Antaran Bread Cycle
The Antaran Bread Cycle is the name given to the phenomenon in Antarand of serving a different bread each month. This practice commonly baffles tourists visiting at the end of one month and the beginning of the next. Fortunately, there is a myth to explain the tradition.
The Myth
by BarriesaxxyMany years ago, there was a baker who has no children. But they were an amazing wizard and were said to be able to heal someone of Danyodi with a single loaf of bread. So they had twleve students who had come to learn their art. Most of them were amazing wizards in their own right. The first was said to have stopped the forest fires in Werryn and the second to have, at one time, reversed the flow of the Forgecard Falls. The third and fourth could create things with a single word. The fifth single-handedly protected the town of Umick from invasion and the sixth already knew when the next would happen. Few people saw the seventh and no one saw the eighth, but the evidence of their deeds were always present. The ninth could name every herb the baker used (and and a few they didn't) and was known to brew particular concoctions for a price. And the tenth and eleventh, who were siblings, had brought light to every house in Raubavu. The twelfth was named Christopher, who only knew how to mix water with light to create rainbows. When the baker asked Christopher why he had had come, he said he loved bread. The other students laughed at him, but Christopher promised to work as hard as the rest of them, and so the baker kept him on.
One day, the baker gathered their twelve students and said, "it is time I retured. Since I have no children, it seems fitting I should pass the bakery on to one of you. And since I can't split it twelve ways, I will hold a competition. You have until this time tomorrow. Whoever makes the best loaf of bread shall inherit the bakery."
The students took to the task immediately. The first student took up a piece of ginger and threw it into the fire, from which she drew a savory and spicy piece of gingerbread. The second summoned the ocean waters to bring him the sweetest dates from around the world, which he baked into his bread. The third took an ear of corn and simply imagined it into a loaf of bread. The fourth spoke to a set of bones who made the bread for them. The fifth turned his whole kitchen into an oven, so his bread might be flavored by many things. The sixth reached into a vision and pulled forward a loaf of bread from the past. The seventh took a piece of light and smashed it flat with a hammer, letting it cool into bread. The eighth snuck into a farmer's fields and picked their onions early so she could add them to her bread. The ninth filled his bread with all the herbs he knew, and the siblings each cooked their breads with lightning. By the end of the night, the eleven students were begging the baker to select one of them. But the baker said the comeptition was not over, for Christopher had yet to place his entry.
Christopher spent all day at home. He poured over the recipes he had cooked in the years and tried several different doughs until late in the evening, he settled on one he liked. As he mixed the final dough, he poured in the water at just the right angle to create a rainbow, which he folded into the dough to color it.
The next day, the other eleven students were waiting eagerly and pestering the baker to make a decision. Christopher was taking much too long. And he was not as good a wizard as the others, so he couldn't possibly create a better loaf of bread. But the baker had given their students twenty-four hours, and at hour twenty-three, Christopher arrived with his multicolored loaf of bread.
At first, the other eleven students were surprised. They wouldn't have that Christopher could make such a beautiful loaf of bread. But assured themselves that presentation wasn't everything, and surely it did not taste as good as their own. But when the baker ate it, they declared it the best of the twelve, and when the other students ate it, they had to agree. And so the baker gave his bakery to Christopher.
by Berriesaxxy
by Barriesaxxy
Many years ago, there was a baker who has no children. But they were an amazing wizard and were said to be able to heal someone of Danyodi with a single loaf of bread. So they had twleve students who had come to learn their art. Most of them were amazing wizards in their own right. The first was said to have stopped the forest fires in Werryn and the second to have, at one time, reversed the flow of the Forgecard Falls. The third and fourth could create things with a single word. The fifth single-handedly protected the town of Umick from invasion and the sixth already knew when the next would happen. Few people saw the seventh and no one saw the eighth, but the evidence of their deeds were always present. The ninth could name every herb the baker used (and and a few they didn't) and was known to brew particular concoctions for a price. And the tenth and eleventh, who were siblings, had brought light to every house in Raubavu. The twelfth was named Christopher, who only knew how to mix water with light to create rainbows. When the baker asked Christopher why he had had come, he said he loved bread. The other students laughed at him, but Christopher promised to work as hard as the rest of them, and so the baker kept him on.
Christopher spent all day at home. He poured over the recipes he had cooked in the years and tried several different doughs until late in the evening, he settled on one he liked. As he mixed the final dough, he poured in the water at just the right angle to create a rainbow, which he folded into the dough to color it.
The next day, the other eleven students were waiting eagerly and pestering the baker to make a decision. Christopher was taking much too long. And he was not as good a wizard as the others, so he couldn't possibly create a better loaf of bread. But the baker had given their students twenty-four hours, and at hour twenty-three, Christopher arrived with his multicolored loaf of bread.
At first, the other eleven students were surprised. They wouldn't have that Christopher could make such a beautiful loaf of bread. But assured themselves that presentation wasn't everything, and surely it did not taste as good as their own. But when the baker ate it, they declared it the best of the twelve, and when the other students ate it, they had to agree. And so the baker gave his bakery to Christopher.
by Berriesaxxy
A Likely Story
The earliest known appearance of this myth is in a book of Antaran fairytales which does not predate the Antaran Bread cycle itself. Therefore, it is likely this was written as an explanation, rather than an inspiration for the bread cycle.
by Barriesaxxy
Cultural Notes
While not notable within the country itself, this myth is often interesting to outsiders for its use of pronouns. For centuries, Antarans have identified three genders--male, female, and fluid--and their language reflects this. Antaran Creole has three sets of third person pronouns, and despite the occupation of Florarova, the fluid pronoun was adopted into Antaran Imk and is still used on a regular basis. Regardless of variations on the story, it always utilizes all three pronouns, with the baker, and usually one of their students, being identified as fluid. Though this can make the story difficult to translate, the use of all three pronouns is considered important among Antarans, who believe that this feature of the tale emphasizes the fact that no one is exempt from its moral.
by Barriesaxxy
While not notable within the country itself, this myth is often interesting to outsiders for its use of pronouns. For centuries, Antarans have identified three genders--male, female, and fluid--and their language reflects this. Antaran Creole has three sets of third person pronouns, and despite the occupation of Florarova, the fluid pronoun was adopted into Antaran Imk and is still used on a regular basis. Regardless of variations on the story, it always utilizes all three pronouns, with the baker, and usually one of their students, being identified as fluid. Though this can make the story difficult to translate, the use of all three pronouns is considered important among Antarans, who believe that this feature of the tale emphasizes the fact that no one is exempt from its moral.
Bread! I really enjoyed the story, especially the triumph of Christopher!
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