Oscula Racût

The following story is an origin myth about how the great healing tree named Oscula Racût came into being. The tree is known wide and far by the native Sumnë for its healing properties, the leaves can cool a fever, the sap can settle a stomach and the berries can cure all numbers of ailments. People may also write a wish on a cloth and tie it to the tree for good luck.

The story will be shown in the original Old Sumrë language followed by an English translation:

Do lomanë-nonëen, sôla carif, sëana lamñuca hôcaraca, Oscul go salëam nûr lamñucañûr. nonsumûrcërm lemûra lamma eradamë erdmë Malomananub gowmëta. Estamesûrcërm lemûra Nonmû Nonsuansa. Ton Oscula nonsumar tomûr lamñuca sô Malomanan. Oscul sumûrcërm Nonma lamñucevanat ac dísrûtûrcërm lemûra. Panûrcërm nonsuanso summâtûcërm Nonma Lamñucevan cin. Sumûrcërm Ralm Nonmata ac dísrûtûrcërm lemû dut. Panûrcërm nonsuanso summâtûcërm Ralm Nonmarol cin. Sumûrcërm Nonma Lefscâlata dut, mut dísrûtûrcërm lemûra nonsuñebina ría dënuc, Oscul sulûrcërm brígarû panarûac sularû, sulûrcërm sëanû, Asilñe lamlomna mosa. Sumûru olmûta mûlelweta ton lamlommnë nonestamû mû sô lamñuca. lema scatëm fen sularëac nonmarëencërm brígarlûmû Oscula atonalwaba. Oscul dañicûrcërm nonmubrëolen Asilñû, estamesûrcërm brëolaracûta racûtcû, nonmarûrcërm lemûra estalû ac rëñûrcërm lemû nonmubrëolen lemûrû. Asilñe rënûcërm sëanô lamñuca “estamesar ma mûm ac dísrûtar sô tar, nonsuansunar nínû nílafû, hen nonmubrëolâpos tarû, lamlomna nonsumicû nacarnu?” Sones Oscul rënûrcërm “Asilñe, ma lamlomnëñe, ton onta nonsumû sô dûvdëna, ton laferoc nonsumûr sô olñyar, ton lamlomnë nonsumû sô lamñuca, nacâutmu lamlomna nonsumicû  lemû nonû ma atonalwû”. Asilñe rënûcërtm ac lemû nonû ma atonalwû, lamñucañûr”. Sones Asilñe scemûcërm Oscula estalû ac racûtca hegûcërm mâmat. Asilñe sumûcërm olmûta mûlelweta ac estmesûcërm lamlomnû lemûsa. Oscul sulûrcërm lemûra brëol sumûc. Gares lemûra atonalwaba cíaca lemûra weba fumûrcërm ría, lugora nonsuansa ha sorím hôcarac. Malomanan estamûrcûcmu go estamûrcunmu tor hôcarû lamñucû. Nonsuanso nonsuansunûcërm sëd racûtcû ac nonsuansona lamûcërm, nírí-lefscâl sumûrc dënaye, ría hôcarac nacëenc, ac sëd racûtca genûc ha berodsôna noncasa dëna, per sëalaferocëa erd, do estal ac nep hed none estala racût lamûrc  racûtca emnûc cin. Ern sumarë dëna, sëd racût lamû, arëumes Oscula racût, restulë ñacíc lomsuëen asila cía cin.

Oscul’s Tree

One autumn long ago the god of winter and cold, Oscul, also known as Old Man Winter, was moving from his home in the high mountains of Malomanan to the lowlands. He took with him his kingdom of Snow, for Oscul’s coming heralds winter for Malomanan. Oscul travelled to Nonma Lamñucevan (territory of forest dwellings) and declared it his. He was happy when the snow fell on the land of forest dwellings. Next he travelled to Ralm Nonma (long territory) and declared it his own. He was happy when the snow fell on the long territory. Next he travelled to Nonma Lefscâla (territory of deer’s birthing) but before he declared with his voice of howling wind, Oscul saw a bright and beautiful sight..he saw the goddess of summer and warmth Asilñe, herself travelling to the southern islands as summer gives way to winter. Her brown hair and brown eyes put a warmth in Oscul’s heart, such that Oscul wanted to make Asilñe his wife. He took a seed of the brëolaracût tree and put forward his hand and asked Asilñe to marry him. Asilñe said to the winter god “You take my lands and make them your own, burying green grass under white snow, if I marry you will you stop the retreat of summer?” to which Oscul said “Asilñe, ma lamlomnëñe (my summer one), day must give way to night, life must give way to death and so summer must give way to winter, it breaks my heart but I can’t stop the retreat of summer. “it breaks my heart too, lamñucañur (winter one). And with that she slapped Oscul’s hand and sent the seed flying away and down to the ground. Asilñe travelled to the southern islands taking summer with her. Oscul saw his love go away with sorrow in his heart and rage in his blood. He blown a screaming wind, heavy snow and a fierce cold. Malomanan has not had such a cold winter before or since. The snow buried the seed and under the snow it lay until spring came and the wind and snow stopped. And the seed grew so fast that within a few minutes a 25 foot tall tree stood where a seed once was. Thousands of years later the tree still stands, bearing the name ‘Oscula racût’ (Oscul’s tree). When eaten the leaves are said to help cool down a fever.