Weather Myth

by Haein

There are many spirits in the world, that control the weather, land, and sea, and they are all one family. Their mother is Lady Light, and their father is Lord Dark. Light and Dark are opposites, but they are lovers, and can always be found together. Light is brightest in the dark, and shadows are strongest in the noon-day sun.

This story is about their children, the storm spirits.

A long time ago, Mother Light gave birth to three boys, with great pain and labor. Two were big, dark-haired boys, Cloud and Rain, who held hands and stared at her with shifting, moody eyes. They sang strange songs, and loved to swim in the sea. The other boy, Thunder, was completely different, a beautiful black-haired giant who was always angry when his other brothers would not play games with him. He would shout at them, then pound his fists on the ground when they ignored his tantrums. Yet he was a loving boy, and would make up thrilling, loud stories of adventure and battles to tell his siblings when they actually did play with him.

Father Dark and Mother Light looked at their children, their three handsome boys. They were talented and smart, but Mother Light was sad because she had no daughters to sing and dance with. She began to dim, and the days became darker and darker. Her husband noticed, and anxiously asked her why she had lost her strength. Did she not find happiness in her family anymore? Mother Light told him that she was saving her strength for her next child: a girl.

This daughter's birth was completely unlike that of her brothers'. Theirs had been slow and difficult, because they were so large. But now Mother Light merely coughed, and out popped a tiny girl! Pale-haired and black-eyed, dancing from the moment she was born; she was beautiful and daring, but never spoke a sound. Father Dark took one glance at her, and called her Lightning, for she much resembled her mother.

Lightning was charming, but troublesome. She would jump around, play tricks on the sky spirits, bully the animals, and tease the winds until they scowled. Lightning needed someone to keep control over her, and Mother Light chose Thunder, to be his sister's keeper… Mother Light tied him to Lightning with a magic rope, so he was forced to follow her around.

When Lightning found out about the rope, she ran as fast as she could. Surely the rope would snap, with her heavy big brother tugging on the other side of it? But the rope was unbreakable, and just tugged Thunder along with her. He howled when he was banged and thumped on sharp trees and rocks, and leapt up to stop his troublesome sister. As fast as he ran to catch up with her, she would swiftly leap away from him.

By now, of course, Thunder and Lightning have forgiven each other, and are good friends and play-companions to each other. They have almost forgotten about the magic rope their mother tied them with.

But whenever you look up and see a bright flash of light diving through the sky, then hear a boom of frustrated thunder, a few seconds later.... you can be sure that the two siblings are quarreling and chasing each other again!