Week Four Storytelling: How Sun, Moon and Wind Went Out To Dinner

There once were three brothers, who grew up as all boys do; running outside, playing tricks and tracking mud in the house. They grew up with a loving mom who always served their favorite meals and sometimes, if they were good, ice cream for dessert. The boys' names from oldest to youngest were Charles, Adam and Tyler, respectively. Charles, being born first, was confident and brave, holding much of the family responsibility. He was serious and calm. Adam, the middle child, was the opposite. Reckless, loud and sometimes a bit crazy, he disliked chores and rules. However, being only two years a part, Charles and Adam were pretty close. Even with their differences they agreed on most things and grew up playing together often.

Tyler was the youngest. Four years younger than Adam, he was shy and quiet. He stayed close to his mom and was always obeying her rules and requests. As the three grew up, they became more selfish as young people often are. They thought less of home and their mother and more of their own futures, hopes and dreams. Charles met a girl and moved away to school, Adam wanted to join the military, but Tyler, unsure of his future stayed at home. He grew worried about their mother, as her health deteriorated and she had trouble going up and down stairs. He called on his brothers to help, but they never came home to see her. As she grew older she called upon a dinner with her three sons to divide her belongings in a will.

That same night, however, the brothers were all invited to a fancy dinner. Tyler wanted to stay and eat with their mother, but Charles and Adam convinced him to come along. The dinner included many important public figures, had a live band and a wonderful caterer. Charles and Adam ate plenty at dinner, drinking lots of beer and having a good time. They completely forgot about their mother's will and her failing health. Tyler, on the other hand, felt guilty about leaving his mother and ate less, saving part of the meal to take home. He hid some in a tupperware container in his jacket and barely talked to anyone all night. When the night was over they all headed back to see their mother.

When they returned, they found their mother in bed and very sick. Tyler, quickly heated up the food and fed her dinner in bed. She revealed that she had been sick for a while and would probably die soon. After this news, the brothers felt guilty about blowing off that night's dinner. Their mother realized that only Tyler thought of her during dinner, and was there for her during her recent sickness.

For their selfish actions, the mother turned Charles into a sun, making him unbearable hot and bright during the days. She said people would curse him for his heat and not look straight at him. She turned Adam into the Wind, a blistering hot wind that killed plants and swirled sand around, making people miserable and unhappy. She then turned to Tyler, who had graciously brought her dinner, and she tuned him into the moon. He would be calm, cool and beautiful, and everyone would be grateful for his presence at night.

(Source)

Author's Note. This story is based on "How Sun, Moon and Wind Went Out To Dinner." The original story is much like this one, but they started out as the sun, moon and the wind. After the sun and wind didn't think of their mother at dinner, they were cursed with these characteristics, while the moon became cool and beautiful at night. I turned the original into a story about three brothers, but kept the same lesson throughout.

Bibliography. "How Sun, Moon and Wind Went Out To Dinner" from Indian Fairy Tales (1912). Source.