Spoiler The Gossip Stone Behind the Deku Tree

[Alazard]

If you read the gossip stone behind the Deku Tree, it mentions that once a Kokiri left the forest and didn't die. A lot of people seem to think that it was Link, but Link is Hylian. I have a bit of an unorthodox theory on who it might have been. I think it was Tingle.

Weird, I know. But it isn't too hard to believe when you think about it. The way to Termina is in the lost woods, so its not impossible that Tingle went into the forest for something and fell into Termina and got adopted by the swamp guy. It would also explain why Tingle is green, never grew up, and expects a fairy to come to him.

Any objections? Are there alternate theories as to who the person mentioned in the gossip stone was?

 

[biggreenhawk35]

You seem to defend it very well that i say it is true but then again it could have been a coincidence that Tingle could fit the bill or seem logical for this story

 

[OcarinalinkLOZ]

Very interesting theory my friend! Many people believe it is Link that left and lived as he was originally thought of as a Kokiri. Only the Deku Tree knew otherwise, and Saria as well. However, another popular belief is that Skull Kid, the forest imp who you give the mask to in the HappyMask Salesman sidequest, was once a Kokiri who changed into an imp after leaving the woods and/or through his travels between Hyrule and Termina. There is defiantly the possibility that another Kokiri has left the Lost Woods and survived, but I do not think this is likely as...well...the Kokiri are very defensive and childish. A perfect example of this is Miko, who blocks your way on numerous occasions during your progression through Ocarina of Time. My personal opinion is that the Gossip Stone is talking about Link as he was original thought of as a Kokiri, and none of the real Kokiri ever knew he was Hylian (with the exception of Saria). I like your ideas and that Gossip Stone has been on my mind for a while! Nice of you to beat me to it! Now, if you are in agreement with my theory, wonderful...but if you are skeptical, feel free to ask for more clarification on my position. And if anyone else comes up with a theory, I would love to hear what you have to say!

 

[Capitaine]

I think it's Link. The point of the Gossip Stones is that they eavesdrop on what everyone else says, and since everyone else thinks that Link is Kokiri, the Gossip Stone says the same.

It probably isn't Tingle for these reasons:

1. Tingle is 35 and looks 35. He even has facial hair.
2. Tingle has a father who is Hylian.
3. Tingle wasn't thought of when they made OoT.

 

[EternalNocturne]

Link is the only reasonable answer for me. Like others have pointed out, it could be Skull Kid, or maybe some other Kokiri that we don't know about -- but they aren't that important to the storyline. Link, on the other hand, was raised as a Kokiri, and we all know how much attention he got after he left the forest and survived. I don't see why the Gossip Stone would mention anyone else since we were the ones to make Link leave the forest, and it would make sense that it would say that.

See, there's the possibility that the Stone might have been talking about someone else. Butwhy? Link is the only one we know for sure who left the forest. Why would it make sense if the Stone was instead talking about Tingle (who wasn't even in the game) or Skull Kid?

But yeah, you actually bring up some very nice points! I never noticed that about Tingle. But in my opinion, it's very clear that the Gossip Stone was mentioning Link, since nobody knew that he was a Hylian (not even himself) until he completed the Forest Temple.

 

[lilcthelegend]

But at the end credits, there are Kikori at Lon Lon Ranch. They are well alive and in fact, dancing and celebrating. Mido is actually sitting next to the Zora King.

Here is the link to the credits:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ge8zd1ZR-hc

So, maybe the Deku tree made up the whole story that a Kikori would die upon leaving the forest to protect the Kikori. Maybe his thinking was that the Kikori would be threatened if they left the forest (after all, the Deku Tree had the spiritual stone). Therefore, he knew that whoever laid eyes on a Kikori would maybe force him/her to lead them to the forest. There are so many possibilities to this theory, it is difficult to say. Perhaps Link was this Kikori the gossip stone spoke of. The stone was there before the credits...

 

[Seth]

Tingle didn't show up until MM, when OoT was being made he was likely not even conceived of yet by that point. Plus in MM his father is human. I think it was just trying to be mysterious or a hint about Link, idk...

 

[Abbey]

Link cannot read what the Gossip Stone says until he in fact, leaves the forest to get the mask of truth. that would mean that he would be the Kokiri who left the forest and survived.

 

[prongsbabe317]

I think it's highly unlikely that the gossip stone was referring to Tingle. He didn't appear until MM, and even then he comes right out and tell you that he's 35. The fact that he never got a fairy also indicates that he is not Kokiri. It's definitely more likely that the gossip stone is referring to Link, like others said, because everyone did think he was Kokiri. As to the skull kid theory, that also is very unlikely. Skull kids are what children become when they become lost in the lost woods, and since we never see them anywhere else in the kingdom in OoT, they might kind of be like the Kokiri in that they might not be able to for whatever reason. The skull kid that left the forest is also in MM, so he can't be the one that the gossip stone is referring to. Also, Skull kids aren't Kokiri, so the gossip stone can't be referring to any skull kid. It is a good theory, I think, in that you thought outside the box, but I think that the developers just meant for the gossip stone to refer to Link, since he is the only one that left the forest and was thought to be Kokiri at the time. I don't know, but that's just my thoughts on it. The game does kind of contradict itself though, since we do see the Kokiri at Lon Lon Ranch in the end credits, which I completely forgot about until lilcthelegend mentioned it. We might never know.

 

[Ghirahim]

Link cannot read what the Gossip Stone says until he in fact, leaves the forest to get the mask of truth. that would mean that he would be the Kokiri who left the forest and survived.

Link isn't a Kokiri, he's a Hylian.

 

[Conor]

I think you're missing the point, Ghirahim, Abbey was using the term Kokiri relatively speaking, the gossip stone for example would see Link as a kokiri because it doesn't know any better.

 

[Forlong]

Tingle isn't a Kokiri. He's some jerk that was overcome with one of the seven deadly sins and the gods turned him into Tingle as punishment (talk about a fate worse than death). I am told that this is his origins in the Tingle games.

 

[Firece_Diety_Link]

could be the hero of time from back in time

 

[Onilink89]

You guys are forgetting that the Kokiri are dancing in Lon Lon Ranch during the credits.

Maybe the Deku Tree made the whole story up that the Kokiri would die outside the forest. I guess he had his reasons that he didnt wanted the kokiri leave the forest.

 

[JuicieJ]

No one in the Forest knew that Link wasn't a Kokiri (save the Deku Tree, so it makes perfect sense for it to be talking about Link.