes.
Carnonos explained. “diios oinos, pēlāsies gussun anniās sindiās” (One day, you will understand the value of this cup).
And so, the two brothers performed their appointed duties. Belinos stayed at the roots of Drus, ensuring Aidus in Dubron stayed calm as it fed the World Tree. And Aisus wandered the Three Worlds ensuring the growth of Drus remained under control.
And then one day, just as Carnonos had told him, Belinos took the cup knowing what he had to do.
He dipped the cup into Aidus in Dubron, withdrew it, and then drank the contents. Immediately, he dropped to the ground and fell into a deep sleep.
Belinos dreamed.
He saw his brother, Aisus, with his axe pruning the World Tree, Drus. Branches already lay upon the ground. But still Aisus chopped away. As more branches fell, a bull with three cranes on its back appeared from amid the tree. Suddenly, the bull bellowed and stomped its feet. It lowered its horns and charged forth from behind the foliage. For a moment, the three cranes clung to its back as they beat their wings and cried out. Then, they dismounted. One flew straight up into the air, one flew straight ahead, while the last one dove down in its flight. As the cranes took off in flight, the bull stomped and beat the ground as it threw up its horns into the air as if fighting something. But nothing was there. Finally, the bull fell to the ground and moved no more.
Belinos awoke, unsure of what his dream meant. But he was afraid and he did not know why.
He went to All-Knowing Litauiā, Mother Earth and the Oracle of the Gods. He explained what he had done and then told her the dream he had.
“eðði cenon in bisiaunon dedorcesio” (It is far into the future you have seen), Litauiā explained. “coni ne pēlūmi ollon, douexiū de uidūio. eitū taruos, Beline, etic diiū oinū bratīr touos, Aisus, orxiet te. maruos touos uouersiet aidun in dubron, trigaranus, sernatio trē trīes rigiā etic uouersiet miletus bitous. duci bitus deluātos eðði aidū in dubron, suā buet bladion” (Although I do not understand it all, I will tell you what I see. You are the Bull, Belinos, and one day, your brother, Aisus, will kill you. Your death will cause Aidus in Dubron, the Three Cranes, to spread throughout the Three Worlds and cause destruction of the universe. As the universe was formed from Aidus in Dubron, so it will be its destruction). She laid a reassuring hand on Belinos’ shoulder. “extos sindon eðði rocenon in bisiaunon” (But this is all very, very far into the future).
The comforting words of Litauiā laid aside the fear of Belinos for now.
As Belinos left, Litauiā sat on the ground. She opened up her senses, feeling the grass beneath her. Other goddesses were associated with the land but their boundaries existed within the boundaries of the tribes, tied to natural features such as rivers or mountains. Litauiā’s boundaries knew no limits. As far as the grass stretched was as far as her domain reached. She was of the earth and the earth was her.
As she sat there, she contemplated on the part of the vision she had withheld from Belinos.
She saw Aisus surveying the World Tree, Drus. In one of the branches, his eye caught sight of something which seemed out of place and potentially harmful. Litauiā recognized it as the mistletoe, which received its energy from the tree it was attached to. In time, it could kill the World Tree if allowed to grow out of control. Aisus understood this. He glanced at his axe but then laid it down on the ground, choosing instead the golden sickle at his side. He climbed up to the spot where the mistletoe was growing. As he held onto the branch with one hand, he swung the sickle with the other hand and cut off the portion of the branch where the mistletoe was growing.
As chance or fate would have it – for Litauiā knew there was little difference in the two – Belinos came walking underneath the branch of Drus as Aisus cut the mistletoe. The flash of the golden sickle caught Belinos’ eye. He looked up and saw Aisus. As Belinos raised his hand and yelled to his brother in greeting, the mistletoe branch fell and pierced him in the chest, never touching the ground as it embedded into his flesh. If it had been anyone else, the branch would have harmlessly bounced off their chest. But Drus was harmful to Belinos just as Aidus in Dubron was harmful to Aisus.
Belinos fell down to the ground. He thrashed the ground in pain, pounding his fists and yelling until suddenly he fell silent.
Aisus let out a scream of horror when he saw what had happened to his brother. He dropped to the ground and raced over to him. He fell to his knees, cradling his brother’s head in his lap as he rocked back and forth.
Overcome with grief for causing his brother’s death, he took the same golden sickle and drove it into his own chest. His body shuddered a few times and then collapsed onto that of his brother.
Litauiā shook her head and cleared her mind of the vision.
“eðði cenon in bisiaunon” (It is far into the future), repeating the comforting words to herself which she had told Belinos. “rocenon” (Very far).
Artwork created by The Bardos Casnis Uatiâ
The myth created by The Bardos Cunolugus Drugaisos
Concept created by the Tenders of Drunemeton
Drunemeton 