This tale has been moderately modified from its original storyline. You'll find that the Episode breaks are the same, but I have added some Titles. There may be a little bit of additional information here and there, and possibly additional pictures as well.
Please enjoy the updated version.

The Legend of Lakia and the Great Sea Monster

Episode One: The Great Beginning

"Gather around children! I, Shuka, daughter of the Great Mountain-Climber, will tell you a great tale! Gather around, and I will tell you the tale of a Great Leader and a Great Sea Monster!" Shuka was holding a fish in her hands. She was the most dramatic of all the storytellers.

Many of the children went running to listen, but little Lakia Waterfaller stayed at the beach and danced. She didn't like any kind of activity where she had to sit still for very long. (She also tired of hearing stories, since her grandparents were always telling her stories about the "Old-Tribe" and how life here is so much different from where they came from before the waterfall incident.) However, her best friend Dodo Firestarter (short for Doctor, since his genius parents had high hopes for him), was fascinated at the idea of beast of the ocean, so he went running over and sat down next to Lakia's older sister Jem.

"Long, long ago, long before the people came over the waterfall, Totem Poles of the great Leaders of the past lined the northern beach." She pointed to north end of the beach and moved her hand slowly to the south side as she spoke. "Near the water at the south end was the Great Library, where all the Scrolls of Knowledge were once stored."

"During one successful harvest season, the great Leader Hong, who wore a beautiful medallion around his neck," Shuka stood pointing to her chest, "would walk along the beach every evening to praise the Guiding Hand for all the blessings of his land. All was well until one day he received news that he would be the father of his 15th daughter. Since he and his wife were too old to try again for a son, he realized there would be no heir to take his place as Leader. In grief and anger, he flung his medallion into the sea!" Shuka continued in a deep voice, "The great Leader cried out, 'May Isola herself chose a new Leader, and may the Great Ocean bring the medallion to him!'"

"Suddenly, a storm beat down hard on the beach." She bent down low and pounded the earth by her feet, "It's fierce waves smashed up all the Totem Poles, and washed all the huts out to sea. As great wave after great wave pounded the surf, Hong simply stood in awe." She stood again. "While everyone else fled to higher ground, he watched as the storm carried in a great sea creature right up to the shore in front of him..."

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Episode Two: Hong's Family Builds the Great Southern Palace

Shuka stretched her arms out wide and rolled them over like a wave crashing to the shore. "The Great Sea Monster splashed as he landed on the beach. The great Leader Hong stood eye to eye with the tremendous fish. Some say that it was the wave going back out that picked up the great Leader Hong and took him away. Others say the Great Sea Monster himself stole him right off the sand and took him out to sea. No one has ever seen or heard from him since. Later on that year his wife bore not another daughter, but his first son."

"While the rest of the tribe worked at building new shelters, Hong's family built The Great Southern Palace. They painted the story of the Great Sea Monster right on the floor. It stood tall at the southeastern end so that whoever would become the tribe's Leader could always watch the sunset over the water and be reminded of what took place that day."

Some of the childrens eyes started looking around trying to decide if the story was true. One thought, "What if the sea monster comes back?" and got up and ran off to the beach to look there.

Shuka continued. "Once the Palace was built, and while the Leader's son wasn't yet two years old, the tribe was undecided over whether someone so young should be named Leader. Those who wanted him to be leader arranged a great party. On the day before the ceremony, the medallion washed ashore on the beach at the baby boy's feet. Many saw and took it as a sign that the Great Ocean had chosen the Leader's son. The little boy reached down to grab it, but the great sea monster came in the next wave..."

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Episode Three: The Leader's Son

"A little bit of water splashed the toddler and made him move back, while the Great Sea Monster snatched the medallion necklace between its teeth and took it back into the water with him. As the creature swam away, the water pulled back from the beach. The boy's mother quickly took him in her arms and everyone once again ran for the far side of the land. Believing now that they were mistaken, Hong's wife made the Elders promise not to make her son Leader."

"The next wave flooded the entire southern end, destroying the Great Southern Palace, and leaving bits and pieces of wood in piles at the shore. It broke apart the Great Library, leaving only a handful of scrolls behind." Shuka sadly shook her head. "The only scrolls that remain are on relationships, families, and spiritual guidance."

"That is why to this day, mothers carry their children until they are old enough to run, and couples go to the old Library to find guidance when they have their families. We have to work hard to relearn all the old skills and find new ones."

"And to this day, the tribe has not decided upon a single Leader. None of Hong's daughter's were chosen and the Leader's son's family also has had only daughters. The Tribe is now ruled by our Esteemed Elders. And the beautiful Leader's medallion is lost forever to the sea."

Shuka bent down low and whispered the next part to the children who were still there. "But every once in a while a storm beats down hard on the beach, and villagers who look closely enough can see the eyes of the Great Sea Monster peering onto the shore. Some say he brings a blessing of many fish, while others say that he is looking for the next great Leader." Then Shuka dusted herself off and said out loud, "That is all for today children." and then walked away.

Jem puckered up her face and waved her hands at her cheeks like fins and turned to Dodo, "Me sea monster! Me watching you!" The two of them laughed really hard and then ran off to tell Lakia of the story. Along with them came Ima, City, and Piku.

Piku told them all that his uncle was a man from the Leaderson clan. "His name is Samar Leaderson. I never thought of him as being a Leader's son. And my uncle has seven daughters and no sons! Hmmm." He pondered. "Uncle Samar is always saying the tribe needs a way to protect the shore. I now wonder if he believes that the sea monster would steal away the next Leader?" Although Piku was serious, the others all laughed at the idea. Lakia wasn't listening at all. She just wanted to dance. "Maybe if the shore could be protected, then we could have another Leader!" he continued. "Oh, yes," Lakia muttered, but was actually just laughing at the sea waves.

Lakia Waterfaller, who was almost old enough to work, was the grandchild of the people who came down the waterfall. She liked to run and dance, but she didn't see very well so she was often caught doing strange things. For instance, sometimes she would play hide and seek with the giant butterflies. She might be found from time to time studying the rocks as if they were flowers. Other times she just couldn't stand still very long.

And so, she often would skip her lessons, including one very important one on the day they learned about the Totem Poles...

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Episode Four: Samar's Totem Pole

"Today we are going to learn about totem Poles." Said the teacher. "Our newest Esteemed Elder is being honored next week by the tribe's people with a Totem of his own. And so we are going to learn how to cut, carve and paint wood. We want it to look realistic, but not too realistic. Let's get started." As the teacher went on, Samar Leaderson came by to visit and tell about all the hard work that goes into becoming an Elder. Now that he was an Elder, he hoped that the tribe's people would go ahead and make him Leader.

Weeks had gone by when Samar and the team of tribe's people working with him, finally finished his Totem Pole. Although he had earned the Totem through hard work and skill, he chose a particular design that he felt would honor his father who was washed away in the horrible storm many years ago. He placed it at the seashore and asked the Guiding Hand to bless his family, and then he left.

Lakia, lost in thought, went looking for fish with her best friend Dodo, her sister Jem, and a few of their friends. "The waves are splashing wonderfully today. Wouldn't it be neat if we found something on the seashore?" one of them said.

Just then one of them noticed that the waves were splashing around something sitting on the beach. Suddenly one of them realized that eyes were staring out at them from the waves. The others ran off, even Dodo, though he soon after came back for her. But as the waves died down, Lakia got as good a look at the creature as she could and she stood in awe as her heart started pounding...

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Episode Five: The Pet

Dodo thought that Lakia was right behind him. When he realized that she wasn't there Dodo turned around to get Lakia, just in time to see the big eyes staring at her. He suddenly felt something for her that he never felt before, and he was scared that he would lose her forever. As he rushed back to the shore the waves gave up the beast.

Lakia thought her heart would pound right out of her chest. The eyes waffled back and forth until the waves sat their owner down on the beach. With the waves splashing against the blue-ish thing, it looked quite awesome and fierce. The children kept running until they realized that it wasn't going anywhere. It was Samar Leaderson's Totem Pole, which was shaped like a large snarling fish. But with her poor eyesight, Lakia didn't know what it was. She saw big eyes and a smile. She found something in the grand fish-looking statue that stole away her heart and so she just stood and stared at it. She decided that she would name it and make it hers, because she was in-love. And Lakia was sure that the blue creature was in love with her as well.

For the next few years, Lakia would run to the seashore every morning to see her wooden sea monster. Even when she became old enough to work, she became a farmer so that she could spend time at the shore. Sometimes she would drag the pole to her favorite spot to keep her company when she was lonely. Whenever a seashell would wash up on the shore she was certain that it was from the wondrous blue statue.

Early one hot summer morning, Samar's wife announced that she was again with-child. The whole family had a little celebration by the waterfall. Later that afternoon, Samar's mother passed away. The entire village held a grave-site funeral for her as the sun was setting. Afterward, Samar, his wife and his seven daughters went to the beach to pay honor to Samar's father at the Totem Pole.

When he arrived at the beach, he found Lakia playing make-over with the Totem. She had made a wig of flowers and covered the top of the totem with it. She had made a paste of crushed red flowers and clay and applied it to the Totems lips. She was in the process of weaving a grass skirt for it as well when Samar approached. In grief and anger, he yelled at Lakia. Startled and scared she fled toward the sea. Then Samar Leaderson cried out, "May Isola herself choose a fate for this disrespectful child!" As he walked off, he added, "I don't want to see her again until she learns respect!"

Suddenly, a storm beat down hard on the beach and the waves pulled frightened Lakia further out to sea. She could hardly swim in the raging water. The rain poured down more than anyone standing there had ever remembered. Its fierce wind knocked over Samar's Totem Pole and the next tide took it out toward Lakia. She clung onto it as tightly as her wet hands could. As another large wave smashed down on the beach, Samar simply looked on in awe. His family fled to higher ground, while he watched the waves carry in a huge fish right up to the shallow water just off the shore.

To everyone's surprise, the sea creature looked right at Samar, eye to eye. Then, with the next wave, the large fish turned around and swam over to where Lakia was. Just as Lakia lost her grip on the Totem Pole the large fish grabbed Lakia's clothing and the two of them disappeared out of sight...

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