The Southwest of the US encompasses a dry area of
high desert, mountains, and plains. It includes Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and
parts of southern Utah and Colorado. Within this area there were two major
cultural groups of Native American: the Tewan (or Pueblo), which includes the
Hopi, the Zuni, and others living along the Rio Grande, and the second group
made of the Dineh (or Navajo), and the Tinneh (or Apache). Those original tribes
developed forms of dry-land agriculture. Through irrigation from the great
river and the breeding of plants suited to the dry conditions, they grew corn,
beans, squash, and other plants. Pueblo tradition says that there must be
balance in all things, including darkness and light. And that’s where this
story comes from.
A very long time ago, Moon and Sun kept watch over
the earth. They watched for people who worked and played, for animals and birds
who flew and sang, and for all the plants and flowers which bloomed and fragranced
the air.
Sun did this during the day and Moon did this during
the night. There was never any darkness. And for a while, it was all good.
However, since there was no darkness, people and
animals didn’t know when to take a rest, flowers bloomed without stopping, as a
result people, animals, and flowers grew tired. People and children stopped
smiling and laughing. Birds singing became scratchy. Flowers lost their
fragrance.
Sun and Moon noticed this and knew they had to do
something about this.
“I will give up one of my eyes,” Sun said. “So it
won’t be so bright during the daytime.”
“No, I must give up one of my eyes,” Moon responded.
“Then the darkness will come over night, so the people, animals, and plants
will be able to rest.”
So it was that Moon gave up one of the eyes. Now the
night was no longer bright.
Source: The Girl Who Helped Thunder and Other Native
American Folktales by James Bruchac and Joseph Bruchac
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