Rooster Woman of the Hills

The Rooster Woman of the Hills

Artwork by Kumaraswamy | Mobile Art Collection

Deep within the misty hills of Kalindra, a shadow loomed—a half-woman, half-rooster creature with gleaming feathers and fiery eyes. Villagers whispered about the **Rooster Woman**, a being cursed for her insatiable greed and dark sorcery. Her lair, hidden within the hills, was littered with bones and glowing embers of an eternal fire, where she boiled her unfortunate victims alive. None who ventured near the caves ever returned, their cries lost to the howling winds.

Legend had it that centuries ago, the Rooster Woman was once a man named Kanith, a skilled chef who longed for unrivaled culinary power. He stumbled upon an ancient spellbook promising mastery over food and fire. But in his arrogance, Kanith underestimated the curse embedded in the pages. When he recited the incantation, his form twisted, merging with the spirit of a wild rooster, and he became the monster now feared by all.

One fateful day, a group of carefree tourists, oblivious to the warnings, trekked into the hills to explore the caves. Among them was Maya, a young woman with a sharp mind and a heart full of courage. As they delved deeper, the air grew cold, and an eerie clucking echoed through the stone walls. Before they could react, the Rooster Woman emerged—her claws sharp as knives, a cauldron carried effortlessly in one taloned hand, and a flaming ladle in the other.

The tourists scattered in terror, but Maya stood her ground. The Rooster Woman lunged, her talons scraping the ground, but Maya, armed only with her wit, managed to dodge. Spotting the spellbook chained to the cave wall, Maya realized it was the source of the creature's power. She raced toward it, her every move shadowed by the screeching monster.

Just as the Rooster Woman raised her flaming ladle to strike, Maya grabbed the spellbook and began reading the ancient text. The air shimmered as the magic resisted her attempts, but Maya pressed on, her voice unwavering. The cave trembled, and the Rooster Woman let out an anguished cry. Her monstrous form began to shift, feathers falling, claws retracting. In moments, she was human again—a weary, repentant Kanith.

Kanith knelt before Maya, his tears extinguishing the eternal fire. “You have freed me,” he whispered. “But my sins are too great to forgive.” Maya, ever compassionate, urged him to use his skills to help others, to bring light where he once brought darkness.

The tourists emerged from the caves, unharmed but forever changed. The villagers, hearing of Maya’s bravery, celebrated her as a hero. Kanith, now a humble chef, worked tirelessly to feed the poor, his meals infused with a magic that healed and nourished.

The tale of the Rooster Woman became a legend, a story told to remind people of the dangers of greed and the redemptive power of courage and compassion. And though the hills of Kalindra grew quiet, the villagers never forgot the day a young woman’s bravery broke a centuries-old curse.