Dragging Sun and Moon
For ages uncounted, the sun and moon simply hung in the heavens as a part of the Great Sky. There was no need for them to move, and it was eternally day in one part of the world and night in the other. Into this world, the div were born, and before long those in the dark pleaded with Radiant Urian for light; those in the eternal light cried out for the restfulness of night. But how can this be? For a man can no more move his eye from his head to his toe than the Sky Father could move the Sun to the dark parts, and the Moon to the bright. Yet Thunderous Urian was moved by their pleas, and so he set to earth in his common guise and wandered among the div, finding the two mightiest of the race—Ali Mustafis bin Omar and Farouk al Ban. These two div were the greatest heroes of the time, and had come to be renowned among the Shaitan and Marid for their rivalry. They had wrestled 12 times before, and never had one of defeated the other.
When Urian came upon them, it was before their 13th match. Every hundred years div from around the world (who did not wither with age) would gather for great athletic contests between the strongest and swiftest among them. All eyes were upon the great champions, each of whom swore that he would be victorious this time. The Sky King came to them and made each this offer—should he win, Urian would place him in the heavens for eternity. Both readily accepted.
The two strove for three days, their longest match yet, and at the end, neither was victorious. When the Windwright came to them afterward and sighed sadly that he only had room for one in the sky, each demanded the place. Each swore fervently that he would serve gladly and diligently in the heavens just to keep his rival from the honor. At the end of their oaths, Urian smiled, for he indeed had room and need for both. And so, Ali Mustafis bin Omar was renamed Alimus and set in garments of pure gold. Urian placed in his hands a great flaxen cord that was lashed about the sun, and every day Alimus drags the golden orb across the sky.
For his part, Farouk was renamed Faro, and he was set in raiment of shining silver. Into his hand was committed a perfect thread of mithril that girded the moon. His commission was to drag the moon across the heavens in the evening. To this day, the two uphold their duties, though sometimes Faro shows up his rival by racing onto the field of the sky early, and so the moon can be seen in the heavens during the day. And sometimes, though rarely, the two ancient rivals come to wrestle once more and the sun and moon are eclipsed as they strive; to look at the sky at such times is folly, for the wrestlers have such might and glory in them that to gaze at them with the naked mortal eye is to be blinded.
Related People
Related Organizations
Comments