Origin of the Origin Story

Sarah Goforth / Woodford County

Beginnings are a tricky thing. The trickiest beginning being that of storytelling. Once you think you found the right answer another one sneaks up and breaks the previous notion. Thus far the proper origin story is what follows. It is understood that Words only have meaning because we have endowed them with it. One very gray day, before the endowment of Words, and back when people grunted and shrugged, a raggedy humanoid figure cloaked in silence thought a powerful Thought. It was a Thought so profound it changes the very core of the primitive people. “I can form sounds,” They Thought, “And with those sounds, I can Express meaning and therefore I can Communicate.” Burden with purpose, the raggedy figure moved their mouth and spoke the first Word. The first real sound spread across the land, and those who it touched were struck with an overwhelming sense of awe.

After the first Word came the second, and then the third, and then the fourth, until the world was filled with the squawking of discovery. It was wonderful. Everyone looked towards the figure for meaning but they were all shunned. Now they had to make their own. The raggedy figure sat in silence and watched, enjoying the fruit of creation. A time later, the figure got another Idea. By giving these noises common meaning they could string together sentences and maybe, just maybe Talk to each other. The figure stood and quietly squawked at the people and everyone agreed. No one would Speak until they had a solid Thought to Say. The shaggedy figure, after an entire month of meditation, finally stood up to Speak. The glorious brain of the figure had spun the all squawking into a melodious sound and what they Said next brought all the people to tears. Women wept, Men sat in despair, and Children fainted.

What came from the shadows was the Origin Story, and it was a tragedy.