Many ages back, when the world was new
Did Gods and Giants alone live here
In time, other creatures came into being
Born first in the seas, and into streams
Like the salmon that swim the waters
Then came the frogs and toads to land
The seprents to follow came forth next
Then came eagle, crow, and many birds
After that came the beasts of the land

All living with the children of Talamâ
From Her fertile womb came more young
Some much like Man, who stalk woods
Then two were born unlike those before
They were the first of all Humanity
The first two of many yet born of Talamâ
Mannus and Iemonos were they called
Twins, and the first born of all to come
The Gods did marvel upon the newborns

Many gifts did the Gods give to these two
Sucellos gave them the gifts of the land
Taranis taught them how to use the land
Carnonos taught how to reach the Gods
With all that they now knew, they went off
They gave gifts to the Gods in thanks
Mannus and Iemonos did both sacrifice
Great Bulls and Cows as were first to be
Both went off and had many children

Though the Gods welcomed this gladly
Their children became many too quickly
Too much of those gifts did they use
Suffering soon came to be, and strife
The problem was that Man lived as Gods
As it was, it could not stay this way
There would be nothing left for the young
So Iemonos did approach his brother
That they must find a way to fix this

Iemonos said that Men are not Gods
Thus Men should not live as long as They
So Iemonos said that he should die first
That those whose time came will follow
To do this, he asked Mannus to kill him
Mannus would not but Iemonos persisted
Iemonos would be sacrificed to the Gods
To thank Them for the life given to his kin
So Iemonos agreed, and it would be done

Upon a high stone did Iemonos lie still
He made peace with the end of his life
Mannus took a stone to numb his brother
Wrapped his hands around his neck
He then took a knife and cut upward
With heavy hearts the Gods accepted this
Sucellos bade the soul of Iemonos
That Iemonos may enter that realm
So it was, the first born, and first to die

Though Gods and Men wept at the loss
Iemonos did what had to be done in truth
With this, all of the children of Mannus
And all of the children of Iemonos
Live in the world an apportioned time
But one day, they must follow Iemonos
Taking that journey from life to death
In doing so, there is room for everyone
For those who live, and those yet to live