30 Poems in 30 Days - #1 Mighty Jotun

The people of the country called him Jotun, and he lived atop the spine of the world
Last of the great builders, he was the guardian, the keeper of the spindle that rotated the Earth
Without the cycle, those in sun would be burnt and blinded, those out would grow cold and ill
His task was to preserve the world, and the life upon it, as decreed by the gods
And mighty Jotun, tall as thirty men, would sacrifice all he had to succeed
Thus, did he forever turn the spine

He was first approached by the people of the country in earlier days
"Great Jotun" begged the people, "The winds and rain throw and freeze us. The shelters we build of stone and wood do nothing to protect us. We beg you to build us homes out of pieces of the spine of the world."

"I cannot." Replied Jotun. "For if the spine were to stop spinning, the world would surely perish. But still, I am sworn to protect you."
And mighty Jotun, tall as thirty men, reached to his back and removed a section of his own spine - throwing it beyond the horizon.

"When you return" he said "You will have such homes as can weather any onslaught of nature."

The sacrifice had stooped Jotun, and he stood at a height of ten men less, but still did he forever turn the spine.When the people returned, generations had passed, and the world had changed much.
"Great Jotun" spoke the elder of the people. "Enemies from another country would invade and destroy us all. We request you to build us weapons out of pieces of the spine of the world."

"I cannot." Replied Jotun. "For if the spine were to stop spinning, the world would surely perish. But still, I am sworn to protect you."
And mighty Jotun, tall as twenty men, reached again to his back and removed a section of his own spine - throwing it beyond the horizon.

"When you return" he said "You will have such weapons as can defeat any army."

The sacrifice had again stooped Jotun, and he stood at a height of ten men less, but still did he forever turn the spine.

The people came again, many more generations later, and the world had changed much.
"Jotun" announced the representative of the people. "Our inventions can not function without the blood within the Earth, and we will surely die without them. We cannot reach the blood alone. Build us a drill out of pieces of the spine of the world."

"I cannot." Replied Jotun. "For if the spine were to stop spinning, the world would surely perish. But still, I am sworn to protect you."
And mighty Jotun, tall as ten men, reached again to his back and removed the last section of his own spine -
throwing it beyond the horizon.

"When you return" he said "You will have such a drill as can bore through any stone in an instant."

The sacrifice had rid Jotun of his spine, and he could no longer stand. He lay on his stomach, but still did he forever turn the spine.

It was but one generation before the people came again, and still, the world had changed much.
"Beast!" Called the Leader of the people. "Our status must be known to friend and foe across the Earth, but we have no such thing to show it. We demand you give us the spine of the world."

A fire came into Jotun's eye. "You would destroy this world for your shelter. You would destroy it for your wars. You would destroy it for your trinkets. I have sacrificed to give you these things, and now you would destroy the world for your vanity."

And mighty Jotun, tall as nothing, began to stand, fury raging in his features. The spine of the world began
protruding from the Earth, supporting Jotun to his feet. He stood again - tall as thirty men, and roared a sound the likes of which no man had ever heard - toppling them all to the ground, leveling their buildings, shattering their weapons, and annihilating their industry. And finally, the spine of the world broke, and Jotun fell back, impaled on the fractured remnants.

The world stopped turning. Those in the sun were burned and blinded. Those out grew cold and ill. The people perished one by one, and the planet grew dark.

Mighty Jotun turned the spine no more.