Time’s Work
Some of you might wonder how tiels know so much about life, when we’re with our parents for only a short time. Well, the answer’s easy really. Our parents start telling us about the world when the last egg of a clutch is laid. Not just about the world of today though. Tiels have a rich history that goes back to the beginning of….well, the beginning.
This is the first story our mother told us as she kept us warm that night. (Don’t forget, we were only eggs at the time).
In the very beginning, when time was still sorting things out, quite a few things needed changing. Day thought it’s work hours were too long and the sun was bored because all it did was travel across the sky from one horizon to the next and back again. It really wanted to see what was beyond the horizons.
All the animals and birds that had sensitive eyes began to complain. (They’re the ones that made sunglasses more than just a fashion accessory). The price of sunglasses kept rising and the latest looked absolutely hideous!
So after listening to the complaints, Time put an add in the local paper asking for some help. Night answered the add and Day got some time off, and the sun finally found out what was beyond the horizons.
Everyone was happy (except for the sunglass manufacturers). At least for a while, that is. But soon all the animals started complaining.
There was no warning when Day and Night swapped places. (They actually enjoyed all the confusion, but never admitted to it.) Everybody got in each other’s way as they either rushed home to sleep, or hurried out to eat. They wanted some warning before the change over, to end all the confusion.
Time thought about it, and agreed. Time posted an E-mail on the web (and I bet you thought you humans had invented it!) and Sunset and Sunrise agreed to give it a go.
So it started out with Sunset, followed by Day, then Sunrise and then Night. The Sun didn’t like this arrangement at all, but when Sunset and Sunrise swapped places, everyone was happy.
That was, until Night got insulted and threatened to quit. It was already upset because Day had Sunrise and Sunset to help it out, but Night had nothing. Some of the animals too, were angry at Night. They said it was TOO dark because they kept bumping into trees and rocks. (They were the ones that refused to stop wearing their designer sunglasses!)
Night felt insulted and told everyone that it was quitting. Even with apologies and the destruction of all the sunglasses (which is why animals don’t wear them any more) Night wouldn’t change its’ mind.
Time put up a ‘Help Wanted’ sign in its’ front yard and Evening applied for the job. An old moon heard all the commotion and offered to help Night out. It stressed, however, that it was old and couldn’t shine all the time, but it did have a chest full of stars that Night might like.
So at last everyone was happy. All the animals and birds settled into the Day/Night cycle. Time was content and all the teething problems had been worked out. Right?
Umm, not quite, but that was in another story that our parents told us.
Storm © 2002
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