Page 51 - Cornice_Grade 5

My Own Myth on

the Origin of the

Name Nepal

Long ago, there was a
goddess named Nepa and a
god named Ala. Nepa was the
goddess of ice and snow, and
could melt it into water. She
could create water bodies and
make it rain. On the other hand,
Ala was the god of fire and lava,
so he could control the world’s
volcanoes and burn anything.
Wherever he went, if he wanted
it to be warm, he could make it
warm.
But, water and fire don’t
go together. Nepa and Ala had arguments every day, and that also many times a day. The argu-
ments were usually about who is better than who or who is more powerful than who. Some-
times, they would argue in the night as well. “Ice and snow is better than lava.” Nepa would say,
“Water can put out fires. Fire destroys everything. Water helps animals and plants to live.”
“Oh really?” Ala would sneer, “I’ve heard of water drowning animals in floods. Fire keeps us
warm. And it can melt ice.” Their yells could be heard from a mile away. It disturbed the other
gods and goddesses when they were sleeping.
One day, Brahma got really tired of their arguments. He decided to stop them. He had
made a little country, so he could make them work on it. He had a plan. Brahma called Nepa
and Ala to his house. After some time, they came. Brahma greeted them saying, “Namaste.” and
Nepa and Ala returned his greeting saying, “Namaste.” Then Brahma said, “Now listen, I have
made a small country, but it is incomplete. It needs plants and animals (I’ll do that myself),
weather, and rivers and lakes. I want you two to add the weather and water bodies. I have made
marks for the lakes and rivers. It should be snowy on the peaks, and really hot on the lower
region. In the hills, there should be mild weather, hot in summertime and cold in wintertime.
Now you may
go.” Nepa and
Ala made
faces, but they
obeyed.

Nepa and Ala
went to the
little country.
It was as dry as
a barren land.
Then Nepa
said, “I ought
to cover this
country with
ice and snow.”
But Ala said,
“It ought to be
hot here.” But