How the Sun Died so that the Moon Could Live

 At the dawn of time, when the universe was still young, the earth and the sky lived in harmony, but the sky would always look down at the earth and grew envious. The sky wanted to be more beautiful than the earth, so it birthed the sun and the moon, and set them to roam the sky’s vast expanses. The oldest was the sun, shining brightly, and his sister the moon was small and cold, but they never parted.

The sun would warm his sister, and let her shine as well. The sky was happy with his creation – as the sun and the moon roamed the firmament, it made it look much more beautiful than the earth, which was gray, brown, and black.

After a time, the sky noticed that, as they circled it from above, the sun and the moon were changing the earth. The sun’s heat caused plants to grow, filling the earth with shades of green. The moon moved the earth’s seas, carving beautiful shores and cliffs. It did not take long for the earth to be filled with colors and life, much to the sky’s dismay.

Frustrated, the sky decided to do away with his creations. Summoning the sun, it congratulated it for all the beautiful changes it made to the earth, and said that he could do even more. The sun was curious, and so it followed the sky to a volcano. Sky told sun that if it truly loved the earth, it would jump inside and give her more heat.

Unsure if it was wise, but bereft of his sister the moon’s advice, the sun put his trust in the sky. This was the first time the sun was away from his sister, and he felt lonely without her. The sky filled the sun’s imagination with all the beauty and diversity the earth would gain from him. “But, should I not ask the moon for her opinion?” he asked, and the sky told him that it would be a surprise for her, and would make her happy. Convinced, the sun jumped into the volcano and feasted on the boiling lava, which made him grow.

When the sun’s light disappeared, the earth and the moon searched for it throughout the firmament, yet they could not find him. When they asked the sky, he replied that he does not know where the sun is. 

Some time later, the sun got so big and hot that the volcano erupted, spewing it out. The sun’s intense heat now burnt everything it touched, so it rushed up to the heavens, hoping not to burn the earth. Alas, it was in vain, and his intense heat was burning the earth, turning it brown and desolate. The heat was so terrible that even the moon couldn’t stand it, and she ran and hid in the seas of the earth.

As the sun traversed the firmament, all that he approached suffered from his blaze. As he looked down at the earth, it saw the earth brown and dying, and his sister cowering from him in its seas. The sun did not wish to harm anyone, so to amend for his mistake, he threw himself into the sea, hoping to drown himself. When the heat and shine diminished, the moon left the sea in search of the sun. 

Looking down, she saw a dim glow coming from earth’s sea, and followed it. The moon’s brother has lost most of its shine, yet the little that was left was still enough to guide her to him. As the moon found the sun’s body floating in the water, she wept, as she could not imagine ever existing without him. As her tears reached his lifeless body, they filled it up with new life. His sister’s love has given him a new life, and he began to shine once more, but his heat still burnt her body. 

The sun rushed up to the firmament, and the renewed light filled the earth with life once more, but the moon could not withstand the heat and was forced to hide in the sea. The sun’s heart grew heavy, knowing that he was the reason his sister can no longer roam the firmament freely, and so he once more plunged himself into the seas to free his sister. But the moon would only ascent to the firmament again in search for him, only to find him drowned once more, and her new tears would revive him.

When the sky saw the disaster he had wrought, he was filled with regret. The sun and the moon’s misery had touched him deeply, and he thought of a solution. He filled the firmament with stars, so that the moon would not be lonely, and at times, he would come between the sun and the moon so that they may roam the firmament together, if only for a time.