Long ago, in a world less orderly than ours, Water ran every which direction it pleased. Rivers and streams exploded across the world in random directions. Each droplet of Water decided where it wanted to go based on its own whims and fancies. Animals struggled to drink, bathe, and swim. There was no upstream or downstream; everything was up, and everything was down. Fish leapt from left to right, finding pools to survive in as Water arbitrarily floated across the earth.
One day, a salmon landed harshly on a pile of rocks. As it withered and burned in the scorching sun, water flying around it, Salmon decided he disliked the erratic nature of Water. Many of Salmon’s friends had died due to the whimsical personality of Water, and Salmon had decided enough was enough.
“I challenge you, Water,” Salmon declared from what was likely its deathbed.
Water loved challenges—it enjoyed having fun.
“What is your challenge?” Water replied, splashing down and cooling the rocks around Salmon.
As Salmon regained energy, the wetness cooling its scales, it declared its challenge loudly for all to hear, “I challenge you to a test of strength”.
“But we are sure to win,” Water explained. “There are so many of us, and only one of you.”
“If you’re so sure you’ll win, why say no?” Salmon countered.
Water agreed to the test of strength. “What is it we should do?”
“You float that way,” Salmon explained, turning to face down the hill. “You need to go as fast as you can.”
“And what will you do?”
“I will go that way.” Salmon turned to face uphill. “All of you, versus all of me.” Hundreds of other salmon swam to meet Salmon. “We continue forever, until one of us wins.”
“So be it,” Water agreed.
And the test of strength between Water and Salmon continued forevermore. Salmon’s fight uphill and Water’s rush downhill settled into a routine—each didn’t know how to survive without the other. Animals could finally drink, bathe, and swim. They no longer illogically died because of Water’s inability to act as one. This is why water flows downhill.