For a long time there was no sun, only a moon and stars. That was before there were men on the earth, only birds and beasts, all of which were many sizes larger than they are now.
One day Dinewan the Emu and Brolga the Native Companion were on a large plain near the Murrumbidgee. There they were, quarreling and fighting.
Brolga, in her rage, rushed to the nest of Dinewan and seized from it one of the huge eggs, which she threw with all her force up to the sky. There it broke on a heap of firewood, which burst into flame as the yellow yolk spilled all over it, and lit up the world below, to the astonishment of every creature on it. They had been used to the semi-darkness and were dazzled by such brightness.
A good spirit who lived in the sky saw how bright and beautiful the earth looked when lit up by this blaze. He thought it would be a good thing to make a fire every day, and from that time he has done so. All night he and his attendant spirits collect wood and heap it up. When the heap is nearly big enough they send out the morning star to warn those on earth that the fire will soon be lit.
The spirits, however, found this warning was not sufficient, for those who slept saw it not. Then the spirits thought someone should make some noise at dawn to herald the coming of the sun and waken the sleepers. But for a long time they could not decide to whom should be given this office.
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| Goo-goor-gaga |
At last one evening they heard the laughter of Goo-goor-gaga, the Laughing Jackass, ringing through the air.
'That is the noise we want,' they said. Then they told Goo-goor-gaga that, as the morning star faded and the day dawned, he was every morning to laugh his loudest, that his laughter might awaken all sleepers before sunrise. If he would not agree to do this, then no more would they light the sun-fire, but let the earth be ever in twilight again
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But Goo-goor-gaga saved the light for the world. He agreed to laugh his loudest at every dawn of every day, and so he has done ever since, making the air ring with his loud cackling, "Goo goor gaga, goo goor gaga, goo goor gaga."
When the spirits first light the fire it does not throw out much heat. But by the middle of the day, when the whole heap of firewood is in a blaze, the heat is fierce. After that it begins to die gradually away until, at sunset, only red embers are left. They quickly die out, except a few the spirits cover up with clouds and save to light the heap of wood they get ready for the next day.
Children are not allowed to imitate the laughter of Goo-goor-gaga, lest he should hear them and cease his morning cry.
If children do laugh as he does, an extra tooth grows above their eye-tooth, so that they carry the mark of their mockery in punishment for it. Well, the good spirits know that if ever a time comes when the Goo-goor-gagas cease laughing to herald the sun, then no more dawns will be seen in the land, and darkness will reign once more.
K Langloh Parker, Australian Legendary Tales
The sun came up for the millionth time today. I saw it with mine own eyes! One million years ago today, the old sun crept up. Don't know who was watching that day, but I bet some photo protoplasm or whatever, rejoiced all over the place...and maybe some creatures, like my favorite Trilobites.
The Sun didn't know it was Feb. 9th, a million years ago. February hadn't been invented yet. WE hadn't been invented, hatched, made, created or whatever that morning. Fact is , the Sun don't know it's February 9th 2012, today...nor does he give a flip.
I'm not sure the sun had much to do a million years ago except perfect his sunrises and sunsets and put a little light on the subject when the volcanoes, earthquakes and hurricanes let him. We've had some good rises and sets lately. Generally, I'm more apt to see the sets, except in the mid winter. I am given to the Arms of Morpheus when it rises in day light savings time.
We hadn't started messing with him, like now, by creating daylight savings time, measuring his storms, and radiation. Sun will surely punish us one of these days. Oh, by the way, I am using the masculine in reference to the Sun 'cause the moon is generally referred to as "she, who must be obeyed".
Wonder if the Sun knew he was going to have much ado made over him. Amoeba, plants, and cold blooded animals worshiped him. The Druids, Egyptians and Aztec thought he was the greatest. They worshiped the Sun! They figured out the sun gonna' do his job, liked it or not...may as well worship him. Figured it was one think they could depend on, and they couldn't change it. Along the way the worshipers passed on some superlative knowledge about the Sun's comings and goings and doings.
Red haired, and fair skinned people fear him. Electronic engineers dislike his temperament when he's feeling frisky. Aurora Borealis gets all excited by the sun. There are those who live where The Sun never comes up, or sets, for days each year. Near the Equator, days and night are the same length...that's what I hear, anyway. The sun don't care about none of this. Ain't his job.
Scientist say the sun is not as hot as it used to be, some same say it's hotter; that the earth is getting hotter...like a nice black berry ripening in the June sun. It's getting cooler, according to folks working outside on a cold February day, something we ain't had yet, Thank You Jesus! There are some that say the sun hasn't come up today...somewhere, maybe even here! Some say it hadn't gone down yet. There are people who say it's only come up since the 1400's. What that be about?
You know what? The song says it best. "That lazy ole sun, got nothing to do, but roll around heavum all day"!
Boy, he feels good on my back shining through the window this morning! Hope he comes up tomorrow for the millionth time again...and every day for the rest of my life, and yours, too!
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