Lobster Dance

Not well understood by outsiders, the Hithual Lobster Dance is an ancient and serious rite. It is based on the story of two Hithual lovers, Heero and Lyander. Heero was a temple priestess, and each night Lyander swam a river to be with her. One night, a behemoth lobster snagged Lyander as he swam. Heero, seeing her lover's fate, dove into the water to die with him. Eventually, they were able to kill the behemoth, dragging it ashore at dawn. Hithual weddings usually feature a song about the lovers and a dinner of boiled lobster, celebrating the triumph of true love over crustaceans. A dance, in which the performer pretends to be a giant lobster, shuffling and snapping its claws, accompanies the song. Non-Hithuals tend to be amused by the levity of the dance moves, failing to comprehend the complexities of Hithual culture.