The Priest Raised a Little God

Noan was a priest of the Church of Light, watching over a run-down church in a remote border town. His life was peaceful and quiet:

He woke in the morning and washed himself with spring water, then wrapped himself in a pure white linen robe. At noon, he knelt before the deity and recited scripture. In the afternoon, he listened to people’s prayers and healed the sick with prayers of blessing. At night, he polished the statue of the deity and cleaned the church.

He was the purest of ascetics, the most devout of the deity’s followers.

Then one day, Noan found an abandoned “monster” egg.

As a priest of the Church, he should have put the egg to death on the spot. But when he touched its shell, the little life inside chirped happily, “Mama, Mama!”

The little life was so young and innocent that the priest’s heart softened. He decided to raise the “monster” himself.

He read stories to the newborn monster, taught it how to heal the sick and save lives, and soothed it to sleep. He even broke his vow of abstinence to get it goat’s milk, raising it from the size of his palm into a well-behaved, sweet little child with rosy cheeks.

Noan firmly believed that the little monster would not grow up evil. It would grow up safe and healthy, becoming a kind and ordinary person.

Then one day, the little monster was discovered. The Church accused Noan of harboring a monster. As he was about to be imprisoned and flogged with the penitential whip, the statue of the God of Light suddenly cracked.

The deity’s fury swept through the entire place. He roared, “Don’t touch my mama!”

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There will be more than one little one, including a dragon, a demon, and a griffin.

Everyone loves the priest.

Theme: Our surroundings shape who we become