Lamentations of a Maenad Mother (IC)

^{((Only people who would be close to Korinda, and have been around her while drunk and venting these sorts of frustrations would know these thoughts. Which means anything her children read here, is player knowledge and can not be used.))}

When I was younger, I often thought that those who say "parenting isn't easy" were those who came from cultures that worked hard to suppress the natural energy and curiosity of a child and turned their energy towards labor at an early age.  Those sorts of people who work too hard themselves and don't take the time to indulge in the pleasure of life.

Those who do not understand that while work is noble, it is only noble in moderation and necessity.  Those who also seem to think, that to enjoy one's leisure more often than they toil, is not a life well lived.  As my mother once said, "No one lies on their death bed, regretting the finer things in life. No one dies, wishing they had worked harder."

Of course, everything is harder when you work against it's nature, (I know this well) but what about when nature has yet to make the connection?

Oh, you think you know everything about parenting before you become a parent. It seems so straightforward, Love them,  feed them, teach them what you know, and learn what they have to teach. Allow them to simply be.  Show them the ways to be kind and respectful of others and nature, unless of course, their actions prove threatening to themselves or others.

But I suppose, no matter how confident the mother, every mother frets, every mother flounders. Every mother is critical of what she has not done right, or wonders what she is doing wrong.

Take for instance, the issue of wine. I've heard it said that the mothers of human children fret over their consumption of greens and oranges, that they pluck colorful rose petals and carnations out of hungry, curious mouths.

But what am I to do with my son, and my daughter? They eat their greens, and hold attention long enough to clean their plates!  This is all well and good in moderation, but such pervasive order, in children? Where did I go wrong?

Not so much as a drop of wine! It's like watching a fish reject water. To watch a satyr, or a centaur reject the very blood of life, that every edible fruit and flower secretly yearns to be rendered into, it is vexing to say the least.

I was a lucky child,  my mother produced more than the milk I needed to grow,  she produced cherries and from her cherries the wine I was raised on was made. Not all wood nymphs can say the same. It's true that I had to drink so much of cherry wine that I grew a little tired of it, but it was what I was raised on from the time I could hold a kylix!

I remember it, my first kylix, my own size, with a handle each size so I could hold it steady. Perhaps if I had kept it to use with my own children, I would not be in this troublesome position. I'm a potter,  so I could make them one,  but when they already reject the wine, why should I set myself up for the disappointment of rejecting the cup?

I shouldn't even begin to fret about all of the chores they do. Without being asked!  Helpful? indeed. Noble? Of course.  but when a nymph, satyr or centaur of any age puts work before play without a struggle it is cause for an intervention.

I suppose many parents would say I should be grateful, and I am.  I do not crave disobedience, disrespect or irresponsibility  (I met a young faun recently who made me appreciate the dispositions of my children more than ever) but is it so much to ask that just a little bit of wine with dinner? Or if they could at least suffer a few sips in front of others to spare me looking like a terrible parent, until they get a taste for it.? If only they looked towards their cousins  the way I  look to and up to my sister. Her beautiful girls, wineskins in hand so confident and carefree. I wish I could give my own the same liberation I myself knew as a child.

I wonder, if Eaken's understandable caution when dealing with wine has not been overplayed in our household. We only ever meant for the terrible tale of  Thessalian Centaurs at that wedding to be a warning against overindulgence!  I would never preach such indulgence to a child...

..Only an adult.  But my pedagogy on the matter can not be helped.  I followed a great reveler until well into my early summer before I met Eaken. I might ask him to work his thaumaturgy in my favor in this situation, but he never stops bloody moving long enough!

Corinda, in a Plum-pit. (NSFW for Classical Artistic Nudity Lots of Pretty Pictures)

Hamadryads, are a certain sort of tree-nymph who is forever bound --physically-- to her tree.

^{"A Hamadryad" - J.W Waterhouse}

There were (at least) eight of them in Greek mythology, daughters of Hamadryades, and Oxylos (a forest spirit of the mountain) Each of the eight Hamadryad-nymphs presided over a particular type of tree; One of them was named Kraneia, and she was the Hamadryad nymph of the cherry tree.

Cherry Trees fall into the "Prunus" genus, as do many pit fruit such as peaches, apricots, and yes... plums. Plum trees and Cherry trees are very similar in many ways, even though they are not the same fruit, it is very similar fruit with similar effects on your digestive system. Even though they are not the same tree, the texture of their bark is similar, and the way they bloom in the spring, is also very similar. So similar, that a plum blossom is very difficult to distinguish from a cherry blossom, when both are removed from the tree.

^{Can you tell the difference? I'll reveal it at the end of this post.}

Even the Black cherry and Black Plum fruit is astoundingly similar, and yet, so different.

^{A side note, see how black plums are redish-purple? Purple is simply not enough! That's what I go for with my hair! sadly this usually means tinting, which is a fiddly process at best and usually makes my hair rez hot pink before the textures come in. and I *hate* pink!}

Similar, but not the same, like a mother is to her daughter.

^{I'm still working on her textures, and I have a few attachments to put on her too. But I loves my Cherry tree momma! But I will I ever know what turned *all* of her to wood while I was away?}

What I share with my mother is tree nymph-hood, and as a fruit tree nymph I am what would be called a Meliad/Meliae, a "genus" that are known for many things, a few of which are the protectors of sheep and goats and of fruit-trees. ( think I need me a goat, maybe!)

Now, Nymphs are well known for being the consorts and companions of Satyrs...

^{Satyr and nymph. Roman mosaic - Pompeii}

Since Hamadryads are a type of nymph, I don't see that they would be any different, in fact, I think it might have given a Satyr an advantage... since she couldn't really run!  Shimmy away maybe... but through the soil that could take a while. XD

^{Tile Mosaic, Pan & Hamadryad, from Pompeii}

At any rate, this, is the inspiration for how a plum tree with a Satyr father, came to be. How a little baby meliad, might have a tree for a mother.

^{can not credit for this amazing and lovely picture. It was found on myspace.}

Something that is lesser known, is that nymphs were often companions for centaurs also Particularly Lamian Centaurs..

^{It also seems to me by this picture... that a centaur can have his junk in the front. Thank you vereh much! Now you know why my man wears a toga, and why I can walk. You know you'd always wondered how I had them babies!}

So it is also, the inspiration for how a nymph born of a Hamadryad, and a Satyr can marry a Centaur and have both a centaur for a son and a faun for a daughter. ((In greek mythology, anything could pretty much give birth to... anything! But even I desire some consistency here.)) Forgotten Realms (AD&D SE) explained it something like this (paraphrased) When a Daddy Satyr and a Mommy Dryad love each other very much  --or are at least horny enough, which is all the time-- they either have a Satyr or a Dryad baby! and yet, in mythology, Nymphs were always having babies with men. It seems to me that a nymph almost has a genetic neutrality about her.  Forgotten realms also says that female children between a Satyr/Dryad women are Dryads, and males are Satyrs.  But you know, limiting it to gender just isn't even realistic. I think men can be nymphs and females can be Satyrs or fauns, if this is what calls to them!

So, Satyr father = Faun Daughter. Centaur Husband = Centaur son.  And in a way, we're also just kind of mutts classified by characteristics.  Just like genetically strong people should be!


<sup>- Left: Plum. Right: Cherry.
- I can source all this, but I'm not going to unless asked.</sup>