At a time the worlds were yet to be formed as we know them today, the Sun and the Moon kept the house. The Sun said, “Woman you are hanging on my word all day. You keep the house while I go abroad to catch up with news. You cannot run on news of yesterday. I am the head of the family. So I set the order.” Lady Moon said, “If that is how you feel about, OK go ahead. But I am sure I wont like it”. Thus the Sun set out alone.
The Moon sat morosely wondering how to pass the time. She became bored. All of a sudden an idea struck her. She leaned out and called, “Wind bring some news.” She had no idea what the wind was or what it could do, Just a thought, a wild fancy that she thought up. Hardly had she uttered her prayer, the wind came before her and said, “I am at your service, my lady”
“You travel far and wide. Have you something interesting to tell? ”
“I came through lands where everything is dry. A spark and the whole woodland went up in blaze. At the end of the terrible wholesale destruction I had a pretty good idea why.”
Lady Moon asked why. The Wind was sure that the Sun was behind it. At the end he concluded, “He should not be allowed a free hand.” When asked if there was something that she could do the Wind said, ” I carry messages and pass on favors to the likes of you. The Sun holds a vast reservoir of water for no good reason. Release it.”
The Moon was surprised that she was keeping a home without knowing what all she had at her disposal. Asking him to wait she went inside and took a key from under the pillow of the Sun’s couch. ‘Here, take as much as you want.”
The Wind did as Lady Moon said.
Later when the Sun came back the Moon told what happened. The Sun was pleased. ” You did justly,” When she asked if she should get back all that water he said, “Oh no,” If we both are keeping the house equally water down or up is no problem.
Ever since the water remained down.
Benny.
The original African folk tale is given below.
Many years ago, the sun and water were great friends, and they both lived on the earth togther. The sun very often used to visit the water, but the water never returned the visits.
At last the sun asked the water why he never visited. The water replied that the sun’s house was not big enough, and that if he came with all his people, he would drive the sun out of his home.
The water then said, “If you want me to visit you, you will have to build a very large house. But I warn you that it will have to be very large, as my people are numerous and take up a lot of room”.
The sun promised to build a very large house, and soon afterwards, he returned home to his wife, the moon, who greeted him with a broad smile.
The sun told the moon what he had promised the water, and the next day, they began building a large house to entertain the water and all his people.
When it was completed, the sun asked the water to come and visit him.
When the water arrived, one of his people called out to the sun, and asked him whether it would be safe for the water to enter, and the sun answered, “Yes, tell my friend to come in.”
The water began to flow in, followed by the fish and all the other water animals.
Very soon, the water was knee-deep in the house, so he asked the sun if it was still safe, and the sun again said, “Yes,” so more of them came in.
When the water was at the level of a man’s head, the water said to the sun, “Do you want more of my people to come?”
Not knowing any better, the sun and the moon both said, “Yes,”. More and more of the water’s people came in, until the sun and the moon had to sit on top of the roof.
The water once again asked the sun if it was still okay to keep coming in. The sun and moon answered yes, so more and more of the water’s people came in.
The water soon overflowed the top of the roof, and the sun and the moon were forced to go up into the sky.
…and they have been there ever since.
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