A long time ago, when gods still walked among men, there was living on a farm in the far reaches of the land a mean old hag. The hag's name was Molanni, and she was of Orlanth's blood, even though that bond brought only shame. Molanni was a cruel and stingy hostess, scorned and disappointed after seducing Yelm and birthing Daga, his dry child. Molanni was vicious to her servants, always beating and whipping them. Many times she even chained them when she thought they might be stealing from her.

One day, Yinkin happened to wander into Molanni's domain.

"Greetings good host", spoke Yinkin. "Would the hostess by any chance have a small peace of meat to give to a starving hunter?"

Molanni said nothing, but only bleakly stared at Orlanth's brother. "Yinkin must be looking to steal my belongings", the cruel hag thought. And so the wily and deceitful hag forced a grin and beckoned to Yinkin:

"Pleace step in, honoured kayling, and I will bring forth a feast."

However, the moment Yinkin stepped in, Molanni grabbed him by the hair and stuffed him in a sack. The sack Molanni took to the river, weighted it down with stones and hurled it and therefore also Yinkin into the stream.

But Yinkin was Orlanth's brother, and no weakling. With his sharp claws, he tore the sack apart and escaped before he was dragged down to the murky depths. Yinkin was very upset about the way he was treated, and decided to return to Molanni to demand compensation.

Mean old hag Molanni was deeply startled when the Cat Thought Dead returned to demand hospitality. Molanni acted like she was sorry, but the moment Yinkin wasn't paying attention again snatched the big cat. She went and threw Orlanth's brother off a high cliff, thinking this would rid her of her pesky guest. Yinkin however had strong slender feet with which he landed safe and sound.

Now Yinkin was really mad and he marched back to Molanni's place threatening feud. Molanni was shocked to see the dead cat return. Cruel Molanni took a net and used it to bind Orlanth's brother. He took Yinkin to a dark forest home to horrifying beasts and left Yinkin there in the net, firmly believing that the monsters would shortly end his existance.

But Molanni was not aware of just how keen senses Yinkin had. After he had fought himself free of the net Yinkin just tracked Molanni by her scent out of the dark forest.

Now Yinkin was furious and decided to avenge himself upon Molanni. He snuck into Molanni's barn and gave all the cows a good scare as vengeance. Molanni ran half-dressed from her house and saw the cat slip into the woods. She was astounded for she thought that the cat surely must have been torn to bits by the beasts in the dark forest.

Molanni let loose her dog, a great bloodthirsty hound, already a killer of many a brave warrior, never beaten. The hound chased Yinkin, and Molanni chuckled, pleased knowing that Yinkin was good as dead.

Even though Yinkin was blindingly fast, the hound kept gaining on him. But Yinkin was cunning as well, and so climbed into a tall tree. Molanni's wretched hound could do nothing but bark below futilely while Yinkin leaped from tree to tree mocking his attacker.

In his rage the hound killed an elk and returned to Molanni jaw dripping steaming blood. The evil hag chuckled again, happy to be rid of pesky Yinkin.

Yinkin was not yet finished with Molanni, however. He wanted revenge on the old hag for setting the hound on his tail and forcing him to run. At night, he crept into Molanni's farm and stole a cow from the hag as recompense. He left a clawmark on the door of the barn so Molanni would know who had done the sneaking.

In the morning Molanni was furious, seeing the marks and knowing that Yinkin must still live, even though she had killed him many times already. As a retribution, Molanni had a tame alynx nailed to the door of the barn. She though this would lure Yinkin to steal more cattle. She also place beside the door of the barn the biggest and juiciest rat she had been able to find - and she had a lot to choose from, on her wretched farm.

Yinkin heard of Molanni's foul deed and came to avenge the death of his kin. On entering the barn, he saw the rat. Yinkin didn't know that Molanni had injected the rat with a powerful poison.

But before Yinkin could touch the rat, the hound leapt to the scene, barking and wishing to slay the cat. Yinkin snuck away, but the dog ate the rat thinking it was Yinkin's priced catch.

In the morning, when Molanni came to claim Yinkin's corpse she found her dog dead on the floor instead. Molanni swore vengeance and turned to her brother Valind. She asked her brother for the searing cold he possessed, with which to freeze Yinkin when he again came calling. Valind gave his sister an icecone, just to be rid of her whining.

The next night, Molanni lay waiting behind the barn with her icecone. When Yinkin again crept into the barn, Molanni jumped out and pointed the cone at Yinkin. She had severely underestimated his brother's strength. The cone brought winter to the whole of Molanni's lands, freezing all the crops and most of the animals.

But Yinkin survived just fine, thanks to his thick and warm coat. While Molanni searched for the frozen cat, Yinkin dug his claws into the ice, braved the snowstorm and left the farm.

On the next day, after the snowstorm had passed, Yinkin again arrived at Molanni's house and demanded weregild. Now Molanni was truly bewildered, when six deaths were not enough for Yinkin. She was still a mean old hag, and possessed some fire powers from his lover Yelm. She used those powers to call forth great flames to destroy the mangy cat that dared defy her.

Fire rained from the sky, fire hot enough to melt all the snow and ice and burn everything on the farm, animals and servants included - except for Yinkin. He was so fleetfooted that he ran faster than the flames and made it to safety.

When Molanni was left alone, standing amidst the smouldering ruins of her farm, Yinkin came out of the woods and spoke:

"You brought this on yourself, wretched relative, trying to kill me"

It was too much for Molanni that the cat she had killed seven times already still came back to mock her. She went permanently insane. From thereon ever afterwards, she has wandered the lands totally deranged.

After this story, the alynx are said to have seven lives

Author: Matti Järvinen
Translation: Eetu Mäkelä