Luna and Sol

"This th' tale, as ol' Gramma tell it. This th' tale of Luna and Sol."

The firelight shows the sand caked into the dark hair of the storyteller. She is young, possibly in her twenties, but with none of the self assurance that comes from experience. The few bits of skin that show despite her voluminous coverings are sun darkened.

"Ye'll excuse me speak, hey? I tells it as Gramma does, so I uses her words."

The young woman makes an expansive gesture that takes in the entire sky.

"Once, there were no Luna or Sol in the sky. They was two sisters on the dirt. The older was icy, cold. She has everything, until her mum quickens with another chile. Then suddenly, she has nothin'. This new babe, she's all fire and heat. The old sister, Luna, thinks about doin' in the new, but she never does.

"Well, they both grow up, fightin' over this man, this dress. Luna was beautiful, like a mornin' frostin when yer breath gets all white-like. Sol, that's the other one, she more beautiful. But she's all fire cracklin' with anger and jealousy.

"Ye see, Sol was jealous at Luna. Luna gets everythin' before her. That's normal-like, all sisters is like that. But here's th' catch. They's both magic. Big magics, like ye don' see much. Not here at ground, anytell.

"Luna tells to Sol, 'ye been stealing me man, me Knows. Ye can have th' man. But I want th' Knows back.' And Sol really has been stealin' her Knows. 'Cause Luna can fly, and Sol does too, now.

"Sol tells to Luna, 'I can't give it back. I'd have to un-Know it.' So Luna, she gets real mad. She goes away for three days and nights. Their mum wants to know what Sol did to Luna, that it's not right that sisters fight.

"A little at a time, Luna comes back. She still mad at Sol for stealin' her Know, so she steal some of Sol's. Sol Knows how to go 'round things. Now Luna can. When Luna can use Sol's Know, she comes all the way back. Sol is angry that Luna can use her Know.

"Sol and Luna start chasin' each other. Both is flyin' and goin' 'round things. They's call names that no good girl should have know of. They's mum, she's not likin' this at all. She speak one WORD,"

The storyteller freezes. Her eyes open wide and she makes an abrupt gesture.

"And both the sisters stop. But Sol has Luna's Know so good, she never stops flyin' and Luna's got Sol's Know, so she keeps goin' round'. They's mum says that this gotta stop.

"She more magic then both sisters. She speak one more WORD. And say, 'this will keep until you learn better.' and she go away.

"Both the sisters are flyin' and goin' 'round again. But now they's goin' 'round the ground. And Luna is angry 'cause Sol is getting all the good words for being the daytime and Sol is angry 'cause Luna steal her fire and make it white. So they chase and chase and chase. Sometime, Luna catches up with Sol and gives her a black eye. But Sol heals it, and chases Luna away.

"They's still chase. There Luna."

The storyteller points upwards, and gestures at the sky again.

"And Sol will come 'round again, and Luna will run. Just as it been for as long as the old olders can 'member."

She takes a breath and holds it a moment, blowing it out silently. Slowly, she unwinds the large towel from herself and shakes the sand out of her hair. She has a story now, and will go tell it to someone other then the moon and the fire and the deserted beach.