Week 10 Story: Koh the Face Stealer
In a strategic move by the Avatar’s enemies in war, the Fire Nation began their hunt for the Moon and Ocean spirits, Tui and La. If they succeeded, not only would the harmony of nature be thrown off balance, but the absence of the moon and sea would only strengthen the sun and those who wield her flame. Tui and La had disguised themselves in the mortal world thousands of years prior to the hundred-year war, but their peace would soon come to an end by the foolish hand of humans.
Aang sat cross-legged at the temple’s oasis in the Northern Water Tribe when he learned of these plans. He was admiring the leisurely dance of the koi fish when he learned of how once again, the Fire Nation wanted to mercilessly pull at the strings of fate, wiping out entire populations in their wake. Once again, he was on defense in a desperate search to find Tui and La first. However, one of the only remaining spirits who could recall the crossing over of Tui and La from the spirit world to the mortal world was Koh the Face Stealer. Bless the unfortunate souls of those who crossed paths with him, he was widely feared for stealing the faces of those who showed him any expression. The only way of emerging from an encounter unscathed is to brave a face of stone, neutral and detached, like Koh. He is willing to help those brave enough to face him, but the sadist in him loves to goad emotion out of his victims through fear and riddles. For Aang, a clueless kid who wore his heart on his sleeve, this would be a nightmare.
“Hello?” Aang called from outside the brush. Outside the brush there was wildlife and nature, but as he pushed aside the branches and vines, inside there was… nothing. He inched forward with caution until he was surrounded by darkness, and the only sound he could hear was his own breathing, tense and forcefully drawn out to calm his own nerves. “I’m looking for Koh.” he called out.
Something slinked past him in his peripheral vision, and as soon as he turned around, he came face-to-face with an enormous centipede wearing the contorted and grinning face of a painted lady. “My old friend the Avatar, it’s been many years” he leered.
“You know who I am?” Aang responded, trying to mask his obvious confusion.
“I’ll never forget, considering one of your previous incarnations tried to kill me!” Koh blinked, and his smiling face turned into one of fury in the form of a bearded old soldier. “I think it had something to do with stealing something he loved.” He blinked again and his face contorted into that of a beautiful young woman, fit with a freshly carved betrothal necklace. “That Avatar Kuruk couldn’t kill me if he tried without killing his love, HA! He died a fool who still searches for her in the afterlife. Well, well, at least I got to add this one to my collection” he smirked, poking the young girls face with one of his many arms and legs.
“Why did you…” Aang paused to regain his composure. “What did he do to made you steal from her?”
“He was a rubbish Avatar.” Koh retorted. “Living like a deity in the mortal world at our expense! He didn’t deserve that kind of power, but no one had the will to humble him, to defy him.” Koh’s voice lowered and his face now turned from the young girl to a defeated old drunkard. “Now, that’s all behind us. I am not so heartless to blame you for the actions of your predecessors.” There was an erratic tapping noise from the frantic movement of the centipede legs that Aang swore he would never forget. “I am just itching to add a child’s face to my collection, so why have you come?”
Aang closed his eyes and gulped, his motionless face still resolute. “I need to find Tui and La, the Moon and Ocean.”
“Their names alone give you your answer young Avatar. Tui and La, push and pull.” Koh slinked in circles around Aang as he continued. “their names have defined their relationship for all of time.”
Aang sighed internally at Koh’s riddled descriptions. “Where can I find them? Entire populations and culture could be destroyed if I don’t reach them in time!”
“Oh… but you’ve already met them. They are the push and pull, life and death. Your moon and ocean circle each other in an eternal dance.”
Aang’s eyes widened in epiphany. “The koi fish!” he exclaimed in victory. Koh immediately whipped back around before halting, his face inches in front of Aang’s now calm and composed expression. “I will… be going now.” Aang stated while taking cautious steps backwards.
“I see… hopefully we will meet again, young Avatar” Koh smirked, returning to his original grinning appearance.
Log nest to the Teufelsbruch swamp (2017), Source
***
Aang sat cross-legged at the temple’s oasis in the Northern Water Tribe when he learned of these plans. He was admiring the leisurely dance of the koi fish when he learned of how once again, the Fire Nation wanted to mercilessly pull at the strings of fate, wiping out entire populations in their wake. Once again, he was on defense in a desperate search to find Tui and La first. However, one of the only remaining spirits who could recall the crossing over of Tui and La from the spirit world to the mortal world was Koh the Face Stealer. Bless the unfortunate souls of those who crossed paths with him, he was widely feared for stealing the faces of those who showed him any expression. The only way of emerging from an encounter unscathed is to brave a face of stone, neutral and detached, like Koh. He is willing to help those brave enough to face him, but the sadist in him loves to goad emotion out of his victims through fear and riddles. For Aang, a clueless kid who wore his heart on his sleeve, this would be a nightmare.
***
“Hello?” Aang called from outside the brush. Outside the brush there was wildlife and nature, but as he pushed aside the branches and vines, inside there was… nothing. He inched forward with caution until he was surrounded by darkness, and the only sound he could hear was his own breathing, tense and forcefully drawn out to calm his own nerves. “I’m looking for Koh.” he called out.
Something slinked past him in his peripheral vision, and as soon as he turned around, he came face-to-face with an enormous centipede wearing the contorted and grinning face of a painted lady. “My old friend the Avatar, it’s been many years” he leered.
“You know who I am?” Aang responded, trying to mask his obvious confusion.
“I’ll never forget, considering one of your previous incarnations tried to kill me!” Koh blinked, and his smiling face turned into one of fury in the form of a bearded old soldier. “I think it had something to do with stealing something he loved.” He blinked again and his face contorted into that of a beautiful young woman, fit with a freshly carved betrothal necklace. “That Avatar Kuruk couldn’t kill me if he tried without killing his love, HA! He died a fool who still searches for her in the afterlife. Well, well, at least I got to add this one to my collection” he smirked, poking the young girls face with one of his many arms and legs.
“Why did you…” Aang paused to regain his composure. “What did he do to made you steal from her?”
“He was a rubbish Avatar.” Koh retorted. “Living like a deity in the mortal world at our expense! He didn’t deserve that kind of power, but no one had the will to humble him, to defy him.” Koh’s voice lowered and his face now turned from the young girl to a defeated old drunkard. “Now, that’s all behind us. I am not so heartless to blame you for the actions of your predecessors.” There was an erratic tapping noise from the frantic movement of the centipede legs that Aang swore he would never forget. “I am just itching to add a child’s face to my collection, so why have you come?”
Aang closed his eyes and gulped, his motionless face still resolute. “I need to find Tui and La, the Moon and Ocean.”
“Their names alone give you your answer young Avatar. Tui and La, push and pull.” Koh slinked in circles around Aang as he continued. “their names have defined their relationship for all of time.”
Aang sighed internally at Koh’s riddled descriptions. “Where can I find them? Entire populations and culture could be destroyed if I don’t reach them in time!”
“Oh… but you’ve already met them. They are the push and pull, life and death. Your moon and ocean circle each other in an eternal dance.”
Aang’s eyes widened in epiphany. “The koi fish!” he exclaimed in victory. Koh immediately whipped back around before halting, his face inches in front of Aang’s now calm and composed expression. “I will… be going now.” Aang stated while taking cautious steps backwards.
“I see… hopefully we will meet again, young Avatar” Koh smirked, returning to his original grinning appearance.
Log nest to the Teufelsbruch swamp (2017), Source
Author's Note: This retelling follows the same plot as Aang's encounter in the show, but emphasizes the aspects of the story that parallel with the Noppera-bō. The Noppera-bō in Japanese legend are faceless ghosts that love to trick and scare people, but are otherwise harmless. Japanese folklore often tells stories of the foolish fisherman who hunted the koi fish in a sacred pond despite his wife warning him several times not to. When he arrives at the pond, he encounters a beautiful woman who warns him once more before wiping her face off. Horrified, he runs home to his wife, who he discovers is also faceless.
The original tale is indirectly translated to the story of Aang's encounter with Koh, but multiple characters are involved rather than just one man. Aang's previous incarnation was a reckless Avatar, and Koh stole the face of his fiancé as a way to punish him. Secondly, the Fire Nation are hunting the very spirits that Aang is trying to protect, who are hidden in the mortal world as koi fish. From how Koh treated Aang and how he treated his previous incarnation, I don't believe that he is purely evil. I still interpret him as a trickster, but it seems he only punishes those who have wronged and is otherwise willing to help, like he did with Aang.
The original tale is indirectly translated to the story of Aang's encounter with Koh, but multiple characters are involved rather than just one man. Aang's previous incarnation was a reckless Avatar, and Koh stole the face of his fiancé as a way to punish him. Secondly, the Fire Nation are hunting the very spirits that Aang is trying to protect, who are hidden in the mortal world as koi fish. From how Koh treated Aang and how he treated his previous incarnation, I don't believe that he is purely evil. I still interpret him as a trickster, but it seems he only punishes those who have wronged and is otherwise willing to help, like he did with Aang.
I really enjoyed how the first half of your story laid out some background knowledge and laid out the plot. The commentary during the second half made me really get into the story and feel like I was there with there characters. I look forward to getting to read some more of your translated tales this semester.
ReplyDeleteHi SV, I love ATLA!!! I haven't read the story that you are basing this off of but I do remember the episode with Koh the face stealer. Now I want to go read the original story to see the similarities and how much is what you came up with. This is so interesting and I could read these kinds of stories all day. Your imagery is fantastic so this was so much fun.
ReplyDelete