The Power of Literature
The creatures of Earthbound weren't always evil. Many a child in Eagleland feels like those in our own world about animals. Mice are cute and might be kept as pets. Snakes are a favorite of fearless children, and crows are looked up to by brooding kids dressed all in black who write poetry that contains lines like "I suffer through kindness and revel in despair." It is only through Giygas' influence that these creatures have come to be the antagonistic monsters that they are in Earthbound.
This being the case, it's no surprise that a number of heartwarming children's books about animals were published by a rather popular author of Eagleland. (If you ask at the front desk, I'm sure the Onett librarian would be happy to direct you to the children's section.) Each of these books regards the consequences of giving a particular species of animal a particular gift.
Most of these consequences are funny, charming, or adventurous. "If you give a dog a bread roll," one of them begins, "he's going to want some butter to go with it." It continues with "If you give him some butter, he'll be reminded of the dairy that he grew up on. He'll want to go for a visit."
Any number of these children's books exist. Some are more popular than others, depending on the fauna in those books and how it corresponds to certain areas of the world. ("If You Give A Great Crested Booka Beef Jerky" is my personal favorite.) But there is a universal constant, and that is the love that children have for these books.
As such, it has become something of an expected part of childhood in Eagleland for a boy or girl to seek out the creature from their favorite book, corresponding gift in hand (in a gift box decorated with stickers, ribbons, and marker drawings no less), in the hopes of experiencing the adventure promised by the author. Unfortunately, no child has ever found this to be true.
The creatures of Eagleland are no more intelligent than the animals of our own world, and as such, take these gifts out of the influence of an instinct that says "Horde everything you can. You may need it to survive." Though most creatures never have found anything to do with the trinkets and food that reverent children offer. Prior to Giygas' influence, every Ramblin Mushroom in Twoson had a hefty horde of ketchup packets.
It was only after Giygas influenced the minds of these creatures that they gained the intelligence and understanding to see the benefit of carrying such items with them. In their drive to attack and cause havoc, why wouldn't a mouse carry one or two bombs from its collection? Why wouldn't a gruff goat carry a salt packet, when he might come upon some healing item that required proper seasoning at any moment?
It is for this reason that the creatures in Earthbound carry unusual gifts. It is also for this reason that exterminators in Eagleland are often called upon to join the Fourside Police Department's Bomb Squad.
The creatures of Earthbound weren't always evil. Many a child in Eagleland feels like those in our own world about animals. Mice are cute and might be kept as pets. Snakes are a favorite of fearless children, and crows are looked up to by brooding kids dressed all in black who write poetry that contains lines like "I suffer through kindness and revel in despair." It is only through Giygas' influence that these creatures have come to be the antagonistic monsters that they are in Earthbound.
This being the case, it's no surprise that a number of heartwarming children's books about animals were published by a rather popular author of Eagleland. (If you ask at the front desk, I'm sure the Onett librarian would be happy to direct you to the children's section.) Each of these books regards the consequences of giving a particular species of animal a particular gift.
Most of these consequences are funny, charming, or adventurous. "If you give a dog a bread roll," one of them begins, "he's going to want some butter to go with it." It continues with "If you give him some butter, he'll be reminded of the dairy that he grew up on. He'll want to go for a visit."
Any number of these children's books exist. Some are more popular than others, depending on the fauna in those books and how it corresponds to certain areas of the world. ("If You Give A Great Crested Booka Beef Jerky" is my personal favorite.) But there is a universal constant, and that is the love that children have for these books.
As such, it has become something of an expected part of childhood in Eagleland for a boy or girl to seek out the creature from their favorite book, corresponding gift in hand (in a gift box decorated with stickers, ribbons, and marker drawings no less), in the hopes of experiencing the adventure promised by the author. Unfortunately, no child has ever found this to be true.
The creatures of Eagleland are no more intelligent than the animals of our own world, and as such, take these gifts out of the influence of an instinct that says "Horde everything you can. You may need it to survive." Though most creatures never have found anything to do with the trinkets and food that reverent children offer. Prior to Giygas' influence, every Ramblin Mushroom in Twoson had a hefty horde of ketchup packets.
It was only after Giygas influenced the minds of these creatures that they gained the intelligence and understanding to see the benefit of carrying such items with them. In their drive to attack and cause havoc, why wouldn't a mouse carry one or two bombs from its collection? Why wouldn't a gruff goat carry a salt packet, when he might come upon some healing item that required proper seasoning at any moment?
It is for this reason that the creatures in Earthbound carry unusual gifts. It is also for this reason that exterminators in Eagleland are often called upon to join the Fourside Police Department's Bomb Squad.
