Snaring the Sun

Did I say you could set this quickly?

Hello, reader. This week, we turn toward Hawaii for our tale. Snaring the Sun is the Hawaiian story behind why the sun is in the sky longer in some seasons that others. I was only familiar with the story about Hades and Persephone, so it's nice to read how another culture handles this. Click on the link above and then read below to think a bit more deeply about it.

Maui is spurred into action because he feels bad for his mother. While I almost wish his mother had snared the sun herself, it is a good reason for him to change something so drastic. I mean, if you're a god it is. Maui studies the problem before rushing into it and decides that the best way to grab the sun is to make a strong rope out of coconut husks. I can't really fault the Moemoe for saying he couldn't do it. I didn't think Maui would be able to grab the sun, either. Of course, it is a legend so science is a little...different.

Once Maui gets the sun, he violently breaks off its strongest legs and then declares he's going to kill it for going too quickly. I'm going to assume that he was bluffing because that would be the opposite of what he wanted to happen. Either way, I'm a little startled by the violence of this story. Not only can Maui lasso the sun, but then he breaks it apart with his bare hands. Remind me not to anger any Hawaiian gods. Or demigods. ...or in some stories Maui is just a human.

Anyway, Maui is not done. Once he gets the sun to agree to go more slowly, he hunts down the Moemoe who said he couldn't do it, and kills him. To be fair, Maui did tell this critter that he would kill it for doubting him. Once the Moemoe died, it became a long rock beside a road somewhere. So I guess this is an origin myth for two things: the difference in time the sun is above the horizon during different seasons, and a long rock. I have to admit I didn't see that one coming.

Keeping in mind that this story has the filter of not only the person who verbally told it, but also the person who wrote it down and published it, there's a bit more to Maui than meets the eye. Yes, he is violent and impulsive, but he is also devoted and persistent. He went to great lengths and did something impossible just to make his mother's life easier. That's love. Maui is kind of a great guy, just a little impulsive and violent.

The moral of this story would either be: if you are Maui's mother, he will change the world to make your life easier, or even if you doubt someone, don't tell them, or they might kill you after they succeed at their impossible task.

Disagree with my morals? Have some of your own? Have a story you want me to write about? Have an opinion about Hawaii versus Hawai'i? Comment below!

Pied Piper of Hameln

Nothing to see here, just a man leading children away with his music.

Hello again, reader. This week, by request, we'll be looking at the Pied Piper of Hameln, from Germany. This is a story the brothers Grimm collected, but it looks like at least part of it was based on real events. Follow the link to the story above and then let's take a look at it below.

Firstly, the moral question of the tale is whether or not the townsfolk deserved to have their children taken from them. They agreed to pay this man a sum of money and, after he did the job, they decided not to pay him. Obviously, the townsfolk are not the best people. They should have paid what they agreed to, so, I understand why the piper would be angry. However, that does not mean that he can kidnap the town's children. Children are, obviously, very different from money, so he wasn't taking what was owed him. I'm sure the townsfolk would argue that the piper took more than he was owed. All of the moral arguments aside, it would be far more expensive to feed and care for those children than whatever the townsfolk had promised the piper.

This leads me to my next point: why did the piper want these children? Obviously he wanted to hurt the townsfolk, but did he have a plan after the door in the mountain shut behind the last child? I'm sure the children almost immediately started crying, once the spell wore off. I would like to be charitable and think he got these children other loving homes, however, I think the truth is much more sinister. After all, we have a town that was suddenly and inexplicably overrun by rats and the man who, with just his music, can miraculously lead them out of town. Then he can do the same thing with the children. Yes, I'm saying he turned those children into rats. Then he can set them loose on another town and try to collect his payment from those folks instead. It's smart, if terrifying. On the other hand, maybe the whole thing was a metaphor for a disease, brought by the rats, that hit the children the hardest. Who knows?

As far as a moral for this story, I would say, make sure you pay your debts, especially if they're to a magic man with crazy powers.

Want me to write about a folktale you find interesting? Have a different moral? Or a different argument about this tale? Comment below!