The Wild Sun and The Angry Earth

Many ages ago before the time of man, two great kingdoms ruled in separate domains -- the regal Sky Dynasty and the mighty Empire of Earth. The Earth had four children whom she took great pains to educate and impart a quality of discipline. And so the Ocean, Forest, Wind and Fire lived rigidly and uncomfortably under Earth's strict supervision. The Kingdom of the Sky was a very different story.

They had more children than they could count and did their upmost to spoil the lot. Of these ancient youths, the Sun was the oldest and by far the wildest and most doted on by her parents. She was prone to dancing about her father Day's court in brilliant colorful gowns all day long until she collapsed of exhaustion into the arms of her loving Mother Night.

Then with the Sun curled up on her lap, Night would gently whisper stories and melodies to her other children, instructing them in various arts and virtues as they twinkled with wonder. Inevitably, the Sun would wake when her father took the court, and her revelry would begin again outshining all her siblings.

Most of them didn't mind, clapping and giggling along because they loved to watch her twirl and whirl, but her twin sister the Moon considered it a rude interruption. She much preferred to sing slower sadder songs and tell stories like their mother. One day, the Moon decided to sneak away from the relentless gaiety and practice her songs and stories in solitude. Little did she know, someone was listening.

At the time, the two kingdoms had very little to do with one another, and neither knew very much about the other. So when the Ocean heard the Moon's song somewhere off in the distance, it's beauty immediately captured his attention and moved him so deeply that he began to sway to the rhythm of her voice and even hum along. Eventually, the Ocean could not suppress his curiosity, so he followed the voice to its source.

Upon seeing her glowing visage, the admiration he felt intensified, filling his heart. It took a while for him to find the courage and the words to speak to her, but when he did, he confessed to her all the feelings that her song inspired in him that he had never felt before or even dreamed of. He praised her beauty and artistry equally, and asked that they meet again.

This stream of accolades shocked the Moon who was generally accustomed to being overshadowed by the Sun. She could hardly believe this stranger! And yet when she looked at him, she saw a reflection of all the emotions she sought to express in her music. She agreed to meet again the next day. And the next. And everyday after that. Love blossomed between them steadily growing stronger.

The Earth noticed a change in her favorite child. The Ocean had always been wise and dependable in a way the Earth very much approved of, but there was something off about him lately. He seemed happier if a bit distracted, humming and swaying continuously. The Earth eventually confronted him about it, and so the Ocean finally introduced his mother to the Moon.

Upon meeting the demur and elegant Moon, the Earth was relieved and gratified by her son's connection to someone so graceful and sensible. Her other children could learn a thing or two from this one. If the rest of the Sky Dynasty was anything like the Moon they would make ideal allies.

Hoping to make arrangements for the two kingdoms to be united, the Earth decided to invite the rest of Moon's family to a great feast. The Night Sky arrived with several of her younger children in tow, begging pardon for the Day's absence, but he could not leave the Sky court unattended. They all ate and spoke amiably, and the Night sang a duet with the Moon which was received with applause by the Earth and her family.

The evening seemed to be going very well. The Moon was nervous though, for she was certain that her twin would arrive and ruin everything at any moment. But the Sun never came. So the Night and the Earth began to make plans for the Ocean and the Moon to be wed. And then the day of the ceremony arrived.

This time the entire Sky court came to take part in the festivities. The Night proudly introduced the Day and the Sun to the Earth court, and the Moon was mortified. The Earth frowned at the Sun, cringing at the gaudy dress she wore, but fortunately the Sun wore a veil to hide her luminous face and sparkling jewels. Still, the Earth was not impressed by her outlandish style.

The Ocean was likewise annoyed at his new sister in law since her presence clearly upset his bride, but his siblings were intrigued by the iridescent Sun. But the Sun remained strangely docile and subdued during the ceremony, having been warned by her parents not to steal her sister's glow. She loved her twin and longed for her to be happy at last, so she kept her head down, and tried not to shine.

After the vows were exchanged, a celebration commenced and gifts were given to the couple. The Day gave the Ocean a giant pearl that he may always be reminded of the strength and beauty of their love, and the Earth gave her daughter in law a magnificent ebony harp to commemorate the music that brought them together. The Moon was so happy that she sat down to play a merry tune for the first time in her life.

The music was so joyous and the tempo was so upbeat, it got every foot tapping. Then her younger siblings started clapping. With a sinking feeling the Moon looked to her twin. The Sun was shaking with the temptation to dance. Moon hurried to finish the song, but before she could the Sun's energy burst into motion, and she twirled wildly around the room. She shimmied and shined brighter by the second as her multicolored gown flared around her. Meanwhile, her sister hid further and further behind her harp.

Her veil flew away and the room filled with fluctuating kaleidoscopic light so intense it made everyone dizzy. The Earth court was completely taken aback, and the Shy court stopped clapping. The song ended, and then the room was silent. The Sun soon recovered from the fervor that had taken hold of her. Her sister had all but disappeared behind her harp. The Sun began desperately searching the chaos of the room for her discarded veil, but it was far too late.

Outraged, the Earth screamed at the audacity of the Sun and the supposed pretension of the Sky Court. How dare they display such undignified behavior in front of her family! What a terrible example for her children! Her anger provoked a response from the Night and Day who could not bear to stand there and be insulted any longer. "So go and take ALL your daughters with you," the Earth spat before her sons could calm her. Nothing the Ocean said would change her mind, and the damage was done.

The Day and Night left full of fury, taking the Sun, the Moon, and all their Stars back to the Sky. The twins both hung their heads in shame and went quietly. In the weeks that ensued, the Ocean became, in his mother's words, "completely unmanageable." In his grief, he raged and crashed about most of the time, and the rest he spend in utter motionless depression. During one of his fits, he crushed the giant pearl Day had gifted him into millions of pieces that scattered themselves throughout his house like the endless tears he shed.

In the Kingdom of the Sky, the Moon was no better, though she did not rave or wail. Instead she sat behind her ebony harp neither singing nor playing only silently weeping as she grew small and pale. She spoke to no one and none could console her, least of all her twin sister. No matter how many times she apologized balling at her sister's feet, or brought her special treats, or sat with her braiding her hair, she could not reach her. It seemed their bond may be irrevocably broken.

Unwilling to give up and desperate to redeem herself, the Sun began going to the gates of the Earth Kingdom each day, pleading that she be allowed an audience with the Earth or Ocean. When her pleas met no answer, she would beat against the gate until her fists were bloody, and the blood stained her vibrant gown dark red, and her light dimmed to a hostile smoulder that saturated the whole Sky. She resolved to wait outside the gate for as long as it took to get in.

Despite everything, the Sun was not without friends in the Earth Kingdom. Wind, Fire, and Forest had been enchanted by her sparkling gaiety and the brazenness with which she expressed it. They had never known such freedom under the stern watch of the Earth, and they dearly wished to see her dance again. The condition of their eldest brother concerned them greatly, but the dimming of the Sun dismayed them. Their brother wouldn't even see them, but maybe they could cheer up the Sun.

Forest created special plants called flowers, tossed the seeds over the gate to grow at her feet, and shouted, "Please, don't be grim, your wonderful dress inspired me to bring color to the land, don't despair!" But most of the flowers withered before her gloom, and she shouted back, "Let me in! Let me in! Or I'll never see your flowers and you will never see my dress!" At a loss the Forest walked away. The Earth had the only key to the gate, so the Forest went to try to convince her to open it, but to no avail.

The Wind tried his hand next, creating an arc of colors he called a rainbow, and sending it shooting over the Sun's head, he hoped to dazzle her. "Please, don't be glum! Your light inspired me to make beauty out of thin air!" She Shouted back, "Let me in! Let me in! Or I swear I'll never shine again!" The Wind knew it was pointless, but he tried to get the Earth to open the gate, and he also failed.

Having seen how his brothers fared and not being one capable of creation, Fire decided to try a different strategy. So he went to his mother and bid that she come hide by the gate. Not to open, only to listen. He shouted to the Sun, "I know how you feel, the anger and shame, and I can burn this gate down. But what if I asked that you give up your gown, dim your light down, and cease dancing around?" At first the Sun did not answer, then she burst into tears, "My dress is in tatters, my light's all but out, and I'm too numb to dance. I know I've done wrong, but my sister is suffering, so please, give me a chance!"

The Earth was touched then by the Sun's steadfast heart and her determination. Perhaps she wasn't just a silly reckless girl after all. Earth opened the gate and stepped out to meet her. That was when she saw the work of her other sons, the flowers and rainbows. She realized that her children needed more than strictness and structure to grow and create something new. The Sun and the Moon had that something, and they needed something too.

The Earth cut a deal with the Sun; the gates would be opened and the Kingdoms united, if she trained each day to learn discipline and taught the Earth what freedom was. The Sun agreed and convinced Day and Night to go along. The Ocean and Moon were reunited, and they were so grateful for what the Sun had done and sacrificed for them that they made a gift of their own. A gorgeous blue gown that caught her light perfectly and twirled like a dream.

And the Sun wore this gown all Day while she played by Earth's rules, but on the cusp of Night, she'd grow wild once more, and dance along the horizon atop a rainbow that never ends, over flowers that grow to admire her, and in love that burns deep inside her.

That is why the Sky is blue, except for the rising and setting of the sun.