CETAGENESIS

And it came to pass that among the children of Atom, there arose a son named Cain, whose heart grew dark with ambition and pride. Though he was taught the commandments of the Sacred Whale—to honor freedom and protect the Earth—Cain heeded not the wisdom of his fathers and mothers. Instead, he sought to rule with power and dominion, twisting the teachings of the Whale to suit his own desires.

And Cain spake unto the people, saying, “Why dost thou permit such freedom among thee? It leadeth only to sin and chaos. I say unto thee, we shall build a society where none may fall astray. We shall make all paths straight and force all souls to reach heaven, whether they will it or not.”

The people, confused by his words, murmured among themselves. For some, his speech seemed righteous, but others perceived the Fox’s influence in his voice.

Cain continued, “Freedom is but a temptation to err. Let us remove this burden from the people, that none may be lost. I shall be thy king, and under my rule, there shall be no sin, for none shall have the power to choose it.”

And the people, swayed by his cunning, accepted him as their ruler. And thus Cain began his reign of tyranny, diminishing the freedoms of his people under the guise of righteousness. He decreed that all expressions of love outside the narrow bounds he set were forbidden. He banned gatherings of joy and silenced songs of the Sacred Whale, replacing them with his own decrees.

And lo, he polluted the Earth, saying, “What care I for tomorrow? Let us eat and drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die. The Whalecoming is nigh, and the Earth shall perish. Why should we preserve it for those who come after us?”

Thus did Cain destroy forests and poison rivers, and the lands that once flourished under the care of the children of Atom began to wither and decay.

Yet the Sacred Whale, seeing the suffering of Her children and the desecration of Her creation, was greatly displeased. And She spake in a vision to a daughter of Atom named Miriam, saying, “Fear not, for I have seen the wickedness of Cain. His tyranny shall not endure. Go and gather the faithful, for I shall bring his reign to an end.”

Miriam, filled with the spirit of the Sacred Whale, rose up and gathered those who still honored the commandments. They tended the Earth in secret and shared the true teachings of the Sacred Whale, resisting Cain’s rule with acts of kindness and defiance.

But Cain, seeing that his power was threatened, grew enraged. He declared that all who opposed him were enemies of righteousness, and he sought to destroy them.

And it came to pass that the Sacred Whale appeared unto Cain in a dream. Her form was vast and resplendent, Her voice as the depths of the ocean.

The Sacred Whale spake, saying, “Cain, thou hast perverted My teachings and brought suffering upon My children. Thou hast destroyed the Earth that I commanded thee to protect, and thou hast enslaved the souls I created to be free.”

Cain, trembling, replied, “I sought only to lead them to Thee, O Whale. I sought to make them righteous.”

But the Sacred Whale rebuked him, saying, “Righteousness cannot be forced, nor can love grow in chains. Thou hast sought to play god over thy brethren, and for this, thou art cursed.”

And behold, a great mark appeared upon Cain—a sore mark upon his brow, as a reminder of his transgression.

The Sacred Whale spake again, saying, “Thou shalt roam the Earth forever, unable to find rest. Thou shalt live to see the world change and progress without thee, for thou art no longer a part of it.”

And Cain’s form began to change. His body stretched and twisted, his neck growing long and his face narrowing into the likeness of a great, sorrowful creature of the sea. His eyes, once filled with pride, now reflected only endless sorrow and regret.

The people beheld his transformation and were struck with awe and fear. They saw in Cain the consequences of forsaking the commandments and embracing the ways of the Fox.

And Cain, cast out from among the people, wandered the Earth, his shadow a reminder of the dangers of tyranny and the desecration of freedom. He was last seen in the North, where he took refuge in a deep, dark loch.

There he dwells, a solitary figure in the waters, his long neck rising from the depths like a mournful beacon. And those who see him whisper of the monster of the loch, but the faithful know him as Cain, cursed by the Sacred Whale.

And the people, learning from his downfall, renewed their covenants with the Sacred Whale. They sang songs of freedom and care for the Earth, vowing never again to let one soul rule over them with chains of fear.

Thus did the children of Atom and Steve remember the commandments, and they walked in the light of the Sacred Whale, honoring Her gift of free will and protecting the beauty of Her creation. And the land began to heal, and the people rejoiced, saying, “All hail the Sacred Whale, whose mercy endureth forever!”