The Wasteland (Bombyx Refrain)

A mysterious Holy Man from the East risked his life to smuggle mulberry seeds into the wasteland, which grew overnight into tall, strong trees. From the mulberry trees the silkworm known as THE BOMBYX appeared, growing bigger and bigger until he was a giant.

Before the trees and the Bombyx arrived the land was scorched red by the sun and nothing could grow there. The tribes in the area were desperate; their land was ravaged, their recent conquerors had abandoned them, leaving them to fight amongst themselves without enough food, means of trading or rules to live by. They performed rituals and rites to try and better their luck. And then the mysterious mulberry monk man appeared, bringing the rains with him from the East.

The mulberry trees grew; provided roots and shelter for other plants to grow, and soon the wasteland was a great forest stretching far and wide. The people named this new oasis Arden and gave thanks for being delivered from their fate.

The Bombyx began to produce silk which he gave as a gift to the tribespeople, who wove it into fine garments which brought them great wealth. They repaid him by preserving mulberry leaves through the summer for him to eat through the winter. Eventually the tribespeople asked for more and more silk as their fortunes grew, and the Bombyx tried his best to keep up with the ever increasing demand, but he could only make so much.

His friends the Luddites saw his suffering and tried to sabotage the now city’s silk-weaving tools, but were overcome and banished from the land forever. Overworked and exhausted, the poor Bombyx, who had dutifully produced as much silk as he could, gave so much of himself that all that was left of him was a dry husk.

Outraged by what they had done, a descendant of the holy man cursed the land to become dry and barren once more, with the red soil from their fallen fruit being the last reminder of the mulberry trees that once stretched as far as the eye could see.