TEHI TEGI
by Sophia Morrison
The Tricky Lady and the River
A pretty lady came to a green island. Her name was Tricky Tehi. She had magic. Her magic was strong. She was very interesting. All the Men looked at her. They liked to watch her. They watched her every day.
The Men only thought about Tricky Tehi. They forgot their work. Important work. They did not fix their homes. Their homes got old. Their fields got messy. No one planted food. No one worked hard. The island became very quiet. Too quiet.
Tricky Tehi liked to watch them. She smiled. The Men asked her to marry. They asked her many times. She said, "Maybe I will." She told many men this. So, they followed her always. They waited for her.
One day Tricky Tehi wanted to ride. She got on her White Horse. Her horse was big. She told the Men to follow her. They walked behind her. They walked slowly.
She rode through messy fields. The fields had many stones. Sharp stones. No one planted food there. The ground was dry. She rode past empty houses. No one lived in them now. The houses were sad.
They came to a big river. The river was wide. Tricky Tehi used her magic. She made the river look shallow. Very shallow. It looked easy to cross. The Men thought it was safe. They felt happy.
Many Men walked into the water. They stepped in. They started to cross the river. They walked far. Then Tricky Tehi stopped her magic. The water got deep again. Very deep.
The Men fell in the deep water. They splashed. They got very wet and cold. So cold. They could not cross the river. They were stuck there. They felt scared. They learned a lesson. A hard lesson.
Tricky Tehi turned into a little bat. A small bat. She flew up high. She flew far away. Her White Horse turned into a fish. A big fish. The fish swam to the sea. It swam fast.
So, the wise people helped everyone. They came to the island. They gave good advice. They said, "Always do your work. Always listen to good advice. Do not just follow pretty things." Everyone remembered this lesson. They remembered it well.
Original Story
TEHI TEGI
Long hundreds of years ago there was a witch in the island who made herself the finest and cleverest-looking young woman in it. Her like for beauty was never before seen in this mortal world. When she went out walking or riding the very birds of the air would forget to sing for looking at her, and her sweet voice would tempt them off the trees to listen to her. Even the animals would stand still till she went by, for her beauty cast a spell on them. And as for the men, the poor creatures, they flocked from all sides of the island to woo her, and when they had once looked on her face they never wanted to leave her. They forgot everything else in the world—all sorrow and care, home and country, till at last everything in the island came to a standstill because the men followed wherever this young witch chose to lead them. Their haggards were empty, for they neither ploughed nor sowed, and their houses tholthans, for they neither built nor mended. They cut no turf and pulled no ling for fires. Their fields were covered with stones, so that the cattle died for want of pasture, and their gardens were full of weeds. There was a strange stillness throughout the island—no children’s voices were to be heard anywhere. The witch only laughed to see what her beauty had done, and she kept all the men near her by making each think that himself might be the chosen one. If one asked her to marry him she would answer, ‘An’ maybe I will,’ and then she would say the same to the next. So they spent their days in pleasuring themselves. When she had made slaves of the men of the island in this way, she said one day:
‘Saddle me my horse, for I’ve a mind to ride.’
So they brought her milk-white horse shod with shoes of gold, with bit of gold and bridle set with jewels, with saddle of mother-of-pearl and saddle-cloth of blue. Tehi Tegi mounted, and the waves of her golden hair flowed down over her dress of shining white.
‘I’m going,’ said she, ‘to the country for the day, and you can follow me on foot if you like.’
She rode and took her way under shady trees and through grassy lanes, where blue-bells and primroses grew as thick as the grass, and the hedges were yellow with gorse. She went on by fields, covered with stones, which were once fine corn land; and on she went at the head of them by lonely little tholthans whose roofs had sunk in on the hearth, and then by spots where houses once had been, now marked by jenny nettles and an old tramman tree. Her way mounted upwards among hills shining in the May sunlight, and through gills where little streams ran down between banks covered with fern and briar and many a flower, to the blue sea.
At last they found themselves at the side of a bright swift river, and she put a spell on it and made it seem shallow and as smooth and clear as glass, so that the little stones at the bottom were barely covered. Then, when they were all beginning to wade through it, she took off the spell and the water rushed over their heads and swallowed up the six hundred poor lovers. With that she made a bat of herself and rose up in the air and flew out of sight. Her milk-white horse turned into a perkin, plunged to the bottom of the stream, and swam away out to sea and was never more seen.
From that time the wise men of the island made their women go on foot and follow their husbands wherever they should lead, so that no such accident should happen again. If by chance a woman went first, anyone who saw her cried out ‘Tehi Tegi! Tehi Tegi!’
Moral of the Story
Unchecked beauty and charm can lead to ruin, and society must establish order to prevent such chaos.
Characters
Tehi Tegi ⚔ antagonist
Of unparalleled beauty, appearing as the finest and cleverest-looking young woman on the island. Her beauty is so profound it casts a spell on all who behold her, causing birds to stop singing and animals to stand still.
Attire: Wears a dress of shining white, suggesting a fabric that reflects light, possibly silk or satin, appropriate for a woman of her perceived status and beauty. The style would likely be a flowing, elegant gown of the period, perhaps a simple yet luxurious Manx or Celtic-inspired dress.
Wants: To exert power and control over others through her beauty and magic, and to amuse herself at their expense.
Flaw: Her vanity and desire for control ultimately lead her to commit a heinous act, though she escapes immediate consequence, her name becomes a cautionary tale.
She remains unchanged in her cruel nature, successfully executing her plan to drown her suitors and escape. Her legacy is a cautionary tale and a societal rule change.
Cruel, manipulative, vain, cunning, deceptive, and indifferent to the suffering she causes. She enjoys the power her beauty gives her over men.
The Milk-White Horse ◆ supporting
A magnificent milk-white horse, implying a pure white coat. It is adorned with luxurious tack.
Attire: Equipped with shoes of gold, a bit of gold, a bridle set with jewels, and a saddle of mother-of-pearl with a saddle-cloth of blue. This elaborate tack signifies its importance and connection to Tehi Tegi's magical allure.
Wants: To serve Tehi Tegi.
Flaw: Bound to Tehi Tegi's magic.
Transforms into a 'perkin' (a type of fish or small whale) and swims away into the sea, never to be seen again, after Tehi Tegi completes her deception.
Loyal to Tehi Tegi, serving as her mount and an extension of her magical display.
The Six Hundred Poor Lovers ○ minor
A large group of men, likely of varying builds and appearances, but united by their infatuation with Tehi Tegi. They are described as 'poor creatures' and 'slaves' to her beauty.
Attire: No specific details, but as men from an island community, their attire would likely be simple, functional clothing of the period, perhaps linen tunics, wool trousers, and leather shoes, typical of Manx islanders.
Wants: To win Tehi Tegi's affection and marry her.
Flaw: Their overwhelming infatuation and susceptibility to Tehi Tegi's beauty and deception.
They are led to their deaths by Tehi Tegi, drowning in the enchanted river.
Easily manipulated, infatuated, neglectful of duties, hopeful, ultimately tragic.
Locations
The Witch's Dwelling/Island Settlement
A once-thriving island settlement now desolate and neglected. Haggards (farmyards) are empty, houses (tholthans) are dilapidated with sunken roofs, fields are covered with stones, and gardens are overgrown with weeds. A strange stillness pervades, devoid of children's voices.
Mood: Desolate, eerie, neglected, silent, under a spell of stagnation.
This is the general setting where Tehi Tegi holds the men captive with her beauty, causing the island's decline.
Grassy Lanes and Upland Gills
Shady lanes winding through the Manx countryside, bordered by hedges yellow with gorse. Bluebells and primroses grow thickly in the grass. The path ascends through hills bathed in May sunlight, leading into gills (ravines) where small streams flow between banks covered in fern, briar, and wildflowers, eventually reaching the blue sea.
Mood: Deceptively picturesque, natural, leading towards an ominous destination.
Tehi Tegi leads her followers on a ride through the countryside, drawing them further from their homes.
The Enchanted River
A bright, swift-flowing river, initially appearing shallow, smooth, and clear as glass due to Tehi Tegi's spell, revealing the small stones at its bottom. Once the spell is lifted, it becomes a deep, rushing torrent.
Mood: Initially serene and inviting, then suddenly treacherous and deadly.
Tehi Tegi drowns her six hundred lovers here by enchanting the river to appear shallow, then lifting the spell.
Story DNA
Moral
Unchecked beauty and charm can lead to ruin, and society must establish order to prevent such chaos.
Plot Summary
A beautiful witch named Tehi Tegi appears on an island, enchanting all men with her looks and voice, causing them to abandon their duties and families, leading to the island's decay. She keeps them enthralled with false promises, then leads them on a ride to a swift river. There, she casts a spell to make the river appear shallow, and as the men wade across, she removes the spell, drowning all six hundred of them. Tehi Tegi transforms into a bat and escapes, while the island's wise men institute a new rule that women must always follow men to prevent such a disaster from happening again.
Themes
Emotional Arc
complacency to destruction to rigid control
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
This tale reflects a patriarchal societal fear of female power and beauty, leading to a cautionary tale that justifies strict gender roles.
Plot Beats (10)
- A witch, Tehi Tegi, appears on an island, possessing unparalleled beauty and charm that captivates all men.
- The men become completely infatuated with her, abandoning their work, homes, and families, causing the island to fall into disrepair and silence.
- Tehi Tegi revels in her power, keeping the men enslaved by her beauty with false promises of marriage.
- One day, she decides to ride her magnificent horse and invites all the men to follow her on foot.
- She leads them on a journey through the decaying landscape of the island, a testament to their neglect.
- They arrive at a swift river, and Tehi Tegi casts a spell to make it appear shallow and safe to cross.
- As the six hundred men begin to wade into the seemingly calm water, Tehi Tegi suddenly removes the spell.
- The river's true force returns, drowning all the men.
- Tehi Tegi transforms into a bat and flies away, while her horse turns into a perkin and swims out to sea.
- The wise men of the island, learning from this catastrophe, establish a new societal rule: women must always follow men to prevent future disasters.
