17. The sun departs

(A story based on the Yahgan mythology about heaven and earth)

Gaméla rubs the sleep from her eyes. She sees her little brother still lying near the fire. Her parents are already awake. “Where are we again?”, she asks herself, yawning, ah yes! at grandmother’s place. Last night grandma told them the beautiful myth about Lem. He is the sun for all nations.

“Lem’s father no longer lives. He was a grumpy, bad tempered old Sun-man,” grandma started, “but his son is the opposite in character and very handsome also. Every woman worships him. Still, no woman dares to look directly into his eyes. Men have a lot of respect for the young Sun-man, Lem. Lem’s wife is just as beautiful as he is. They have several beautiful daughters who physically look like animals: three of the daughters are seagulls, one is a goose, two are ducks, one is a fox and the youngest is a rat. Besides them, they have a couple more daughters and sons. Lem works a lot and is always friendly and kind to all people. He gives everyone light and warmth! Because there is another world, every night Lem leaves the land of the Yahgans. Once he is gone, he provides that other world with light and warmth. Every morning he returns to be with us. And he continues to do so. That’s how he helps people on all sides of the world.” Grandma ended the story calmly and contented.

Gaméla is still half asleep on her berth. She learned from her grandmother that Lem had not always been the sun. Long ago, in Yahgan-sha, women were in charge of men. Lem helped the men to solve the mystery of women. Since then, men lead the secret ceremony (kina) of women, although women continue to decide themselves about their own affairs in daily life. After that, Lem ascended to heaven where he kept his father’s company.

Gaméla rises, stretches in the wonderfully soft light of the morning sun. She gives Sisoi a prod to awaken him also.

• The day has begun in the land of the Yahgans. What are Gaméla and Sisoi going to do?
• This story is part of the Yahgan mythology about heaven and earth: the sun. Do you know any story or legend about the origin of the sun?
• Would you like to continue writing on this story? Would you like to make a drawing or create a photo about this story? Send it to my e-mail and I will post it on your behalf on the website.
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• Or continue reading. Next story: 18. The revenge of the older Sun-man