How Grandmother Spider Stole the Sun  [Back]

When the earth was first made, there was no light.
It was very hard for the animals and the people in the darkness. Finally, the animals
decided to do something about it.
"I've heard there is something called the Sun" said the Bear. "It is kept on the other side 
of the world, but the people there will not share it. "Perhaps we can steal a piece of it."

All the animals agreed that it was a good idea. But who would be the one to steal the Sun?

The Fox was the first to try. He sneaked to the place where the Sun was kept. He waited 
until no one was looking. Then he grabbed a piece of it in his mouth and ran. But the Sun 
was so hot it burned his mouth and he dropped it. To this day all foxes have black mouths 
because that first fox burned his carrying the Sun.

The Possum was next to try. In those days, Possum had a very bushy tail.She crept to the 
place where the Sun was kept, broke off a piece and hid it in her tail. Then she began to 
run, bringing the Sun back to the animals and people. But the Sun was so hot it burned off 
all the hair on her tail and she dropped it. To this day all possums have bare tails because 
the Sun burned away all the hair on that very first one.

Then Grandmother Spider tried. Instead of trying to hold the Sun herself, she wove a bag out 
of her webbing. She put the piece of the Sun in her bag and carried it back to the people 
and the animals.
Now the question was where to put the Sun.

Grandmother Spider told them, "The Sun should be up high in the sky.Then everyone will be 
able to see it and benefit from its light.

All the animals agreed, but none of them could reach up high enough.
Even if they carried it to the top of the highest tree, that would not be high enough for 
everyone to see the Sun. Then they decided to have one of the birds carry the Sun to the top 
of the sky. Everyone knew that Buzzard could fly the highest, so he was chosen.
The Buzzard placed the Sun on top of his head, where the feathers were the thickest, for the 
Sun was still very hot, even inside Grandmother Spider's bag. He began to fly, up and up 
toward the top of the sky. As he flew the Sun grew hotter and hotter. Up, up he went higher 
and higher, and the Sun grew hotter and hotter still. Now the Sun was burning through 
Grandmother Spider's bag, but the Buzzard still kept flying up toward the top of the sky.Up 
and up he went, and the Sun grew hotter. It was burning the feathers on top of his head,but 
he continued on. All of the his feathers were gone, but he flew higher. It was turning the 
bare skin on top of his head all red, but he continued to fly. He flew until he reached the 
top of the sky, and placed the Sun where it would give light to everyone
          
        © Granny Ratt