Slowing the Sun

From "Slowing the Sun" from Tales of the Menehune by Harriet Coan.

Retold here by James

INTRODUCTION:

Everybody thinks of Mäui as the demi-god who pulled up the islands and discovered fire. But this is the legend of how Mäui took on a new and dangerous task, he slowed down the sun. Have you ever wondered why the sun travels across the sky so slowly? Well, it wasn’t always so…

Long ago, Mäui, the inventor of the kite played outside, flying his kite. When he finally got it soaring in the air, the night crept in. He wished that the sun would move across the sky more slowly so his days would be longer. Mäui wasn’t the only one who wanted a longer day. Farmers didn’t have enough time to weed or plant crops. Fishermen didn’t have enough time to lay their nets in the ocean and pull in their catch. And Mäui's mother, Hina, and the other women didn’t have enough time to dry their kapa. Night would come, rain followed and they had to take their kapa inside to dry. Mäui decided he had to do something. Will he be able to slow down the sun so kapa can dry, crops could be weeded and planted, and so children could play? Or will Mäui let down his people or get burned attempting this task?

Imagine playing outside and having to come in a few minutes later. Life would be quite dull and you would be angry at the sun. What would you do to the sun if you could do anything to it? This story is not like any other legend you have heard so you must hear this. Come and listen to how Mäui slowed the sun.