Aevar Stone - Singer Content . " Sit quietly , Child , and listen , for the story I tell you is a story of the ages . " " But what is it , Grandfather ? Is it a story of heroes and beasts ? " The Grandfather looked patiently at the Child . He was growing into a fine boy . Soon he would see the value in the stories , the lessons that were taught to each generation . " Just listen , Child . Let the story take root in your heart . " In a time before now , long before now , when the Skaal were new , there was peace in the Land . The sun was hot and the crops grew long , and the people were happy in the peace that the All - Maker provided . But , the Skaal grew complacent and lazy , and they took for granted the Lands and all the gifts the All - Maker had given them . They forgot , or chose not to remember , that the Adversary is always watching , and that he delights in tormenting the All - Maker and his chosen people . And so it was that the Adversary came to be among the Skaal . The Adversary has many aspects . He appears in the unholy beasts and the incurable plague . At the End of Seasons , we will know him as Thartaag the World - Devourer . But in these ages he came to be known as the Greedy Man . The Greedy Man ( that is what we call him , for to speak his name would certainly bring ruin on the people ) lived among the Skaal for many months . Perhaps he was once just a man , but when the Adversary entered into him , he became the Greedy Man , and that is how he is remembered . It came to be one day that the powers of the Skaal left them . The strength left the arms of the warriors , and the shaman could no longer summon the beasts to their side . The elders thought that surely the All - Maker was displeased , and some suggested that the All - Maker had left them forever . It was then that the Greedy Man appeared to them and spoke . " You of the Skaal have grown fat and lazy . I have stolen the gifts of your All - Maker . I have stolen the Oceans , so you will forever know thirst . I have stolen the Lands and the Trees and the Sun , so your crops will wither and die . I have stolen the Beasts , so you will go hungry . And I have stolen the Winds , so you will live without the Spirit of the All - Maker . " And until one of you can reclaim these gifts , the Skaal will live in misery and despair . For I am the Greedy Man , and that is my nature . " And the Greedy Man disappeared . The members of the Skaal spoke for many days and nights . They knew that one of them must retrieve the Gifts of the All - Maker , but they could not decide who it should be . " I cannot go , " said the Elder , " for I us must stay to lead the Skaal , and tell our people what is the law . " " I cannot go , " said the Warrior , " for I must protect the Skaal . My sword will be needed in case the Greedy Man reappears . " " I cannot go , " said the Shaman , " for the people need my wisdom . I must read the portents and offer my knowledge . " It was then that a young man called Aevar lifted his voice . He was strong of arm , and fleet of foot , though he was not yet a warrior of the Skaal . " I will go , " said Aevar , and the Skaal laughed . " Hear me out , " the boy continued . " I am not yet a warrior , so my sword will not be needed . I cannot read the portents , so the people will not seek my counsel . And I am young , and not yet wise in the ways of the law . I will retrieve the Gifts of the All - Maker from the Greedy Man . If I cannot , I will not be missed . " The Skaal thought on this briefly , and decided to let Aevar go . He left the village the next morning to retrieve the Gifts . Aevar first set out to retrieve the Gift of Water , so he traveled to the Water Stone . It was there the All - Maker first spoke to him . " Travel west to the sea and follow the Swimmer to the Waters of Life . " So Aevar walked to the edge of the ocean , and there was the Swimmer , a Black Horker , sent from the All - Maker . The Swimmer dove into the waters and swam very far , and far again . Aevar was strong , though , and he swam hard . He followed the Swimmer to a cave , swimming deeper and deeper , his lungs burning and his limbs exhausted . At last , he found a pocket of air , and there , in the dark , he found the Waters of Life . Gathering his strength , he took the Waters and swam back to the shore . Upon returning to the Water Stone , the All - Maker spoke . " You have returned the Gift of Water to the Skaal . The Oceans again will bear fruit , and their thirst will be quenched . " Aevar then traveled to the Earth Stone , and there the All - Maker spoke to him again . " Enter the Cave of the Hidden Music , and hear the Song of the Earth . " So Aevar traveled north and east to the Cave of the Hidden Music . He found himself in a large cavern , where the rocks hung from the ceiling and grew from the ground itself . He listened there , and heard the Song of the Earth , but it was faint . Grabbing up his mace , he struck the rocks of the floor in time with the Song , and the Song grew louder , until it filled the cavern and his heart . Then he returned to the Earth Stone . " The Gift of the Earth is with the Skaal again , " said the All - Maker . " The Lands are rich again , and will bear life . " Aevar was tired , as the Sun burned him , the trees offered no shade , and there was no wind to cool him . Still , he traveled on to the Beast Rock , and the All - Maker spoke . " Find the Good Beast and ease his suffering . " Aevar traveled through the woods of the Isinfier for many hours until he heard the cries of a bear from over a hill . As he crested a hill , he saw the bear , a Falmer ' s arrow piercing its neck . He checked the woods for the Falmer ( for that is what they were , though some say they are not ) , and finding none , approached the beast . He spoke soothing words and came upon it slowly , saying , " Good Beast , I mean you no harm . The All - Maker has sent me to ease your suffering . " Hearing these words , the bear ceased his struggles , and laid his head at Aevar ' s feet . Aevar grasped the arrow and pulled it from the bear ' s neck . Using the little nature magic he knew , Aevar tended the wound , though it took the last bit of his strength . As the bear ' s wound closed , Aevar slept . When he awoke , the bear stood over him , and the remains of a number of the Falmer were strewn about . He knew that the Good Beast had protected him during the night . He traveled back to Beast Rock , the bear by his side , and the All - Maker spoke to him again . " You have returned the Gift of the Beasts . Once again , the Good Beasts will feed the Skaal when they are hungry , clothe them when they are cold , and protect them in times of need . " Aevar ' s strength had returned , so he traveled on to the Tree Stone , though the Good Beast did not follow him . When he arrived , the All - Father spoke to him . " The First Trees are gone , and must be replanted . Find the seed and plant the First Tree . " Aevar traveled again through the Hirstaang Forest , searching for the seeds of the First Tree , but he could find none . Then he spoke to the Tree Spirits , the living trees . They told him that the seeds had been stolen by one of the Falmer ( for they are the servants of the Adversary ) , and this Falmer was hiding them deep in the forest , so that none would ever find them . Aevar traveled to the deepest part of the forest , and there he found the evil Falmer , surrounded by the Lesser Tree Spirits . Aevar could see that the Spirits were in his thrall , that he had used the magic of the Seeds and spoken their secret name . Aevar knew he could not stand against such a force , and that he must retrieve the seeds in secret . Aevar reached into his pouch and drew out his flint . Gathering leaves , he started a small fire outside the clearing where the Falmer and the ensorcelled Spirits milled . All the Skaal know the Spirits ' hatred of fires , for the fires ravage the trees they serve . At once , the Nature of the Spirits took hold , and they rushed to quell the flames . During the commotion , Aevar snuck behind the Falmer and snatched the pouch of Seeds , stealing away before the evil being knew they were gone . When Aevar returned to the Tree Stone , he planted the tree in the ground , and the All - Maker spoke to him . " The Gift of Trees is restored . Once again , the Trees and Plants will bloom and grow , and provide nourishment and shade . " Aevar was tired , for the Sun would only burn , and the Winds would not yet cool him , but he rested briefly in the shade of the Trees . His legs were weary and his eyes heavy , but he continued on , traveling to the Sun Stone . Again , the All - Maker spoke . " The gentle warmth of the Sun is stolen , so now it only burns . Free the Sun from the Halls of Penumbra . " And so Aevar walked west , over the frozen lands until he reached the Halls of Penumbra . The air inside was thick and heavy , and he could see no farther than the end of his arm . Still , he felt his way along the walls , though he heard the shuffling of feet and knew that this place held the Unholy Beasts who would tear his flesh and eat his bones . For hours he crept along , until he saw a faint glow far at the end of the hall . There , from behind a sheet of perfect ice , came a glow so bright he had to shut his eyes , lest they be forever blinded . He plucked the flaming eye from one of the Unholy Beasts and threw it at the ice with all his might . A small crack appeared in the ice , then grew larger . Slowly , the light crept out between the cracks , widening them , splitting the ice wall into pieces . With a deafening crack , the wall crumbled , and the light rushed over Aevar and through the Halls . He heard the shrieks of the Unholy Beasts as they were blinded and burned . He ran out of the Halls , following the light , and collapsed on the ground outside . When he was able to rise again , the Sun again warmed him , and he was glad for that . He traveled back to the Sun Stone , where the All - Maker spoke to him . " The Gift of the Sun is the Skaal ' s once again . It will warm them and give them light . " Aevar had one final Gift he had to recover , the Gift of the Winds , so he traveled to the Wind Stone , far on the western coast of the island . When he arrived , the All - Maker spoke to him , giving him his final task . " Find the Greedy Man and release the Wind from its captivity . " So , Aevar wandered the land in search of the Greedy Man . He looked in the trees , but the Greedy Man did not hide there . Nor did he hide near the oceans , or the deep caves , and the beasts had not seen him in the dark forests . Finally , Aevar came to a crooked house , and he knew that here he would find the Greedy Man . " Who are you , " shouted the Greedy Man , " that you would come to my house ? " " I am Aevar of the Skaal , " said Aevar . " I am not warrior , shaman , or elder . If I do not return , I will not be missed . But I have returned the Oceans and the Earth , the Trees , the Beasts , and the Sun , and I will return the Winds to my people , that we may feel the spirit of the All - Maker in our souls again . " And with that , he grabbed up the Greedy Man ' s bag and tore it open . The Winds rushed out with gale force , sweeping the Greedy Man up and carrying him off , far from the island . Aevar breathed in the Winds and was glad . He walked back to the Wind Stone , where the All - Maker spoke to him a final time . " You have done well , Aevar . You , the least of the Skaal , have returned my gifts to them . The Greedy Man is gone for now , and should not trouble your people again in your lifetime . Your All - Maker is pleased . Go now , and live according to your Nature . " And Aevar started back to the Skaal village . " And then what happened , Grandfather ? " " What do you mean , Child ? He went home . " " No . When he returned to the village , " the Child continued . " Was he made a warrior ? Or taught the ways of the shaman ? Did he lead the Skaal in battle ? " " I do not know . That is where the story ends , " said the Grandfather . " But that is not an ending ! That is not how stories end ! " The old man laughed and got up from his chair . " Is it not ? "