The elders say there is something 
that stirs in the deep, dark depths of 
the world, and of all that exists. 

This force causes the 
undulations that 
reverberate throughout; but there 
is a force of pressure that thins 
these wavelengths out until they fade.

For this reason, we must 
contemplate the Deep, and its
connection to the Above, so 
that we can discern how to stir 
up more undulations.

There was a certain living 
creature, stirred up in the mud by 
sparks in the caverns of the 
quaking deep, which possessed eight 
tendrils and became known as 
<<Nyàfi>> among the others, which 
means "legendary one." 

The eight-tendriled one crawled along 
the face of the Below, listening 
intently for the stirrings of
the Deep. When there was a quaking, 
and the undulations would come 
forth, and the wavelengths were straying, 
<<Nyafi>> would reach out a tendril, 
to feel it rumbling in their arms. 

Once, twice, a third time, a fourth time, 
<<Nyafi>> would catch the rumblings in 
a different tendril, quivering 
under the power of the 
explosions, and began to feel 
emotions within their stirred up 
flesh. 

Along with emotions came <<Dav>>
which is to say memories that
were not just of <<Nyafi’s>> own mind,
but stories about all the clans
whose flesh had antedated theirs.

Quickened by these sensations, the 
eight-armed creature would move this way 
and that way, rhythmically, and this 
is how the first dance was made.

There were other living creatures 
at the time, and they observed 
<<Nyafi>> dancing. 

They gathered around <<Nyafi>> and 
remarked: "this one feels the rumblings 
of the deep in [their] very bones." 

Many of them began to ask 
what sort of sensations were 
percolating through <<Nyafi's>> 
body that caused them to shake in
synchronicity with the 
stirrings of the Deep. 

"We too want to experience 
connection to the power here
Below," they said. They begged <<Nyafi>> 
to show them how they could get
a rumbling held inside their chests 
and in their very bones as well.

<<Nyafi>> heard these inquiries and 
looked to the dust and fashioned a 
small orb from the mud. 

The orb had many holes and small 
tendrils in it and <<Nyafi>> gave 
one to each living creature and 
told them: "this orb is my shadow; 
take this object and bring it to 
the deepest, darkest chasms. When 
it is filled with fire, open up 
your very flesh and place it in 
between your bones. Then, you will be 
able to feel the rumblings of 
the Deep as I do, and its 
stirrings shall live in your body, 
so that memories will not be
forgotten." 

The other living creatures took 
the orbs from the Octopus and 
raced to the vents at the Bottom 
of the Sea, and as the power 
quaked and exploded, fire filled
the orbs. 

Each living creature cut open 
their flesh and placed the firelit 
object in between their bones, 
giving themselves a heart. 

It is then that they felt a beat 
which rumbled in time with the 
stirrings of the Deep and they 
began to dance like the 
Octopus could. 

Soon all the living creatures 
understood rhythm, and they could 
feel sensations and
undulations in their very
flesh, and it filled them with memory.

They quaked, and their bodies flowed
in understanding of the lives
that had preceded them, that had
come up shaken by the power
that stirs up from Below.

Each living creature was quickened 
uniquely, based on their own shapes,
and had their own dance, and they would 
gather in circles and 
demonstrate this newfound gift and 
knowledge to each other. 

For this reason those who play drums 
and who dance are called <<Nyafadre>> 
which means literally "those 
chosen by the legend," because 
they follow the teaching of the 
Octopus to all the living 
creatures. 

Whenever the people gather, 
we dance and quake in our own way 
to rhythm, and in this way we 
feel and understand the power 
stirred up from Beneath us, and can
remember the things that would fade,
because of the beat in our heart,
that rumbles in our very bones.