The Deer

Legend states that there was a small Lilian family, isolated from the rest of the village due to a particularly violent winter, the snows too deep within the little valley they called home to allow long distance travel. After going through their food stores, it seemed that the small family was doomed to starve and freeze. Though they hadn’t seen hide nor hair of any animals which they could have possibly hunted, when things looked the bleakest, a Chic Deer appeared in front of the home, seemingly docile and waiting. At first believing it to be an illusion, the starving people were reluctant to believe their fortunes that such an animal would simply appear, but desperation soon drove them to try to leave their home without startling the animal. However, it noticed the emergence, yet didn’t startle and leave. Allowing itself to be struck down with a spear, the deer provided enough food for the family to survive until the first break in the winter, an unseasonably early rainstorm melting enough of the snow to allow them to retreat to a village.

The sacrifice of the deer so impressed Fuyuzora that she raised the spirit of the deer to the sky, placing it among the stars, and forever viewing the chic deer as her own, regardless of their coloration. Some also believe that she promised to never again allow her wintry blanket to grow so deep as to endanger a family in such a way again, though there is no record or real basis for this additional belief.