The Ravens and the Stars
Millions of years ago when the Earth was being created by the gods, the gods of the skies watched from the heavens. By day the Sun god, Apollo, watched them from the Sun Chariot and at night the Emperor of the Moon and the Empress of the Stars watched.
Every night the Emperor, Lunas, would take the Moon from his crown and let it brighten the night, and every night the Empress, Rayenu, would take off her pearl necklace of Stars and let the Stars shine.
But on one of these beautiful Summer nights when the Moon began to rise and it was time for Rayenu to let the stars shine, the chain on the necklace broke, letting the pearls fall to the Earth and out of sight. Hearing of this, the Emperor was infuriated. Then he stripped the Empress of her powers, and she fell to the Earth.
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| Rayenu and the scattering Pearls |
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Looking down on her he roared, “You must find every pearl in one week’s time or you will become a mortal and remain a mortal until you die!”
The Empress flinched at his harsh words.
“Do not come back unless you have the pearls or you will be severely punished!” he added.
Frightened, the Empress ran and did not stop until she was safely in a cave. The cave was damp and cold. Water dripped onto the cold, hard, wet floor.
“I must get the pearls back,” she thought to herself as she fell into a restless sleep.
The next morning she began her search. After four days she had climbed mountains, plunged into lakes, walked through deserts, valleys, caves, and wastelands, but she could not find even a single pearl.
She returned to the cave to sleep after her seemingly endless search. As Rayenu slept a deep sleep she dreamed of darkness. But the darkness seemed to separate and give way to light. But the darkness did not disappear. Instead it broke into clusters that flew everywhere. The darkness was really a flock—of Ravens!
“Of course! The Ravens of Dawn! Surely they will help me!” she thought. “We have been friends for years. But it has been a long time since I have seen them. Will they remember me?”
After she awoke Rayenu set off to Raven Forest where the Ravens of Dawn lived in the heart of the forest. During her journey she had almost turned back several times, but each time she remembered how much the people enjoyed looking up at the Stars at night and remembered how important it was for her to get the pearls back so the Stars may shine again.
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| Tree of Ravens |
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When she reached the tree where the Ravens lived she was surprised to hear a chorus of birds’ voices welcoming their old friend followed by a series of questions.
“How are you Rayenu?”
“Why have you not come to visit until now?”
“Have you missed us?”
“Why are you here?” they all crowed out at once, hopping around and flapping their wings.
After Rayenu told them her story the chattering started up again.
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Well, this is a problem!”
“Lunas shouldn’t have been so hard on you...”
“What are you going to do?” the black birds asked.
“Well, that’s just it,” Rayenu told the birds. “I have been searching for four days with no luck, and that is why I came here. I am in need of your help.”
“Of course, we will help you!” they exclaimed.
“You have been our friend for years...”
“You should have asked us sooner!” Then they exploded into a flurry of feathers, up into the sky, flying away with Rayenu shouting her thanks after them. The Ravens flew high and low searching everywhere, from the deepest, darkest tunnels, to the tops of the tallest mountains.
After two days of restless waiting at last Rayenu saw the black birds fly down to the tree and drop a silver bag into her hands. When she opened the bag, she gasped.
“Oh! The pearls! Every one of them. Oh, thank you! Thank you so much, my dear friends!”
“Wait a moment,”squawked one of the Ravens. “You’ll need a chain for them.” All of the birds cawed their agreement.
“We will make you a chain as strong as steel but as light as a feather,” crowed the Raven. Then, right before Rayenu’s eyes the Ravens flew up into the sky. She watched as each raven plucked one feather from their black bodies, and with amazement watched as the feathers spun round and round until they glowed like the Sun. Then the spinning stopped. A silver chain dropped into Rayenu’s hands.
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| Spinning the Chain |
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“Here is a chain made from our feathers,” crowed the Raven. “It will never break or get lost, so feel safe to string the pearls onto it so that the Stars shall forever shine in the sky at night.”
“Thank you so much, Ravens of Dawn,” Rayenu thanked them. “I am forever in your debt!” After stringing the pearls onto the beautiful silver chain she hurried back to the place where the Emperor of the Moon, Lunas, had banished Rayenu from the sky.
“Emperor of the Moon!” shouted Rayenu to the sky. “It is I, Rayenu, Empress of the Stars!” I have gotten back the pearls; now please, welcome me back to the sky so that I may let the Stars shine once more!” She held up the necklace so that Lunas could see that she spoke the truth.
“So you have!” boomed the loud voice of Lunas. “You may come back to the sky.”
That night Rayenu tossed the necklace into the sky, and the Stars shone even brighter than before. When the people saw that the Stars were back in the sky they celebrated joyously, and from that day forward the Stars remained in the sky shining brightly every night.
THE END
—by Emma Tatyana Rhodes
© 2011
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