The World's Longest Night

Long, long ago, before the animals but after the plants, Sun, Moon, and Earth all walked the hills and valleys that cover our world's surface. In those times, Sun and Moon were always together and nothing could come between the sisters. There was no day or night, just eternal twilight. Often times, the two could be found playing tricks on each other and their older sister, Earth. Earth did not find their tricks funny, so she often left the twins to play be themselves. On of those twilight days, Sun and Moon were playing down by the river, chasing leaves down the current. Sun was having a lot of fun, but Moon was very bored. While Sun was chasing the leaves, Moon sat on the bank looking for shiny rocks. She was not having much luck when she found some fur weeds growing along the bank. Fur weeds were rare then and only grew in places were the twins played. Father Sky had told her never to eat the fur weed because it would make her sleep for a very long time. Today, however, Moon was bored and she was certain the fur weed would provide her with a lot of entertainment. Quickly, Moon picked some of the soft, fuzzy leaves and boiled them into a dark colored tea. When the tea was done, Moon called her sister over. 'Sun! Sun! I have made tea! Come drink it with me!' Sun looked up from counting the leaves she had caught and came running over. She quickly drank her tea as Moon pulled out some cakes Earth had made for them. Sun did not notice Moon did not drink her tea. It was not long before Sun was fast asleep. Not knowing how long Sun would sleep, Moon knew she had to work quickly. She raced off and gathered some dark colored berries. When she returned to her sleeping twin, she painted dark red silly faces and shapes all over Sun's gold fur. Satisfied with her work, Moon sat back and waited for Sun to wake up. She couldn't wait to see how Sun would react. Moon waited, and waited, and waited, but Sun did not wake up. Moon made some berry tea, but still Sun did not wake up. She ate the last of the cakes and Sun continued to sleep. It was becoming very dark and cold now. While Sun slept, she did not give off her normal light or heat. Without Sun, the world was slipping into a frigid darkness. Only the small area around Moon had any light, but there was no warmth at all. As more and more time passed, Moon began to worry. Why had Sun not woken up yet? She never slept this long before. Moon began to shake her sister. 'Sun! Sun! Wake up! It's time to get up!' she yelled. Sun did not even snore. Moon splashed water in Sun's face, but Sun did not stir. 'Wake up! Wake up!' Moon cried hysterically. 'You must wake up!' It was not long before her Father, Sky, heard her cries and came to see what was wrong. When he found Moon, she was curled around Sun, still desperately trying to wake her sister up. When Moon noticed him, she quickly explained about the fur weeds and how her joke had turned horribly wrong between her sobs. 'This is why I told you never to eat the fur weeds,' Sky scolded. 'Those who eat fall asleep and can not be woken.' 'She will sleep forever?' young Moon asked as more tears flowed. 'If nothing is done, yes. However, she can be woken up.' Moon perked up. 'How? Tell me! I will do anything to wake her!' 'We will need to make a sweet paste from the bush almonds that grows in the meadows, peanuts from the hills, mulberries, seeds from a pumpkin, and sugar cane. Bring those back here and I will make the paste with them. Feed it to Sun and she will wake up.' Wasting no time, Moon set off to find the ingredients. She raced to the meadows where bush almonds grew. She found the thorny bushes the almonds grew on. In the cold, all the leaves had fallen off, revealing the almonds in the center of the tangled branches. Moon reached in, cutting her paws and arms. She picked all of the almonds she could reach. When she pulled the almonds out, the blood from the cuts on her paws had turned the almonds a dark red. Next were the peanuts. She ran towards the hills. Just as she reached the base, rain began to fall all over the dark land. As the temperatures continued to drop, the rain turned to icy sleet, beating down on Moon. Though she was cold and wet, Moon would not stop, though. Sun's life was in trouble and Moon would not give up until she knew her sister was safe again. By the time Moon reached the top where the peanuts grew, the rain had turned to heavy snow. Moon shivered badly as she dug beneath the snow and frozen ground. Finally, she found the peanuts, now white and frozen from the snow. Peanuts in hand, Moon ran as fast as she could down the hills and towards the forest. She had seen a small grove of mulberry trees there not long ago. The forest looked different now, though. All the trees had lost their leaves and were covered with ice and snow. It was hard to find her way. She made her way through the forest, looking for a mulberry tree. After what seemed like forever, Moon finally came across a tree with white berries on its top branches. She climbed up to see if they were the right berries. They looked like mulberries. She popped one into her mouth. They were sweet as mulberries. Mulberries were not white, though. Moon looked at her peanuts, which were also an odd white color. 'It must be the cold,' she told herself and began picking as many berries as she could carry. From her place in the tree, Moon spotted an orange pumpkin still peeking up through the snow. She leaped down and pulled it up. Now all she needed was the sugar cane, but where would she find it? Sky had brought some to her, Earth, and Sun once, but he had never told them where he found it. 'I will ask Father,' she decided and started back towards Sun and the river. At first, Moon felt sure of where she was going. She had almost all of the ingredients and was feeling confident. Her sister would soon be saved. The more she walked, however, the less certain she felt. The endless night was getting even colder and more snow was coming down. Soon, poor Moon was completely lost. She had played in the forest many times, but now everything looked so different. All her usual paths were buried in snow and none of the trees looked the same without their leaves. She stumbled around, aimlessly for many many hours. Finally, cold and lost, Moon dropped to the ground. How could she save her sister while she was lost in the woods? In her fear and frustration, she cried. Sun brought light to the world and now that she was asleep, everything was cold and dying. What would happen to Earth's surface without Sun? Would everything die? It was all her fault! Everything would be cold and dead forever because she could not see her way out of the forest! 'No!' she sniffled. 'I can not give up! I have to save Sun! I must find my way out! Think! Think!' Moon told herself. Moon looked all around her, trying to find some clue to help her get out. There had to be some way out. If only she could find a path or see above the trees. That was it! If she climbed a tree, she could see over the trees and find her way out! Moon scurried up the nearest tree and perched up on the highest branches. She spotted the river and leaped back to the ground, running in the direction she had seen the river. She did this several times until she found her way out and back to the river. At the river, she found Sun still asleep. Sun's light had dimmed even more and snow was gathering around her. Sky sat near her, cooking something in a big black pot and trying to keep Sun warm. Moon dropped the ingredients in front of her father. 'I have found everything but the sugar. I do not know where to find sugar cane, father.' 'I knew you would not, so I fetched the sugar cane myself. It must be malted, which takes time, so I have already started preparing it,' Sky explained as Moon looked in the pot. 'Mix the other ingredients in and I will make the paste.' Moon did as her father told her. Together, the 2 made a thick paste and carefully fed it to Sun. Sun soon woke up. She was very confused at first. Her whole body felt weak and the world looked so different. Even though it was now returning to twilight, everything was covered in thick blankets of snow and the plants all looked dead. Sky and Moon explained what happened as Sun looked around. 'Will it stay dead?' Sun asked. 'No. It will return in time. The world must be warmed back up,' Sky responded. ' You can warm it with your light when you regain your energy. The fur weed has left you weak, but your strength will return in time.' Sun then looked at her sister. 'That was a mean trick!' Sun ssnapped. 'I would never do something so mean! I may play tricks, but I would never hurt anyone! If this is how you are going to play, then you may play be yourself from now on!' With that, Sun left, heading for the sky to rest. Moon was left behind, sad and silent. Her little trick had cost her so much. Though she saved her sister's life, Sun would no longer speak with her. Every since, Moon and Sun have rarely been seen together and during the winter months, Sun is seen less while the world grows cold.

The World's Longest Night

Long, long ago, before the animals but after the plants, Sun, Moon, and Earth all walked the hills and valleys that cover our world's surface. In those times, Sun and Moon were always together and nothing could come between the sisters. There was no day or night, just eternal twilight. Often times, the two could be found playing tricks on each other and their older sister, Earth. Earth did not find their tricks funny, so she often left the twins to play be themselves.

On of those twilight days, Sun and Moon were playing down by the river, chasing leaves down the current. Sun was having a lot of fun, but Moon was very bored. While Sun was chasing the leaves, Moon sat on the bank looking for shiny rocks. She was not having much luck when she found some fur weeds growing along the bank. Fur weeds were rare then and only grew in places were the twins played. Father Sky had told her never to eat the fur weed because it would make her sleep for a very long time. Today, however, Moon was bored and she was certain the fur weed would provide her with a lot of entertainment.

Quickly, Moon picked some of the soft, fuzzy leaves and boiled them into a dark colored tea. When the tea was done, Moon called her sister over.

'Sun! Sun! I have made tea! Come drink it with me!'

Sun looked up from counting the leaves she had caught and came running over. She quickly drank her tea as Moon pulled out some cakes Earth had made for them. Sun did not notice Moon did not drink her tea.

It was not long before Sun was fast asleep. Not knowing how long Sun would sleep, Moon knew she had to work quickly. She raced off and gathered some dark colored berries. When she returned to her sleeping twin, she painted dark red silly faces and shapes all over Sun's gold fur. Satisfied with her work, Moon sat back and waited for Sun to wake up. She couldn't wait to see how Sun would react.

Moon waited, and waited, and waited, but Sun did not wake up. Moon made some berry tea, but still Sun did not wake up. She ate the last of the cakes and Sun continued to sleep. It was becoming very dark and cold now. While Sun slept, she did not give off her normal light or heat. Without Sun, the world was slipping into a frigid darkness. Only the small area around Moon had any light, but there was no warmth at all.

As more and more time passed, Moon began to worry. Why had Sun not woken up yet? She never slept this long before. Moon began to shake her sister. 'Sun! Sun! Wake up! It's time to get up!' she yelled. Sun did not even snore. Moon splashed water in Sun's face, but Sun did not stir.

'Wake up! Wake up!' Moon cried hysterically. 'You must wake up!'

It was not long before her Father, Sky, heard her cries and came to see what was wrong. When he found Moon, she was curled around Sun, still desperately trying to wake her sister up. When Moon noticed him, she quickly explained about the fur weeds and how her joke had turned horribly wrong between her sobs.

'This is why I told you never to eat the fur weeds,' Sky scolded. 'Those who eat fall asleep and can not be woken.'

'She will sleep forever?' young Moon asked as more tears flowed.

'If nothing is done, yes. However, she can be woken up.'

Moon perked up. 'How? Tell me! I will do anything to wake her!'

'We will need to make a sweet paste from the bush almonds that grows in the meadows, peanuts from the hills, mulberries, seeds from a pumpkin, and sugar cane. Bring those back here and I will make the paste with them. Feed it to Sun and she will wake up.'

Wasting no time, Moon set off to find the ingredients. She raced to the meadows where bush almonds grew. She found the thorny bushes the almonds grew on. In the cold, all the leaves had fallen off, revealing the almonds in the center of the tangled branches. Moon reached in, cutting her paws and arms. She picked all of the almonds she could reach. When she pulled the almonds out, the blood from the cuts on her paws had turned the almonds a dark red.

Next were the peanuts. She ran towards the hills. Just as she reached the base, rain began to fall all over the dark land. As the temperatures continued to drop, the rain turned to icy sleet, beating down on Moon. Though she was cold and wet, Moon would not stop, though. Sun's life was in trouble and Moon would not give up until she knew her sister was safe again. By the time Moon reached the top where the peanuts grew, the rain had turned to heavy snow. Moon shivered badly as she dug beneath the snow and frozen ground. Finally, she found the peanuts, now white and frozen from the snow.

Peanuts in hand, Moon ran as fast as she could down the hills and towards the forest. She had seen a small grove of mulberry trees there not long ago. The forest looked different now, though. All the trees had lost their leaves and were covered with ice and snow. It was hard to find her way. She made her way through the forest, looking for a mulberry tree. After what seemed like forever, Moon finally came across a tree with white berries on its top branches. She climbed up to see if they were the right berries. They looked like mulberries. She popped one into her mouth. They were sweet as mulberries. Mulberries were not white, though. Moon looked at her peanuts, which were also an odd white color. 'It must be the cold,' she told herself and began picking as many berries as she could carry.

From her place in the tree, Moon spotted an orange pumpkin still peeking up through the snow. She leaped down and pulled it up. Now all she needed was the sugar cane, but where would she find it? Sky had brought some to her, Earth, and Sun once, but he had never told them where he found it. 'I will ask Father,' she decided and started back towards Sun and the river.

At first, Moon felt sure of where she was going. She had almost all of the ingredients and was feeling confident. Her sister would soon be saved. The more she walked, however, the less certain she felt. The endless night was getting even colder and more snow was coming down. Soon, poor Moon was completely lost. She had played in the forest many times, but now everything looked so different. All her usual paths were buried in snow and none of the trees looked the same without their leaves. She stumbled around, aimlessly for many many hours.

Finally, cold and lost, Moon dropped to the ground. How could she save her sister while she was lost in the woods? In her fear and frustration, she cried. Sun brought light to the world and now that she was asleep, everything was cold and dying. What would happen to Earth's surface without Sun? Would everything die? It was all her fault! Everything would be cold and dead forever because she could not see her way out of the forest!

'No!' she sniffled. 'I can not give up! I have to save Sun! I must find my way out! Think! Think!' Moon told herself.

Moon looked all around her, trying to find some clue to help her get out. There had to be some way out. If only she could find a path or see above the trees. That was it! If she climbed a tree, she could see over the trees and find her way out! Moon scurried up the nearest tree and perched up on the highest branches. She spotted the river and leaped back to the ground, running in the direction she had seen the river. She did this several times until she found her way out and back to the river.

At the river, she found Sun still asleep. Sun's light had dimmed even more and snow was gathering around her. Sky sat near her, cooking something in a big black pot and trying to keep Sun warm.

Moon dropped the ingredients in front of her father. 'I have found everything but the sugar. I do not know where to find sugar cane, father.'

'I knew you would not, so I fetched the sugar cane myself. It must be malted, which takes time, so I have already started preparing it,' Sky explained as Moon looked in the pot. 'Mix the other ingredients in and I will make the paste.'

Moon did as her father told her. Together, the 2 made a thick paste and carefully fed it to Sun. Sun soon woke up. She was very confused at first. Her whole body felt weak and the world looked so different. Even though it was now returning to twilight, everything was covered in thick blankets of snow and the plants all looked dead. Sky and Moon explained what happened as Sun looked around.

'Will it stay dead?' Sun asked.

'No. It will return in time. The world must be warmed back up,' Sky responded. ' You can warm it with your light when you regain your energy. The fur weed has left you weak, but your strength will return in time.'

Sun then looked at her sister. 'That was a mean trick!' Sun ssnapped. 'I would never do something so mean! I may play tricks, but I would never hurt anyone! If this is how you are going to play, then you may play be yourself from now on!'

With that, Sun left, heading for the sky to rest. Moon was left behind, sad and silent. Her little trick had cost her so much. Though she saved her sister's life, Sun would no longer speak with her. Every since, Moon and Sun have rarely been seen together and during the winter months, Sun is seen less while the world grows cold.