An ancient Philippine legend tells that, at the beginning of time, three brothers lived in heaven who loved each other very much: the bright and warm sun, the pale but beautiful moon, and a garrulous rooster that hummed all day.
The three brothers got along very well and used to divide up the household chores. Every morning, it was the sun who had the most important mission to perform: to leave the family home to illuminate and warm the earth. He was well aware that without his work, life would not exist on the planet. Meanwhile, the moon and the rooster did the housework, such as cleaning the kitchen, watering the plants, and tending their lands.
One afternoon, the moon said to the rooster:
– Little brother, it’s almost night. The sun is about to return from work and I want dinner to be ready on time. While I finish making it, take care of taking the cows to the barn. It is cooling and I want them to sleep warm!
The rooster, who had just laid down on the sofa, reluctantly replied:
– Oh no, what are you saying! I’ve done all the laundry and ironed a mountain of clothes taller than Mount Everest. I’m exhausted and want to rest!
The moon got very angry! She approached him, grabbed him by the crest and very seriously, warned him:
– The sun and I work non-stop and never neglect our obligations! Right now you are going to go out to take the cows to the barn as I have ordered!
Not even the painful pull of the crest managed to intimidate him; on the contrary, the rooster reaffirmed his decision:
– No no and no! I don’t feel like it and I’m not going to do it!
The moon, losing her temper, screamed at him:
– Oh yeah? Well, you have earned it! There is no room for lazy here! Out of heaven forever!
Indignant, she held him tightly, drew her arm back, and with a firm movement tossed him into space, tumbling toward the ground.
After a while, the sun returned home and met his sister the moon, who had come from gathering the cattle.
– Hello, little sister!
– Hello! How was your day?
– Very good, no news. By the way … I don’t see our little brother the rooster around here.
The moon reddened with rage and raising his voice, he said:
– He’s not here because I just kicked him out of the house! He’s selfish! It was his turn to do the barn chores and he flatly refused. What a cheek!
– What are you telling me? You are crazy? How could you do something like that?… He’s your brother!
– Neither brother nor anything! It put me in a very bad mood! He only thinks of himself and he deserved a good punishment!
The sun couldn’t believe what he was hearing and was furious with the moon.
– What you just did is unforgivable! From now on, I don’t want to know anything more about you. I will work during the day as usual and you will go out to work at night. Each one will go their own way and thus we will not see each other again.
– But that’s not fair! …
– There’s nothing more to talk about! As for our rooster brother, I’ll talk to him. I will beg him to wake me up every morning from the ground with his song so that I can continue to be in contact with him, but I will also ask him to hide in a chicken coop at night so that he does not have to see you.
As this legend tells, from that moment on, the sun and the moon began to work in shifts. The sun rose very early and when he returned home, the moon was gone because he had gone with the stars to brighten the dark night. When he finished his homework, before dawn, he would go home, but the early morning sun was gone. They never met or exchanged a single word again.
The rooster, of course, received the message from the sun and promised to wake him up every morning with his powerful kikiriki. From then on he became the animal in charge of welcoming the new day. He got used to living on a farm very well and hiding in the chicken coop as soon as he saw the white light of the moon emerge from the darkness.
This ritual has been maintained for thousands of years to this day. You can see for yourself enjoying a beautiful sunrise in the countryside or a beautiful sunset in front of the sea.
