. The sun and the moon – A Guaraní legend

When GodTupá (God in Guaraní) created the first couple, He left them on Earth. The man prepared the soil and the woman planted corn with so they could have food to eat. One day the man departed but the woman, inspired by the child in her womb, followed him through the jungle, where a hungry jaguar killed her, but from her belly twins boys were born. Their name were Erekeí and Erevuí. They were raised among beasts until becoming men. One day, Añá, the devil came and took them to his hut where Añá’s (devil in Guaraní), beautiful young daughter lived. Meanwhile, the three of them fled leaving the devil with his schemes, as GodTupá was calling them with a very loud voice. They found God, who was represented as a kindly old man, who asked them what their wishes were. - I want to be the light - Erekeí said, - then you’ll be the sun! God answered. - I love the light in the shadows -, Erevú added – , then you’ll be the moon - replied again Tupá God-. So, these two stars were created, to which, according to the Guaraní’s story, they always have to solemnly salute the two stars, especially the sun, from the beginning of time. According to the Guaraní people, the major celestial bodies which are observed with the naked eye, were born in a very peculiar way. So for example, Kuarahy (the Sun) is the product of the union between Ñamandu (God, our father), and Ñande Sy (our mother), who dies during childbirth of Kuarahy (the sun). Under the energetic influx of Kuarahy (the sun) on the bones of his mother, Jasy (the Moon) is born, and a reason why is that as we approach the date of death of Ñande Sy (our mother), Jasy (the moon) loses strength (waning moon) to disappear and reoccur in the sunburst. The new moon is the manner of remembering that birth.